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ClareR (5885 KP) rated Madgermanes in Books

Feb 20, 2022

Madgermanes

Birgit Weyhe | 2021 | Comics & Graphic Novels, Contemporary, History & Politics

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

This is a really interesting period of history (for me, anyway!) and I enjoyed finding out about the ‘Madgermanes” or the Mozambicans who went to work in East Germany. After the wall between East and West Germany was erected, East Germany realised that they’d lost a lot of their workers to the West. So East Germany chose Mozambique as a sister country, and workers were sent to the GDR with promises of education, good work and good wages. Whilst they did get some education (if they largely sorted it out for themselves), the work could be simple and repetitive. What’s more, they only received half of their wages. They never got the half that had been sent back to Mozambique for ‘safekeeping’.

Housing for these visiting workers was usually in basic hostels, shared rooms, and away from the East Germans. Mixing was discouraged, as were relationships. Pregnancies were either terminated or the woman was sent home.

The pictures in the book are a wonderful mix of African and European, and some really big feelings are clearly illustrated. I loved it. I’d be really interested to know how many Mozambicans were able to stay in Germany and become German citizens. The novel implies that life was difficult for those who returned to Mozambique, financially, socially and culturally.

It’s a fascinating read, and one I’d recommend.

Kudos

Mariafrancesca (30 KP) rated I Call Myself A Feminist: The View from Twenty-Five Women Under Thirty in Books

Apr 7, 2019

Very inspiring book about what means to be feminist today and why it's still so important. Everything I have always said about being feminist (when I was told that I was the only one to think that, that feminism is not what I was trying to sell them, but it's a bunch of angry women that hate man and consider sex as rape) everything about equality, culture, education - issues that concern men as well as women - everything is in this book. Now I need to translate it and give it to everyone who told me at least once "you are overreacting, it's just a joke!"

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Stephanie Neve (104 KP) rated Educated in Books

Jun 23, 2019

Educated

Tara Westover | 2018 | Biography

9.3

(9 Ratings)

Book Rating

Tara Westover gives an interesting insight into what it isike growing up in a rural part of America with survivalist parents (0 more)

I found her life to be interesting but the writing itself to be quite clinical at points. (0 more)

An interesting view on what makes an education

Tara Westover's story needs to be read to be believed. She grew up in a mountain in rural America in the 90's and had to overcome a lot of struggles brought on by her parents increasingly extreme Mormon beliefs. The story itself is extremely interesting, however I struggled eith the writing style, finding it often quite detached.