Happy Thursday friends! Today I am so excited to share my book, movie, and TV review with y'all! Before I start though- if you have any suggestions for me for March please let me know! I am constantly looking for biographies and true stories so if you have any favorites - please pass on your suggestions!
So because I traveled a couple of times this month I have quite a few things to share about so here we go: *smiles*
Books
I am wincing and biting my bottom lip a bit as I mention this book because it is... incredible. I really think that everyone should read it- it is the true story of Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist Ludwig (Lale) Sokolovamazing and the love story that finds him during his time in Auschwitz. I don't even know where to start in describing this book, but it has had the most profound impact on my personal life... and I can't recommend it enough. Go buy it NOW. You can find the book HERE.
Disclaimer... parts of this book are incredibly difficult in showing the horrific capacity that we as human can do to each other. But in that horror... courage finds a way to come out. Truly amazing.
Similar book recommendations that I have read and would recommend to this book:
You can find my review of it HERE and you can Beneath a Scarlet Sky by clicking HERE.
{two} Suzanne's Children
*sad sigh* I wanted to love this book. In fact it has been on my list to read for well over a year and so I took it (along with The Tattooist of Auschwitz) to California because I just knew that I would love them both. I honestly didn't care for this book at all. Which is really sad because the story of what Suzanne did is incredible. Honestly the part that she played in using her money, her influence, her status as a woman of "upper class" and all of her connections was simply unbelievable. The tragic part of her personal life (she decides to bring her best friend whom her husband is in love with into their home to keep him happy and the disconnect that she had with her children) I believe played a huge part in her desire to change the world around her. Unfortunately though the book was incredibly slow and had so many different facts and historical aspects I felt like the writer was trying to just include so many things to try to prove that Suzanne was a hero. There are so many different characters introduced, so much history explaining a lot of facts that really wasn't necessary that it really deviated from what I feel the purpose of the book was. I hate giving a bad review but I just really can't recommend it if you are looking to read about a "daring rescue" in Paris revolving around children who were saved. I would more classify the title and the expectation of an historical understanding Paris (and at times France itself) during World War II and the workings of the Paris underground resistance... Suzanne is killed at the end and in many ways I felt like the book (even with all of its trying to prove otherwise) didn't do justice to her story. If you want to check it out you can find the book HERE.
If you are looking for an amazing story with a similar concept to what I had hoped Suzanne's Children would be that I have read and would recommend to this book:
You can find my review of it HERE and you can Irena's Children by clicking HERE. You can also watch an amazing movie about Irena Sendler entitled: The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler by clicking HERE.
{three} Business Boutique
Business Boutique, (something I have mentioned before on the blog) is one that I saw on a friend's instagram feed that I decided to check out. There is SO much helpful and practical advice that I have finished reading it but am constantly working my way back through it to put into practice all of the information that she is sharing. If you are looking at becoming any type of entrepreneur than this book is chocked full of helpful tips and wisdom that you will want to explore. You can find it HERE!
Movies
{One} First Man
So I watched the movie "First Man" with friends technically in January, but am just sharing about it now. Have y'all seen it? I was skeptical because there were so many negative reviews, but y'all I enjoyed it ... it really makes you think about who we are as people in the face of ordinary and extraordinary moments in life... and also realizing on a deep and complex level how flawed we all are...and the hope that can be found despite this... I realized in new ways how circumstances in our lives can affect people and understanding someone's story is so incredibly important. If you saw it what were your thoughts?
If you haven't seen it- I would definitely recommend watching it and going into it with an open mind... I think that most of the reviews were expecting something else. I went into realizing that this is not a review of the space program (of which there are other good movies that do so!) but telling of a story of a man who made history, and that is why I think I enjoyed it. Another thing was that so many of the negative reviews said that it "depicted Armstrong completely wrong", but I found it interesting to read that his family believed that the movie "nailed it" and they were contributors to the film. In all honesty, this made me appreciate the movie more...we know he planted the flag... but this raw and real human component that was portrayed of this brilliant man was (I thought) incredibly well done. Let me know what you think! You can watch it HERE!
{Two} Hunter Killer
So my dad (who is a lovely man and let's us watch all of the girly movies we want to *smiles*) really wanted to see this movie after reading the book. Y'all I enjoyed it. It is definitely a adventure guys movie and it was really well done I thought. It was definitely action packed and I thought it was really well acted. Sometimes you just want a fun "guy" movie full of action and adventure- especially when you have guys watching with you *smiles* and so it was a fun movie to watch. Disclaimer: It is rated "R" ... honestly y'all know I have a VERY sensitive heart and am pretty picky about what I watch. I didn't realize it was rated "R" till after we watched it... I think that there is some definite language and it is a bit violent, but overall it was one honestly one of the "cleaner" movies I have seen and it seemed to me that there are some TV shows with more violence. (Not endorsing that just trying to give an accurate picture.) Let me know what you guys think! You can watch it HERE!
{Three} Mary Poppins
I think the last time that I saw Mary Poppins I was a child. I found the VHS version in a thrift store for 10 cents and this past week my mom and I watched it again. Y'all... I loved it as an adult and if you haven't seen it in a while - watch it. It is so precious and brought back so many childhood memories! You can watch it HERE!
{Four} Flammen & Citronen
I watched this back in February after it was recommended and it was honestly one of those film recommendations that sticks with you for your life I think. Here is what I wrote about it to the person who recommended it which I think is an accurate portrayal of my thoughts:
"I am a girl who is very passionate about keeping this era of history "alive", so I was very intrigued by this recommendation & the portrayal of a not so talked about part of the Danish resistance...I definitely agree with you... I think this is definitely THE most captivating foreign film I have seen so far & honestly probably one of the more "gritty" (as far as accurately portraying the realistic nature that war doesn't always come succinctly as simple "good/evil" as many films on the subject matter seem to depict) ... & yet I admit that like some other films on this era I walked away at first a bit "disturbed" for lack of a better word...as I read through more of the director's thoughts & reasoning behind some of the historical inaccuracies/liberties taken(i.e. the suicide, etc)...I came away feeling that the film drew me into a deeper discussion of (as you point out)...the concept of heroism in gray areas & the role that this plays in our actions & choices...similar to the movie Defiance from 2009, but in a(dare I say?) darker way (despite the fact that the cinematography was stunning)...perhaps that is what keeps replaying in mind as I continue to think about it even days later...one line that I found particularly haunting that seemed to sum up all of my thoughts was: "there is no just or unjust any longer"...a haunting thought... thank you for the amazing recommendation... going to be pondering this one for a while!"
Even two months later haunting is the word I would definitely keep coming back to... You can watch it HERE!
TV
Life has been so busy that I haven't really been watching to much TV so I am going to save those reviews for next month y'all!
If you are curious about other book reading lists I have done in the past you can find those posts below:
Happy Thursday friends! Thank you so much for reading today! What about you- what have you been watching and reading that you would recommend?
2 comments
Loved this post! I always love to hear what friends are watching and reading- can't wait for the next one!
ReplyDeletexoxo A
www.southernbelleintraining.com
Thank you SO much friend for stopping by and commenting! I know- these are some of my favorites to read too! I have only done them sporadically throughout the year and this year have been trying to do them every month- haha! with this being my first one! :) Can't wait to share the next one! Thanks again for stopping by and taking the time to comment!
DeleteBlessings, Rebecca :)