Al’s Journey: The Night Everything Changed: A Magical Story of Growing Up Fast and Learning Who You Are

Written and illustrated by Marin Darmonkow

This intriguing book contains 32 illustrated pages, but is far more than a picture book story.

The author has combined an earthly tale with mystical elements. At the outset, readers encounter a young boy being raised by his grandfather, who is the shaman of the village. When the shaman turns one hundred years old, he informs his grandson that he must climb the mountain to talk with God about his mission and purpose in life. The boy is guided by fireflies as he continues on his journey.

A book that begins as an adventure story becomes one of philosophical questions as the boy must grow up virtually overnight. Older readers will come face-to-face with finding answers on their own journey.

The illustrations are compelling. They draw the reader into the story and rapidly change its mood as the story evolves. This is a book that can grow with the reader who will return to it time and time again.

SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG FOR NEW BOOK REVIEWS EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY.

Al’s Journey: The Night Everything Changed: A Magical Story of Growing Up Fast and Learning Who You Are

Written and Illustrated by Marin Darmonkow

This intriguing book contains 32 illustrated pages, but is far more than a picture book story.

The author has combined an earthly tale with mystical elements. At the outset, readers encounter a young boy being raised by his grandfather, who is the shaman of the village. When the shaman turns one hundred years old, he informs his grandson that he must climb the mountain to talk with God about his mission and purpose in life. The boy is guided by fireflies as he continues on his journey.

A book that begins as an adventure story becomes one of philosophical questions as the boy must grow up virtually overnight. Older readers will come face-to-face with finding answers on their own journey.

The illustrations are compelling. They draw the reader into the story and rapidly change its mood as the story evolves. This is a book that can grow with the reader who will return to it time and time again.

SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG TO RECEIVE BOOK REVIEWS EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY.

Grigori Rasputin: A Life from Beginning to End

Written by Hourly History

This short read of approximately fifty pages can be read in an hour or less. As such, it cannot be considered a comprehensive review of “The Mad Monk’s” life. It is one of the better books in this history series.

The book begins with Rasputin’s life as a troubled child born in a small village in Siberia. He had many clandestine meetings with his followers, many of whom were women. Rasputin soon developed a reputation as a womanizer. On the other hand, his banishment to a monastery led to the development of a mystical streak. Rasputin had a habit of carrying out everything in his life to extreme limits.

When the monk cured the Tsar and Tsarina’s son, his history of miracles emerged to become a factor. Rasputin would divide the Greek Orthodox church into factions. He soon found himself surrounded by enemies. During his life, he found himself in and out of favor with the Russian monarchy as well as the common populace.

His ability to work miracles protected him from harm many times. He reportedly survived an assassination attempt by poison, only to be shot while making his escape. The combination of factors including World War I and its effect on the Russian populace would eventually doom the Russian government.

This book will give readers a decent overview of Rasputin’s colorful life and role in twentieth-century Russian history. It whets the appetite and interested readers can move on to more comprehensive studies.

If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.