The History Book Club discussion

Here is your thread for 2014, G. Happy reading.

JANUARY

1. by Rick Atkinson

Finish Date: January 2. 2014
Genre: History
Rating: A

Publishers Summary:
The liberation of Europe and the destruction of the Third Reich is an epic story of courage and calamity, of miscalculation and enduring triumph. In this first volume of the Liberation Trilogy, Rick Atkinson shows why no modern reader can understand the ultimate victory of the Allied powers without a grasp of the great drama that unfolded in North Africa in 1942 and 1943.

Opening with the daring amphibious invasion in November 1942, An Army at Dawn follows the American and British armies as they fight the French in Morocco and Algiers, and then take on the Germans and Italians in Tunisia. Battle by battle, an inexperienced and sometimes poorly led army gradually becomes a superb fighting force. At the center of the tale are the extraordinary but flawed commanders who come to dominate the battlefield: Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley, Montgomery, and Rommel.

Brilliantly researched, rich with new material and vivid insights, Atkinson's vivid narrative tells the deeply human story of a monumental battle for the future of civilization.

Review:

I can't say enough about this book. It is exquisitely written, but it is not for the faint of heart. I had very real difficulties reading about the constant slaughter of these young men. WW2 is iconic now, in the sense that those of us not born until it was over, but with parents who were young and vital during the war, only see the heroes, the caricatures of the leaders, and the GI Joes. Mr. Atkinson rips that all away. I wish I had known more about the trenches, so to speak, before I read this. I was ill equipped for the detail.

I did not participate in the group read, even though I read along because I just don’t feel knowledgeable enough. But I do want to point out a few of the things that made this a good book (in my mind).

Using the section on the Kasserine Pass Battle(s) as an example – there is just too much to summarize from the book as a whole -, the author underscores how the ‘Atrocious Allied communications security helped (the Germans)…’ but then he explains how Allied spying via Ultra opened a path to see Rommel’s intentions. Regardless, the situation was a technical failure for the Allies and General Fredendall had to be sacrificed: ‘The tunneling sounds at Speedy Valley had been supplanted by the clamor of men striking their tents and loading their trucks. His corps was in tatters…His career, too seemed wrecked…Eisenhower would need a scapegoat.’ And this opened the way for George Patton, the flawed but charismatic leader.

And in the epilogue, in one small sentence ‘After the French came the Americans. A band crashed through “The Stars and Stripes Forever” and the 34th Division’s 135th Infantry Regiment…swept past, rubber-soled shoes clapping softly on the pavement’, you can feel exactly what the observers were seeing.

And finally, in a quote from a British General “One of the fascinations of the war was to see how Americans developed their great men so quickly”. North Africa was the arena where the adolescent America became the adult, although not mature, America. Mr. Atkinson draws us a map through the war zone, which allows us to watch this transition.

2. by Peter Lovesey

Finish Date: January 2, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B+

Amazon Review:

Peter Diamond of the Bath Police returns in the fourth installment in this marvelous detective series. The plot for this mystery is well thought-out and cleverly developed with puzzling turns that keep you guessing. A rare stamp is stolen from a museum, only to appear between the pages of a mystery book under consideration by a group of wing-chair sleuths known as the Bloodhounds. The intrigue deepens when one of the mystery buffs winds up dead. The cat-and-mouse game plays out with plenty of twists and turns. Mystery lovers will enjoy the debates over classic mystery plots that the Bloodhounds engage in, and the careful reader will wisely follow them to glean clues to solving the mystery.

Review:
I've said before that I think Peter Diamond is grand, and this book does nothing to change that view. It is part of a Soho Crime series which I have to find out more about. What makes this book so appealing to me is that I have been taking a class on the Mystery Novel as Literature, and in this book the author pays homage to the classical mystery tale through a group of mystery readers called the Bloodhounds. And within the group are aficionados of the many mystery sub genres with ego involvement to match. As always, Diamond is not only flawed, but second guessing himself. The several intertwined story threads do not reveal themselves until the end. Well done.

G wrote: " JANUARY

1. by Rick Atkinson

Finish ..."

