I created this blog for beginners who are searching for interesting and useful books. This blog provides book reviews, recommendations, and many methods to generate excitement to read.

Good Reads

Good Reads

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Review: The Book of General Ignorance



First published  in Britain on 19 October 2006              
The book of general ignorance is arguably one of the most entertaining yet informative pieces of literature to ever exist. Consisting of 300 questions, the book is the first in the British panel game QI based series written by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson. The book is created to help reduce ignorance and spread the curiosity of reading public materials. The purpose of the book is to address the misconceptions that have traversed the long distance of history by representing facts in both interesting and illuminating manner to attend to the deficiencies of common knowledge. For instance, when asked the driest place on earth, most would most probably quote Sahara desert, which has been the area of focus by contemporary media over the last two decades. However, this is not true according to the book of general ignorance; the fact is, the Atacama Desert in Chile is the most driest place on earth receiving 0.1mm of rainfall 250 times less than Sahara. What is interesting in this though is the fact that one of the driest places on earth, the Antarctica can also claim 70% of the world’s fresh water in the form of ice.

Advantage

 The advantage of reading this book is in its ability to inform us. Some of the commonly misconceived facts are pragmatically presented in the book drawing extensively from historical facts (like in the case of how many wives King Henri IV had) and common knowledge.

Conclusion

The book of general ignorance is arguably one of the best pieces of literature to ever exist. In fact, most literature enthusiasts consider it a must read because its ability to arouse curiosity and narrate the story of the common mistakes committed by many because of misrepresentation of facts.

 You can find this book on amazon .
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Saturday, December 13, 2014

Reblogging: Reread #50 Les Miserables

Les Miserables. Victor Hugo. Translated by Isabel Florence Hapgood. 1862/1887. 1232 pages.
Posted by Becky Laney 
This book is a drama, whose leading personage is the Infinite. Man is the second.
I have now read Les Miserables three times. This will be my second review of Les Miserables on my blog. My first review was in April 2013. I love Les Miserables. I do. I think I love it more each time I read it. The book has depth. The story it tells is memorable and emotional. It is a book you EXPERIENCE. I love so many things about it: the depth and quality of the writing, the characterization, the narration, the themes.

There are many words that could be used to describe Les Miserables: compelling, political, spiritual, philosophical, dramatic, romantic. It is just as concerned about politics and social justice as it is romance and family. It touches on the subjects of education, crime, poverty, and injustice. It's a novel where ideas matter just as much as characters. 

It's also a novel heavy on details. When it's good, it's REALLY good. But at times some of the details are too taste-specific. In other words, some of the details weigh the story down. At times Les Miserables is boring. It's worth reading. It is. It's worth pushing through to the end. It's okay to skim certain sections, in my opinion, because it is one of the most satisfying reading experiences overall. Not that I LOVE the ending, though I think I may have made peace with it this time around.

Who are some of the characters? Bishop Myriel, Jean Valjean, Fantine, Inspector Javert, Cosette, Marius, Eponine, Enjolras, Monsieur and Madame Thenardier, Mabeuf, Monsieur Gillenormand, and Gavroche--just to name a few.  I don't know if I can say I have a favorite. I know which characters I don't like. But I really just like all of them--no matter their strengths and weaknesses.

Do you have a favorite character? a favorite scene? 

One of my favorite scenes is early in the novel when Jean Valjean meets Bishop Myriel (Bienvenu). He is an ex-convict who has just been released. He's seeking a place to stay for the night. It is not going well.

 ...

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6 Reasons why should we read books

Read to generate ideas
Reading is an important skill that every student needs to learn for his or her academic success. However, books are not only limited to academic purposes since they can also serve other purposes. People find different motivations to read books depending on one’s upbringing and character. The following are some of the reasons why people read books.

1.      Exercise to the brain

Reading does to the brain what the gym does to the muscles of the body. People who read have fresh memories and good intellectual capacity because constant reading provides exercise to the brain. For the brain to remain effectively functional, it must be constantly agitated through reading.

2.      Reading improves concentration

The process of reading requires that the reader sits down quietly and focuses on the material he or she is reading. This has the effect of improving ones concentration.

3.      Books are sources of information

The best way to get informed about the world and our surrounding is through reading of books. Through books, we get to learn about people, places, and events outside our daily experiences. Book can also make use make sense of events that we see on daily basis, especially the scientific concepts
4.      Books are sources of vocabulary
Through reading books, one gets to improve his or her vocabulary in an immense way. By reading books, we are likely to meet new terms which can form part of our new vocabularies. This form of reading can only be made better when one reads with a dictionary around.

5.      Books improves imagination

Through reading of books, readers are more likely to have better imagination since the book often presents an opportunity for one to interact with the virtual world. This is especially true for fictional works of literature

6.      Books are sources of entertainment

Most readers develop their reading habits from early exposure to interesting story books that make them develop the desire to get entertained through books.
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