Friday, December 19, 2014

Book Review(2): The Winner Stands Alone-Paulo Coelho

The life of glitz and glamour. Paulo Coelho blows my mind. Every time i read his book, it is like i am being transported into another universe.

Paulo Coelho doesn't just write fiction, he writes stories that send a message, that teach. One of the main reasons why i love his books so much. He is a teacher and he uses stories to teach, the brilliant art of story telling.
The winner stands alone is a book about the world of movies, fashion and love. Not your typical love story tho, far from that, a bit manic actually. The way his characters are transformed at the end of each of his books is remarkable.  There are lessons and bits and pieces of advice embedded within Paulos writing, it is amazing.
This is a story about a man who sets out of a rather diabolical mission to get the love of his life back, while on his journey, he encounters people and realises his mission is far from what he had anticipated.
I remember when i read The Zahir how i was transformed at the end of the book together with the transformation of the main character. His writing spins the wheels in your head and makes you think, feel.
The amazing thing about The winner stands alone is not just the story line which is flawless by the way, Paulo did his research as usual, it is the writing style, the way he gives a voice to each and every character,  it is like he is breathing life into a world within the book. I highly recommend this book. I promise you would not regret reading this book.
A qoute i adored:

"Someone's spirit, however has no name, it is pure truth and inhabits a particular bod for a certain period of time, and will one day, leave it and God won't bother asking, "What's your name?" when the soul arrives at the final judgement, God will ask only: "Did you love while you were alive?" For that is the essence of life: the ability to love, not the name we carry around on our passport, business card and identity card."

There is a lot about spirituality and life in this book. Truly remarkable.
Read More

Monday, December 15, 2014

Book Review(1): The Thing Around Your Neck- Chimamanda Adichie Ngozi

I have to say, reading this book was a roller coaster ride for me. It was not what i had expected. I binge read Chimamandas Half Of A Yellow Sun in two days and my little sister suggested i read The Thing Around Your Neck next. Totally not what i expected. Not the love story i was hoping it was not thankfully.

To those who do not know, The Thing Around Your Neck is a collection of stories. Chimamanda writes short stories concerning the lives of her characters and she does it in a way that makes you feel like a part of the book and you fall in love/feel a connection with her characters. Her writing style with intricate detailing gives you an almost visual image of whatever it is you are reading. I read and re-read some of these stories and my favorite still is the story titled, The Thing Around Your Neck. A particular line from this story is still lodged beneath my skull;

"The thing that wrapped itself around your neck, that nearly chocked you before you fell asleep, started to loose, to let go."

Took my breath away. I was very emotional about this book. Chimamanda makes you accept who you are. She tells her stories not just to convey a message but to make the reader realise that he/she can be who they are, it is like she is saying "you this black girl reading my book, yeah you. Be as you as it is possible for one to be themselves. Accept you and love you and just be happy.". The thing around your neck talks about culture, the struggles of Africans in as foreign a land as America and just...read this book please. Just read it and tell me what you felt because this book goes deep into your soul. I am grateful to my sister for suggesting this book to me.

Sayonara
xoxo
Read More

Thursday, December 11, 2014

SHORT: On Race and It's Brothers

Do you know what it is like to wake up every morning to news of people getting killed(i am talking about literally dying, evicting from this life, gone, bye bye, 6 feet under, no more breathing) simply for looking like you? Simply for not looking/acting/believing a certain way/thing??

Do you know what that does to a person? How it hurts a persons self-confidence/self-worth?  How it breaks a persons soul knowing someone could point a gun at them and shoot them over something that they did not choose, something they cannot change, something as petty as skin?

This is where self-hate and doubt begin to creep in. This is how they spiritually and morally break us. This is when they swoop in with their ideas of who we should be.

This is how an entire group of people, classified by race are made to believe they cannot be shit. This is where humanity failed.


Read More

Friday, December 5, 2014

Exciting News O Ye Blog Followers!!!

Well well well....

I read Chimamanda Adichies book, The Thing Around Your Neck, three months ago and i still haven't found the words to describe how i feel about the book on twitter because of the freaking word limit restriction. So as i was re-reading places i had bookmarked in the book today, it suddenly hit me...BOOK REVIEWS!!!

I decided to add a little twist to this blog by doing book reviews. I read a book, i write a review, you decide to read the book if my review excites you or not, Either way i will be doing book reviews on this blog from now on. I will add a menu to a book review section so it would be easy for anyone to find. Bored? Looking for a book to read(English books ofcourse)? head to Shaheedahs blog and voila, based on my review you find a book to read. Do not worry, my reviews will not contain spoilers, i will not talk about intricate details concerning the book, just basic stuff, how i perceived the book, the writing style, the little details, how it got me literally breathless(believe me, books do this to me and i have to take a minute to catch my breath so i don't frikking die) etc.

Cool right??

Obviously my first book review will be about The Thing Around Your Neck since it gave birth to this idea and i am dying to talk about it...but..there is a but, seeing as i am sometimes busy with work, my thesis, and also the fact that i am a slow reader (i am not ashamed to admit that, i think i digest books better than fast readers :D yes, to my older sister and my little sister Asiya, i am referring to you two), i may not get to write reviews as often as i would like to but i promise, i will try my best to read as often as i can and as much books as i can and post reviews when i can....rest-assured, i will definitely be writing book reviews and posting them on this blog.

Just that which matters eh?!

 Anyway, be back here as often as you can to find new book reviews(yayy!), new poems and new articles. I will be writing much more as i said during the Rebirth of the blog so stay with me..ok?!

Sayonara
xoxo
Read More

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

30 Things You Will Come Across As You Grow Older

1. Not everyone will see you the way you see yourself
2. You are not all that
3. People lie
4. The words "i love you" are not a promise
5. You will stop believing in things you used to believe in
6. You will stop feeling
7. You will question God
8. You will question commitment
9. Heartbreak pain is actually very physical
10. You will hate yourself
11. You will fall in love with yourself
12. You will fall in love
13. You will find God
14. You will feel again
15. You will pretend to be happy a lot
16. He will leave you for her
17. Or she will leave you for him
18. You will wonder if it was your fault
19. It probably was
20. You will fall in love again
21. You may not
22. You will find something that will make you happy
23. You will cry in the shower
24. Everyone will expect so much from you
25. You will lose yourself
26. You will find yourself
27. You will realise that sometimes even the people that love you the most cannot  do anything for you, not out of malice or prejudice, but because only you can help yourself
28. You will have doubts
29. You will make mistakes
30. You will figure it all out
Read More