"Поцелуй меня еще, незнакомец" Дафна дю Морье

Сюжет таков: послевоенный Лондон. Простецкий парень из народа что называется, вернулся из армии и пошел работать механиком в гараж. Но вдруг в его незатейливой размеренной жизни появляется ОНА и привычный мир даёт трещину. Грустная история о Любви. Девушка оказывается убийцей, мстящей военным за потерянных родителях.

"Не оглядывайся" Дафна дю Морье

Good story about fate, destiny and sign from another world. Husband and his wife are going to Italy after death of their daughter. One day they are meeting old ladies which tell them that they can see their dead daughter and she is telling them to go as soon as possible from Venice.

Wife decided to leave Italy and go back to England and husband is staying one more day in Venice. Fortune ladies were right, he is killed by mad killer by a mistake.

"Козел отпущения" Дафна дю Морье

Роман "Козел отпущения" по праву считается одним из лучших ее произведений, в котором глубокий психологизм сочетается с потрясающим лиризмом. Невероятная, почти нереальная сюжетная завязка дает автору возможность представить традиционный на первый взгляд семейный роман в неожиданном и драматичном освещении. Главный герой – англичанин, преподаватель университета – путешествует по Франции. В ресторане он встречает своего двойника – француза, владельца поместья и стекольного завода. И вот одному из них приходит в голову сумасшедшая идея – поменяться местами, а точнее, жизнями.

"The Flight of the Falcon" by Daphne du Maurier

В `Полет сокола` рассказывается о судьбе двух братьев Донати, потерявших друг друга в годы войны. Их встреча, после долгих лет разлуки, в маленьком итальянском городке Руффино, городе их детства, влечет за собой целый ряд таинственных и трагических событий...

"На грани" Дафна дю Морье

Еще один хороший рассказ от одной из моих любимых писательниц!

Шейла Манн тяжело переживая смерть отца, решает выполнить его последнюю просьбу (как ей кажется). Она разыскивает его старого друга, отправляется за ним в дикую местность Ирландии. Этот человек оказывается не вышел на пенсию как предполагал отец Шейлы, а занимается повстанческим движением и взрывами на границе.

Шейла привязывается к нему, и влюбляется. Но в конце рассказа узнает что этот человек, является ее настоящим отцом!

"Split Second" by Daphne du Maurier

История в которую попала миссис Эллис на первый взгляд выглядит очень запутанной.

Однажды вернувшись с прогулки она обнаруживает что в ее дом за время ее отсутствия вселились незнакомые люди, никто из знакомых не может подтвердить что она это она и где она живет.

Путаница продолжается до конца книги пока не выясняется что женщина страдает потерей память и думает что она миссис Эллис.

"The Little Photographer" by Daphne du Maurier

Небольшой интересный рассказ.

Некая маркиза, приезжающая на курорт. Она прекрасна, молода и все вокруг восторгаются ею. Маркиза находит интересным немое обожание ничем не привлекательного местного фоторафа. Тот влюбляется в нее без памяти, и когда маркиза понимает что это для него более не игра и от готов погубить ее лишь бы она не была с другим, она его убивает.

Сестра покойного фотографа догадавшись о смерти брата решает шантажировать графиню.

Marina Lewycka "We are all made of glue"

Another amazing book by Marina Lewycka.

"We are all made of glue" is brilliant social comedy about middle age women, who has problems with her family. Georgia Sinclair is looking for her own space in her life. One day she met old woman Mr Shapiro who turned her world up side down. Georgia is very interested in this lady story, piece by piece she making her own image of things which had happened long time ago, somewhere far away at Israel, Palestine, Germany and Denmark.

This is excellent book!

"Two caravans" by Marina Lewycka

Amazing book. This is my first of three books by Marina. Her style is very unusual, it is real modern witty literature.

This story is about few immigrants, who met in Kent at strawberry field. From page to page you follow their amazing adventures, learn more about new world, compare it to homeland and look for love.

Irina and Andriy, the main characters of this book, have found their love and way to happiness even they are from different Ukrainian camps and different social groups.

This is very nice book, I am looking for new books by such an amazing author as Marina.

