Andrzej
Good old witcher? Eventually yes, however, here we get to know Geralt when he was young, not being really the same person as the one we know from the previous books. The way he is portrayed at the beginning is actually rather funny and I'm not sure whether I really like it, but it's not bad after all. I am not sure if this is an old sentiment, or a more objective impression, but Sapkowski's style is really amazing to read. Flies like a butterfly. And all characters have this something. They are not just dry NPC fillers. I would like this book to be longer and give us a more continuous story, but that is just a minor issue. It was so nice to come back to these stories, even if it might have been a little 'money heist' by the author ;)
Amazing book. Mind-twisting to the highest extent, however somehow brilliant in it's image of XXIX century universe(s) and post-physics. Will definitely have to read it again.
A great summary of years ‘95-‘05 in Polish politics. A distanced analysis of the period which shaped my early political believes and and influenced my relationship with current politics. The author analysis each side of the political scene, important events and people and puts them in today's perspective. This gave me a great opportunity to revise the recent history and reinterpret moves by politicians. The only issue I have here is how he focuses the outcomes on few political figures, who even in his words were not really great politicians (besides a handful of them). So far this and the previous part by the same author are probably the best books on Polish contemporary politics I have read.
Interesujący przegląd przez polityczne poglądy Polaków z różnych perspektyw. Szkoda, że próbką była grupa jedynie 800 osób, ale tak czy inaczej wyniki i ich analiza są interesujące i pokazują ciekawa stronę tego jak i dlaczego Polacy głosują tak a nie inaczej.
A fantastic book about how alpinists body works under extreme conditions, how to train and prepare for them and monitor the progress. Intorwoven with amazing stories by one of the greatest alpinists of the past and the present. The programme presented is much more approachable than the one described by the alpine training bible “Extreme alpinism” by Mark Twight. Can be followed by anyone from a novice to an elite alpinist. For anyone interested in the subject it is a must read!
I am not really a big fan of these type of books. A bunch of short articles by some game designers focused either on some specific aspect of game design, or, being very general, not focused on anything and just describing an overview of the whole process. Some of the articles were interesting and good, but as a whole it doesn't hold up and is a bit of a waste.
An interesting set of short stories by the author of The Witcher series. Some are better, like ‘Maladie', some are worse, but all of them keep a pretty good level. Also sheds a bit different light on Sapkowski's works for those who knew him only from The Witcher or Husite Wars.
A fantastic insight into life in soviet Russia. Smartly written to avoid censorship. I read the edition with a modern foreword, giving it very valuable the context.
The best book I've read on board games production and design. Based on authors' vast experience and with good examples. The only caveat for me was that it was going between very general and very specific while only smearing over the things in the middle.
3.5 Słuchałem jako audiobooka w czasie podrozy po Norwegii. Mile historie o podróżach po skandynawii. Zainspirowaly mnie do odwiedzenia wiekszej ilosci miejsc. Nic wybitnego, ale w moim przypadku ładnie sie te historie komponowaly z moja podroza
Wow, what a book. This was probably the hardest thing to read for me in a long time. The detailed texts about famine times and testimonies from this period in Ukraine were totally nerve-racking. But Applebaum is not only doing this to shock and give readers emotional reaction. She shows perfectly the context of the times, Soviet Union and their internal politics. Her explanation about USSR motivation behind this is quite shocking, and I am not 100% sure I take it for granted. However, it makes total sense. At least for an outside observer.
This book is even more crucial right now, in the times of Russian invasion on Ukraine. Shows the long-lasting conflict there and Russia's geopolitical agenda towards Ukraine and its people.
Great book showing the misery of Bolivian people living from and around mining. The author vividly draws the context of how a country, incredibly rich in natural resources, suffers from that richness. History of Bolivia is basically history of different entities exploiting its people. First the Spanish, then the American and finally the local ‘oligarchs' for a lack of better term. This all gets into the personal context of the tragedy of miners who die extremely young and live in conditions of unsure future. Life without basic protection from the state or employers. Life in existential stress, which in turn make those miners abuse the people around them. It's a really sad testament to human exploitation in the name of riches for few. The author in the epilogue gives a spark of hope, showing that there are people who keep fighting and trying to change this state, although that spark is pale in comparison to all the gloom.
