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Rik

rikmw@ramblingreaders.org

Joined 1 year, 5 months ago

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Rik's books

To Read (View all 7)

Currently Reading

Malcolm Gladwell: Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking (Paperback, 2005, Allen Lane) 3 stars

Intuition is not some magical property that arises unbidden from the depths of our mind. …

Too long and repetitive

2 stars

While the book taught me a thing or two, and was inspiring at times, it was a struggle to get through it. I got bored and it felt repetitive. The book was way longer than necessary. I mean, it wasn't that long, but it could have been an article.

reviewed The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd

Nan Shepherd: The Living Mountain (2011, Canongate) 5 stars

The finest book ever written on nature and landscape in Britain: said a newspaper of …

Beautiful account of the Cairngorms

5 stars

Amazing books about the writer's relationship with the Cairngorm mountains. It's all written in beautiful language, although with long complicated sentences. The way that she views nature and how she wanders around the place is very inspiring and uplifting.

reviewed The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho: The Alchemist (Paperback, 1993, HarperCollins Publishers Canada, Limited) 4 stars

The Alchemist details the journey of a young Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago. Santiago, believing …

Read this at just the right time

5 stars

I have read many critical reviews of this book and I can absolutely see the reasons why so many people dislike it. For me, however, the book came at just the right time of my life, and it had a huge impact on me.

You see, The Alchemist is about following your dream. In my case, I felt stuck in a life that didn't suit me at all, unable to move. This book comes with a certain naivety that is liberating. The kind that says, it doesn't matter, just go for it. Yes that sounds like a recipe for disaster for some people, especially since some events in the books might seem to have a rather dubious meaning. But for me it was a lifesaver. And most of the more rational books that I read as well did no remotely have the same effect. The book might suggest to stop …

reviewed Blood River by Tim Butcher

Tim Butcher: Blood River (2008) 5 stars

Loved the absurdities

5 stars

It has been a while since I read this book, but I remember well that I loved it. The book is intense throughout and I loved reading about such a journey that I would never even consider to make myself. It's full of absurd events and intense dilemmas. I learned a lot about Congo and its place in the world.