I Read Classics and Non Fiction as Well... #MiniReseñas
November 25, 2017It's been a darn long time since I've done one of these. Especially since Blogger hasn't been loading on my laptop.
But at least I'm doing it now.
And that's all that matters xD
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou
Blurb: Sent by their mother to live with their devout, self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local 'powhitetrash.' At eight years old and back at her mother's side in St Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age - and has to live with the consequences of a lifetime. Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns that love for herself, the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors ("I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare") will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned.
Poetic and powerful, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings will touch hearts and change minds for as long as people read.
It was such a long time since I've read a novel that was so interesting from beginning to end.
There were a lot of darker elements to the story.
I also deeply appreciated the mention of Spanish culture. It makes me want to work really hard on my Spanish.
4.5 stars out of 5
Things Fall Apart (The African Trilogy #1) - Chinua Achebe
Blurb: Recognised as one of Africa's 100 Best Books of the 20th Century in an initiative organised by the Zimbabwe International Book Fair, Things Fall Apart is a novel which portrays the collision of African and European cultures in people's lives. Okonkwo, a great man in Igbo traditional society, cannot adapt to the profound changes brought about by British colonial rule. Yet, as in classic tragedy, Okonkwo's downfall results from his own character as well as from external forces.
The main character, Okonkwo, is a man who is afraid of becoming weak like his father. This fear caused him to become a tough and violent man.
He was a man of action, a man of war. Unlike his father he could stand the look of blood. In Umuofia's latest war he was the first to bring home a human head. That was his fifth human head; and he was not an old man yet. On great occasions such as the funeral of a village celebrity he drank his palm wine from his first human head.
...Lord have mercy o.O
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the way Nigerians (well, the Igbo tribe in this case) lived their lives and the references to their culture. Also, sometimes it felt quite dark (not that I was afraid or anything.... ._.) at times.
The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton
Blurb: Ponyboy can count on his brothers. And on his friends. But not on much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is beating up 'greasers' like Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect - until the night someone takes things too far.
I appreciated reading something in the point of view of a character that was somewhat poor because it made me have a better understanding of people of different backgrounds.
I also appreciated the explanation of the fight between the rich 'Socs' and the poorer 'Greasers'.
The characters were okay but since this was such a short novel, there wasn't enough time to flesh out the characters. I guess I liked Ponyboy and his brothers the most since I knew the most about them.
Read the full review on Goodreads.
I also appreciated the explanation of the fight between the rich 'Socs' and the poorer 'Greasers'.
The characters were okay but since this was such a short novel, there wasn't enough time to flesh out the characters. I guess I liked Ponyboy and his brothers the most since I knew the most about them.
Read the full review on Goodreads.
I hope you guys are all enjoying yourselves.
Do you guys like reading Classics? Non Fiction? Why or why not?
10 comments
The Outsiders sounds good!
ReplyDeleteAnd blogger hasn't been loading? That's strange, but then blogger is fickle at times. :/
Yeah, I hope you like it.
DeleteI guess this isn't a recent issue but it's what set back my reviews for about two weeks :/
I read classics and nonfic as well ;) I plan to post about it at some point xD who knows when??
ReplyDeleteYAAAY! I feel that we need it to be popularised within the blogosphere a lot more.
DeleteOh Things Fall Apart is an interesting book. I had to read it for one of my classes last year and it was not enjoyable to read at all, but the themes and setting were very unique!
ReplyDeleteAnd I've been meaning to pick up the outsiders for a long time!
Great post :)
xD Okay, I get how you wouldn't enjoy it. I think one of the main reasons I enjoyed it was because I understood the references xD
DeleteHopefully you'll get to read it soon.
I dnf'd I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings a while ago because I just couldn't get into it, which I feel bad about. I'm sure I'l return to it one day. And I feel like I should read Things Fall Apart, but I haven't yet. I thought the OUtsiders was okay, but I didn't like it that much. I do like reading classics and nonfictions sometimes; in fact I think I'm gravitating to them a bit more than I did before
ReplyDeleteIt's okay xD
DeleteSame! Hopefully I'll be able to read even more within those genres next year!
Oooooh I really want to read more books by authors from africa! (I really hate how people always talk about africa like it's one country filled with people who are all similar, rather than many countries with really diverse cultures. Like, I was 7 or 8 before I realised Africa was more than one country). I've never been anywhere in Africa, but I feel like reading is a really good way to learn more. I actually want to read all these books at some point. I should get on that. (Also, I enjoy most classics. I guess they became classics for a reason?)
ReplyDeleteI think 7 or 8 years old is definitely a good age to realise that Africa is more than one country. And I believe that you are exposed to many cultures as well?
DeleteGuess who also hasn't been anywhere in Africa?
... I blame my parents xD They keep saying they'll bring us there but they never did! I feel like such a phony African.
That's cool. I also hope you get to enjoy these! (yeah, I think if I read a lot more classics, I'll eventually become trash for classics xD)
Keep it all clean, man. Well, if you really wanna curse, use minor swear words. And I mean the minorest of minor ones.
"Or what?" you ask in indignation.
"Or else."