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Roxanne (13 KP) rated A Vegan Ethic: Embracing a Life of Compassion Toward All in Books
Nov 14, 2018
5 Stars _____
If I could give everyone a copy of this book to read, I would. Whether you are vegan, vegan curious, vegetarian or omni, this book is a must read. It just might change your life and also save many others.
<i>A person's "right" to eat whatever they want ends where another's life begins.</i>
<img src="https://image.ibb.co/bsG83K/cute_cow_pictures_15_360x277.jpg"; alt="cute_cow_pictures_15_360x277" border="0">
I'm currently going through some lifestyle changes which include removing meat from my diet and reducing the amount of diary I consume considerably. My reasons for doing this is (1) for the animals and (2) for health reasons. I was introduced to veganism through my mum's partner and his brother, for this I am very grateful.
When it comes to veganism I knew the basics, not consuming any animal products, that was pretty much it...and to be honest I thought that was all of it. Oh how wrong I was...how very very wrong...and you know what? I'm glad I was wrong as I have learnt so much more. I learnt how being an ethical vegan includes not just animal rights but human rights as well, including racism, sexism, homophobia and feminism.
I feel that it's really important that we're exposed to how things work behind closed doors, how animals are really treated, rather than being lied to by the media. Oh here's an advert featuring a happy cow...umm...no, that is NOT a happy cow. That is a cow whose whole life purpose is to produce milk and end up on a plate.
<img src="https://image.ibb.co/eDyKtK/25118785_Grunge_rubber_stamp_with_text_No_Meat_vector_illustration_Stock_Vector_1080x380.jpg"; alt="25118785_Grunge_rubber_stamp_with_text_No_Meat_vector_illustration_Stock_Vector_1080x380" border="0">
This is a very well researched book which has been well thought out, the references are well organised which allows you to do further reading into veganism and best of all it's not preachy, it's factual.
In conclusion, if you were to read any book this year please make it this one.
<img src="https://image.ibb.co/kjnvYK/go_vegan_for_the_animals_i_14138563044114138520_x_20_w_520_m_1.png"; alt="go_vegan_for_the_animals_i_14138563044114138520_x_20_w_520_m_1" border="0">
If I could give everyone a copy of this book to read, I would. Whether you are vegan, vegan curious, vegetarian or omni, this book is a must read. It just might change your life and also save many others.
<i>A person's "right" to eat whatever they want ends where another's life begins.</i>
<img src="https://image.ibb.co/bsG83K/cute_cow_pictures_15_360x277.jpg"; alt="cute_cow_pictures_15_360x277" border="0">
I'm currently going through some lifestyle changes which include removing meat from my diet and reducing the amount of diary I consume considerably. My reasons for doing this is (1) for the animals and (2) for health reasons. I was introduced to veganism through my mum's partner and his brother, for this I am very grateful.
When it comes to veganism I knew the basics, not consuming any animal products, that was pretty much it...and to be honest I thought that was all of it. Oh how wrong I was...how very very wrong...and you know what? I'm glad I was wrong as I have learnt so much more. I learnt how being an ethical vegan includes not just animal rights but human rights as well, including racism, sexism, homophobia and feminism.
I feel that it's really important that we're exposed to how things work behind closed doors, how animals are really treated, rather than being lied to by the media. Oh here's an advert featuring a happy cow...umm...no, that is NOT a happy cow. That is a cow whose whole life purpose is to produce milk and end up on a plate.
<img src="https://image.ibb.co/eDyKtK/25118785_Grunge_rubber_stamp_with_text_No_Meat_vector_illustration_Stock_Vector_1080x380.jpg"; alt="25118785_Grunge_rubber_stamp_with_text_No_Meat_vector_illustration_Stock_Vector_1080x380" border="0">
This is a very well researched book which has been well thought out, the references are well organised which allows you to do further reading into veganism and best of all it's not preachy, it's factual.
In conclusion, if you were to read any book this year please make it this one.
