Arch of Triumph by Erich Maria Remarque

When we look back on the Second World War, we always see Germany as being the bad guys, but what we often forget is that many of the German people were opposed to the concept of Nazism, but they were forced stop professing their views, in one way or another. 

In Arch of Triumph by Erich Maria Remarque, we follow the story of one such German, who found himself exiled from Germany for his different political views in the late 1930s. His name is Ravic, and seeing as how he escaped to France illegally without even any documents, he finds himself forced to practice his profession illegally on France’s elite. Though it may seem as if his life finally has some stability, his true goal has always remained one and the same: to find the Nazi who tortured him out of his own homeland.

Though some authors may falter in the quality of their works after they hit it big, Remarque is a notable exception to that. Just like in his previous works, which include the internationally-celebrated All Quiet on the Western Front, Remarque draws us in with a compelling storyline and heart-stopping descriptions which make you feel emotionally-involved in the story. His description of Paris manages to perfectly capture the unique, romantic and hopeful atmosphere of the city, with none of the passages being too long or leaving to be desired.

As is usually the case with the author, Remarque mixes the two ingredients above with an element which, in my opinion, elevates him as a writer above most others: a philosophy. Throughout the whole book Remarque explores a number of interesting themes, such as the purpose of vengeance, the human need for closure, how love can be the best remedy to dark times, and Men’s everlasting attempts at controlling each other’s thoughts, just to name a few.

All things considered, if you enjoyed Remarque’s previous works or are looking to get to know him better, this is a work you should definitely add to your list of books to read. The way he manipulates language is nothing short of a work of art, the story itself actually does a nice job of stringing you along, and by the end of it you will have plenty to think of. This isn’t a book that just exists for entertainment purposes… rather, it is one of those books meant to be thought-provoking.

Flowers for Algernon

Charlie Gordon has an IQ of 68. He can clean at the bakery where he works; can go to his nightly class for special needs adults; knows that ‘its easy to make friends if you let peepul laff at you’. But even Charlie knows he is frustrated by his inability to understand other people’s conversations, and is desperate to learn how to read and write like everyone else – so when he is offered the chance to be the first human being to undergo an operation for artificial intelligence, he takes it, because all his life he has ‘reely wantid to be smart and not dumb’.

Documented by a series of diary entries, the progress of the operation is revealed as Charlie’s spelling and grammar slowly improve and he begins to understand the world around him – through realising who he was and has become, falling in love, and remembering his past. What is so masterful is that this is so gradually done you hardly notice it at first, and I think this is the reason that the reader is made to feel so close to Charlie: he was so real I felt I knew him. I really, really knew this guy – a character I had only just started to read about, but was so easily likeable that I had begun to form ties that seemed years old. It’s these ties that undeniably make it so profoundly sad, because what goes up, must come down…

Flowers for Algernon is a book that says to you: ‘I want you to question everything you know’. More importantly, it seeks out the unflinchingly honest message that our humanity is not measured by how smart we are, but rather by our kindness, love and interaction with others. Charlie is even more isolated with an IQ of 185 than he was with one of 68, but it’s his insight that allows him to see that he is still the same person, regardless. He never fully develops emotionally, but that doesn’t seem to matter. It’s an over-used word – and risks sounding clichéd – but this book is simply beautiful. It’s a piece of art in itself.

I’ve been reduced to tears by many books in my life and I will unashamedly admit that Flowers for Algernon is one of them. Few books can replicate that lingering feeling you receive after reading: the kind that stay with you a few days after you’ve finished it. Flowers for Algernon was without a doubt one of those – the supreme angels of book-kind – and I can’t begin to say how much of an effect this book can have on you. It will make you reflect on your own life, shed buckets, and completely and utterly break your heart.

And I want to write my favorite phrase from this book:

''I don’t know what’s worse; to not know what you are and be happy, or to become what you’ve always wanted to be, and feel alone.'' 💖

'The Hunchback of Notre-Dame' by Victor Hugo

The book published in 1831 in French under the title Notre-Dame de Paris, it has been made into an opera, a ballet, several stage plays, two musicals, and at least 15 films, including TV and animated versions. Its English name is "The hunchback of Notre-Dame".

"The hunchback of Notre-Dame" is a very famous story, and I find that much more people have "heard of it" than have actually read it. Most will just tell you - "isn't this some kind of beauty and beast story?". Well, in fact it isn't. This novel certainly isn't a fairy tale. Rather, it is a touching and sad story (touching in a way that Hugo is a master expressing) about unfulfilled love. There are at least 3 unfulfilled love stories here, each one very different. Besides that, the plot tells of troubled times in Paris (and, I suspect, in whole of Europe) - what is rightfully called "the dark ages" - where each act of free thought was prosecuted by the church with one inevitable penalty - death. The original title of this book when it was first released in French was "Notre-Dame of Paris", which is a much more appropriate title, in my opinion. 

The book is about incredible and strong love. The main characters are Quasimodo, Esmeralda, Claude Frollo, Phoebus. The book is very sad because of Quasimodo's hopeless and devoted love with Esmerada. Quasimodo's face shows us how beautiful soul can be in an ugly body. The plot is very dramatic but Hugo describes architecture and history in the wake of novel. So I advise you to read every word carefully because it includes many interesting information not only about Paris also about in that age. 

The book is really hooking and fascinating but the opera is no less engaging. One of the scenes is especially memorable for every lover and I want to listen it. I am sure you will get a big pleasure. 

                                                    

                                 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XB7aftz6zY