Ovidiu Strugaru Strugaru itibaren Pasar Sebelah, Mukomuko City, Mukomuko Regency, Bengkulu, Endonezya
The Smiths references made me want to shoot myself.
The fascinating story of Frederick & Steven Barthelme and their three year gambling splurge in Mississipi casinos. Both brothers teach at the University of Southern Mississipi and are well educated men who find themselves spiralling downward! From back cover: "When both of their parents died within a short time of each other, Frederick and Steven Barthelme inherited a goodly sum of money. What followed was a binge during which they gambled away their entire fortune-and more. And then, in a cruel twist of fate, the were charged with cheating at the tables. Double Down is a true story, a terrifying roller-coaster ride deep into the hearts of two men and into the world of floating Gulf Coast casinos. With a mixture of sadness and wry humour the Barthelmes present a compelling look at the aura of gambling-the feel of the cards, the sounds of the crowds and reflect on the lure of challenging the odds, the attraction of stepping into the void. A cautionary tale, the brothers were eventually exonerated-it is a book that, once read, will never be forgotten."
There is so much in this book to make you say “Wow”. Sure, there’s a lot here that’s been done before… a post-apocalyptic world where the people are oppressed and forced to take part in some winner-takes-all contest to the death is nothing new, but here it is done so well. Katniss is everything you would expect from a girl that’s had to take care of herself and her family most of her life. She’s simple, straight to the point, does what needs to be done however she has to, and yes, a little cold. But she’s also stunted. She’s so busy being a grown-up that she’s never had time to be a teenage girl, and her people skills are certainly lacking. When she throws herself into the Games in order to save her much younger sister, she’s forced to come to terms with her weaknesses. The Games themselves are a horrifying construction. 24 children (yes, children — they’re all 18 or younger) are forced into an arena of unknown makeup (will it be a forest? a desert? a frozen wasteland? will there be water? wildlife? edible plants?) and are left there to kill or be killed until there is one victor. As if that alone isn’t enough, the games makers are there to shake things up and encourage battle, and the entire thing is televised, 24 hours a day. Katniss’s fight for survival is not only a physical one, but an emotional one, as she struggles with her feelings for fellow tribute, Peeta. Since there is a second book (and supposedly a third), I’m going to assume that you realize that Katniss makes it through this alive. However, all is not necessarily well, and the way the book ends makes you wish there was just one more chapter. The abruptness of the ending has upset some people, but I think it’s appropriate. It leaves you wondering and a little bit confused, much like Katniss is herself. Because remember, despite what she’s done and what she’s been through, she’s still just a 16 year old girl. As a side note, if you’re considering this for your young adult reader, there’s no sex or bad language here, but there is a *lot* of violence, some of it quite gruesome. Can’t wait for book 2.