Thanks for such an interesting review. I will consider reading it when I move to the topic of WWII. :D

3. by Jennet Conant (no photo)

Finish Date: January 22, 2014
Genre: Non-fiction, Biography, History;
Rating: B

Publisher's Weekly Summary:

Julia Child's passion for French cuisine began when she and her husband, Paul, moved to Paris in 1948. The couple met in Ceylon in 1944 when both were in the Office of Strategic Services, precursor to the CIA, and they married two years later. To tell their story, Conant (The Irregulars) combed through numerous archives to fill in the deep backgrounds of their OSS friends. Opening with OSS origins and the 1943 OSS recruits, the narrative follows the WWII trajectory of Julia Child, who volunteered for a post at the OSS base in India. At Mountbatten's mountaintop headquarters, the team included Julia, Paul, and the flamboyant Jane Foster. With the end of WWII, Jane flew to Java to record the war crimes testimonies of American POWs, while Paul and Julia's romance heated up in China and France. The couple fell under suspicion when Jane was targeted with accusations of espionage, having "left a trail of Communist ties the FBI followed like breadcrumbs" (though Conant found no conclusive evidence that Jane was a Soviet spy). The bulk of this book is mostly about Jane, making the title somewhat misleading, but Conant's vivid tapestry of the 1940s skillfully interweaves interviews, oral histories, memoirs, and recently unclassified OSS and FBI documents with unpublished diaries and letters. The adventurous young OSS recruits spring to life throughout this meticulously researched, authoritative history. (Apr.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Review:

What a curious book from an otherwise exceptional author. The title is totally misleading and I am surprised that the publisher put this story forward with an incorrect title. The book is about Jane Foster, who was an American Communist (whether or not she was a spy is still open to conjecture), and a colleague of Julia and Paul Child in the OSS in China and Indonesia during and after WWII.

Very little in the book discusses Julia. Perhaps there is a little more coverage of Paul as he was closer to Jane. The relationship between Julia and Paul is barely covered except to say he was not smitten, but she was. He apparently grew in friendship with and fondness for her, however.

With regard to the Jane Foster Zlatovski, her transition from a debutante/dilettante to an avowed champion of the underdog is somewhat explained. Her Communist sensibilities are clear, but never clearly defined. Anecdotally very interesting as a saga of this woman. As a description of her zealous, naÏve support of the downtrodden and her distaste for political bureaucracy this book does a very good job. But it is not about Paul and Julia Child.

Interesting review, G. I guess the book is not what the title implies.
BTW, if there is no photo of the author, just put the link and "no photo". You don't need the avatar.

by Jennet Conant(no photo)

Yes, of course. You'd think after more than a year I'd have remembered…..

She wrote two other books which I've read that I thought were very good, so this came as a surprise. The writing and research are still good, but the content seems pasted together. Her book The Irregulars which is about Roald Dahl and his circle and their meager attempts at spydom was good as was 109 East Palace which was about Los Alamos and the spy network there. I can recommend them. I am not sure I'd recommend this book. Her grandfather, James Conant was a president of Harvard, worked on the Manhattan Project and was an Ambassador to Germany, so the author has a real interest in this field.

by Jennet Conant (no photo)
by Jennet Conant (no photo)

No problem, G...it is easy to sometimes forget the citation guidelines.

I also just read a book about the group at Los Alamos and the making of the atomic bomb in which James Conant was a main player. It was very disturbing.

by Peter Wyden

4. by Peter Helton
Finish Date: January 24, 2014
Genre: mystery
Rating: C

Summary: an artist makes ends meet by being a detective. In this case he babysits an aged TV personality doing a shoot at the manor home of an aged rock star. Death threats, etc ensue. Black mail and attempted murder occurs. Secondary story - uncovering an insurance scam.

Review: boring, mostly, but not a total failure. Back hand slap at Agatha Christie but uses her Peril at End House as a minor plot excuse. The writing is journeyman like, but not bad. The plot is too overdrawn and the characters too melodramatic. The detective has way too much ennui to be interesting. Thank goodness it came from the library.

by Agatha Christie

Mike wrote: "G wrote: "4. by Peter Helton
Finish Date: January 24, 2014
Genre: mystery
Rating: C

Summary: an artist make..."

