Dramatic and brilliantly told.
580307
It was an interesting movie brilliantly directed by the awesome Jon Stewart. It tells the the story of  Maziar Bahari, a Tehran born journalist living in London who returns to Iran to cover the election and ends up imprisoned for being a spy for both filming protests and for talking to Jon Stewart's Daily show correspondent, Jason Jones, who was pretending to be a spy for the show. It's a very dramatic movie that tugs at your heart strings at times, makes wonderful points about Iran and it's people, and even has some satirical elements running through it.
2248378
A well-written story, a well-acted drama, with character development and a surprising twist for the denouement.  It doesn't get much better
than this.
3038276
The story begins with a family Dona Antonia, Reyna and Jose-the Nisshim Dynasty- the revelation of their religion and their practicing it secretly. The successive events start with the Edict of Expulsion from Spain; leading to their successful escape from the hellhole, alive; the years in Istanbul, in the save haven of the Ottoman empire under the protection of Suleiman, the Magnificent and Osman Imperial dynasty; and the birth and life of Tamar in the harem and the debt.

The narration then moves to the present world, Turkey to the stories of Selim Osman, the last living descendant of the Osmans of Ottoman Empire, and Ayda. Part III tells the infamous tale of the Nazi rule and concentration camps through the life and fate of David Herzikova. Swiftly the chapters bring about the story of Hanna Herzikova and the debt being paid back through her.

Nicole Dweck is a very competent writer. The tone of the entire novel is that of brooding and melancholy, though there are a few instances of happiness, family and fun. She chooses her sentences and phrases well. Not too lengthy not too short, just the right length able enough to convey the right messages. She writes in poetic prose, elevating the mood of the situation in just a few lines that are so profound in their meaning. Words like these impress me to no end. The story has four parts- plots from different ends of the world, faraway lands, and dynasties. It is not a fact paced novel, the action is slow, but reading one page can take you through a few days, hours or in some chapters, through years. Time leaps are there to cover the long story spanning generations. But it is also a factor that kept me engrossed throughout.

To quote one of my many favorite lines: Measured, dry of affectation or emotion, but mostly, they were tired words. Words aware of all that had come before them. Words aware of the quiet nothing that would soon follow. They were words for endings.
The number of characters change- increase and decrease- but that doesnt affect the books ease of reading- as all characters are, quite brilliantly, given their depth and gravity in just a few lines or paragraphs. They are all emotionally scarred, some broken and wounded physically too. Every character has a backstory, and a sad tale to tell. Just one chapter develops the character so much, that I instantly missed his presence in the following chapters, where he has no living role to play. I think that was the only thing about the book that dissatisfied me. That whenever I attached myself with a character of one generation, the author deftly managed to put an end to their unending tale and move on to the next generation. And towards the end of the book, I realized that the burden of the number of dead souls of previous generation and the history of glory and shame is so heavy on the present story, that the main characters seem to be the ghosts and curses of the past and not the living descendants.

The novel covers many aspects of life- love and loss. It questions the nature, the relevance of faith, religion and lineage; and the unreasonable brutality and hatred of a faction on the other. The book is inspired by real people and real events in history, and fifty percent is fictional. Its a must read. I would recommend it to everyone whos reading this. I would give a 5/5 rating to the book.
4337085
It was only a matter of time before premium television networks like Starz discovered the drama and pageantry inherent in the great moments of English history. The Wars of the (red and white) Roses, brilliantly dramatized by Shakespeare in several of his history plays, was a conflict between the powerful York and Lancaster houses for control of the crown of England, and was one of the most important struggles in England's illustrious, storied past.

Based on a popular novel by Philippa Gregory, The White Queen recounts a fictionalized version of the political tensions that were the seedbed from which modern England sprung. It is superb drama, regardless of whether or not it is strictly authentic (it isn't). The writing is excellent, the acting brilliant (as is usual for an English production) and the production values and cinematography are stunning to look at.

This series is most definitely worth watching, regardless of the medium you choose. However, if you are able to purchase the Blu-Ray discs rather than the standard definition DVDs, you will find the high-definition version gorgeous to look at and infinitely more engrossing. The beauty and pageantry of late-Medieval England seems to come alive with remarkable vivacity as the intensity of colors, textures and sounds takes a quantum leap upwards. Large screen televisions will appreciate Blu-Ray high-definition images and if you screen your films through a home-theater system, you will find the improved focal accuracy and increased naturalness of high-definition audio to frequently catch your breath, it is that good.
120879
This is a stunning play, looking at the tragic story from a very fresh perspective.  Informative and compassionate.  Also, one finds real romance in the telling.  Thank you, Luke Yankee, for presenting this oft-told tale in an exciting and engaging mode!
934086
This story is engaging and skilfully told. Rachel and Lacey, despite a significant age difference, are drawn together by circumstance and life events. They form an unlikely but believable friendship. Both have a past littered with loss and each shoulders a burden in the present. The narrative POV switches easily from one to the other; snapshots of life events allow the story to unfold, keeping the pace lively and weaving past and present seamlessly.

