Book Review

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold by John le Carré
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's a marvelous masterpiece! It is an exciting spy novel full of intrigue, well-developed dialogue among characters, descriptions of their hidden feelings, and unexpected behaviors. The whole plot quickly leads the reader into the ambiance of espionage and counterespionage during the '60s decade, the core of the Cold War in Britain, Germany, and The Netherlands; a detailed description that places everything perfectly for a mind like a big-screen movie. 

The story unfolds Alec Leamas, who used to work as a spy for British intelligence, someone who wanted to quit that job but to retire; he must accept one last mission, a treason he shall commit for his country in the search for a way out; it will bring misfortune for him and his lover.

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold is a book that demonstrates how spies are not priests, saints, or martyrs but individuals who might follow orders of any kind by their superiors, even if they act against their principles. The title “Coming in from the cold” is a metaphor for Leamas coming in not as a spy but as a person who develops human empathy.

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Book Review

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is hard to find precise words to describe a book as profound and outstanding as this one. This dystopian story allows the reader to question our current world: people are distracted by shallow commercials and superficial TV shows while real connections between individuals are lacking. In addition, everyone seems doomed to live like a zombie, brainwashed by what the owners of power want anyone to be, think, buy, hate, or love.

In **Fahrenheit 451, the books are forbidden and hated, and no one can say why or how it all began; there are no inquiries about what goes on beneath the surface, but Clarisse, the young neighbor Guy Montag meets one day changes his life. She breaks the zombie spell of Montag, a fireman who lived like a robot with the sole purpose of burning books. Clarisse showed him another unique lifestyle: she enjoyed chatting with her family, walking around the city alone, reading books, and asking questions about everything, all things that no one but her family did anymore. As a result, Clarisse was stigmatized as crazy and sent to a psychiatrist when she was one of the few caring people, someone connected to humanity, who had a soul inside. But she was dangerous to the system and had to be eliminated.

As the book unfolds, Montag begins to wonder about his reality and existence to somehow become revolutionary like Clarisse, sharing the same ideas against the imposed reality. His changes bring the story to an unpredictable turn upon his awakening.

I rated it 5 out of 5 because the story is very original and well-developed, as are the characters, and it questions life; it is impressive to note how, nowadays, there are several similarities with this book, which reflect how trivial and heartless our societies are becoming.

**The title Fahrenheit 451 holds a significant symbolism. It refers to the exact temperature at which a book burns, a chilling reminder of the society depicted in the book, where knowledge and free thought are suppressed and destroyed.

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Book Review

Introducing Jung: A Graphic Guide by Maggie Hyde
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Even though the book is supposed to be an introduction for beginners, a kind of guide for dummies, it gives a lot of complex information. The book tries to explain all the main ideas of Carl Jung, a Swiss psychologist and psychiatrist who founded analytic psychology, such as the collective unconscious, archetypes, the conscious, and the unconscious. Moreover, the text is a little difficult to digest, as is the whole concept that the Jungian world and its Analytical Psychology bring to knowledge. 

As a new reader of Jung, I find it hard not to want to learn more and to go deeper into subjects about how the Ego and the shadow work, among other concepts. For example, the book explains how the Ego represents the light of consciousness and the Shadow as its own “dark side,” which the Ego wishes to hide from others, meaning the unconscious. Furthermore, it names the alchemical studies, how the alchemist named Unus Mundus, “One World,” the union of psyche and matter (spirit, soul, and body), an experience of oneness that Jung attempted to elucidate through his concept of synchronicity.

Synchronicity is a concept of meaningful coincidences, a causal connection between psychic states and objective events; it is an inconstant connection through ‘meaning,’ while causality is seen as a constant connection through effect. 

Introducing Jung: The Graphic Guide explains the trinity of classical physics: time, space, and causality, plus how Jung wanted to add synchronicity as a fourth term. Other main topics are developed, and underlying main ideas might continue until the end of the book.

Nevertheless, despite the difficulty of understanding this guide, a curious mind may eventually want to become a Jung pupil by finally trying to understand everything and keep digging into his books.

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Reseña de libro

En media hora... la muerte de Francisco Martín Moreno
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Toda historia resulta más impactante y sorprendente cuando es basada en hechos reales, como es el caso de esta novela histórica; de principio a fin mantiene al lector al filo de la adrenalina y de la espera, con sentimientos de expectativa y asombro por conocer su desenlace.

Descubrir un secreto de familia, revelado en momentos de agonía por el propio tío de Francisco Martín Moreno, lleva al escritor a iniciar un viaje hacia el pasado para reconstruir, a modo de rompecabezas, las verdadera historia de su familia que entrelaza vidas distantes con dolorosas vivencias de persecución y tortura, experimentadas por sus ancestros.

Relata y describe con detalle, el sufrimiento vivido por ambas líneas de parentesco: su familia materna en los campos de concentración alemanes del Holocausto nazi, mientras que la paterna, la persecución política durante el franquismo español. El exilio, el hambre y la agonía, padecidos por muchos miembros de su familia, los llevará a huir e ir tras los pasos de una efímera felicidad y una libertad que parece incasable, en destinos equidistantes a lo largo de Francia, Marruecos y México, país donde nace el autor.

