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book reviews
The Bruneions Monthly Book Reviews features a list of book reviews of popular titles available from dBookHaus, Brunei Darussalam.
This month we highlight six titles: A Thousand Splendid Suns, Green Deen, Getting To Yes, I Heart Paris, Three Weeks With My Brother and The Fault In Our Stars.
TITLE . A Thousand Splendid Suns
AUTHOR . KHALED HOSSEINI
Those who were captivated by the successful novel, The Kite Runner, should be more than satisfied with this follow-up.
It is told from the perspective of two women and unlike the Kite Runner, these characters are unable to leave Afghanistan and are forced to stay and endure the Taliban's reign. Mariam is forced, at a young age, to marry a man much older than her and has to endure a loveless and quite often violent marriage. About 20 years later, this man takes another much younger wife called Laila and the two women soon form a strong bond. These women are inflicted with a suffocating horror from both their husband and the Taliban but amidst the pain, their friendship develops, bringing some small relief to their lives.
Totally enthralling, exciting and sad, and it leaves you with a sense of hope for the future.
 | TITLE . Green Deen AUTHOR . IBRAHIM ABDUL-MATIN Environmental policy consultant and youth organizer, Abdul-Matin, clearly demonstrates how environmentalism fits into the goals and ethics of Islam in his first book, Green Deen. The author focuses on several facets of human impact—waste, energy, water, and food—and includes discussions of green jobs, political systems, and greenwashing. Though topics will not be new to those who have read secular books about green or simple living, Muslims will appreciate Abdul-Matin's clarity in relating steps to Islam, often providing quotes from the Qur'an (though tips will apply equally to non-Muslims). Less a lecture than an invitation to introspection, Green Deen is a welcomed hybrid, providing a glimpse into conservation through the lens of religion. |
 | TITLE . Getting To Yes Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In AUTHOR . ROGER FISHER . WILLIAM URY Getting to Yes explains what successful negotiation is all about - as you read you know that the approach described makes perfect sense - indeed in retrospect, it may all seem fairly obvious. In reality though, the ideas presented are quite radically different to the normal approach to negotiation. Most readers will change or refine the way they negotiate as a result of reading this book. The points made are explained clearly and illustrated well and, in contrast to some, the authors in this case have resisted the temptation to keep padding their ideas out. The result is a work that is fairly concise (less that 200 pages) and easy to read. If you are going to read just one book on negotiation, make this the one! |
 | TITLE . I Heart Paris AUTHOR . LINDSAY KELK Angela is in the city of love -- but romance is taking a nose-dive! When Angela Clark's boyfriend Alex suggests a trip to Paris at the same time when the hip fashion mag, Belle, asks her to write a article, she jumps at the chance. But even as she's falling for the joie de vivre of Paris, someone's conspiring to sabotage her big break. And when she spots Alex having a tete-a-tete with his ex in a local bar, Angela's dreams of Parisian passion all start crashing down around her. With London and her old life only a train journey away, Angela can't decide if should stay and face the music or run back home! If you are after a light-hearted, funny holiday read, then this is for you! |
 | TITLE . Three Weeks With My Brother AUTHOR . NICHOLAS SPARKS . MICAH SPARKS This book is written using a mix of a travelogue (about a trip around the world) and flashbacks (the story of Nicholas and Micah Sparks' lives). The memoir switches between the brothers' family history and a reflection on their lives and decisions, and their Amazing-Race-style whirlwind trip to exotic places around the world. The Sparks brothers are the only two surviving members in their family and have experienced a lot of tragedy through the years. Their shared-experiences have brought them extremely close together. Truly an uplifting book. Worth reading! |
 | TITLE . The Fault In Our Stars AUTHOR . JOHN GREEN SOON TO BE RELEASED! 19 JANUARY 2012 Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at twelve, Hazel was prepared to die until, at fourteen, a medical miracle shrunk the tumors in her lungs, extending her life for a few more years. Two years post-miracle, Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumors tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. Enter Augustus Waters. Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to Hazel, interested in her. A match made in Cancer Kid Support Group. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy she hopes to leave behind. A beautiful teenage novel dealing with illness but it is filled with life. |
