TJ
Administrator/Owner 
Posts: 6,058
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Post by TJ on Dec 14, 2003 13:15:22 GMT -5
Original Thread started on: Nov 23rd, 2003, 3:28pm By: TJ Tell Us Those Awesome
NON-FICTION BOOKS
You've Read & Give Us
Your Run-Down Of The Book
But Not The Clincher  |
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Post by Mac on Jun 9, 2004 8:21:12 GMT -5
Maybe some of you heard about the book 'The white Masai' from the Swiss Corinne Hoffman.
It's a true story. Corinne makes a journey to Kenia with her boyfriend. At that moment she is a businesswoman with plans to get married.
But then she meets Lketinga, a Masai warrior, and she falls in love.
Back in Switzerland she breaks up with her bf, sells her business, house, furniture, etc. She returns to her Masai and after a while they marry.
Life is very hard for her because she has to live in a traditional Masai hut (a 'manyatta'). She has to work very hard and gets sick (malaria). Luckily her family in law are great people and help her as much as they can.
But the tribe is very poor. To make some money Corinne invests all her money to buy a souvenirshop. But Lketinga spils a lot of money.
Then Corinne gets pregnant. After her daughter is born, Lketinga changes into a very jealous husband. Their marriage changes into a hell. Corinne has no other solution than escaping to Switzerland.
There's also a second book which is called 'Back from Africa'. It's about her new life with her daughter in Switzerland.
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Post by Mac on Jul 5, 2004 15:19:23 GMT -5
This weekend I read the true and very humoristic story of Karyn Bosnak. In Dutch it is called 'The Dollar princess'. Karyn is a television-producer who moves from Chicago to New York for her work. But there are so many seductions in NY like : Saks, Bloomingdale's, yes even Starbucks! Although she earns a lot of money, she builds up a huge debt (creditcards!) with buying Prada shoes, Gucci clothes, going to restaurants etc. And then she loses her job.. At one stage she owes 20,000 $ to American Express and other credit-companies. She moves to a cheaper appartment in Brooklyn, sells a lot of stuff on eBay and then comes up with a brilliant idea. She makes a website called 'savekaryn.com' where she asks people to help her with her debts (just give me a dollar). And it works! A lot of people admire her braveness and honesty and help her. (there are also a lot of folks who send Do Not Like-mail). She is asked for interviews and maybe there will be a movie too. |
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Zinkx
DuNgEoN God/Goddess
Posts: 407
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Post by Zinkx on Jul 29, 2004 1:52:36 GMT -5
Every summer my now 13 yr old nephew and I have a reading challenge, just a little game we play. We each pick an Arthor and at least three books by them. We then read and do a quickie book review for each other. It's fun, I get to see the new kids books, he gets to further his reading comprehension and book report giving so all in all I really enjoy it.
Anyway, his pick this summer is Eoin Colfer and we are reading the "Artemis Fowl" trilogy..
I must say these books are awesome I've had a hard time putting them down and read one on the flight to Hawaii. These are probably not good for kids under 10 as Artemis is a criminal mastermind but, he is also trying to save his father.All in all they are very touvching but not mushy enough to drop a kids attention, the other cool twist, he meets Fairies, Trolls, and the like. Definately a must read if you have kids with big imaginations! 
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Post by Mac on Aug 31, 2004 12:10:23 GMT -5
Hey Zinkx, I've read those Pelzer-books too. Even when I'm typing this the hair on my arms stand up. Those books are the most heartbreaking books I've ever read  He's such a courageous person despite all the terrible things he went through. Dave Pelzer is an example for every human being. At the moment I'm reading the book 'Bangkok Hilton' by the English Sandra Gregory. As a young woman she spend a few years in Thailand. Unfortunately she became sick but had no money to fly back to England. A guy talked her in to smuggle a few grams of drugs to China. Ofcourse she got caught on the airport. She was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment. She tells about the hell of the women's prison : overcrowed, the terrible heat, insects, food, the hard work, the sadistic guards, etc. And how prisonlife changed her. But although the life there is hell, there's still compassion and she's someone who gives away food, medicines, etc. to women who need it even harder than her. After 4 years she is flewn back to England where she has to go through the rest of her punishment. There is more room, the food is better, more facilities, but in a strange way the prisonlife there is worse than in Thailand. I've come to this point in the book, but I can recommend it! |
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Post by Mutteruk on Sept 21, 2004 5:23:28 GMT -5
i read those when i was quite young, and then re read them reciently! i love these books and everytime i read them i still get bought to tears !! dave pelzer is such an insparation!! it definatly has my thumbs up! |
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Post by Mac on Apr 10, 2005 13:02:10 GMT -5
I saw the movie Der Untergang in the beginning of this year, in which Hitlers' secretary Traudl Junge had an important role.
I got intrigued by this woman so now I'm reading her autobiograpy titled 'Until the last hour'. She was Hitlers' secretary for almost 3 years, until he and Eva Braun commited suicide.
It's a strange book, on one hand you learn to know Hitler as a charming, friendly guy, on the other hand she tells about his demonic side, his madness, and his megalomane character.
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