Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
'The Idiot' By Dostoevsky
Translation by Eva M. Martin
One from my collection of Heron books 'The Greatest Masterpieces of Russian Literature' series.
What happens when a completely honest and open man, a man without pretense or artifice collides with 19th Russian society.
A Dostoevsky classic and, it seems, often considered his best work by academics.
As is always the case with good old Fydor, the journey is painful and tragic.
Well worth the read.
Translation by Eva M. Martin
One from my collection of Heron books 'The Greatest Masterpieces of Russian Literature' series.
What happens when a completely honest and open man, a man without pretense or artifice collides with 19th Russian society.
A Dostoevsky classic and, it seems, often considered his best work by academics.
As is always the case with good old Fydor, the journey is painful and tragic.
Well worth the read.
epom said:
unrepentant said:
Finally got around to reading The Boss's autobiography.
A very enjoyable read for someone like me who has been a fan since the late 70's.
Have you watched Springsteen on Broadway ? Sat down. lit the fire had a take away and a beer watching it last Saturday night. Got surprisingly emotional watching it.... its like the book onstage. Incredible. A very enjoyable read for someone like me who has been a fan since the late 70's.
Just finished Children of Time as previously mentioned here. Full credit for the world building and development and the subtle psychology. Enjoyed it.
Now racing through an unfortunately moreish series 'The Murderbot Diaries which is the adventures of a self-hacked security robot, quite drole albeit uncomp!icated. I can't recommend them however as it is one book basically split into 4 novellas each priced as a full book. Shame.
Now racing through an unfortunately moreish series 'The Murderbot Diaries which is the adventures of a self-hacked security robot, quite drole albeit uncomp!icated. I can't recommend them however as it is one book basically split into 4 novellas each priced as a full book. Shame.
IanA2 said:
Just finished the Shardlake series by C J Sansom. About as long (or longer) than a Dance to the Music of Time. Wonderful Tudor romp through a world of corrupt politics, corrupt lawyers, murderous aristocrats and peasant uprisings.
Mr S is both medievalist and lawyer and sure knows his onions which he chops and sautés well to serve up an entrancing soup.....
A very long but educational and entertaining whodunnit.
they are very good aren't they.Mr S is both medievalist and lawyer and sure knows his onions which he chops and sautés well to serve up an entrancing soup.....
A very long but educational and entertaining whodunnit.
Read 1. Dissolution and currently on 3. Sovereign (annoyingly I didn't realise Dark Fire is 2 and that is in my to read pile)
Shadow R1 said:
droopsnoot said:
I've just finished "The Caller" by Chris Carter, a nice slightly-different take on the serial killer story. Worth a look IMO.
The earlier books in the series are better than that one.His latest "Gallery of the dead" falls into the same category.
toasty said:
I'm revisiting The Stand by Stephen King. It's been 20+ years since I last read it and this is an extended version over the one I read.
A few hours in and I'm hooked again. Possibly Mr King's best.
One of my favourite books, along with Salem's Lot. I read it every few years as I like it that much.A few hours in and I'm hooked again. Possibly Mr King's best.
I need to return to the Dark Tower series again at some point too as I haven't read those in a while.
Adam B said:
IanA2 said:
Just finished the Shardlake series by C J Sansom. About as long (or longer) than a Dance to the Music of Time. Wonderful Tudor romp through a world of corrupt politics, corrupt lawyers, murderous aristocrats and peasant uprisings.
Mr S is both medievalist and lawyer and sure knows his onions which he chops and sautés well to serve up an entrancing soup.....
A very long but educational and entertaining whodunnit.
they are very good aren't they.Mr S is both medievalist and lawyer and sure knows his onions which he chops and sautés well to serve up an entrancing soup.....
A very long but educational and entertaining whodunnit.
Read 1. Dissolution and currently on 3. Sovereign (annoyingly I didn't realise Dark Fire is 2 and that is in my to read pile)
IanA2 said:
So said:
Currently I am reading Twilight in Italy by DH Lawrence.
It’s like reading computer code.