<img src="https://image.ibb.co/kjnvYK/go_vegan_for_the_animals_i_14138563044114138520_x_20_w_520_m_1.png"; alt="go_vegan_for_the_animals_i_14138563044114138520_x_20_w_520_m_1" border="0">
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated The Circle (2017) in Movies
Sep 20, 2020
Totally watchable. Before 2020 this would have played as a cockamamie exercise in "in-what-universe-would-this-actually-happen-?" filmmaking (and believe me this still pushes it), but after the anti-mask protests and general shrugging off of the coronavirus pandemic I'd now believe you stupid mfs would do *anything*. I'm not saying this is all brainless - there are some really sturdy ideas in here that aren't all executed terribly. The way it portrays big ticket corporations sliding their hands into every pocket they can find by way of offering up a "likable mascot" rather than a "founder" (played perfectly by Hanks as a clear riff on [a more likable and somehow less disingenuous] Steve Jobs - but what a waste of a perfectly good Oswalt) and "quotable quips" rather than "talking points" so they don't even have to attempt to hide it is sound. The scene where Hanks straightup manipulates Watson's bland cypher *on* stage to the point of tracking down live human beings to an adoring crowd is horrifying - but this is all still rather diluted, clunky, and bizarre in translation from the book. Looks phenomenal though, and is a notable return to form for Danny Elfman (in general every piece of music here slaps). Fine dumb fun imo, cheesy and laughable but not without some wit. But as a final defense - speaking as someone who has spent months in these cliquey millennial tech circles - the fact that no one acts like a live human being here would be way too on the nose if holy mother of God did they not actually act like this. The extended segment of those two overbearing recruiter types indirectly-but-very-directly pushing that "optional" and "extracurricular" really means "mandatory" is pure nightmare fuel because I have been in those situations - in spades - firsthand irl. Moments like that save this still moment-to-moment entertaining diet pulp when it actively refuses to explore anything else it offers up. Doesn't really have enough oomf but still miles better than your average "Black Mirror" episode.
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Super Size Me (2004) in Movies
Sep 20, 2020
Look, no shit eating at McDonald's for 30 days straight with bare minimum activity is unhealthy - but this is still one of the most fun documentaries ever made and it's not like that's the only ace-in-the-hole this has anyway. Holds up even after three watches, Spurlock's nonchalant, breezy energy towards making himself a human test subject for such a ludicrous experiment in and of itself is entertaining. But couple that with his goofy gravitas and cavalcade of hilarity then this just becomes even more of a blast to watch. Undeniably this was instrumental in shaping the fast food world of today, but contrary to popular belief this is also still very informative with a lot of those type of facts that just make you disappointed in the human race. And even though so much has changed since then that this should theoretically be obsolete, it isn't - because not only does much of this still unfortunately hold true to this day, but it's beyond interesting as a time capsule of a time that seems like forever ago even though it was just in recent history, one that you can consistently compare to today's take on the subject. The blend between fast food hit piece and McDonald's diet journey is immaculate, and as with even the weakest of Spurlock docs it's clear that a chief goal here is to just create a movie that you can have a really good, memorable, and unique time watching. We watched this for health class in seventh grade and - to be frank - we were all a bunch of juvenile little shit-heads so this would have sated our appetitive for celebratory immaturity on its own; but then the teacher let us basically commentate on the movie *as* we watched it and that was one of the greatest school days I've ever had. Forever one of my favorites.
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
Readers should not be fooled by the title The Geek Who Came From The Cold: Surviving The Post-USSR Era On A Hollywood Diet by Leon Kaminsky has nothing to do with food or dieting at all. The “Hollywood Diet” mentioned in the title is movies, mainly those from the US. A little bit of knowledge about Russia and their policies would be helpful when reading this book but is not required.
Leon is a young boy growing up in Russia at the end of the 1900s. He has a nervous problem (possibly anxiety) and has a hard time at school and with other people in general. Leon quickly falls in love with movies, specifically those from Hollywood after seeing them for the first time. Like so many other people who are not exactly social for one reason or another, he trades social interaction for watching films. His love for movies over the years borders on the edge of obsession as he knows not only actors and directors but also the Russian’s who voice over the tapes to translate them. His daily and weekly schedule revolves around what movies are being played on TV or at the theaters.
