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Book Reviews

Who Moved My Cheese? (by Spencer Johnson)

I’ve come across this book countless times in bookshops. It was so in my face that I could hear it shouting: “Read me! You keep seeing me, yet you keep ignoring me!” Now I feel relieved that I’ve read it, although it didn’t have a significant impact on me. In fact, I could have happily continued living without having read it. This book is about change. It tells a very simple story, illustrating the point that nothing is permanent; things keep changing. The four characters,… Read More »Who Moved My Cheese? (by Spencer Johnson)

The Madness of Grief

The Madness of Grief (by Richard Coles)

While I was indulging in one of my favourite activities, wandering in a bookshop, my attention was caught by this book. When I realised it was written by a priest who is gay and in a love relationship, I had to read it. Coming from a Catholic background where the traditional religion doesn’t accept homosexuality or allow priests to have partners, I was immediately intrigued by the unique perspective this book could offer. I started to build my expectations, by assuming it would offer self-help… Read More »The Madness of Grief (by Richard Coles)

Fruit of Knowledge. The Vulva vs. The Patriarchy (by Liv Strömquist)

We’re all familiar with the story of Eve being held responsible for the fall of humanity. Not only did Eve commit the first sin, but she also influenced Adam to do the same, leading to their expulsion from Eden. Naughty girl, Eve. However, humans haven’t always lived in a patriarchal culture. In fact, in many ancient cultures, God was a woman, and menstruation was seen as sacred. The author of this book cleverly explores the condition of being female throughout history, with a focus on… Read More »Fruit of Knowledge. The Vulva vs. The Patriarchy (by Liv Strömquist)

Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West: Love Letters

Virginia and Vita loved their husbands, and they also loved each other. This book is a selection of letters that they exchanged, and some extracts from their diaries which offered some additional interesting insights. Their correspondence was highly intellectual, yet also so intimate that at times I felt like I was intruding. I learned lots of new English words; with almost every sentence containing one I had never heard of before. I was pleasantly surprised to find pictures of both of them on the inside… Read More »Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West: Love Letters

The Five (by Hallie Rubenhold)

This book is not about Jack the Ripper, who has already gained a lot of notoriety. This book is about the lives of his victims. Their names were Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine, and Mary Jane. I felt overwhelming sadness while reading it, and this was due to the deplorable conditions in which these women lived. There was clearly a great deal of research behind this book. It was heart-wrenching and enraging to learn that just over a century ago, women were considered less important than… Read More »The Five (by Hallie Rubenhold)

Buddhism Plain and Simple (by Steve Hagen)

If you are curious about Buddhism and seeking a simple, accessible introduction to its basic concepts, this book is for you. I really enjoyed reading it and found it insightful. My favourite part was the explanation that there’s no permanent “self”. This really got me thinking about the impermanence of everything around us. Everything changes, even the concept of “I”. Another aspect that I liked about this book was its modern and pragmatic style. While it’s rooted in ancient Buddhist philosophy, it speaks directly to… Read More »Buddhism Plain and Simple (by Steve Hagen)

Le braci (di Sándor Márai)

This is an introspective novel and the story is centred around two old friends, Henrik and Konrad, who have a reunion after 41 years. It is primarily a long and intense soliloquy by Henrik, exploring the meaning of life, love, and above all, friendship. The other character, Konrad, is allowed to speak only occasionally, which kept me frustrated. In fact, while Henrik’s monologue is eloquent and thought-provoking, it would have been intriguing to hear Konrad’s perspective and insights as well. Another aspect that disappointed me… Read More »Le braci (di Sándor Márai)

A Londra con Virginia Woolf (by Cristina Marconi)

By accompanying the reader on a journey of discovery through the places that were part of Virginia Woolf’s life, the author offers an interesting glimpse into her existence. The writing is engaging to the point that it gave me the feeling of taking a real journey through time, reliving the atmosphere of London in the early twentieth century. I also greatly appreciated the intelligent use of quotes within the text. Well-structured, well-written, and well-researched, this beautiful book provides a passionate read that I highly recommend.… Read More »A Londra con Virginia Woolf (by Cristina Marconi)

Virginia Woolf (by Quentin Bell)

I immersed myself in the pages of this intimate and comprehensive portrait of Virginia Woolf, one of the most celebrated writers of the 20th century. The author, Quentin Bell, had a close personal relationship with her – he was her nephew. Divided into two parts, the first covers Woolf’s childhood, adolescence, and goes until she was 30 years old. While this section contains undoubtedly valuable background information on Woolf’s upbringing and later years, I found it to be a bit slow-paced. The second part of… Read More »Virginia Woolf (by Quentin Bell)

Culinaria Hungary (by Aniko Gergely)

Hungarian food is much more than goulash and paprika. It’s a rich cuisine that you can learn about through the pages of this book. While presented as a cookbook, I think that the recipes could have been a bit more detailed. For example, when I tried making one of them, Paprikás Csirke (chicken paprika), I felt I needed more instructions as they seemed too vague, perhaps more aimed at experienced cooks. What I found enriching was that I learned a lot about Hungarian culinary traditions… Read More »Culinaria Hungary (by Aniko Gergely)