Fajne słuchowisko na dłuższą jazdę samochodem w grupie. Fajna forma, dobrze zagrana. Finał troszkę niesatysfakcjonujący, ale ogólnie nieźle.
Przejście do bardziej kameralnej formy na plus. Mniejsza ilość bohaterów pomaga skupić się na tym co w tej historii ważniejsze. Na szczęście twórcy zrezygnowali z robienia z głównego bohatera kompletnego świra. Również wysunięcie się komendanta na pierwszy plan, na równi z Cuffem, było fajne.
3.5. Wziąć pod uwagę trzeba, że autora znam osobiście. Po pierwsze mam pozytywne odczucia odnośnie stylu Kamila. Wartki rytm, literackie opisy. Czasem, jak na samym początku książki, ociera się o manieryzm, ale jako ogół wychodzi obronną ręką. Sama książka, jesli chodzi o strukturę, to trochę taki Lubelski Ulisses pogrążony w oparach alkoholu, seksu i kryzysu wieku średniego. Może autor wziął sobie do serca bliskość nazw miast. W każdym razie tu strumień świadomości sprowadza się raczej do poprzepalatanych ze soba wspomnień. Mam dwie rzeczy, do których mógłbym się czepić. Miałem wrażenie, ze pomimo, iż historie opowiadane są przez różne osoby, to opowiadane są tak samo. Jeśli to wybieg artystyczny i to sam bohater jest tymi opowiadaczami w różnych momentach życia, to trochę tego nie kupiłem. Drugs rzecz, to, ze w zasadzie nie wiem o czym to wszystko było. O wszystkim i o niczym. O Lublinie, o związkach, o samotności, o alkoholu, o gubieniu się. Ale czasen brakowało jakiejś iskry w tym wszystkim.
Podsumowując, pomimo tych kilku zgrzytów, spędziłem z ta książką dobry czas. Miałem dobrą zabawe odszukując naszych wspólnych znajomych lub historie w przypowieściach Kamila.
Another book showing how corrupt and manipulative the Russian state led by FSB really is. This book tells the story of the last 3 weeks or so of Alexander Litvinienko's life. It does it in a really gripping and “MTV” style, which is both good, as the short stories and anecdotes with small cliffhangers make you keep reading and reading goes super easy. As well, as bad, as it seems a bit superficial at places. The story it tells is an important one and the case of Litvinienko and how it was exposed is crucial to understand nowadays Russia, however, this book completely forgets who Litvinienko was and where did he come from. It doesn't try to challenge anything, doesn't pose doubts, besides whether Putin is the supreme evil or absolute evil. I would really appreciate if this kind of literature would be a little bit less black and white. This would add to its credibility and voice talking about murderous regimes like Putin's.
Interesting picture od Greece, especially because of the personal point of view of the author. Doesn't maybe go very deep into the issues, but shows more of the social fabric of greece and changes it went through in the last 50 years or so. Recommended to anyone wanting to understand Greece a bit better if you don't know much about its history and society
Absurd theater. Although very cringy and not doing anything new or especially interesting. Good its short and easy to go through;)
This was not shocking at all ;) Cool stuff to gather the available data in one, concise book. It was a bit repetitive (e.g. using exactly the same words to talk about one person or another in multiple chapters), but was good. It wasn't either very dogmatic or one-sided, even though I am sure some people can say that. To me, it's more shocking that such an organization like CC still exists in this form.
Another gem from Lem. This one is much darker and more mature than the rest I've read, though. A fabulous contemplation on transhumanism, human existence, consciousness, and many, many more. Some of the topics and the approach to them feel so contemporary even nowadays. Even though this book was written in 1963 and mostly talks about the influence of futuristic, for its time, technologies. This just proves Lem's truly unique and forward-thinking imagination and pure genius.
This is more like an instagrammer's account digest. Most of the information are ranging between good to neutral. Just a few seem to be utter nonsense or slightly harmful. My biggest problem is that, even though the author talks about science, she bases it on tiny studies, with questionable methodologies and outcomes and extrapolates them radically or takes from them what suits her best. It clearly is written by someone who used to sell continous glucose monitors and build her persona on that. Now she has to maintain it pumping the same mantra all over again. Most of this book could be summarized on maybe 5 pages.
Bardzo dobrze zaaranzowane i zagrane, jednak sama historia opowiedzia tak, ze jest dla mnie o niczym. A taki potencjał!