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The Sunday Post #5: Lost In the Sky

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July is almost over soon? This turned into 1000 word post (sorry)…Mostly because I did not read anything last week and it bothered me a lot so  I managed to finish 7 books this week. I read: #1 Kind, versprich mir, das du dich erschiesst freely translated as Child, promise me that you will kill yourself (Lupaathan tappaa itsesi in Finnish) by Florian Huber describes something you won’t learn in your history lessons. Book describes a German city of where over 1000 people took their own lives, in less than 72 hours to avoid the horrors of the Red Army.  A lot of people don’t get what war is about. It’s not about who won or who lost. Not about the medals. Not about the few heroic individuals. It’s about human tragedy. When you die out of desperation. When you have no choice. 5/5 stars.

I read #2 How to Be an Alien: A Handbook for Beginners and Advanced Pupils by George Mikes and #3 Fanny Hill by John Cleland

How to Be an Alien: A Handbook for Beginners and Advanced PupilsHow to Be an Alien: A Handbook for Beginners and Advanced Pupils by George Mikes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In England everything is different. You must understand that when people say’England’, they sometimes mean ‘Great Britain'(England, Scotland and Wales), sometimes ‘the United Kingdom’ (England, Scotland,’Wales and Northern Ireland), sometimes the
‘British Isles’ (England, Scotland,Wales, Northern lreland and the Republic of Ireland) – but never just England.
…
In Europe nobody talks about the weather; in England, you have to say ‘Nice day, isn’t it?’about two hundred times every day, or people think you are a bit boring. …

Very humorous little book.

Fanny HillFanny Hill by John Cleland
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It’s still hard for me to comprehend how this was written almost 300 years ago and people are going crazy about 50 Shades of Grey? Or that something like this was written 300 years ago in the first place. I think all the modern romance/erotic authors could learn something by reading this.

I scrolled through Project Gutenberg top lists for some classic to read and thought that Fanny Hill sounds like something big and that maybe I should read it. As mentioned, did not know anything of the book beforehand so reading Fanny Hill was very amusing…

Then I read #4 Jaws by Peter Benchley. I don’t think I ever was afraid of sharks and now this book has changed something in me. 4/5 stars. #5 Business @ the Speed of Thought: Succeeding in the Digital Economy by Bill Gates. I think this explains why Gates is who he is. The book was written 17 years ago and it described all technology we now have or are trying to have. Although, for the most part, I suppose the book is out-of-date. 4/5 stars. #6 A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen which I didn’t really like. I never enjoyed reading plays because the names of the people who speak keep repeating endlessly and in CAPITAL LETTERS. It affects my reading flow. And then the plot, there is Nora who realizes that she’s living a life of a doll by her husband. I suppose this was shocking when it came out. Questioning the gender roles and that woman should not live like a doll. And, I’m sorry, but what does a modern woman do? Modern woman (worst case scenario) reads Cosmopolitan and think of how to be a better doll for her man. I mean how far have we come? Then Nora…she seemed so dumb and vain. …. In the end, I rated this as 3/5 stars on Goodreads. Mostly because of the ending. It’s like with Gone With the Wind film. First, you torture yourself by watching something you don’t get for 3,5 hours and then there’s that awesome highlight: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn”

 

“Only about one Martian in a thousand dies of sickness or disease, and possibly about twenty take the voluntary pilgrimage. The other nine hundred and seventy-nine die violent deaths in duels, in hunting, in aviation and in war; but perhaps by far the greatest death loss comes during the age of childhood, when vast numbers of the little Martians fall victims to the great white apes of Mars.2”
― Edgar Rice Burroughs, A Princess of Mars

# 7: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. I can’t believe I haven’t read this! Or that I haven’t read Barsoom series. I recall reading some of Burrough’s Tarzan books. And I can’t believe I saw the John Carter movie before reading this… Best science fiction I have read in a while. 4/5 stars

I’m still behaving like a tourist even if I have been living in Helsinki for more than a month now. This week I had a mission of visiting different observation decks and rooftops in Helsinki.  I discovered observation deck on the top of Verkkokauppa.com in Jätkäsaari, Helsinki. Lovely views over the city and the sea and the observation deck also had MG-130 jet fighter aircraft. No entrance fee and very few people around so I absolutely loved this place.

Stockmann Roof left me cold at first. It’s a fancy place, however, at first, I didn’t like it for a couple of reasons. First of all, it was difficult to get there. I took the elevator from Pohjoisesplanadi (first floor) and someone pushed all the possible buttons and there was only me and one other person in the elevator so you can imagine how long it took to reach the 7th floor. Same repeated on the way back. Stockmann is a department store so really I think and when there’s only one elevator to 7th floor, maybe some floors could be turned off? Stockmann Roof logo is pink, yet everything inside was white-green-black. I don’t even like pink, yet I wanted to see some pink or I think it some interior items could have been pink. Pink flowers? Then there were these flower head pots…My second visit yesterday was far better as department store had closed. All in all, I did like the vibe the place, music was nice and the staff was friendly and they had delicious Strawberry Margaritas.

& lastly I visited Ateljee Bar on top of Helsinki Torni hotel.