Mike, if I knew you, I'd call you an evil influence. I try not to look at your 50 books list (I fail) because I ALWAYS find something to add to my TBR list. You've done it again. I will try at least the first book in the Liam McLusky series.

Looking at your avatar, I have to ask if you've read One Summer by Bill Bryson which I am listening to now. It covers 1927. And I assume you know what that year was for Babe Ruth. (the book covers Lindbergh, and more, as well as Ruth).

by Bill Bryson

5. by Stephen R. Donaldson
Finish Date: January 26, 2014
Genre: Fantasy/Sci fi
Rating: B/B+

Summary (from Goodreads):
He called himself Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever because he dared not believe in the strange alternate world in which he suddenly found himself.

Yet the Land tempted him. He had been sick; now he seemed better than ever before. Through no fault of his own, he had been outcast, unclean, a pariah. Now he was regarded as a reincarnation of the Land's greatest hero--Berek Halfhand--armed with the mystic power of White Gold. That power alone could protect the Lords of the Land from the ancient evil of Despiser, Lord Foul. Only...Covenant had no idea of how the power could be used!

Review:

A friend re-read this recently and suggested I do so as well.

If I hadn't read Tolkien, perhaps I would have had a better reaction to the book, but it was written in the 1970's and clearly lifts quite a bit from the master, including the ring, the road trip, and the people unique to the land. The anti-hero, Covenant is a tormented, self-loathing soul. he relishes his hatred of himself. He wallows in it. And so he lashes out and becomes violent. He has an early opportunity for redemption and yet he rejects it and struggles with it. In many ways he's repulsed by the purity of the land in which he finds himself.

Unlike the Hobbits, he is not a contented person and he lives in two worlds. In that sense he is more like we are than the Hobbits. He makes colossal mistakes which others pay for, not just because he doesn't understand, but because he doesn't believe.

This book is very well written, but the alternate language does not flow as easily as it did to Tolkien who studied arcane languages. The characters are not as deeply anchored in classical mythology. Nonetheless the psychological struggles of the 'unclean' Covenant resonate. Probably a better book than I am rating it now.

6. by Quintin Jardine

Date Finished: January 27, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B+/A-

Summary from Amazon:
The killing was an expert hit. Three shots through the head as the lights dimmed at a concert in Glasgow. A most public crime, and Edinburgh Chief Constable Bob Skinner is right in the center of the storm as it breaks over the Strathclyde force. The shooters are dead too, killed at the scene. But who sent them? The crisis finds Skinner, his private life shattered by the shocking end of his marriage, taking a step that he had sworn he never would. Tasked by Scotland's First Minister with the investigation of the outrage, he quickly uncovers some very murky deeds. The trail leads to London, where national issues compromise the hunt. Skinner has to rattle the bars of the most formidable cage in the country, and go head to head with its leading power brokers—a confrontation that seems too much, even for him. Can the Chief solve the most challenging mystery of his career, or will failure end it?

Review:

I have enjoyed the Skinner series very much and this book was no exception. It is the kind of book where I just wanted to keep reading it, not necessarily for the denouement, but because of the details of the story. Here, his children are minor characters, unlike previous books, and his colleagues in Edinburgh play almost no role. It is populated instead with mostly new police colleagues and their role in his developing awareness of who he is. His wives are pivotal players as are former adversaries. I am expecting a new chapter in Bob Skinner's life to begin.

G wrote: "5. by Stephen R. Donaldson
Finish Date: January 26, 2014
Genre: Fantasy/Sci fi
Rating: B/B+

Summary (fro..."

I'm inclined to agree with your grade for this book. I read it when it first came out, and I disliked the character so much that I almost didn't read any of the sequels. I got over that, and overall enjoyed the books, but you're right. After Tolkien, there was no comparison.

At that time, a number of Tolkien wannabes popped up - Donaldson, Terry Brooks, etc. I haven't enjoyed any of them as much as the original. Some of the newer fantasy authors are showing some promise - Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss are two good examples.

