fairywhispers's "Books I Recommend" on Lists of Bests

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Added 'Illustrated Anthology of Sorcery, Magic and Alchemy' by Emile Grillot de Givry — 15 weeks ago

Illustrated Anthology of Sorcery, Magic and Alchemy is a very interesting delve into the history of, and attitudes towards, the occult. The chapters dealing with magic and alchemy were interesting, but some parts were a little on the technical side, making them difficult to understand. The chapters dealing with sorcery were my favourites. They were intensely readable, written in simple layman’s terms, without being dumbed down, and the content made fascinating reading. While much of this book is written from a Christian perspective, it is not so heavy-handed as to make it hard to ignore. I found this book extremely informative and insightful.

However, even if you have no interest in the subject matter, Illustrated Anthology of Sorcery, Magic and Alchemy is worth perusing just for the wonderful selection of illustrations included. There are over 300, many of the gorgeously intricate plates and artwork, most of them difficult, if not impossible for the average person to access. My only lament is that they are reproduced in black and white – I would have loved to view these beautiful pieces in colour!

This book is a must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in the occult, alchemy, history or art.

Aug 18, 11:03PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'Replay' by Ken Grimwood — 21 weeks ago

We have all thought about what we would do differently if we had our life to live over again, but have we really thought through the implications? We think about what we could gain but have we truly thought about what we could lose? And what if we had to live our life over, and over, and over? Could we handle it? Replay is a brilliant book about time wasted and time gained and how we manage what very little time we have. The style is fresh and easy to read and the characters inspire empathy. I found this book hard to put down. Even those who are not fans of the fantasy genre ought to enjoy this book.

Jul 06, 06:51PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'The Historian' by Elizabeth Kostova — 21 weeks ago

I loved this book and found it almost impossible to put down. The tale is told in an elegant, graceful style that brings to mind some of the great nineteenth century classics, and the characters are very real and believable. The Historian is set against the background of contemporary communist politics, yet it is filled with the rich details of Eastern European history. I love how we are invited to share the exciting, frustrating, and sometimes mundane life of historians – trying to piece together clues, some incomplete, others so tiny as to be almost missed, and come up with a plausible theory of how things once were. Despite this plodding journey, there is not a page of this book that is dull. Rather it is filled with a lingering feeling of menace, as though something sinister is peering over our shoulder this very minute.

The Dracula legend is old, tired, jaded. Many modern authors have tried to freshen it up by remaking the genre – portraying vampires as mis-understood creatures. Kostova returns to the image of vampires as evil, damned, terrifyingly seductive, yet she has done so in such a way that we are reminded of the bone-chilling fear these creatures can inspire.

I find it hard to believe that this is Kostova’s first novel. With a talent this large, we can expect great things from her in future. My only fault with this book is that, after our slow piecing together of the facts, the ending seems a little fast and squashed together. No doubt this will improve as she gains experience.

All in all, I feel The Historian, like Bram Stoker’s Dracula, will live on as a classic of the vampire genre.

Jul 04, 09:52PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'Christianity: An Ancient Egyptian Religion' by Ahmed Osman — 22 weeks ago

The concept behind Christianity: An Ancient Egyptian Religion is very interesting. Most people accept that there has been some tampering with scripture and orthodox teachings through the ages, as well as natural evolution of acceptable behaviours. However, the basic tenets – the flood, the Exodus, Moses, Abraham, the Virgin Birth, the Holy Trinity, the Resurrection – are rarely questioned.

This book argues that even these most basic beliefs are mistaken, either corrupted through centuries of oral traditions or deliberately altered to suit the politics of the day. The author not only states that the roots of Christianity lie in Ancient Egypt, but that the biggest player in the bible – Jesus himself – was actually a contemporary of Moses, living centuries before the bible places him.

While there are some areas where Osmon seems to be stretching things a bit, this book presents some pretty convincing arguments to support his view. Evidence cited includes modern archaeological findings, contemporary writings and the scriptures themselves – the Bible, the Qu’Ran and Hebrew Scriptures.

This book will likely offend strict Christians, and probably Muslims and Jews as well. However, I found it convincing enough to warrant further investigation.

Jun 26, 03:14PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'An Obedient Father' by Akhil Sharma — 23 weeks ago

An Obedient Father is a superbly written, enthralling and deeply disturbing story. Sharma’s characters alternately inspire pity and disgust. As in real life, they are neither purely good or purely evil, but beautifully human in their fragility. Thus, while we feel disgust for the abuser, we also feel empathy. And, while we feel empathy for the abused, we also feel disgust.

I feel I should warn readers that there are a few descriptions of sexual abuse in this book that are disturbingly realistic and this book is an emotional roller-coaster. Having said that, I believe this is the best-written book I have read in a while and I will definitely watching for more books by this author.

