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JILL'S 50 BOOKS READ IN 2015
JANUARY1.
by Cecil Woodham-Smith(no photo)Finish date: January 2, 2015
Genre: Military History
Rating: A
Review: With a TRB pile a mile high don't even ask why I am doing a re-read of a book I read several years ago!!! But it may be one of the best books ever written about the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade and about the men who were responsible for this tragic event. The Charge has come down through history in film and poetry as a glorious battle and victory for the British Light Brigade cavalry. In reality it was a tragedy and a slaughter, sending the mounted troops of approximately 700 riders against the Russian guns in a narrow valley. Although the author describes that Charge in detail, the book is really a study of the egotistical, inept and childish officers, the Lords Lucan and Cardigan, their in-fighting and lack of any experience in battle. These were the days when the aristocracy purchased their commissions and had never left England except for pleasure. They were not lacking in bravery, just in intelligence. Lord Raglan, who was the commander-in-chief of the Crimean forces had been with the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo and the Peninsula campaign and was still ingrained with tactics that had been used during the Napoleonic wars; indeed, he also shoulders the blames for this fiasco. The valour of the troops is almost beyond imagination in this impossible situation and they should have been the ones who were decorated and idolized. But it didn't work that way
If you are interested in a good read, even if you are not a military history buff, this book is well worth reading. Highly recommended.
Mod
2.
by
Woody AllenFinish date: January 4, 2015
Genre: Humor
Rating: B-
Review: George Carlin made me laugh out loud....Woody Allen makes me chuckle. This book is comprised of 18 very short vignettes, some are pretty funny, some not so much but overall I enjoyed it. Allen has the ability to create character names which rival those for which WC Fields was noted.....a scientologist named Galaxie Sunstroke, actors' agent, Pontius Perry, clothing designer Binky Peplum and nanny Velveeta Belknap. The situations of these short pieces are totally insane and remind me of the Woody Allen of his early films before he got down to business with such greats as Annie Hall and Hannah and Her Sisters.
This book's reviews on GR are all over the board from one star to five stars. I am somewhere in the middle. I like it but didn't love it although I am an Allen fan.
3.
by
Charles KingFinish date: January 7, 2015
Genre: History
Rating: B+
Review: The Ottoman Empire has always fascinated me and especially its demise after over 600 years of existence. This history gives us a look at what happened after the Empire's dissolution, especially in the city of Istanbul (Constantinople). The luxurious Pera Palace Hotel of the title was the center of intrigue.....spies, White Russian refugees, Greeks, and many others juggling for a position in the newly created country of Turkey. The capital was moved to Ankara and Istanbul morphed into something between the old world and the newer progressive stance that was to be Turkey's policy. We see such luminaries as Ernest Hemingway, Leon Trotsky, and the future Pope John XXIII as Istanbul became a crossroads of activities, both positive and nefarious. The author also touches upon the societal and religious changes as Turkey and Istanbul moved toward a more European environment.
A well done book, indeed....I would recommend it.
Mod
And the Pera Palace is still in business but is no longer a luxury hotel and has deteriorated badly
Mod
4.
by
Rex StoutFinish date: January 12, 2015
Genre: Classic mystery
Rating: A
Review: Need I say that I love Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin? Another goody from Rex Stout; short and cleverly plotted, it concerns a bomb in the desk drawer of a high placed executive of a television station which kills the wrong man......or does it? Wolfe is actually puzzled 2/3 of the way through the book which is unusual for the genius detective but of course he prevails. This is my alternate book from my 500+ plus page main read about King Edward VII. And, as usual, it is superb. I may be one of the world's greatest fans of Stout's Nero Wolfe stories!
