The Dare - John Boyne.. Book Review

So another book read and dusted. Roaming the library I did not know where to start when looking for my next book review. Should I go for another autobiography or should I force myself on to read a novel, Hank Moody style, the main character in hit series, Californication.

Without hesitation, I found myself reading a novel this time around. A John Boyne novel called The Dare. The Irish author who has six novels under his name, including worldwide bestseller The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, which was also made into a feature film.

Danny Delaney the main character in The Dare, whose summer vacation has just kicked off, is looking for a troublesome free school holiday where he could just read his David Copperfield book, play football and ride his bike with next-door neighbour and friend, Luke Kennedy. 

 

With shock, I read seven chapters of this book in a day, meaning I was finding it hard to put down for some reason. Either way, John Boyne tells the story from the Twelve-year-old boy’s point of view. His holidays change from the second his mother walks through the front door, after him and his father were tormented watching the hours tick by and no sign of his mother was in reach.

Luke, who portrays the spoilt child but comes off a little stingy at times towards his mother and her boyfriend Benjamin Benson, has to tackle the fact that his father does not want him to visit.

As catchy as it may sound, The Dare is not about Irish teen’s daring one another to do mischievous things, or atleast that’s what I thought when grabbing the book and fleeing the library. It is the dare that started Danny’s horrible summer holidays.

From the dare, it unfolded so many emotions within his family especially his mother. His brother Pete, who he is most fond of, is travelling Europe with his university friends. Danny tries to find out more of what really happens and meets a girl, Sarah who he has a little innocent crush on as well. Eventually things become tense and Danny finds it hard to get grip of things and packs up his belongings and does the unthinkable, by running away from home. 

It was hard to keep track at times because the novel did have this jumping effect, where it became tedious and then out of nowhere something new is unfolded.You can’t hide the fact that it is a good read and it was very attention-grabbing from the get go.

Feeling the Dungeni beat

Twenty four years old and the beat keeps pumping in his soul, Bheki Dungeni a first year journalism student and music producer sees himself going from strength to strength each day. 

 

The Zimbabwean born, made South Africa his home 7 years ago to further his studies and is now also citizen of Mzansi. He takes pleasure in writing poems, lyrics and watching movies that consists of top notch actors such as Denzel Washington and Jason Statham.

Dungeni matriculated from Mzingwane High School back in his birth country, and since then fell in love with producing music. The student creates beats from his home computer on the Fruit Loops production software which is where everyone starts out when they are keen on making all kinds of tunes.

The journalism student produces all kinds of beats and is not just focused on one type of music genre. His versatile approach to this activity has since created 24 beats and formed a group called Armada Victory consisting of five members including himself. The group was established in 2010.

The fruit loops geek spends approximately 12-15 hours a weekend on producing beats and centers his attention on his studies during the week. Other than that he gets his inspiration from the legendary American hip hop artist and producer Dr Dre. Dungeni aims to be one of the best producers one day.

Reading, a disguised meal... How reading a lot helps a journalist...

For a journalist reading is as important as breakfast or breast milk. By feeding your mind with words, words that can make sense and formulate something that could be extraordinary like Charles Dickens novels, Mills and Boon, or any art of writing including newspapers. Indeed reading feeds the brain and soul of human nature.

As draining as it may sound, reading increases ones wits and that’s a fact. The 411 of any journalist job is to gain knowledge, gather information and somehow formulate sentences together to create an interesting article and by reading they can do that.

Interest..? This ought to be the first word to pop up in a journalist head when looking for something to read because it is the primary step when finding something that’ll attract you; like the title or the author. Look for a certain genre you are into whether it sport, non-fiction or entertainment. Obviously any person wouldn’t want to read anything jaded. We all know how tedious reading can be for the greater part of society. They want something that’ll hook and keep them reading on for some reason.

A broad imagination is what a good writer needs. A lack of knowledge is something that everybody tries to avoid just like reading and by doing that you are surrendering yourself to ignorance. Reading should devise thoughts of any kind and should create a picture in one’s head when following sentence after sentence. Understanding poetry helps improve the ability to formulate vivid imagery. So when one writes, after every sentence there should be a picture articulating.

Just by reading, it enhances writing skills and soon vanishes one dimension writing techniques. One can become skilled at how to flow sentences better, which makes any piece into an appealing story. Assuring that each word and sentence taken in will create a distended mind of valuable words.

Your vocabulary increases when reading, it installs an array of words and the way of using them when speaking. Questioning is a vital ingredient when being a journalist. Reading would create quicker thinking and improve general knowledge. Journalists will develop a familiarity with language and it will soon become a second nature when putting pen to paper. The common mistakes will become easily visible and editing would be a breeze.

This activity is a beneficial investment to a journalist character. A journalist is constantly growing in its environment, so becoming better is always the aim. When reading, park yourself in a quiet environment where you feel most at ease. Always make sure you have something to drink at hand.

Aaron Copland, a famous American composer, once said “I read, not to learn anything, but from the pure love of it.” In today’s day and age the love for reading is hard to install, but reading will never stop.

My Side - David Beckham

If there was a seven wonders of football, he’ll most undeniably be in it. Ask any fashion label from Paris to Milan they would grab him without question. Yes, bloggers you thought right, its David Beckham. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid flank has sparked the world yet again, but not the way he always does it on the green but on paper.

If it was not for his incredible ball playing ability and his good looks, the dead ball specialist would have probably became a good novelist. The polish that actor and journalist Tom Watts applies, does lend this first-person narrative an air of unreality that some readers will find hard to ignore. Not trying to give the game away but his story telling ability was very attention-grabbing. It was like sinking your teeth into a chocolate brownie and an avalanche of ice cream, you just want another spoonful after every swallow. 

Titled “My side”, the autobiography brings about the truths of everything that Beckham encounters with as a growing superstar. This is his own in detail account of his career to date, for Manchester United and England, and of his childhood, family and personal life.

Beckham reveals how as a child the influence of his parents, especially his father monitoring him into the footballer that he became. He also describes growing up in his family home, and how the subsequent split affected him. He speaks about the many teams he played for as a youngster and then finally the break he got at the Red Devils.

With the many relationships he expresses such with his mother, his two sisters and past girlfriends and the many coaches he had, all comes in true effect of the book. He talks about growing up with fellow stars such as his best-friend, Gary Neville. He mentions the complex relationship with Manchester United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, and how he handles the pressure of playing alongside some of the most volatile footballers of his generation including Eric Cantona and Roy Keane. He explains how he first met and then married ex-Spice girl Victoria Adams and the upbringing of their two sons, Brooklyn and Romeo.

He tells the England story, from being belittled by the nation before returning as the prodigal son and almost single-handedly guiding his country as captain to the 2002 World Cup Finals. Beckham tries to put the picture in your head and even explains some of his favourite goals and cup moments.

The title speaks for itself. The book came across as if I and this legend were having a closed one-on-one on a pitch where we having a kick about and him just explaining everything in detail. Aspiring footballers, wives, daughters, sons would enjoy this book. My Side is so much fun and a good read.

Set In Motion.......

So yeah:), this is where the magic happens…. For a first year journalism student [LOL]. So what am I going talk about on this blog???? I have no idea, what I do know is that I’m sticking to the name of the blog… So follow me on a long journey as [I] chase and experience life.