Dear Tania, regardless
of my understanding that you have a full diary, I would like to recommend you a
few books, which I personally can’t put down.
1.
One
of my all-time favourite books is Atonement, by the highly acclaimed
British novelist, Ian McEvan. It is quite a complex novel, which is divided
into three parts and told from different characters’ perspectives, but it is
not heavy going and I am sure, you would easily get into it.
The story begins in England in the summer of
1935, when a precocious, upper-class thirteen-year-old girl, Bigony, witnesses
a scene in the garden involving her older sister, Cecilia and a childhood
friend, Robbie. Her naivety and overactive imagination lead her to misinterpret
what she sees and accuse Robbie of a crime he didn’t commit, an accusation
which has dramatic and pitiful consequences for Cecilia and Robbie and which
Briony must spend the rest of her life having to atone for.
The book’s strengths lie in its exceptionally
well-observed depiction of characters and events, particularly the poignant
chronicle of war scenes in the second section of the novel, where Robbie, now a
soldier in World War II, resigns himself to accept his fate and is desperately
trying to reach Dunkirk. The author’s ability to build up tension is absolutely
superb and the book is a real page-turner at times. As well as being
well-crafted, it is also thought-provoking in exploration of topics such as
quilt and forgiveness, and the futility of war. Author endowed his heroes with resilience and determination.
Atonement is not a book for those who love
fast-moving plots, as far as I know, you are a lover of detailed and
well-observed prose, so I would thoroughly recommend it to you.
2.
The
next book I would like to recommend you would be not a bedtime reading, but
still it’s a compulsive reading, which will help you to write and speak
naturally in English. It’s called Idioms and Phrasal Verbs (Oxford word
Skills series, Advanced). This book presents and gives you an opportunity to practice
over 1000 Idioms and Phrasal Verbs in everyday contexts. Review
units provide further opportunity for you to revise and test yourself. Besides, there is a wide range of online
activities and information on the history of idioms. Ideal for self-study or in the classroom. The only thing you need is
to open the book and find the topics that interest you. Of course, you may
think, that it’s time-consuming, but, believe me, it’s worth it. What is more, this
book was rewarded ESU English Language Book Award 2009 and received positive
commentaries from readers and professors. So, my advice is clear: take note and
do not lose sight of this book!
3.
And
the last book I would recommend you is Kahlil
Gibran’s masterpiece, The Prophet, one of the most beloved classics of our time. This beautiful
work makes an incredible gift for anyone seeking enlightenment and inspiration. Published in 1923, it has been translated into more than fifty languages, and it is a staple on international best-seller
lists. The book is made up of 26 prose poems that are philosophical, spiritual, and, above all,
inspirational; they are delivered as sermons by a protagonist – a wise man called Al Mustapha. He is about
to set sail for his homeland after 12 years in exile on a fictional island when
the people of the island ask him to share his wisdom on the big questions of
life: love, marriage, children, giving, eating and
drinking, work, joy and sorrow, housing, clothes, buying and selling, crime and
punishment, laws, freedom, reason and passion, pain, self-knowledge, teaching,
friendship, talking, time, good and evil, prayer, pleasure, beauty, religion,
and death. Corresponding to each chapter are evocative drawings by
Gibran himself.
Its popularity peaked in the 1930s and again in the 1960s when it became
the bible of the counter culture. Lines from the book have inspired song lyrics, political speeches and have
been read out at weddings and funerals all around the world. "It serves various occasions or big moments in one's life so it tends
to be a book that is often gifted to a lover, or for a birth, or death. That is
why it has spread so widely, and by word of mouth," says Dr Mohamed Salah
Omri, lecturer in Modern Arabic literature at Oxford University. The Beatles, John F Kennedy and Indira Gandhi are among those who have been
influenced by its words. "This book has a way of speaking to people at
different stages in their lives. It has this magical quality, the more you read
it the more you come to understand the words," says Reverend Laurie Sue,
an interfaith minister in New York who has conducted hundreds of weddings with
readings from The Prophet.
When I started reading this work, I felt incredible compelled by the depth
and messages contained within the book. Each essay reveals deep insights into the impulses of the
human heart and mind.This masterpiece
made such an impression on me that I felt that some
of the insight could stick with me throughout the rest of my life and would
evolve with my thoughts as I continue on the journey that is life.
Dear Sarah,
Another special event is The Annual Christmas Fair, which
is a center of celebration
and offers many interesting and at the same time flamboyant events: carols, games, mulled wine; there is always a great variety of sweets, including chocolate for those who have a sweet tooth; a traditional Ukrainian meal “varenyky”, souvenirs and presents, and of
course a warm festive
atmosphere. For citizens of Lviv and visitors of the city there will be a great
variety of goods: pysanky, traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirts, pottery,
national Ukrainian clothing, and hand-made jewelry. A great Christmas
atmosphere will be created with little wooden booths, which have become in
Ukraine, as well as in Europe, the symbols of Christmas.
