The time traveler's wife by Audrey Niffenegger
I've been thinking about what my favourite book should be like: a story, science-fiction describing historical events, insightful narration about unusual important 'stuff'. I know this description is very vague and probably a high percentage of books make attempt to achieve that. Although a love story (why although?!) and a tragic one, a book about something so lame as time travel and a best-seller, the combination of words and events in this books is like A (not THE) right one. I loved it, but still I'm gonna be searching for THE right one :-)
Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
Behavioural economics?! Hmmm..does a bunch of experiments like beer-tasting and selling chocolate can count for scientific? This is an essential difference between European and American approach to science (broadly). Wheareas Europeans like dry theory, which can be proved only by very old professors with a sequal of "therefore, therefore, therefore" even in social sciences ( I suppose this is an inheritance from the ancient Greek philosophers), American scientists like to conduct experiments. Which method is right or wrong I cannot tell. This book written by a respectful MBA American professor deals mainly with common sense issues like advertising can be missleading, people tend to procrastinate, emotions prevail rationality, etc.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
I cannot give a bad review to Oscar Wilde.(like duh!) But this book wasn't really my cup of tea. It's vey gay and the characters' actions are very predictable. The language is old-fashioned, of course, but there are some nice monologues and you can feel the triumph of evil and despair,selfishness, the fatality, sooner tragedy of the one and only question that really matters - Why can I stay young and forever..
The European Union: How Does it Work?
During my preparation for an EPSO (European Personnel Selection Office) CBT (computer-based test) I read a lot about European Union from its official sources web-site. (Although I seriously need to catch up with the recent events, e.g.Lisbon Strategy). It represented thoroughly many dry facts. This book gave my another-angle insight of the EU through its historical and political context. (reconciliation btw. Germany and France,etc.) It's a little bit soaked with British humor/scepticism (maybe I am exaggerating)- which is a good thing (it gives dynamics) and it is an old edition. The book gives insights to essential concepts.
Global Political Economy by John Ravenhill
The textbook is very carefully written - from the difference of global to international to the handful of given examples. It felt more like common sense, maybe because I knew most of the stuff already, but it was good to have a look at the science were economics and international relations intersect. Some notions and concpets are not explained, which is the work of a textbook, but there is a lot of information on the subject most of which overlaps through the chapters because each chapter is written by different person, although the title says John Ravenhill..
The City of Thieves by David Benioff
When you buy this book in UK it goes with a cover, which says: "If you don't like this book we will send you 2 free books". Tempting, but I am not gonna do it because simply I loved it. Although the plot of the book is the place and time you never wanna be - occupied Leningrad by Nazis. The twist is the fact that the tale is set in the besieged and starving city of Leningrad in January, 1941. It is a city at war surrounded by the German army, in the middle of a bitter winter, where the last resort becomes commonplace. And then the most interesting and funny story happens, though there is a drama - one of the main characters dies.. David, was that necessary?
Surrealism by Michael Robinson
A very good reference to surrealism, this book covers a lot of artists. I am and will be using it for my research on absurdism.
