Books matching: gritty realities
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'Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York' by Luc Sante is a comprehensive exploration of Manhattan's rich history, focusing on the early immigrant experience, culture, vice, and survival in the first slums. The book delves into the gritty details of the city's underbelly, from the rivaling theater scenes on Broadway and the Bowery to the Chinese opium dens, offering a detailed account of the period from 1840 to 1919. Sante's writing style captures the ghosts of New York's past, bringing them to life through clear prose and fascinating stories, making this book an excellent example of compelling social history.
LONG, NARROW MANHATTAN ISLAND SITS IN THE BAY, AMONG OTHER ISLANDS, OUTCROPPINGS, FLATLANDS, LIKE A SILHOUETTE OF A RIGHT whale navigating a rocky passage; on the area map, among blank-faced formation...- #2
Save:The Pleasures Of The Damned by Charles Bukowski is a collection of the author's poetry that captures the rawness of life, delving into themes of love, loss, and the gritty realities of the world. Readers reflect on how Bukowski's work strips down societal pretenses and provides a refreshing dose of reality, showcasing the beauty and darkness of everyday life with a unique writing style that is both vulgar and perceptive.
'Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut' by Mike Mullane is a gripping memoir that offers a unique perspective on the Space Shuttle era. Mullane's writing style is described as candid, enlightening, and almost immersive, providing readers with a firsthand insight into the challenges and excitement of space flight. The book delves into the fateful uncertainty of the Space Shuttle program, highlighting both the glory and folly of this remarkable era in human exploration. Mullane's storytelling reads like a novel, captivating readers with his emotional depth and wittily told anecdotes about his experiences as part of the 1978 class of astronauts.
Mullane's book not only provides a detailed account of his journey as an astronaut but also touches on important themes such as family impact, dreams, and the reality of space exploration. The narrative is filled with humor, inspiration, and a wealth of background information for space enthusiasts, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the space program and the extraordinary individuals who were part of it.
I was naked, lying on my side on a table in the NASA Flight Medicine Clinic bathroom, probing at my rear end with the nozzle of an enema.Welcome to the astronaut selection process, I thought. It was ...- #4
Save:'Shatterpoint' in the 'Star Wars: Clone Wars' series by Matthew Woodring Stover follows Jedi Master Mace Windu as he embarks on a dangerous journey to find his lost former Padawan, Depa Billaba, on the treacherous jungle world of Haruun Kal. The story delves into the gritty side of the Clone Wars, showcasing deadly creatures, intense battles, and the hard realities of war. Stover's writing style is praised for its dark and intense tone, exploring moral dilemmas, the complexities of the Force, and the struggles faced by Jedi in a war-torn galaxy.
Through the curved transparisteel, Haruun Kal was a wall of mountain-punched clouds beside him. It looked close enough to touch. The shuttle's orbit spiraled slowly toward the surface: soon enough he ... - #5
Save:'Grapes of Wrath' seems to be a source of confusion among readers as it is often mistaken for John Steinbeck's classic novel. However, the actual content of the book appears to focus on the experiences of a British soldier during World War One, offering a raw and unfiltered perspective on the horrors of war. Despite being poorly edited, the book provides powerful imagery of the brutal realities faced by soldiers during this time, portraying them as stoic heroes in the face of unimaginable carnage.
The narrative of 'Grapes of Wrath' delves into the futility and carnage of war, highlighting the attacks, counterattacks, and the devastating impact on soldiers who faced machine gun fusillades and gruesome injuries. portrays the soldiers as brave individuals with a stiff upper lip, enduring the horrors of war with resilience and courage, ultimately painting a vivid picture of the harsh realities of World War One.
- #6
Save:"Masters of War" by Chris Ryan delves into the harsh realities of war, portraying the brutal and grim fight on the ground in a torn-apart country where civilians struggle to survive amidst atrocities committed by all sides. The plot revolves around SAS soldiers, spies, mercenaries, and jihadists in Syria, showcasing authentic military details and vividly written action scenes. The writing style is fast-paced, graphic, and filled with foul language, painting a realistic picture of the horrors of war.
- #7
Save:Set in the slums of Sydney, Australia, 'The Harp in the South' by Ruth Park tells the tale of the Darcy family - Hugh, Margaret, Roie, Dolour, and Thady - living in abject poverty but sticking together through heartache, cruelty, and drunkenness. The book covers about a year in the Darcy family's life, exploring themes of poverty, hardship, family dynamics, and the influences of the Catholic church and local community in the 1940s. Ruth Park's writing style is described as strong, vigorous, and evocative, capturing the essence of the Aussie Battler spirit and creating rounded, complex, and human characters.
The old Queen was dead, and King Edward well settled on the throne of England. In far away New South Wales, in the town of Trafalgar, Hugh Darcy and Margaret Kilker were born. There were but a few mon... - #8
Save:"Hammer's Slammers" by David Drake is a collection of short stories that follows the interstellar mechanized mercenary unit known as the Slammers. The stories depict the evolution of the Slammers from an ad hoc military force to a powerful juggernaut under the leadership of Colonel Alois Hammer. The writing style is described as gritty, brutal, and realistic, providing detailed descriptions of battle scenes and character development, while also highlighting the human cost of the Slammers' actions.
It is remarkable—though never remarked—how few writers have been soldiers in wartime. Kipling, who wrote of soldiers and soldiering as well as anyone ever has, was never himself a soldier. I believe I... Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets by David Simon is a gripping true crime book that follows a journalist embedded with the homicide unit of the Baltimore Police Department for the entire year of 1988. The book provides an uncensored look into the inner workings of the murder police, showcasing the complexities of detective work, interactions with criminals and the criminal justice system. Readers are taken on a gritty journey through actual detective work that is far from the easily solvable cases often portrayed in police dramas, offering a raw and honest portrayal of the harsh realities faced by detectives in solving murders.
Pulling one hand from the warmth of a pocket, Jay Landsman squats down to grab the dead man’s chin, pushing the head to one side until the wound becomes visible as a small, ovate hole, oozing red and ...- #10
Save:'Trainspotting' by Irvine Welsh follows a group of Scottish drug addicts, including Renton, Sick Boy, and Spud, as they navigate their lives filled with heroin addiction, crime, and despair in 1980's Scotland. The narrative is told through short episodes from different viewpoints, providing a deep and vivid insight into their relationships and daily struggles with addiction. The writing style is unique, written entirely in Scottish dialect, which can be challenging to follow initially but immerses the reader in the setting and characters.
Croxy, sweating from exertion rather than from drug abuse for once in his life, struggles up the stairs with the last box of records as I collapse on the bed, gaping through a numb depression at the c...