The writing is powerful, often poignant and heartfelt, with the vulnerability of each laid bare. As a reader, I was keen to know what made these individuals the people they are. Parts if the story are really emotional; in turn heartbreak and pleasure, sadness and regret, happiness and laughter.

There's a strong sense of location, the descriptive passages are evocative with a real feel for country living in a tight knit and introspective community. I found I cared about both characters. There are a couple of final twists which carry the story through to a very satisfactory conclusion. It's a book that haunts you after you finish reading; it calls you back to think about some of the issues raised. What more could a reader ask for? A little gem and I loved it. Thank you.

Copy of my amazon UK review.
4560321
Of all the many books I have read about this period this is the finest.  Germany itself and the Germans depicted are many dimensional characters in a manner that is unusual for histories of this terrible time.  The drama of the central characters is remarkable, and the telling, particularly the elegant construction of the various stories within the book, from climbing mountains to falling in love to dealing with the dangerous Nazi powers to establishing a family in America, so rich in detail, is wonderful.
4214938
A detailed, brilliantly-produced story of the German occupation of a typical French town during the Second World War, A FRENCH VILLAGE is an absolute revelation for fans of WWII programs. It is exquisitely produced, with the ring of truth that comes from being made by filmmakers who grew up knowing this was their actual history. The ensemble acting is flawless and there isn't an inkling of vanity from any of them, even when the women are required to look anything but glamourous.

Leading this stellar ensemble is Robin Renucci as Daniel, the village's main doctor who is also the mayor. Caught in a private moral dilemma with his wife, Renucci plays his character with an air of fragile authority that just barely masks his underlying panic. One wrong move and he and his wife will be exposed (they have used false pretenses to "adopt" an infant). Just as dangerous is Daniel's careful maneuvering around the Nazi occupiers of their village, who view Daniel as the man responsible for implementing and enforcing their new rules. If he does anything to fall out of favour... well, we all know our WWII history, don't we?

This is the genius of the series concept. Most of the central characters have a personal problem they have to reconcile all while being concerned about how to carry on living under German occupation. For many, like Daniel, "the war is over", so just cooperate--up to a point--and hope for the best. Others are more cautious about doing anything that could be perceived as aiding the enemy. Every person must make a choice, then co-exist with everyone around them. And rarely, as we see as the show unfolds, is anything or anyone black or white.

The deliberate pacing of A FRENCH VILLAGE might seem slow for some, but taken as an opportunity to depict a panorama of stories in realistic detail, it perfectly suits the low-key but epic approach.

Those who appreciate military history will positively revel in details like the German tanks, half tracks and cars, not to mention the uniforms and weaponry. The casting directors also deserve a nod for finding the rich assortment of faces. All the actors are perfectly cast for their look as well as their talent, whether as German soldiers (officers or enlisted men) or villagers. No single person stands out for being too good-looking, for example, yet there are plenty of people who are attractive for other reasons. Belgian actress Nade Dieu as Marie, for example, is astonishingly sexy, even though she isn't wearing an ounce of obvious makeup and her hair looks like it hasn't been washed in weeks. There's a simplicity, an earthiness about her that is very appealing.

Few, if any, of the actors will be well known in North America, not even Nicolas Gob (surely a name one would remember!). This is an asset. No distracting stars. Everyone is completely believable in their role.

Morally complex, filled with multi-layered plotting and rich attention to period detail, A FRENCH VILLAGE is a must-have for anyone who luxuriates in period pieces. Perfect for binge watching on a cold winter's day.

And the glorious thing is--this is only season one! There are more coming, with six in total (thus far) produced in France.

