Tony's Updates en-US Mon, 28 Apr 2025 06:49:51 -0700 60 Tony's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg ReadStatus9362198084 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 06:49:51 -0700 <![CDATA[Tony wants to read 'The Hoods']]> /review/show/7525623587 The Hoods by Harry Grey Tony wants to read The Hoods by Harry Grey
]]> Review6546367883 Sun, 27 Apr 2025 10:25:22 -0700 <![CDATA[Tony added 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn']]> /review/show/6546367883 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Tony gave 4 stars to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Paperback) by Mark Twain
Started on Sunday, April 13, 2025.
Finished on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
★★★★

So many profound and heavy moments that Huck has to go through—his uncertainty about slavery and his growing doubt about his own people and their hypocrisy—made the book one of my most interesting reads. I fucked with the way this book tackles racism and slavery more than To Kill a Mockingbird does. The main character is no pure, almost prophet-like, white savior—he's just an innocent, naive boy who is accustomed to the racist, violent, and hypocritical norm of southern America who had to develop on his own and change his ways. That makes shit real and authentic and compelling, you know. And Jim, the main black character, is an actual human with real character, not a pity device, which made me appreciate the book more.

Now, for the stuff I don't like about it. I think the book has a problem where it turns into a children's book every once in a while. I didn't have any problem with it in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but here, when it tackles much heavier stuff, I think it ruined the flow of the book. The last part of it—the prolonged rescue mission of Jim—kind of put a blow in the consistency of it all. Other stuff that other people don't like is how "tame" Twain tackled the conventions of the South. He used racial slurs like it was nothing; he stereotyped the black characters. But we have to remind ourselves that this was written in the 19th century, so you can't just apply today's norms to Twain's era. What he did was pretty brave—being sympathetic to the abolitionist movement by writing an anti-slavery novel, something that was for some reason taboo and not normal back then. And he wrote such a good character in Jim (even though, again, he did fall to stereotyping him). You know that shit was almost nonexistent back then, white writers writing black people like humans. So I really, really have to respect ol' dude for all that.

Overall, I think this was a great read, a fresh read; I learned more about how white people were acting back then and how fucked up America was, and I got the entertainment value too. It is much better than the previous installment. It is darker and heavier, but it still can get funny and entertaining too. I like that balance. Not as hard of a read because it's in first person, so the wordiness of the first installment was not present. Too happy of an ending, though; it's probably the biggest lie in the book. You know shit like that didn't happen at all. But, I guess, at the same time, you have to be hopeful about it all. ]]> Review7523212448 Sun, 27 Apr 2025 10:24:57 -0700 <![CDATA[Tony added 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer']]> /review/show/7523212448 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Tony gave 4 stars to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Paperback) by Mark Twain
Started on Monday, February 17, 2025. 
Finished on Friday, April 11, 2025. 
★★★�

Calm lil comfort read, just to broaden my perspective on literature. And I picked this one to represent American lit. I was not interested in it much in the beginning—that's why it took me so long to finish—but when all the plotless, episodic stories end, when the murder happens, that was when it got interesting and I started to get hooked and locked in. I was amazed by the different tones of the story and how natural it flows; it would get funny, sad, and then outright dark. And all that was written with incredible eloquence of Twain; the wordiness of it all, I love it. Overall, a fun read. Simple story with great, memorable characters. Now, off to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. ]]> Review6546367883 Sun, 27 Apr 2025 10:24:09 -0700 <![CDATA[Tony added 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn']]> /review/show/6546367883 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Tony gave 4 stars to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Paperback) by Mark Twain
Started on Sunday, April 13, 2025.
Finished on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
★★★★

So many profound and heavy moments that Huck has to go through—his uncertainty about slavery and his growing doubt about his own people and their hypocrisy—made the book one of my most interesting reads. I fucked with the way this book tackles racism and slavery more than To Kill a Mockingbird does. The main character is no pure, almost prophet-like, white savior—he's just an innocent, naive boy who is accustomed to the racist, violent, and hypocritical norm of southern America who had to develop on his own and change his ways. That makes shit real and authentic and compelling, you know. And Jim, the main black character, is an actual human with real character, not a pity device, which made me appreciate the book more.

