Hao Song Song itibaren Barakdağı Köyü/Karaisalı/Adana, Türkiye
I love the way the author describes the self. Loathing the main characters do as they examine their own actions. We are all less than perfect and our rough edges seem to smooth as we humble ourselves.
I don't like Frank Miller. Or, rather, I don't like Frank Miller's interpretation of Batman. This book is a perfect example why: while Batman is certainly not the most sane of people, in this story he's plain crazy. And arrogant. And crazy. And brutal. And he's lacking most of the qualities I like about Batman; the fact that he cares about people. And his behaviour towards Dick/Robin. Well. I can sort of see what Frank Miller wants to accomplish, but I don't like it at all. It's too brutal, too - real, maybe. Real in the sense that it would be a legit reading of Bruce Wayne's and Batman's actions. But having this Batman as a role model would be like having Jack Bauer as a role model, and personally, I don't think that's a good idea. I was shaking my head most of the time while I was reading it. But admittedly, I also laughed, and I Jim Lee's artwork sure is pretty and nice to look at.
i really liked this book! i was a great mix of harry potter, lord of the rings, narnia, and the inheritance saga. it's the story of a boy (named alex, how ironic) who finds out there is a magical world and that he would one day become a great wizard (they're pretty hard to come by). full of adventure and action and humor and excitement! great book!
(IMHO, few books deserve five stars. I'd give this book six stars if I could. Go out to Amazon, and look at the distribution of reviews. Virtually EVERYONE who reads this massive book rates it five stars. You should read it. Period.) I love this book. I read it for the first time probably 10-20 years ago, and find that I can easily open it at any point and get engrossed again in Sam Damon's journey. It's just this incredibly broad and rich tapestry. What I think I love most about this book is Sam's approach to life, in that you take what's in front of you, do the best that you can, learn from the experience--without reframing it as someone else's fault--and throughout life, keep trying to learn (languages, history, etc.). I don't do nearly as well at this as I'd like--cruising the Internet is easier than using it to work on learning French at 50, for example--but I try, and Sam is my hero, someone who I try to emulate and whose fictional tale makes me strive to be better than I am. In modern life, we seemed to be surrounded by people who talk and talk and talk, but are *completely* unable to live their values. Instead, their mantra is "I've changed" or "I've learned from my mistakes." Maybe we as a society should look for people who are able to manage themselves with honor and dignity, rather than listening to those who put themselves forward as "leaders" but who fold like cheap card tables at the first test of their character.
My favorite cookbook of the moment. I haven't been disappointed by a single recipe -- nothing fancy, just the kind of recipes you'd get from your Spanish abuelita -- if you were lucky enough to have one.