Book of the day : "Pierwsza na liście" / "First on the List" by Magdalena Witkiewicz.

    Today I would like to recommend you the newest book by Magdalena Witkiewicz, the author of, f.e."Milaczek", "Szkoła żon" / "School of Wives" or "Opowieść niewiernej" / "The story of unfaithful woman. Ladies and Gents, here it is -"Ballada o ciotce Matyldzie" / "Ballad for aunt Matilda" [2013].   
   This time I want to say a few words about her book "Pierwsza na liście" / "First on the List" [January 2015]. I'm sure you'll like it. This book you can read only in Poland yet, but who knows, maybe soon you'll be able to read it in any other country and language, and that's why I'm here with my words.

 Magdalena Witkiewicz is a Polish writer and graduate of, f.e. the University of Gdańsk. She wrote and published eight books for adults: Milaczek [2008; second edition 2013], Panny Roztropne [2009; second edition 2013], Opowieść niewiernej [2011], Ballada o ciotce Matyldzie [2013], Szkoła żon [2013], "Zamek z piasku" / "Sand castle" [2013], "Szczęście pachnące wanilią" / "Happiness smells like vanilla" [2014], "Pierwsza na liście" / "First on the List" [2015] and also for children: Lilka i spółka [2013]. Her book "Szkoła żon" / "School of Wives" was published in Vietnam and the title of this book is "TRƯỜNG HỌC CHO CÁC BÀ VỢ" [2014]; also her other book, "Zamek z piasku"/ "Sand castle" will be published in Vietnam soon and the title of this book will be "Lâu đài cát"
 You can find more information about writer on her official page or on her official page on FB.
  
Also you can find more posts about her on my blog here.

About what this book is:

    At first I have to say one thing - maybe this book is a bit hard because it's about illness but this kind is really warm, nice and just wonderful.

    For sure it's about love. Real love, not only just a feeling to the other person but about living in love, true friendship, plans for the future and dreams. About the fact that everything is possible if you only believe in it. 

    To be honest when you read this book, you aren't sure who's the main character of the story. We have there Patrycja, the mother of two daughters - Karolina and Majka - who has Acute myeloid leukemia [AML]; Karolina, or better Ina because all people call her like that; Grażyna, who lost her husband and who can help Patrycja and gives her the most amazing thing - life; and of course we've also the story of Karolina, Patrycja's daughter who wants to do everything to help her mother and who, by accident, is finding love...

    The book is something like confidences of Ina, Karolina, Grażyna and of course Patrycja who's writing letter to her kids during her fight against illness. 

    After short prologue we have first chapter and words : "Because you were first on the list". Words said by Karolina to Ina, when the girl found her mother's friend and who had to help her. 

   Every next page shows us the next secrets, fights, plans... Also we can feel a lot of emotions - from hate to love, from pain to joy. And of course we can be a part not only of that fight but also all adventures and ideas of characters. 

will Patrycja get well? And what with Patrycja and Ina's lost friendship, will they be friends again? And what with feeling between Karolina and Filip, guy who she met during travel to Berlin? And Ina and her life - will she finds somebody who she will love? And Piotr, Patrycja's ex-husband - what with him?

   Don't worry, I won't tell you anything more, because it's always better to read it than hear from the other person. But I can tell you that in the end all of these women will find their happiness, loves and new lives. You can trust me, you will be surprised.

Why you should read it:  

    Good question. Maybe because this story is about life, real life, about illness, changes, about looking for happiness and love, about mistakes, sins, forgiving and finally about true love. Because this book is about true friendship. Because this book shows that life isn't always so great as everyone think and that even after hard and bad times, happiness and good moments always come to us. And that we always have to believe in ourself, no matter what.
    The best is that this book is also for women and for...men. And no matter what age you have - you can read it because the story in this book is without any borders.

Things to look out for:

   At first we have to answer a question - what's better: love or friendship? Love come and go, for sure, friendship stays for the whole life. Of course if is true. 

   But of course emotions are the most important thing. And also relations between people, their problems and... the fact that true friendship, even the lost one, is possible.

