Provide Aid to Afghanistan for Free

By sarajean on 7/29/10 8:39am
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If you’re age 18 or older, have access to a camera and computer, and want to raise money to help Afghanistan without having to spend any yourself, here is your perfect opportunity to do so. Riverhead Trade Paperbacks (of Penguin books) is sponsoring a campaign called “Picture a Book Changing Lives” to help the people of Afghanistan through The Khaled Hosseini Foundation. Founded by the author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Khaled Hosseini Foundation is a nonprofit humanitarian aid organization that supports refugee families, education of women and children, and other assistance to the war-torn country of Afghanistan.  

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Cheese by Willem Elsschot

By akgoemans on 3/11/10 8:25am
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How's this for the cute and funny read of the week? The story in question is the short little novel called Cheese by Willem Elsschot. This novel dates back to 1933 when it was first published in Dutch. It was a big hit when it came out and, as after being translated into other languages, it has developed a fanbase in other countries as well.

Alright, so maybe it is not entirely accurate to refer to this story as cute. Certainly, it has its moments and will make you chuckle, especially as you read more about the antics of the main protagonist. However, the story also has its share of incredibly touching moments, specifically when you find yourself identifying with the inner conflicts of the main character.CheeseCheese

The story itself is quite simple.

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La petite fille de Monsieur Linh

By akgoemans on 3/5/10 7:01am
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La petite fille de Monsieur LinhLa petite fille de Monsieur Linh
This book, roughly translated as Mr Linh's Granddaughter is a heartwarming story about compassion and friendship. It was written by French author, Phillipe Claudel, who has a flair for exploring the intricacies of human relationships and their connection to one another. This much was evident from his other well-known book, Les Âmes grises, and it is touched upon again in this sad story.

The story is about an asylum seeker called Linh. He has lost his entire family in a horrid war and is now in a foreign country. All that is left of his relatives is his tiny granddaughter. After losing all other members, the little kid now relies on him to teach her the ways of this world. Unfortunately, this is somewhat hard as Linh himself is standing at crossroads.

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Finding Mr Madini

By akgoemans on 2/18/10 6:49am
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Finding Mr MadiniFinding Mr Madini
Here's another unusual read from my days in South Africa. Finding Mr Madini is a collection of stories compiled by a main narrator. Published in 2000, this story follows the footsteps of several different homeless people. It's a weird little insight into the lives of poorer folk of this country.

The story itself is told by one character. The main protagonist (in this case, the main narrator) is Jonathan Misha Morgan and his words at the beginning sum up what this book is all about: “No one's homelessness is quite like anyone else's”. Thus, in order to explore this difference, he gathers a group of homeless folks for a project. Each character is required to talk about their lives and how they ended up living on the street.

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What do Jonathon Swift and the Onion Have in Common?

By becksta on 2/13/10 7:18pm
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A Modest ProposalA Modest ProposalWhat do Jonathon Swift and the writers of the Onion have in common? They are all brilliant satirists for their times. In Jonathon Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”, he  suggests that unwanted children should be killed for the purpose of saving resources and providing meat, much along the same lines as venison. He also allows for the possibility for a new meat market, with many customers attracted to the idea of fresh babies as delicious alternative to other meat.  


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Annie M. G. Schmidt

By akgoemans on 2/3/10 7:02am
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Pluk van de PettefletPluk van de Petteflet
I was reminded of Annie M. G. Schmidt and her works when I recently came across the drama series about her life. For those who are wondering who she is, she is one of the most famous children's authors in Netherlands. Actually, her works have now become famous in many parts of the world. And, once the modern adaptations of her works are released, I'm sure her works will be in demand all over again.

Annie Schmidt's most well-known works were Jip and Janneke. These are cute stories features two mischievous kids, a boy and a girl. These tales follows their little adventures as they explore the world around them. The appeal of these works lie in the author's ability to recreate a child's sense of wonder. You know how kids can be filled with awe at seemingly mundane occurrences?

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Dead Famous

By akgoemans on 1/27/10 4:37am
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Dead FamousDead Famous

I must admit, it is probably my dislike of reality shows that drew me to this book. Dead Famous by Ben Elton is a thriller whereby a contestant is murdered in one of those over-hyped reality show programs. Thus, the cops spend quite a bit of time observing the rest of show, trying to figure out the murderer. While this is essentially a thriller, it also contains a number of commentary about fame and reality shows in general. It is such commentary that makes the book worth reading.

The overall story is about a bunch of hopefuls who wish for a grander life simply by being part of a reality show called House Arrest. The contestants are folks from all walks of life.

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No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

By akgoemans on 1/19/10 10:15am
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The No. 1 Ladies' Detective AgencyThe No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
There are so many books that portray Africa in a negative light that it is wonderful to come across a story which defies the 'everything falls apart in Africa' theme. The book in question is of course the famous The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. It is a heart-warming novel that follows the fictional tale of a detective agency run by a woman in Botswana. Actually, I should add that, in addition to avoiding the Dark Africa mentality, this author also covered a number of other topics rather well: gender norms in Africa and cultural adaptations to a new era are just some of these said topics. All of which certainly added to the appeal of this book.

As I mentioned earlier, the main plot is about the first female-run detective agency in Botswana.

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Round Ireland with a Fridge

By akgoemans on 1/12/10 7:53am
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Round Ireland with a FridgeRound Ireland with a Fridge

I know, I know: everyone else who has read the book said the same thing. But I'll say it as well – Round Ireland with a Fridge is definitely one of the funniest books I have read in a while. I first came across it on BBC radio when they broadcasting audio versions of the book. Since then, I nabbed a print copy for myself and throughly hooked to the novel. I must admit, I did enjoy the book all the way through.

Round Ireland with a Fridge traces the bizarre real-life journey of comedian Tony Hawks as he attempts to hitch-hike around Ireland whilst dragging along a fridge. Why embark on such a weird trip? Turns out, Hawks made a bet with one of his mates and that's how this fridge journey came about.

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"Cousin Bette"- A Novel With Few Honorable Characters

By becksta on 12/29/09 5:58pm
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Cousin BetteCousin BetteI’ve never read anything by Balzac, so I thought I would give him a try on a recent vacation with “Cousin Bette”, which is one of his better known works. Despite the fact that the book lacks any characters with any kind of moral dignity (or maybe because of it), “Cousin Bette” is a great read and one I would certainly recommend to those interested in expanding their knowledge of the classics.


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