Tag: book review

Unbroken | WWII

Books such as this one illuminates what I already know: the human will can do anything; love can heal all.

The Tale of Genji | Japan

This book catches a glimpse of Japanese court life in the 11th century that we’d never see otherwise, a look at the morals and values of a culture so far removed from Western thought.

Ghost Soldiers | WWII

Before we had books and movies about Rangers and SEALs and Green Berets, a group of brave men snuck far behind enemy lines to save the survivors of the Bataan Death March.

Kafka on the Shore | Japan

While there are undeniably elements about the otherworldly in this book, it’s based in nothing more or less magical than the human soul.

Between Shades of Gray | WWII

Good thriving in such a hostile environment is a powerful beacon of hope for us, both for the past and the future. This book whispers of that hope.

Doctor Zhivago | Russia

This book is one of those that needs to be read because the suffering of the people needs to be remembered. And although it ends sadly, there’s too much triumph of the soul for it to be sad.

The Bear and the Nightingale | Russia

This is one of those snow-tipped fairytales that feature in my winter dreams, effortlessly combining magic, history, and the northern reaches of Russia where the winters are long, the forests are primeval, and life is enchanted.

Poland: A History | Poland

The Poles are a surprisingly resilient people, weathering adversity and powering through the storms of history.

The Doll | Poland

I didn’t see this book as a failure of the class system, I saw it as a triumph over it.

Poland: A Novel | Poland

The enmity between Germany and Poland and Russia and Poland isn’t a 20th century thing. It’s been going on for centuries.

Natural Born Heroes | WWII

This book isn’t really about World War II or Greeks or fitness or even heroism. It’s about compassion, about love.