He takes readers through the difficulty of obtaining some of the popular movies that can be found just about anywhere here in the United States. This difficulty is not only because of how much Russia censored movies from just about anywhere but because the titles are often changed as well. Leon shares his excitement and the challenges he faced to get his first VCR play and to transport his VHS collection when his family moved. He even talks about when owning a VCR was illegal in Russia and when people would give anything to have one, including offering to trade a boat for a VCR.
What I liked best was that the informative quality of the book was wonderful and the author clearly did his research (I even wondered at times if the book was based on the author’s own childhood). I appreciated the human qualities of the book, such as the struggles Leon faces at school. New facts about Russia was presented to the readers in a way that prevented anything from feeling too overly informative. What I did not like was the fact that the book ends fairly abruptly. I would have liked to see at least one chapter about after the family’s move to Germany. There were also multiple sections where it would begin on one topic and end on another, seemingly unrelated topic.
Movie fans will enjoy this book but it is recommended that they be somewhat familiar with movies from the 1980s (I think was the time period of most movies mentioned in the book, I myself am far from a movie buff at all) and newer. High school students may not be able to fully appreciate the cinematic history in this book and may feel more like a history book to them. It should also be noted as VHS tapes are already a thing of the past (I am holding on to a few to show my children in the future) upcoming generations may not know what the book is talking about without asking their parents or google. Finally, I give this book a rating of 3 out of 4. This book is very informative about a topic not many people are probably aware of. Sadly this gives it a very narrow target audience. The way the book is written makes it feel like it is an autobiography about a movie lover growing up where movies are largely controlled. The plot of the book is frequently lost through during all the movie talk.
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews
Leon is a young boy growing up in Russia at the end of the 1900s. He has a nervous problem (possibly anxiety) and has a hard time at school and with other people in general. Leon quickly falls in love with movies, specifically those from Hollywood after seeing them for the first time. Like so many other people who are not exactly social for one reason or another, he trades social interaction for watching films. His love for movies over the years borders on the edge of obsession as he knows not only actors and directors but also the Russian’s who voice over the tapes to translate them. His daily and weekly schedule revolves around what movies are being played on TV or at the theaters.
He takes readers through the difficulty of obtaining some of the popular movies that can be found just about anywhere here in the United States. This difficulty is not only because of how much Russia censored movies from just about anywhere but because the titles are often changed as well. Leon shares his excitement and the challenges he faced to get his first VCR play and to transport his VHS collection when his family moved. He even talks about when owning a VCR was illegal in Russia and when people would give anything to have one, including offering to trade a boat for a VCR.
What I liked best was that the informative quality of the book was wonderful and the author clearly did his research (I even wondered at times if the book was based on the author’s own childhood). I appreciated the human qualities of the book, such as the struggles Leon faces at school. New facts about Russia was presented to the readers in a way that prevented anything from feeling too overly informative. What I did not like was the fact that the book ends fairly abruptly. I would have liked to see at least one chapter about after the family’s move to Germany. There were also multiple sections where it would begin on one topic and end on another, seemingly unrelated topic.
Movie fans will enjoy this book but it is recommended that they be somewhat familiar with movies from the 1980s (I think was the time period of most movies mentioned in the book, I myself am far from a movie buff at all) and newer. High school students may not be able to fully appreciate the cinematic history in this book and may feel more like a history book to them. It should also be noted as VHS tapes are already a thing of the past (I am holding on to a few to show my children in the future) upcoming generations may not know what the book is talking about without asking their parents or google. Finally, I give this book a rating of 3 out of 4. This book is very informative about a topic not many people are probably aware of. Sadly this gives it a very narrow target audience. The way the book is written makes it feel like it is an autobiography about a movie lover growing up where movies are largely controlled. The plot of the book is frequently lost through during all the movie talk.
