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dmathuna's reviews
27 reviews
Motherfoclóir: Dispatches from a Not So Dead Language by Darach O' Seaghdha
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
A funny, witty, entertaining and insightful look at some of the more obscure, weird and wonderful words and turns of phrase in the Irish language. Recommended for language lovers, linguistic enthusiasts and Irish speakers.
Anois ar theacht an tSamhraidh: Ireland, Colonialism and the Unfinished Revolution by Bill Rolston, Robbie McVeigh
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
It took me quite a while to get through this book and that was simply because the reading was so dense and it's a lot of information to take in even if the broad strokes are known to me already. I appreciate that this book went to great lengths to situate the colonialism Ireland experienced and how that has led to our current position today of being broadly anti-colonial and anti-imperialist in global politics. I also appreciate that it tracked the development of the two irish states and their relationship with colonialism and how the government of ireland act is still so relevant to our day to day lives. A recommended read for anyone with an interest in irish history, colonialism, imperialism or just modern day politics. I do have to mention that there are some spelling and date mistakes as well as 2 chapters that have the wrong reference numbers and these do detract a slight bit from the overall reading experience but not too much to make me want to put it down at any stage.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Colonisation, War
The Run of His Life: The People V. O. J. Simpson by Jeffrey Toobin
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
A well researched deep dive into the events surrounding this trial. Giving equal looks into both defence and prosecution sides of the case as well as including juror, Judge and media perspectives this is the preeminent book to start with regarding anything about the case.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
I don’t even know what to say about a book that covers such topics. I’ll start by saying that it’s short enough at around 230 pages and aims to give an overview of such a wide ranging event that it can’t seriously detail much but what is told in here is extremely harrowing to read and then to comprehend that these acts were all done by humans to other humans.
The sheer barbarity and brutality shown to the Chinese inhabitants of Nanjing is staggering and each page you uncover a new horror you previously thought incomprehensible. The detailing of how widespread the systematic rape of all women regardless of age, pregnancy, occupation churned my stomach in a way I don’t think has ever happened to me. I am absolutely forever changed by the contents of this book and it will never leave me for the rest of my life..
The fact that elements of Japanese society still can’t accept that this event occurred much less that their soldiers carried it out with explicit knowledge by their government leaders is tragic and should be a crime akin to denial of the holocaust. I can only hope that since the time the book was published that attitudes there have started to change. More than 300,000 people were murdered by the occupation and we did them a disservice by not remembering this event more.
At the time of me writing this review Iris Chang would have been 56.
The sheer barbarity and brutality shown to the Chinese inhabitants of Nanjing is staggering and each page you uncover a new horror you previously thought incomprehensible. The detailing of how widespread the systematic rape of all women regardless of age, pregnancy, occupation churned my stomach in a way I don’t think has ever happened to me. I am absolutely forever changed by the contents of this book and it will never leave me for the rest of my life..
The fact that elements of Japanese society still can’t accept that this event occurred much less that their soldiers carried it out with explicit knowledge by their government leaders is tragic and should be a crime akin to denial of the holocaust. I can only hope that since the time the book was published that attitudes there have started to change. More than 300,000 people were murdered by the occupation and we did them a disservice by not remembering this event more.
At the time of me writing this review Iris Chang would have been 56.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Miscarriage
Driven: A Pioneer for Women in Motorsport - An Autobiography by Rosemary Smith
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A very insightful read that highlighted the career of an Irish motorsport legend in her own words and gave an incredible look into what early rallying was like and recounts her numerous larger than life tales on those rallies.
Under the Hawthorn Tree by Marita Conlon-McKenna, Donald Teskey
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
4.5 stars, this was a brutal read and I honestly didn’t realise how much I was holding my own emotions in until the end. It was hard to read the last few pages, not because it was bad but because it was hard to see the page through my tears
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Child death, Blood, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Such a fun read, especially having acted as Shylock in this before. The characters flow off the page and come alive with Shakespeares words. It’s crazy how 500 years after it was written it’s still such a great story.
Foster by Claire Keegan
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I first read this when I was a young lad in secondary school and I wanted to reread this now that I am so much older. This is absolutely beautifully written with descriptions that bring the characters and places in the book to life. It’s such a good and poignant piece that looks at the pettiness of people in rural Ireland, the manifestations and physical reminders of grief, and how the people that love you the most aren’t always the ones you’re born to.
Peacemakers: Six Months that Changed the World by Margaret MacMillan
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
An excellent look at the peace treaties and nation building that occurred after World War I by the peacemakers. This book gives a good base understanding of the treaties that have shaped the world in so many ways. A good insight into how all of the decisions were driven by imperialism and a good few by anti Bolshevism.