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Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood in Books

Oct 6, 2018

Funny and poignant

BORN A CRIME was engaging from start to finish. I have to recommend the audio of this book because you get Trevor Noah as the narrator and that truly was everything. The narration, the amusement and feelings that his own narration evoked, enhanced this book ten-fold.

So many issues and topics were covered in this book but most of all, I’ve been educated. I grew up with apartheid being reported daily on the news, I remember the celebration at it’s demise but being a close spectator to life in Soweto and other places, beginning to understand Trevor’s position as not black and not white was truly eye-opening. All this could be such a heavy topic, but actually Trevor brings his naughtiness as a child, the funny side of things and the very tragic too.

Both my kids listened to chapters of this with me in the car and thoroughly enjoyed it. My eldest commented on it being relevant both to her politics and sociology classes, my youngest just loved the ride, especially the tale of Fufi the dog. Some of the book wouldn’t have been suitable for my youngest, but I will be buying it for him when he’s older.

Even if you’re not a biographical or non-fiction reader, give this a go. I think you’ll find yourself unable to look away.

Kudos

Sarah (7798 KP) rated Everything I Know About Love in Books

Jul 18, 2019

Funny and heartwarming

My friend sent me this book as a housewarming gift as something she thought I'd love, and she couldn't have been more right.

Dolly Alderton is a similar age to me, and whilst some of her life experiences have been a little more extreme and over the top than mine, I could see so much of my life, thoughts and emotions in this book. Never before have I read a non-fiction book that really gets me until now. Dolly has a nice uncomplicated writing style that's fun and easy to read, and the way she recounts her stories is often hilarious and very heartwarming. I liked how the book was structured and plotted for the most part, I especially loved the chapters entitled "Everything I Know About Love age", these were the most poignant and real to read and I was virtually in tears every time I read these, and especially so after reading the last chapter about thirty. There are some chapters and extracts in this book that are a little long winter or unnecessary, but apart from these this is such a fun heartwarmingly sweet book that is definitely worth a read, especially if you're feeling a little disillusioned about love. There are some truly wonderful (albeit a tad cheesy) messages in this that are really meaningful.

Kudos

Deborah (162 KP) rated Stormbird (Wars of the Roses, #1) in Books

Dec 21, 2018

I have a great interest in late medieval and early modern history, so this one was bought for me as a present, thinking it would be right up my street.

Overall, it wasn't badly written, but I was less than halfway through and couldn't wait for it to be over (I'm far to stubborn to give up part way through!). We lurch from one battle, to a nice bit of torture and a bit of violence and some more blood and another battle..... you get my drift! And no, I don't think I have an unrealistic view of the past and it was bloody and those in power would have been what we might call self serving but they would probably though of as pragmatic, but this seemed to concentrate on the violence to the exclusion of just about everything else.

I'm not sure if Iggulden anticipated the reader feeling sympathy with any of the characters, but I found this difficult as there wasn't a great deal of character development, as it tended to get in the way of the blood letting. Everyone seemed to be self serving and the expression 'smug' was used on a number of occasions - not exactly endearing!

I don't think I'll bother with the rest of the series and just go back to my non-fiction books on the period.

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AJaneClark (3962 KP) rated The Prison Doctor in Books

Apr 19, 2020

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A quick and interesting read

From the back of the book: Dr Amanda Brown treats inmates in the U.K.’s most infamous prisons. From miraculous pregnancies to dirty protests, and from violent attacks on prisoners to heartbreaking attacks of self harm, she has witnessed it all from her patients. In this eye-opening, inspirational memoir, Amanda reveal stories, the patients and the cases that have shaped a career spent helping those in need. Despite their crimes, she is still their doctor.

I am not a regular non-fiction reader, but reading Adam Kay’s: This is Going to Hurt, inspired me to find and read further uniquely real life stories.

Dr Amanda Brown does not disappoint when recalling her departure from medicine in a general practice to handling very different and sometimes scary situations working as a doctor in prisons. We follow the doc on her journey from a boys youth prison, through Wormwood Scrubs and finally HMP Bronzfield. Dr Amanda Brown shares with the readers some of the highs and lows she faced when working with prisoners and briefly recounts the battles she faced with herself and with the politics of working in an institute with rules and regulations. For anyone that likes this genre I would definitely suggest giving this one a read.