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Rachel Reviews: The Greater Good by Frank Sapienza
One of the joys of reading is that you are often presented with situations that you can only hope to imagine. They could be fantastical but they could also be based on real life scenarios. Some of these can be good but some of them can be the embodiment of your worst nightmare. Books provide a sample menu, I think, a bit like films, where you get a taste of a situation or a world and you can see if you like it or realise it's one you hope never to encounter in real life. Like The Terminator or Sophie's Choice as two excellent examples.
By Rachel Deeming2 years ago in BookClub
Unveiling the Magic of Book Clubs
In a world saturated with technology and fast-paced living, the humble book club stands as a testament to the enduring power of literature and human connection. Beyond being a gathering of individuals with a shared love for books, a book club is a sanctuary for intellectual exploration, diverse perspectives, and the joy of communal reading. This article delves into the enchanting realm of book clubs, exploring their significance, benefits, and the unique experiences they offer to avid readers.
By Chinedu Charles Okonkwo2 years ago in BookClub
A Tapestry of Stardust
In the quiet town of Celestia, nestled beneath a sky adorned with a myriad of stars, lived a young girl named Luna. Luna was not an ordinary child; she possessed a rare gift—the ability to see the magic within the stars and the stories they whispered to those who dared to listen.
By Client Ngobeni2 years ago in BookClub
The Song of the Wind. Content Warning.
In the coastal town of Seabreeze, where the salty breeze danced through cobblestone streets, lived a young woman named Clara. She had always been captivated by the rhythmic melody of the wind that whispered through the town's ancient willow trees. Little did she know that this wind carried more than just a tune—it held the secrets of connection and renewal.
By Client Ngobeni2 years ago in BookClub
From Folklore to Page: Five Philippine Aswang Books You Need to Jump Into
Philippine folklore is well known for being a wide collection of mythical creatures and beautiful stories, among which the aswang defines itself by occupying an important place in one’s culture. These mythical beings have found their way from oral traditions into present-day compelling literature. First, we review the 5 best Philippine Aswang books that effortlessly transfer those mythical stories belonging to folklore unto paper and pull a special focus on Gimo Jr. and the Aswang Clan by Andrew Jalbuena Pasaporte sitting at number 4 in this selection.
By Shella Mae Villanueva2 years ago in BookClub
"My Friend Anna" by Rachel DeLoache Williams. Content Warning.
Vanity Fair photo editor Rachel DeLoache Williams's new friend Anna Delvey, a self-proclaimed German heiress, was worldly and ambitious. She was also generous--picking up the tab for lavish dinners at Le Coucou, infrared sauna sessions at HigherDOSE, drinks at the 11 Howard Library bar, and regular workout sessions with a celebrity personal trainer. When Anna proposed an all-expenses-paid trip to Marrakech at the five-star La Mamounia hotel, Rachel jumped at the chance. But when Anna's credit cards mysteriously stopped working, the dream vacation quickly took a dark turn. Anna asked Rachel to begin fronting costs--first for flights, then meals and shopping, and, finally, for their $7,500-per-night private villa. Before Rachel knew it, more than $62,000 had been charged to her credit cards. Anna swore she would reimburse Rachel the moment they returned to New York. Back in Manhattan, the repayment never materialized, and a shocking pattern of deception emerged. Rachel learned that Anna had left a trail of deceit--and unpaid bills--wherever she'd been. Mortified, Rachel contacted the district attorney, and in a stunning turn of events, found herself helping to bring down one of the city's most notorious con artists. With breathless pacing and in-depth reporting from the person who experienced it firsthand, My Friend Anna is an unforgettable true story of money, power, greed, and female friendship.
By Kristen Barenthaler2 years ago in BookClub
Explore 'Love Language': Transform relationships through tailored expressions, cultural sensitivity, and continuous learning. . Content Warning.
In the intricate tapestry of human relationships, communication serves as the lifeblood that binds hearts and souls. One profound way to enhance and transform these connections is by exploring the concept of 'Love Language.' Coined by Dr. Gary Chapman, the idea revolves around understanding and expressing love through unique channels that resonate with each individual. By delving into tailored expressions, cultural sensitivity, and the commitment to continuous learning, one can unlock the transformative power of 'Love Language,' fostering deeper connections, empathy, and lasting bonds.
By Ardeshir Hedayati2 years ago in BookClub
"Roll Red Roll: Rape, Power, and Football in the American Heartland" by Nancy Schwartzman & Nora Zelevansky. Content Warning.
In football-obsessed Steubenville, Ohio, on a summer night in 2012, an incapacitated sixteen-year-old girl was repeatedly assaulted by members of the “Big Red” high school football team. They took turns documenting the crime and sharing on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The victim, Jane Doe, learned the details via social media at a time when teens didn’t yet understand the lasting trail of their digital breadcrumbs. Crime blogger Alexandria Goddard, along with hacker collective Anonymous, exposed the photos, Tweets, and videos, making this the first rape case ever to go viral and catapulting Steubenville onto the national stage. Filmmaker Nancy Schwartzman spent four years embedded in the town, documenting the case and its reverberations. Ten years after the assault, Roll Red Roll is the culmination of that research, weaving in new interviews and personal reflections to take readers beyond Steubenville to examine rape culture in everything from sports to teen dynamics. Roll Red Roll explores the factors that normalize sexual assault in our communities. Through interviews with sportswriter David Zirin, victim’s rights attorney Gloria Allred and more, Schwartzman untangles the societal norms in which we too often sacrifice our daughters to protect our sons. With the Steubenville case as a flashpoint that helped spark the #MeToo movement, a decade later, Roll Red Roll focuses on the perpetrators and asks, can our society truly change?
By Kristen Barenthaler2 years ago in BookClub
"Before and After: The Incredible Real-Life Stories of Orphans Who Survived the Tennessee Children's Home Society" by Judy Christie & Lisa Wingate. Content Warning.
From the 1920s to 1950, Georgia Tann ran a black-market baby business at the Tennessee Children's Home Society in Memphis. She offered up more than 5,000 orphans tailored to the wish lists of eager parents--hiding the fact that many weren't orphans at all, but stolen sons and daughters of poor families, desperate single mothers, and women told in maternity wards that their babies had died. The publication of Lisa Wingate's novel “Before We Were Yours” brought new awareness of Tann's lucrative career in child trafficking. Adoptees who knew little about their pasts gained insight into the startling facts behind their family histories. Encouraged by their contact with Wingate and award-winning journalist Judy Christie, who documented the stories of fifteen adoptees in this book, many determined Tann survivors set out to trace their roots and find their birth families. “Before and After” includes moving and sometimes shocking accounts of the ways in which adoptees were separated from their first families. Often raised as only children, many have joyfully reunited with siblings in the final decades of their lives. In “Before and After”, Wingate and Christie tell of first meetings that are all the sweeter and more intense for time missed and of families from very different social backgrounds reaching out to embrace better-late-than-never brothers, sisters, and cousins. In a poignant culmination of art meeting life, long-silent victims of the tragically corrupt system return to Memphis with Wingate and Christie to reclaim their stories at a Tennessee Children's Home Society reunion . . . with extraordinary results.
By Kristen Barenthaler2 years ago in BookClub
