A Critical Review of Humankind
Rutger Bregman’s book Humankind is one of the books that questions negative ideas about human nature and makes readers think. For many years, many people believed that humans are naturally selfish, bad, and only care about themselves. However, Bregman does not agree with this idea. According to him, human nature is not as dark as people think. Instead, people are more willing to help each other, understand others’ feelings, and do good things. In the book, the author supports these ideas with many examples from wars, psychology experiments, history, and biology. One of the best parts of the book is that it gives hope about humanity. Still, when I finished the book, I did not only feel admiration. On one side, I was happy to read it because it made me think differently. On the other side, some of the author’s ideas felt too optimistic to me. Because of this, the book was both interesting and questionable for me.
One of the strongest parts of the book is that it makes people question ideas about human nature that many accept without thinking. Today, we often see violence, murder, wars, and fights on television, social media, and in the news. After some time, people start to believe that the world is full of bad people. At this point, Bregman asks an important question: If humans were really bad by nature, how could societies survive for so many years? A big part of human history was shaped by helping each other, working together, and surviving together. From this side, the writer’s ideas are important and meaningful.
His ideas against the belief that humans are naturally wild are especially interesting. Today, when someone behaves badly, people sometimes say, “Did you grow up in a cave?” However, Bregman says that hunter-gatherer societies were not as violent as many
In Amis’s famous novel, London Fields, the witty language is used and highlighted in the book repatedly. With the use of wit and pan (word play) Amis creates one of the most intelligent written novel ‘London Fields’. These uses of high elevated language and word plays also gives us the hints of postmodern fiction. As the novel is considered one of the best novel representing postmodernism, one can appreciate it due to the style that the novel is written, by means of wit and language. To give examples from the book;
-It was fixed. It was written. The murderer was not the murderer. But the murderee had always been a murderee.
The quote from Samson Young foreshadows that the real murderer is not the one we think, it will change. However the murderee ‘Nicola’ will always be the victim, not be affected by the inconstant murderer.
- I know what his poetry will be about. What poetry is always about. The cruelty of the poet’s mistress.
In this quote we can also sense the metaphor that is made to Nicola. Here Samson , as a writer, claims that the poets are writing poetry due to the relationship between their mistresses. It is known that Young also writes a novel about Nicola, creating the same plot with the poets he criticizes.
-I close my eyes, trying to see a way- how do writers dare do what they do ? – and there is just chaos. It seems to me that writing brings trouble with it, moral trouble, unexamined trouble. Even to the best.
-When God got mad he was a jealous God. He had other planets, thanks, and in better parts of the universe. He promised plague, famine mile-high tides, sound-speed winds and terror, ubiquitous and incessant terror, with blood flowing bridle deep. He threatened to make her old and keep her that way forever… Cross that firebreak and then cross that
Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt looks at spirituality in a humanist way. He thinks it is a source of wisdom and beauty that helps people in life. His style is special because he does not try to change the reader or strongly criticize beliefs. Instead, he invites people to discover empathy and understand feelings naturally.
There are conversations between a Jewish family and a Muslim shopkeeper in the story. The book talks about religion, morals, differences, and similarities between people.
I do not think it is a superficial book. I think it should be read again from time to time. I can recommend it.
I had not read such a different book for a long time, so I had mixed feelings while reading it.
Jack London'ın Martin Eden'i1000Kitap
Ah Martin Ah!