Terry Brooks

Brandon Sanderson

Patrick Rothfuss

FEBRUARY

7. by Cleo Coyle

Date Finished: February 7, 2014
Genre: cozy mystery
Rating:B+

Review: Cleo Coyle is the pen name of a husband and wife collaboration. The book is set in New York City, including the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn, with some New Jersey thrown in and involves a coffee house and it's inhabitants. The key character owns the coffee house with her ex (who buys the coffee beans from various places around the world), has a NYPD main squeeze (but he comes from a family of NYFD men), so, when an arsonists starts after coffee houses pandemonium ensues. Nicely diverting. And it has recipes.

Great reviews, G. :0)

Jill wrote: "Great reviews, G. :0)"
I think the books generate the reviews. I do enjoy reading!!!

8. by Alex Kershaw (a book comes up instead of his photo, so no photo)

Date Finished: February 8, 2014
Genre: History
Rating: A

Modified from a Booklist review:

In the summer of 1940, World War II was in its second year and Adolf Hitler was planning to invade England. The U.S. had not yet entered the war, but a few Americans joined Britain's Royal Air Force. Flying Spitfire planes, they became known as the "knights of the air." In doing so, they would break several neutrality laws and became what Kershaw terms "outlaws in their own country." Kershaw … tells the story of these pilots; 244 U.S. citizens eventually flew with the RAF Eagle Squadrons. Only 1 survived the war. But according to the RAF's official roster in 1940, just 7 Americans belonged to "the few." These were the Americans who fought during the greatest air battle in history, labeled the Battle of Britain. Like his other books, Kershaw has written a rousing tale of little-known heroes

Review:

I did not become interested in WW2 until I was an adult. I was visiting the Arizona memorial and swore I would try to understand how and why this happened. And then I learned about the Battle of Britain and read Martin Gilbert’s biography of Winston Churchill. And then, one time, when I was visiting St. Pauls Cathedral, I stumbled upon the American Memorial Chapel. Tourists were laughing, which is their right, but I was overcome.

A GR HBC moderator (thank you, Jill) recommended this book to me and I just got around to reading it. You can never cry enough for these young men.

We are very lucky that there is this record for future generations to know that ‘their finest hour’ can only mean and will always only mean the spirit and heart of a country and young people who believed in its survival and it’s unfortunate that people now think of war as meaning the guerilla warfare of Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East and whatever comes next, and they might not understand what a world war was.

That it was the singular effort described in this book that turned the tide against an invasion of what was left of the ‘free world’ is very remarkable. And what is equally remarkable is that before the Eagle Squadron was formed a handful of American pilots, more daring young men than heroes, basically gave up their citizenship to help the British against the Nazis. Mr. Kershaw is to be commended for this book, the narrative of which ends with this quote from a memorial plaque in the crypt at St. Pauls:

Billy Fiske: An American Citizen who died that England might live.

I'm glad you liked it, G. I also gave it a top rating. That is funny about the author photo.......he looks like a book!!

9. by Agatha Christie

Date Finished: February 12, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B+/A-

Summary: A woman was convicted of poisoning her husband and dies, shortly after her conviction, in prison. Her daughter, as an adult, goes to Poirot with a letter from her mother which indicates the mother didn't do it. Poirot, 16 years after the event, determines who the killer is.

Review: Christie is the absolute master of the red herring. The timing and the placement of the misleading clues is perfect. She literally strings you along until she cuts you off only to start on a new string, and then she interweaves them so, even if you suspect (which in this case I did), you are never 100 percent sure. Near the end, when asking if one character was the murderer, the character says "Nobody but a fool would think so". And so, the reader has been made a fool by Ms. Christie. Marvelous.

My class is not reading Christie until next week, and we are not reading this book, so I am glad I snuck it in before hand. This book is a gem. She gives you the perspectives of the '5 little pigs' in their own hand, and from these written statements, Poirot condenses it all, and reveals the true murderer. There are those who don't like Christie, but I think it is because they have seen the tv programs and movies. This is so well written and so well crafted, for anyone who likes Christie and has not read it, I do recommend it.

I agree totally with your assessment of Christie, G. I love her books and I thought David Suchet, the British actor, was superb in the television presentations.