"En media hora... la muerte" es una extraordinaria obra que deja al descubierto una época tortuosa y reprochable, abriendo paso para que el lector experimente, como si fueran propias, todas las historias allí descritas.

El libro deja un legado histórico sobre lo que la humanidad debe evitar a toda costa; en este caso, los totalitarismos de entre guerras, y evitar que la muerte y la desesperanza sean las únicas opciones.

Es la mejor historia que he leído, por lo que recibe mi más alta calificación y recomendación. Eso sí, puede herir susceptibilidades al manejar un lenguaje directo y crudo.

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Reseña de libro

El club de los inmortales de Daniel Estulin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

En el libro, Daniel Estulin continúa su línea de autor para exponer verdades y desenmascarar a quienes manejan los hilos del poder, la élite, y sus siniestros planes para el futuro de la humanidad.

Con una detallada descripción, Estulin trata temas como el transhumanismo, la singularidad, la Inteligencia Artificial, la eugenesia, el esquema Malthusiano, la nanotecnología; y el control mental con programas como MK Ultra de la CIA y el MK Delta, para la alteración a distancia de la conducta humana; entre otros métodos para el control y la manipulación de masas.

Es interesante profundizar sobre estos temas, sobre cómo la realidad parece acercarse a una dictadura científica sin lágrimas, como la descrita en "un mundo feliz" por el escritor británico Aldous Huxley; Estulin esta vez nos presenta un futuro distópico según el cuál, la tecnología será usada sólo a favor de quienes dominan el poder, para construir súper hombres y alcanzar la inmortalidad al fusionarse con la máquina.

El libro es bastante catastrófico y no presenta soluciones, ninguna opción de resistencia; simplemente plantea resignarse a que un puñado de individuos, pertenecientes a sociedades secretas, ganen la guerra contra siete mil millones de personas y dejen a la humanidad en ruinas.

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Book Review

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Despite my cheating on the Trilogy by starting with the third book, the way the author describes every detail is remarkable so the reader can feel during that war, all the dark and emptiness, and all those losses. Besides, the story allows us to question governments and those who rule; it also gives a chance to glimpse the emotions and human sides of Katniss, our heroine.

The conclusion of the story is a true surprise, with the plot taking a dramatic twist that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

My decision now is to jump back to the first book and the beginning, as it had to be done. 

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Book Review

The Metamorphosis by Peter Kuper
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It is short and easy to read. It is a well-written book that allows the reader to almost feel immersed in a disturbing nightmare. I rated this novel 3 out of 5 not because it lacks ingenuity, considering it is a creative, true, original story, but because its existentialism negatively influences the readers' mood by leaving a bad taste about life and existence and an overwhelming desire to welcome death. It is a classic novel that should be read anyway. 

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Revue de livres

va où ton coeur de porte par Susanne Tamaro
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Trois générations dans une belle histoire où la clé est de suivre le conseil du coeur.

Ce livre c´est parfait pour ce personnes qui sont sensibles et ouverts à la poésie.

Il mérite tout le score les plus élevées.

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Book Review

The True Story of the Bilderberg Group by Daniel Estulin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Through this book, one can realize who is ruling the world and the real strings behind the power. It is interesting and becomes of great help to be aware and awake about what is going on beyond the mass media news, discovering the truth and realizing some masked lies, what the elite and those with the power have made us believe as real.

With meticulous research and a willingness to take risks, journalist Daniel Estulin has compiled a comprehensive account. The True Story of the Bilderberg Group is not just another conspiracy theory but a collection of hard-hitting facts that will open the eyes of new readers and delight those already familiar with the truth. 

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Book Review

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is remarkable to find a book so well written, one that allows the reader to develop the sense of smell; most descriptively, the author gives us this unique chance to feel such a hard sense to describe.

Likewise, the story is quite interesting. With a disturbed character and his demons, psychological issues go on, such as his need to feel loved and the rise of his own quest to develop a perfume containing the proper essence, which may allow him to finally be loved by others and accepted by the world (what he wanted the most).

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer takes us on a journey through the awakening of a murderer, his inner struggle to fill the void in his soul, and his desperate descent into darkness. The story builds up to a climax that is as unexpected as it is gripping, leaving the reader on the edge of their seat. 

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Lo entendimos todo mal de Susana y Elvira
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Es un libro divertido y rápido de leer. Cuestiona los estereotipos y la influencia de la cultura popular y paradigmas de la sociedad, en la construcción de los mismos. Es una prolongación del blog de Susana y Elvira, que integra de forma original, fuentes y citas que van desde películas, libros, blogs, hasta frases de cajón, y que con humor nos permiten ayudarnos a reír de la realidad, y a construir una imagen distinta a la del feminismo oscurantista.

El libro es bueno y aunque estoy de acuerdo con muchas de sus consignas, críticas y análisis, pienso que hay otras cosas en las que cada persona mantendrá su postura (en lo personal me opongo al aborto) entre otras ideas desarrolladas. Sin embargo, pienso que es interesante cómo hablan de ser pareja coequipera. Cada vez se difumina más lo que debe definir a cada uno en su género- así como ser niño-azul, niña-rosa. Pero lo que queda planteado, es ante todo, un intercambio de papeles..ahí se queda corto.

