Daren
Added to listAfghanistanwith 102 books.
Hopkirk's magnum opus 'The Great Game' feeds into his other books (some of which I have read), but ostensibly tells the big picture of Russia vs Britain in the fight for Central Asia throughout the 19th century to around 1907 when it concludes.
There are currently a little under 800 reviews on GR and a little over 8,800 ratings, with an average of 4.33 stars. There is likely little I can say about it that hasn't already been said.
My opinion, this exceeded expectations, as I have read my fair share of Central Asian history, mostly around the Great Game periods. Hopkirk has managed to keep it punchy, in short chapters, each covering a discrete aspect of the overall narrative. He makes the complex overlapping and confusing nature of this period into a cohesive and engaging narrative. The Khanates, the cities, the countries of Central Asia all evoke for me a sense of wonder and mystery - unrealistic I am sure, but nevertheless I find it a fascinating history.
There is perhaps an aspect of balance missing - the British certainly are described far more positively than their opponent. The vast amount of records and information on the British version of events likely contributes to this, with much of the Russian information never made public, so that perhaps tips the balance in what can be accurately described by Hopkirk, but even so with the British agents brave and ingenious, the Russians skulking in the lawless steppe, the savage Afghans, etc it is certainly British-centric in its view.
One pertinent quote from the last page of the book brings into focus how much of a Russian and British story this is, and how little say those effected by the Great Game had. (From 1990 when published)
As for the Indians themselves, they were neither consulted nor considered in any of this. Yet, like their Muslim neighbours across the frontier, it was largely their blood which was spilt during the imperial struggle. All they ever wanted was to be left alone, something they achieved in 1947, when the British packed their bags and departed. But the peoples of Central Asia were less fortunate at their conquerors’ hands. For more than a century now the vast Russian empire there has served as a monument to the Tsarist heroes of the Great Game. How much longer it will continue to do so, in view of the violent turmoil threatening the Soviet Union, is impossible to forecast.
One worrying aspect is the massive bibliography and Hopkirk calling out some particularly interesting looking books which do nothing for my ever expanding to read list!
There are other great reviews which summarise events which I can't begin to frame!
For me 5 stars.
Hopkirk's magnum opus 'The Great Game' feeds into his other books (some of which I have read), but ostensibly tells the big picture of Russia vs Britain in the fight for Central Asia throughout the 19th century to around 1907 when it concludes.
There are currently a little under 800 reviews on GR and a little over 8,800 ratings, with an average of 4.33 stars. There is likely little I can say about it that hasn't already been said.
My opinion, this exceeded expectations, as I have read my fair share of Central Asian history, mostly around the Great Game periods. Hopkirk has managed to keep it punchy, in short chapters, each covering a discrete aspect of the overall narrative. He makes the complex overlapping and confusing nature of this period into a cohesive and engaging narrative. The Khanates, the cities, the countries of Central Asia all evoke for me a sense of wonder and mystery - unrealistic I am sure, but nevertheless I find it a fascinating history.
There is perhaps an aspect of balance missing - the British certainly are described far more positively than their opponent. The vast amount of records and information on the British version of events likely contributes to this, with much of the Russian information never made public, so that perhaps tips the balance in what can be accurately described by Hopkirk, but even so with the British agents brave and ingenious, the Russians skulking in the lawless steppe, the savage Afghans, etc it is certainly British-centric in its view.
One pertinent quote from the last page of the book brings into focus how much of a Russian and British story this is, and how little say those effected by the Great Game had. (From 1990 when published)
As for the Indians themselves, they were neither consulted nor considered in any of this. Yet, like their Muslim neighbours across the frontier, it was largely their blood which was spilt during the imperial struggle. All they ever wanted was to be left alone, something they achieved in 1947, when the British packed their bags and departed. But the peoples of Central Asia were less fortunate at their conquerors’ hands. For more than a century now the vast Russian empire there has served as a monument to the Tsarist heroes of the Great Game. How much longer it will continue to do so, in view of the violent turmoil threatening the Soviet Union, is impossible to forecast.
One worrying aspect is the massive bibliography and Hopkirk calling out some particularly interesting looking books which do nothing for my ever expanding to read list!
There are other great reviews which summarise events which I can't begin to frame!
For me 5 stars.
Published in 1975 this book, which at first I struggled to take very seriously, brings together all the previously writings the author can find on the lost worlds.
The first chapter covers Atlantis, but brings in Lemuria & Mu, which are considered variants. The content varies wildly, from the relatively sane - historical writings, references in saga's, geological explorations to the crackpots of occultists, mystics, theologians, theosophists, those with visions and those with access to secret historical documents from Tibet or India which have been shared with them by ancient keepers of knowledge - which of course nobody else may examine, or have now been lost, etc.
