A Memoir of Pre-Partition Punjab: Ruchi Ram Sahni, 1863-1948
Book
"Memoirs of a Life in Punjab" is the autobiography of Ruchi Ram Sahni which offers a rich tapestry...
The Fall of the House of Speyer: The Story of a Banking Dynasty
Book
The dramatic story of the last fifty years of the Speyer banking dynasty, a Jewish family of German...
Positive: A Novel
Book
In the bestselling vein of Guillermo Del Toro and Justin Cronin, the acclaimed author of Chimera and...
The Egyptians: A Radical Story
Book
'I started reading this and couldn't stop. It's a remarkable piece of work, and very revealing. A...
History conflict
Murder at Wedgefield Manor
9.0
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In the wake of World War I, Jane Wunderly--a thoroughly modern young American widow--is traveling...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Daughter of Auschwitz in Books
Oct 1, 2022
This is an extremely hard book to read but one I feel necessary so the past is not forgotten.
Tova was born just prior to the start of World War II; her earliest memories being of living in the ghetto her family and parents were sent to by the Nazi's. From the ghetto, she and her parents are sent to a labour camp; Tova is 5 years old. At the age of 6, Tova and her mum are separated from her dad for the first time as they are placed in different cattle cars and sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Tova describes her experiences from the eyes of an innocent child trying to make sense of the horrors she hears and witnesses every day. How someone, let alone a child, can survive what went on in that hell and come out the other side and live even close to a 'normal' life is beyond me. It is testament to the strength of her mother and the lessons she taught Tova that she survived and became the woman she did.
Many thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this powerful, heart-breaking but uplifting book. This should be required reading for all school children and adults alike.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Troy in Books
Mar 4, 2022
Book
Troy (Mythos book 3)
By Stephen Fry
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
AN EPIC BATTLE THAT LASTED TEN YEARS. A LEGENDARY STORY THAT HAS SURVIVED THOUSANDS.
'An inimitable retelling of the siege of Troy . . . Fry's narrative, artfully humorous and rich in detail, breathes life and contemporary relevance into these ancient tales'OBSERVER
'Stephen Fry has done it again. Well written and super storytelling' 5***** READER REVIEW
________
'Troy. The most marvellous kingdom in all the world. The Jewel of the Aegean. Glittering Ilion, the city that rose and fell not once but twice . . .'
When Helen, the beautiful Greek queen, is kidnapped by the Trojan prince Paris, the most legendary war of all time begins.
Watch in awe as a thousand ships are launched against the great city of Troy.
Feel the fury of the battleground as the Trojans stand resolutely against Greek might for an entire decade.
And witness the epic climax - the wooden horse, delivered to the city of Troy in a masterclass of deception by the Greeks . . .
In Stephen Fry's exceptional retelling of our greatest story, TROY will transport you to the depths of ancient Greece and beyond.
________
I love Greek Mythology and Stephen Fry is one of my favourite people. All through this book his voice was in my head. Brilliant retellings and underlying humour. Brilliant!
Murder at a London Finishing School
10.0
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Long before American adventuress Beryl Helliwell and prim and proper Brit Edwina Davenport teamed up...
JT (287 KP) rated 1917 (2020) in Movies
Mar 3, 2020
The film swept awards season with the film winning Best Drama Motion Picture at the Golden Globes, not to mention cleaning up at the BAFTAs. This was a strong indication that Mendes might have a hand on a couple of Oscars.
1917 tells the story of two Lance Corporals, Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (George MacKay) who are tasked with hand-delivering a message to another battalion who are inadvertently walking into a trap – Blake’s brother among them. If they fail then 1,600 men will lose their lives.
Blake and Schofield have been through a lot. When we first meet them they are relaxing beneath a tree, taking a break trying to enjoy the peaceful surroundings.
Without so much as a thought the pair salute General Erinmore (Colin Firth) and start the first part of their harrowing journey crossing no man’s land. The film is gripping in every sense of the word and you feel as if you are making the treacherous journey with them.
The scenery is devastatingly realistic, particularly the trip across no man’s land where charred bodies are buried deep in bombed-out craters of mud, their faces starring out in a look of shock.
The cast is limited to a few big-name cameos which aren’t blink and you miss them. Joining Firth is Andrew Scott, Mark Strong and Benedict Cumberbatch who make a significant impression in key scenes. The film flows incredibly well and never takes a back step, quite literally.
This is a journey that rivals Saving Private Ryan for it’s impactfulness, and why the memories of those who fought in the great war should always be forever remembered as true heroes.
With the Night Mail: Two Yarns About the Aerial Board of Control
Bruce Sterling, Rudyard Kipling and Matthew De Abaitua
Book
"SHE: Do you like Kipling? HE: I don't know, I've never Kippled!" If you've never read Rudyard...