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Feed Your Athlete: A Cookbook to Fuel High Performance in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I am extremely impressed by this book. The sheer amount of work that went into making this such a valuable tool will, I hope, bounce back to benefit many people.
This is not just a cookbook. This is a reference book. The book starts with a rundown of the different kinds of athletes and their specific dietary needs (with constant reminder that everyone is different and you should check with your doctor or dietician to confirm diet changes). Then it provides practical's on how to meet those needs. Not just recipes (that are all divided up by high or low fiber, low fat, high carb, and high protein) but also meal plans, detailed appendix, water replacement recipes, recovery meals and drinks, and even athlete-friendly deserts. It covers how to determine how many calories you need, how to balance your energy, measure your BMI and BFP, and eating for each stage of training, up through recovery from a performance or event.
The recipes themselves are detailed and easy to follow, and most of them fall into the Easy category (which automatically gives it a plus). It includes a rundown of the categories, prep time, ingredients, yield, make ahead and freeze plans, substitutions in case you want to make it gluten-free or vegetarian, and the breakdown of nutrition information.
There were a few recipes, mostly baking recipes like muffins and breads, that I thought could have used less sugar. There are lots of ways to substitute sugar, oil, and eggs by using things like avocado, apple sauce, peanut butter, honey, agave, etc. and I thought there could have been more of that happening. There were a few drinks that seemed like they had too much sugar in them as well. Sugar really is an athlete’s poison (actually it’s everyone’s poison). And honestly I don’t see how a fudge pop with pudding and whipped topping as the only ingredients belong in a healthy athlete cookbook. But even including those few recipes, this book still blew me away. It should be a staple in every health-conscious home, and every athlete’s shelf.
This is not just a cookbook. This is a reference book. The book starts with a rundown of the different kinds of athletes and their specific dietary needs (with constant reminder that everyone is different and you should check with your doctor or dietician to confirm diet changes). Then it provides practical's on how to meet those needs. Not just recipes (that are all divided up by high or low fiber, low fat, high carb, and high protein) but also meal plans, detailed appendix, water replacement recipes, recovery meals and drinks, and even athlete-friendly deserts. It covers how to determine how many calories you need, how to balance your energy, measure your BMI and BFP, and eating for each stage of training, up through recovery from a performance or event.
The recipes themselves are detailed and easy to follow, and most of them fall into the Easy category (which automatically gives it a plus). It includes a rundown of the categories, prep time, ingredients, yield, make ahead and freeze plans, substitutions in case you want to make it gluten-free or vegetarian, and the breakdown of nutrition information.
There were a few recipes, mostly baking recipes like muffins and breads, that I thought could have used less sugar. There are lots of ways to substitute sugar, oil, and eggs by using things like avocado, apple sauce, peanut butter, honey, agave, etc. and I thought there could have been more of that happening. There were a few drinks that seemed like they had too much sugar in them as well. Sugar really is an athlete’s poison (actually it’s everyone’s poison). And honestly I don’t see how a fudge pop with pudding and whipped topping as the only ingredients belong in a healthy athlete cookbook. But even including those few recipes, this book still blew me away. It should be a staple in every health-conscious home, and every athlete’s shelf.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The SuperStress Solution: 4-week Diet and Lifestyle Program in Books
Apr 27, 2018
4.5/5
Roberta Lee has put a name to the layers upon layers of stress that eventually break down our bodies and ruin our lives—it’s called SuperStress. She tells of the physical and mental affects that this SuperStress has on us. She also gives us ways to fix it—without drugs.
This handbook is holistic. Therapy means physical therapy, exercise, meditation and breathing control. Prescriptions means herbs and health foods and vitamins. Lee is not taking away the symptoms of stress-related bad health—she’s fixing the problem behind it.
The program outlined in this book is one you can follow with or without a doctor helping you along. She gives physical exercises and stretches that you can do, a two-week food plan to get you going on a better diet, journaling prompts to learn how to release your stress in words, and lots of other things.
I would recommend reading two parts of the book at once: Read through the first half, a little bit at a time, and learn about the science behind our stress, at the same time follow the program outlined in the back of the book. This way you’re reading and changing your lifestyle at the same time.
