In our continuous pursuit at Sail to encourage and endear reading to our social media followers, we’ve launched a campaign this month under the social media hashtag: #SailBookRecommendations. In this hashtag we are curating a daily book recommendation from our team members and from our followers, those book recommendations are short and brief to entice people’s curiosity, and we are tapping in all genres to appeal to all our followers and readers. The campaign is hosted on our Instagram: @SailPublishing and on our facebook: Sail eMagazine.
Below are some of our posted book recommendations for the past week:
Book title: The Element
Author: Sir Ken Robinson
Genre: Non-fiction, education/self development
This inspiring light read is about the importance of finding your passion and how that makes you become your most authentic self. The self that makes you live an inspiring life of fulfillment and achievement. I loved how Robinson backed up his conclusions with real life examples; of people who have found their element and how they did. Both the insights and stories gripped me and made this book a true page turner. However, I really wish he had explained the HOW. I saw little of his clarification of how one can find their element. As a world-renowned leader in education and human development, Sir Robinson shares several education-related stories and points of view.
Reviewed by AlAnoud AlMadhi
Book title: Because you’ll never meet me.
Author: Leah Thomas
Genre: science fiction
This book is told in the form of letters between two boys who have never met. In fact, if they ever meet, one of them would certainly die. The first letter is written by Ollie, who’s allergic to electricity, and lives in a cabin in the middle of the woods; isolated from society. Moritz, on the other hand, requires a pacemaker and has no eyes. He senses his surroundings by clicking his tongue and uses echolocation to get to school.
Through those letters, Ollie explains to his friend his relationship with a girl named Liz, who brings him news from the world, and Moritz explains his struggles with bullying….. But when Moritz reveals the key to their disturbing past, their friendship faces a test neither one of them expected.
I think what makes this book extraordinarily good is the letters, the science fiction genre, and long distance friendship. I honestly think we need more diverse books like this. I loved how each chapter revealed something new about the characters. Although it’s not the typical book I’d normally pick, I enjoyed it so much and got carried away by the details.
Reviewed by Hajer alObaidli
Book title: The Underground Railroad
Author: Colson Whitehead
Genre: fiction / African American & Slavery
The book tackles the history of slavery in pre-Civil War America; it also broaches the many facets of humanity throughout.
Whitehead manages to bring the metaphor of the railroad to life in painful and real ways, drawing parallels between the journey underground and the hope of deliverance to freedom. We follow Cora as she navigates the path from slavery and the many people she encounters across state lines, demonstrating both the good and the bad and the shades of each within the constructs of society. Overall an accessible read with strong resonance.
Reviewed by Sam AlHashemi.
Book Title: We Should All Be Feminists
Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Genre: Non- Fiction/ Essay/ feminism
This is a book you can easily finish in one sitting. It’s a TED talk that Adichie later turned into a book-length essay. I know many people dislike the word Feminism, it can be very misrepresented. Adichie explains this movement in a way that finally makes sense and resonates with everyone, supporters, and non-supporters of this cause.She emphasizes how society teaches little girls to be less smart, less hard working and less intimidating to boys; While it teaches boys to be tougher, harsher and be “more like men”. She explains in her eloquent way of writing that it’s this thought process that has given birth to the feminist movement. I believe reading this book could help many understand how they can change this way of thinking and how feminism can be so much more for both genders than many have us believe.
Reviewed by Mariam AlHosani
Book title: Furthermore
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi is the author’s first venture into the middle-grade genre. Furthermore follows the story of young Alice Queensmeadow, who lives in a world of color. However, what makes her different is that she is the only person in this world who has no color at all. With the disappearance of her father, Alice goes on an adventure to find her father in the world of “Furthermore”. Furthermore is a wildly imaginative children’s book that will make you wish that you lived in the world Tahereh Mafi created. It is explosive with color, quirk, and DESSERT! What’s not to love about that? Mafi’s writing is beautiful; she impeccably brings two worlds alive and develops Alice to be a unique and determined young girl.
I think this book was special because it taught children and adults alike, that it is important to be who you are at all times. However, it also teaches us a lesson that being who we are sometimes comes with consequences. What I loved about this book is that I believe by telling this story, Mafi herself follows the advice she gives—she practices what she preaches, and that was the act of writing this book. .Reviewed by
Reviewed by Adeeb Nami
Book Title: Veronika Decides to Die
Author: Paulo Coelho
Genre: Fiction / Drama
Being an avid reader of Paulo Coelho’s books, I don’t know how I’ve waited so long to read this. This is the story of 24-year-old Veronika who decides to take her own life, despite seemingly having it all – a loving family, a fulfilling job, her youth and beauty. Yet, it is the conformity of her life that leaves her with a void so deep that she believes suicide to be the only way out. However, things take a turn as her failed suicide attempt finds her in a mental institute, where she is told that although she has survived, her heart has faced irreversible damages, and she has a week left to live. The book takes us through Veronika’s journey of self-discovery as a result of her heightened sense of awareness of life and death.
Through her encounters with other patients at the institute, we also get an understanding of how society perceives what being “normal” is, and how those that do not fit into this view are seen as mad. The book is loosely mirrored on Paulo Coelho’s own life as he was institutionalized multiple times in his youth because he did not want to pursue the path laid out for him by his family (and society), and instead sought life as an artist and writer. This is a fascinating read that will certainly have you question some of the choices you have made in your life, but will also leave you with a sense of appreciation for the life we have been given and the opportunities we must seize. .
Reviewed by Bahar AlAwadhi
Book Title: The life-changing magic of tidying up
Author: Marie Kondo
Genre: Non-Fiction/ lifestyle & home organizing
I was very hesitant about reading this book at first because a number of conflicting reviews I read about it. But then I was about to transform my room’s decor, it felt right to try it out.
The book takes tidying up your whole home, decluttering, organizing your storage and shelves to a whole new level. It teaches you how to let go of your unused belongings, which I thought for the longest time Arabs are genetically not capable of. The book also teaches you how to fold and hang and place your items in the best way for the longest lifespan for each of them and for your to find them.
The main thinking behind the book is that when decluttering, you don’t go over your stuff to see what you don’t want, instead, you bring all your belongings out and choose what you want to keep instead. A whole other level I tell you!
If you have a problem with hoarding and decluttering, this is definitely the next book to read for you!
Reviewed by Iman Ben Chaibah
Book title: A thousand splendid suns
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Genre: Fiction Novel
The author centered the story on the intertwined life of two Afghan women during the Afghanistan war. The events may be slow paced at the beginning but it picks up really fast at some point. It makes you realize how war comes unannounced and how it can change you as a person, turn your life upside down and take away your closest family members and friends. I find this book very relevant as we continuously hear about war but we don’t really grasp the multi-layered dimensions it leaves behind. .
Reviewed by Latifa Azdi.
Beyond the troubling times of the soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the civil strife of the Taliban, and economic disintegration of the state, the author exposes an added layer of complexion by showing the immense challenges of simply being a woman. From side glances of being widowed, to harsh criticism of expectation on how one should look and dress. This book provides a thoughtful and to a certain point a sorrowful understanding of what little girls, mothers, sisters, and daughters go through during times of conflict. No woman should ever have to go through the horrific events that Mariam and Laila went through, and certainly no child.
Additional Review by Nasser AlFalasi:
