Friday's Five

I'm back after a weeks absence with another day of my top 5 picks for Friday's Five from Steph's Stacks. Mixing it up again this week. Instead of the usual novels, I have even thrown in a childrens book.

1. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

This is a classic story set in Puritan Boston in the 17th century. It is a story about Hester Prynne, who had a child through an affair with a minister. What would have been a huge scandal at the time, as Hester was also married to a man named Roger Chillingworth. Hester struggles to start a life with her daughter as the whole town is against her and she is forced to wear a letter A which represents adultery - It is the symbol of her sin for everyone to see and judge her.
It is a rather powerful story, where we learn more about sin through Nathaniel Hawthornes point of view in 1850.
I was given this book during highschool and absolutely loved it.

2. The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Audrey and Don Wood

My first childrens book in the selection. I have loved this book my whole life. It's a funny story of a little mouse that is trying to hide a strawberry from a hungry bear. When I was younger this made me laugh every time, and funny enough it still does. For parents with children, I highly recommend this book. It would be a great one to read with your children.

3. A Simples Life by Aleksandr Orlov

If you are based in the UK, you may recognise this funny little meerkat from the television, most commonly known as Aleksandr Orlov from compare the market ads. The country has fallen in love with this adorable little guy and it was no surprise when a book came out. If you are not familiar with the ads, it is a fun and entertaining series of ads about the life of a talking meerkat, the escape of his ancestors from the Kalahari desert and how he came to own a business called compare the meerkat. The actual company he is advertising is compare the market, a website for comparing insurance.

The book isnt about the making of the ad, it is a hilarious, detailed and illustrated autobiography of Aleksandr. It is extremely enjoyable book to read and even if you havent seen the ads, it still makes for a great light read.

4. Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain

I rarely hear this book ever mentioned but it is one of my favourites. The story focuses on racism in the south and how a slave named Roxy switches her baby Chambers who is at risk of being sold down the river, with her masters child Thomas. While I do hate to use the word slave, It is how they are referred to in the story.

The title of the story on the other hand derives from a young lawyer named David Wilson who moved to the town on the banks of the Mississippi River, where he is given the name "pudd'nhead" which means nitwit/idiot.

The great thing about this book is that it shows the way children were raised by their parents and surroundings that shaped their attitudes in the south. While you think Roxy's son would appreciate his new life as an aristocrat, it only makes him spoilt and selfish.

5. A Greater Love by Olga Watkins

I actually bought this book for my mum as she had been talking about it for a while. It tells the true story of a woman and her amazing journey during world war II to find her true love. Unfortunately for her, she hits so many walls with her fiance being taken away, a war, border guards being unreasonable... Its just an excruciating long search through Nazi occupied Europe, all for love. The story is written by the woman, Olga which is what it makes it such a great read, as its all written in first person from her memories and life.
While I have not been through anything like this, my family is from the city where her story began and I have heard from my grandparents the horrible times people had to go through in order to be with their families and make it through.

Friday's Five

With my little brother returning to university next week, I thought I would allow my brother to take over the blog and write his top five for the week. Plus, it wouldnt hurt to have a guys perspective on books.

Just a quick bio on my brother so that you understand his choices. He is a university student studying Automotive Engineering. He loves science, history, classics, myths, documentaries and video games, so expect books completely different to the ones I choose. He is very passionate about knowledge and discoveries.

If you would like to join in on Friday's Five, head over to Steph's Stacks.

1. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

This book portrays an Island as a microcosm of our world and if it were to be ruled by children. I love it because it makes you think of childhood and the outdoors, how your imagination would create something out of the ordinary.





2. Medea by Euripides

This is THE classic tale of a woman scorned. It is the original source of where that saying comes from. It is ingenious how she plots her revenge by using the people that are closest to her husband. I highly recommend it.





3. The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

The Divine Comedy is about a mans adventures through heaven, hell and purgatory. It is such a classic that many things from today are based off this book, such as games eg. Devil May Cry and Dante's Inferno. There are also countless references to it in movies and other books.





4. A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

If you have ever questioned the beginning of time, if it could ever run backwards or possibly even slow down, if the universe is really infinite or if you have ever wanted to know what a black hole is, this book will cover all that and more. This book isn't just for the scientifically inclined, it's for everybody with a hunger for knowledge.




5. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

It's a beautiful story, with ups and down, sadness and happiness. It is about two friends; one who is mentally challenged and one who takes care of him. It is a true tale of friendship. If you are not one for sad stories, this may not be for you.

Friday's Five!

Last week, I took part in Friday's Five, a weekly list of five of my favourites, which has been started by the wonderful Steph at Steph's Stacks.

