Book Recommendation

Today's book recommendation is one of my favorite novels and has been for a very long time:

Tereza Batista, Home from the Wars by the Brazillian author Jorge Amado (one of my favorite authors). It's my favorite one of all his novels, even over his two most famous works, Gabriela, Cloves and Cinammon (about a wild child woman's entry into a sleepy Bahia town in the 1920s and how it ends up changing the whole town) and Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (about the heroine's two very different marriages and the balance between the two).

Amado is one of my favorite authors and TB is my favorite of his books - so yes, it's rather a mad love on my part. I first read it when I was about 13 (in an expurgated Russian translation, with sex scenes removed) but as I have reread it through almost two decades since, my love for it has never diminished.

Also, those of you who crave women-centric stories? Strong heroines? Or just plain good writing? Enter here.

The novel employs a lopping, non-linear structure, with a series of flashbacks at its core. At the opening of the book Tereza is a successful retired prostitute, a leader of the informal hookers' union, and a woman nobody can control. The story snakes back and forth into her past, some of it incredibly horrific (this book is not for the faint of heart - child abuse, rape, and violence are all pretty graphic) but all of which builds her up instead of wrecking her - Tereza is one of my all-time favorite heroines because of how incredibly strong she is - she never submits. And yet the book is not grim misery either - there is love, and friendship, and hope, and beautiful beautiful prose the book is written in.

There is a love story woven in, too - Tereza's and a ship's captain's, set in the present, but if you are looking for a romance-centric book, look elsewhere. It's gorgeous, and hopeful, but purely secondary to other aspects.

Go read! Please?

Book Recommendation

Today's book recommendation is one of my favorite novels and has been for a very long time:

Tereza Batista, Home from the Wars by the Brazillian author Jorge Amado (one of my favorite authors). It's my favorite one of all his novels, even over his two most famous works, Gabriela, Cloves and Cinammon (about a wild child woman's entry into a sleepy Bahia town in the 1920s and how it ends up changing the whole town) and Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (about the heroine's two very different marriages and the balance between the two).

Amado is one of my favorite authors and TB is my favorite of his books - so yes, it's rather a mad love on my part. I first read it when I was about 13 (in an expurgated Russian translation, with sex scenes removed) but as I have reread it through almost two decades since, my love for it has never diminished.

Also, those of you who crave women-centric stories? Strong heroines? Or just plain good writing? Enter here.

The novel employs a lopping, non-linear structure, with a series of flashbacks at its core. At the opening of the book Tereza is a successful retired prostitute, a leader of the informal hookers' union, and a woman nobody can control. The story snakes back and forth into her past, some of it incredibly horrific (this book is not for the faint of heart - child abuse, rape, and violence are all pretty graphic) but all of which builds her up instead of wrecking her - Tereza is one of my all-time favorite heroines because of how incredibly strong she is - she never submits. And yet the book is not grim misery either - there is love, and friendship, and hope, and beautiful beautiful prose the book is written in.

There is a love story woven in, too - Tereza's and a ship's captain's, set in the present, but if you are looking for a romance-centric book, look elsewhere. It's gorgeous, and hopeful, but purely secondary to other aspects.

Go read! Please?

Book Recommendation

Today's book recommendation is one of my favorite novels and has been for a very long time:

Tereza Batista, Home from the Wars by the Brazillian author Jorge Amado (one of my favorite authors). It's my favorite one of all his novels, even over his two most famous works, Gabriela, Cloves and Cinammon (about a wild child woman's entry into a sleepy Bahia town in the 1920s and how it ends up changing the whole town) and Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (about the heroine's two very different marriages and the balance between the two).

Amado is one of my favorite authors and TB is my favorite of his books - so yes, it's rather a mad love on my part. I first read it when I was about 13 (in an expurgated Russian translation, with sex scenes removed) but as I have reread it through almost two decades since, my love for it has never diminished.

Also, those of you who crave women-centric stories? Strong heroines? Or just plain good writing? Enter here.

The novel employs a lopping, non-linear structure, with a series of flashbacks at its core. At the opening of the book Tereza is a successful retired prostitute, a leader of the informal hookers' union, and a woman nobody can control. The story snakes back and forth into her past, some of it incredibly horrific (this book is not for the faint of heart - child abuse, rape, and violence are all pretty graphic) but all of which builds her up instead of wrecking her - Tereza is one of my all-time favorite heroines because of how incredibly strong she is - she never submits. And yet the book is not grim misery either - there is love, and friendship, and hope, and beautiful beautiful prose the book is written in.

There is a love story woven in, too - Tereza's and a ship's captain's, set in the present, but if you are looking for a romance-centric book, look elsewhere. It's gorgeous, and hopeful, but purely secondary to other aspects.

Go read! Please?

Who knew - Sagara Sousuke an America-hating terrorist? Ha!

Just look at the new dynasty of terror:



I just found this on wikipedia which, if true, is much much too hilarious and too pathetic at once:

The American launch of the series, originally planned for 2001, was delayed for several months because Sousuke was from Afghanistan; with potential American sensitivities in mind, the premiere was originally canceled outright, then finally put forth, but only after changing Sousuke’s homeland to the fictitious nation of Helmajistan.

