As much as I enjoy picking up a good book, I will be the first to say that I am not the biggest reader. Despite frequently setting myself the goal of reading more frequently, there was always something that came up which distracted me from this mission. This, of course, all changed once my sixth-month long holiday began and I had a little bit more time on my hands - particularly during August. For that, I wanted to share some of the books that I have been reading recently and give you a couple of recommendations from an average person's perspective. I do hope you enjoy this post and, as always, be sure to leave me your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Frida: The Biography of Frida Kahlo
Hayden Herrera
I will put my hands up and admit that I'm not much of an art buff, but if there's one artist that has left a lasting impression on me, it's Frida Kahlo. When I stumbled upon Frida's Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace, I was instantly captivated by her androgynous persona and the way in which she incorporated her Mexican heritage into her works. Having heard that she too led a very eventful life, reflected in her most famous works, I made it my mission to finally read up about the artist.
Let me tell you a little something about this book: if you were looking for a light read that you could snooze off to before bed, this isn't the book for you. You see, while I have a few critiques to make, the sheer density of information is not one of them. From her childhood to her marriage to Diego Rivera, Herrera carefully reconstructs Frida's life, all the while exploring and commenting on the works that followed. Speaking of Frida's works, a little gripe that I had with this book is that not all of the paintings discussed were subsequently pictured in the inserts. After all, difference in personal interpretation is what makes art so fascinating, and so reliance on an author's personal comments feels a little lacklustre. Similarly, there was a lot of jumping back and forth to be done with those that were pictured; at points, it felt as if there was no real order in which the images were placed. Furthermore, I feel as if too great an emphasis was placed on Diego Rivera himself; granted, he had a huge part to play in Frida's life - but there are plenty of books about Diego already, this was supposed to be Frida's shining moment. That being said, I found this book to be a thoroughly enjoyable and informative read - and for that, I would give it 4/5 stars.
Let me tell you a little something about this book: if you were looking for a light read that you could snooze off to before bed, this isn't the book for you. You see, while I have a few critiques to make, the sheer density of information is not one of them. From her childhood to her marriage to Diego Rivera, Herrera carefully reconstructs Frida's life, all the while exploring and commenting on the works that followed. Speaking of Frida's works, a little gripe that I had with this book is that not all of the paintings discussed were subsequently pictured in the inserts. After all, difference in personal interpretation is what makes art so fascinating, and so reliance on an author's personal comments feels a little lacklustre. Similarly, there was a lot of jumping back and forth to be done with those that were pictured; at points, it felt as if there was no real order in which the images were placed. Furthermore, I feel as if too great an emphasis was placed on Diego Rivera himself; granted, he had a huge part to play in Frida's life - but there are plenty of books about Diego already, this was supposed to be Frida's shining moment. That being said, I found this book to be a thoroughly enjoyable and informative read - and for that, I would give it 4/5 stars.
Bodas de Sangre (Blood Wedding)
Federico García lorca
Federico García Lorca, where do I even begin? Having already read one of Lorca's renowned rural tragedies in preparation for my university studies, I was eager to move to the text that started it all: Blood Wedding. Blood Wedding can be said to be a tale of forbidden love with an added Spanish flair. In summary, a young bride abandons her soon-to-be husband as she runs away from her wedding with her lover, who is from a feuding family. The true beauty of this play lies in Lorca's imagery and lyricism which, although not overly difficult to navigate linguistically for an intermediate Spanish speaker, remain challenging to understand fully without an appreciation for the period in which the play was written. Similarly, with all eyes on Lorca's writing style, we are drawn away from what is a rather simple and predictable storyline. In short, while I am glad that I read this text, it simply did not have the same appeal as Yerma did. For that, I would award this text 3/5 stars.
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Dale Carnegie
There are some people who may as well have been equipped with all the social skills they needed from birth. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people. School reports throughout my life were categorised by a series of comments stating that I could "participate a little bit more" or "put my hand up more often" (spoiler: that never happened). That's where Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People comes in; in a personal development whim, I chose to pick up the renowned self-help book that propelled an entire genre.
If you read the book with an open mind and do not take the information you read too seriously, I believe there is a lot of helpful advice to be had; after all, we forget the basics of forming long-lasting relationships all too often and how something as little as remembering somebody's name can make them feel more favourably towards you. In addition to the longevity of the book's message, something that particularly surprised and enthralled me about this book was its writing style. Carnegie never revealed his key teachings until the end of the chapter, making it your responsibility as a reader to use the anecdotes presented to you and put the puzzle pieces together - a structure which is wholly more engaging. Whilst we are on the topic of key teachings, however, I found that these started to become all-too-similar to those previously mentioned and made the book feel a little repetitive; it was almost as if Carnegie needed some extra fluff to lengthen it out. Nonetheless, I believe this is an excellent read despite the fluff and perfect for anybody wishing to improve their communication skills. For the sheer enjoyment I got out of reading this book, I will give it 5/5 stars.
If you read the book with an open mind and do not take the information you read too seriously, I believe there is a lot of helpful advice to be had; after all, we forget the basics of forming long-lasting relationships all too often and how something as little as remembering somebody's name can make them feel more favourably towards you. In addition to the longevity of the book's message, something that particularly surprised and enthralled me about this book was its writing style. Carnegie never revealed his key teachings until the end of the chapter, making it your responsibility as a reader to use the anecdotes presented to you and put the puzzle pieces together - a structure which is wholly more engaging. Whilst we are on the topic of key teachings, however, I found that these started to become all-too-similar to those previously mentioned and made the book feel a little repetitive; it was almost as if Carnegie needed some extra fluff to lengthen it out. Nonetheless, I believe this is an excellent read despite the fluff and perfect for anybody wishing to improve their communication skills. For the sheer enjoyment I got out of reading this book, I will give it 5/5 stars.
How To Go To Work
Lucy Clayton and Steven Haines
If there's one harsh reality that I have learnt in these past few months, it's that no amount of A* grades will adequately or fully prepare you to be a competitive candidate in the world of work. That's not to say that getting a good education isn't important; it's just not solely enough to rely on in today's economic climate. As such, given that I will soon be applying for internships and part-time job positions at university, I reckoned it was time to pick up this book and give it a read. I must say, I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did! Clayton and Haines did an excellent job of dishing out all the information a school or university leaver would need without being patronising or boring. At times, I do feel as if more examples could have been given - particularly on the CV/LinkedIn profile front - but I suppose that would take away from the concise nature of this book. Similarly, I do feel as if some of the advice given is universal knowledge by now - although it may be a good reminder for some who can forget the basics among the complexities of it all. For that, I would give this book 4/5 stars.