This section, by some distance the longest, is concluded with a summary.
Second on the list is a section on Lost Lands of the East, and covers the Garden of Eden, The country of the Queen of Sheba, the country of the Amazons, and the country of Prester John. These sections tend to outline the challenges around tracking down the locations of these people or places, then make some judgements without being very decisive!
The third and final section is titled Lost Lands of the British Isles largely dealing with Roman or pre-Roman legends and myths about The Cassitterides, St Brendan's Island, Avalon, Lyonesse. Most of these reach a conclusion of sorts.
This was a quick read which fits into a genre I read which can probably be described as quirks in geography, lost places, and myth tracing. St Brendan of course is the topic of Tim Severin's excellent The Brendan Voyage.
Amusing, albeit probably not ground breaking, and likely superseded by more recent publications!
3 stars.
Published in 1975 this book, which at first I struggled to take very seriously, brings together all the previously writings the author can find on the lost worlds.
The first chapter covers Atlantis, but brings in Lemuria & Mu, which are considered variants. The content varies wildly, from the relatively sane - historical writings, references in saga's, geological explorations to the crackpots of occultists, mystics, theologians, theosophists, those with visions and those with access to secret historical documents from Tibet or India which have been shared with them by ancient keepers of knowledge - which of course nobody else may examine, or have now been lost, etc.
This section, by some distance the longest, is concluded with a summary.
Second on the list is a section on Lost Lands of the East, and covers the Garden of Eden, The country of the Queen of Sheba, the country of the Amazons, and the country of Prester John. These sections tend to outline the challenges around tracking down the locations of these people or places, then make some judgements without being very decisive!
The third and final section is titled Lost Lands of the British Isles largely dealing with Roman or pre-Roman legends and myths about The Cassitterides, St Brendan's Island, Avalon, Lyonesse. Most of these reach a conclusion of sorts.
This was a quick read which fits into a genre I read which can probably be described as quirks in geography, lost places, and myth tracing. St Brendan of course is the topic of Tim Severin's excellent The Brendan Voyage.
Amusing, albeit probably not ground breaking, and likely superseded by more recent publications!
3 stars.
Added to listFiction Short Story Ieswith 228 books.
Published in 1902 this very short short story is based on the 'Genie giving three wishes' concept. In this case a family are visited by an old acquaintance returned from India in possession of a monkey's paw, with a spell cast of it by a Fakir. The paw will grant three separate men three wishes each.
The old solider had been he second man, and gave nothing away about his three wishes, but cast the paw onto the fire saying it would be best destroyed.
Of course the man rescues the paw and the short story goes on to explain his three wishes!
Too short to write more, and give away the story!
Punchy and short, amusing enough.
4 short story stars.
Published in 1902 this very short short story is based on the 'Genie giving three wishes' concept. In this case a family are visited by an old acquaintance returned from India in possession of a monkey's paw, with a spell cast of it by a Fakir. The paw will grant three separate men three wishes each.
The old solider had been he second man, and gave nothing away about his three wishes, but cast the paw onto the fire saying it would be best destroyed.
Of course the man rescues the paw and the short story goes on to explain his three wishes!
Too short to write more, and give away the story!
Punchy and short, amusing enough.
4 short story stars.
Added to listHistorywith 536 books.
Well, this is certainly an odd book. I am not sure what I expected, but it was not this.
Basically in the late 1970s a secret unit was formed within the US Army to research psychological advantages to be used in war. From the outright wacky (attempting to walk through walls) to the at best marginal - remote viewing, psychic spies, lsd experimentation, subliminal messaging, and of course the ability to kill goats just by staring at them!
Ronson is like a dog with bone, researching over a long period of time, regularly checking in with each of his contacts, pestering them with questions and asking them to recount events and eventually learning the names of other operatives who he can try to track down.
Much of the content is absurd, ludicrous even, but more worrying is the amount of money funneled into this military experimentation.
For all that, the book wanders about from person to person and topic to topic. It isn't able to be categoric about what actually happened and what didn't, what was real and what was speculation. There is a healthy dose of conspiracy theory mixed in, the entirety of linking what is happening now with what was experimented with in the 70s and 80s is the prime example - it just wasn't convincing.
For example in the 70s it was suggested that music was used to soothe natives as teh American military invade (or occupy, or whatever); in the early 2000's Iraq music was used for sleep deprivation through the continual playing of music (heavy metal, Matchbox Twenty or Barney the dinosaur - unclear which would be worse). The use of cultural humiliation - treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, offending them with sexually explicit behaviour strongly misaligned with their religion was also linked back to psychoanalysis done in the 70s an 80s, again I think unsuccessfully linked.
