domingo, 31 de julio de 2016

ANIMAL FARM







This novel by George Orwell can reproduce the Resistance of humans when a country invades another one or the pros and cons of the political ideology that is "Communism". Or even both of them at the same time as the Russians did during the WWII.
As all meetings of a political party or a group, the animals in this story also have their own anthem "Beasts of England", which was singing after every secret meeting. Afterward, they were organised they got throw out the farm. Then they followed the commandments of "Animalism", that readers can think that as the same precepts as communism has. But, nevertheless, there is always some leaders who command the rest and they finish ruling over them. 
Regarding the begin of this story, all happened after the eldest animal on the farm, a pig, told them his dream of liberty, rebellion. After a time, they had to fight against human beings, but they got the victory in spite of the fact that it started or began the first dissensions among them. Nonetheless, Snowball and Napoleon, they both pigs and they both controlled all these problems. As far as the biggest one was concerned, that was who and how they would work in the field and why pigs were able to drink milk and eat apples without cropped them.
Throughout time, the two leaders started to argue every time more between them in every meeting that was assembled. And in the end, Napoleon won this undercover war, where he got expel Snowball out the Animal Farm. After that, he began fearing and threatening all animals in the farm. Moreover, nobody was able to speak against him under death punishment. So if we extrapolated this situation to the reality, we would watch that it is very similar to what it happens in any dictatorship. Even in countries where communism ruled and rules, it occurred and occurs.
On the other hand, Napoleon started having contacts with humans to earn some money to improve the Farm. In addition, he deceived them as many time as he wanted, almost always under threaten. Even Napoleon and his pretorian guards changed the rules every time that he needed and it was always done by their own profit. As well as Napoleon killed all inhabitants of Animal Farm who thought different to him, under the excuse that they were supporting a new rebellion led by Snowball, who was declared a secret agent's Mr. Jones.
And after all those events, animals also had to fight a hard battle against men again, where many of them were killed or wounded by men, even though animals won. In the end, after the death of Boxer, Pigs all entered in treats with their neighbour, and changed by their only opinion the name of Animal Farm to its old name, "Manor Farm", even themselves began to behave like humans whilst the rest of animals were fed worse than in the past, and they could work harder too. But, all animals but pigs didn't memories about the past days, so they accepted that without complaints.

As I said at the very beginning, the power always should be divided between different people, and in this way, the life will be fairer.

Here we have a cartoon film based on this book.






DATOS BIBLIOGRÁFICOS
  • Título: Animal Farm
  • Nº de páginas: 112 págs.
  • Editorial: Penguin
  • Idioma: Inglés
  • ISBN: 9780141036137

sábado, 16 de julio de 2016

LAS TROMPETAS DE JERICÓ (TRILOGÍA TEMPLARIA 2)



Ambientada en los años finales de la 2ª Guerra Mundial, esta continuación de la trilogía se centra en la búsqueda que los nazis hicieron de una de las mayores reliquias de la cristiandad y el judaísmo, "Arca de la Alianza", ya que creían que poseyéndola iban a tener garantizada la victoria final contra los aliados.
Para ello, entraran en juego tanto los combatientes aliados como los alemanes, con un poco de inclusión por parte de la Iglesia Católica al principio de la novela. Amén de otros grupos de poder en la sombra.
En un principio, Himmler, lugarteniente de Hitler, pone todos los medios necesarios para que los historiadores y arqueólogos alemanes y simpatizantes del nazismo pudieran encontrar información y excavaran en el posible emplazamiento de los "Tabotat" que enterró el templario Beaufort en la zona del Túnez cartaginés. Tras encontrarlos, los nazis persiguen desentrañar su funcionamiento y sus secretos, y después de fracasar sus más relevantes investigadores, llaman del campo de Auschwitz II Birkenau al catedrático judío Zumel Gerlem que será custodiado por el antiguo ejemplo de raza aria y héroe nacionalsocialista, Von Kessel.
Tras esto, los protagonistas viajan a la España de postguerra, concretamente a la provincia de Jaén, para buscar unas inscripciones en un antiguo monasterio que albergó a los templarios protagonistas de la primera novela. Durante su estancia en España, los protagonistas romperán sus barreras ideológicas para acercarse más entre ellos.
El siguiente paso en su camino es viajar a París al no encontrar nada que pueda ayudarlos en España. Allí tendrán acceso a los libros destruidos por los nazis en todos los territorios que tienen totalmente ocupados, y sobre todo en Alemania. Aquí, poco a poco el catedrático judío va descifrando los "Tabotat".
Por otro lado, los ingleses que conocen de las andanzas de Gerlem y Von Kessler, envían a una antigua alumna del doctor judío para convecerle de que trabaje para ellos, informándole de que sus hijo está libre en Suiza del encarcelamiento alemán.
Además, el lector va siendo partícipe de los pensamientos de Hitler y Churchill, así como de sus planes de futuro en la guerra.

En la parte final de la novela, se narra los hechos históricos que acaecieron en los primeros días de Junio de 1944, "Desembarco de Normandía", y según el autor de la novela, el Arca tuvo una gran importancia para que se pudiera producir tal desembarco. Pues según como se relatan los acontecimientos, los militares de alta graduación nazi no estaban en su puesto de mando o no estaban disponible en el momento adecuado.

Contiene un par de notas relativas a dos hechos históricos que vienen a poner algo de luz en el relato, así como la fecha de publicación de un informe del mismo título del libro en una revista ucraniana.

Por cierto, que la forma de actuar del arca recuerda a las escenas finales de esta película de Indiana Jones.


Además, también os dejo un documental sobre el Arca de la Alianza:




DATOS BIBLIOGRÁFICOS
  • Título: Las trompetas de Jericó
  • Nº de páginas: 248 págs.
  • Editorial: Planeta
  • Idioma: Castellano
  • ISBN: 9788408036128

sábado, 2 de julio de 2016

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON


As everybody knows thanks to the namesake film, this short novel relates a strange case where a new-born child was as elder as his grandfather and was growing down while he was going to reach more and more years.
Despite the movie, the book tells such a fantastic story that all people have ever thought, I mean as would be our life if we had the accumulated experience in our childhood. Though we would not be able to speak about it, but we neither forget. In spite of the fact that our behaviour would be like a baby or new-born child, of course.
Understanding this, the story was narrated throughout important events in the Benjamin Button's life and the USA history, apart from some anecdotes as far as Benjamin and the Southern society are concerned in the late 19th century and early 20th years.

These kind of books are quite useful for English students because contain a glossary with useful expressions and words. Moreover, it also has a CD with the audio of the book, and in this way, readers can improve their listening and pronunciation skill.


DATOS BIBLIOGRÁFICOS
  • Título: The curious case of Benjamin Button/El curioso caso de Benjamin Button
  • Nº de páginas: 80 págs.
  • Editorial: Audiobooks/Libro bilingües
  • Idioma: Castellano/Inglés
  • ISBN: 9788416774463