5.
by Jane Ridley (no photo)Finish date: January 14, 2015
Genre: British history
Rating: A
Review: This was an amazingly readable and informative book. I had read several book on Edward VII, usually specific to his time as Prince of Wales. The Hanover/Saxe Coburg/ Gotha line of monarchs are not known for their intellectual abilities and many were wastrels. Edward started his adult life as Prince of Wales by earning the reputation of being a womanizing,carousing, and shallow royal who gave his mother, Queen Victoria much heartache. She blamed him for the death of her husband Albert, the Prince Consort, which was enough to make his life miserable and marked him forever. (He was not the cause of Albert's death but since Victoria did not like her first-born son, he became the scapegoat). Being constantly chastised and corrected drove Edward even deeper into the life of a sybarite. And his marriage to Alexandra of Denmark, only slowed him down for a short time.
But when he finally became King, his life changed. Granted it was his age and possible loss of sexual prowess that reined him in (although he still kept a mistress) but he also started taking interest in governmental policies and the image of the monarchy of Britain. His reign was short (only 9 years) but he became one of the most beloved Kings in English history.
The author has done in-depth research and was given permission by HRH Queen Elizabeth II, to review information in the form of letters and diaries that had previously been confidential. An excellent history of a man whose foibles were left behind when he became King. Recommended highly!
It is a big one, Skeetor......500+ pages but it moves right along.
I've listened to all the Nero Wolfe books available on Audible. Wondering when it will be time to listen again! I do love that series.
Have you seen the A&E series? The casting is perfect!!!
No but the actor who played Archie narrates the audiobooks and I love him.
You would love the series which is on DVD in a set. The Canadian actor, Maury Chaykin plays Wolfe and he is so perfect!!!
I absolutely loved the A&E series. Devastated when it was cancelled.
So was I...it was beautifully done. I immediately bought the entire DVD set as soon as it was available.
6.
by William K. Everson (no photo)Finish date: January 25, 2015
Genre: Film History
Rating: B+
Review: Many people believe that silent films are corny, primitive, badly acted, and generally boring.......but we could say the same thing about some modern day films as well. The art of the silent film is something that has to be approached by putting the blue screen and CGI out of your mind. Some of the greatest films in history were made in the silent period......Birth of a Nation; Sunrise; Broken Blossoms, and Greed are just some examples. And there was no one better to write this book about the history of the silent film than William Everson who made a career of studying that art form. He divides the chapters into the three decades when films were all silent and also by directors and other technicians who developed those two minute films of the late teens to the full length picture with a story line and recognizable actors. Unfortunately the peak of the silent film came too late as "talkies" were on the horizon in 1927 and spelled the demise of silents.
The only negative comment I have about this history is that the author is obsessed with D.W. Griffith and connects him to almost every film mentioned. Granted, he probably had the most influence on how film looked than anyone else but he could not change with the times and his career came to a rather sad end. His presence almost took over the text but that is only a small complaint. I recommend this book to the silent film fan or a reader that wants to know what all the excitement about silent film is about!
Mod
7.(no image)Reflections on the Wall by Edward Clinton Ezell (no photo)Finish date: January 29, 2015
Genre: American history
Rating: A
Review: In November, 1982, the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial (The Wall) was dedicated and the Smithsonian Institution made a photographic history of those first five days when people came from all over the United States (and the world) to take part in the celebration of the lives of the men and women who gave their lives in that controversial war. If you are from that era and have family members whose names are engraved in the black marble (which I do), you will sob like a child. There is little text except for the introduction and comments from General Westmoreland......this is a book that visually captures the joy, sorrow, and reunion of those who fought, those who lost friends and family and those who just wanted to be there to show their appreciation. Meaningful and magnificent, it also reminds us that there are MIAs in southeast Asia who still wait to be brought home.
FEBRUARY8.
by
David SedarisFinish date: February 7, 2017
Genre: Humor
Rating: A
Review: The title alone gives it two stars before I even opened the cover. I don't read many humor books (but I am not without humor!)and usually stick to George Carlin. His Napalm and Silly Putty made me laugh out loud and while I was reading this book and laughing, my husband said, "Are you reading that George Carlin book again". This book, a series of essays about the author's life with his wildly dysfunctional family, his partner,Hugh, and his travels around the world are whimsical and neurotic. He takes the simplest situation and turns it into insanity, such as waiting in line at Starbucks and listening to what the people in front of him are talking about. It's all believable but seen through the eyes of a talented writer, everyday situations become almost psychedelic.
