Pierke
From the start I had a bit of trouble liking the leading characters, but curious where the two plot lines would lead I read on. All loose ends were neatly brought to a close at the books ending, but I still don't know if I am sufficiently interested in the protagonists to move on to the other books. Especially the treatment of Helen Jamieson by her colleagues and superior rankled me. In this day and age, are women still only judged by their looks? Even by other females? One womanizing unpleasant superior would have been enough in my opinion. Jamieson's own insecurity about her looks was too big a part of her personality as well. Maybe I'll try the next book, just to see how and if the personalities are maturing while the author's writing abilities mature.
A beautifully told, clear explanation of how the European empires slowly descended into World War I, with Vienna and the Habsburg Empire as its point of departure. The book gives a sparkling impression of Vienna and the people who inhabited the city at this moment in time. This gave the bigger picture a wonderful full-bodied context. I also liked the balanced portrayal of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his morganatic wife Countess Sophie. They are so often overlooked or characterized as borish and uninspiring.
I listen to the audio book, which was beautifully read by Arthur Morey (only his German was sometimes unintelligible) and simultaneous read the paperback. The index was very comprehensive.
Ably written, concise overview of the natural history of the Galapagos islands. Listening to the audio book version I sometimes thought I was listening to Simon Winchester. John Adams' voice is very reminiscent of the voice of Simon Winchester. The clear prose style also does resemble Winschester's prose. So I was lured in under false pretenses, but it was definitely worth the listen, I enjoyed every minute of it.
Normally not into supernatural stories, so for me the Inspector McLean stories are an exception. Although there are supernatural aspects to the plot, they are not overwhelming the story. I was hooked since the first book came out and am already looking forward to the next one. This is partially due to Ian Hanmore superb reading. Prayer for the Dead is as suspenseful as its predecessors; I only missed a few characters from the earlier books. I do hope they will return in future stories, for I've gotten attached to them.
When reading the sub-title of the book, my first thought was: someone has come up with another far-fetched idea for an angle on Churchill. After reading the book, however, I have to confess there is nothing fanciful about the idea. Thomas Maier's book is a sound study of the influence Churchill had on JFK, how this came about and its influence on history.
The book focuses first on the two family patriarchs, Winston Churchill and Joe Kennedy. It tells of their shady dealings at the end of the Prohibition era in America, when with the help of Franklin Roosevelt oldest son, Joe brokered a deal to import British liquor to the US. Winston obtained some lucrative stock in two companies controlled by Joe. From that moment onwards the lives of the two families intertwine. Joe and Winston becoming divided over America's entry into World War II. In the end these isolationist views will cost Joe his is political career. The spotlight shifts to the next generation, on the political rise of JFK and the tragic decline of Randolph Churchill into alcoholism, after he tried in vain to hold his own in the shadow of his overpowering father. Maier superbly dissects the role women played in the lives of these powerful man, be it as wives or mistresses. There are vivid profiles of colorful figures like Bernard Baruch, Evelyn Waugh, Aristotle Onassis, Averell Harriman, John Winant and Edward R. Murrow. Although the book is a bit gossipy now and then, it certainly is an important addition to the written history of both families.
I have bought the e-book version when the book became available, together with the audio version. The e-book was a big disappointment, in that the book didn't have any index. How publishers think a reader will be helped by a search function in a book of 714 pages, is beyond me. Can you imagine how many hits there are for Winston? Still more of a problem where the notes. Notes occupy more than 100 pages, but their numbers are not in the text. So while reading a passage you haven't any idea there's a note on the subject. For a well-researched book like this, a sad omission.
The audio book was read by Malcolm Hillgartner, who did a superb job. When a narrator is able to retain your attention for 22 hours, he's certainly doing it right.
If you are interested in film music, this is a must-read. All Bond movies, also the unofficial ones, are dealt with very extensively, up till Quantum of Solace. With a structure of one movie per chapter it also invites to keep the book close at hand when viewing a Bond movie. Especially the inserts that give the score highlights, by minutes into the film, are very helpful while watching. The book has a wealth of pictures, as well. It is amazing how much information Jon Burlingame was able to unearth, a real treasure-trove. The book merits a re-reading, as remembering all the fact in one reading is nigh on impossible.
About the audio version. This was my first encounter with Tom Parks and I didn't like it very much. I am sure that his enthusiastic rendition can be a bonus for certain books, but it distracted me from the story
Even if not all the facts are correct, as stated by a reviewer on Amazon.com, this is a compelling read. It is an evenly paced, extremely well written story that obviously needed (re)telling, as MacArthur's astounding achievements in Japan are today largely forgotten. My knowledge about MacArthur, gleaned from reading about the Pacific theater, was of an accomplished general, but a flawed, vain and self-centered man. This book changed my perception about him completely. I certainly am going to read more about MacArthur and I hope I can find more biographers like Mr. Morris, who give MacArthur the credit he is due.
As the audio book preceded the print edition, I listened to the audio book first. The audio book is read by Charles Constant, who gives an outstanding performance. As I wanted to re-read certain passages I bought the Kindle e-book as soon as it became available. The Kindle e-book didn't have a linked index ( a lot of epubs have beautifully linked indexes nowadays), but as the e-book boasts of having page numbering corresponding with the hardback book this shouldn't be a problem, where it not that the layout of the index is totally ruined by sloppy formatting. The index is an unreadable, useless mess. I should have checked my eagerness for the ‘printed' page and ordered the hardcover instead.
