Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
Levin said:
As with any good book, it has left me wanting to read more about the subject. A book can't do much more for its subject than foster greater interest within its reader, so I'll be looking specifically for books on the Warsaw Uprising and perhaps the Treblinka death camp. In closing I'll mention that London's Jewish Chronicle newspaper is cited numerous times throughout Cesarani's book and also provides a soundbite for the cover, in an oddly satisfying reminder that the Nazis failed.
'Revolt in Treblinka' by Samuel Willenberg covers the authors involvement in the titular action and escape from Treblinka as well as his involvement in the Warsaw Uprising. I picked it up and read ut whilst living in Warsaw many years ago and visited the Treblinka site on various occasions, as well as the more notorious southern Poland sites.Levin said:
I've finished David Cesarani's 'Final Solution'. Like Christopher Browning, Cesarani is an historian of the functionalist school of Holocaust research, taking the view that it was a byproduct of slapdash planning and rivalries between agencies with overlapping aims and motives. The theory appears entirely plausible, though I'd like to read a notable work of an intentionalist author also.
'Hitler's Willing Executioners' by Daniel GoldhagenIanA2 said:
Two recommendations:
1. Secret Barrister's informative, entertaining and frankly scary account of our broken legal system.
2. Roland Philipps's better than usual account of the life and times of Donald McLean.
Seems that copies of Secret Barrister's observations are being handed out to all MPs this evening....1. Secret Barrister's informative, entertaining and frankly scary account of our broken legal system.
2. Roland Philipps's better than usual account of the life and times of Donald McLean.
Burnt through three recently.
First Principles, The Official Biography of Keith Duckworth. First two thirds, early life + cosworth were excellent. Last third, retirement was always going to bit a bit boring, alas.
Great account of going to Road America and being asked where he was from; the reaction on realizing he was Keith Duckworth was good.
Hostile Skies, David Morgan. Less cringy than Sharkey Ward's book, and better written.
Twisted Prey, John Sandford. A good read, a bit formulaic by now (28th in the series) but still entertaining.
First Principles, The Official Biography of Keith Duckworth. First two thirds, early life + cosworth were excellent. Last third, retirement was always going to bit a bit boring, alas.
Great account of going to Road America and being asked where he was from; the reaction on realizing he was Keith Duckworth was good.
Hostile Skies, David Morgan. Less cringy than Sharkey Ward's book, and better written.
Twisted Prey, John Sandford. A good read, a bit formulaic by now (28th in the series) but still entertaining.
toasty said:
Just started Don Quixote, 14 short chapters in of 126. Pretty easy going so far, mildly amusing. Just wondering if it's going to hold my interest for the next couple of months.
...and finished. It remained mildly amusing throughout, mostly from Sancho Panza's ups and downs. The humour still works 400 years later but the language seems so long winded now. Glad I've got that one ticked off the Audible list.droopsnoot said:
I've just finished "Gone" by Mo Hayder, a Jack Caffery novel. Very good again, and it doesn't seem to matter too much that I'm reading them in the wrong order.
I've started "The Second Angel" by Philip Kerr, a book I bought years ago and have had hanging around. I suspect it might be one that I give up on, but the number of footnotes seems to be diminishing as I get further in - I hope that by not reading them, I don't miss out on anything significant.
Mo Haydee is very good recommended her a few times on here - I’ve read about 4 of hers so far and have all the currently remaining books written on my book shelf. I've started "The Second Angel" by Philip Kerr, a book I bought years ago and have had hanging around. I suspect it might be one that I give up on, but the number of footnotes seems to be diminishing as I get further in - I hope that by not reading them, I don't miss out on anything significant.
Speed of Sound - Eric Bernt
9/10 - really enjoyed it. Techno thriller following Eddie who has Asperger's.
The tech is fanciful, but the writing is mostly strong and the main characters either likeable or fearsome depending on which side.
9/10 - really enjoyed it. Techno thriller following Eddie who has Asperger's.
The tech is fanciful, but the writing is mostly strong and the main characters either likeable or fearsome depending on which side.
I finished ‘The Plots Against Hitler’ by Danny Orbach last night. Despite the numerous Amazon reviews mentioning an extreme level of detail, the book is very readable. It’s effectively a narrative history of the group responsible for Operation Valkyrie, from its initial plans in 1938 until its destruction in 1944’s failed attempt on the Führer’s life.