1. Emma by Jane Austen

Emma is one of my all time favourites. Emma Woodhouse is a smart and beautiful girl that comes from money. Her life has never been difficult as she is spoiled by her father and those around her. She takes joy in matchmaking, however for the first time in her life she realises people arent as simple as she imagined. Sometime what you need is in front of you, even if it could take you years to realise. Like in other Austen novels, there is a handsome and rich gentleman who can win a girls heart... Mr Knightley!

2. The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five by Doris Lessing

I approached this book with strong hesitation as I dont typically read science fiction novels. That was a mistake on my part as this was a rather fascinating read. It is the second book in a five book series by Doris Lessing who has a Nobel Prize in Literature. The great thing about this book is you can read it without having to go through the entire series.
For those who are unfamiliar with the story, it isn't a simple one. It tells a story of marriages, love, struggles and differences between men and women. Each zone is different; from militaristic, matriarchal to barbaric. Doris Lessing really is an amazing writer, creating a superb feministic novel.

3. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Yes I am a twihard and proud of it. For a teen book, this took the world by storm. Bella and Edward are this generations Romeo and Juliet. I think what works is that most teenage girls see themselves in Bella and can relate to her. The bonus is that there is a handsome teen looking vampire ready to devote his life to her..

4. The Initiation and The Captive, Part 1 (The Secret Circle) by L.J.Smith

I read this book as it came in a set with another book I wanted. I was pleasantly surprised. It is a great read if you want to get away from vampires and go back to witches. If you watched The Secret Circle last night, the book isnt exactly the same. Some of the story has changed. In fact, the story between Cassie and Adam is more complex and goes beyond the time she moved to live with her grandma. Her mother is also alive in the book. So if you loved the new tv series, I recommend you give this book a go.

5. How Football Explains The World by Franklin Foer

When I say football, I mean soccer, as in the round ball you kick. I picked up this book in Singapore when I was heading for a non stop 19 hour flight to Newark. This book is a bit of fresh air from what I usually read. It is written by an American Journalist and football fan. It gives you an insight into how one of the worlds most popular sports shapes behaviour around the world. If you love football/soccer I highly recommend this book as you will learn new strange and interesting things about fans and the sport.

Friday's Five

I am very excited to be involved in my first weekly meme. Friday's Five is a weekly list of five of my favourites, which has been started by the wonderful Steph at Steph's Stacks.

1. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

This is one of my all time favourites, which I actually reviewed in August. It is not often that you pick up a travel book and are dying to know what happens next. It is a fascinating non-fiction novel that combines crime with travel - you get a true story and learn about Savannah at the same time. The fact it spent 216 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list says alot. 

There was alot of talk around this book, which provided the quiet town of Savannah with a sudden burst of tourists. If you visit Savannah today, you will see that the presence of this book everywhere. Its power is similar to that of Twilight and the town of Forks and Harry Potter and England.

2. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K Rowling

As a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, I loved the first book. It introduced us to Hogwarts and the world of magic. Harry, Ron and Hermione are so young and it is the first book readers relate to as we, just like Harry didnt know anything about the magical world.... after all we are just muggles. Without hesitation I can admit that J.K Rowling is also an amazing writer. I am sure I could read anything she writes.

3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 

Now this has nothing to do with the movie that has come out, I have always had a soft spot for this book. It is one of those that you never forget. What I admire in this novel is that it was written by a woman in a period where a story such as this was considered feminist; all because it explored a female characters thoughts and feelings.

The plot is exciting and not at all predictable and I love its gothic qualities. Most importantly, any girl can fall for Edward Rochester without trying.

4. Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov

Three Sisters is a great play that I had the pleasure not only to read but performed on stage in London. Watching it in the theatre is probably a hundred times better than on film. It is said that the story is partially inspired by the situation of the Bronte sisters, however there seems to be a list of multiple inspirations, so we might never know.

For those of you who have never heard of it before, it is a play about the upper class in Russia, following the lives and dreams of three sisters, Olga, Masha, Irina and their brother Andrei.

Unfortunately for the characters, dreams are just that... dreams. Even if you are part of the upper class society, life can be a struggle and the sisters get to realise this the hard way.

5. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Also known as The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic is the first in a series of books about Becky Bloomwood and her adventures in life and shopping. Sophie Kinsella, who also writes under her real name Madeleine Wickham describes what the majority of women today want - a great husband and lots and lots of shoes, clothes and handbags! The thing that makes this series entertaining is Becky is all over the place and her shopping antics get her in trouble wherever she goes.