Now, for the stuff I don't like about it. I think the book has a problem where it turns into a children's book every once in a while. I didn't have any problem with it in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but here, when it tackles much heavier stuff, I think it ruined the flow of the book. The last part of it—the prolonged rescue mission of Jim—kind of put a blow in the consistency of it all. Other stuff that other people don't like is how "tame" Twain tackled the conventions of the South. He used racial slurs like it was nothing; he stereotyped the black characters. But we have to remind ourselves that this was written in the 19th century, so you can't just apply today's norms to Twain's era. What he did was pretty brave—being sympathetic to the abolitionist movement by writing an anti-slavery novel, something that was for some reason taboo and not normal back then. And he wrote such a good character in Jim (even though, again, he did fall to stereotyping him). You know that shit was almost nonexistent back then, white writers writing black people like humans. So I really, really have to respect ol' dude for all that.

Overall, I think this was a great read, a fresh read; I learned more about how white people were acting back then and how fucked up America was, and I got the entertainment value too. It is much better than the previous installment. It is darker and heavier, but it still can get funny and entertaining too. I like that balance. Not as hard of a read because it's in first person, so the wordiness of the first installment was not present. Too happy of an ending, though; it's probably the biggest lie in the book. You know shit like that didn't happen at all. But, I guess, at the same time, you have to be hopeful about it all. ]]> Review7523212448 Sun, 27 Apr 2025 10:23:22 -0700 <![CDATA[Tony added 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer']]> /review/show/7523212448 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Tony gave 4 stars to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Paperback) by Mark Twain
Started on Monday, February 17, 2025. 
Finished on Friday, April 11, 2025. 
★★★�

Calm lil comfort read, just to broaden my perspective on literature. And I picked this one to represent American lit. I was not interested in it much in the beginning—that's why it took me so long to finish—but when all the plotless, episodic stories end, when the murder happens, that was when it got interesting and I started to get hooked and locked in. I was amazed by the different tones of the story and how natural it flows; it would get funny, sad, and then outright dark. And all that was written with incredible eloquence of Twain; the wordiness of it all, I love it. Overall, a fun read. Simple story with great, memorable characters. Now, off to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. ]]> UserQuote92970870 Tue, 22 Apr 2025 10:52:25 -0700 <![CDATA[Tony liked a quote by Mark Twain]]> /quotes/32079
Tony liked a quote
2956. sx98
� All right, then, I'll go to hell. ...more � � Mark Twain
]]> ReadStatus9332616919 Sun, 20 Apr 2025 18:40:41 -0700 <![CDATA[Tony wants to read 'James']]> /review/show/7504992933 James by Percival Everett Tony wants to read James by Percival Everett
]]> Review7262992592 Sat, 15 Mar 2025 09:01:39 -0700 <![CDATA[Tony added 'Great Expectations']]> /review/show/7262992592 Great Expectations by Charles Dickens Tony gave 5 stars to Great Expectations (Paperback) by Charles Dickens
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
]]> UserQuote92517810 Tue, 04 Mar 2025 08:00:28 -0800 <![CDATA[Tony liked a quote by Charles Dickens]]> /quotes/182796
Tony liked a quote
2623. sx98
� Out of my thoughts! You are part of my existence, part of myself. You have been in every line I have ever read, since I first came here, the rough common boy whose poor heart you wounded even then. You have been in every prospect I have ever seen since � on the river, on the sails of the ships, on the marshes, in the clouds, in the light, in the darkness, in the wind, in the woods, in the sea, in the streets. You have been the embodiment of every graceful fancy that my mind has ever become acquainted with. The stones of which the strongest London buildings are made, are not more real, or more impossible to displace with your hands, than your presence and influence have been to me, there and everywhere, and will be. Estella, to the last hour of my life, you cannot choose but remain part of my character, part of the little good in me, part of the evil. But, in this separation I associate you only with the good, and I will faithfully hold you to that always, for you must have done me far ...more � � Charles Dickens
]]> ReadStatus9136298195 Sun, 02 Mar 2025 05:57:04 -0800 <![CDATA[Tony started reading 'Sirah Nabawiyah']]> /review/show/7215162492 Sirah Nabawiyah by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri Tony started reading Sirah Nabawiyah by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri
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