  Also fact that we always have to fight for life, happiness and love, no matte is it our life or somebody else; that good things always comes to us, and that only true friends can change your life and just be with you no matter what, be your support during bad and good moments. And we just have to believe in good things.

   And of course you should feel all these emotions and see all these thoughts and problems of all characters from the book. Especially fight for one person.

Where / when you should read this:

   This book has 347 pages and you're reading it really fast so I'm sure that you are able to read it in one evening or if you reading a bit more slowly, during the weekend. Where? Yes, this is always a good question. I think that it would be really good if you had a little peace around yourselves to think about the story, about words inside the book.but you can read it everywhere and anytime, trust me. 

   Ok, I think I already said enough to show you that this book is really wonderful and I hope that all my words wrote here made that you will want to read it one day. I hope so.

↑ A book cover of   "Pierwsza na liście" / "First on the List".

 

 

 

Book of the day : "Ballada o ciotce Matyldzie" / "Ballad for aunt Matilda" by Magdalena Witkiewicz.

       Today I would like to recommend you a next book of the author of, f.e."Milaczek", "Szkoła żon" / "School of Wives" or "Opowieść niewiernej" / "The story of unfaithful woman. Ladies and Gents, here it is -"Ballada o ciotce Matyldzie" / "Ballad for aunt Matilda" [2013] by Magdalena Witkiewicz. 
I'm sure you'll like it.

Magdalena Witkiewicz is a Polish writer and graduate of, f.e. the University of Gdańsk. She wrote and published eight books for adults: Milaczek [2008; second edition 2013], Panny Roztropne [2009; second edition 2013], Opowieść niewiernej [2011], Ballada o ciotce Matyldzie [2013], Szkoła żon [2013], Zamek z piasku" / "Sand castle" [2013], "Szczęście pachnące wanilią" / "Happiness smells like vanilla"and also for children: Lilka i spółka [2013]. Her book Szkoła żon / School of Wives was published in Vietnam and the title of this book is "TRƯỜNG HỌC CHO CÁC BÀ VỢ" [2014]. You can find more information about writer on her official page or on her official page on FB.
  Also you can find more posts about her on my blog here.

About what this book is:

     This book isn't like previous - only with problems, not easy life and questions with almost every step. This book is about faith, believe, hope, love, changes, promises and "good future". And also it's about the fact that only true friends, people who really loves you and knows you, will be always  with you, no matter what.

     "Ballad for aunt Matilda" is the story about Joanna [Joan], a young girl, who got married and her husband was a man of her dreams, as she thought, and who loves more his job and being scientist and discoverer somewhere on the end of the world, than being with his wife. And of course even the fact that Joan is pregnant isn't a good argument for her husband to stay. 
    One day, when Joan came to her beloved aunt Matylda [Matilda], who was her close family, everything is changing. Her aunt said that she's sure that Joan won't have a boy, but a girl and she has to give this little cute girl the same name as she has - Matilda. And also she told her that she will die soon but she shouldn't worry about it and that she shouldn't be sad or cry, but just be happy and enjoy every moment with her child, and that she doesn't have to worry about own money, because she has a small business, and after her death two nice guys will come to her to say her everything and just to take care of her and about the little girl. 
    In the same moment when little Matilda is born, the old Matilda is dying and this is the moment when the whole story is beginning for good. And when Joan's life is changing not only because of the child or the lost of her aunt, but because of new people on her life and problems with her own marriage.
    After some weeks her husband is coming back and a few moments later is leaving again to find some "new and amazing" things somewhere where people don't have any connection. But this is not the real reason of his next "travel", but young and pretty Swede woman , with who he is having an affair and...a child.

    I won't tell you what will happen with Joan and with her life, with her marriage, because I think that this book and the story inside will surprise you. I can tell you that everything will be well in the end. But not for all, of course.

Why you should read it: 

     I think that if you like books with life's story, this one is for you. It will good also for these who likes to feel emotions, and cry a bit in the end. Also this book is about life, real life, about looking for happiness and love, about mistakes, friendship, hope and finally about positive thinking. And that miracles happen.

Things to look out for:

    The fact that we always have to fight for our happiness and love, that good things always comes to us, and that only true friends can change your life and just be with you no matter what. And we just have to believe in it.

Where / when you should read this:

    "Ballada o ciotce Matyldzie" / "Ballad for aunt Matilda", isn't a long book because it has about 304 pages, but I think it's good to read it when you have a bit of peace and you are able to think about what you're reading. But I'm sure that some of you will be able to read it in one day and one of you will do it during the weekend.

↑ A book cover of  "Ballada o ciotce Matyldzie" / "Ballad for aunt Matilda".

Book of the day : "Zamek z piasku" / "Sand castle" by Magdalena Witkiewicz.

       Today I would like to recommend you a next book of the author of, f.e."Milaczek", "Szkoła żon" / "School of Wives" or "Opowieść niewiernej" / "The story of unfaithful woman. Ladies and Gents, here it is - "Zamek z piasku" / "Sand castle"[2013] by Magdalena Witkiewicz.

Magdalena Witkiewicz is a Polish writer and graduate of, f.e. the University of Gdańsk. She wrote and published eight books for adults: Milaczek [2008; second edition 2013], Panny Roztropne [2009; second edition 2013], Opowieść niewiernej [2011], Ballada o ciotce Matyldzie [2013], Szkoła żon [2013], Zamek z piasku" / "Sand castle" [2013], "Szczęście pachnące wanilią" / "Happiness smells like vanilla"and also for children: Lilka i spółka [2013]. Her book Szkoła żon / School of Wives was published in Vietnam and the title of this book is "TRƯỜNG HỌC CHO CÁC BÀ VỢ" [2014]. You can find more information about writer on her official page or on her official page on FB.
  Also you can find more posts about her on my blog here.

About what this book is:

     People who read any book by Ms  Witkiewicz, already know that some of her books aren't easy and sweet. The same is with this one.  

"Zamek z piasku" / "Sand castle" isn't the next easy, happy book with pure love, eternal friendship and happy life from beginning to end. 

     At first I have to ask you one thing, what is more important in the life? Love? True friendship? Family? Children? Freedom? Desire? Nice and happy life? The past, the present time, the future or maybe here and now? 

     The same questions we can find it on every page of this book, problems which we can find in the real life. 

     Is it possible to have a perfect life, even if every next day gives us the next bad things, problems, the next plans and dreams too big and important for our possibilities, even if we want it so hard? It depends from us, our souls, our expectations from the life and how strong love is.

    This book,  "Zamek z piasku" / "Sand castle" is the story of two people, a young marriage, who are together from school times, for who this love was the first and true, the one and only. And who could see nobody apart from themselves. This happy, ideal life was supposed to last always, to the end, but as we all know, there's always something what can destroy everything, every amazing moment.

     The story is about Weronika [Veronica] and her husband Marek [Mark] and their problems with having children and just about true emotions and also about the question "what would be if...?". During the whole book we can feel the same as characters - solitude, lost in the world, misunderstanding, desire of love, approval, warmth. 

    Every next chapter gives us the next things to think about what is right or wrong, what's more important. And question - what would I do if I was her or him? Would I let my married stop existing? Would I want to get love from somebody else than my husband, wife? 

    From the first to the last page we aren't sure what will happen with Veronica, Mark and with their life. Will they have a child, will they be together after all these things between one day and another, after all these things what happened between, after all these words wrote between Veronica and Jakub [Jacob], her new friend and after a few weeks also her lover...?

    I won't tell you any answer for any of these questions. I won't even give you any clue. As you know, or not, it's always better to read it, the book, than hear from the other person what will happen with the story in the end. But I can tell you that in the end everybody will be happy, even Veronica's friend Dominika [Dominica]. Yes, the end of the book will surprise you but in positive meaning of course. Ok, I can tell you one thing, the last chapter is full of happiness and hope for only good days in the future life. 