I also found out when I called a friend to tell her about it, she said "Oh yes, Sedaris, I love his book" that I may be the only person in the western hemisphere who hasn't read his books. I have now solved that problem and can't wait to find his next book. I also discovered that by keeping my nose stuck in huge history books takes away one's understanding of why men wear sweat pants in public or the necessity of keeping a baseball bat loaded with lead in the back seat of one's car. Just look what I've been missing!!!
Highly recommended.
by
George Carlin
I absolutely loved it, Francie, as you can tell from my review. I think I need to expand my reading horizons!!!!
9.
by
Mitchell ZuckoffFinish date: February 7, 2015
Genre: WWII and aviation history
Rating: B+
Review: The island of Greenland proves that it does not always have to be hot in hell. It is an unforgiving land with a miniscule population of Inuit Eskimos and not much else except ice and snow. Greenland was used as a stopping off point for cargo planes on their way to England while the US was still neutral in WWII and also during the war. The bases were managed by the US Coast Guard and much of their work was rescue as aircraft accidents were not uncommon. In 1942 a cargo plane went down and a B-17 goes out to rescue. Unfortunately it also crashes and three weeks later, the Coast Guard hears faint signals from the plane and decide to send out another rescue mission in a Grumman Duck which also disappears. These tragedies were not well known in military history until in 2012, when a group of dedicated men, including the author went to an isolated glacier in Greenland to find the planes and bring home the men entrapped in the ice for over 60 years.
A fascinating epic tale which flashes back and forth in time, from the crashes to the attempt to find the planes and the men in the twenty-first century. It is an exciting, informative, and poignant tale of survival and bravery. Recommended.
Oh my God! That sounds horrible, but I really want to read it now. Already on my TBR list.
10.
by
Rex StoutFinish date: February 11, 2015
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B
Review: This is one of the more far fetched stories in the Nero Wolfe corpus, or at least the second part is. The book is divided into two unrelated stories for some reason. The first has to do with the NY Flower Show and the black orchids bred by Lewis Hewitt, Wolfe's orchid growing nemesis. While at the show, a murder happens and Wolfe and Archie are right in the middle of it. But is is the second story that brings down my usual five star rating to four. Of course there is a murder but the murder weapon and all the planning it would take to pull off this murder hardly seem worth the effort. But, as usual, it is the interaction of the characters that is the beauty of this story, as it is with all of the Wolfe novels. I still recommend it.
11. (no image)Laughing in the Dark: Movie Comedy from Groucho to Woody by Ted Sennett (no photo)Finish date: February 15, 2015
Genre: Film history
Rating: B-
Review: This is one of those books that you can't quite figure out if you like it or not. It traces film comedy from the days of people slipping on banana peels, getting hit with cream pies, and chasing around town in cars to the more sophisticated films of the 1990s. The author takes each decade and dissects what type of comedy was "in style"....the sophistication of The Thin Man, the insanity of the Marx Brothers and W.C. Fields, etc. I just felt that it should have explained how and why society's tastes changed but instead it targeted certain films and explained the plot and why it was funny or not. It is less a history of America's love of comedy than a repetition of films that most movie buffs have already seen. I didn't dislike the book but it didn't resonate much with me.
12.
by
Isaac AsimovFinish date: February 20, 2015
Genre: Sci Fi
Rating: B+
Review: Time for something a little different for me so I pulled this book out of one of my shelves. I seldom read sci fi but one can't go wrong with Asimov. This is a collection of twenty short stories which include his masterpiece Nightfall. It is recognized as one of the greatest sci fi stories of all time and I might just agree with that rating. There are a few stories in this collection that are a little weak but overall, it is well worth reading.
