![]() ![]() The action opens at the end of the war, when nobody’s doing much of anything. ![]() ![]() The fuse of The Iliad is not the abduction of Helen of Troy, which started the war. Hollywood would have demanded a rewrite, wouldn’t it?Ībsolutely! Hollywood would make a clever, psychological thriller. The action of The Iliad takes place not during the heat of battle but during a protracted stalemate. Every adjective evokes the destruction and tragedy of war. Old men, civilians, children, captive women or wives, as well as the warriors, like Achilles-they all decry it. But when one reads the entirety of the epic, it is unambiguously clear at every turn that the poem is evoking the blighting effect of this war on every single participant in it. ![]() It’s very easy to support that tradition by picking out four or five main scenes. You’re assigned a few books to read at break-neck speed and there’s this tradition that The Iliad is about war. In America, most people who’ve read The Iliad have read it in college in the first year of their humanities courses, as part of a survey of Western or other literature. (Discover why Homer matters.) Many people think The Iliad glorifies war and machismo. Speaking from her home in Maine, she explains how her African students in Malawi immediately “got” The Iliad why Hollywood would demand a rewrite of the epic and how Homer still has much to teach us about war and the human condition. ![]()
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![]() Von Trier was declared persona non grata by the festival, and would spend the next decade apologizing for or explaining the grim, glib joke. ![]() His next film, Melancholia, was less outwardly shocking, but von Trier took it upon himself to produce his most infamous Cannes moment: During the film’s press conference, the auteur jokingly declared himself a Nazi. In 2009, Antichrist shocked a foolishly unsuspecting audience with images of genital mutilation and graphic sex. His high-concept, bare-soundstage Dogville premiered in 2003 and was branded as anti-American in those intense post-9/11 years. The Danish filmmaker has always been hotly debated, both for the content of his films and his button-pushing comments. What else might 2023 hold in terms of shock value, unhinged public statements, and creative falls from grace? The past few decades of controversies might hold a clue. So far in 2023 local authorities have banned protests on the Croisette during the festival (amid ongoing massive labor-reform demonstrations across France), and its chief, Thierry Frémaux, has shrugged off concerns around Johnny Depp–starring festival opener Jeanne du Barry. Another Cannes, another scandal! This year’s edition of the Cannes Film Festival has already seen its share of controversies, but that’s no surprise from the event that brought us selfie bans, high-heel outrage, and a long list of directors who can’t help but say regrettable things directly into microphones. ![]() ![]() ![]() Now it's kill or be killed-and they, the predators, have just become the hunted…īorn of Fire is the second book in bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon's League series. Is Syn's protection worth the risk? The only hope Shahara has is to find the evidence he buried long ago. But if she saves him, both of their lives will be on the line. There's only one problem: Syn is a close family friend who's helped out the Dagans countless times. When Syn comes back on the radar, she's the only one who can bring him to justice. Shahara Dagan is the best bounty hunter in the universe. Syn was raised as a tech-thief until his livelihood uncovered a truth that could end. ![]() But that was then, and the future is now. Born of an illicit scandal that once rocked a dynasty, he always knew how to survive on the bloodthirsty streets. He is the darkness that swallows his enemies whole. In a universe where assassins make the law, everyone lives in fear-except for Syn. Now trained as an assassin, he allows no one to threaten him. He tried to destroy the evidence, and has been on the run ever since. Syn was raised as a tech-thief until his livelihood uncovered a truth that could end his life. But that was then, and the future is now… In a universe where assassins make the law, everyone lives in fear-except for Syn. ![]() ![]() He's after the really bad guys, the ones who look normal and get 4.0 GPAs at the best universities and go on to run corporations, the military and governments. The diagnosis: psychopathy, the absence of conscience, empathy and love, which is estimated to affect 2.5 percent of the human population, 25 percent of prisoners and up to 70 percent of those who commit violent crimes.īut the psychopaths who interest Ronson aren't the bad guys the word evokes. ![]() ![]() The book: the "DSM-IV-TR," the 943-page diagnostic manual published by the American Psychiatry Association. Making a comedy about war, it seems, was good practice for writing a romp about the worst psychological diagnosis in the book. But we'd expect no less from a guy who could humble any overachiever. His latest book, "The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry," is no ordinary piece of investigative journalism. ![]() He hosts a popular BBC radio show and contributes to "This American Life." Oh, and he's written seven books - one of which, "The Men Who Stare at Goats," was made into a 2009 movie described as "a comedy war film." Jon Ronson was a columnist for Britain's Guardian, a keyboard player in a band and has made 16 documentary films. Q: Who could write a rollicking, page-turner of a book about madness? Q: How many psychopaths does it take to change a lightbulb?