Book after Book

I don’t normally do this but today I am going to write about two books instead of one. The reason for them sharing the spotlight is double. First of all, they both are books that I wouldn’t normally be drawn to. Lastly, they both touched me in an incredibly profound way and, when this happens, my words dry up and feelings take over, making the process of writing a review slightly awkward. First up, purely based on the fact that I read it before the other, is Becoming by Michelle Obama . This is one of the few memoirs I've read and I chose it because I had heard a lot of positive feedback. I became curious and I am so happy I did. I am not what you might call a ‘political person’ so I wasn’t biased one way or the other. As I said, I don’t know how to convey what this book gave me so, please, go and read it. Or even better, listen to the audiobook because hearing it first-hand from Michelle Obama herself is a wonderfully human and humbling experience. The second book I’d li...

By Tiziano Terzani Synopsis: Warned by a fortune-teller not to risk flying, the author – a seasoned correspondent – took to travelling by rail, road and sea. Consulting fortune-tellers and shamans wherever he went, he learnt to understand and respect older ways of life and beliefs now threatened by the crasser forms of Western modernity. How did this book end up in my hands? I read this book on my Kindle in its original Italian version ( Un indovino mi disse ) after having spoken about it with a friend who loved it. Was it a page-turner? It wasn’t for me, no. In fact, I struggled to get into it and I even had to start reading it twice from the beginning after having put it aside for a good few months. Having read the synopsis, did the book meet my expectations? Unfortunately not. I maybe expected less politics and more fortune-telling but got way too much politics for my liking between a fortune-teller and the other. I also thought that Terzani wasn’t as open to the...

By Donatella di Pietrantonio Published by Supercoralli Einaudi Synopsis: If - at 13 - the people you had until then called Mum and Dad return you, without much explanation, to your family of origin, you question what your place is in the world. And above all, where to search for the answer. How did this book end up in my hands? I trusted the recommendation of Zeldawasawriter . Was it a page-turner? In a very subtle way, yes. Having read the synopsis, did the book meet my expectations? I didn’t read the synopsis. I dived straight in! Did I like the ending? Yes, this book is perfectly framed. Did the book leave me with unanswered questions? I’d like to know what happens next but the book is perfect as it is. Three words to describe it. Raw. Emotional. Matter-of-fact. Do I like the cover? Yes, the cover photograph is as raw as the words on the pages. Have I read any other books by the same author? No, not yet. Will I want to read other books by the same auth...