The only reason I don’t give it a 5/5 is because some of the meditation aspects in this book are self-centered, and by that I don’t mean prideful and greedy, I mean self-focused. I have learned that focusing on self will not release any stress, it will only pile on more. The only true way to release everything mentally is to lean on Christ. The journaling prompts in the book are in line with that, but some of the affirmations that are to be recited while meditating are so self-centered that I cannot see how any relief would come of it. That is coming from me as a Christian.
The SuperStress Solution is a fantastic book for people who are in heavy stress and need a way out without the use of drugs or extensive therapy. Recommended for ages 16+.
Roberta Lee has put a name to the layers upon layers of stress that eventually break down our bodies and ruin our lives—it’s called SuperStress. She tells of the physical and mental affects that this SuperStress has on us. She also gives us ways to fix it—without drugs.
This handbook is holistic. Therapy means physical therapy, exercise, meditation and breathing control. Prescriptions means herbs and health foods and vitamins. Lee is not taking away the symptoms of stress-related bad health—she’s fixing the problem behind it.
The program outlined in this book is one you can follow with or without a doctor helping you along. She gives physical exercises and stretches that you can do, a two-week food plan to get you going on a better diet, journaling prompts to learn how to release your stress in words, and lots of other things.
I would recommend reading two parts of the book at once: Read through the first half, a little bit at a time, and learn about the science behind our stress, at the same time follow the program outlined in the back of the book. This way you’re reading and changing your lifestyle at the same time.
The only reason I don’t give it a 5/5 is because some of the meditation aspects in this book are self-centered, and by that I don’t mean prideful and greedy, I mean self-focused. I have learned that focusing on self will not release any stress, it will only pile on more. The only true way to release everything mentally is to lean on Christ. The journaling prompts in the book are in line with that, but some of the affirmations that are to be recited while meditating are so self-centered that I cannot see how any relief would come of it. That is coming from me as a Christian.
The SuperStress Solution is a fantastic book for people who are in heavy stress and need a way out without the use of drugs or extensive therapy. Recommended for ages 16+.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Polar (2019) in Movies
Feb 7, 2019 (Updated Feb 7, 2019)
Extremely Polarizing
Wow, what a train wreck this turned out to be..
Think diet John Wick meets an immature, garish comic book full of pantomime villains and you have Polar. Sometimes you see a movie and can't help but wonder, "What the hell were they thinking?" Unfortunately this is one of those times. There are folks out there that have crafted a solid script and are struggling to get their movie funded and made, meanwhile there is low level trash like this being paid for and distributed by a huge platform like Netflix?! It is an outrageous and pretty sad state of affairs.
Without a doubt the worst part of this thing is the god awful assortment of villains. They are so annoying and infuriating in every scene they are in and only get worse as the movie goes on. Half the movie is spent following this massively irritating group as they hunt for Mads Mikkelsen's character and they are so unlikable, but not in the way that they are supposed to be. They all work for the main villain, who is inexplicably played by Matt Lucas from Little Britain. That's right, Vicky Pollard is this movie's main antagonist. He is god awful here and I genuinely don't even know what they were attempting to do with this character. Every scene that he is in feels like a discarded Little Britain sketch.
The one bright spot in the film is Mads Mikkelsen's turn as Duncan, the ex-hitman being hunted throughout the film by his ex-employers who serves as our main protagonist. I love seeing Mads in anything he appears in, so I actually found the scenes with him in them pretty enjoyable, and frankly they were the only thing that stopped this movie from being scored a pathetic 1/10.
Overall, this is total mess. It is the worst type of comic book movie and doesn't seem appealing to anyone over the age of 12. Please don't waste your time with this garbage, there are much better movies out there based on graphic novels that don't only cater to horny, brain-dead teenagers.
