I’ve just read a cracking book by Simon Sebag Montefiore titled Sashenka. An insight into the Russian uprising of the Bolshevik, Stalin‘s brutality and an impact on a family.
just read this .. wonderful novel .. as Montefiore says in the Acknowledgements, sometimes a novel can bring home terrible histories much better than a dry old learned textbook
@Lincsaddick It’s part of the Russian/Moscow trilogy; One Night in Winter and Red Sky at Noon (I’m yet to start them).
I ordered all three together, Amazon bargain price .. I'll read the second volume later .. I like to have a change of pace from book to book if you know what I mean .. next up is either A Grisham or a William Faulkner, who Grisham says was a great influence on him. I must say that Sashenka has 'moved' me more than any other read for quite a while.
I’ve just read a cracking book by Simon Sebag Montefiore titled Sashenka. An insight into the Russian uprising of the Bolshevik, Stalin‘s brutality and an impact on a family.
just read this .. wonderful novel .. as Montefiore says in the Acknowledgements, sometimes a novel can bring home terrible histories much better than a dry old learned textbook
@Lincsaddick It’s part of the Russian/Moscow trilogy; One Night in Winter and Red Sky at Noon (I’m yet to start them).
I would recommend them all as a fascinating way of understanding the Russian mentality under communism.
Careless Love - Peter Robinson. The 25th DCI Banks novel. Gripping from the start, the usual characters are suspicious that two apparently accidental deaths are in fact murders, but there are twists and turns as they try to establish the facts.
A Short History of Drunkenness - Mark Forsyth. Like all of Forsyth's works it's a treasure trove of historical and linguistic information. A great read that's even better if enjoyed with a little libation - except that we learn that a libation doesn't actually mean having a drink, but the deliberate act of spilling it on the floor.
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard. By far and away the worst book I have ever read - learned more from Asterix. Its saving grace is that its so boring that I fall asleep within 2 paragraphs, so I'm sticking with it!
Ka-John Crowley, hoping it will have some of the magic of his bestseller fantasy book Little Big which is one of my favourite novels, but it doesn’t really get there.
'White Dog who Fell from the Sky' by Eleanor Morse, is a novel that deals with two issues, apartheid in 70's South Africa and the disastrous effects of fencing domestic cattle, that caused the death of hundreds of thousands of wild animals. It's a very moving story, informative and beautifully written. It reminded me of an argument I had with a very brash but attractive South African girl circa 1980 when I said apartheid had to change and she said it never would. People like Peter Hain were so brave to bring the hidden atrocities to the light.
Currently reading: We Will Remember Them by Max Arthur
Had just finished an excellent read by Nick Lloyd called The Hundred Days where he covers the last great offensive of World War One, its the first real book that I've read about the battles of 1918 and the author is right in what he says that there are too many accounts of the horror periods of WW1 (1916 / Passchendale etc.) and not enough about the end of the war - As a result it got me thinking about the fact that too many WW1 / WW2 books cover the war and then almost like a novel end in the sense that the soldiers went home and that was it
Did a bit of research and came across the above mentioned book that I'm currently reading
In exactly the same format as the Forgotten Voices series (if anyone has read those), the author having written Forgotten Voices of the Great War - Its basically broken down into various sections talking with veterans about the various periods in the aftermath of World War One, talking about how people reacted to the Armistace, how those on the Home Front reacted before going on to discuss how those badly wounded managed after the war (specifically the Shell Shocked and those who'd lost limbs) - Currently on the chapter about how the soldiers returned to work and its remarkable the amount who just got shunned by society almost... One veteran rightfully saying in my opinion that there was so much emphasis on those who didnt return, yet what about those who did, no one seemed to care about them!!
Of course I could be wrong and there could be other books that give an account of the aftermath etc.
If anyone has any recommendations I'd love to hear of them as despite being sad reading about these case its extremely fascinating at the same time
After taking two months to read David Copperfield, I have just torn through My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout in 3 days. A strange yet entrancing read. Now onto Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata which is very good so far.
As I only read on my commute I have not read anything for the last month.
Assuming you are working from home, can't you sit in the shed for an hour between getting up and starting work? Maybe even stand pressed against the wall some mornings, just for authenticity?
Just finished Roy Keane's 2nd autobiography. To be fair to him, he's well balanced, be has a chip on both shoulders!!
Looking for recommendations on other good Sports biographies please??
"Provided you don't kiss me" by Duncan Hamilton, about Clough's time at Forest and "My Father and Other Working Class Football Heroes" by Gary Imlach, also a Forest oriented book. Both lent to me by a Forest fan, naturally, and both a really good read, even for the neutral.
Just finished reading 'Dark Pines' by Will Dean recommended by some kind person on here. Very good read, well written and gives a fascinating insight into small town life in Sweden. Can't wait for the next one to be published.
As I only read on my commute I have not read anything for the last month.