Why you should read it: 

     Good question. I think that if you like books with life's story, this one is for you. It will good also for these who likes to feel emotions, and cry a bit in the end.
This book is about life, real life, about looking for happiness and love, about mistakes, sins, forgiving and finally about true love. Also the book is about the fact that we don't have to be perfect in everything but we should follow our dreams and that our lives aren't so great and perfect as everyone think and that's why we have to work every day to make it better and better and our love stronger and more beautiful.

     Even after hard and bad times, happiness and good moments always come to us. And that we always have to believe in ourself, no matter what. Yes, these words are the best motto of this book.

     The best is the fact that this book is also for women and for...men. And no matter what age you have - you can read it because the story in this book is without any borders.

Things to look out for:

     For sure Magdalena Witkiewicz is one of the best Polish writer who writes so good about life and
emotions. Yes, emotions are in this books everywhere, on every page. You should check feelings and problems in the normal life, but also relations between people, no matter if they are friends or lovers, their problems and... that true love is always possible and so strong and beautiful, but we have to want it. Really want to be happy.

     Also the idea with fragments of songs is really nice. Why? Because every fragment shows you a bit about what will be on next pages and also you can feel the mood of these words. 

Where / when you should read this:

    To be honest, "Zamek z piasku" / "Sand castle", isn't a long book because it has about 280 pages. You can read it anywhere you want, but because this book is a bit hard and emotional it's good to read in alone to have time to think about the story. I'm sure that you are able to read it in one evening or if you reading a bit more slowly, during the weekend.

Quote from the book:

     These two quotes aren't only quotes. I think these words are the best way to describe the whole book and about all problems inside. I took them from the last chapter - epilogue.

Today I know one  thing. Creating of relations it like building sand castle. Incessantly it is necessary to care so that the castle doesn't come down...

Love and feelings between two people are fragile. Just like a sand castle. When you turn away your head, sea wave will flood it. Only a sea water or salty tears will stay. 

     And small surprise - music!

   As the bonus on the last pages of the book you can find the song wrote by Magdalena Witkiewicz and Michalina Malczewska, especially for this book.

   Also on YouTube channel of Magdalena Witkiewicz you can find small playlist of a few songs from the book here. I put the whole playlist with all songs used inside of this book and you can find it on my YouTube channel here.

tracklist of songs: 

Karolina Kozak : Razem zestarzejmy się
Seweryn Krajewski : Kołysanka dla okruszka
Wiener Philharmonic : Bolero [Maurice Ravel]
Krystyna Janda : Na zakręcie
Stare Dobre Małżeństwo : Blues Dla Małej
Edyta Bartosiewicz : Nie znamy się
Jerzy Połomski : Kodeks
Oddział Zamknięty : Obudź się
Hey : Zazdrość
Anna Jantar & Zbigniew Hołdys: Ktoś między nami
Edyta Górniak : Nie proszę o więcej
Dvorak : Symphony No. 9 "From the New World" II (part 1)
Edyta Bartosiewicz : Ostatni
Maryla Rodowicz : Do cholery
Bajm : Miłość nie umiera
Myslovitz : My
Michalina Malczewska : Zamek z piasku

*

 ↑ A book cover of  "Zamek z piasku" / "Sand castle"

Book of the day : "Opowieść niewiernej" by Magdalena Witkiewicz.

   Today I would like to recommend you and say a few words about the book by Magdalena Witkiewicz, a Polish author of a few books not only for women, but also for men and...for kids ["Lilka i spółka"]. But today I would like to present you book "Opowieść niewiernej" / "The story of unfaithful woman" [if I can say like that, because I'm sure that if this book will be translated into other language, it will get other title, as almost always]. 
And I hope that maybe after reading my words, you will want to read this book. 


   Maybe some of you remember my two previous posts about her and meetings with her. If you missed it you can find it here and here. 

   Magdalena Witkiewicz is a Polish writer and graduate of, f.e. the University of Gdańsk. She wrote and published seven books for adults: Milaczek [2008; second edition 2013], Panny Roztropne [2009; second edition 2013], Opowieść niewiernej [2011], Ballada o ciotce Matyldzie [2013], Szkoła żon [2013], Zamek z piasku [2013], and also for children: Lilka i spółka [2013].
You can find more information about writer on her official page or on her official page on FB.