Agatha Christie

10. by Agatha Christie

Finish Date: February, 14, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B+/A-

Summary: Ten people with various degrees of guilty consciences, are lured to an isolated island and killed off, one by one. But, they are the only people on the island, so how did it happen? I won't tell, and none of the movies do either.

Review: Gosh Christie is good.

Jill wrote: "I agree totally with your assessment of Christie, G. I love her books and I thought David Suchet, the British actor, was superb in the television presentations.

[authorimage:Agatha Christie|123715..."

Yes. He is fabulous. As I was reading the book, I was surprised (it is the first Poirot story I've read in a while) at how well he got the mannerisms. Truly spot on.

11. by Agatha Christie

Finish date: February 20, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B/B+

Summary: this is Christies' first published book and introduces us to Poirot and Hastings. Hastings visits a friend who is concerned about his stepmothers new husband. Poirot is residing in a home for refugee Belgians and the two are reacquainted after a gap after the First World War. The step mother is murdered and this story is about discovering the murderer.

Review:

I had seen the TV episode of Poirot which is this story. Remarkable though Suchet is, the book is better. Still not as good as her later books and stories, but quite accomplished for a first attempt. Unlike many people, I actually prefer the revised denouement which her publisher asked her to write to the original, which occurs in the courtroom. It is perhaps unnecessarily complex, but if this had been the very first story of hers I had read, I would still have loved the little man from Belgium.

Hastings is more of a bumbling side kick than Watson was in the original Holmes books and Christie may have developed him using the Conan Doyle model, but he is a terrific foil for Poirot. Not my favorite Christie, but good anyway.

Arthur Conan Doyle

G wrote: "11. by Agatha Christie

This was a good start for the Poirot series but the books got better as Christie found her stride. I like Hastings much better than Dr. Watson.

Agatha Christie

12. by Dorothy L. Sayers

Date Finished: February 25, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B/B+

Summary:
We are introduced to Lord Peter Wimsey, his valet, Bunter, his friend in the police, Parker, and his mother, the Dowager Duchess (DD). An acquaintance of the DD finds a body in his bath tub. Another acquaintance's husband goes missing, and Lord Peter believes the two are connected.

Review:
I had forgotten how vacuous and inane Wimsey comes across initially. However, this book lays the groundwork for the superficiality of that view, and how Wimsey uses the affectation to great effect. I continue to be appalled by the bigotry, even if it is not meant that way, in the books of this period, but ignoring it was not possible as it was a key to some aspects of the plot.

I believe Sayers was using Wimsey and his mother as an apologia for the British upper class of the time. They wore a society mantle but underneath they were intelligent and vulnerable. Lord Peter in particular, because of his experiences in the First War evokes compassion and sympathy. His loyal valet, Bunter was his Sergeant in the war. This is beginning to sound an awful lot like Downton Abbey.

Regardless of how annoying it could be, I did want to keep on reading to see how the main characters developed. I knew who 'did it' from having read it years ago, so the denouement never came into play for me. I don't recommend this for everyone, especially for those who are not tolerant of period pieces.

Downton Abbey

G wrote: "12. by Dorothy L. Sayers

Date Finished: February 25, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B/B..."

Wimsey really got on my nerves when I first started reading the books, but, like you, his apparent inanity began to grow on me as I found that he used it to his advantage. S.S. Van Dine used the same personality trait in his detective Philo Vance but those books do no hold up as well as the Wimsey series. Both are an acquired taste but I like them.

S.S. Van Dine

March

13. by Paul M. Kennedy

Date Finished: March 5, 2014
Genre: History
Rating: B-

Book summary edited from the dust jacket:

Paul Kennedy, award-winning author of The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers and one of today’s most renowned historians, now provides a new and unique look at how World War II was won. Engineers of Victory is a fascinating nuts-and-bolts account of the strategic factors that led to Allied victory. Kennedy reveals how the leaders’ grand strategy was carried out by the ordinary soldiers, scientists, engineers, and businessmen responsible for realizing their commanders’ visions of success.