Jun 18, 04:41PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'A Fortunate Life' by A.B. Facey — 26 weeks ago

A Fortunate Life is a first hand account of events that most of us have only read about in history books. Albert Facey has lived the kind of life that would have broken a lesser man. From the time he lost his father to Typhoid on the goldfields, through his time as an illiterate child working for horse thieves, the Depression and both World Wars, Albert has had more than his fair share of tragedy. Yet all through this book he downplays his negative experiences, focusing on the positive and relaying his life in a fresh, humorous style that is both pleasant to read and hard to put down.. This is a uniquely Australian piece of literature and I found myself disappointed when I came to the end. A Fortunate Life is a must-read for all Australians.

May 27, 08:23PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley — 27 weeks ago

Aldous Huxley first published his novel Brave New World in the 1930’s but the major themes of giving up freedoms through fear, the ethics of test-tube babies and other scientific advances, government control, and thought programming are just as relevant today.

At first glance Huxley’s London seems a Utopia. A world without war. A world without violence. No rape, no jealousy, no street crime, murder, domestic violence, abuse. No conflict. The virtual elimination of disease. No unemployment or poverty. No aging. Universal happiness, peace, contentment. Is this not what we all strive for?

Yet the introduction of our ‘noble savage’ to civilised London shows us just how high a price is paid for this ‘perfect’ society. For, while all the negative aspects of modern society are absent, so, too, are the positives. There is no love – neither the passion between lovers, nor the intense bond between a parent and child, nor the quiet contentment of the aging couple. There is none of that intense satisfaction of obstacles overcome, and no sense of achievement at having striven towards a goal. There is no true fellowship amongst men. The beauty of art and literature are lost. Even the beauty offered by nature can no longer be appreciated. And one wonders just how content the lower classes really are if the loss of a single days soma ration can cause a riot.

This is a question each of us must answer for ourselves – just how much are we willing to give up in exchange for peace and stability?

May 21, 09:03PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'The Life of Riley' by Steve Wright — 32 weeks ago

According to the cover, The Life of Riley is “A family story about the quest for happiness…and sex, greed, gluttony and revenge.” This is true, but this story is also about learning to know oneself. It is about knowing what you want from life and having the courage to reach for it.

In the beginning of this book, none of the Riley’s are truly happy. Why? Because they are shuffling along, leading the lives they’ve landed in without ever once stopping to take note of whether it is what they truly want. When Maude Acacia, the Matriarch of the family gives them a financial incentive to do so, most of them find the courage to follow their hearts.

This book is easy to read. It is amusing and the characters are people we can relate to because, despite their riches, they face the same everyday problems as us. As with most families there is jealousy, envy and rivalry, but in essence what this book is really about is happiness and the journey we take to get there.

Apr 18, 04:29AM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'The Way-Paver' by Anne Deviln — 33 weeks ago

The Way-Paver is a wonderful collection of short stories.
Passages: This is a riveting story with an interesting twist at the end.The House: A story of betrayal that delves into the mind of an abandoned wife.Sam: A story of choices and love gone wrong.First Bite: A little confusing, but still a good story.The Journey to Somewhere Else: A journey through memory lane and a ghost story all in one. Not thrilling, but enjoyable.Life Lines: Another story of betrayal, this time delving into the mind of the betrayer.Naming the Names: This was probably my second favourite story in the collection. It is the story of an act of betrayal by an Irish woman in the time of the Troubles.Five Notes After A Visit: This is my favourite story in the collection. It highlights the displacement felt by Irish ex-pats during the time of the Troubles. Not safe in Ireland, because the IRA saw them as traitors for living in England, yet not fully accepted in England due to the actions of the IRA. This is an engrossing story I highly recommend.The Way-Paver: A look at the trauma of giving birth and the way it can change our family relationships.
Overall, this is an engaging collection of stories told with the unique voice of Ireland and I highly recommend reading it.

Apr 09, 05:53PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'The Gold Coast' by Kim Stanley Robinson — 33 weeks ago

Part of Kim Stanley Robinson’s Three Californias trilogy, The Gold Coast is an alternative view of life in the 21st century. The writing style is unique and was a little annoying and distracting at first. However, once I got used to it, I found myself totally engrossed in the story. Periodically dissected by poetry, the story is riveting and the book hard to put down. The themes of globalisation, corporatisation and conquest are explored thoroughly and well, and the sense that there is something missing from today’s fast-paced society is expressed well. This is definitely worth reading.

Apr 09, 01:18AM | 0 comments | Reply to this

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fairywhispers's "Books I Recommend"

Comments

Added 'Illustrated Anthology of Sorcery, Magic and Alchemy' by Emile Grillot de Givry — 15 weeks ago

Added 'Replay' by Ken Grimwood — 21 weeks ago

Added 'The Historian' by Elizabeth Kostova — 21 weeks ago

Added 'Christianity: An Ancient Egyptian Religion' by Ahmed Osman — 22 weeks ago

Added 'An Obedient Father' by Akhil Sharma — 23 weeks ago

Added 'A Fortunate Life' by A.B. Facey — 26 weeks ago

Added 'Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley — 27 weeks ago

Added 'The Life of Riley' by Steve Wright — 32 weeks ago

Added 'The Way-Paver' by Anne Deviln — 33 weeks ago

Added 'The Gold Coast' by Kim Stanley Robinson — 33 weeks ago

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