Over the past week and a half I've reread the His Dark Materials trilogy. I read them when I was young and, reading them as an adult, they are completely different books. Amazing. I've now got that inconsolable bittersweet feeling of loss and satisfaction that comes with having to leave the story that you were immersed in when you turn the last page.
Quote from: Will Hunt on October 26, 2016, 10:33:17 pmOver the past week and a half I've reread the His Dark Materials trilogy. I read them when I was young and, reading them as an adult, they are completely different books. Amazing. I've now got that inconsolable bittersweet feeling of loss and satisfaction that comes with having to leave the story that you were immersed in when you turn the last page.That's interesting. I tried to re-read them recently, having loved them when I was younger. I enjoyed the first two, but found the Amber Spyglass was horribly heavy-handed and preachy. It seemed like Paulmann bit off more than he could chew.
Quote from: kelvin on September 23, 2016, 07:30:13 amAlan Moore's Jerusalem - anyone bought this yet? Got it this afternoon on the Kindle as I hear the physical version has a tiny font which I really struggle with as I get older. Looking forward to getting stuck in as I enjoyed Voice of the Fire and Unearthing (and the comics of course).
Alan Moore's Jerusalem - anyone bought this yet?
Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being.
Have at last, after a long interruption, just finished Tony Judt's Postwar: A History of Europe since 1945. This huge panoramic analysis of modern European history is one of the finest works of historical scholarship I've read. If you want to understand modern Europe you should probably read this.
Quote from: andy popp on November 12, 2016, 06:52:44 pmHave at last, after a long interruption, just finished Tony Judt's Postwar: A History of Europe since 1945. This huge panoramic analysis of modern European history is one of the finest works of historical scholarship I've read. If you want to understand modern Europe you should probably read this.I read this over the winter break, mainly after this recommendation. Very big, 800 pages of very small print, mostly magnificent. It's a history of all Europe, not just the western bit familiar to Brits. There are numerous examples of hideously complex and hard to understand topics like The Troubles and the 1990s Balkan conflicts explained with utter clarity and brevity without seeming simplistic. His specialism in French politics, Jewish background, and a youth spent in the class-war trenches inform the book throughout, usually to it's benefit. Picking nits? An overemphasis on French political philosophers and he's hopeless on culture that isn't French New Wave film. Albert Camus gets numerous mentions, The Beatles none.
Read two books from the big wall book club thread over Christmas, both excellent.Richard Rhodes, Making of the Atomic Bomb, first half is history of nuclear physics up to 1941, then the race to build the bomb, the descriptions of Hiroshima are rightly memorably horrible. Could have done with more of the industrial science behind producing enriched uranium and plutonium and less Szilard but maybe I'm a geek about these things.
Currently enjoying Blitzed: Drugs in Nazi Germany by Norman Ohler
Read two books from the big wall book club thread over Christmas, both excellent....Varlam Shalamov, Kolyma Tales, bleak bleak tales form the Gulag, some beautiful writing though. In particular found last story Graphite very powerful. Big thanks for the recommendations.
Just finished off Law unto himself, Mike Law's autobiography.Really good, reminded me a little of Andy Pollit's book but a little more coherent. ...
Moose's recommendation of Command and Control - Eric Schlosser was really good. Read like a thriller, interspersed with meticulously researched history. It was a bit daunting on Kindle as it seemed to go on and on, until it abruptly ended and I figured out the remaining 40% was all the references and notes.
Just finished off Law unto himself, Mike Law's autobiography.Really good, reminded me a little of Andy Pollit's book but a little more coherent. A really succinct history of some good bits of australian climbing history if nothing else.
Quote from: duncan on January 11, 2017, 12:17:30 pmQuote from: andy popp on November 12, 2016, 06:52:44 pmHave at last, after a long interruption, just finished Tony Judt's Postwar: A History of Europe since 1945. This huge panoramic analysis of modern European history is one of the finest works of historical scholarship I've read. If you want to understand modern Europe you should probably read this.I read this over the winter break, mainly after this recommendation. Very big, 800 pages of very small print, mostly magnificent. It's a history of all Europe, not just the western bit familiar to Brits. There are numerous examples of hideously complex and hard to understand topics like The Troubles and the 1990s Balkan conflicts explained with utter clarity and brevity without seeming simplistic. His specialism in French politics, Jewish background, and a youth spent in the class-war trenches inform the book throughout, usually to it's benefit. Picking nits? An overemphasis on French political philosophers and he's hopeless on culture that isn't French New Wave film. Albert Camus gets numerous mentions, The Beatles none. Excellent summary Duncan. I agree, the one area of weakness is popular culture. which he fundamentally seems not to get (see terrible section on punk). But this is a very minor weakness against the many great strengths.
Any interest in having a kindle lending service on here?
Quote from: fried on February 17, 2017, 09:51:10 amAny interest in having a kindle lending service on here?I've got loads i would happily pass on / loan out both hard copy and electronic.