Orbach also lays out how such groups work, identifying ‘brokers’, ‘connectors’, ‘superconnectors’ and ‘salesmen’ as well as the layout of the group during its different phases of existence. There is an entire chapter dedicated to the layout of the group during von Stauffenberg’s leadership titled ‘The Wheel Conspiracy’. It is a way of reading about historical conspiracies, groups and societies that I had not utilised before. I suspect it’ll be an interesting way of framing future reading.
Alas, I doubt the book covers every plot against Hitler’s life, for it focuses mainly on the group responsible for Operation Valkyrie, with a chapter dedicated to Georg Elser’s remarkable solo attempt and its failure. It’s a straightforward read with a few approaches to assessing a conspiracy that I had not considered before; new ideas are rarely a bad thing.
Before embarking on my next bit of heavier reading, I thought it might be nice to visit ‘Norse Mythology’, by Neil Gaiman. While I have no doubt the Poetic and Prose Eddas would offer even more to the dedicated reader, Gaiman’s prose is nice to relax to. I think it telling that I’m 200 pages into the book after having started it only yesterday.
Orbach also lays out how such groups work, identifying ‘brokers’, ‘connectors’, ‘superconnectors’ and ‘salesmen’ as well as the layout of the group during its different phases of existence. There is an entire chapter dedicated to the layout of the group during von Stauffenberg’s leadership titled ‘The Wheel Conspiracy’. It is a way of reading about historical conspiracies, groups and societies that I had not utilised before. I suspect it’ll be an interesting way of framing future reading.
Alas, I doubt the book covers every plot against Hitler’s life, for it focuses mainly on the group responsible for Operation Valkyrie, with a chapter dedicated to Georg Elser’s remarkable solo attempt and its failure. It’s a straightforward read with a few approaches to assessing a conspiracy that I had not considered before; new ideas are rarely a bad thing.
Before embarking on my next bit of heavier reading, I thought it might be nice to visit ‘Norse Mythology’, by Neil Gaiman. While I have no doubt the Poetic and Prose Eddas would offer even more to the dedicated reader, Gaiman’s prose is nice to relax to. I think it telling that I’m 200 pages into the book after having started it only yesterday.
Down and out in Paris and London - George Orwell. Set in two halves in the 1930s, the first a descent into poverty in Paris and the second being a tramp in London. The first half was more enjoyable with more colourful characters and some good times. The second was grim and pitiful and makes you thankful you’re not one of them. Short and well worth a look.
toasty said:
Down and out in Paris and London - George Orwell. Set in two halves in the 1930s, the first a descent into poverty in Paris and the second being a tramp in London. The first half was more enjoyable with more colourful characters and some good times. The second was grim and pitiful and makes you thankful you’re not one of them. Short and well worth a look.
The things that guy would go through just to get material for a book 
Every time I read another Orwell, I find myself respecting his guts, determination and down to earth approach to life. Without ever losing sight of the injustices, or failing to comment on them,, he just fights his way through them and survives.
If only he had lived to become older and even wiser, what tales he might have told...
As you say, well worth a look. In this, as with all of his works, Orwell is easy to read without being 'dumbed down'.
If you enjoyed the Longmire series on Netflix/Amazon you may like to try the books that was derived from.
Author is Craig Johnson. The TV guy was not a wisecracking type at all. The authors depiction is very different and I find myself chortling a lot. Henry standing bear is same is on the TV show.
Worth a read
Author is Craig Johnson. The TV guy was not a wisecracking type at all. The authors depiction is very different and I find myself chortling a lot. Henry standing bear is same is on the TV show.
Worth a read
Next on my to-read list is 'Heinrich Himmler' by Peter Longerich (translated into English by Jeremy Noakes and Lesley Sharpe). Originally published in German in 2012, it's a major work on the Reichsführer-SS and his life, right up until its end by his own hand. He's as strange a guy as you'd expect.
The book weighs in at 750-ish pages of research, with more than 300 additional pages of notes and bibliographies that I'm less likely to read. Thoroughly researched by Longerich? You bet.
The book weighs in at 750-ish pages of research, with more than 300 additional pages of notes and bibliographies that I'm less likely to read. Thoroughly researched by Longerich? You bet.
tight fart said:
The Secret Barrister
"The stories of the Law and how it's broken"
Those bits I enjoy and they make a good read but he could have said
"Government cuts more funding, and how boring is that"
He does go on about funding a bit much with to few inside stories.
About a third of the way in now, must say its not as good now as it was the first part."The stories of the Law and how it's broken"
Those bits I enjoy and they make a good read but he could have said
"Government cuts more funding, and how boring is that"
He does go on about funding a bit much with to few inside stories.
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