Think diet John Wick meets an immature, garish comic book full of pantomime villains and you have Polar. Sometimes you see a movie and can't help but wonder, "What the hell were they thinking?" Unfortunately this is one of those times. There are folks out there that have crafted a solid script and are struggling to get their movie funded and made, meanwhile there is low level trash like this being paid for and distributed by a huge platform like Netflix?! It is an outrageous and pretty sad state of affairs.
Without a doubt the worst part of this thing is the god awful assortment of villains. They are so annoying and infuriating in every scene they are in and only get worse as the movie goes on. Half the movie is spent following this massively irritating group as they hunt for Mads Mikkelsen's character and they are so unlikable, but not in the way that they are supposed to be. They all work for the main villain, who is inexplicably played by Matt Lucas from Little Britain. That's right, Vicky Pollard is this movie's main antagonist. He is god awful here and I genuinely don't even know what they were attempting to do with this character. Every scene that he is in feels like a discarded Little Britain sketch.
The one bright spot in the film is Mads Mikkelsen's turn as Duncan, the ex-hitman being hunted throughout the film by his ex-employers who serves as our main protagonist. I love seeing Mads in anything he appears in, so I actually found the scenes with him in them pretty enjoyable, and frankly they were the only thing that stopped this movie from being scored a pathetic 1/10.
Overall, this is total mess. It is the worst type of comic book movie and doesn't seem appealing to anyone over the age of 12. Please don't waste your time with this garbage, there are much better movies out there based on graphic novels that don't only cater to horny, brain-dead teenagers.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated A Worthy Heart (Courage to Dream, #2) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
With the world on the brink of war, can love and forgiveness be found by those who feel the most unworthy?
Maggie and Gabe Montgomery have come to America to visit their brother Rylan in New York. Maggie is desperate to escape Neill Fitzgerald, her previous fiancè. Despite the circumstances, she is thrilled to finally fulfill her lifelong dream to travel. Maggie meets Rylan's brother-in-law, Adam, who has recently been released from prison. She is warned by many, Adam included, that he is not a suitable man to be seen with. But no matter what she does, she can not get Adam out of her heart. Gabe is swept off his feet as well. But by a woman whose social class far surpasses that of himself. Are they destined to be separated as soon as they meet? Or has God brought them together for a purpose that goes beyond their own understanding?
Wow! The cover for this book absolutely blew me away! I can just sit and stare at it....forever! Susan Anne Mason has done an exceptional job as the Montgomery and O'Leary families are brought together in another thrilling tale. We are reminded that even though we may not feel worthy of forgiveness or happiness, that Jesus paid the price for us to be free. Through him all our sins are forgiven and we have a new life ahead of us. No matter the past, there is no thing too great for God to forgive. He desires His children to walk in freedom and joy. Within the covers of this book, you will be challenged. Challenged to see yourself as God sees you. Pure and worthy of His love. This book made me laugh out loud, cry tears of joy and caused me to break my "diet" by eating Doritos uncontrollably! I believe that there is something in this story for everyone to relate to. Although this book can stand alone, I highly recommend reading the series. There are multiple characters that appear in A Worthy Heart that were the leading characters in Irish Meadows.
I received a free copy of Irish Meadows from Susan Anne Mason and Bethany House Publishers for promotional purposes, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Maggie and Gabe Montgomery have come to America to visit their brother Rylan in New York. Maggie is desperate to escape Neill Fitzgerald, her previous fiancè. Despite the circumstances, she is thrilled to finally fulfill her lifelong dream to travel. Maggie meets Rylan's brother-in-law, Adam, who has recently been released from prison. She is warned by many, Adam included, that he is not a suitable man to be seen with. But no matter what she does, she can not get Adam out of her heart. Gabe is swept off his feet as well. But by a woman whose social class far surpasses that of himself. Are they destined to be separated as soon as they meet? Or has God brought them together for a purpose that goes beyond their own understanding?