Mod
13.
by
Jonathan DarmanFinish date: February 22, 2015
Genre: American History/Politics
Rating: B
Review: I don't usually read the history of modern American politics but this read was worth the effort. The author's style flowed easily through the story of two American Presidents.....LBJ and Reagan. I didn't realize some of the undercurrents that were in play, especially during LBJ's term in office, especially the Kennedy resistance that made it extremely difficult for Johnson to initiate his policies. We sometimes forget about the Kennedy attitude since the Viet Nam war seems to be what we remember about LBJs time in office. We see that LBJ was exactly how I expected him to be.....the master politician whose life was dedicated to it at the expense of his family. I also discovered that Lady Bird Johnson may be the most overlooked First Lady in history.....she was a very tough woman who smiled through it all.
Ronald Reagan's place in political history always puzzled me. He was very charismatic and could work a crowd as well as anyone. The media loved him but does that mean you are Presidential material? Obviously it was enough but then the author gives us more insight into his political skills and maybe his rise to the position of POTUS was not so surprising after all.
If you are interested in the "political game", this book will give you an inside look at how that "game" worked for two Presidents. Very well written and even a bit gossipy!!
In compliance with FTC guidelines I received this book free through the History Book Club on Goodreads
14.
by
Tana FrenchFinish date: February 25, 2015
Genre: Irish police procedural
Rating: C
Review: This book threw me for a loop as it was not at all what I expected.. I like French's novels but this one was a little too strange for my taste. Let me give you the premise and you decide.
*Irish undercover detective, Cassie Maddox and her partner develop a character named Lexie Madison for Cassie to use in a case (which has nothing to do with this story)
*The case blows up and the Lexie Madison persona is taken out of action and forgotten.
*Six months later, a girl is found stabbed to death whose identification says she is Lexie Madison....and she is an exact physical double for Cassie.
Now you tell me if that is even half-way believable. So Cassie becomes another Lexie and goes undercover to discover who murdered her double. Confusing?.....you bet. There are also huge holes in the story that are never addressed and it all seems very contrived. Not up to the usual standards of Tana French
Mod
MARCH15.
by
Jane SternFinish date: March 2, 2015
Genre: Cookbook
Rating: A
Review: This is really more of a trip down memory lane than an actual cook book although it does contain the recipes for all dishes mentioned. The author, who with her husband, Michael, has written many books about food that are fun and more than the usual cookbook. Here she looks at the food styles of the 1940/50s....some are still being eaten, most are not. Ever hear of Shrimp Wiggle, Checkerboard Tea Sandwiches or Spam Hash? Doesn't sound very appetizing and I wonder if my Mother made any of these! Worth reading, as are all her food books.
Jane and Michael Stern
16.
by Jean-Denis Bredin (no photo)Finish date: March 8, 2015
Genre: French military history
Rating: B+
Review: This is a huge book so as you can imagine it goes into every aspect of the famous case of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, one of the most celebrated events of the late 19th century. It would appear that this type of detail would begin to get a bit boring since the author covers every memorandum, letter, verifiable conversation and the trial itself but his research is impeccable and he keeps it interesting. I could almost guarantee that the reader who is familiar with the Dreyfus scandal will find out events that s/he did not know prior to reading this book. I noticed that one reviewer said it was "dense" and that is true....it takes some concentration to keep up with the behind the scenes machinations that brought a guilty verdict down on the head of an innocent man. And, of course, one of the most famous things that is remembered is the article "J'Accuse" by Emile Zola. But there is so much more and Dreyfus spent nine years on the hell of Devil's Island before being vindicated. It is a blot on the history of the French Army and an indication of the anti-Semitism that was rampant within the ranks. Highly recommended.
Émile Zola
17.
by
Paul ScottFinish date: March 1, 2015
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: B
Review: I liked this third book in the Raj Quartet much better than the first two. The author is bringing his characters to a maturity that gives the reader some insight into their personalities. Those who we thought were peripheral have turned out to be major players in the story. As is Scott's style, the reader is left on his/her own to interpret some of the situations that arise and he can change one's thinking with a single sentence. The days of the Raj are disappearing and it is interesing to see how each character reacts to the soon-to-come change in lifestyle.