Not a great fan of DHL. I think his "importance" is more about when he wrote, and not what he wrote.It’s like reading computer code.
I was subjected to Sons and Lovers at A level and I detested it. Twilight in Italy is unintelligible gibberish compared even to that.
Even the hap who wrote the intro said, “I cannot tell you this is going to be an easy read, because it is not”
'The Rape of Nanking'
By Iris Chang
An extraordinarily well researched and reference filled document of the atrocities committed by the Japanese army after the fall of Nanking estimating the murder death toll at over 300,000; citing multiple references,
The detailed events are often told in a very matter of fact way, though I doubt the author was feeling terribly 'matter of fact' about them, most especially as many of them were revealed to her in personal interviews.
The theories she shares, in the first and latter parts of the book, as to how the Japanese soldiers could behave in such an inhumane fashion are interesting and informative, and something of warning from history.
By Iris Chang
An extraordinarily well researched and reference filled document of the atrocities committed by the Japanese army after the fall of Nanking estimating the murder death toll at over 300,000; citing multiple references,
The detailed events are often told in a very matter of fact way, though I doubt the author was feeling terribly 'matter of fact' about them, most especially as many of them were revealed to her in personal interviews.
The theories she shares, in the first and latter parts of the book, as to how the Japanese soldiers could behave in such an inhumane fashion are interesting and informative, and something of warning from history.
Just finished Good Cop Bad War by Neil Woods. An ex Derbyshire bobby who went level 2 undercover to get intel on the drugs gangs.
He's now chairman of LEAP UK, (Law Enforcement against Prohibition) firmly of the opinion that the war on drugs cannot be won. It was interesting reading about scrotes known locally when I was in Chesterfield, and their eventual nicking, but how he was treated by some of the forces he went to help was a disgrace, yes Derek Smith's lot in Brighton, looking at you.
At times depressing reading.
He's now chairman of LEAP UK, (Law Enforcement against Prohibition) firmly of the opinion that the war on drugs cannot be won. It was interesting reading about scrotes known locally when I was in Chesterfield, and their eventual nicking, but how he was treated by some of the forces he went to help was a disgrace, yes Derek Smith's lot in Brighton, looking at you.
At times depressing reading.
Goaty Bill 2 said:
'The Rape of Nanking'
By Iris Chang
An extraordinarily well researched and reference filled document of the atrocities committed by the Japanese army after the fall of Nanking estimating the murder death toll at over 300,000; citing multiple references,
The detailed events are often told in a very matter of fact way, though I doubt the author was feeling terribly 'matter of fact' about them, most especially as many of them were revealed to her in personal interviews.
The theories she shares, in the first and latter parts of the book, as to how the Japanese soldiers could behave in such an inhumane fashion are interesting and informative, and something of warning from history.
I'm familiar with the episode, horrific indeed and to sift through the testimony must have been quite appalling. I may well put it on the list as again the psychology behind atrocity is both interesting and as you rightly say, a valuable lesson. The cling-film thin layer of civility we all have is worn quickly through and the animal beneath is deeply unpleasant.By Iris Chang
An extraordinarily well researched and reference filled document of the atrocities committed by the Japanese army after the fall of Nanking estimating the murder death toll at over 300,000; citing multiple references,
The detailed events are often told in a very matter of fact way, though I doubt the author was feeling terribly 'matter of fact' about them, most especially as many of them were revealed to her in personal interviews.
The theories she shares, in the first and latter parts of the book, as to how the Japanese soldiers could behave in such an inhumane fashion are interesting and informative, and something of warning from history.
I was walking past the Auschwitz Museum in Madrid this week and there were throngs of students milling about. I saw their expressions and presumptuously imagined their thoughts and thought to myself 'those wicked people were people like you, and to think of them as an aberration or a somehow different species is a grave mistake.'
Edited by andy_s on Friday 25th January 22:05
andy_s said:
Goaty Bill 2 said:
'The Rape of Nanking'
By Iris Chang
An extraordinarily well researched and reference filled document of the atrocities committed by the Japanese army after the fall of Nanking estimating the murder death toll at over 300,000; citing multiple references,
The detailed events are often told in a very matter of fact way, though I doubt the author was feeling terribly 'matter of fact' about them, most especially as many of them were revealed to her in personal interviews.