How’s your week been? What have you done? What you have you read?
//Anastasia

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

 

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60 thoughts on “The Sunday Post #5: Lost In the Sky”

  1. Wow seven books! That Florian Huber book sounds horrifying but at the same time people do need to know about war? I think sometimes we glorify the heroes (and that’s good) but maybe lose track of some of those things, the human cost? Anyway How To Be An Alien sounds fun, and Jaws? I’ve never read it but after I saw the movie I definitely didn’t want to swim in the ocean for a while!

    Ooh A Princess of Mars? I loved that book the first time I read it. If I remember right The Gods of Mars is pretty good too, with the air pirates and the lost valley and all that. I should re- read those.

    1. I agree I think a lot of stories about human tragedy are ignored or perhaps there are just too many of them. I warmly recommend How To Be an Alien, it’s fun and short read. I need to rewatch the movie!

      I’m looking forward to reading the next installments! :)

  2. SEVEN BOOKS??? SEVEN???????? Woah. That’s INCREDIBLE! I was thrilled with three! ;)

    Helsinki looks awesome and I think acting like a tourist where you live is something more people should do more often!

    The strawberry margaritas look divine ;)

    Have a great week!

    1. Three books is excellent amount :D This only happened because I skipped last week with reading.

      Indeed, I just want to explore new places as much as I can because lately I’ve been feeling that life is short and one must do everything at once (we’ll see how long that feeling lasts…) Divine is definitely the right word :D

      You too!

  3. Wow seven books! That Florian Huber book sounds horrifying but at the same time people do need to know about war? I think sometimes we glorify the heroes (and that’s good) but maybe lose track of some of those things, the human cost? Anyway How To Be An Alien sounds fun, and Jaws? I’ve never read it but after I saw the movie I definitely didn’t want to swim in the ocean for a while!

    Ooh A Princess of Mars? I loved that book the first time I read it. If I remember right The Gods of Mars is pretty good too, with the air pirates and the lost valley and all that. I should re- read those.

    1. I agree I think a lot of stories about human tragedy are ignored or perhaps there are just too many of them. I warmly recommend How To Be an Alien, it’s fun and short read. I need to rewatch the movie!

      I’m looking forward to reading the next installments! :)

  7. SEVEN BOOKS??? SEVEN???????? Woah. That’s INCREDIBLE! I was thrilled with three! ;)

    Helsinki looks awesome and I think acting like a tourist where you live is something more people should do more often!

    The strawberry margaritas look divine ;)

    Have a great week!

    1. Three books is excellent amount :D This only happened because I skipped last week with reading.

      Indeed, I just want to explore new places as much as I can because lately I’ve been feeling that life is short and one must do everything at once (we’ll see how long that feeling lasts…) Divine is definitely the right word :D

      You too!

  15. Wow, 7 book a week is AWESOME. I would never manage to read that many. I hope you enjoyed them. Enjoy your new books. I’m not familiar with them but I’m curious. I’ll check out some of them. Thanks for sharing this. Have a wonderful week. 😊

  16. Wow, 7 book a week is AWESOME. I would never manage to read that many. I hope you enjoyed them. Enjoy your new books. I’m not familiar with them but I’m curious. I’ll check out some of them. Thanks for sharing this. Have a wonderful week. 😊

  21. Fanny Hill – OMG. I had a copy of that, I think I was in my teens and didn’t display it in my bookcase.
    As for ‘How to be an Alien’ – I can relate to that.

      1. Oh, and I have Princess of Mars as a free digital book on my computer, but haven’t got round to reading it yet. Appreciate the recommendation!
        (Don’t know if I fancy Strawberry Margarita though.)

      1. Oh, and I have Princess of Mars as a free digital book on my computer, but haven’t got round to reading it yet. Appreciate the recommendation!
        (Don’t know if I fancy Strawberry Margarita though.)

  23. I hate it when someone presses all the buttons on the elevator panel and then you have to wait forever to get to your floor. It sucks. That strawberry margarita looks and sounds like it was the wait though.

    1. Yeah! And I don’t think it was even intentional. Some people just got confused and pressed the buttons twice. Of course even couple of people making that is enough to make it feel like forever. Haha it definitely was! :)

  24. I hate it when someone presses all the buttons on the elevator panel and then you have to wait forever to get to your floor. It sucks. That strawberry margarita looks and sounds like it was the wait though.

    1. Yeah! And I don’t think it was even intentional. Some people just got confused and pressed the buttons twice. Of course even couple of people making that is enough to make it feel like forever. Haha it definitely was! :)

  25. Wow 7 books in one week that is a lot! That first book you read sounds like a very tough read. I usually don’t like reading about wars as it always makes me sad and horrified to imagine what goes on there. I am glad to hear you enjoyed most of your books and have fun visiting places in Finland! Have a great week!

    1. I get that, though at the same time I feel like we carry this burden and that it is our responsibility to know at least what is the history of our grandparents and the city/town we live in and also not to repeat the same mistakes. I will ^^ though trust me, a Finn I’ve learned that there’s no civilization outside southern Finland haha. You too!

  26. Wow 7 books in one week that is a lot! That first book you read sounds like a very tough read. I usually don’t like reading about wars as it always makes me sad and horrified to imagine what goes on there. I am glad to hear you enjoyed most of your books and have fun visiting places in Finland! Have a great week!

    1. I get that, though at the same time I feel like we carry this burden and that it is our responsibility to know at least what is the history of our grandparents and the city/town we live in and also not to repeat the same mistakes. I will ^^ though trust me, a Finn I’ve learned that there’s no civilization outside southern Finland haha. You too!

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