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Book Review

View all my reviews The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The book is an exciting approach to a teenager's life and inner conflicts. Through the voice of Charlie, the reader will find poetry, adventures, friendship, disappointment, sadness, joy, love, forgiveness, lots of good books, and a soundtrack full of many songs. I highly recommend both the book and the film adaptation; however, the book gives more details and information regarding Charlie's issues. Four stars out of five.

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Book Review

Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fitzgerald wrote an exciting story about a person with a mental health condition (Nicole) who falls in love with her psychiatrist (Dick). Nicole and her mental illness found a way to express herself through Fitzgerald's pen, a stare full of tenderness. The causes of her illness were there as her becoming sanity. Likewise, it is through Nicole that Fitzgerald wrote an archetype about Zelda, his wife, who dealt as well with mental issues.

The book is quite good at describing the French Rivera, the couple's lifestyle, and their relationship: how time changes everything and, therefore, their choices.

Nevertheless, as Tender is the Night is a well-written book, I only rated it 3 out of 5 stars because the story develops very slowly; the readers could skip some chapters as they are optional for the plot's core.

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Reseña de libro

The Numerati de Stephen Baker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A través de una minuciosa investigación periodística, Stephen Baker publica Numerati para explicarnos quiénes son y cuáles son sus objetivos, al clasificarnos y desmenusarnos en números. El autor divide los capítulos de acuerdo al estudio y las entrevistas realizadas por él a algún numerati determinado, según los siguientes perfiles trabajados por ellos (varían las especialidades trabajadas por los numerati): Empleado, Consumidor, Votante, Bloguero, Terrorista, Paciente y Pareja.

El libro en sí abre un resquicio a una las verdades más evidentes de la era digital: La aldea global se empequeñece y los datos se multiplican, facilitando las labores de marketing y mercadeo, cada vez más personalizadas. Consecuentemente se va facilitando el trabajo de éstos expertos, para quiénes somos un preciado objetivo de clasificación y ventas. Ellos nos conocen; sin embargo, llegó la hora de conocerlos a ellos.

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Book Review

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is a very well-written and original story set in a dystopian world. The book deals with issues related to the state of the soul, a dilemma that comes out of cloning, and the human condition of trying to become God through science. Some ethical concerns emerge in the reader regarding the dark side of humanity and how it can sometimes get worse: selfishness and greed, the lack of empathy, love, and real bonds as it really should be for all of us as a whole—a deep reflection about what it means to be human, not inhuman.

(Are we human, or are we dancers? -The Killers)

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Book Review

Just Kids by Patti Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just Kids fits perfectly to get a realistic approach to the bohemian NYC during the late '60s, the '70s, and '80s. The rock n roll, punk, and art scene invade the very essence of this book, in which Patti Smith and her love Robert Mapplethorpe had a starring and leading part. Each chapter allows the reader to feel like some gang member, including personalities such as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, William Burroughs, Cohen, Dylan, and Warhol, among others. Likewise, the Chelsea Hotel was one of the main scenarios where some artists would frequently gather.

While Patti kept reading Rimbaud as if he were her closest friend and listening to Bob Dylan, she was inspired by her writing until becoming a recognized poet and musician, someone who came out of the streets as the sound of her own bohemian rhapsody.

Far from traditional love, Patti and Robert had a strong friendship until the end. In her own words, "He was the artist of my life." However, they both decided to choose the dark side of art: "We were as Hansel and Gretel, and we were ventured out into the black forest of the world."

What would have been the end for both if they had chosen the light instead? Considering that many of them died from some overdoses (drugs or drinking issues), among suicides. Robert himself suffered and died from AIDS. 

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Reseña de libro

El hombre duplicado de José Saramago

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Qué sentirías si encontraras otro tú, ¿qué te dirías?. Este dilema del Doppelgänger aquí lo plantea Saramago desde una interesante óptica. Dos hombres que físicamente son completamente iguales y que no guardan parentesco alguno, se terminan encontrando y es gracias a este suceso que sus vidas nunca podrán ser iguales. La confusión generada de ese otro yo, desencadena una serie de acontecimientos que llevarán a tomar decisiones a partir de la pérdida y la venganza de ambos protagonistas; uno de ellos deberá suplantar al otro para poder sobrevivir.

Aunque algo lento, el libro es bastante descriptivo y permite que el lector se imagine para sí mismo, qué pasaría si pudiera hablar con su Doppelgänger. 

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Revue de livres

Ensemble, c'est tout par Anna Gavalda
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Un livre qui commence par décrire la solitude de quatre personnes et comment, au cours de l’histoire, construisent des nouveaux liens qui les unissent pour nouer des amitiés et de découvrir le pouvoir d’aimer en compagnie, et éteignent le bleu de leur vie pour le remplir de couleur.

J'ai eu du mal à le lire car la langue de ce livre, pour mon niveau de français, c'était assez complexe mais je pense que il vaut complètement la peine de lire, et pour ce qui sommes comme moi, de faire un effort.

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