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I finished reading Salt Cities by Abdelrachman Munif. Munif is an Arab author who worked for many years as an economic consultor for OPEC before turning away to work his -I believe- personal observations and experiences into novels. This particular one is part of a series that got him expatriated from Saudi Arabia.

The book starts off with the description of life in a simple, rural Arab community that has been following its traditions for many centuries. One day, foreigners -Americans- arrive who start drilling for oil in the region, eventually driving all of the villagers out. Many of those end up working for the operating country, either at the original village, or at the new export port, which was built at the place of another small, old village.
The arrival of the Americans has severe impact on the local society, and many workers from all over Arabia -and other places- end up working and living together. The book focusses on the social developments, mentioning both the good and the bad, in this community, but also how consistant change, mostly coming from abroad, and usually -though not always- from the American side, gradually destroys tradition, and individual people, while also offering new viewpoints and experiences for some.
The book is a perfect read for those who wish to understand Arab culture and society, and how and why they clash with the western set of ideas. Originally written by an Arab for Arab readers, it obviously does not attempt too much to explain certain things rather than just show them, but a western reader does quickly get the hang of it, and I think will even manage to identify with the books protagonists. In any way, it is also a great and quite entertaining way of learning about Arabia.
 
Forostar, does Blokken exist in English, and how hard do you think it is to come by? The idea of the state as the protagonist sounds iintriguing and original, and most importantly, strange enough that i have to check it out for myself.

Also, I think I should recommend another work of political satire that you might like. If you're interested in in Russian culture, history, or politics, you should pick up a copy of Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita. The plot is split between a retellign of the story of Christ from the perspectives of Judas and Pilate, and the devil and co. visiting 1920s Russia. It's one of the most underrated works of Russian literature in my opinion.
 
Hi Helphyre,

I'll remember the title that you mention, though it seems I am having less and less time to read books. I am watching more films instead. :/

Anyway thanks fot the tip. Lately I have the idea that the devil's own servants are walking in the streets of Russia at the moment. But that's another thing which might deserve its own topic.

About 'Blocks' the strange thing is that I thought it exists in English, but I can't find any info of a completed work anywhere. I'll keep searching!
 
Today I finished Alive and I have to say it was a most inspiring read. It's about the Uruguayan Rugby team that got stranded in the Andes on their way to Chile and of the 45 passengers only 16 survived. Those 16 survived by eating the bodies of those that died either immediately at the crash or soon after. They crashed on October 13th and were rescued 10 WEEKS later on december 19th. The only reason they were rescued was because two of the survivors under took an expedition taking advantage of the start of summer (it is the southern hemisphere after all), and ventured down the mountain until they found some cattle ranchers that sent for help and within the next two days (the journey took them 10) they were rescued. It was heart-wrenching, but at the same time very moving to read about their ordeal. I'm going to rent the movie tomorrow and I'll write about that one soon after hehe.
 
Onhell said:
Today I finished Alive and I have to say it was a most inspiring read. It's about the Uruguayan Rugby team that got stranded in the Andes on their way to Chile and of the 45 passengers only 16 survived. Those 16 survived by eating the bodies of those that died either immediately at the crash or soon after. They crashed on October 13th and were rescued 10 WEEKS later on december 19th. The only reason they were rescued was because two of the survivors under took an expedition taking advantage of the start of summer (it is the southern hemisphere after all), and ventured down the mountain until they found some cattle ranchers that sent for help and within the next two days (the journey took them 10) they were rescued. It was heart-wrenching, but at the same time very moving to read about their ordeal. I'm going to rent the movie tomorrow and I'll write about that one soon after hehe.
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That movie was awesome, except I seem to remember the movie had a Uruguayan football (soccer) team.  I could be wrong.

Do you want this rum filled chocolate or human flesh?  :D  Yuck! 
 
Legionnaire said:
Just finished Bernard Cornwells Lords of the North last week.
Anybody who hasnt read any of Cornwells books I would suggest they start now- it will take at least 2 years for you to read them all :D (Although not my favorites the 3 Arthur books are wildy quoted as his best work)
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I recently re-read the Sharpe series (with the exception of the two most recent novels as they were too fresh in my mind) and thoroughly enjoyed them, so I would also encourage anyone who likes historical fiction/action and adventure/thrillers to investigate Bernard Cornwell's novels. Sharpe's Sword is my peronal favourite.

I am currently reading Ross Cowan's For the Glory of Rome: A History of Warriors and Warfare.  I bought it because I heard it was dedicated to the late fantasy author David Gemmell (another favourite of mine, and it seems Dr Cowan is a big fan too!),  but it turns out to be a fascinating read, exploding all sorts of myths about the Roman army. In short, Roman legionaries were not very disciplined, frequently indulged in single combats and took the heads of their enemies as trophies. It's a good antidote to the 'Romans bringing civilisation to the barbarians' approach.
 
I recently read Solar Station by Andreas Eschbach. Eschbach is a very popular German author, and his novels tend to top the bestseller lists in Germany. I don't know if he is known, let alone translated, outside of the country, though. His books have very interesting, imaginative and original ideas and scenarios, and his works should have something for everybody.