Mod
We have been doing this series for so long, I forgot that it wasn't a give-away!!! I was covering all bases!!!
Mod
18.
by Donald Voorhees (no photo)Finish date: March 12, 2015
Genre: Humor/trivia
Rating: B+
Review: I bet you don't know where the world's largest an colony is and are probably thinking, "who cares?". This little book is full of pointless facts that are fun to store in one's memory banks and find a way to bring them up in conversation. Your friends will think you are strange but it certainly is an ice-breaker. None of the information in this whimsical book is essential but it surely is fun to read that: Mickey Mouse is banned in Romania, women sleep and dream more than men, Hawaii is the only state that has a royal residence, the first public performance of KISS drew an audience of three people. As the liner note on the book says,"The most unimportant things you'll never need to know". A great down time book which will give you a chuckle and make you feel vindicated that you eat popcorn and Twizzlers at the movies since you are joining the majority.
19.
by
Robert Louis StevensonFinish date: March 18, 2015
Genre: Poetry/children
Rating: A
Review: What wonderful memories this little book holds! It is responsible for my bibliomania of today. We were a reading family and my parents bought me this book when I was a small child and would read to me from it until I mastered reading on my own. Such classic poems it contains and my edition has illustrations by the wonderful Jesse Wilcox Smith which makes it even better. Along with Poems of Childhood by Eugene Field, this book never gets old and is still enjoyable to the adult who read it as a child.
The Wind
"I saw you toss the kites on high
And blow the birds about the sky;
And all around I heard you pass,
Like ladies' skirts across the grass-
O wind, a-blowing all day long,
O Wind, that sings so loud a song"
by
Eugene Field
I had this book when I was little as well. Now I wonder if my Dad still has it. I'll have to look this summer when I go home to visit. I had completely forgotten about it. I'll have to see if my nieces and nephews have it. Thanks for the memory!
20.
by
Doris Kearns GoodwinFinish date: March 25, 2015
Genre: American history/politics
Rating: A
Review: This is not a biography of Roosevelt or Taft but an in-depth look at the political environment of the time with an extra added attraction of the role of journalism and muckraking that played a big part in shaping political opinion.
Roosevelt's dream was to be President.....Taft's dream was to sit on the US Supreme Court. These two men became fast friends and Roosevelt dragged Taft into his cabinet in his first term and as vice-president during his second. They were oil and water but seemed to complement each other when necessary. Roosevelt made the mistake of stating publicly that he would not seek a third term (there were no term limits at that time) and immediately regretted those words. Once Taft became President, Roosevelt began to waver in his support of his friend and began berating him in the press. At the next election, Roosevelt went back on his word and decided to run again. When he did not get the nomination, he formed a third party, nicknamed the Bull Moose Party....the result was, of course, a split in the Republican vote and Democrat Woodrow Wilson became President.
This is a 900 page book that is filled with anecdotes and carefully researched fact. It was intriguing and filled in some of the blanks of the political machinations that were swirling behind the scenes. The author makes it clear that in her opinion, Roosevelt was the loser in the long run and Taft was really the winner as he did realize his dream of being appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the only former president to hold that position. Highly recommended.
I'm always so intimidated by those thick tomes!
It took me longer than usual to read it....but it held my interest throughout. But now I am going to read a few shorter books to rest my brain cells!!!!
The History Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Forger's Spell: A True Story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the Greatest Art Hoax of the Twentieth Century (other topics)Murder in the First-Class Carriage: The First Victorian Railway Killing (other topics)
Mr Briggs' Hat: A Sensational Account of Britain's First Railway Murder (other topics)
A Division of the Spoils (other topics)
The Prince of Paradise: The True Story of a Hotel Heir, His Seductive Wife, and a Ruthless Murder (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Edward Dolnick (other topics)Kate Colquhoun (other topics)
Paul Scott (other topics)
John Glatt (other topics)
Stephen Bates (other topics)
More...
Our Required Format:
JANUARY
1.
Finish date: January 2015
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.