Book lovers are a special breed, that thanks to the expansion of communications networks seem to live nowadays in the best possible worlds. We - I always considered one of them - can connect with each other not only through long and focused views over the metro neighbour's shoulder trying to figure out what book he or she is reading, but also through blogs and social media. Talking about bookish voyeurism, one of my favourite lines in Berlin is the U3 line ending to the Free University headquarters, where in the old-style wagons, more than 90% of people are intensively reading. There, I feel at home.
Unlocking worlds: a reading companion for book lovers is an overview of important books reviewed by the author through 15 thematic chapters, covering from childhood books to Russian and Soviet literary encounters - one of the world's literature I love the most -, university life, American worlds or British literature. The list of topics is not exhaustive and so is the summary of books mentioned, but overall, there are great recommendations, many of them on my reading list or to-read bucket list as well. I really appreciated the short yet comprehensive summary of the books, as well as the personal connection and feelings provoked by the some of the books. After all, reading is not a mechanical act of going through pages or finding topics of conversation, but about 'unlocking worlds', be it discovering historical episodes or revealing human behaviors or feelings. As the author, I've often felt overwhelmed at the end of a book and had to take a break before finding the next book. However, it doesn't take too long until I am back on the couch with my newest bookish addi(c)tion.
Each chapter is starting with a inspiring quote about the world of readers and bookish life, which I also appreciated, as a guidance and confirmation that reading remains an acceptable and highly desirable endeavor, although, recently, a crazy ex found ridiculous my love for books - and I couldn't care less.
The merit of this book is also that it sets order and creates categories to organize the virtual libraries, focused on specific topics and following the main narrative. It is useful particularly for book reviewers and bloggers, because it set criteria and keeps your ideas better organised and to aim to read even more. Sounds like a good new year's resolution, isn't it?
Strongly recommended to any bookish human around here!
Rating: 5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
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