This particular book is set in 2015. Electricity on Earth is provided by a huge solar station orbiting the planet, run by the Japanese space agency. The books protagonist is an American Gulf War veteran who now works on the station as part security officer, part janitor. He witnesses how at first, there are grave technical failures on the station, then all contact to Earth is lost, and eventually, a member of the nine-headed crew is murdered. Before the crew manage to fix any of the problems, a foreign spacecraft docks on and the station is captured by three pirates who take over. I won't go any further on the plot's description, because everything else would be spoilers.

The scenario is highly interesting, and also quite impressive, considering that much of it has already become reality (the book was written in 1996). The basic storyline is really nothing out of the ordinary, though, and it could come from any random Tom Clancy-esque thriller. Still, an interesting and good read, and quite a page turner (I read it in less than eight hours).
 
Speaking of German books/authors, have you ever read The Never Ending Story? I know it is originally in German and I think it hasn't been translated much...
 
Yes, I read it when I was about nine years old. To my knowledge, it's rather widespread in the English speaking world, at least in Canada.

But of course, Michael Ende is one of those authors I just grew up with. The Neverending Story isn't even his most popular work in Germany, I should think that would be the "Jim Knopf" novels... but I doubt they are known by anyone outside of the German-speaking world.
 
Perun said:
Yes, I read it when I was about nine years old. To my knowledge, it's rather widespread in the English speaking world, at least in Canada.

But of course, Michael Ende is one of those authors I just grew up with. The Neverending Story isn't even his most popular work in Germany, I should think that would be the "Jim Knopf" novels... but I doubt they are known by anyone outside of the German-speaking world.
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The Neverending Story is one of my best books ever, really one novel for all ages

@Onhell : you could try also Momo and the miror inside the miror (<---short stories) of the same author

@Perun : how is the name of the writer of young Terles ? are you familiar with his works ?
I'm interested to read the human without attributes apparently one of the mosrt important novels of German litterature
 
I've never read the books, but the movies made from The Neverending Story are the most memorable from my childhood.  The movies really appeal to a younger audience; that is, both the characters and the story struck an emotional chord with me.
 
Genghis Khan said:
I've never read the books, but the movies made from The Neverending Story are the most memorable from my childhood.  The movies really appeal to a younger audience; that is, both the characters and the story struck an emotional chord with me.
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Even as I child I HATED The Neverending Story II and I never knew there was a third one until very recently. I want to watch the first one again since the last time I saw it I was like 9 and of course I want to read the book, because I heard somewhere that the movie ends half way through the book, hence the sequal or something like that....
 
Just finished The Brothers Karamazov a few weeks ago. So now I'm taking a bit of a breather with Pratchett's latest Discworld-novel. Always a nice read :p

I'm torn about where to go next, though. I'm looking at Kafka's The Trial, Dostoevsky's Crime And Punishment or Dan Simmons' Illium. All seem like great options. But I'm not sure I want another brick yet. Might try Kafka first.
 
nice avatar man  :ok:

wellcome !

I would say read Kafka, but before that, read Albert Camus's essay "the myth of Sysiphus"
 
____no5 said:
nice avatar man  :ok:

wellcome !

I would say read Kafka, but before that, read Albert Camus's essay "the myth of Sysiphus"
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Interesting essay. I've been thinking about getting into the existentialist writers ever since I read Dostoevsky's Notes From Underground. So I've had both Camus and Sartre on the "list" for quite a while. Know of any essay-collections one might check out?
 
Shrike said:
Just finished The Brothers Karamazov a few weeks ago. So now I'm taking a bit of a breather with Pratchett's latest Discworld-novel. Always a nice read :p

I'm torn about where to go next, though. I'm looking at Kafka's The Trial, Dostoevsky's Crime And Punishment or Dan Simmons' Illium. All seem like great options. But I'm not sure I want another brick yet. Might try Kafka first.
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I've just purchased Both The Bros. Karamazov and Crime and Punishment in Spanish, along with some Paulo Cohelo and Umberto Eco books... looking foward to all of them, but specifically the Dovstoyevsky... I'm Currently reading Viktor Frenkl's Man in Search of Meaning and loving it, more when I'm done with it, I'm actually incorporating a lot from that book and "Alive" in an essay I'm writing up on the exploitative nature of Capitalism and man's most basic needs and nature.
 
The last 2 books I've read are "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss (babysitting my cousins) and well they talked me into "And To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street"   

As for myself....Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.
 
char_da_harlot said:
The last 2 books I've read are "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss (babysitting my cousins) and well they talked me into "And To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street"   

As for myself....Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.
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What did you think of them? Dr. Seuss might be sold as children's literature, but I actually like his stuff a lot. A friend of mine wrote an article for the school paper on him and said that the Cat in the Hat was a metaphor for U.S foreign policy. The Cat in the Hat symbolizes Uncle Sam and Mickey Mouse with his top hat and white gloves, comes into someone else's house, makes a mess of it, then "helps" clean it up and leaves hahahaha.
 
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