Review of "The Reader" by Bernhard Schlink

This book, ladies and gentlemen, is about *drum rolls*... pedophiles! Allow me to explain. This book starts with a young boy of 15 years, Michael Berg, vomiting on the streets outside a house. The resident of the house, an older yet mysteriously alluring Hannah Shmitz then comes out and helps the young boy out and takes him home. What should have happened after? He should have thanked her politely when he got better and left it at that. What did happen after? He thanked her politely and then kept coming back because he couldn't stop fantasizing about her. This leads to Hannah bathing him, and then the start of a hot, torrid affair between them- a 15 year old and a 30 something year old.

Yes, he reads to her sometimes too. Yes, Hannah Shimtz is quite hot for an older lady when Kate Winslet plays her in the movie. Yes, this is an amazingly well written book that keeps you hooked throughout. But at the end of the day, this is about a pedophilic love affair. All I am saying is try and puke on the streets outside of a younger lady's house next time, future Michael Berg's!

If this is your kind of a read though, pick it up at better books for only 3.250, but hurry because we only have 2 copies left!

By,
Khadeeja

Pictures of the new and improved store

Better Books and Cafe is a continuously evolving store and as such we have got new cubbies to accomodate the new and amazing books that we have been getting in (Thanks to you'll!). Do come in and check out our new store!

Book Review of "The Bourne Identity"

- By intern, Adeeb Mohd.

                This book is written by one of the greatest fiction writers of all time, Robert Ludlum. This book is part of The Bourne Series, which in my opinion is the best series of his.  All three books of the series have been turned into a movie. Even the movies are really good but the book, like always, is better than the movie.

                It begins with a man who is found in the Mediterranean Sea, complete with a bullet-riddled body and a blank memory, which as you know always makes up for a good read. His memory is so bad that he doesn't even remember his name. And all he has as to a clue of who he is, is a microfilm which is surgically implanted in his hip. This movie is all about him trying to find out about his past and as he finds out the dangers that come along with his past. There are people who do NOT  want him to find out about his past and will do anything, killing him included, to not let him find out who he really is.

                This is one of the best fiction books that i have ever read and i’m sure that anyone who even remotely likes fiction or adventure will love this book.  And it is available in Better Books in Salmiya in great condition for only 2.5 KD. Even “The Bourne Supremacy” and “The Bourne Ultimatum” is available at Better Books in very good condition at unbelievable prices.

-By Intern, Adeeb Mohd

Review of the book “The Secret”

   By : Hassan A

.

        Hi, I’m an intern at Better Books Kuwait. I recently read this book called “The Secret”, which claims to speak out the secrets behind famous people’s wealth and fame. But what it’s really saying is that if you think a lot about something you really want and are looking forward to you will get it guaranteed. How you do this is , you look into yourself, you look deep down your heart for it and believe in it and you may receive it in matter of minutes. I know it sounds dumb, but it actually works!

The physics law of attraction states that like attracts unlike like in magnets, the north pole attracts the south but, what the book says is that the like attract like? The author explains it in this way, our body is a magnet and thoughts attract us, the more you think of it the more like thoughts get attracted. For example, when you think of a song, the song keeps playing in your head again and again and will eventually get stuck in your grey matters for the rest of the day!

To find out more about the secret, get yourself a copy from our store for just 2.5 KD. 


                                       

Review of "Butterfly Man"

20/06/11

Dayyan Adoor

Butterfly Man

          Jeffery Lee’s “Butterfly Man” is a must-read for fiction readers. The novel takes us through a dramatic journey filled with revenge, betrayal, greed and love. The story begins in the island of Xcalan along the coast of Mexico where former Argonaut soldier, Burr Whitman is living a new life hoping that he has left behind his traumatic past. However, Burr is lured back into the world of violence and bloodshed when a new mission offers him a chance to save his island from oil miners and also investigate the mysterious disappearance of his old friend.