Not convinced I will go out looking for more from this author.
3 stars
Well, this is certainly an odd book. I am not sure what I expected, but it was not this.
Basically in the late 1970s a secret unit was formed within the US Army to research psychological advantages to be used in war. From the outright wacky (attempting to walk through walls) to the at best marginal - remote viewing, psychic spies, lsd experimentation, subliminal messaging, and of course the ability to kill goats just by staring at them!
Ronson is like a dog with bone, researching over a long period of time, regularly checking in with each of his contacts, pestering them with questions and asking them to recount events and eventually learning the names of other operatives who he can try to track down.
Much of the content is absurd, ludicrous even, but more worrying is the amount of money funneled into this military experimentation.
For all that, the book wanders about from person to person and topic to topic. It isn't able to be categoric about what actually happened and what didn't, what was real and what was speculation. There is a healthy dose of conspiracy theory mixed in, the entirety of linking what is happening now with what was experimented with in the 70s and 80s is the prime example - it just wasn't convincing.
For example in the 70s it was suggested that music was used to soothe natives as teh American military invade (or occupy, or whatever); in the early 2000's Iraq music was used for sleep deprivation through the continual playing of music (heavy metal, Matchbox Twenty or Barney the dinosaur - unclear which would be worse). The use of cultural humiliation - treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, offending them with sexually explicit behaviour strongly misaligned with their religion was also linked back to psychoanalysis done in the 70s an 80s, again I think unsuccessfully linked.
Not convinced I will go out looking for more from this author.
3 stars
In 1976 the author and his wife came to China (Beijing and then Shanghai) to complete postgrad studies in modern Chinese literature (although they didn't choose this specialty until later). Nine days after arrival, Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and leader of the country died, throwing China in a period of unsurety and political turmoil. Perhaps one of the most interesting periods to be a witness to the machinations of China, and likely a rare view from within, Andy Kirkpatrick shares his experiences of Chinese politicking along with his experiences at a university and almost mixing with Chinese people. I say almost, because any member of the public approaching foreign students was immediately taken aside for questioning, and the university system was set up such that they had only limited crossover.
While the author and his wife were not permitted to live together ("students may not marry", "But we re married...", "Students may not marry"), they were flatting with Chinese students, although these roommates were obliged to provide reports on the foreign students each week. Visiting a farming commune was part of the curriculum for all students (so academics are able to learn form the workers), but again, the interactions were controlled and kept to a minimum. They make several trips for a week at a time to various farms or factories.
There are plenty of amusing anecdotes from University life, many disenchanting experiences, but almost as many positive experiences, well maybe. It is clear the author made an effort to try and engage in the culture, joining a football club to try and mix with more Chinese, only to find no player knew any other player's name! He even met Margaret Thatcher who was on a tour of the University, and dobbed in the University for setting up false representations of how open they were (in this case they laid out international newspapers in the library, saying they were always available - of course they were available only when Thatcher was in the building...)
Overall an enjoyable read, a rare view of China in the 1970s immediately after Mao's death.
3.5 stars
In 1976 the author and his wife came to China (Beijing and then Shanghai) to complete postgrad studies in modern Chinese literature (although they didn't choose this specialty until later). Nine days after arrival, Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and leader of the country died, throwing China in a period of unsurety and political turmoil. Perhaps one of the most interesting periods to be a witness to the machinations of China, and likely a rare view from within, Andy Kirkpatrick shares his experiences of Chinese politicking along with his experiences at a university and almost mixing with Chinese people. I say almost, because any member of the public approaching foreign students was immediately taken aside for questioning, and the university system was set up such that they had only limited crossover.
While the author and his wife were not permitted to live together ("students may not marry", "But we re married...", "Students may not marry"), they were flatting with Chinese students, although these roommates were obliged to provide reports on the foreign students each week. Visiting a farming commune was part of the curriculum for all students (so academics are able to learn form the workers), but again, the interactions were controlled and kept to a minimum. They make several trips for a week at a time to various farms or factories.
There are plenty of amusing anecdotes from University life, many disenchanting experiences, but almost as many positive experiences, well maybe. It is clear the author made an effort to try and engage in the culture, joining a football club to try and mix with more Chinese, only to find no player knew any other player's name! He even met Margaret Thatcher who was on a tour of the University, and dobbed in the University for setting up false representations of how open they were (in this case they laid out international newspapers in the library, saying they were always available - of course they were available only when Thatcher was in the building...)
Overall an enjoyable read, a rare view of China in the 1970s immediately after Mao's death.
3.5 stars
Added to listIndian Subcontinentwith 287 books.