 About what this book is:

   For sure it's about love. Real love, not only just a feeling to the other person but about living in love, is favouring, plans for the future and dreams.

   This is the story of Ewa [Eve], about her life, love, marriage, feelings, plans about having kids, memories and question: "what would be if...?".

   From the one side, the story is easy, too easy - a young girl who loves a perfect guy, Maciek, a girl who is getting married, who has almost an ideal life. Yes, almost ideal, because here is the second, more worse side - we see her as a girl who is lonely and lost, because of lost child, a girl who is losing hopes for something else, something new in her marriage and finally because her husband doesn't want have any kids because he likes the life he has. And that's why she is losing herself for the other guy, Paweł, her friend from youthful years.

   But is her unfaithfulness give something more than only a short moment of being happy and loved, fear before unraveling the secret by her family and of course her husband, more than a feeling of loneliness in the marriage and in her flat? Will her husband's returns and apology give something more than only a few good days without rows and fights? Will he, Paweł, be so good and what the secret he hides before Eva? And finally what will be with her marriage? 

I won't tell you it, because it's always better to read it than hear from the other person. But I can tell you that in the end she will find her happiness but not with her husband [or better ex-husband] Maciek, and also not with her lover Paweł but with... Michał, her best friend, and with who she will have two cute kids.

Why you should read it:

   Good question. Because this story is about life, real life, about looking for happiness and love, about mistakes, sins, forgiving and finally about true love. Because this book is about the fact that we don't have to be perfect in everything but we should follow our dreams. And that we don't have to change for anybody even if we love this person. And finally this book shows that life isn't always so great as everyone think and that even after hard and bad times, happiness and good moments always come to us. And that we always have to believe in ourself, no matter what.

The best is that this book is also for women and for...men. And no matter what age you have - you can read it because the story in this book is without any borders.

Things to look out for:

   Emotions, emotions and one more time emotions. But also relations between people, their problems and... that true friendship is possible.

Where / when you should read this:

   This is not a long book, it has 224 pages, so I'm sure that you are able to read it in one evening or if you reading a bit more slowly, during the weekend. Where? Yes, this is a good question. I think that it would be really good if you had a little peace around yourselves to think about the story, about words inside the book.but you can read it everywhere and anytime, trust me.

Quote from the book:

This is not only a quote, but I think this is the best thing to describe the whole book and abour all problems inside.

With marriage it's like with the new job: how many you will negotiate at the beginning, so much you have. Then it's very hard to change conditions - both, the work and the life.

Ok, I think I already said enough to show you  how good this book is and I made that you will want to read it one day. I hope so.
Now I can promise you that soon I'll write about other book by Magdalena Witkiewicz, so beware.

↑ And before I forget, this is a cover of  this book, "Opowieść niewiernej".

Book of the Day : 'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green

today,  I would like to recommend you and say a few words about an amazing novel The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.


The Fault in Our Stars is the fourth novel, published in January 2012, wrote by young writer John Green.

as for me this book isn't only for teenagers. this book is for teenagers and for adults.many people (maybe even everyone) think, that this book is only for young people (ok, to be honest I was between them too but only is very very small precet, because I saw that young people are interested The Fault in Our Stars...). but I know this is not truth....

The Fault in Our Stars isn't nice, funny, light story. The Fault in Our Stars is a book about hard and sad moments, about death and about the cancer, about teenagers who are fighting to be, to live, to see the next day. but also this book is about love, without happy end, and about friendship, true friendship, which will never forget.

