Domi: Have you always been attracted to books about WWII? What is the first book of this genre that you remember reading?
Mel: I've always been really interested in history and politics, so it's no surprise that I'm attracted to stories that also touch on major historical events, and I find WWII particularly fascinating. Also, I like guns and tanks. The first book about WWII that I read was Anne Frank.
Domi: You are currently living in London and are a world traveler, do any of the places you have visited inspire you to read certain books or remind you of any you have read?
Mel: Definitely! London is amazing in terms of history, and hands down has the best war museum I've ever been to. I love reading books that are based in war time England as it's fascinating to read about how much of the city was destroyed and walking around the city now and seeing how it has transformed. I've recently come back from Vietnam and visited the War Remanent's museum in Ho Chi Minh and it was so fascinating, especially as the Americans left so abruptly so they dumped a lot of their artillery into the ocean and the Vietnamese fished it out so there are some really cool tanks, helicopters and guns on display! It's also the most disturbing museum I have ever been to and really opened my eyes to the destruction of the war on Vietnam. I had read a book called "I Love Yous are for White People" by Lac Su, which is a true story of a boy and his family who leave Vietnam after the communist party won the war and they immigrated to America and it documented his family struggles with coping in a new country that is so vastly different than the one they escaped. I now have a whole new war that I've become interest in and I can't wait to explore some historical fiction novels that are based in this period of time.
Domi: Is it true you once went on a date to the Imperial War Museum?
Mel: Yes! He asked me to suggest a place to go, so we went there (nothing says romance quite like submarines and fighter jets). When we got there he said he had never been to a museum before (seriously?) and I was the most cultured person he had met….needless to say, it was our last date.
Domi: What are your top five historical fiction picks?
Mel: My top five picks would be:
- The Book Thief
- Atonement
- The Lost Wife
- Sarah's Key
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Domi: How have the books you've read affected your outlook on the world?
Mel: I think a good book will always leave you thinking at the end of it, especially if they're written from a perspective you haven't read before. For instance, "Everyman Dies Alone" by Hans Fallada is written about WWII but from the perspective of a German family. Also, "The Book Thief" by Marcus Zusack is also written about life in Germany during the war, but is written from the perspective of Death. After reading both those books, it really got me thinking about life for Germans who weren't Jewish or Nazis and how difficult it must of been for them, and the lengths and risks they took to help out people.
Domi: Will you be reading Domiknowz s next read "the Imposter Bride" by Nancy Richler?
Mel: Obviously I will as it's recommended by Domiknowz and is about the lives of Jewish people following WWII.
Stay tuned for my next review!
Happy reading!
Domi
No comments:
Post a Comment