Stalingrad (1993) offers a grim and unflinching look at the Battle of Stalingrad from the perspective of a group of German soldiers. The film depicts their initial optimism turning into horrific disillusionment as they become trapped in the relentless urban warfare and brutal Russian winter. Following a small platoon, the narrative showcases their descent into despair, hunger, and moral decay as they witness the systematic destruction of their comrades and the city itself.
The Elephant Man is a must-watch for fans of historical fiction, socially conscious films, and films based on true stories. The film is about Joseph Merrick who is a severely deformed man who is rescued by a kind doctor, Dr. Frederick Treves. The rest of the film follows the development of Joseph Merrick as he blends in with society in the 19th century. I personally enjoyed this film because it takes place in a historical context but remains modern and understandable.
The Outsiders is a book from 1967 about tragedy, conflict and adolescence. The story takes place in Tulsa where two rival groups exist, the poor Greasers, and the rich Socs. The story is told from the perspective of Ponyboy Curtis, a 14-year-old Greaser. He lives with his two brothers, and he witnesses all of the rivalry, tragedy and conflict between the Greasers and the Socs.
A cross little girl named Mary Lennox lives in India with her rich parents and their servants until the household erupts with Cholera and everyone dies or flees. Leaving Mary by herself until she’s found by an English officer who sends her back to England to live with her uncle. When she arrives she slowly comes more and more alive and she runs, plays and explores the gardens around the estate. Through her wanderings she finds a new secret and makes new friends who teach her things, and she teaches them things in return.
Everyone knows who Jack the Ripper is, but nobody ever figured out who he was. Stalking Jack the Ripper is a thrilling tale that answers that very question. It follows Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth who has a knack for the dead. She studies bodies with her uncle who is a doctor. A string of murders starts appearing in England and Audrey has no choice but to try to solve the mystery. With the help of her uncle's seemingly annoying assistant Thomas, they try to solve these murders.
Khaled Hosseini’s And the Mountains Echoed is a profound exploration of familial bonds and the reverberating effects of choices across generations. Set against the diverse backdrop of Afghanistan and beyond, the novel intricately weaves together a tapestry of interconnected stories, each reflecting the enduring impact of love, sacrifice, and loss. The narrative begins with the heart-wrenching decision made by Saboor, a poor Afghan laborer, to sell his daughter, Pari, to a wealthy family in Kabul.
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, we meet two characters, Laila and Mariam. The book is divided into 4 parts. It starts off with Mariam’s perspective on being an illegitimate teenager from Herat whose life falls apart when the death of her mother occurs. She admires her father but soon that also crashes as she is forced into marrying an older man, a shoemaker from Kabul, by her father. In Kabul, Mariam is held to a very high standard which leads to her not being able to show herself or speak for herself.
The Book Thief follows Liesel, a young girl living in Nazi Germany who finds solace in stealing books and learning to read with the help of her foster father, Hans. As war intensifies, she forms deep connections with Rudy, her best friend, and Max, a Jewish man hiding in their basement, all while the narrator, Death, observes their lives unfold. Markus Zusak’s storytelling transcends mere narration; it becomes an exploration of the human heart in the face of unimaginable adversity.
Arthur Miller's The Crucible is a powerful and haunting play that explores the Salem witch trials, a period of mass hysteria fueled by fear, suspicion and religious extremism. The intricate plot unfolds as accusations of witchcraft spread like wildfire, tearing apart a community and forcing individuals to confront their deepest beliefs. Miller's characters are complex and deeply emotional, their struggles with conscience, guilt and the pressure to conform resonating even today.
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a beautifully written novel that captures the glitz and glamour of the 1920s while exploring deeper themes like ambition, love and the American Dream. The classic tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, and his obsessive pursuit of his former love, Daisy Buchanan, during the Roaring Twenties.
