Debashish's Updates en-US Sat, 29 Mar 2025 23:11:16 -0700 60 Debashish's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg ReadStatus9248570669 Sat, 29 Mar 2025 23:11:16 -0700 <![CDATA[Debashish started reading 'Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies']]> /review/show/2952453440 Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond Debashish started reading Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond
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Rating841758420 Sat, 29 Mar 2025 23:09:18 -0700 <![CDATA[Debashish Paul liked a userstatus]]> / Farhana Lüba
Farhana Lüba is on page 346 of 1060 of A Feast for Crows: Will finish this during Eid vacations.
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Review7444550220 Sat, 29 Mar 2025 06:26:51 -0700 <![CDATA[Debashish added 'বিকেলে� মৃত্যু']]> /review/show/7444550220 বিকেলের মৃত্যু by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay Debashish gave 3 stars to বিকেলে� মৃত্যু (Hardcover) by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
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Review7351318688 Wed, 26 Mar 2025 09:52:12 -0700 <![CDATA[Debashish added 'Red Dead's History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America's Violent Past']]> /review/show/7351318688 Red Dead's History by Tore C. Olsson Debashish gave 5 stars to Red Dead's History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America's Violent Past (Hardcover) by Tore C. Olsson
“School taught me to hate history—now I love it.� I once read this somewhere, and it resonated deeply with me. In schools, we’re often forced to memorize the dates, places, etc. of key events, which takes the fun out of reading stories. Now that I don’t have the obligation to memorize, reading history is much more fun.

I recently played Red Dead Redemption 2—a game that left me in absolute awe (yes, I’m that guy who plays one game and can’t shut up about it), as it did for so many others—I became curious about the real history behind its setting. That curiosity led me to this book, and I can now say it was a fantastic choice.

Set in 1899, RDR2 captures a crucial moment in American history—a time of change, conflict, and expansion. This book not only examines how historically accurate the game is but goes far beyond that. No, he doesn’t give away free applauds to the game for being 100% accurate (it’s not). The author vividly explores various aspects of life in that era, weaving together historical insights with an accessible, engaging narrative. Reading it felt like a journey—starting in the West and ending in the Appalachian Mountains, the Southeastern part of the US, just like the game itself. With each page revealing something new and fascinating about America’s complex history, the author did a brilliant job to make history accessible and engaging, without making it overwhelming or dry.

The author covers a lot of ground in this book, touching on many things from the everyday lives of people in the turn of the century, to the big historical topics (Slavery, Reconstruction, Suffrage, Jim Crow, etc.) that shaped the country. He talks about how industrialization was changing things, the complicated relationships between Native Americans and settlers, and how the American West was evolving. Reading the book made me realize once again, just how great the game is. There’s also a look at social issues, like class divides and the struggles of the working poor, giving readers a fuller picture of what life was like back then. Through all these different topics, the author creates a rich view of the era and how it influenced America’s growth. I want to give him credit for one more thing: he debunks a lot of myths that plague pop culture. With well supported references, he gives informative accounts of a lot of important historical events.

I believe great books open windows, and this one certainly did. Now, I find myself drawn toward learning about the U.S. Civil War—not immediately, perhaps, but soon. ]]>
Rating839936995 Mon, 24 Mar 2025 22:09:23 -0700 <![CDATA[Debashish Paul liked a review]]> /
এবার কাণ্ড কেদারনাথে by Satyajit Ray
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UserStatus1015080100 Mon, 24 Feb 2025 09:39:40 -0800 <![CDATA[ Debashish is on page 48 of 288 of Red Dead's History ]]> Red Dead's History by Tore C. Olsson Debashish Paul is on page 48 of 288 of <a href="/book/show/195790716-red-dead-s-history">Red Dead's History</a>. ]]> ReadStatus9112201637 Mon, 24 Feb 2025 09:39:21 -0800 <![CDATA[Debashish is currently reading 'Red Dead's History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America's Violent Past']]> /review/show/7351318688 Red Dead's History by Tore C. Olsson Debashish is currently reading Red Dead's History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America's Violent Past by Tore C. Olsson
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Rating821351781 Mon, 03 Feb 2025 09:13:21 -0800 <![CDATA[Debashish Paul liked a readstatus]]> / ]]> Review7090129593 Fri, 31 Jan 2025 09:52:53 -0800 <![CDATA[Debashish added 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter']]> /review/show/7090129593 Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay Debashish gave 3 stars to Darkly Dreaming Dexter (Dexter, #1) by Jeff Lindsay
3.5/5.

Quite good, the show was better though. The show actually made some big changes from the book that I wasn't aware about before. The writing in the book could be a lot better and I'm glad the show didn't follow the first person point of view like the book. ]]>
UserChallenge57291638 Wed, 01 Jan 2025 08:58:33 -0800 <![CDATA[ Debashish has challenged himself to read 12 books in 2025. ]]> /user/show/47967534-debashish-paul 11627 Create your own 2025 Reading Challenge » ]]>