R. Rilke

Advantages: none
Disadvantages: can't read it

...if you are a fan of reading german poetry then i would not recommend this. rilke wrote in prague, but is always put in second place on the great prague writers to Kafka (Kundera is also pushing for a place), and is deservedly there. he is difficult to follow. if you want to read simialr poetry, but which is better, read Baudelaire - it is much more rewarding. as regards german poetry he is rather inaccessible. poets like hienrich heine are far better. he is funny and at least when he writes of love and women it is with a touch of ironic honesty. i find rilke too concerned with himself and not concerned enough with his reader. but then again that culd be what he was trying to do. make your own choise and good luck!... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Beautiful prose, fascinating story
Disadvantages: The end left something to be desired...

...Just so you know, this book isn't about motion picture film editing, as you might assume from the title. Mind you, there are some references to films here, but that's a very minor bit. What this book is about is crime, pornography, erotica, sex, and money with a mystery thrown in for good measure (by the way, due to the sex and violence, I'd say this is an R rated book). Thing is, crime thrillers aren't my genre, but after reading Louise Welsh's 2nd novel, Tamburlaine Must Die (reviewed here earlier), I had to take a look at her first book which gained such acclaim by winning the John Creasey Memorial Dagger award for best first mystery novel. Let me tell you what I found. The story here is pretty complex but I'll try to simplify it for you. Rilke is an auctioneer for a small and struggling Glasgow auction house, which has been... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Creative, interesting, moving without false sentiment
Disadvantages: None

...in the poetic. Somewhat ironically, Williams was raised in a Presbyterian household (where things done decently and in good order was the rule of the day), becoming an Anglican of his own accord while still at home. Williams had a broad education that included a developing appreciation for poets in the English language – the work of T.S. Eliot and W.H. Auden are apparent in some of his work. Williams also translated poetry of writers from other languages (such as Rilke), including his native Welsh (Ann Griffiths, T. Gwynn Jones, and Waldo Williams). Perhaps the greatest strength of Williams' poetry is its immediacy and descriptive power. Anglo-Catholic liturgies are very tactile experiences – there are things to see, to smell, to hear, and to do. Anglo-Catholic theology is very incarnational – the word made flesh, something Williams takes... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful