History: Actual, Fictional and Legendary discussion

Hi Ed,

I've just started The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham set in 1920's Hong Kong. Have you read this one?

No I haven't. Let me know if I should put it on my TBR list.

BTW, if you review it, would you mind posting the review here. Might get some discussion started.

Sure, I usually review books I feel strongly about. If it's just so-so, I don't usually take the time.

I just finished Homage to Catalonia, hopefully I have the time to make a decent review because the book deserves it.

Silvana wrote: "I just finished Homage to Catalonia, hopefully I have the time to make a decent review because the book deserves it."

Looks like another book for my TBR list. I'm humbled at the depth of what you and Lee are reading.

I'm reading a Biography of Ernest Hemingway. Haven't gotten to Spain yet. I have read his For Whom the Bells Toll about the war and The Sun also Rises which takes place in post WW I Spain.

My uninformed opinion of the Spanish Civil War is that both sides deserved to lose.

Hi Ed, thanks for thinking of me. History is an area that I need to explore more, so I guess this is the right place!!

Am now reading The Count of Monte Cristo, which I first (and last) read in high school. Fortunately it's on my eReader, so I don't have to carry 1200 pages around!

Will eagerly search for new things to read here.

Ed wrote: "Silvana wrote: "I just finished Homage to Catalonia, hopefully I have the time to make a decent review because the book deserves it."

Looks like another book for my TBR list. I'm humbled at the d..."

It is a splendid yet surprisingly easy reading. Orwell is a god. I will dedicate next year to read all his works. Three books read so far, all given five stars.

The Spanish Civil War? Well, as quoted by Orwell:"This is not a war. It is a comic opera with an occasional death." Alas! I think all civil war are like that.

Hemingway...somehow I am not too interested. Maybe because I already read the spoilers on the ending. Anyway, I have lesser time for myself these days, so I prefer to read non-fiction. Did Hemingway ever write a non-fiction or memoir?

Silvana wrote: "Hemingway...somehow I am not too interested. Maybe because I already read the spoilers on the ending. Anyway, I have lesser time for myself these days, so I prefer to read non-fiction. Did Hemingway ever write a non-fiction or memoir? "

Not that I am aware of. His influence has always been stylistic rather than as a story-teller.

The biography I'm reading Hemingway: A Life Without Consequences is pretty heavy going. The author James R. Mellow provides more details than I need. It is interesting, though, to realize how many of the legends surrounding his life are B.S.

I doubt that reading his fiction would deepen your understanding of the Spanish Civil War.

Civil Wars are anything but civil.

Hayes wrote: "Hi Ed, thanks for thinking of me. History is an area that I need to explore more, so I guess this is the right place!!

Am now reading The Count of Monte Cristo, which I first (and l..."

Hayes, I'm so happy you'll be a member. God, The Count of Monte Cristo. I think I tried to read it years ago and finally gave up and watched the movie.

Ed wrote: "...finally gave up and watched the movie."

Oh I loved it! Still pretty good, even if I cn't remember a thinkg about Napoleonic history!

Hayes wrote: "Ed wrote: "...finally gave up and watched the movie."

Oh I loved it! Still pretty good, even if I cn't remember a thinkg about Napoleonic history!

"

I am infused with Napoleonic history after reading the entire 20 book Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian and am two books short of finishing the 21 book Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell.

Loved every minute of it.

I'm so glad Ed turned me on to the Patrick O'Brian series. I've only read the first three and have the rest to savour slowly.

Master and Commander dint do much for me (a boy book? ;-) ) but the saxon series looks interesting... that's more my time period.

Hayes wrote: "Master and Commander dint do much for me (a boy book? ;-) ) but the saxon series looks interesting... that's more my time period."

The Aubrey/Maturin series gets better and better as Aubrey matures as both an officer and a man and Maturin is featured more and more.

Try Desolation Island or The Far Side of the World.

Hayes wrote: "Master and Commander dint do much for me (a boy book? ;-) ) but the saxon series looks interesting... that's more my time period."

Hayes, I hear you. The first one is a little tough to get through but the next few books are much better. Maturin is such an interesting character.

Hayes wrote: "Master and Commander dint do much for me (a boy book? ;-) ) but the saxon series looks interesting... that's more my time period."

I've read all four of Cornwell's Saxon series. They are OK but very Cornwellish (sic) with lots of bloodshed and a hero who escapes miraculouly again and again.

Ok, just finished my review of Homage to Catalonia.
Feel free to comment: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

@Marco: thanks for the suggestion. The series look amazing.

I'm into Patterson's take on the Armana years - The Murder of King Tut. It's, erm, sensational.

ETA . The Theban Mapping Project has been updated in rather a spectacular way since I last visited their internet site - there are short films attached to the different tombs now: http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/

Marco wrote: "Hah! This is great! Your picture is Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything!" :) Great read. Highly recommended for people who need a laugh haha.

Ed, have you read the "Forgotten Voice..."

Great to see you here Marco.

Have not read any of the "Forgotten Voices" series. There are evidently a lot of them. Which one do you recommend starting with?

I'm not sure what you mean by a book club? Is it choosing a book we all read simultaneously and then discuss or what?

Ed wrote: "Try Desolation Island or The Far Side of the World."

They work as stand alones? I don't have to read them in order? *twitching* I don't know if my OCD can handle that! ;-)

Hayes wrote: "Ed wrote: "Try Desolation Island or The Far Side of the World."

They work as stand alones? I don't have to read them in order? *twitching* I don't know if my OCD can handle that! ;-) "

O'Brian does a good job of re-capping the past. It would be great if you could read the series in order, but if you like O'Brian better after reading a later volume, you can go back and do them in order.

I don't remember which one I read first but it wasn't Master and Commander.

It may just be, too, that you won't like O'Brian's style or stories. "So many books, so little time."

Marco wrote: "Start with the WWI Forgotten Voices, it's a short volume and it's how I first fell in love with the series."

I'll get Forgotten Voices of the Great War onto my TBR list. I've been wanting to learn more about WW I anyway.

Your description brings to mind Ken Burns "Civil War" documentary on PBS where he uses people's words to tell much of the story.

Also reading (along with the Count of MC) Long Walk to Freedom The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela. It has received mixed reviews, most of which say it's too long, which it is... I'm reading a (thankfully short) chapter a day. The beginning, about his beginnings, is already fascinating. We'll see how it holds up.

I just finished No Ordinary Time Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt The Home Front in World War II by Doris Kearns Goodwin, a magnificent book.

My review is at: http://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/.... I'd love to get reactions to it.

I am reading Bloody Mary-Carolley Erickson

About to start The Class of 1846 From West Point to Appomattox Stonewall Jackson, George McClellan, and Their Br others, by John Waugh. My mother nabbed it first (well, she bought it!) and said it was very good.

I read American Lion Andrew Jackson about six weeks ago. It was very good. Looks like I am on a Presidential kick. hehehehe

I'm reading Airframe by Michael Crichton. I will most likely finish it but I'm struggling with the fact that I've already figured out how it's going to end.

Maybe I should read it like a newspaper and just go from chapter to chapter only reading parts that seem interesting or only the first sentence of each paragraph.

When Crichton was good he was very very good but when he wrote "Airframe" he was horrible.

I wish I wasn't so obsessed that I feel like I've got to finish whatever I start.

I read Airframe,but I don't remember much about it, except it was about a lawsuit in the aircraft industry. So I must not have been impressed.

carol (akittykat) wrote: "I read Airframe,but I don't remember much about it, except it was about a lawsuit in the aircraft industry. So I must not have been impressed. "

Ditto.
I do remember being impressed with the way they laid out the parts of the plane to figure out what happened. It was the first time I'd been made aware of that process.

Pontalba wrote: I do remember being impressed with the way they laid out the parts of the plane to figure out what happened. It was the first time I'd been made aware of that process.

I was impressed also.

carol (akittykat) wrote: "I was impressed"

All I am is bored.

Crichton's new book: Pirate Latitudes A Novel is out!

It's more to adventure than scifi. Maybe like Eaters of the Dead.

A Search for the King

I read part of this many moons ago, and I'm trying again. Don't know how far along I'll get. Vidal's prose is swell, but I know nothing of this period (thought it was something else when I bought it, oops) and am finding it tough going.

I recently started Perilous Times: Free Speech in Wartime by Geoffrey Stone - it's good and very relevant in this era when we have some voices in the political arena, both in and out of high office, calling anyone who questions military adventurism or violations of civil rights traitors, as if Joseph McCarthy had risen from the grave and been handed a microphone. As a retired Marine who takes the oath to protect the Constitution from enemies foreign and domestic very seriously - I see the Bill of Rights as sacred - I know that reasoned dissent is necessary and is often the highest form of patriotism, loyalty to the nation rather than to any given administration, and when people try to stifle dissent with name-calling, threats, or violence, they are the real enemies of what America should be.

I'm reading Templars The Dramatic History of the Knights Templar, the Most Powerful Military Order of the Crusades and it has been an enjoyable read so far.

Moony wrote: "I'm reading Templars The Dramatic History of the Knights Templar, the Most Powerful Military Order of the Crusades and it has been an enjoyable read so far. "

I added this to my list too read.

I just started How Few Remain by Harry Turtledove. I;m about 50 pages in and it's dragging.

It's an alternate history in which the victorious Confederacy and the U.S. go to war again in 1881.

I read through that whole series by Turtledove - there were spots that dragged, as you note, but it always picked up again, and I found his development of his vision of that alternate history fascinating.

I'm reading one at the moment that is both recent history and contemporary reporting: Counterinsurgency in Modern Warfare, edited by Daniel Marston and Carter Malkasian. Just started it, but so far so good, and it comes with strong cover blurbs from Bing West and Max Boot, both authors of whom I think highly. It's one of the most critical topics right now for our military and our foreign relations people to understand; we can't afford not to do it right.

Started Working IX to V Orgy Planners, Funeral Clowns, and Other Prized Professions of the Ancient World yesterday. Quick, fun read.

I have Twilight of Splendor The Court of Queen Victoria During Her Diamond Jubilee Year on deck.

James wrote: "I read through that whole series by Turtledove - there were spots that dragged, as you note, but it always picked up again, and I found his development of his vision of that alternate history fasci..."

James,

I'm looking forward to your review so I can put it on my bottomless TBR list.

Susanna wrote: "Started Working IX to V Orgy Planners, Funeral Clowns, and Other Prized Professions of the Ancient World yesterday. Quick, fun read.

I have [book:Twilight of Splendor The Court of..."

Sounds fascinating. There is so little written about not-so-famous people, especially in books about Ancient civilizations. I hope you review it.

Ack! I should know better than to join a new group without first investing in a new bookshelf. Mt. TBR is turning from a mountain into an entire range.

I had fun reading Los Alamos From Below today off of Dave's bookshelf.

I just started All Quiet on the Western Front for the theme month.

I'm off to go get that new shelf...

I believe I have reviews posted for that whole alternate history series by Turtledove - he ultimately took it up through a different version of World War II. It ended up being a dozen books.

I just gave up on How Few Remain by Harry Turtledove: an alternative history in which, in 1881, the U.S. goes to war with the Confederacy (The South won the Civil war) and eventually both France and England.

After 150 pages, I was bored and surprised at how faulty the characterizations of the historical figures were.

I've read his other stuff and it's good, but not great. This book was just bad.

I've just picked up David Fiddimore's second book, Charlie's War. I'm 60 pages in and enjoying it as much as Tuesday's War. Charlie is no longer flying bombers and WWII is nearing an end. He spins a good story and it's enjoyable to go along on his adventures.

I'm terrible. I am so weird about reading right now. I'm basically reading my magazine subscriptions which are...

Vanity Fair
Ebony
Spin
Rolling Stone
O
Elle Decor
Smithsonian
Nature
American Scientific
American Cinematographer
Sight & Sound

I've gone the new John Irving on the go and just finished Finding Oz. I hope to begin a Patricia Highsmith novel on the 22nd.

Hey Candy,

When do you have time to read books or view movies?

I gave up on Gore Vidal and am now aobut half way through Love And War in the Apennines (I keep reading things about WWII, instead of WWI!!)

An English POW escapes with the help of many Italians. Very readable and an interesting despcripton of mountain life in Italy.

Am also reading Alias Grace

(Hope everyone had a great holiday.)

I'm currently reading This Book Will Save Your Life

I'm about half way and I love this witty book. Especially the crying woman the main character encounters in the produce aisle.

"I told her that being home in time for dinner never helped any woman with children and got the hell out of there."

I love this line -- it speaks to the soul of every domestic goddess. Or, that is my opinion since I've been in charge of making dinner for the last 18 years and I loathe the chore. I sympathize with standing in the produce aisle and crying because I have to make another damn salad.