"Hotel" by Arthur Hailey

I found this book by good review on one of the literature sites. It is very good reading, in some ways classic literature of the 20ty century.

Book shows us life of the hotel St Gregory. Hotel tries to keep its independence and not become one of the chain, nothing special twin.

Book describes us lives of different members of the staff, from the owner to the trash man, how they all connect to the hotel, how they go through changes.

I can definitely recomend this book and will read more novels by Arthur Hailey in future.

Sophie Kinsella "Can you keep a secret?"

Few years ago I read famous book about shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. That time I found it quite simple but idea was interesting. When I started to read "Can you keep a secret?" I found myself that author changed names, situation a little bit but main line of this book is exactly the same.

Emma, feel herself lost, her family doesn't understand her, her carrier doesn't move to direction she wants it to move, relations with her boyfriend is not exactly what she wants. One day everything is changing, with stranger coming into her life. She meets Jack on plane, it seemed to her that plane is crashing and she opens all little secrets to him. Emma falling in love with a new man, who is boss of the company where she is working.

Intrigue of the book is that Jack opens Emma's secrets to public by mistake on TV.

It was easy-book for reading during my lunch time. I can't really recommend it to anyone, it is so many books out there, it is possible to find something better!

My top 10 list (2008)

Mine Top 10

1. Mikhail Bulgakov “Master and Margarita”
2. Frederic Beigbeder “Love lasts three years”
3. Paulo Coelho “Alchemist”
4. J. D. Salinger “The Catcher in the Rye”
5. Gabriel Garsia Markes “100 years loneliness”
6. J. R. R. Tolkien “Lord of the rings”
7. Fedor Dostoevsky “The Gambler”
8. Andy Warhol “The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again)”
9. Haruki Murakami “A Wild Sheep Chase''
10. Theodore Dreiser “The Financier. The Titan. The Stoic.”

Мой Топ 10

1. Михаил Булгаков «Мастер и Маргарита»
2. Фредерик Бегбедер «Любовь живет 3 года»
3. ПаулоКоэльо «Алхимик»
4. Джером Дэвид Сэлинджер «Над пропастью во ржи»
5. Габриэль Гарсия Маркес «100 лет одиночества»
6. Джон Рональд Руэл «Толкиен Властелин Колец»
7. Федор Достоевский «Игрок»
8. Энди Уорхол «Философия Энди Уорхола (от А к Б и наоборот)»
9. Харуки Мураками «Охота на овец»
10. Теодор Драйзер «Финансист. Титан. Стоик.»

"The House on the Strand" by Daphne du Maurier

This book is very different to other books by Daphne du Maurier. It is my third book and with each one I more and more falling in love with her style.

This is a story about travelling in time. Dick Young came to Cornwall, using invitation of his old friend professor Magnus. Dick feeling himself lost in his life, he left his London job without any big reason, his wife wants him to move to New York but he is not very open for this idea. When professor propose him to try his new invention - drug which helps you to travel in time, Dick go into this adventure. With each trip old times attracts him more and more, he falls in love with lady there and he finds his new/old world is matches him much more, then his own reality with family, work and other casual things.

Dick's trips becoming more and more dangerous. His friend-professor suddenly dies, but his can't stop Dick, something holds him in past and with each time for him is more and more difficult to understand where is real world and where is not.

It is no actual final, author give us chance to guess, what happened with Dick in the end, if he found energy to stay in present or his mind will stay in past forever!

I find this book is a certain mix in between "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" by Haruki Murakami and Irvin Shaw novels.

"No Motive" by Daphne du Maurier

Very interesting short story. It kept me involved from the first word until the last one.

Young woman made suicide without any obvious reasons and her husband decided to investigate it with detective's help. During the case, he found out about lost child and other things which blocked her memory. After meeting her son in so many years, her memory back to her and she can't deal with it, she took the gun and killed herself.

One of the best short-detective stories I have been read!

