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.
Jack London ve Boks
Kitap iki hikayeden oluşuyor.
Bir Dilim Biftek: Yaşlı boksör Tom King, ailesine (karısı ve iki küçük kızı) bir dilim biftek götürebilmek için son bir maça çıkıyor. Gençliğinde oldukca başarılı olan Tom artık yaşlı ve açlık çekiyor. Et yiyemediği için gücü tükenmiş. Acıklı bir öyküydü.
Meksikalı: Genç Felipe Rivera, Meksika Devrimi'ni finanse etmek için boks ringine giriyor. Para lazım, o da son maçında tüm servetini ortaya koyuyor. Sessiz, soğuk, intikam dolu bir karakter. Geçmişte ailesini kaybeden biri. Maç detayları yine muhteşem. Strateji, dayanıklılık, son yumruk...
Jack London'dan iki boks öyküsü daha. İş Bankası baskısı temiz, çeviri akıcı. Her zamanki gibi kaliteli.
0-30p: Kontrollü okuyucu 📖
40-70p: Hafif bağımlı 👀
80p+: Geçmiş olsun, kitaplar seni ele geçirmiş 😅
Haqqında uzun-uzun yazmağa ehtiyac yoxdur, sadəcə oxumaq, oxumaq, oxumaq və zövq almaq lazımdır, tək kəlimə ilə möhtəşəmdir.
"My apologies to time for all the world I overlook each
second.
My apologies to past loves for thinking that the latest is
the first.
Forgive me, distant wars, for bringing flowers home.
Forgive me, open wounds, for pricking my finger.."
| "We choose our sex, our color, our country, and then we look around for the particular set of parents who will mirror the pattern we are bringing in to work on in this lifetime."
| "The more self-hatred and guilt we have, the less our lives work. The less self-hatred and guilt we have, the better our lives work, on all levels."
Yukarıda gördüğünüz iki alıntı ve daha nicesi üzerine kurulmuş bir kitaptı "You Can Heal Your Life".
Yazar, 'outer effect of a deep inner problem.' - yani 'derin iç sorunun dışsal etkisi' cümlesi aracılığıyla aktarıyor anlatmak istediklerini. Ayrıca 'negatif duygulardan arınmak' için yazılan çeşitli etkinlikler ve örnekler de var sayfaların içerisinde.
Hep aynı vurgunun üzerinden ilerleyen bir yazı olmuş bence.
"Geçmiş değişmez, gelecek ise bizim şu anki fikirlerimiz ile şekillenir."
Sanırım bu alıntıya kitabın hemen hemen tüm bölümlerinde denk geldim.
Sonuç olarak, bu tarz kitaplardan büyük bir tatmin beklemek belki biraz hata olabilir. Yazarın hayata bakış açısını görmek ve göstermek istediği mesajları anlamaya çalışmak yeterli olacaktır diye düşünüyorum.
İlginç bir yanına da değinelim kitabın: Her organımızın içimizde sakladığımız bir sorundan / travmadan kaynaklanan kusurları olabileceğini savunuyor Louise Hay. Elbette doğru olan yanları vardır, tamamıyla reddetmiyorum bu görüşü ancak eğer fiziksel sorunlarımızın tek sebebi psikolojik sıkıntılarımız olsaydı bilime ihtiyaç duymazdık. Bütün bedensel hasarlarımızı tıp bilimine bile ihtiyaç kalmadan kendimizce halledebilirdik. Henüz böyle bir durumun olmayışından ve olamayacağını düşündüğümden kaynaklı az önce bahsetmiş olduğum yazarın varsayımı bana pek de doğru görünmedi.
Kısacası, çoğu kısımda konunun fazlaca uzatıldığını ve çok sıkıldığımı hissettim. Maalesef bana göre keyifli ve
How does it feel to hold someone's life in your hands?Nörobilim
“Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery” is an intimate tour of the world inside our skulls, guided by one of the UK’s foremost neurosurgeons, Henry Marsh. It’s an extraordinary voyage into the psyche of a brain surgeon, plunging into the thrilling peaks and devastating troughs of this high-stakes profession. Marsh’s narrative is refreshingly candid, searingly honest, and deeply human.
Imagine holding someone’s life in your hands, the scalpel poised over the intricate maze that houses thoughts, feelings, and reason. Every cut could either restore life or rob it. Marsh introduces us to this exhilarating and terrifying reality, revealing the fierce joy of a successful operation and the profound despair when things go awry.
“Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery” doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of being a neurosurgeon. There are poignant tales of triumphs and heartbreaking disasters, haunted by the shadow of mortality. There’s the girl who wakes up after surgery, her life saved but her personality forever changed. There’s the young man left in a vegetative state because of a millimeter’s misjudgment. And there’s the lingering echo of regret that colors the life of a surgeon.
But amidst the sorrow and guilt, Marsh finds space for humor, the dark kind that often serves as a coping mechanism in the face of incessant pressure. The neurosurgical landscape is vividly captured, with tales that range from frustrating battles with hospital bureaucracy to nerve-wracking surgical procedures, all set against the backdrop of a bustling modern hospital.
Yet, at the heart of “Do No Harm,” beyond the gripping tales of life, death, and brain surgery, there’s a profound lesson. A lesson about hope. Marsh’s narrative is a testament to the
Father SergiusEdebiyat
It’s been a long time since I shared a book review, so today I’d like to talk about one I recently read:
"Father Sergius" by Leo Tolstoy.
The book tells the story of Stepan Kasatsky, a young, handsome knyaz (prince) and successful military officer who stood out from his peers thanks to his extraordinary talents and loyalty to the emperor. He was deeply in love with a beautiful young woman, Freyline. However, when he discovered her previous relationship with the emperor, he was devastated. This shocking revelation led him to renounce worldly vanities and withdraw to a monastery, where he became a monk.
This is where the true story begins. As a monk, Stepan (now Father Sergius) faced a constant inner struggle battling between his devotion to God and his lingering desires for earthly pleasures. Though he outwardly lived a religious life, inwardly he still longed for recognition and worldly comfort. His encounter with Praskovya Mikhaylovna became a turning point. Through her, he realized that true peace cannot be found in external circumstances or rigid rituals, but only by transforming one’s inner self.
In the end, he abandoned his monastic life and chose a humble path as a gardener and teacher. It was in this simplicity that he finally discovered genuine peace.
To sum up, Father Sergius teaches us that changing our surroundings alone cannot bring us inner peace. Real peace requires patience, commitment, determination, and most importantly a deep faith within ourselves.