About him & her (2023): A movie review…
Think about all the little elements of fate that lead to us crossing each-other lifepaths, some of them leaving everlasting marks, others just ending up as ghostly shadows of destiny. The movie, “About him&her”, explores this theme, as two phone line cross accidentally, and the people in both sides of them end up forming a special connection. Hiding from Tokyo’s summer heat and humidity, I put the movie on, not really intending to watch it closely, but rather as a distraction as I was sorting things out a little bit, but it grasped my attention, not to let me go, till the last screen, when I felt tears rolling down my cheeks. SPOILER ALERT. The movie is set in 1989 and the opening screen shows a black screen and visualized telephone lines getting...
Read More“Whatever it takes”, by Andy McNab
I just finished reading McNab’s “Whatever It Takes,” a thriller that follows the story of former soldier James Mercer as he organizes a heist to get his hands on a ledger that keeps powerful secrets hidden from the wealthiest and most influential people on the globe. Andy McNab, the book’s author, is a former SAS soldier whose true identity has never been revealed, despite publishing many bestsellers expressing his first-hand combat experience. He served in various conflicts worldwide, including the Gulf War and the Balkans. McNab’s books are known for their authenticity and realism, drawing on his own military experiences. Many of his books feature the character of Nick Stone, a former SAS soldier turned mercenary. He has also written...
Read MoreVegime
Mundohem t’i jap mallëngjimit tim trajtën e fytyrës sate, Kujtimit të asaj mbrëmjeje Nëntori, Kur të gjeta prapë, Pasi kisha vite duke të kërkuar. Dhe prapë më ike, Nëpër gishtërinj, Si era që lëkundte zjarrin që kisha ndezur buzë bregdetit në jug-lindje të Tokios, Që më kujtonte një tjetër bregdet, Kur unë e ti ishim bashkë. E një tjetër zjarr. Se kur ishim bashkë, Ndjeja njëkohësisht, Paradoksalisht, Edhe kohën që do të na ndante, Edhe pamundësinë e kohës për të na ndarë, Se nuk imagjinoja dot, Mëngjese që zbardhin pa ne. A vdes për MUA?, më pëshpërit, nëpër gjumë, “Jo”, them, “por vdes për NE”. Paradoksalisht. Por ti mbase nuk e di, Por unë vdes edhe vetëm për Ty. Nuk të shkrova më, Jo se të kisha harruar, Jo! Por se nuk doja që...
Read MoreUnraveling Our Roots: A Review of Jack Reacher’s adventures in Past Tense
In an unusual turn of events for me, I found myself watching the Jack Reacher movies, portrayed by Tom Cruise, and the TV show Reacher, portrayed by Alan Ritchson, before diving into the books. However, after a quiet, beautiful, insomniac night, under the reading lamp, trying to shine it away from the pretty face of my girlfriend, sleeping next to me, I raced through the pages of “Past Tense”, thoroughly enjoying it. The experience of having watched the adaptations before the source material added a new dimension to my appreciation of the character of Jack Reacher and Lee Child’s writing. Having found and cultivated in my soul the tendency towards being alone and leaving the world behind at a moment’s notice, I deeply admire/envy the free spirit...
Read MoreThe English Assassin and Switzerland not being so neutral!
(Image: A Belgian museum has returned a painting stolen by the Nazis to its rightful owners after 71 years, Copyright JOHANNA GERON/Reuters) With my eyes switching between the bright shining face of my sleeping angel and the pages of the exciting spy thriller in an early Tokyo morning, I finished the second installment of Daniel Silva’s hero, Gabriell Allon. In Silva, I found my new favorite writer of spy fiction. Allow me to provide a review of The English Assassin. During World War II, Switzerland was a neutral country and was not occupied by the Nazis. However, it was used to store looted art by the Nazis and other individuals and organizations. Some estimates suggest that a significant amount of stolen art was brought into Switzerland during the war,...
Read More