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nitroglycerin's Reviews (952)
I’ve left this a little too long to give my thoughts properly, it’s a bit fuzzy in my head. Usually when I read a book, if I loved it, I feel the need to gush about it straight away. The fact I’ve left it two weeks to say anything about this one shows it wasn’t an “omg this is so good” book.
The Cows follows three women who are having a bit of a rough time. On the surface this is a bit of a silly (and amusing) story of the pretty ridiculous situations these women get themselves into and how it all resolves. I did laugh, and sympathise, and “root for” Tara and Cam (two fo the three women; you’re not meant to root for Stella much). The plot was pretty out there though which makes it harder to believe.
The obvious and deeper story within this book is meant to be feminism and “not following the herd”. However, what I felt the book promoted was women who are doing things “differently” while dismissing women who choose a more “traditional” life for themselves. For example, Tara is at odds with the other school mums, and her own mother (while using her as a babysitter) for not being working single mums with careers. I felt this was completely at odds with O’Porters actual views, from what I know of her, and feminism as a whole which is about equality and choice.
So if you’re wanting to read this as a feminist fiction then I wouldn’t bother. But if you’re after a ridiculous romp with some laughs then it’s pretty good.
The Cows follows three women who are having a bit of a rough time. On the surface this is a bit of a silly (and amusing) story of the pretty ridiculous situations these women get themselves into and how it all resolves. I did laugh, and sympathise, and “root for” Tara and Cam (two fo the three women; you’re not meant to root for Stella much). The plot was pretty out there though which makes it harder to believe.
The obvious and deeper story within this book is meant to be feminism and “not following the herd”. However, what I felt the book promoted was women who are doing things “differently” while dismissing women who choose a more “traditional” life for themselves. For example, Tara is at odds with the other school mums, and her own mother (while using her as a babysitter) for not being working single mums with careers. I felt this was completely at odds with O’Porters actual views, from what I know of her, and feminism as a whole which is about equality and choice.
So if you’re wanting to read this as a feminist fiction then I wouldn’t bother. But if you’re after a ridiculous romp with some laughs then it’s pretty good.
I bought this book hoping it would help me learn to appreciate the wonder of winter again. It didn’t. But I’m not sure that was its purpose. It did however remind me that spring is on the other side and the light comes back.
The book turned out to be more an memoir on mental health, and quirky/sad British behaviour in winter. The author gets a shout-out for visiting my hometown during this time, visiting the schools and libraries in the area.
What I’ve mostly taken from the book, is that it brought to my attention Cyclothymia - a sort of less severe bipolar where you’re up and down but not fully clinically depressed or fully manic. I imagine that many people have this and are undiagnosed. I liked that his nurse suggested natural over the counter remedies before medication though, and I hope they’ve helped.
The book turned out to be more an memoir on mental health, and quirky/sad British behaviour in winter. The author gets a shout-out for visiting my hometown during this time, visiting the schools and libraries in the area.
What I’ve mostly taken from the book, is that it brought to my attention Cyclothymia - a sort of less severe bipolar where you’re up and down but not fully clinically depressed or fully manic. I imagine that many people have this and are undiagnosed. I liked that his nurse suggested natural over the counter remedies before medication though, and I hope they’ve helped.
Audiobook.
Pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Aisling was completely relatable, I loved the Irish-isms through out, and definitely kept me well amused on a long dark drive home in the winter. Will definitely read/listen to more if they’re ever on sale.
Pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Aisling was completely relatable, I loved the Irish-isms through out, and definitely kept me well amused on a long dark drive home in the winter. Will definitely read/listen to more if they’re ever on sale.
It’s hard to review a non-fiction book. Especially one as hard hitting as this one. “It is much worse than you think”.
Parts 1 & 2 dissect the direct problems and consequences of the climate crisis. Part 3 & 4 tries to point blame and make us blameless, and it kind of lost me.
This is an important book, if it only serves the purpose of terrorising the masses into believing that the crisis is real. That all the storms, wild fires, flooding, tropical disease advancements, wildlife extinctions etc are caused by our carbon emissions. It does make it feel like a lost cause, the tiny changes the individuals are making are so minute, that without the richest 10% cutting their emissions things won’t change.
Without going on a rant I’ll leave it there.
Parts 1 & 2 dissect the direct problems and consequences of the climate crisis. Part 3 & 4 tries to point blame and make us blameless, and it kind of lost me.
This is an important book, if it only serves the purpose of terrorising the masses into believing that the crisis is real. That all the storms, wild fires, flooding, tropical disease advancements, wildlife extinctions etc are caused by our carbon emissions. It does make it feel like a lost cause, the tiny changes the individuals are making are so minute, that without the richest 10% cutting their emissions things won’t change.
Without going on a rant I’ll leave it there.
This book tells the simple alpine life story of Andreas Eggers. An orphan. A farm hand. A manual worker. A husband. A soldier. A prisoner. A free man. A survivor. Through his eyes we see the world change and evolve around him, from the introduction of electricity and automobiles, to WWII and the tourism that boomed in alps in the years afterwards.
It’s a simple contemplation of a simple life, a life with hardships and disaster, but of a man with the natural will to keep going.
Considering I picked this up by accident thinking it was a non-fiction book about nature, this was a charming story. It is short and without complexity but it was rewarding to experience the world though the eyes of this man.
It’s a simple contemplation of a simple life, a life with hardships and disaster, but of a man with the natural will to keep going.
Considering I picked this up by accident thinking it was a non-fiction book about nature, this was a charming story. It is short and without complexity but it was rewarding to experience the world though the eyes of this man.
I’m not sure where to start with this one. I’ve read a few other reviews of The Essex Serpent and they’re all very mixed. In fact one called it “long and boring”. This is not what I thought.
Firstly the serpent was done well. The myth, the wonder, the suspicion and uncertainty around the serpent was done so well. You know it’s all just small-town hysteria in your logical mind, but every now and then Perry has you wondering too, if it could be real.
Secondly, I’ve seen complaints that the cast of characters is too big and hard to follow. Well again I disagree. There are a lot, but I found them all to be distinctive and added something to the story. Their own little side stories were just as interesting as the main story, especially Martha’s socialist adventures and Garretts pioneering surgeries. I even liked Cora, the main character who has had a few negatives bandied towards her, though I agree that Will (the other main character) is a bit off in some way that it’s hard to believe in their relationship development.
Overall a well done small-town not-quite-supernatural historical fiction. After already enjoying Melmoth previously, I’d definitely read Perry again.
Firstly the serpent was done well. The myth, the wonder, the suspicion and uncertainty around the serpent was done so well. You know it’s all just small-town hysteria in your logical mind, but every now and then Perry has you wondering too, if it could be real.
Secondly, I’ve seen complaints that the cast of characters is too big and hard to follow. Well again I disagree. There are a lot, but I found them all to be distinctive and added something to the story. Their own little side stories were just as interesting as the main story, especially Martha’s socialist adventures and Garretts pioneering surgeries. I even liked Cora, the main character who has had a few negatives bandied towards her, though I agree that Will (the other main character) is a bit off in some way that it’s hard to believe in their relationship development.
Overall a well done small-town not-quite-supernatural historical fiction. After already enjoying Melmoth previously, I’d definitely read Perry again.
I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand I’m not sure if I agree with falconry and taking hawks (and other birds) from the wild, but on the other hand without people who do this, we wouldn’t learn so much about the animals. It is clear that Macdonald cares for her hawk well and trains Mabel without cruelty, but my bias against it did stop me from fully enjoying these bits.
Why read a book about falconry if you’re not keen on the dies of it then? Because this book isn’t just about the bird. The story Macdonald shares of her grief, the darkness she feels and how she clings to Mabel at a time when everything else was crumbling.
My favourite quote from this is one after she has encountered a couple who are lamenting “old Britain” and instead she expands on humanity and the world as it is:
“Old England is an imaginary place, a landscape built from words, woodcuts, films, paintings, picturesque engravings. It is a place imagined by people, and people do not live very long or look very hard. We are very bad at scale. The things that live in the soil are too small to care about; climate change too large to imagine. We are bad at time too. We cannot remember what lived here before we did; we cannot love what is not. Nor can we imagine what will be different when we are dead. We live out our three score and ten, and tie our knots and lines only to ourselves. We take solace in pictures, and we wipe the hills of history.”
Why read a book about falconry if you’re not keen on the dies of it then? Because this book isn’t just about the bird. The story Macdonald shares of her grief, the darkness she feels and how she clings to Mabel at a time when everything else was crumbling.
My favourite quote from this is one after she has encountered a couple who are lamenting “old Britain” and instead she expands on humanity and the world as it is:
“Old England is an imaginary place, a landscape built from words, woodcuts, films, paintings, picturesque engravings. It is a place imagined by people, and people do not live very long or look very hard. We are very bad at scale. The things that live in the soil are too small to care about; climate change too large to imagine. We are bad at time too. We cannot remember what lived here before we did; we cannot love what is not. Nor can we imagine what will be different when we are dead. We live out our three score and ten, and tie our knots and lines only to ourselves. We take solace in pictures, and we wipe the hills of history.”
If you were invited by a strange man, a doctor, that you have never met, to stay in a house and investigate suspected paranormal activity, would you do it?
It’s a hard pass from me. I wouldn’t. Even though I’m sceptical about the paranormal, it’s the thought of being in a house with strangers that would put me off
It’s a hard pass from me. I wouldn’t. Even though I’m sceptical about the paranormal, it’s the thought of being in a house with strangers that would put me off
This is an unusual little book about a man discovering who he is, the meaning of life, what’s important.
It reminds me a lot of Matt Haigs work (Reasons to Stay Alive and Notes on a Nervous Planet) actually - only in a fictional format. The way Loe examines life through his character has a similar vibe or feeling to me. The book, like Haigs, leaves you thinking about your own life and choices and destination.
Overall it’s a short and simple read with a great focus.
It reminds me a lot of Matt Haigs work (Reasons to Stay Alive and Notes on a Nervous Planet) actually - only in a fictional format. The way Loe examines life through his character has a similar vibe or feeling to me. The book, like Haigs, leaves you thinking about your own life and choices and destination.
Overall it’s a short and simple read with a great focus.
What would you do if you lost your home and business, had no money, or friends to stay with? Raynor and her slowly dying husband Moth decided to walk. A lot. 630 miles on the South West Costal Path, wild camping and living off £30 a week.
The book isn’t just about the walk though, it’s about grief for a life lost, for a medical diagnosis telling you your husband is going to die. It’s about learning what’s important in life.
Raynor also explores the problems of homelessness, as for the duration of the book they are essentially homeless, it makes sense that they come across some of the problems homeless people face.
Overall a great book. It’s made me want to get out and walk. Leave all the trappings of modern life behind. I’m not sure I could go so long without a shower though.
The book isn’t just about the walk though, it’s about grief for a life lost, for a medical diagnosis telling you your husband is going to die. It’s about learning what’s important in life.
Raynor also explores the problems of homelessness, as for the duration of the book they are essentially homeless, it makes sense that they come across some of the problems homeless people face.
Overall a great book. It’s made me want to get out and walk. Leave all the trappings of modern life behind. I’m not sure I could go so long without a shower though.