Kennedy recounts the inside stories of the invention of the cavity magnetron, a miniature radar “as small as a soup plate,” and the Hedgehog, a multi-headed grenade launcher that allowed the Allies to overcome the threat to their convoys crossing the Atlantic; the critical decision by engineers to install a super-charged Rolls-Royce engine in the P-51 Mustang, creating a fighter plane more powerful than the Luftwaffe’s; and the innovative use of pontoon bridges (made from rafts strung together) to help Russian troops cross rivers and elude the Nazi blitzkrieg. He takes readers behind the scenes, unveiling exactly how thousands of individual Allied planes and fighting ships were choreographed to collectively pull off the invasion of Normandy, and illuminating how crew chiefs perfected the high-flying and inaccessible B-29 Superfortress that would drop the atomic bombs on Japan.

The story of World War II is often told as a grand narrative, as if it were fought by supermen or decided by fate. Here Kennedy uncovers the real heroes of the war, highlighting for the first time the creative strategies, tactics, and organizational decisions that made the lofty Allied objectives into a successful reality. In an even more significant way, Engineers of Victory has another claim to our attention, for it restores “the middle level of war” to its rightful place in history.

Review:
This book was academic, but not scholarly, detailed but repetitive and occasionally glib. I was not especially fond of the read. The author divides the book into 5 ‘chapters’ starting with 'How to Get Convoys Safely Across the Atlantic'. That should give you an idea of what he was trying to do.

For personal reasons, the story of radar, the Rolls Royce Merlin engine and the flying friends never cease to amaze, but otherwise the book comes down this point:

Sufficient personnel, sufficient and effective technology/weaponry, sufficiently prescient and organized leaders who created a culture of encouragement and inclusion, and serendipity define the nature of successful problems solving. One salient point, and I think this is where he imagines the Engineer in the title fits in, is his belief (correct in my view) that those who succeeded were ‘tweakers’ – those who pushed for increasing effectiveness. That’s it.

14. by Ngaio Marsh

Finish date: March 8, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B/B+


Review: I love CDI Alleyn in Marsh's early books. He is sarcastic, flawed, arrogant and dismissive. Someone who is very comfortable in his own skin, unlike many of the modern detectives who have major angst. And it is so very well written - she does assume a greater knowledge of the classics than I have, but once again, we are graced with google. I chose to read this, her second in the series, rather than the first because I had a reasonable memory of the first book. She brings scenes to life and I enjoyed reading the book. Too convoluted, though, in many circumstances, and she doesn't share all of Alleyn's intuitions with us, but otherwise, a good read.

I love Marsh's books and your review is right on target, G.

15. by Bill Bryson

Finish date: March 13, 2014
Genre: History
Rating: B+

Review: I am not always a fan of Bryson, and I listened to this book rather than read it (I had planned to use Kindle's Whispersync, but found out after the fact that it was not compatible with my older version Kindle), and that takes me longer and I occasionally lose interest. Regardless, this book contained many anecdotes which were new to me and the fact that all these things occurred within a short period of time is amazing. (One almost feels sorry for Ponzi). But, what stuck with me most was his conclusion that the advent of the 'talkies' brought American culture to the world. He doesn't come right out and say it, but 1927 appears to be the real start of the American Century. Overall, worthwhile.

16. Lillian Stewart Carl

Finish Date: March 29, 2014
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: C

Review: An ex-pat archeologist/journalist and her ex-cop husband visit an isolated island thought to be Avalon. What ensues is a rather convoluted discovery of a modern murder. I had read an earlier book of hers and thought it was okay, but good, and as this was on the two week loan shelf of my library I decided to try it. I was bored. What can I say? How many times do I have to read about her husbands icy/cold/chilly demeanor? She didn't have to hit me over the head, the way she did, to realize she was trying to make one of the police a man with a not so nice agenda. It was scattered, unfocused and in my mind way too wordy. And, she was determined to have hints of the paranormal although they never had a resolution. She was very repetitive. I gave it a C because this review is my opinion and I am sure there are people out there who would enjoy this book. It was just not my cup of tea.