          Burr along with his Argonaut mercenary is hired to recapture the city of Madero from rebels for the private Gem Corporation. The city of Madero is filled with emerald mines. Human greed for the rich, natural green crystal had created a long epic battle between the rebels and the Military squad of the Gem Corp. The war between rival groups and the mystery behind El Verde, a fabled city believed to have some of the world’s most precious emeralds leads Burr into shifting alliance plagued with betrayal. The carnage mounts until the stage where even the survival of the forest is at stake. Eventually, Burr finds himself fighting not only to gain his pay cheque but also for his very own existence!

          - The novel is available in Better Book Store in Salmiya for only 2.250 KD.

Book review of "Jane Eyre"

             As the revered author of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte, would begin "hello dear reader." After reading Jane Eyre twice, the first time simply to enjoy it and the the second time with the intention of critically analysing it, it became apparent to me that the protagonist encapsulates the nature of women  - not only during the Victorian era but also in modern day.

This is apparent as Jane Eyre strived to achieve equality with her fellow males while also trying to become independent from those around her, eventually, her desires are fulfilled as she is to wed a wealthy man. Although, like any other woman of a modern or Victorian mentality, she feels unworthy of receiving those that she desired the most as she deems herself to be simply: not good enough.

Later on, Jane Eyre continues with several monologues where she questions her personality , background and her religious ethics; simultaneously, she wonders on whether she would ever have another chance to gain those that she desires the most. In comparison to modern women, these traits are apparent as even they wonder on the same topics, including: taxes; gender conversion; and men. Ranging between the two, the schizophrenic nature of women in general is portrayed through the character of Jane Eyre.

To be fair, men are not completely  innocent as well – as they are also equally lambasted by Charlotte Bronte in her novel. This is done through the scandalous Mr.Rochester, who attempts polygamy but fails shamefully. Men nowadays would ostracize him as being 'not man enough' or label him as being 'whipped' in reference to his inability to break away from his relationship duties to Jane Eyre.

Whereas Jane Eyre would be welcomed into a pool of women who schizophrenically moan about the different types of nail polish on sale, outlined with their unworthiness to buy them – since they are supposedly sacrificing themselves for the better of those around them.

After reading it , and writing copious quantities of essays, I am left wondering: if women perceive themselves so undeserving , then why ask for anything in the first place ? and if a men define masculinity by the ability to be adulterous, then why expect fidelity ? For these reasons, I have label the novel Jane Eyre as being epitaph to the hypocritical nature of men and women before and today as it's plot seems to rely on both characters committing the classical mistakes of many men and women before them, as also today. 

By intern, Mr J

  

Reviews of "the monk who sold his ferrari"

I resisted reading "The monk who sold his ferrari" by Robin Sharma for a long time because I thought the title was gimmicky. I realized that I was being closed to new ideas by literally judging a book by its cover and title so I picked up the book. However, now I am glad I read the book because it gave me access to age-old wisdom in an easy-to-read fable. The book is about Julian Mantle, a high profile lawyer who imparts the wisdom taught to him by some Himalayan gurus via a fable. The fable starts in a magnificient garden with a lighthouse in the middle of the grounds. Out of the lighthouse walks a 9 foot tall 900 pound Sumo Wrestler who falls on a stop watch that's been lying on the floor and loses consciousness. The wrestler then wakes up to the fresh gragrence of the yellow roses coming from a distance which he proceeds to look for. Thus he discovers that there is a diamond studded pathway which he takes...
Buy the book at Better Books to read this exciting story and find your inner-soul!

By intern, Priyanka Oberoi

This book takes you from the life of a busy American lawyer who faces a "near- to- death" experience to the vast ranges of the Himalayas in a quest to relieve himself physically as well as spiritually. But nothing is free, as the monks tell him, and so he is asked to return and spread the secrets of Yoga to the people in return. So he goes and gives all the secrets to his best friend.

By intern, Mustafa Bokesmati