"The Borgia Bride" by Jeanne Kalogridis

This book was suggested to me by one of my friends. In this novel writer describeds life of Sancha of Aragon during her early years in Naples and then in Rome. She got married with son of Pope Alexander "5" and moved from her hometown to the capital. With her move she started to play important role for few people from Borgia family. She went through love, pain and loss. But Sancha as true member of the Aragon family, showed hew strength to everyone who hurts her.

It is not a happy end book but it finishes on positive and with hope for better.

This book is based on some real facts and decorated with interesting story line. I didn't know anything about Borgia family before so for me was very interesting to discover few historical facts about that period.

I can say that this book has pluses and minuses. As its positive sides I can say that story in very interesting, sometimes you just can't stop to read it because every page brings something exciting. Main minus for me is some erotic moments, which wasn't in the right place in this book. Author could describe such things in a more sophisticated way, on my opinion.

As a result, I can say that I enjoyed reading this book and I will be glad to find something similar to read in the future!

Jill Mansell "Mixed doubles"

On the way to Ukraine it wasn't anything for me to read and I found something easy in the book shop.

I don't like "love" novels, it is not my literature type. From this book I expected a little bit more of "Sex and the city" but it became more romantic novel instead.

Story tells us about three ladies who made their New Year resolutions and what happed next. One year long story shows to each girl how to find own way of happiness. Sometimes you need to loose something to understand that you really want it, sometime you need to loose something to understand that you really don't need it and sometimes you just need to believe that love is exists and to follow it with an open heart.

"A French novel" by Frederic Beigbeder

Without any doubts Frederic Beigbeder is my favorite modern author. I read almost all his books and with each one I like him even more. "A French novel" is his first autobiography. Each day of our life is a result of yesterday choices. Our personality it is a result of our childhood. But who is a person, who doesn't remember his childhood, who's first memories only start at age of 15. Frederic tries to find out who is he, when he locked in French prison for a few days, as escape from the reality he starts to remember his life from the beginning. Only when he found a way to that small boy, which always was inside him, he felt that he knows how to find a way to his future.

It is really a good book, book with a soul. Only when you know where was a beginning, you can see the road ahead.

Truman Capote "Breakfast at Tiffany's"

I am hugely fascinated by the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's" that is why I have decided to read a book. I can't say that I was very disappointed but I haven't found real connection with my favorite movie.

Firstly this role was written for Merilyn Monroe, which were too different character, compare with adorable Audrey Hepburn.

Secondly book doesn't really have a storyline, it is more like incomplete memories about relations in between Holly and Paul.

Third and the most disappointing for me that the book has totally different final. It is not that romantic happy end from the movie with rain, taxi and the cat. In the book Holly just left New York, to look for her happiness somewhere far away in Brazil.

I think script writers has done amazing job to make from medium standard story such a magnificent movie. And definitely without Audrey Hepburn this movie will not be the one, which millions of people love with all their hearts.

"Evening in Byzantium" by Irwin Shaw

It is a story about Hollywood producer. All his life was penetrated with glory and success and at some point his just seemed fail. What make people who are surrounded by people who love them, people who admire them just stop to move. His last try, after few years of silence was his own work, his own play. But as always life made its own decision, his health cheated on him. He left all alone, his work gone to other people, his women went to other men, his children started their own life. And he just decided not to fight anymore for his life, author doesn't show us his death but we understand that this this will not take long time. This story, and time which described in it, has a lot of similar things with Fitzgerald's novels and especially with Great Gatsby.

“The gold bug” by Edgar Allan Poe

First time this year I read real book, which were printed in 1959. It is completely different feeling compare to electronic version. There are whisper of pages, smack and feeling of the dialogue stronger.

I have read small novel by Edgar Allan Poe, “The gold bug”. This is good story about pirates’ times and their treasures. This novel describes treasure hunting by three friends, with cryptanalysis help. When you are reading such stories you would like by your own to solve a riddle.

***

Впервые за долгое время я читаю настоящую книгу, более того книгу, напечатанную в 1959 году. Совсем другое чувство по сравнению с электронным вариантом, шелест страниц, их запах, чувство диалога более сильное.