April

17. by Dorothy L. Sayers

Finish Date: April 3, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: A-


Review : Because of health issues, I could not focus enough on this book, but when I could, it was mesmerizing. Peter Whimsey is called to investigate a case which involves a pastoral church, the tolling of bells, and the disappearance of people and jewels. The setting is very evocative of the Fen area and very rough. Even though the John Buchan book, 39 Steps doesn't take place in the same area, there is a sense of desolation which is similar in spots. The book is crowded with people, characters and travel, and you sense the closeness of the people in the village and their almost grudging respect for Wimsey. The outcome, once it comes, should have been obvious, but it wasn't. I have been looking for bell ringing on YouTube but haven't found anything worthwhile yet. If you are a fan of Sayers, and haven't read this, it is considered her masterpiece and you can see why.

by John Buchan

G, you are making great progress. you do not have to add the Goodreads Summary G I do hope your health issues are improving.

This is the actual format:

Our Required Format:

JANUARY

1. by Winston S. Churchill
Finish date: March 2008
Genre: (whatever genre the book happens to be)
Rating: A
Review: You can add text from a review you have written but no links to any review elsewhere even goodreads. And that is about it. Just make sure to number consecutively and just add the months.

Bentley wrote: "G, you are making great progress. you do not have to add the Goodreads Summary but that is fine. You are doing some wonderful extra work which is very much appreciated. G I do hope your health..."

Thanks, Bentley.

You are welcome G - but try to keep things brief and your reviews are great - I do not think we need the goodread's summary - but if you want to add it to your review segment that is fine - but not separate - we set up the standard so as to save and compact space and yet give everyone an opportunity to express themselves in a brief review.

So could you please remove all of the goodread's summaries or somehow add them to the review segment. The format is not optional that we set up and I realize that there were errors made with the thread set up this time since I was away and there were so many folks who wanted to take part. We are all volunteers so we hope you understand. But the standards are the standards and we have our reasons for keeping things succinct and following our guidelines. I know that some folks think that they want to do a little bit extra but we want you to follow the format. Thanks for understanding.

I think I may have created the impression that it was OK to vary from the format in my previous post and unfortunately even though you have all of the segments and then a bit extra - the format still needs to be followed. My advice would be to either eliminate the goodread's summary altogether or blend it in with your review - your choice.

Bentley wrote: "You are welcome G - but try to keep things brief and your reviews are great - I do not think we need the goodread's summary - but if you want to add it to your review segment that is fine - but not..."

Thanks again. It may take me a while, though. And welcome back.

No problem G - thanks. We are very patient as you know and we are here to help in any way.

18. by Anthony Berkeley (no photo).

Finish Date: April 15, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: A-

Review: Anthony Berkeley is one of the founders of the Detection Club and so is a very important part of the Golden Age of Detective/Crime fiction. He has written books which were made into films, such as Suspicion by Alfred Hitchcock. This book, which I found very humorous in spots takes a group of mostly well known (in the fictional context) people and puts them together in a crime club which attempts to solve crimes which the Yard cannot. They are presented with the facts of the crime and each then offers a theory of what happened, and who the culprit might be. By doing this, the author gives us red herrings in a very unique way and we are obliged to sift through them for common facts. It was wordy, and many would not like the diversions, but I loved the ending which was abrupt and even though we learn the killer and the motivation, we aren't given a 'resolution'. Recommended for anyone interested in the Golden Age, but be prepared for 'too many words'.

Alfred Hitchcock

G wrote: "18. by Anthony Berkeley (no photo).

Finish Date: April 15, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: A-

Review: Anthony Berkeley is one of the f..."

I really liked that book, G. but it may only be truly appreciated by the fan of the Golden Age. Glad you liked it too.

MAY

19. by Agatha Christie

Finish Date: May 2, 2014
Genre: Mystery (Golden Age)
Rating: B+

Review: I believe this is the first historical fiction crime novel, but I'm not sure. Set in ancient Egypt, there was limited description of the setting (it could have been a play), but you still get a sense of place. I found myself disliking the overly naÏve daughter, however. Christie did her research well, and I believed that this could have been a family in Egypt during the time of the Pharaohs. Very interesting for Christie, and except for the actual denouement, very well done. Recommended as a somewhat change of pace for Christie lovers.

