Saturday, August 8, 2009

The story of San Michele by Axel Munthe

I received this book on last Christmas from my girlfriend, it gives a delectable experience, an interesting and engaging reading. The title of the book holds the name of San Michele Villa from the marvelous Italian Capri island, a villa which was build by the Swedish doctor Axel Munthe as his home. In the book Axel Munthe tells his own life story ,a remembrance of a life spent as a doctor of poor, of high society and that of an animal lover. We find him in Paris as a former assistant of Charcot at Salpetriere and as a popular and successful doctor with rich clientele, in his native Sweden in Lapland, in Naples in the time of cholera fighting the epidemic, in his beloved Anacapri of Capri island where he builds his villa from ancient ruins in the garden of Cesar Tiberius and were he writes his memories. In his garden found refuge his pets: his dogs and Billy the nasty monkey. His villa still remains on of the attractions of Anacapri. The cover is of the Hungarian edition titled San Michele regénye. The Story of San Michele at Amazon. If you are keen you can read online the The story of San Michele at Internet Archive.org. Other online books by Axel Munthe are available at Open Library.


Cover of Story of San Michele in Hungarian San Michele regénye


Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Collins Turkish phrasebook, the right word in your pocket

I noticed Turkish language adds in my blog and because I am a Turkish language learner I thought it would be a good opportunity to mention a Collins gem phrasebook. The book is pocket sized has around 200 pages with English-Turkish and Turkish-English dictionary included, it's topics focuses on basic grammar, pronunciation guide, cultural points, practical hints, common Turkish messages (including also some road signs). The book comes with an audio CD not included in the price of the book but it's useful to have.
On interesting cultural point from the phrasebook, for me the Turkish viewpoint is natural, right and unquestionable:
"While in the company of Turkish people, if you are snacking on something (e.g a bag of crisps or a packet of biscuits) it is very rude not to offer some to the people around you." See at Amazon Collins Turkish Phrasebook CD Pack: The Right Word in Your Pocket (Collins Gem).

Collins Turkish phrasebook the right word in your pocket

Monday, August 3, 2009

Simpleology by Mark Joyner

The subtitle of the book is "The simple science of getting what you want".
I came across the book by chance in a bookshop and I thought yet another self-help book but I bought it because reading into it I found it interesting and funny, it is a not a self-help book at least not the traditional one as it tackles it's subject by calling to reason and not to mystification, more ever there is nothing new under the sun but it puts facts, things in a different light and view. At the end, maybe as no other published book, it offers you a free online course at simpleology site and this free gift is not a junk freebie your are used to but one with value attached to it.
I uploaded the book covers of the Romanian translation titled "Simpleologie". I have to mention the online course is only in English, but also it can be considered as a good chance to practice English for those who have a non-English mother tongue, for me also as my first language is Hungarian. Check out at Amazon Simpleology: The Simple Science of Getting What You Want.


Romanian Simpleology book cover: SimpleologieRomanian Simpleology book  backcover