The theories she shares, in the first and latter parts of the book, as to how the Japanese soldiers could behave in such an inhumane fashion are interesting and informative, and something of warning from history.
I'm familiar with the episode, horrific indeed and to sift through the testimony must have been quite appalling. I may well put it on the list as again the psychology behind atrocity is both interesting and as you rightly say, a valuable lesson. The cling-film thin layer of civility we all have is worn quickly through and the animal beneath is deeply unpleasant.By Iris Chang
An extraordinarily well researched and reference filled document of the atrocities committed by the Japanese army after the fall of Nanking estimating the murder death toll at over 300,000; citing multiple references,
The detailed events are often told in a very matter of fact way, though I doubt the author was feeling terribly 'matter of fact' about them, most especially as many of them were revealed to her in personal interviews.
The theories she shares, in the first and latter parts of the book, as to how the Japanese soldiers could behave in such an inhumane fashion are interesting and informative, and something of warning from history.
[quote]
I was walking past the Auschwitz Museum in Madrid this week and there were throngs of students milling about. I saw their expressions and presumptuously imagined their thoughts and thought to myself 'those wicked people were people like you, and to think of them as an aberration or a somehow different species is a grave mistake.'
To recognise that humans are capable of these atrocities is only a small part of it; To recognise that you are capable is the thing. That is the real lesson.
It is easy to imagine ourselves as victim or observer or, more arrogantly, the liberating hero when reading of these events.
What we must do is read these works as though we were the perpetrators in order to understand how easy it is to slip into that role. From that we can learn to recognise the signs that we / our society / a government / a political movement is heading in that direction.
Then and only then might we learn to stop allowing history to repeat itself.
“Gradually it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either -- but right through every human heart -- and through all human hearts.”
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Edited by Goaty Bill 2 on Saturday 26th January 11:20
Goaty Bill 2 said:
'The Rape of Nanking'
By Iris Chang
An extraordinarily well researched and reference filled document of the atrocities committed by the Japanese army after the fall of Nanking estimating the murder death toll at over 300,000; citing multiple references,
The detailed events are often told in a very matter of fact way, though I doubt the author was feeling terribly 'matter of fact' about them, most especially as many of them were revealed to her in personal interviews.
The theories she shares, in the first and latter parts of the book, as to how the Japanese soldiers could behave in such an inhumane fashion are interesting and informative, and something of warning from history.
I think I’ll put that one on the To Read list...By Iris Chang
An extraordinarily well researched and reference filled document of the atrocities committed by the Japanese army after the fall of Nanking estimating the murder death toll at over 300,000; citing multiple references,
The detailed events are often told in a very matter of fact way, though I doubt the author was feeling terribly 'matter of fact' about them, most especially as many of them were revealed to her in personal interviews.
The theories she shares, in the first and latter parts of the book, as to how the Japanese soldiers could behave in such an inhumane fashion are interesting and informative, and something of warning from history.
I’ve just blasted through...
Munich by Robert Harris - that man knows how to get history absorbed! I’ve read most of his books and they all subtly grab hold and won’t let go. Excellent stuff.
The Human Universe by Brian Cox and Andrew Cohen - I like Prof Cox style of putting across complex info in a way that is neither belittling nor assuming. Loved the premise that we are just so insignificant.
Currently halfway through The Moon’s a Balloon by David Niven. I’d been told by many that this is required reading and they were right. Entertaining and engaging with just enough detail. Much better than one or two other Famous Movie/Rock Star autobiographies I’ve read.
The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Mcintyre. A true story about MI6 and a KGB man. Astonishing. And there are some funny bits where MI6 were in uncharted territory. On one occasion they had to set up an apparently chance meeting in Finland near the Russian border. Three groups were involved. They had to fly in, each hire a random car and meet at a prearranged venue. They arrived separately in three identical red Volvos with sequential registration numbers. They had all used the car hire firm at the airport. "We looked like a convention."
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