Yönetmiş olduğum kitap kulübümde, 11. kitap buluşmamız Jack London'ın 'Martin Eden' adlı kitabı oldu. Yine kendimizden çokça şeyler bulduğumuz bir kitaptı. Eserde alt sınıftan gelen bir denizciyi canlandıran baş karakter Martin'in kendinden üst sınıfa ait Ruth'la bir rastlantı sonucu tanışması ve hayatının tamamen değişmesi kendini evriltmesi, eğitmesi ve ünlü bir yazar oluşuma kadar geçen süreci anlatıyor. (Aslında Martin; kendisinin yazarı J.London'dır. Kendi hayatından çok fazla kesit var ünlü bir ekolog olan London bütün romanlarında çevre bilincini zaten işleyen ilk çevreci aktivistlerden. Doğa ve savaş foto muhabirliği yapmış, Güney Pasifik yolculuğu, Rus Japon savaşı, 1906 San Francisco depremi, dahil 12 binden fazla fotoğraf çekmiştir. Eserin kapağındaki de yazarın ta kendisidir). Yazar bireysel başarıyı ararken toplumdaki yozlaşma ile yüzleşen bir bireyi anlatıyor o dönemin Amerika'sının sosyal yapısı olan 1900' lü yıllar, hızlı sanayileşme derin sınıf çatışmaları, vahşi kapitalizm, sınıf eşitsizliği ve büyük toplumsal dönüşümlerin yaşandığı ağır çalışma koşulları, çocuk işçiliğinin olduğu bir süreçti. Bu dönemde Martin; kişilik olarak 'lümpen' bir karaktere sahip, toplumsal sınıf bilinci olmayan yoksul, toplumun serseri dediği takımdan hayatına başlıyor. Tipik Yeşilçam filmi diyebiliriz. Zengin kız fakir oğlan gibi. Ezilen sınıftan gelen Martin için Ruth, (edebiyat mezunu sevgilisi) bir melek gibidir. Martin'in aşkı içindeki potansiyeli kendini geliştirme yönünde çıkarsa da Ruth'a ulaşamaz. Tam orada hayalini kurduğu her şeye aslında kavuşur (London'ın hayatı gibi okulları hep dışarıdan bitirir. Red yiyen tüm yazıları artık kabul görmüştür ve artık ünlü bir yazardır.)
fakat asıl iş buradadır ve Martin meşhur olunca tüm çevresindekilerin,
After the somewhat predictable nature of my previous read, Pick a Color was a refreshing change of pace. Souvankham Thammavongsa has a remarkable gift for capturing the profound within the mundane. The story explores the quiet rhythms of daily life with a precision that feels both concise and compelling.
What I appreciated most was the minimalist style. The author doesn't rely on "filler columns" or elaborate plots; instead, she uses brief, impactful moments to deliver her message. The narrative is filled with poignant quotes that I found myself lingering over—lines that manage to say so much with very few words.
It is a beautiful example of how a "short" story can leave a lasting impression. Much like a perfectly centered piece of pottery, there is nothing extra here; every sentence has a purpose. For any reader who enjoys observational literature, this story is a small but vibrant gem.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach may appear to be a simple story about a bird, but it develops into a layered allegory about individuality, freedom, and spiritual growth. Jonathan, unlike the rest of his flock, is not satisfied with living only to eat and survive. He becomes obsessed with flight not as a tool, but as a way of reaching perfection and understanding something greater about existence itself.
This desire isolates him. The flock, representing conformity and societal limitation, rejects him for refusing to follow its narrow rules. His exile symbolizes the cost of individuality: those who question norms are often cast out. Yet this separation is also what allows Jonathan to grow. Freed from the expectations of others, he pushes himself further and eventually reaches a higher level of existence, where he learns that true perfection is not just physical but spiritual.
Flight becomes the central symbol of the story. It represents self-discovery, discipline, and transcendence. The sky stands for infinite possibility, suggesting that limits are not absolute but largely self-imposed. Jonathan’s journey reflects the pursuit of self-actualization, the idea that fulfillment comes from realizing one’s full potential.
At the same time, the story strongly echoes Biblical patterns, especially those associated with Jesus Christ. Jonathan is rejected by his community, ascends to a higher plane of understanding, and returns as a teacher. He gathers followers and teaches them that they, too, can overcome their limitations. Like Christ, he emphasizes growth, belief, and a deeper understanding of existence.
However, Bach reinterprets these ideas in a more philosophical and less doctrinal way. There is no focus on sin or divine judgment. Instead, the central
