An avid reader, I intended to regularly do book reviews on this blog. Somewhere along the way though I forgot to do so. The last review I see was posted on July 27. I thought I’d best try and post some brief thoughts on what I’ve read in the interim for anyone who might be interested (but more for myself, to be honest). So, in no particular order, here are my thoughts on the first chunk of books that I’ve jotted notes down about while eating my lunch:
Anne Applebaum, Gulag
A long history of the Soviet (and previously Tsarist) system of Gulags. Profoundly interesting and terribly depressing at the same time. I am grateful for the awful lot of original research that went into detail what is a sadly obscure piece of modern history. Recommended for anyone interested in this area.
Antony Wild, Coffee: A Dark History
A popular history of coffee. It has its moments of appeal, but a little to ideologically driven for mine. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting (nor in the mood) for a post-colonial, neo-Marxist tirade, particularly one that picks and chooses its areas to expose quite so randomly. The lack of a narrative thread (let alone citations or list of resources) also made it a bit of a struggle to get through. Not recommended.
Arthur Koestler, Darkness at Noon
Tremendous. One of the best novels that I’ve ever read. The exploration of the removal of the Bolshevik old guard during the Stalinist purges and show trials of the late-1930s (and written in 1940) is a dramatic masterpiece. Reflecting Koestler's own disillusionment with the Soviet experiment and the revolution’s shift to ‘eating one’s own’; it manages to both explain why it both had to be, and why it was inevitably doomed. Cannot recommend it more highly.
Bernhard Schlink, The Reader
A great read. A well-paced story, and sits very highly in the (often of variable quality) body of ‘Holocaust’ literature. It manages to explore the difficulties post-war Germans had in comprehending, and whether it can be understood at all. Asking more questions than it answers, it is a first-class novel. Recommended very highly.
Caryl Phillips, A State of Independence
Very short and a little rough around the edges, a solid little story about a sense of place and whether or not ‘home’ actually exists. Worth a look.
Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Amusing, and original first time around. Slight, but that’s okay. Well worth a read if you haven’t already.
Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
More of the same really. It has its moments, but a tad repetitive if you’ve just read THDTHG. Only for the keen ones.
Douglas Adams, Life, the Universe and Everything
Yeah. Been done already, and better. See the comments above. I intended to read all five of the series, but after beginning number four, couldn’t really be bothered, that sort of says the lot really. Only for fans.
Anne Applebaum, Gulag
A long history of the Soviet (and previously Tsarist) system of Gulags. Profoundly interesting and terribly depressing at the same time. I am grateful for the awful lot of original research that went into detail what is a sadly obscure piece of modern history. Recommended for anyone interested in this area.
Antony Wild, Coffee: A Dark History
A popular history of coffee. It has its moments of appeal, but a little to ideologically driven for mine. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting (nor in the mood) for a post-colonial, neo-Marxist tirade, particularly one that picks and chooses its areas to expose quite so randomly. The lack of a narrative thread (let alone citations or list of resources) also made it a bit of a struggle to get through. Not recommended.
Arthur Koestler, Darkness at Noon
Tremendous. One of the best novels that I’ve ever read. The exploration of the removal of the Bolshevik old guard during the Stalinist purges and show trials of the late-1930s (and written in 1940) is a dramatic masterpiece. Reflecting Koestler's own disillusionment with the Soviet experiment and the revolution’s shift to ‘eating one’s own’; it manages to both explain why it both had to be, and why it was inevitably doomed. Cannot recommend it more highly.
Bernhard Schlink, The Reader
A great read. A well-paced story, and sits very highly in the (often of variable quality) body of ‘Holocaust’ literature. It manages to explore the difficulties post-war Germans had in comprehending, and whether it can be understood at all. Asking more questions than it answers, it is a first-class novel. Recommended very highly.
Caryl Phillips, A State of Independence
Very short and a little rough around the edges, a solid little story about a sense of place and whether or not ‘home’ actually exists. Worth a look.
Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Amusing, and original first time around. Slight, but that’s okay. Well worth a read if you haven’t already.
Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
More of the same really. It has its moments, but a tad repetitive if you’ve just read THDTHG. Only for the keen ones.
Douglas Adams, Life, the Universe and Everything
Yeah. Been done already, and better. See the comments above. I intended to read all five of the series, but after beginning number four, couldn’t really be bothered, that sort of says the lot really. Only for fans.
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