Wow! The cover for this book absolutely blew me away! I can just sit and stare at it....forever! Susan Anne Mason has done an exceptional job as the Montgomery and O'Leary families are brought together in another thrilling tale. We are reminded that even though we may not feel worthy of forgiveness or happiness, that Jesus paid the price for us to be free. Through him all our sins are forgiven and we have a new life ahead of us. No matter the past, there is no thing too great for God to forgive. He desires His children to walk in freedom and joy. Within the covers of this book, you will be challenged. Challenged to see yourself as God sees you. Pure and worthy of His love. This book made me laugh out loud, cry tears of joy and caused me to break my "diet" by eating Doritos uncontrollably! I believe that there is something in this story for everyone to relate to. Although this book can stand alone, I highly recommend reading the series. There are multiple characters that appear in A Worthy Heart that were the leading characters in Irish Meadows.
I received a free copy of Irish Meadows from Susan Anne Mason and Bethany House Publishers for promotional purposes, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Widowland is a really atmospheric thriller, set in an alternate timeline - one where the German National Socialists and the British reach a compromise in 1940 and become the Grand Alliance. This alliance reads more like occupation though. Britain doesn’t have it’s own government, all laws come from Germany, and Britain is ruled by a German, the Protector, Alfred Rosenberg.
Even though there’s a huge shortage of young men (they’ve been ‘shipped off’ to the rest of occupied Europe to ‘work’) and women greatly outnumber men, women are divided into categories, or castes. These depend on their age, heritage, reproductive status and physical characteristics, and each category is named after a significant woman in Hitlers life. Rose is a Geli, one of the elite. Young, beautiful, and most importantly, fertile.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and read it far too quickly. It had a black and white, 1950’s movie atmosphere about it, and I could easily picture the people and scenes in my head. It brought to mind The Man in the High Castle with regards to Occupation, and 1984 with regards to feeling as though you’re constantly watched - as well as the people being told how to react, think and live. This was especially evident in Rose’s job: she rewrites classics so that they’re in line with the regimes ideals: so no independent, strong females, and all the male leads are changed to Sturmbannführer (at least!).
The drudgery of everyday life made me think of how I envisaged life in the GDR - as well as only allowing state sanctioned literature, there was only one radio channel in Grand Alliance Britain, with some brave people listening to illegal foreign radio stations, knowing that this could result in extreme punishment.
When Rose goes to Widowland near Oxford (there are a few throughout the country) to find the source of a potential rebellion, she’s shocked to see older women living in abject poverty, only permitted to eat a subsistence diet and work menial jobs. But these women are intelligent, and they’re not happy in their state regulated lives. Between her reading of classic books and meeting these women, Rose begins to see what’s wrong with the world she has been living in, and this dawning realisation is so well described. We see how reading ‘subversive’ classics seems to get under her skin, and how she realises that the treatment of women is wrong in this Grand Alliance.
I could go on and on. I raced through this book, and I loved the ending, which came far too quickly!
Many thanks to Quercus for my copy of this book through NetGalley.
Even though there’s a huge shortage of young men (they’ve been ‘shipped off’ to the rest of occupied Europe to ‘work’) and women greatly outnumber men, women are divided into categories, or castes. These depend on their age, heritage, reproductive status and physical characteristics, and each category is named after a significant woman in Hitlers life. Rose is a Geli, one of the elite. Young, beautiful, and most importantly, fertile.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and read it far too quickly. It had a black and white, 1950’s movie atmosphere about it, and I could easily picture the people and scenes in my head. It brought to mind The Man in the High Castle with regards to Occupation, and 1984 with regards to feeling as though you’re constantly watched - as well as the people being told how to react, think and live. This was especially evident in Rose’s job: she rewrites classics so that they’re in line with the regimes ideals: so no independent, strong females, and all the male leads are changed to Sturmbannführer (at least!).
The drudgery of everyday life made me think of how I envisaged life in the GDR - as well as only allowing state sanctioned literature, there was only one radio channel in Grand Alliance Britain, with some brave people listening to illegal foreign radio stations, knowing that this could result in extreme punishment.