I think The Fault in Our Stars is one of most wonderful and most emotional books, which I read in the last weeks. life, love, true friendship, fight - these things are creating the magic of this history. The Fault in Our Stars is very magic and amazing book, even if it's about somehting sad. I think this story has something inside what gives you warm and tears in your heart. sometimes we're smiling reading something funny, nice in lives of characters, and we're really crying reading about their fight, sad and tragic moments...

about what it is:

book is about teenagers who have a cancer and they're fighting against 'their bad friend' to live, about their plans for the future, which will never come, about their problems and bout their 'normal' days. as I wrote earlier this book is about sad but amazing love, about true friendship, about death, about about hope. it's about hard questions also.
the end isn't good or sad, because The Fault in Our Stars ends with Hazel accepting Augustus's eulogy with a present tense, I do.

why you should read it:

I've a milion of reasons 'why' but I will tell you maybe only a few. because this is not a nice book, this book is different. because it's about life, real life. because this is not a sweet story with happy end. because reading it you are giving some thought to your life. because the end of this book isn't obvious. because you can smile and cry in the same time. because you can ask yourself, what would I do if I would be Hazel Grace, Augustus, Isaac.

things to look out for:

relation between Hazel Grace, Augustus and Isaac - their converstations, favourite things, their thoughts and plans and dreams. relation between healthy people and people with 'bad friend'.

where / when you should read this:

I think this book, isn't only the book, it's something more. and in my opinion you should read in solitude to have time to think about the story, about the life.

favourite quotes from the book:

sorry, this time, I won't put here my favourite quotes, because then I should have to write here almost whole book.

a few words from me - mmm, crap, I've so much to say about this book, and too less place... I think this story has something between the next words, between pages.
true love is eternal, even after the death. the same is with true friendship, because only true friend will be with you always, no matter what. and only true friend will remember about you, when other people (who are naming themselves 'your good or even best friends') will forget. for the real true friend you will be immortal.
and we should live that as if this day was ours last, as if we were supposed to die tomorrow.

Book of the Day : 'Of Mice and Men' John Steinbeck

today,  I would like to recommend you and say a few words about a novel Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck.

as for me John Steinbeck was, and still is, one of the most outstanding writer, with own writing style. he was just unique and every of his stories is just epic. the same is with Of Mice and Men...

Of Mice and Men is a novel published in 1937 and, just like East of Eden [ ], is one of the most amazing book written by him, and book, which is just a classic.

about what it is:
mmm, that's a good question. it's a story about life, friendship, dreams, own place in the world, bad and good things in the life, extreme emotions, hard decisions.

Of Mice and Men is a story about two friends - George and Lennie, who are so different from themselves, who've dreams and plans, who want to find 'their home' and just be happy. George is an intelligent but uneducated man, who loves his friend like a brother. Lennie is quite different than George - is a man of large stature and great strength but limited mental abilities, who absolute trusts his friend. both of them have the same dream - they want to settle on an own piece of land, where they'll have rabbits, which are Lennie's dream because he likes everything what's soft and he wants to take care of them and touch them almost all the time. Lennie likes when his best friend, George, is telling him about their future and their own farm where they'll be happy.
we meet them when they're fleeing from their previous employment because of Lennie's love to fluffy things, and this trip is the beginning of the end their big dream.
on the new ranch they're finding a job, they'll get to know new, interesting people, especially Candy who wants to give them money and go with them to their own farm, live there and help them. also we can find there Crooks -the black stable-hand. man, who's isolated from the other men because of the color of his skin, and who's proud, bitter, and cynical.
'everthing' s ending in the moment when Lennie accidentally kills his puppy while strokinglittle dog, and then after the conversation with Curley's wife [a young, pretty woman, who is mistrusted by her husband] and after her yells that he must stop touching her hair, he, frightened, unintentionally breaks her neck. and after that, George must decide what to do - kill his best friend and save him or wait and let kill him through other. sitting right of Lennie and telling him about their future, he's shooting him in the back of the head, so that his death is painless and quick. after that only Slim, realizes that George killed Lennie, his friend, out of love, and he took him discreetly from body of his friend, Lennie.

why you should read it:
why? because this book gives you extreme emotions, surprise, reflection, and answer for question 'what the real friendship is?'. the most important is fact that this book is about love, dreams, and about oown guilts, freedom and self-respect. no matter of or genes or place where we live - we are creating our own lives and dreans and to be honest, we are creating oneself and our minds.
and also questions 'what would I do, if I was George or Candy? what would I do, if I had to kill my friend?' are the best reasons why to read it.

