Classics: “And then there were none”

In the original UK novel all references to “Indians” or “Soldiers” were originally “Nigger”, including the island’s name, the pivotal rhyme found by the visitors, and the ten figurines. (In Chapter 7, Vera Claythorne becomes semi-hysterical at the mention by Miss Brent of “our black brothers”, which is understandable only in the context of the original name.) UK editions changed to the current definitive title in 1985. The word “nigger” was already racially offensive in the United States by the start of the 20th century, and therefore the book’s first US edition and first serialization changed the title to And Then There Were None and removed all references to the word from the book, as did the 1945 motion picture.

Through The Mirror

Ten little nigger boys went out to dine;  One choked his little self, and then there were nine. [1] Someone I’m sure will turn up their noses because I put a crime story among the great classics of literature! But it is time that the purists open their eyes and realise that if it is the most widely read genre in the world there will be a reason, and that if they do not believe their contemporaries should admit that this little Christie’s masterpiece has nothing to be envied to today’s thrillers and noir, indeed it should be taken as an example because in its simplicity and continuous suspense is truly a hypnotic and splendid book, but it is in fact a classic given the vastness of reworkings, re-releases, re-editions and quotes! Nine little nigger boys sat up very late;  One overslept himself, and then there were eight. [2]

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“DOMINO Effect”

The prettiness of the audiobook was being able to dip yourself completely in the story but at the same time being able to comment on it with others. Stopping when a point started a discussion, silencing us when the plot solidified.

Through The Mirror

https://youtu.be/xcWOviMI6Lk

Some journeys are more beautiful than others, some journeys are evoked with more pleasure than others. This is not the case with the trip I took with my parents to go to Calabria many summers ago. Blocked on the Salerno-Reggio Calabria for 12 hours, we risked bouncing the holidays, stressed, hot, tired, it was a real nightmare. Once we arrived in the village, it didn’t even get much better because I hated the holiday villages with the entertainers who were always feignedly happy, with the thousands of activities they force you to do, even if you had to relax a little …

I was a teenager therefore in the “I hate everything and everyone” phase, but let’s say that even today I don’t prefer holiday village. I love to take the breaks as I say, at my own pace, and with my needs!

Anyway, those damned 12 hours were…

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Classics: “1984”

It is incredible how after more than sixty years this tragic novel is still so relevant. Tragic, because I don’t know about you but me the idea that someone can see every single action I do, that even checks what I have to think and fixes the shot if ever I’m wrong, scares me! It seems to me something horrible! Yet we are allowing it, if not at those dictatorial levels, to a more acceptable extent we are absolutely already undergoing it.
Just think of how many payments we make with credit cards (and therefore traceable), the cameras on the streets, the traffic control cameras, the PC webcam.

Through The Mirror

“Winston Smith: Does Big Brother exist?
O’Brien: Of course he exists.
Winston Smith: Does he exist like you or me?
O’Brien: You do not exist.”
―George Orwell,1984

Let’s face it for some years now if we hear the words “Big Brother”, we associate them with the famous reality show and no longer with Orwell’s masterpiece …
Many people are certain that it was the book that inspired the show and not the other way around, and I think this speaks volumes about the level of general culture of our beautiful country!
But fear not, you can make up for it!
First of all, just look at the dates, the dystopian future controlled by the big eye described by George Orwell was written in 1949, while the trash program that locked ten people in a house under 24h cameras was only imported into Italy in 2000.
And then it…

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“A Soundrack for llaF”

In that library I found a book that still remains one of the most poetic I have read, sitting on the big carpet eating strawberries out of season, I found myself in Vienna, between violins and loves, between music and passion

Through The Mirror

STRAWBERRIES WITH CREAM CORRECT WITH BELLINI
(the recipe is mine)

Ingredients (4 – 5 people):
– strawberries, g 600
-sugar, 60 g
– lemon, 1/2 (the juice)
-liquor, 1 small glass (of the type you prefer)
– fresh whipping cream, 300 ml
– icing sugar, g 40
– 120 ml of peach juice
– 4 glasses of prosecco

Preparation

Quickly wash the strawberries under running water and put them to drain. We remove the stem and cut the strawberries into small pieces.
We put the strawberries in a container, preferably glass, add the sugar, the juice of 1/2 lemon and the liqueur
We mix very gently, then cover the container with a lid or kitchen cling film. We put the strawberries in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
We take 120 ml of peach juice and mix them with the prosecco, then set aside in a cool place.
We…

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