Appearance
Housing: New Alternatives, New Systems
Well, honestly, I probably wouldn't have seen this book if it wasn't for my professor and his obscure references to buildings. This is a pretty good book to make one understand and become visually aware of the way housing affects the inhabitant and the way the inhabitant(society/culture) affects the housing... also site relationships and basically the urbanization of the world. Another thing, this book is pretty good at giving examples of housing that breaks from the "normalcy" and "style-numbness"(that's my own term!) of today. I focused mainly on Riegler and Riewe's apartment building in Austria and theories on "conditioned openness" and flexibility. This, and the other examples are pretty interesting to me, maybe a good coffee table book for some. Pick it up and compare the many different systems to your current form of housing...
Housing: New Alternatives, New Systems
Well, honestly, I probably wouldn't have seen this book if it wasn't for my professor and his obscure references to buildings. This is a pretty good book to make one understand and become visually aware of the way housing affects the inhabitant and the way the inhabitant(society/culture) affects the housing... also site relationships and basically the urbanization of the world. Another thing, this book is pretty good at giving examples of housing that breaks from the "normalcy" and "style-numbness"(that's my own term!) of today. I focused mainly on Riegler and Riewe's apartment building in Austria and theories on "conditioned openness" and flexibility. This, and the other examples are pretty interesting to me, maybe a good coffee table book for some. Pick it up and compare the many different systems to your current form of housing...
Menia zovut zhenshchina (Russian Edition)
One of the best qualities of Arbatova's proze is the fact that it is very to read. Most of her writing is done on the "stream of consciousness" level. I first read "menia zovut zhenshina" about a year ago. I have re-read it since. It is a lovely collection of stories, all true-to-life accounts of what life was really like for millions of Russian women, from abortions to clothes queues. My favourite is the last story of Natalia Goncharova. Very delicately written.
Menia zovut zhenshchina (Russian Edition)
"Menia zovut zhenshchina" is a collection of essays; as the greater part of Arbatova's writings, they are largely autobiographical. Arbatova differs favorably from a number of other Russian women authors in that she criticizes the system (the title essay is a strong presentation of how female patients are treated in the state-owned health institutions), yet, at the same time, manages to find sources of strength in unexpected places. Not all essays in the book are equally impressive, but there are valuable observations - and humorous passages. For a student of Russian, Arbatova is a good author to read; she writes a language that is easy to understand, and in current use. She comes out strong and optimistic, an inspiration for young women.
Menia zovut zhenshchina (Russian Edition)
This book is a pathetic attempt of Maria Arbatova to add her name to the list of Russian classics. Oh, well... If Maghomet doesn't go to the mountain... The book is full of family pictures and the ego of the author. It could be fun for the audience that knows so little about the life in the Soviet Union, that is ready to swallow the first stereotypical and one-dimensional picture. All characters (except for the author - the book is autobiographical) are villains, morons and degenerates. The judgements are categorical and what Arbatova just failed to understand is depicted as grotesque caricature, regardless whether she writes about the Soviet Union or European countries she had the chance to visit. The book can be recommended to the Russian immigrants who curse the day they left their country to themselves, but curse their former country outloud. Or to those nostalgic loosers who are ready to read any quality of literature provided it's connecting them to the bad/good old days.
Pursued (Left Behind: The Young Trib Force)
I have always enjoyed the adult series of Left Behind books. The kids books are just as good. The kids interact with the characters from the adult series, experience the same events, etc. However, since the main characters are teens, these books can appeal to younger readers. So far, the stories haven't had the ups and downs that the adult series has had. The adult series has books that are a lot more boring than others. The kids series seems to be good in every book. These are not for really young kids, but would be appropriate for young teens. I enjoy them and I am an adult.