Прочитан небольшой рассказ Эдгара Алана По «Золотой жук». Хорошее произведение о временах пиратов и их сокровищ. История описывает поиск клада, с помощью расшифровки криптограммы тремя товарищами. Читая подобные истории, самой хочется отгадать какую-нибудь головоломку.

“This side of paradise” F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Youth always heartless and heartless person just have to be selfish”

“This side of paradise” was first among writings, which were foreordained to become great. If to compare it with “Great Gatsby” and “Tender is the night”, this novel has difference because it is very autobiographic. In Amory Blaine’s face, F. Scott Fitzgerald shows his own feelings about problems of young generation from the beginning of 20 century.

Beauty of the words in this novel is impressive by its sophistication. I would like to draw a parallel with rough wine, which I can’t describe as tasty but if to drink with small tots you can get real privilege pleasure. This style makes you to think, makes you to read same sentence again and again, for its deep meaning.

This novel describes few years of young man’s (Egoist) life, which represents US “lost generation”. He went through satiation of life, through twists and turns of friendship and love and he felt poverty, physical and spiritual. Author doesn’t give us certain final, he puts kind of dots in the end. Fitzgerald gives us a possibility to come up with our own final, he wants our own Amory Blaine, which lives in each of us, to have a chance to make own decision.

***

«Юность всегда бессердечна, а бессердечный человек просто обязан быть эгоистом»

«По ту сторону рая» был первым среди произведений, которым суждено было стать великими. Сравнивая его с «Великий Гетсби» и «Ночь нежна», роман отличается большей автобиографичностью. В лице главного героя, Эмори Блейна, Фицджеральд показывает свое переживание проблем молодежи начала 20 века.

Красота слога в этом произведении поражает изысканностью. Во время чтения, хочется провести параллель с терпким вином, которое нельзя назвать вкусным, но маленькими глотками оно приносит истинное удовольствие. Этот слог, заставляет задуматься, заставляет прочитывать одно предложение по нескольку раз, чтобы понять и осмыслить.

Этот роман описывает несколько лет жизни молодого человека (эгоиста), который представляет собой «потерянное поколение» Америки. Он проходит через пресыщенность жизнью, через перипетии дружбы и любви и испытывает бедность как физическую, так и душевную. Автор не дает нам четкого финала, как бы ставя три точки. Фицджеральд дает нам право самим додумать свой финал, чтобы Эмори Блейн живущий в каждом из нас, имел возможность сделать свой собственный выбор.

"Audrey Hepburn" biography by Alexander Walker.

My literature year starter from Audry Hepburn biography. Before this book I knew almost nothing about this outstanding woman. For me Audrey always associated only with Holly

Golightly

character, levity heroine, who was lucky to find love.

I was affected by destiny of this wonderful, elegant and without waxing too poetic great woman. From page to page I empathized with her about her life's journey, success in movies and disappointments in private life. Audrey went thought a many trials, which wasn't visible for public in cinemas. I cried, when read last chapters of her biography, this is very rare happens with me.

Audrey Hepburn from the begging of her life and till tragic final, which cut off her life too early, was real woman. All what she has done, was with open heart and dignity, well-deserved royal blood.

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is my favorite movie and her character in it is my ageless standard of style, elegance and beauty.

***

Мой книжный год начался с биографии Одри Хепберн. До прочтения этой книги я не знала почти ничего об этой выдающейся женщине. Для меня Одри всегда ассоциировалась только с образом Холли Голайтли, ветреной героини, которой все-таки повезло найти любовь.

Меня очень затронула судьба этой потрясающей, утонченной и без преувеличения великой женщины. От страницы к странице я переживала вместе с ней ее жизненный путь, удачи в кино и неудачи в семейной жизни. Одри прошла через многие испытания, которые были не видны публике в кинотеатрах. Последние главы книги вызвали слезы, что бывает очень редко.

Одри Хепберн с самого начала своей жизни и до трагического конца, оборвавшего ее жизнь раньше времени была настоящей женщиной. Все что она делала, она делала с открытым сердцем и достоинством, достойным королевской крови.

"Завтрак у Тиффани" это мой любимый фильм и ее образ в этом фильме в моем представлении это вечный эталон стиля, элегантности и красоты.