A FRENCH VILLAGE is sure to occupy a place in the very best of film collections. Thanks to Mhz Networks for their continuing commitment to seeking out and making available some of the finest European television programs for North American audiences.
4469220
Some of the best dramatic television ever made.
4393268
This book is completely composed, completely enclosed, completely itself - a tour de force. It has all the unities of a fine dramatic novella - the 'blest nouvelle', as Henry James called it - what one admired in her previous 'War Story', but even sharper and more accomplished.
This reader knows Warsaw well and shares in the protagonists' reaction to 40 years in London, so it seemed as if 'my' book. Yet nothing could be less familiar than this tormented couple, their relationship, their behaviour, their concerns. And that makes the story better, because they are sufficiently 'other' to be interesting. That flat grey romanticism, the bitterness, the sentimental recrudescences - all brilliantly done. His onetime status as member of a smuggler's gang in the ghetto, the Accountant, etc. - wholly intriguing. He is no simple victim, but a fighter - one of civilization's natural insurgents.
Details are remarkable: the dreaming of food, the 'Polish countess' allusion, the 'cholera' imprecation. And the geography of the streets... for example, trying to work out how they get lost in the snow after the crash of a taxi so that they don't get back to their safe room at the Bristol, only 500 yards away. Detours, digressions - what could be more apt to remembrance of this terrible, bittersweet history?
Stoddard (Chip) Martin
3366701
Brilliant! The author's ear is razor sharp, and the issues of identity and privilege dealt with in the title play are presented in a compelling way. Sorry I missed the NYC productions.  That must have been something,
3727700
In the end a deeply moving read with every element of drama. I actually had a hard time getting started with this book, reading the first few pages three separate occasions before finding stride. I was initially drawn to the story of a young dead mother and the ensuing grief of her family. The other thoughtfully interwoven stories both surprised and enticed. Thank you for your creativity in writing this meaningful work.
4740996
This is an exceptionally well written tour de force about complex emotions. Written is clean, spare prose, it is two stories in one, each with its own voice, demanding to be heard. It is, without a doubt, a book to remember.

It tells the story of Jean, a news photographer who sets out on a sailboat to a remote island off the coast of New Hampshire, accompanied by her husband Thomas, her five year old daughter Billie, her brother-in-law, Rich, and his girl friend of several months, Adaline. The purpose of her visit is to photograph the scene of a nineteenth century double murder that saw two Norwegian, immigrant women hacked to death, which murders were much ballyhooed at the time as the crime of the century.

While there, she discovers an uncatalogued translation of the personal journal of the ostensible lone, female eyewitness, Maren Hontvedt, who seemed to have survived the carnage. Written in a sombre and ruminative tone, the journal of Maren's life and of the events that led up to the carnage forms a core of the story. Maren's journal provides a framework for looking at the angst of Jean's present which is haunted by passion, jealousy, and betrayal. It is through Maren's story that Jean herself comes to terms with her own personal tragedy.

Alternating between Jean's unravelling present and the secrets of the past, the book provides a compelling, absorbing and suspenseful narrative, keeping the reader in its thrall. The two juxtaposed dramas come together in a primal and tragic climax. Those who read this book will find themselves haunted by it.
3579002
It is hard to adequately describe a story which pulls you in from the beginning and weaves history and historical myth with fantastic tales and lives being lived in modern times. A tour de force which is completely relevant to the stories of most of us.
Will not be surprised when Alameddine is awarded the Nobel prize.
206191
Just short of 'absolutely excellent' Sanghera's heart-rending analysis of his own and his family's experiences as Punjabis of Wolverhampton. The intricacies of anguished family life - the intrusions, the expectations, the severe limitations - are painfully illuminated. They stand as a dramatic contrast to the angst of, say, irritations of suburban England, or public school traumas, narratives more familiar to us. Then there is the added drama of investigating the secrets or unspoken truths of this particular family. The author amazingly escaped to a 'better' life-style, only to be irrevocably drawn back to his (uprooted) roots. Uprooted, because the parents were wholly unprepared for life in England. The writing style is, from the first page, utterly engaging. I only found the pace lagged somewhere near three-quarters in. However, it was a thoroughly absorbing read.
110965
War and Peace an great story well told.  It is also a brilliant achievement by Leo Tolstoy, on par with William Shakespeare's work, but entirely different, of course.

Yes it take 50 pages to get all the Russian names of the characters straight in your mind.  After that, however, it is a page-turner until the Epilogue, Part Two.  The Epilogue, Part Two is not a page-tuner, until you put it in the context in which it belongs: among philosophies of history and descriptions of what it means to be human.

What it means to be human is of course demonstrated by Pierre, Prince Andrei, Natasha, Nikolai, Marya, Tushin, Kutuzov, Count Rostov, Denisov and the others characters so beautifully rendered.

I will take the experts at their word, that this translation is superior.  I certainly was pulled into the book.
696168
A beautifully written piece of fiction. The author researched the period extensively and also brought his own architectural education to the story.  This story is vibrant, thoughtful, powerful, and exciting. The writing moves eloquently and quickly from one character to another and builds suspense in the process. I was also introduced to aspects of the WW II era that I had never known before (such as details of the remote training schools for German youth) and the lives of Germans in the 1960's and 1970's.  Highly recommended reading.  This novel is also an excellent choice for a book club discussion.