Review: The Descent Of Man - Charles Darwin

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Title: The Descent Of Man (The Concise Edition)
Author: Charles Darwin (selection by Carl Zimmer)
Genre: science, biology, evolution
Publisher: Plume, Penguin Group 2007 (1870)
Pages: Paperback, 416
Language: English
Rating: 8/10
Summary: This is a sort of follow up to The Origin Of Species, about the evolution of plants and all animals. The Descent Of Man specifically explores the cultural and behavioral development of people (for instance the origin of language and moral). In this edition scientist Carl Zimmer added his own modern day essays in between the sections.

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Review: How I Live Now - Meg Rosoff

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Title: How I Live Now
Author: Meg Rosoff
Genre: Teens
Publisher: Penguin, 2004
Pages: Paperback, 211
Language: English
Rating: 9/10
Summary: In a fictitious near future, fifteen year old Daisy from New York is sent to her family in England, where she should be safe for the fastly extending World War. Despite (or thanks to) these threatening circumstances she falls in love. With her cousin. It doesn't last long until the war reaches England as well and while Daisy's aunt gets stuck somewhere in Europe, Daisy and her cousins (3 older boys and one younger girl) try to survive on the farm, until the army shows up and seperates them.

( Spoilerfree review )

Review: What I Was - Meg Rosoff

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Title: What I Was
Author: Meg Rosoff
Genre: Teens
Publisher: Penguin, 2007
Pages: Paperback, 199
Language: English
Rating: 9/10
Summary: Written in first person and until the end the main character doesn't tell his name. We do know that he is a teenage boy, who has been kicked off several boardingschools until he is sent to St Oswalds, located in a far away coastal village. He is a loner and doesn't connect with any of his classmates, but when he discovers a beachhut and its intriguing occupant Finn, he tries to be friends.

( Spoilerfree review )

Review: Tuesdays With Morrie - Mitch Albom

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Title: Tuesdays With Morrie
Author: Mitch Albom
Genre: non-fiction, death
Publisher: Sphere 2008 (1997)
Pages: Paperback, 210
Language: English
Rating: 7/10
Summary: Fortysomething sportsjournalist Mitch Albom sees his old (and sick) sociology professor Morrie Schwartz on tv and decides to pay him a visit. They end up meeting every week for long conversations about life and death.

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Review: Een Schitterend Gebrek - Arthur Japin

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Title: Een Schitterend Gebrek (In Lucia's Eyes)
Author: Arthur Japin
Genre: novel, historic figures
Publisher: SingelPocket 2009 (2003)
Pages: Paperback 239
Language: Dutch
Rating: 7/10
Summary: 18th century Venice: 14 year old Lucia falls for 17 year old Casanova. For both of them it's their first big love, but then Lucia suddenly disappears and Casanova feels betrayed. Lucia's life takes a turn for the worst. What happened?

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Review: Dwaalsporen - Jacques Brooijmans

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Title: Dwaalsporen
Author: Jacques Brooijmans
Genre: Teens, Sexuality
Publisher: Clavis, 2001
Pages: Hardcover, 199
Language: Dutch
Rating: 7/10
Summary: Joost and Daniël live in a fosterhome and become good friends, mostly because their situation at home is quite similar. They both have parents who struggle with life and they both feel different from other boys. Daniël often prefers to behave like a girl.

( Spoilerfree review )

Review: I Am What I Am - John Barrowman

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Title: I Am What I Am
Author: John Barrowman (with Carol E. Barrowman)
Genre: Autobiography
Publisher: Michael O'Mara Books Limited, 2009
Pages: Hardcover, 248
Language: English
Rating: 7/10
Summary: Follow up to Anything Goes with even more personal anekdotes about John's life on and off screen.

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Review: When I Knew - Robert Trachtenberg (Ed.)

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Title: When I Knew
Author: Robert Trachtenberg (Ed.)
Genre: Sexuality, Sociology
Publisher: ReganBooks, 2005
Pages: Paperback, 119
Language: English
Rating: 9/10
Summary: Robert Trachtenberg asked people to tell him about the moment they knew they were gay.

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Review: Het Zijn Net Mensen - Joris Luyendijk

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Title: Het Zijn Net Mensen (People Like Us: Misrepresenting the Middle East*)
Author: Joris Luyendijk
Genre: Investigative journalism, politics, media
Publisher: Podium, 2006
Pages: Paperback, 220
Language: Dutch
Rating: 8/10
Summary: *Recently published in the UK under the title: "Hello Everybody!: One Journalist’s Search for Truth in the Middle East". Joris Luyendijk was a correspondent in that area for five years. This book is not about what happened in the world during that time, but gives a peak behind the scenes of foreign journalism and the workings of the media. Joris discovers it's nearly impossible to gather reliable information both in democracies and in dictatorships.

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