things to look out for:
relation between: George and Lennie, Curley and his wife, Curley and his workers, Crooks and other workers, Candy and his dog. all their conversations, ideas, problems and dreams. emotions - yes, I think that it's a real base.

where / when you should read this:
everywhere! but I think that it would be really good if you had a little peace around yourselves to think about the story, about words inside the book.but you can read it everywhere and anytime, trust me. it's not important where or when but what will you feel when you will be reading it. after all Of Mice and Men isn't a long book [mine book has only 120 pages]. it's too short as for me :)

favourite quotes from the book:

* I wisht somebody'd shoot me if I get old an' a cripple.

                                                                                                               Candy

* At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out of the beam flies shot like rushing stars.

* Maybe everybody in the whole damn world is scared of each other.

* Maybe you guys better go. I ain't sure I want you in here no more. A colored man got to have some rights even if he don't like 'em.

                                                                                                                               Crooks

* Trouble with mice is you always kill them.

                                                                                       George

* S'pose you didn't have nobody. S'pose you couldn't go into the bunk house and play rummy 'cause you was black. How'd you like that? S'pose you had to sit out here an' read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain't no good. A guy needs somebody-to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick.

                                                                                                                          Crooks

* >You said I was your cousin, George.<
>Well, that was a lie. An' I'm damn glad it was. If I was a relative of yours I'd shoot myself.<

                                                                                                 conversation between George and Lennie

* The red light dimmed on the coals. Up the hill from the river a coyote yammered, and a dog answered from the other side of the stream. The sycamore leaves whispered in the little night breeze.

* … every damn one of 'em's got a little piece of land in his head. An' never a God damn one of 'em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Everybody wants a little piece of lan'. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It's just in their head. They're all the time talkin' about it, but it's jus' in their head.

                                                                                                                       Crooks

* Books ain't no good. A guy needs somebody - to be near him.

                                                                                                                         Crooks

* I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't ought to have let no stranger shoot my dog.

                                                                                                                            Candy

 * All kin's a vegetables in the garden, and if we want a little whisky we can sell a few eggs or something, or some milk. We'd jus' live there. We'd belong there. There wouldn't be no more runnin' round the country and gettin' fed by a Jap cook. No, sir, we'd have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in no bunk house.

                                                                                                                          George




yes, in my opinion Of Mice and Men it's just an another great book and it's something like 'must to read', even once in a lifetime.so add it to your future list of books which you should to read one day :)

one thing I can promise you - this book can change your lives, your world view... and it'll happen when you read it - trust me.

P.S.
what would you do, if you were George or Candy? what would you do, if you had to do the same as they?

Book of the Day : 'East of Eden' John Steinbeck

today,  I would like to recommend you and say a few words about a novel East of Eden by John Steinbeck.

this book is just a classic novel with epic, timeless story. East of Eden, wrote by Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck and published in September 1952, is one of the best his books, and is described as Steinbeck's most ambitious novel.

about what it is:

from one side the story is simple: life of people, their good and bad moments, their view of life, love, bad and good things. from the other side this story has many personal fights - for honour, family, for being oneself, for the respect, for finding own life's way in this world. but also the book explores themes of depravity, beneficence, love, vagabond, and the struggle for acceptance, greatness, and the capacity for self-destruction and especially of guilt and freedom. 