Ī: Who wants to know? And what's his address? By Jon Ronson (Riverhead 275 pages $25.95) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The fairy tale quality surprised me as the events grew more dangerous, and it is such an interesting juxtaposition that I just loved it. I also enjoyed that the story still has the bit of whimsy that I expect from a story featuring royalty within all the thrills. The boarding school has a great deal going on, and I loved every minute of it. There are a lot of dangers at Rosewood Hall for a princess, and those dangers kept me glued to the page. I loved the fast pace and the steady flow of action. Undercover Princess is an action-packed tale of mistaken identity, friendship, and family. She must do everything she can to help Ellie keep her secret, but with school, the looming Maradovian ball and the mysterious new boy Jamie, she’ll soon discover that reality doesn’t always have the happily ever after you’d expect…Ī thrilling world of parties, politics and bad ass princesses, this is the first book in the brand new series THE ROSEWOOD CHRONICLES. Lottie is thrust into the real world of royalty – a world filled with secrets, intrigue and betrayal. Due to a series of lies and coincidences, 14-year-old Lottie finds herself pretending to be the princess so that Ellie can live a more normal teenage life. When fairy tale obsessed Lottie Pumpkin starts at the infamous Rosewood Hall, she is not expecting to share a room with the Crown Princess of Maradova, Ellie Wolf. ![]() ![]() ![]() Our adult range spans travel, including the award-winning DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, history, science, nature, sport, gardening, cookery and parenting.ĭK’s extensive children’s list showcases a fantastic store of information for children, toddlers and babies. We have a reputation for innovation in design for both print and digital products. DK brings unrivaled clarity to a wide range of topics, with a unique combination of words and pictures, put together to spectacular effect. ![]() DK produces content for consumers in over 100 countries and over 60 languages, with offices in the UK, India, US, Germany, China, Canada, Spain and Australia.ĭK's aim is to inspire, educate and entertain readers of all ages, and everything DK publishes, whether print or digital, embodies the unique DK design approach. DK publishes highly visual, photographic non-fiction for adults and children. DK was founded in London in 1974 and is now the world leading illustrated reference publisher and a member of the Penguin Random House division of Bertelsmann. ![]() ![]() ![]() She got invited by someone she can’t remember, but still decides to go. Lombard is very confident and also carries a gun around, which he refuses to give up, which makes him more suspicious.Įmily Brent: she is very uptight, old and religious. ![]() Phillip Lombard: he got a mysterious job on the island and was hired by a man named Isaac Morris. She feels very guilty about the crime and sometimes gets hysterical. she wasn’t charged, but the man she loved believed she was guilty. The poem that hangs in every one’s bedroom reminds her of her childhood. Owen, the wife of the owner of the island. Vera Claythorne: she was a governess and comes to the island as the new secretary of Mrs. At the end you can read in his letter that he is the one who did all the murders. He tries to make sure everyone stays safe. He develops as the leader of the group when the murderer starts to attack. ![]() ![]() He is invited to the Indian island by an old friend. Justice Wargrave: he is a retired judge and very intelligent. Original publication: ‘Ten little niggers’, England, November 6, 1939 more than 6 billion books have been sold from her. She is the best-selling writer of books of all time and the best-selling writer of all time, along Shakespeare. she was a nurse in World War I and worked in a pharmacy later on, which actually inspired many of her books. Title: ‘And then there were none’ – one by one everyone gets killed in the book, until no one is left.Īuthor: Agatha Christie – she was born in 1890 and passed away in 1976. ![]() ![]() ![]() There are two characters that if you just removed them from the story you literally wouldn't lose anything. However, if i DID have to make a criticism, it would be on the male characters. The general, Carolyn, and Harris are all fine characters and they all work well. ![]() Sam is quite bloodthirsty in this one which caught me a bit by surprise and the doctor has to pull her back quite a few times. ![]() There was enough description to know what was going on, but not enough to be annoying.Īs for the actual plot, while i'm not the biggest fan of vampires, but for what it was, i actually had a bit of fun. Jonathan and Kate work well together and it's not one of those double author books where it feels disjointed and it FEELS like there's two separate authors. I think the golden gate bridge with a vampire bat would have been a much better image.Īnyway, onto the actual story. ![]() About as far away as you can from DC while still being in America. it has nothing to do with the president, nor does it even take place in Washington DC. No, i have no idea why the presidential seal is on this cover. I'm going to start off with the elephant in the room that is this cover. Finally got around to reading the 2nd book in the EDA, and all in all, i DID have a fun time with this book. ![]() ![]() You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie Preferences, as described in the Cookie Notice. Click ‘Customise Cookies’ to decline these cookies, make more detailed choices, or learn more. Third parties use cookies for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalised ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. ![]() This includes using first- and third-party cookies, which store or access standard device information such as a unique identifier. If you agree, we’ll also use cookies to complement your shopping experience across the Amazon stores as described in our Cookie Notice. We also use these cookies to understand how customers use our services (for example, by measuring site visits) so we can make improvements. ![]() We use cookies and similar tools that are necessary to enable you to make purchases, to enhance your shopping experiences and to provide our services, as detailed in our Cookie Notice. ![]() ![]() ![]() It's a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. And still haven’t told their best friends. ![]() Except, nowfor reasons they’re still not discussingthey don’t. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they'll all have together in this place, they can't stand to break their friends' hearts, so they play their parts. Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in collegethey go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most. Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group's yearly getaway for the last decade. ![]() |