Assuming you are working from home, can't you sit in the shed for an hour between getting up and starting work? Maybe even stand pressed against the wall some mornings, just for authenticity?
Or do you normally drive to work?
I sit at the end of the garden with a coffee and read for half an hour before starting work. My commute is now carrying the fold up chair down the garden and back without spilling my coffee!
Ma’am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown
Hardly your conventional biography, but rather stories and snippets from those who knew her, embellished from time to time by Craig Brown’s humour and parodies. Funny and sad in equal measure and featuring an array of characters including, amongst others, aspiring actor and one time boyfriend, Roddy Llewellyn (“he’s got a small part in Charlie’s Aunt”), John Bindon (and his alleged party trick) and a host of other socialites and stars.
I found this a riveting and thoroughly entertaining read. The short chapters also mean it’s a book which you can pick up from time to time when the mood takes you.
Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
The trials and tribulations of two working-class Australian families sharing a large house in Perth between 1943 and 1963. It’s quite long and a sprawling but colourful saga. I found it a very good read.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Ove is the archetypal angry old man who spends his days enforcing block association rules that no one cares about and visiting his wife’s grave. After reaching a life changing decision, an unlikely friendship develops with young neighbours and their children and life takes a new path. Beautifully crafted, I thought this was a funny, moving and life-affirming novel - excellent in all respects (as is the subsequent film based on the novel - the Swedish version, rather than the proposed English-language film adaptation starring Tom Hanks).
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Sally Rooney’s acclaimed novel is about the complex friendship and relationship between a young man and woman who attend the same secondary school and go on to study at Trinity College Dublin. I liked the author’s style and found the characterisation insightful and very powerful. A BBC dramatisation of the book is coming our way later this month.
Comments
The author’s name resonates as I used to watch his namesake make runs for Surrey in the ‘50s.
It reminded me of an argument I had with a very brash but attractive South African girl circa 1980 when I said apartheid had to change and she said it never would. People like Peter Hain were so brave to bring the hidden atrocities to the light.
Had just finished an excellent read by Nick Lloyd called The Hundred Days where he covers the last great offensive of World War One, its the first real book that I've read about the battles of 1918 and the author is right in what he says that there are too many accounts of the horror periods of WW1 (1916 / Passchendale etc.) and not enough about the end of the war - As a result it got me thinking about the fact that too many WW1 / WW2 books cover the war and then almost like a novel end in the sense that the soldiers went home and that was it
Did a bit of research and came across the above mentioned book that I'm currently reading
In exactly the same format as the Forgotten Voices series (if anyone has read those), the author having written Forgotten Voices of the Great War - Its basically broken down into various sections talking with veterans about the various periods in the aftermath of World War One, talking about how people reacted to the Armistace, how those on the Home Front reacted before going on to discuss how those badly wounded managed after the war (specifically the Shell Shocked and those who'd lost limbs) - Currently on the chapter about how the soldiers returned to work and its remarkable the amount who just got shunned by society almost... One veteran rightfully saying in my opinion that there was so much emphasis on those who didnt return, yet what about those who did, no one seemed to care about them!!
Of course I could be wrong and there could be other books that give an account of the aftermath etc.
If anyone has any recommendations I'd love to hear of them as despite being sad reading about these case its extremely fascinating at the same time
Or do you normally drive to work?
Looking for recommendations on other good Sports biographies please??
I've just finished reading the latest Rivers of London book by Ben Aaronovitch https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/BP9/rivers-of-london I really like this series, it has a mix of comedy and lots of London history.
Now working through a hastily gathered pile of books that I grabbed from Dartford Library on it's last day open before 'lockdown'.
Ma’am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown
Hardly your conventional biography, but rather stories and snippets from those who knew her, embellished from time to time by Craig Brown’s humour and parodies. Funny and sad in equal measure and featuring an array of characters including, amongst others, aspiring actor and one time boyfriend, Roddy Llewellyn (“he’s got a small part in Charlie’s Aunt”), John Bindon (and his alleged party trick) and a host of other socialites and stars.
I found this a riveting and thoroughly entertaining read. The short chapters also mean it’s a book which you can pick up from time to time when the mood takes you.
Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
The trials and tribulations of two working-class Australian families sharing a large house in Perth between 1943 and 1963. It’s quite long and a sprawling but colourful saga. I found it a very good read.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Ove is the archetypal angry old man who spends his days enforcing block association rules that no one cares about and visiting his wife’s grave. After reaching a life changing decision, an unlikely friendship develops with young neighbours and their children and life takes a new path. Beautifully crafted, I thought this was a funny, moving and life-affirming novel - excellent in all respects (as is the subsequent film based on the novel - the Swedish version, rather than the proposed English-language film adaptation starring Tom Hanks).
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Sally Rooney’s acclaimed novel is about the complex friendship and relationship between a young man and woman who attend the same secondary school and go on to study at Trinity College Dublin. I liked the author’s style and found the characterisation insightful and very powerful. A BBC dramatisation of the book is coming our way later this month.