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ClareR (5879 KP) rated Coming Up For Air in Books
Apr 17, 2020
Coming Up For Air is a really interesting book, in that it gives a life to the face of the resuscitation dummy, Resusci Anne. The original mask was the death mask of a suicide victim in Paris in 1899, and Leipciger tells the background story of a girl who decides to take her own life when her life becomes unbearable.
We also meet the Norwegian toy maker who designs Resusci Anne, and the things that happened in his life that brought him to that point. His is an equally sad story, and although he has been fictionalised, he has been based om the real man who made the doll.
The third story is that of a Canadian girl with cystic fibrosis, and her journey from childhood up until she becomes a journalist as an adult.
This is a book about transformations: the French maid is transformed in to a mask that will be recognised around the world over a hundred years after her death; a toy maker is transformed after the death of his beloved son, into someone who tries to ensure that everyone has the ability for such things not to happen again; and a woman with cystic fibrosis has a literal transformation with the promise of renewed, transplanted lungs.
This novel sucked me in to all three lives and times. Both the French girls and the child’s death devastated me, and the Canadian woman’s story was one of hope (although I was pretty much dreading the idea that something bad would happen to her).
I loved this book, and I feel lucky to have read it. I would most definitely recommend it.
We also meet the Norwegian toy maker who designs Resusci Anne, and the things that happened in his life that brought him to that point. His is an equally sad story, and although he has been fictionalised, he has been based om the real man who made the doll.
The third story is that of a Canadian girl with cystic fibrosis, and her journey from childhood up until she becomes a journalist as an adult.
This is a book about transformations: the French maid is transformed in to a mask that will be recognised around the world over a hundred years after her death; a toy maker is transformed after the death of his beloved son, into someone who tries to ensure that everyone has the ability for such things not to happen again; and a woman with cystic fibrosis has a literal transformation with the promise of renewed, transplanted lungs.
This novel sucked me in to all three lives and times. Both the French girls and the child’s death devastated me, and the Canadian woman’s story was one of hope (although I was pretty much dreading the idea that something bad would happen to her).
I loved this book, and I feel lucky to have read it. I would most definitely recommend it.
The World According to Bob: The Further Adventures of One Man and His Street-wise Cat
Book
The incredible sequel to the bestselling A STREET CAT NAMED BOB - the moving and uplifting true...
Shades of Blue: The Life of a Manchester City Legend and the Story That Shook Football
Book
The life of a Manchester City legend and the story that shook football. David White was born in...
Keeper of Dreams: One Man's Controversial Story of Life in the English Premiership
Book
John Hendrie, Barnsley's ex-manager, on Lars Leese: 'Lars Leese is a shambles. He's a loser who...
Loveability: Knowing How to Love and Be Loved
10.0
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Book
"Love is your destiny. It is the purpose of your life. It is the key to your happiness and to the...
ClareR (5879 KP) rated Send For Me in Books
Sep 7, 2021
Send For Me is an emotionally charged look at the lives of three generations of women: Klara, Annalise and Clare. Annalise is German, a Jew living in Feldenheim at a time when it was dangerous to be Jewish - whether you were a practicing Jew or not. After years of persecution, Annalise, her husband and her toddler daughter, manage to get permission to leave for the USA. But she has to leave her parents behind.
This was a different take on other books set at this time, and I liked that about it very much. I haven’t read many books about those who managed to escape the Nazi regime and immigrate to safe countries before the Holocaust really began. But it’s no less saddening for that. Annalise desperately misses her parents, and life is so utterly different in the US.
The story swaps between Annalise and her granddaughter, Clare, whose life couldn’t have been any more different. Clare has the much more liberated life of an American woman - whether that’s what she really wants, remains to be seen.
I really enjoyed seeing the juxtaposition between a 1930s immigrant and a modern young woman. Annalise’s fear of being in a big city with no English is palpable - I panicked along with her. It must be so scary to move somewhere that’s completely different to your own life experience, and not even have a common language - something that people have always had to endure for their own safety throughout the ages.
This is a really moving novel, made more so when I learnt that the letters between Annalise and her mother Klara were real - just that the names were changed.
This was a different take on other books set at this time, and I liked that about it very much. I haven’t read many books about those who managed to escape the Nazi regime and immigrate to safe countries before the Holocaust really began. But it’s no less saddening for that. Annalise desperately misses her parents, and life is so utterly different in the US.
The story swaps between Annalise and her granddaughter, Clare, whose life couldn’t have been any more different. Clare has the much more liberated life of an American woman - whether that’s what she really wants, remains to be seen.
I really enjoyed seeing the juxtaposition between a 1930s immigrant and a modern young woman. Annalise’s fear of being in a big city with no English is palpable - I panicked along with her. It must be so scary to move somewhere that’s completely different to your own life experience, and not even have a common language - something that people have always had to endure for their own safety throughout the ages.
This is a really moving novel, made more so when I learnt that the letters between Annalise and her mother Klara were real - just that the names were changed.
Mark Halpern (153 KP) rated The Internship (2013) in Movies
Jan 14, 2018
To google or not To google
our buddy duo of Wilson and Vaughn are together again in this technology film about two watch sales man who lose thier jobs and end up getting internships at Google. They are grouped together with a bunch of other interns and have to strive and complete tasks of ideas that they don't know anything about. What they do know is how to work in a team and the willingness to learn. They do bring to the table of street smarts and the fact they have been in the real world while these kids haven't really experienced life yet and need a little guidance. This is a great film about you are never to old to try and start new things.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Mountain Can Wait in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I felt like this book was going to be an epic journey of self discovery and redeeming family and resolving past mistakes, but it was more like reading the journal of a boring person. A person with an interesting life, mind you, but the person himself was boring. I can’t even remember the main character’s name. It felt disconnected and random, jumping around and telling snapshots and things that happened, but no real plot. A bunch of things does not equal plot.
I felt this way the first time I tried listening to it, and so I put it down. Then one Saturday I was bored so I tried again and I got the same vibe, so I quit. I got about 6 or 8 chapters in.
I felt this way the first time I tried listening to it, and so I put it down. Then one Saturday I was bored so I tried again and I got the same vibe, so I quit. I got about 6 or 8 chapters in.
Alex Trybus (79 KP) rated Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp in Apps
Feb 7, 2018
Ability to customize your camp (3 more)
Always something to work towards
With each new season or holiday, there is a related event that will get you cool new things
You can easily add and interact with real-life friends as well
Such a cute version of the game we all used to love!
Ever since it came out this past fall, I have always loved playing this game! It's just so cute and innocent and is a very good way to relieve stress. I really have nothing bad to say about it- I love how there is always something to work towards, always a new task, etc. This app is very well put together and successfully brought back all of the nostalgia from the old Nintendo DS game!
Kaz4ray (17 KP) rated Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House in Books
Jan 28, 2018
This book is incredibly difficult to read if like me you are from the UK and don’t know much about the finer points of US Politics. However, if you persevere it gives us an inside look at Trump and the team behind him who are apparently the brains behind the clueless man himself. It really is a rather frightening read as it’s real life and if it is to be believed then an imbecile is in charge of the most powerful country in the world. I’m not sure what to make of it - I really don’t want to believe it as it is nightmare inducing but a lot of it rings true. Michael Wolff paints a very concerning picture of what is happening within the White House.