Mini - Comments

It does seem I have included several mini-comments lately, but often I:

A) read books in Portuguese with no edition in English to better present the book here; 

B) read books I don't feel like talking much about and I can write about two or three that might have something in common.

This time, the common ground is the fact both books were in Portuguese and both, we could say, provide food for thought, although at different levels.

The first one is another book I borrowed from the person who likes to lend me things I might find interesting and the second one is mine, I've had it in the pile since 2008 actually.

The first is by a new author, so I didn't have any expectations unless on what type of story is would be and the second is written by an author I had read before, so nothing new to expect there.

The first star of the night by Nadia Ghulam and Javier Diéguez

This could be the literal title of the original. It references a moment the protagonist and her childhood cousin and best friend shared when thinking of what the other might be doing.

Portuguese cover

This had everything to be a very emotional book, since it is told by someone who lived in Afghanistan when the war was ongoing and when the taliban gained power. Through the guise of returning to know the whereabouts of her family, after living in Barcelona for some time to study, Nadia shares what she encounters and what is happening while reminiscing on the lives of the women of her family.

I liked knowing more about the Afghani lives and citizens and what they went trough in a very simple manner. Nadia isn't sharing this to criticize or to defend anyone or anything, although her pain and the pain of her countrymen and women is more than obvious in these pages. I would say this book wasn't even more special for narrative reasons: the fact she is telling things happening during her travel, then remembering, then alluding to secondary people...it's too distracting. At times it almost feels impersonal. This was a good book to learn but it's not the most fluid or engaging, in terms of narrative style.

Grade: 6/10

Conversations With God III by Neale Donald Walsch

This is the third book on this series. These books were refreshing to read back in the 90s not only by the approach used in this the inspirational theme but because they offered a lot of content which could be seen as possible to help people think and act better towards their surroundings.

As always, though, the big setback is that no matter how many people might read these books, not all agree, not all share the enthusiasm and not all want to put into motion the general ideas that could, indeed, help change the world.

The first volume was amazing, it really felt the content was achievable. The second I found less appealing, since it focused on too specific situations, mostly on the US reality.

This third book returned to general and broader issues humankind faces but despite having enjoyed some of the hints and possibilities included, I feel some concepts were too confusing. I think modern societies just can't function like what was suggested unless everyone feels like doing their part and, sadly, many would not want to.

Still, these conversations the author has with God and what He might want us to really learn are fascinating. It's just so.... conceptual, though, that there are details I struggled to not dismiss because of how they were addressed. But it's certainly a better installment than the second one and a very good example of how to think of spirituality nowadays.

Grade: 6/10