4E1 English Blog

Two friends - Derek Scully and "Outspan" Foster - get together to form a band, but soon realise that they don't know enough about the music business to get much further than their small neighbourhood in the Northside of Dublin. To solve this problem, they recruit a friend they'd had from school, Jimmy Rabbite, to be their manager. Jimmy named the band "The Commitments", as "All the good 60s bands started with a 'the'."

He witnesses a young man singing drunkenly into a microphone at a friends wedding and is struck by the fact he is singing "something approximating music". He decides the band should play soul music.

Jimmy places an ad in the local paper reading

"Have you got soul? Then Dublin's hardest working band is looking for you".

Eventually, he gets together a mismatched group with seemingly no musical talent, led by mysterious stranger Joey "The Lips" Fagan, who claims to have played trumpet two famous stars. They quickly start learning how to play their instruments and started to perform in small events.

With Jimmy Rabbite, a music-fanatic, as their manager the Commitments seek to fulfil their goal of bringing soul to Dublin.

The story shows the joys and sorrows the band members experienced and how each of them overcame their problems and obstacles. Arguments surfaced when it came to choosing certain costumes, songs and crops for their performances. It was hard to please everyone for the decision that was made. At times when the band faced competition and criticism from other bands, Joey acted as the source of spiritual motivation to drive his members to focus on their goals rather than getting involved in unnecessary problems.

After reading this book, i have understood that musical instruments are like precious to the musicians. They take great care of their instruments by ensuring they are well tuned and the strings are in good conditions. Occasionally, the musicians will send their instruments for repair and repaint if it's needed.

The Commitments was adapted into a movie in 1990 and had won the largest selling winner in the history of the prize and has been published in nineteen languages.

'This is a charming, truthful and immensely funny story which leaves you gasping for more'-Sunday Times
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Delilah White, producer of Domestic Bliss-highest rated lifestyle TV program, loves herself just the way she is: a perfect size 12. At a departmental store with her best friend, Sofia, Delilah had difficulties looking for a garment of her size while a size 2 for Sofia was always hung at the front of the rack among the bevy of other size 2s. Sofia is a natural beauty who has striking green eyes and honey-blonde mane . She has the figure of a petite vixen with shapely legs, full breasts and a tiny waist that she appears diminutive next to Delilah.

Soon, Delilah found herself pitted against her rival at work, Margo Hart, after her boss announced that she's taking an early retirement. And at last, Delilah met her guy, Jack, and both felt the inevitable love between them.
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The story is told from the point of view of the owner's dog. Enzo knows he is different from other dogs. He has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Denny is an expert in racing car in the rain which is a lot tougher than on dry roads.

Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition.

The unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife, caused the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoe, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody.

On the brink of death, Enzo recalled all that he and his family had been through and held in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoe at his side. During his last breath, Enzo wished to return as a man in his next lifetime.

This is definitely an inspiring and entertaining book recommended not just for dog-lovers or racing fans. It talks about life lessons and provides a lot of depth about family relationships. It is basically about loyalty, kinship, love, values and hope.

After reading this story, I begin to wonder what my dog is thinking... ;)
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Seventeen year old Veronica Ronnie Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, especially her father until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie hates her selfish father for ruining the family and abandoning it for his interest. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church.

During summer, Ronnie and her brother Jonah are sent to North Carolina to spend time with their estranged father. As soon as she sets foot in her father's house, she's determined to plan her return back to New York. To show her unwillingness, Ronnie puts distance between them by spending her first night away from his home. It was on this night that she first meets Will followed by Blaze. It was this night that changed her summer.

It is during this summer when Ronnie soon realizes despite her behavior, her father's love remained unconditional. Ronnie slowly understands and tries forgive her father. The story shows the struggles Ronnie had to forgive herself and her father.

The tale reveals the first love Ronnie has and the love between parents and children. This is an emotionally charged novel which can move a reader to tears at the last part of the story. It is surely worth to read it.
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The Christmas Secret is the story of a young single mother, Christine, who is constantly struggling to make money to feed, clothe and take care of her beloved young children(seven year old Zach and five year old Haley). To make matters worse, her ex-husband is a vengeful man who tries to make Christine's life more stressful and worrisome with threats of taking over the custody of the kids.

Christine hopes to see and feel the beauty of Christmas once again, but unfortunately life and unexpected events have harden her. She loses her job for being late umpteen times due to the untimely teenage sitter she was forced to employ.

One day, she saved a woman who worked in Wilson's departmental store. The owner of the store wanted to thank and show his gratitude to Christine but she was nowhere to be found. The grandson of the owner, Jason, was sent to look for Christine. It was at the bakery shop where Christine's new workplace was, Jason met her and there seemed to be a special sort of connection between the two of them.