aishaayoosh's reviews
127 reviews

I couldn’t even finish this...got half way and thought this is quite repetitive...dragging on...and written more for a younger audience that might love how random (& unrealistic to true events) this book gets!!

I mean one of the characters had an elephant in her garden as a pet and to add to that, had bought a double decker bus so she could road trip with it!!! Ffs! Lol!!

Perhaps it’s because I’ve been reading a lot more intellectually stimulating books...

This isn’t for me and I’m not wasting more time on it ...

If I could give this ten stars I would. Definitely an ambitious piece of work that has captured both sides of the Greek Turkish / Christian Muslim divide beautifully and fairly.

It just shows you how regardless of religious beliefs, culture and traditions- people get along and then for some unbeknown reason to them there is upheaval and hatred all dictated by the people at the top.

Coming from a family of multiple faiths- faith has never mattered and been a reason for division... because ultimately what all faith teaches us is to be kind humans!! And you get to celebrate everything ha!

Back to the book...there is everything in this; friendship, love, family relations, neighbor relations, religion, traditions, language, conscientiousness ... everything.


This was my first book written by Louis de Bernieres and I'm mad at myself for not discovering such a wonderful author earlier!!


I would label this a classic. Having borrowed it from the library, I have just ordered my own copy so I can look at it on my shelf and feel nostalgic....

Epic tale of family and tribe spanning generations in Uganda. Begins at pre-colonial Uganda to the reign of Idi Amin up to the present.

Beautifully written and the story is really captivating. Makes you really ponder religion and where it crosses with ancient rituals and traditions which are very much alive in this book - invigorating !!!

If you have read Yaa Gyasi’s book Homegoing you will absolutely love this!!!

Informative, entertaining and a good laugh. Alexander Parker writes well and has given everyone across the board a fair share in the dissing limelight.

When I mean across the board- there is such a diverse group of people who have had their fingers, toes and hands in royally fucking up things for South Africans.
From the ordinary guy sitting next to Alex at a dinner, to business men, warlords and presidents.
This book is a serious history lesson with great satire and lovely cartoons to go with.

I want to give it 5 stars because Alex has written this so well ... but I had to skim past some people mentioned because I didn’t find them compelling enough.

This has really provided some insight into why South Africa stands as it is today and I really recommend it to anyone interested in the country itself or even the surrounding countries.

An Arabic translated novel from revered Egyptian author Nawal El - Saadawi.

It’s a captivating and emotional read that’s so hard to pull away from. The life of a woman on death row told from her prison cell moments before her execution.

I don’t want to spoil it by bearing all. This book has given a voice to a lot of women who suffer a lack of opportunity in Egypt and in fact many countries around the world.

The prose is the way Arabic would be written/spoken, many definitions for one thing or a moment. So sometimes it may feel the writing is going on for a while but that is the nature of the Arabic language and it’s beautiful!

After reading Gentleman of Moscow, which is one of my favourite novels of all time...I was craving some more of Amor Towles prose and this hit the spot.

A tale of high society in 1940’s New York, it’s classy, sophisticated and well written. Almost like a Great Gatsby ....and it brought some memories of home and growing up with what our Pops used to say to us .....

Don’t put meat in your mouth with your knife in hand.
Don’t blow into your soup but stay till it cools.
Don’t put more in your mouth until you’ve swallowed the first bite.
Don’t gaze about when you drink.
Don’t speak bad of people absent.
When you meet someone of greater quality than you, stop and give him way to pass.
Sit with both feet on the ground, don’t cross them.
Don’t cut bread with a greasy knife.

So many more rules of civility .... we try haha :)

An interesting story and I read it more for the hype. I wouldn’t normally pick a story up like this one, I feel like there should have been a deeper story line, something a little more unpredictable.

I feel the ending was a little hurried and although a little glad I read it, I wouldn’t again.

Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.

I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it's for or against.

The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.

If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.

You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.

You're not to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it.

Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.

Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it.

If you have no critics you'll likely have no success.

Enough said.

This is a book I skim read - might be more helpful as an activity book alongside it which has also been released.

Once you can apply what this book is trying to teach you...you can appreciate it more!

I need to run through it again and apply, instead of nod and think “yeah yeah ...definitely..yup” and forget it all the next morning haha!