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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From The Twentieth Century in Books

Jan 3, 2018

READ THIS NOW!

Apologies for such a forthright command, but this pithy and punchy short book is an absolute must-read. In less than 200 pages, Timothy Snyder, a Yale chair and renowned historian, describes why our actions today matter.

Along with Burleigh and Kershaw he has exposed the monstrosities of the evil regimes ruled by Hitler, Mussolini, Lenin, Stalin, Pol Pot and other tyrants who have murdered at home and abroad. Having extensively studied both right-wing and left-wing tyrannical regimes, Snyder goes onto look at the 2016 presidential campaign and Donald Trump. "Post-truth is pre-fascism," he writes, in one of many passages that seem to cast the US as a society in a pre-fascist stage.

Snyder succinctly suggests that 20 lessons from history are invaluable if we are to avoid democracy collapsing as it did after 1918. History he agrees does not repeat but it does instruct.

In a world where truth, reality and fantasy are thrown into a huge melting pot - having a book that researched facts, presents political history and encourages the reader to make their own decisions is a liberating read.

Kudos

Mike Carlson (115 KP) rated The Amazing Spider-Man : 24/7 in Books

Mar 15, 2018

The Amazing Spider-Man : 24/7

Mark Waid, Dan Slott | 2009 | Comics & Graphic Novels

7.5

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

The writing (0 more)

JJJ's Hitler stache (0 more)

Daze in the life

This collection of loosely-strung vignettes varies in quality. It happens, especially when you have half a dozen issues with as many creators.

The first story, "Loose Ends", offers a promising future foe in Kraven's daughter. It's a follow-up to a story told elsewhere.

Next is "Marked". It features a "D-list" (according to Spider-Man) villain going by The Spot. He should be upgraded to more of a threat seeing as he doesn't set off the Spidey Sense anymore.

Following this is "Birthday Boy". Pretty much a character-centric filler with Wolverine. It's not bad - none of these really are - it just feels like treading water.

The 2 part "Face Front" features the Fantastic Four. The story about dabbling in an alternate dimension's affairs is cliche, and the focus on a mindwipe about Spidey's identity starts to grate after a while.

Finally, we have the 3 part "24/7". This is the most entertaining of the bunch. Peter goes on a superhero spree for days, simply to annoy the newly-elected mayor. It also introduces an acid-spitting version of the Vulture.

Kudos

Awix (3310 KP) rated A Hidden Life (2019) in Movies

Jan 22, 2020

A Hidden Life (2019)

2019 | Biography, Drama

7.3

(3 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Based-on-a-true-story drama set during the Second World War. An Austrian farmer decides he does not agree with the actions of the Nazi government and refuses to swear an oath of loyalty to Hitler, regardless of the risks to himself or the effects this will have on his family's status in their village. Obviously a serious film dealing with an important topic, presented in a measured and very skillful way: this is a Terrence Malick movie, so obviously it's going to look tremendous.

On the other hand, it's a Terrence Malick film, and no-one's ever come out of one of those saying 'Yeah, I liked it, but it could have done with being a bit longer and slower' - this film is knocking on three hours in length, and I'm not really sure it needs it. There are probably several too many scenes of villagers scything the corn or digging up turnips as the wind whistles down the valley. Still, it handles a weighty topic with the proper respect, and stories like these deserve to be remembered. Worth watching, but probably best to take sandwiches.