Ahahahaha. Seriously. Especially in context - the "series" they talk about is one of my all-time favorite animes, Full Metal Panic, and Sousuke is hardly an Osama devotee. He is an orphan of Japanese ancestry who ends up in Afganistan and ends up fighting with guerillas against the Soviets as a child soldier, presumably in the 1980s. It is not held forward as an example of childhood all kids should aspire to, either. How anyone could find it potentially offensive to American sensibilities or condemning the war on terror or whatever, I have no idea.

Who knew - Sagara Sousuke an America-hating terrorist? Ha!

Just look at the new dynasty of terror:



I just found this on wikipedia which, if true, is much much too hilarious and too pathetic at once:

The American launch of the series, originally planned for 2001, was delayed for several months because Sousuke was from Afghanistan; with potential American sensitivities in mind, the premiere was originally canceled outright, then finally put forth, but only after changing Sousuke’s homeland to the fictitious nation of Helmajistan.

Ahahahaha. Seriously. Especially in context - the "series" they talk about is one of my all-time favorite animes, Full Metal Panic, and Sousuke is hardly an Osama devotee. He is an orphan of Japanese ancestry who ends up in Afganistan and ends up fighting with guerillas against the Soviets as a child soldier, presumably in the 1980s. It is not held forward as an example of childhood all kids should aspire to, either. How anyone could find it potentially offensive to American sensibilities or condemning the war on terror or whatever, I have no idea.

Who knew - Sagara Sousuke an America-hating terrorist? Ha!

Just look at the new dynasty of terror:



I just found this on wikipedia which, if true, is much much too hilarious and too pathetic at once:

The American launch of the series, originally planned for 2001, was delayed for several months because Sousuke was from Afghanistan; with potential American sensitivities in mind, the premiere was originally canceled outright, then finally put forth, but only after changing Sousuke’s homeland to the fictitious nation of Helmajistan.

Ahahahaha. Seriously. Especially in context - the "series" they talk about is one of my all-time favorite animes, Full Metal Panic, and Sousuke is hardly an Osama devotee. He is an orphan of Japanese ancestry who ends up in Afganistan and ends up fighting with guerillas against the Soviets as a child soldier, presumably in the 1980s. It is not held forward as an example of childhood all kids should aspire to, either. How anyone could find it potentially offensive to American sensibilities or condemning the war on terror or whatever, I have no idea.

Yi Jung/Ga Eul spoiler and a bit on JP/Jandi spoiler (this time I am actually being happy)

So, got this from hydkorea because sodahands is very good at finding spoilers. These are for next week.

( Enter heeeeeeere )

Yi Jung/Ga Eul spoiler and a bit on JP/Jandi spoiler (this time I am actually being happy)

So, got this from hydkorea because sodahands is very good at finding spoilers. These are for next week.

( Enter heeeeeeere )

Yi Jung/Ga Eul spoiler and a bit on JP/Jandi spoiler (this time I am actually being happy)

So, got this from hydkorea because sodahands is very good at finding spoilers. These are for next week.

( Enter heeeeeeere )

Glee! Glee-est Glee!

I am rather behind on my Ouran High School Host Club manga, but I checked out the latest chapter and I see I really need to catch up because ( spoiler )

Glee! Glee-est Glee!

I am rather behind on my Ouran High School Host Club manga, but I checked out the latest chapter and I see I really need to catch up because ( spoiler )

Glee! Glee-est Glee!

I am rather behind on my Ouran High School Host Club manga, but I checked out the latest chapter and I see I really need to catch up because ( spoiler )

Rich boys with emo and poor girls who won't put up with it...

I posted this in comments already but this is my favorite Yi Jung/Ga Eul scene. Heeee. It sums up why I ship them - he is emo (and pretty) and she is spunky and common-sense and stomps on his pity party over his first lurve who is now with his older brother. Heh!

( Caps from the scene from ep 20 of BOF )

Ga Eul is pure awesome. She should have anything she wants: if that anything is Yi Jung, his huge issues, and his huger bank account, I am all for it!

Rich boys with emo and poor girls who won't put up with it...

I posted this in comments already but this is my favorite Yi Jung/Ga Eul scene. Heeee. It sums up why I ship them - he is emo (and pretty) and she is spunky and common-sense and stomps on his pity party over his first lurve who is now with his older brother. Heh!

( Caps from the scene from ep 20 of BOF )

Ga Eul is pure awesome. She should have anything she wants: if that anything is Yi Jung, his huge issues, and his huger bank account, I am all for it!

Rich boys with emo and poor girls who won't put up with it...

I posted this in comments already but this is my favorite Yi Jung/Ga Eul scene. Heeee. It sums up why I ship them - he is emo (and pretty) and she is spunky and common-sense and stomps on his pity party over his first lurve who is now with his older brother. Heh!

( Caps from the scene from ep 20 of BOF )

Ga Eul is pure awesome. She should have anything she wants: if that anything is Yi Jung, his huge issues, and his huger bank account, I am all for it!