Handmaid's Tale
13 journalers for this copy...
Thank you MarciNYC for accepting this offer for a trade :)
It went straight up on the list of the best books I've ever read (only 3 more books on that list right now...).
Now I want to buy many copies of the greek translation to give to my friends who haven't read it yet...
Margaret Atwood is brilliant! How can she write so well? I'm speechless...
The ray is still open for new participants :)
List of participants (final):
spiderchic --UK
Brujula --France
caffcaff --UK
Zoe1971 --Germany
Thanks
Anyway thanks for sharing and shall pass on to Brujula.
Sent out today
Thank you Spiderchic and Apapsa!
Thank you very much for letting me read this book, and for letting me keeping it so long!
I'll mail the book to caffcaff today!
Will start this today and pass on as soon as im done.
I did like it, but it left me with soooo many unanswered questions. I desperately wanted to know what happened to her Daughter (and Luke come to that!). The Historical Notes at the end did help a bit, but how did she put it all on Audio tape and how comes Nick managed to get her away......
Will PM Zoe1971 for her addy and post as soon as i get it..... Thanx apapsa
Released 19 yrs ago (3/2/2005 UTC) at To the next participant in Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Sending to Zoe1971 in Germany as next person on this ray....
But I promise, this book will have the chance to continue its travel.
Thank you very much, apapsa, for starting this ray. And thank you also, caffcaff, for sending it!
It's a MUST for everybody who cares about Human Rights.
It's not only - as it may seem - a tale about men regaining power over women, but also a description of how discrimination generally works, may it be gender discrimination, because of race, religion or political attitude.
The novel shows especially the power of vocabulary used, how a choice of words can create and manipulate our reality:
"Fraternize means to behave like a brother. [...] there was no corresponding word that meant behave like a sister. Sororize, it would have to be." (p. 15)
or
"'Most of those old guys can't make it anymore,' he says. 'Or they're sterile.'
I almost gasp: he's said a forbidden word. Sterile. There is no such thing as a sterile man anymore, not officially. There are only women who are fruitful and women who are barren, that's the law." (p. 79)
Last, but not least, let me cite two wonderful quotations:
"But this is wrong, nobody dies from a lack of sex. It's a lack of love we die from." (p. 131 f)
and
"I said there was more than one way of living with your head in the sand and that if Moira thought she could create Utopia by shutting herself up in a women-only enclave ahe was sadly mistaken. Men were not just going to go away, I said. You couldn't just ignore them.
That's like saying you should go out and catch syphilis merely because it exists, Moira said." (p. 223)
As for Utopia - wouldn't it be nice to think, we're far away from any state like the one described in 'A Handmaid's Tale'? But are we? Remember how the Gilead Regime achieved it's power:
"It was after the catastrophe, when they shot the president and machine-gunned the Congress and the army declared a state of emergency. They blamed it on the Islamic fanatics, at the time." (p. 225)
That's not too far away from our time, or is it? We have to be aware that many countries in our so-called "Civilized World" have set up laws like the "Homeland Security Act" that would restrict people from travelling freely, would allow police to arrest you for several days just beacause you're suspected of anything, that would make data of your bank account or your telephone easily accessible to the authorities. It seems to be quite easy: - blame it on the Islamic terrorists! and "If you're not to hide anything, why not make your data accessible?!"
This novel has motivated me to get in contact with the local group of an international Human Rights NGO. I recommend it. Find one, for example amnesty international, Human Rights Watch, FIAN international or any local group...
p. s.: Did you know that Harold Pinter, this year's winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, wrote the screenplay for the movie "The Handmaid's Tale"?
- JohnSteed, CH - Zurzach
- urfin, D - Rostock (not before Nov. 20th, 2005!)
- trygvasson, D - Hamburg
- nypon, P - Porto
- Margih, FIN - Tampere (last participant)***
Released 18 yrs ago (10/15/2005 UTC) at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to JohnSteed in Switzerland...
btw: Zoe1971, you master a beautiful handwriting
First I was intrigued by the future setting, expecting a kind of scifi story. But soon I realized this is so much more.
It's a thriller the way the story moves on. Every bit of the story is revealed as you read on. Atwood uses a concise language since the story is "told" to us. It feels like the heroine is sitting next to you.
It's a political book the way it describes the mechanisms of a fascist society. Where the people are used to watch over their fellow citizens. Fear rules.Controlls.
It's a historical book the way it reminds one of the cruelties of the past (Nazis) and present (Taliban).
It's also a (kind of) romance the way it depicts feelings even in such a harsh world.
It's simply a great book. A wild ride. And food for thought.
Released 18 yrs ago (11/15/2005 UTC) at BookRing in ☑ 'Controlled Release' > Country > Province > City, .---controlled release---. Switzerland
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
>>>>>>>>>>>> urfin
21.Nov. So, yesterday, in the train, I started the book, and I read 165 pages in one go! (just to show how gripping I find it)
"Freedom to and freedom from" (p.33) Which is to be preferred?
7.Dec. Ok, after a longish pause, I managed to read the second half of the book. One of the most important books I've read this year, I'm sure!
Am going to check if our library has a copy, and if not, I'm going to donate one (not this copy here, of course ;o)
At one point, when Moira was describing her attempt to escape, it reminded me of the precautions that were undertaken near the wall/border of GDR and FRG to foil the very thing. It is rather interesting then to read on the last page that Atwood begun writing the Tale in West Berlin...
Also, I like this quote (apparently from the Playboy) in the blurb: "Read this novel - then contribute to your favourite liberal cause."
Bookcrossing is just one such cause!
Tomorrow, the book will travel on to trygvasson in Hamburg.
Feb.2006 I've since bought a copy in English (in German they already held it:) and donated it to my local library.
And by the way: Merry Christmas everybody - and a very happy new year...
The last two weeks a friend read it - she was visiting me and had to spend some time in hospital and desperately needed reading material. She got into very lively discussions with the hospital staff who are part of a reading circle and they had read the book in the German translation.
If a book is so gripping that it sends people talking - I´m all for it.
Sorry that it took me so long - I´ll send it on asap - as soon as I have the next address.
Elsita asked to be left out - so I´ll contact the next reader in line.
Released 17 yrs ago (4/8/2006 UTC) at Posted to another bookcrosser in Hamburg, Germany, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Travelling on to nypon
Stupid me, I just noticed when I got this book to my hands that I´ve received this same book as a RABCK some time ago. So, this one is ready to continue it´s traveling. As we have the highest holiday season here in Finland right now I´m gonna put this book in my shelf for a while and offer it first to my BC-friends here in Finland. But first, must enjoy the sunny Finnish summer :D
Of course, anyone, who is interested to join the ray, just PM with your shipping preferences.
Released 6 yrs ago (4/5/2017 UTC) at Metso in Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland
WILD RELEASE NOTES: