Books matching: collective suffering
22 result(s)
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- #1
Save:'The Plague' by Albert Camus revolves around the town of Oran in the 1940s dealing with a sudden plague outbreak, leading to quarantine and isolation from the rest of society. The story focuses on how individuals cope with the challenges of being cut off from their loved ones, the slow progression of the disease, and the impact it has on human relationships. Camus' writing style captures the existential struggles of the characters and delves into philosophical themes of human nature, suffering, and societal responses to crises.
The unusual events described in this chronicle occurred in 194- at Oran. Everyone agreed that, considering their somewhat extraordinary character, they were out of place there. For its ordinariness is... - #2
Save:The Mountains Sing is a multigenerational saga set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, following the Tran family through harrowing experiences of loss, resilience, and survival. The story alternates between past and present, narrated by grandmother Tran Dieu Lan and granddaughter H Noi, providing a poignant account of the impact of war on ordinary Vietnamese families. The book delves into the struggles faced by the characters during turbulent periods like the Land Reform, Japanese invasion, and the aftermath of the Vietnam War, highlighting themes of family bonds, sacrifice, and endurance.
My grandmother used to tell me that when our ancestors die, they don’t just disappear, they continue to watch over us. And now, I feel her watching me as I light a match, setting fire to three sticks ... A Sunny Place for Shady People is a collection of twelve short stories by Mariana Enríquez that delve deep into themes of trauma, the supernatural, and societal issues. The stories explore haunting experiences, such as a woman seeing ghosts in a violent neighborhood and a couple encountering horror in an abandoned mansion. Each tale is rich with emotional depth, highlighting the impact of past traumas and societal injustices, with unsettling imagery that stays with the reader long after finishing.
Enríquez's writing style is captivating and lyrical, effectively blending horror with thought-provoking social commentary. The narratives cleverly invoke elements of magical realism while addressing the darker sides of human experience. Some stories touch on real-life events, which adds weight to the fiction. Despite being short, each story offers profound insights and chilling scenarios, making A Sunny Place for Shady People a compelling read for anyone interested in unsettling yet intelligent horror.
- #4
Save:'Hiroshima Notes' by Kenzabur? ?e is a collection of essays written in the mid-1960s after the author's visit to Hiroshima. The central figure in the essays is Dr. Fumio Shigeta, a medical doctor who dedicated his life to helping the victims of the A-bomb, despite the societal stigma attached to them. Through Dr. Shigeta, Oe explores the struggles faced by the survivors, their social ostracization, and the long-term effects of the bombing on their lives. Oe's writing style is journalistic and reflective, focusing on the humanistic aspects of the survivors' stories without moralizing or sensationalism.
'Don't Forget Us Here: Lost and Found at Guantanamo' by Mansoor Adayfi is a compelling and eye-opening account of the inhumane treatment endured by innocent Muslim men at Guantanamo Bay. The book sheds light on the horrors of illegal torture, the resilience of the human spirit, and the power of faith in the face of adversity. Through the author's honest and brave narrative, readers are taken on a journey of survival in the harshest of conditions, revealing both the beauty and depravity of humanity.
The book not only exposes the atrocities committed at Guantanamo but also delves into the personal experiences of Mansoor Adayfi, a Guantanamo survivor. It challenges readers to confront the injustices inflicted upon individuals deemed dangerous by the American democracy and highlights the importance of empathy, understanding, and the quest for justice in a world marred by conflict and prejudice.
The interrogators were done with me. You aren’t valuable enough to keep alive, they said. I didn’t have the intelligence they wanted on al Qaeda’s chain of command. They bound my hands with duct tape,...- #6
Save:The Dream Songs by John Berryman is a collection of over 300 poems that delve into the mind of the protagonist Henry. The poems are filled with themes of death, God, and mortality, presented in a mix of playfulness and seriousness. The writing style is described as turbulent, mad, feverish, and cryptic, with convoluted syntax and unexpected rhyme schemes. The narrator, Henry, engages in dialogues with another character known as Mr. Bones, adding layers of complexity to the poems.
- #7
Save:Octave Mirbeau's 'Torture Garden' is a disturbing and brutal piece of fiction that serves as a seething satire of political and moral corruption. The plot follows a French debauchee who, after encountering a mysterious Englishwoman named Clara, becomes entangled in a world of lust, filth, and ultimate evil. Through vivid descriptions of a garden filled with implements of sacrifice and torture, the novel explores themes of hypocrisy, depravity, and the dark underbelly of civilization. Mirbeau's writing style paints a picture of grotesque beauty, intertwining horror with hauntingly lush imagery.
Twelve years ago, no longer knowing what to do and condemned by a series of misfortunes to the harsh necessity of either hanging myself or throwing myself into the Seine as a final resort, I put mysel... - #8
Save:'Little Infamies' by Panos Karnezis is a collection of strikingly original short stories set in a small, nameless village in Greece. The stories are described as extraordinary, shocking, colorful, amusing, resonant, and sometimes tragic. Karnezis' writing style is praised as fresh, lyrical, and enriched, with the ability to subvert English into a delight to read. captures the essence of contemporary Greece while being compared to the works of renowned authors like James Joyce, Raymond Carver, and Guy de Maupassant.
Since dawn the air had the sultriness of fermenting juices and later, just before lunch, the dog started barking for no reason and did not stop until Father Yerasimo chased her away with stones. He co... - #9
Save:'Hardy: Poems' by Thomas Hardy, edited by Peter Washington, is a collection of poems that some readers feel is incomplete and lacks some of Hardy's most well-known and admired works. The opinions suggest that Thomas Hardy, known for his controversial novels like Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure, preferred to call himself a poet in his lifetime. is described as containing moderately short poems that resonate with the same tragic sense of life found in Hardy's novels, focusing on themes of societal views on women, historical projects, and landscape descriptions.
- #10
Save:'Marx' in the series 'Great Books of the Western World' by Mortimer J. Adler, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels delves into the influential writings of Karl Marx, exploring his impact on the development of socialism as a political ideology. provides a solid overview of Marx's thoughts, highlighting both the faults and the enduring useful aspects of his philosophy. Readers find the content well-organized and thought-provoking, although some may find it challenging due to its depth. also touches upon the foundational concepts of Marx's thinking and worldview, making it a recommended read for those interested in delving into Marx's critical philosophy.