When Rose goes to Widowland near Oxford (there are a few throughout the country) to find the source of a potential rebellion, she’s shocked to see older women living in abject poverty, only permitted to eat a subsistence diet and work menial jobs. But these women are intelligent, and they’re not happy in their state regulated lives. Between her reading of classic books and meeting these women, Rose begins to see what’s wrong with the world she has been living in, and this dawning realisation is so well described. We see how reading ‘subversive’ classics seems to get under her skin, and how she realises that the treatment of women is wrong in this Grand Alliance.
I could go on and on. I raced through this book, and I loved the ending, which came far too quickly!
Many thanks to Quercus for my copy of this book through NetGalley.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Big Summer in Books
May 7, 2020
Well this was an unexpected yet enjoyable read. It's far less serious than Weiner's previous book, the expansive and beautiful Mrs. Everything, but I think it's exactly the read we need for these times. I finished feeling happy and grateful for what I had in my life. Big Summer was a wonderful distraction from real life.
This is a fun story featuring our engaging plus-size heroine, Daphne, who is still struggling to find herself as an adult. Many of her scars and insecurities come from her so-called friendship with Drue, who was more of a user than a friend. After Drue hurt Daphne one time too many, she hasn't seen her in six years. But she's still powerless to say no to her, especially when she's begging for her to attend her high society wedding.
"You are susceptible to Drue Cavanaugh. She's your Kryptonite."
I found Daphne to be sweet albeit in need of a backbone at times. Her journey to self-actualization is certainly engaging. Big Summer takes a huge turn about halfway through, giving me a big surprise, but I loved it, honestly. I'm glad I hadn't read about the twist--a lot of reviews give it away, but I won't. Let's just say that Drue and her minions can be quite twisted at times, and there's a lot to unravel and unwrap here in terms of motivations and backstory. Big Summer starts with a little snippet set in the early 1990s, setting us up for the story ahead. We also learn about Daphne and Drue's past and all about their friendship.
This is such a sweet, sometimes silly (oh how I love Daphne's parents), and real read. Goodness, the pieces about Daphne's weight can be so heartbreaking. There's a section where she remembers her grandmother caring for her for a summer and basically giving her her weight insecurities, as she put Daphne on her first diet, making her aware of being heavier. Oh man. Weiner is an excellent writer, and she brings Daphne to life here, making her such a true person, whom we want to root for, hug, and love.
And she gives us a book about family, love, and reminds us to be grateful for what we have. The grass isn't always greener on the other side, per se. Always important, but even so more right now. I loved this one, with its escapist nature and twisty yet heartfelt storyline. 4+ stars.
This is a fun story featuring our engaging plus-size heroine, Daphne, who is still struggling to find herself as an adult. Many of her scars and insecurities come from her so-called friendship with Drue, who was more of a user than a friend. After Drue hurt Daphne one time too many, she hasn't seen her in six years. But she's still powerless to say no to her, especially when she's begging for her to attend her high society wedding.
"You are susceptible to Drue Cavanaugh. She's your Kryptonite."
I found Daphne to be sweet albeit in need of a backbone at times. Her journey to self-actualization is certainly engaging. Big Summer takes a huge turn about halfway through, giving me a big surprise, but I loved it, honestly. I'm glad I hadn't read about the twist--a lot of reviews give it away, but I won't. Let's just say that Drue and her minions can be quite twisted at times, and there's a lot to unravel and unwrap here in terms of motivations and backstory. Big Summer starts with a little snippet set in the early 1990s, setting us up for the story ahead. We also learn about Daphne and Drue's past and all about their friendship.
This is such a sweet, sometimes silly (oh how I love Daphne's parents), and real read. Goodness, the pieces about Daphne's weight can be so heartbreaking. There's a section where she remembers her grandmother caring for her for a summer and basically giving her her weight insecurities, as she put Daphne on her first diet, making her aware of being heavier. Oh man. Weiner is an excellent writer, and she brings Daphne to life here, making her such a true person, whom we want to root for, hug, and love.
And she gives us a book about family, love, and reminds us to be grateful for what we have. The grass isn't always greener on the other side, per se. Always important, but even so more right now. I loved this one, with its escapist nature and twisty yet heartfelt storyline. 4+ stars.