East of Eden is a story about Adam Trask, his relation with father and brother Charles, his mysterious wife, his sons and their not too clear relation; about Samuel Hamilton and his family, his great mind and ideas; and finally about life of people in Salinas valley. this book focuses on Adam's story and also his sons and is showing resemblance to the story of the Hamilton family. we can see the same relation between Adam and Charles, and then between Cal and Aron - comparing to the story of Cain and Abel.

why you should read it:

good question. I think I can show you many reasons why you should read it, to be honest. the most important is fact that this book is about free will, because we always can choose between good and bad and always it will be ur decision, not somebody else; free will because we always can choose will we be good or bad person, no matter of or genes or place where we live - we are creating oneself, our mind and character, our future. East of Eden is about attempt to find oneself also, because 'live' it's one thing, but 'be somebody' it's the second. 

questions about sin, conscience of guilty person and self-destruction, and also question 'what to do to be a better person, to think as a better person?' - another reason why to read it.

of course inside this book we can find religious allegory, Eden (obviously), but also the story of Cain and Abel - that's why title of book is East of Eden:

and Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the Land of Nod, on the east of Eden

                                                                                                                                Genesis

the next reason why you should read this book is just exceptional, unique and amazing style of Steinbeck. for me you can find between the lines questions and answers, happiness and tears, the beginning and the end, you can even find yourself there. as for me this book isn't just a normal story, it's something more: sincere, fascinating, surprising, giving questions, inducing for giving some thought to oneself and these characters - remarkable.

things to look out for:

I think it's a friendship, or relation as who likes, between Adam, Samuel Hamilton and Lee, Adam's manservant. all their conversations, ideas, problems and advices. I think it's a real base and real heart of the book. and I think Steinbeck wanted to show this thing, philosophy of it.

where / when you should read this:

everywhere! but I think that it would be really good if you had a little peace around yourselves to think about the story, about words inside the book.but you can read it everywhere and anytime, trust me. it's not important where or when but what will you feel when you will be reading it.

ok, East of Eden is, more or less, long (mine book has 848 pages) but it's nice to read. trust me, it's not so bad.East of Eden is worth it.

favourite quotes from the book:

* All great and precious things are lonely.

* Courage and fear were one thing too.

* An unbelieved truth can hurt a man much more than a lie.

* Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man.

* But you must give him some sign, some sign that you love him... or he'll never be a man. All his life he'll feel guilty and alone unless you release him.

* It would be absurd if we did not understand both angels and devils, since we invented them.

* I wonder how many people I have looked at all my life and never really seen.

* A man without words is a man without thought.

* And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.

* Strong and brave and rather childlike.

* There’s more beauty in truth, even if it is dreadful beauty.

* A man so painfully in love is capable of self-torture beyond belief.

* My imagination will get me a passport to hell one day.

* Sometimes a man wants to be stupid if it lets him do a thing his cleverness forbids.

* It’s awful not to be loved. It’s the worst thing in the world. It makes you mean, and violent, and cruel.

* No one who is young is ever going to be old.

* It’s a hard thing to leave any deeply routine life, even if you hate it.

* Perhaps the less we have, the more we are required to brag.

* Maybe-- maybe love makes you suspicious and doubting. Is it true that when you love a woman you are never sure-- never sure of her because you aren't sure of yourself?

 * I think I love you, Cal. -Abra; I'm not good.-Cal ; Because you're not good. -Abra

* When you're a child you're the center of everything. Everything happens for you. Other people? They're only ghosts furnished for you to talk to.

* Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the slow, eating agony of a lie is never lost.

* In my own way I tell jokes because people come all the way to my place to laugh. I try to be funny for them even when the sadness is on me.

                                                                                       - Samuel Hamilton

 * I believe there are monsters born in the world to human parents.

* We have only one story. All novels, all poetry, are built on the never-ending contest in ourselves of good and evil. And it occurs to me that evil must constantly respawn, while good, while virtue, is immortal. Vice has always a new fresh young face, while virtue is venerable as nothing else in the world is.

 * Dear Lord,' he said. 'let me be like Aron. Don’t make me mean. I don’t want to be. If you will let everybody like me, why, I’ll give you anything in the world, and if I haven’t got it, why, I’ll go for to get it. I don’t want to be mean. I don’t want to be lonely. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

                                                                                            - Cal

yes, in my opinion East of Eden it's just a great book. to be honest, it's just 'must to read', even once in a lifetime.

this book can change your lives, your world view... and it'll happen when you read it - trust me.

P.S.
to be honest I'm just like Cal. I'm sure of it.