A Little History of the World

Title: A little History of the World

Author: E.H. Gombrich

Rating: 87%

Notes: This is a History Bookofpretty much everything. It covers so many subjects that everyone will link with some part. It is written for children in German, and has been translated into many different languages meticulously. You can either read the parts that are useful for you of that you like, or you can read it from cover to cover. It is designed so that each is possible.

PLot Summary: This is a History book about pretty much everything that happened between dinosaurs to about the second world war. It moves around from the Western world to China and back, meaning that every culture is covered. After reading it, one feels very erudite about all of  History and can make witty remarks about the teachings of Confucius, Hannibal's voyage from Spain to Rome, and the making of  St. Peter's in Roman Rennaissance.

The Hunger Games

In light of the coming movie, I want to do a review of an extremely good book I just read: The Hunger Games.

Title: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

Rating: 96%

Notes: This is a bit gruesome and romantic and stuff, but a great read. It will have you identifying with Katniss, the illegal huntress before the second page, and will keep you thinking about it for weeks afterwards. It is also quite disgusting at times.

Plot Summary: It is set in the ruins of North America, with 12 districts surrounding the industrialized Capitol. Annually, the Hunger Games come on, a TV programme where 24 teenagers are chosen at random and have to battle it out to claim victory and effectively freedom. Katniss Everdeen is chosen and has to fight other, bigger people in an arena controlled mechanically by the gamemakers. The 'tributes' have to make alliances, enemies and survive by any means possible. I recommend to any reader who is not too squeamish or emotional.

Once, Then, Now

After just finishing the last one in this trilogy in 30 minutes, I think I have already given you an idea of how hard they are to read. But I did like them, and they are about scary stuff.

Title: Once, Then, Now (Trilogy)

Author: Morris Gleitzman

Rating: 79%

Notes: These are quite light reads, and definitely children's books, but they are nice for a laid-back hour or possibly two, and help educate one about the war and in the last one about bush fires a bit. He is a good writer, and they are written in a hard way, not to read but the way he has written them in a sort of straight-forward manner: sorry that I'm being inarticulate here but I hope you know what I mean.

Plot Summary: Once and Then are about Felix, an eleven year old, coping with the war and taking in a small girl called Zelda. They nearly get sent to a concentration camp, and then get adopted by a kind lady, but eventually they struggle through. In Now, it is Felix's granddaughter Zelda telling the story of how she thought she had started a bush fire, and showing how kind Felix is and how she helps the older girl who bullied her in school.

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid

I've got good news and bad news for you now
Bad News: I missed a lot of time because I've been in Switzerland
Good News: I just read the most awesome book to post about

Title: The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid

Author: Bill Bryson

Rating: 88%

Notes: I think it counts as non-fiction, but it has the way of enveloping you that all good fiction books do. It's quite long, but you'll read it in no time. It is humorous, factual, and helps you understand the childhood of Bryson in the 1950s and 60s. His other books are all very good too, I think.

Plot Summary; It's not really got a plot: it's made up of a selection of amusing anecdotes and descriptive passages about different subjects. It bounds between Bryson's own life and America at the time, which keeps you on your feet at all times, yearning for more.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Title: To Kill a Mockingbird

Author: Harper Lee

Rating: 98%

Notes: This is one of the best books ever written. If you look for lists of top ten books, this is on so many of them it's astounding! It is set in Maycombe, and is about the numerous predudices in the country of the USA at the time, of which the most prominent is racism. it's protagonist, Scout, and her brother Jem, are exposed to many of these and it focuses on how they deal with them. the movie is extremely good, and it stars gregory Peck as Atticus.

Plot Summary: Scout and Jem meet Dill and are instantly friends. They have a weird fascinaation with Arthur 'Boo' Radley, and try to make hm come out from his decrepit home so they can see him.m They encounter many prejudices, especially that of whit men against members of the op[posite race. The book focuses on the court case of one Tom Robinson, who is defended by heir father Atticus, a very rational and 'good' man.