Free Download Penguin Books Pdf
The much acclaimed and prophetic classic by Orwell has stood the test of time. Is it perfect? Absolutely not.
Does it have the flawless symmetry of Austen's novels? Not really.
Could Orwell delineate the characters like Dostoevsky? Barely.
Does it have the devilish sense of humor so conspicuous of The Animal Firm? No.
Is the plot original? Far from it (check We by Yevgeny Zamyatin).
Does it have a touch of Salman Rushdie's poetic story telling? Actually, it is more of an essay.
Orwell's 1984 should be read for reasons of its own. In spite of its flaws, it makes a terrifying future too real for a work of fiction. It could be a Nazi Germany, a Fascist Italy, a so-called socialistic Russia, Napoleon's despotic France or a combination of all of them. How common are "Big Brothers" in the world as it exists today? "Nothing was your own except the few cubic centimetres inside your skull." — does this tone seem familiar across socio-economic-political levels? This is not a review of the book, so let the reader be the judge of how imposing Orwell view of the human future is.
"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." – what follows would possibly change the way you look at any ideology or propaganda and wonder, like Wordsworth said, "What man has made of man."
Download ebook 1984 by George Orwell (Audiobook) – Click here
Continue reading →
"What did she have in it, shamus, that tempted you to kill her?" he demanded finally.
There was never anything subtle about Retnick. But there's plenty neat and sublime about Mr James Hadley Chase. And with A Coffin from Hong Kong, JHC delivers one of his very best.
The Story:
Private eye Nelson Ryan tries to resolve the murder of a Chinese girl at his private office but ends up getting framed for this murder. Things turn interesting when Ryan visits Hongkong to sort things out. A series of twists and turns, riddles and double crosses keep the readers gripped till the very end. Standard PI stuff, huh? Not exactly.
What's So Good:
Like a typical Hadley Chase novel, A Coffin from Hong Kong features sharp dialogues. Particularly, the dialogues between Ryan and Inspector Retnick are neat and snappy with a twisted sense of humor.
Most JHC novels usually have a standard story line – the protagonist commits a crime, tries to get away and is brought to judgment. This simple frame is presented in an extraordinary way. A Coffin from Hong Kong is an exception with a quite intricate and multilayered plot, which keeps the readers guessing till the final pages. Much like Sheldon's thrillers, it leaves you hanging off a cliff.
This thriller again deviates from the standard JHC approach with its dexterous characterization. While most of Chase's characters seem to be talking alike, the ones here are different. The police fella Retnick has to be one of my favorite JHC characters. The protagonist seems macho, confident with a cheesy sense of humor. This isn't Jane Austen stuff but it's more than acceptable.
The thriller is brilliantly action packed, seductive and detailed. And yes, JHC has a nose for titles. A Coffin from Hong Kong is straight from 1980s B-grade world.
What's Not So Good:
The sleazy, semi moral protagonists: you either love them or you hate them. Aren't they pulpy? The soft porn cover reinforces the feel. But then, isn't that the point?
Faint trace of racism. Grrrrrrr ….
Should you read or skip it
This was the very first JHC thriller I read so my review could be a bit biased. But personal feelings aside, along with No Orchids for Miss Blandish, this is a first rate thriller from Mr Chase. Is it a timeless noir classic like Maltese Falcon? Definitely not. But it holds you like a magnet and leaves a considerably long lasting impression, which is so deliciously satisfying. Highly recommended.
Download PDF: A Coffin from Hong Kong by James Hadley Chase
Click here
Cover art: Panther Books, April 1964 Continue reading →
Henry Rider Haggard's She , set mainly in Africa, is one of the greatest adventure stories ever told. Wikipedia mentions that this classic tale has never been out of print. She expresses the imperialistic and colonial views of the time and takes a controversial stand on womanhood and femininity. It is for the individual reader to decide if She confirms to your literary taste, but you certainly cannot afford to skip this.
Download ebook — She: A History of Adventure by Henry Rider Haggard: Click here
Edition history: Hodder C 119 (1957)
Continue reading →
I loved all Batman movies directed by Nolan. May be I still love them. But to me, they are no longer the best representative of the essential Batman spirit.
Batman, created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939). There are countless standalone issues and series featuring Batman. The notable ones include The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight and Batman: Hush.
The most famous, however, would probably be the Knightfall saga. In this epic story, Bane breaks Batman's back. It's perhaps the most shocking incident after Superman's death.
"I am Bane and I could kill you."
"But death would only end your agony and silence your shame."
"Instead I will simply break you."
"Broken and Done."
The story, complete in 3 volumes and more than 1800 pages long, feels a lot more epic than Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises or any other films directed by him. Of course, you can't fit 1800 pages in 3 hours. But for this very reason, the Knightfall series has more depth and is more enjoyable.
Bane devises a strategy to set loose all of Arkham Asylum. He provides weapons to the criminals and utter chaos follows. Batman fights them as he always does, but it weakens him and Bane just waits for the right opportunity to strike. He breaks Batman but what happens then?
The knightfall saga includes three books:
Volume 1 – Knightfall
Volume 2 – Knightquest
Volume 3 – Knightsend
If you like Batman comics, go for it. If you don't, still go it. You cannot possibly be disappointed
Download free ebook / comics: Batman: Knightfall
Click here
Continue reading →
A funny reviewer at Goodreads sums up Pride and Prejudice in a few darn good lines:
"Girls need to marry. Girls can't get married. Girls are sad. Girls get married. Girls are happy."
That's an honest-to-god review of Jane Auten's classic. The reviewer's words are proven and undisputed as Kevin Bacon would put it (as he did in A Few Good Men). Yet there is something more to the story. Ah, actually there is a lot more.
The Usual Lovers
Pride and Prejudice is an unforgettable love story with some typical tensions and stumbling blocks found in most romantic novels. However, Elizabeth and Darcy's love story has some deeper elements as well. Their journey is filled with irony.
Elizabeth says she is not someone who rejects a guy only to accept him later. But this is exactly what she does with Darcy. While the first line of the novel states that "a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife", we find that a single woman needs a man of good fortune more desperately. Darcy detests the ill-bred behaviour of the Bennet family, but his own Aunt is no better. Elizabeth takes pride in her judgement, which results in her unjustified prejudice against Darcy.
Though there is no explicit symbolism in the story, the love story serves as a tool for social commentary.
Thou Art Proletariat
The importance of reputation and class in Victorian society is emphasised time and again. Though the middle class Bennet family socializes with aristocrats like Darcy and Bingleys, they are clearly treated as inferiors. The snobbish Mr. Collins is another product of the class system.
Do you think class is still a decisive factor today when it comes to relationships? Of course, a Paris Hilton is not going to marry a loser, but then how far can someone go beyond his own league?
Comedy of Wits
Darcy's pride and Elizabeth's prejudice against him make an intelligent story supported by lots of quotable quotes.
"I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine." — Elizabeth on Darcy.
Well said Liz.
Download ebook: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1342
Continue reading →
Posted by: nowsmatt.blogspot.com
Source: https://thebookhaven.wordpress.com/category/download-free-ebooks/