20: by Mary Roberts Rinehart

Finish Date: May 3, 2014
Genre: Mystery (Golden Age)
Rating: A-

Review:

Christie had to have read this book, and you can see the impact on her later books. The narrative is excellent. The narrator is a middle aged spinster who is intelligent, sardonic and frequently very funny. And the main detective seems to have respect for her. You can see this as a play, and the interior of the house enjoys pride of place, although there are some external scenes. You have to enjoy the genre, and the golden age of detective fiction (this story is wordy), but it is very entertaining. She certainly takes herself less seriously than Wilkie Collins did, even though she also uses a manor house as the focus of the tale.

Agatha Christie
Wilkie Collins

21: by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Finish Date: May 7, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B

Review:

I like the Bill Slider books, and in this case even though the culprits and the motive were obvious, there was a nice circuitous route to getting there in this slim book. And when the author writes a phrase that resonates with me ("browsing along the grass verge of speculation"), I especially enjoy reading.

22. by Sinclair McKay (no photo)

Finish date: May 26, 2014
Genre: History
Rating: B

Review:

This book covers the daily lives of those who worked at Bletchley park before and during WWII. I wish I had read the book before I visited the museum (which is quite terrific, I must add).

A few of the things that stand out are: that the question about foreknowledge of the bombing of Coventry still remains; that these men and women kept the secret for so very long; the nasty little rivalry between the US and the UK on the topic of decoding; that Bletchley had a corporate structure which we forget because we focus on the code breakers. But it is a thin, sometimes frustrating book that talks about the distasteful food, the good/bad accommodations, the mingling of the 'classes' and the collegiate feel of the place. However, I have to give it a break because as the author mentions at the end of the book, Eisenhower said, these were the men and women who shortened the war by two years. And there are countless thousands of people across the continent who survived, who just might not have done without the brilliance of Bletchley Park.

That book is going on my TBR list, G. The Bletchley Park codebreaking has always fascinated me. Thanks.

23. by Gayle Carline

Finish date: May 24, 2014
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: B-B+

Review: The Fire Chief (a woman) and her friends in a local acting company come across some problems with murder. Her almost boyfriend, is, of course, the police chief.

Very similar to the 'Death on Demand' Cozy Mysteries by Carolyn Hart, which I enjoy. Similar in locale as well. This is the second book in the series, but I haven't read the first yet, which I will do. Not at all taxing, but entertaining, enjoyable, and a quick cozy. Well written and a nice main character.

Carolyn Hart

June
24. by Josephine Tey

Finish date: June 11, 2014
Genre: Mystery (I think I need to fine tune my categories)
Rating: A-

Review: Short synopsis - woman found drowned. Turns out she is a famous actress. Lots of suspects, including a ne'er do well brother and another person who runs away, and a wealthy husband. But this really isn't a whodunit because the reader can't really tell who the culprit is anywhere before the late middle of the book, and even then, well, not really. It is so very well written, and looks at the problems of celebrity from many angles. I am sure JK Rowling read this book before she wrote 'A Cuckoo's Calling'. Too bad she didn't understand in this instance, as Tey did, that less is more. If you can only read one Tey book, it should probably be The Daughter of Time, but this takes place before hand, and we are given a treat with Inspector Alan Grant. Great character development throughout.

by Josephine Tey

by Robert Galbraith

I like the Inspector Grant series too, G. I may have to revisit a couple of them.

25. by Peter Robinson

Finish date: June 19, 2014
Genre: Mystery Series
Rating: C

Review: Chief inspector Banks and his team are called in to investigate a probable homicide of a university lecturer who was sacked because two young women said he groped them. The story wanders on to whole new realms from there.

I found this story sadly trite and obvious, and even more problematic, very tired. Which is too bad, because I mostly liked the prior Banks books.

G wrote: "25. by Peter Robinson

Ooops, I guess Robinson can't write all winners. I think in a series as long as the Banks books, you always run into a couple that are not quite up to par. :>

Peter Robinson

Jill wrote: "G wrote: "25. by Peter Robinson

Ooops, I guess Robinson can't write all winners. I think in a series..."

I agree, and I will still read his work, but he's got to stop the old detective - young babe stuff, and it's not good when you have it all figured out less than half way through. Still, in a Dry Season was excellent, so there is hope.
by Peter Robinson