Skip to main content

Posts

When It Knocks on Your Door - The Man in the High Castle S2

  Season two doesn’t knock politely - it has even more impact. Now that we fully understand the world and its peculiarities, the characters feel deeper, more human, and far more meaningful. A Shift Toward the Reich One of the most interesting changes this season is the shift in narrative. The focus shifts from the Empire to the Nazi side. With Juliana Crain (Alexa Davalos) seeking asylum inside the Reich and Joe Blake (Luke Kleintank) traveling to Berlin, we are brought closer than ever to the heart of the regime.  Joe’s journey is curious and a bit sad. From the very beginning, he is unsure of where he belongs. Resistance? Reich? Something in between? Watching him uncover secrets — particularly about his own past — is one of the most engaging arcs of the season. And then there is his father. The Illusion of Decency Joe’s father (played by Sebastian Roché - Sheriff Wagy in Big Sky ) initially appears composed, intelligent — even kind. But as the season progresses...
Post a Comment
Read more
Recent posts

Jennifer Egan: Time, Memory, and Reinvention

  Jennifer Egan (b. 1962) is an American novelist and short story writer known for her formally inventive fiction and psychologically nuanced storytelling. Born in Chicago and raised in San Francisco, she studied English literature at the University of Pennsylvania and later at Cambridge University on a Thouron Award. Egan emerged in the 1990s as a distinctive voice in contemporary American fiction, but she achieved major international recognition in 2011 with her Pulitzer Prize–winning novel A Visit from the Goon Squad . Her work frequently explores time, memory, technology, identity, and the music industry, often through unconventional narrative structures. Main Works  1. A Visit from the Goon Squad (2010) A genre-defying novel structured as interconnected stories, including a famous chapter presented as a PowerPoint slide deck. It explores aging, time, and the music industry. Award: Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (2011). 2. The Candy House (2022) A companion nove...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Surprisingly Delightful Journey Through the Galaxy

  The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was already a favorite book of someone very close to me, but I wasn’t sure it would become my gem.  I had also read several reviews claiming it wasn’t funny at all. That made me even more skeptical. Humor is subjective, after all — and clearly this book isn’t for everyone. But I gave it a try. And I was positively surprised. Reading the Ultimate Edition I picked up The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy , a special edition that includes: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy The Restaurant at the End of the Universe Life, the Universe and Everything Young Zaphod Plays It Safe Mostly Harmless I intend to read the remaining stories as soon as I can. If the first one is any indication, the journey through the rest of the galaxy will be just as strange — and just as thought-provoking. Absurdity as a Mirror of Humanity What struck me most is how full the story is of metaphors analyzing human behavior. Despite bei...
Post a Comment
Read more

Brad Pitt: Five Roles That Defined a Generation

  Brad Pitt (born December 18, 1963, in Shawnee ) is an American actor and film producer widely regarded as one of the most influential and versatile performers of his generation. Raised in Springfield , Pitt attended the University of Missouri before moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting. He gained early attention in the 1990s and quickly became one of Hollywood’s most recognizable leading men. Beyond acting, Pitt co-founded the production company Plan B Entertainment , which has produced several critically acclaimed films.   Top 5 Works  Fight Club (1999) Directed by David Fincher , this cult classic featured Pitt as the charismatic and rebellious Tyler Durden. The film became a defining cultural phenomenon of the late 1990s. Se7en (1995) A psychological thriller where Pitt starred alongside Morgan Freeman . His performance as Detective David Mills showcased his dramatic range. Inglourious Basterds (2009) Directed by Quentin Tarantino , Pitt played Lt. Aldo Ra...
Post a Comment
Read more

Growing Up with Greg: A Timeless Read for Kids and Parents

  I recently bought Diary of a Wimpy Kid for my daughter, and she was absolutely delighted.  Having read it myself as a teenager, I found it special to revisit the story and see her enjoy it just as much as I once did.  Funny, Accessible, and Engaging Jeff Kinney strikes a perfect balance between strong vocabulary and an easy, accessible writing style for young readers.  It’s genuinely funny, highly engaging, and ideal for encouraging kids to develop independent reading habits without feeling overwhelmed. Relatable Emotions for Pre-Teens Stories written as pre-teens' diaries are especially powerful. They help children understand and process their own emotions during those confusing and sometimes complicated growing-up years.  Greg is funny, often misunderstood, and incredibly relatable. His struggles with school, friendships, and family reflect the real-life challenges many kids face. A Nostalgic Read for Adults For adults, the book brings a wave of n...
Post a Comment
Read more

Lee (2023) – A Portrait of Courage, Truth, and Imperfection

  Lee follows the life of Lee Miller (Kate Winslet), a former model who becomes a war correspondent and photographer during World War II.   The film traces her journey from a world of fashion and art into the heart of conflict, where she documents the horrors of war with a perspective rarely seen at the time. More than a biopic, it is a study of transformation, resilience, and the cost of bearing witness. A Slow Beginning That Serves a Purpose I’ll admit it: the first half of the movie felt a bit slow. But as the story unfolded, I began to understand why that quieter rhythm was necessary. That slower start allows us to truly see who Lee was before the war — her doubts, her ambitions, her environment. When her transformation happens, it feels earned.  In that sense, it reminded me of films like The Theory of Everything or even The Crown , where patience in storytelling deepens the emotional impact of what follows. The gradual build makes the second half even mor...
Post a Comment
Read more

South of the Border, West of the Sun-A Conflicted Experience

  South of the Border, West of the Sun  was not at all one of my favorites.  After reading so many glowing reviews, I must confess I was genuinely disappointed.  That said, I didn’t stop reading. Not even once. And that, in itself, says a lot about Haruki Murakami as a writer. I didn’t enjoy the book until very close to the end, but Murakami’s prose kept pulling me forward. He has that rare ability to make you continue reading even when you feel, deep down, that the story might be going nowhere. Beautiful Writing, Distant Characters Murakami writes beautifully—there’s no denying that. His sentences flow effortlessly, scenes are carefully composed, and everything feels precise and intentional. But I felt no empathy for Hajime, the main character. I couldn’t identify with him, nor did I particularly care about what happened to him. And it’s hard to love a story when you don’t care about the people living inside it. This emotional distance reminded me, at times, of ...
Post a Comment
Read more