Zed
Had a profound and influential effect on me when I read this in my teens. What more can one want from a book?
A wonderful read. I had trouble putting this brutal but heartfelt book down. It hides nothing about the inhumanity of the Pacific conflict that Sledge was part of but in the end his prose shows a retention of his own humanity.
48 books. By my standards a big year.
A link to the year's reading. https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/38380015
My fiction book of the year is And the Rat Laughed by Neva Semel. So thought provoking I read it three times.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6014334497
The surprise of the year was Ten Thousand Apologies: Fat White Family and the Miracle of Failure by Adelle Stripe and Lias Saoudi. I have outlived music bios but this was exceptional.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5992280955
Fiction honourable mentions to The Book of Emmett by Deborah Forster and one from the past The Sea and Summer by George Turner. Both conceptually fine novels.
The outstanding Richard Flanagan's The Narrow Road to the Deep North was at times breathtaking. “A great book compels you to reread your own soul.”
I read the most depressing novel I have ever read in my life. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry.
Not much to say about that one.
On the other end of the scale the fun book of the year was the gently humorous Poor Man Wealth by Rod Usher.
For the Term of His Natural Life by Marcus Clark was outstanding, an Australian classic.
Nonfiction honourable mentions to War by Sebastian Junger and The Age of Kali by William Dalrymple had me glued to the pages. Tribe another by Sebastian Junger was very thought provoking. A Brief History of Thailand by Richard A. Ruth was a fine read on the subject.
One of the best books I have read on the subject of the English Civil wars. Heading into areas that I had not thought of previously such as the written word as a propaganda tool. Superb in detail with a rich bibliography and footnotes. Though not for the beginner or those with just a passing interest this is a highly recommended history for those looking to advance their knowledge.
Hour by hour history of Japans last day prior to surrender and a tale of intrigue and soul searching it is. Worth tracking down.
The War Of The Triple Alliance is an area of South American history that has received not as much attention in the English-speaking world as it should have. I would say that this book alone would not make up for that, but nonetheless the story of the life of an Irish courtesan who married Paraguayan dictator Lopez is a very interesting read. For those that know nothing of the War Of The Triple Alliance, check out its wiki. Wiki is not my usual source to suggest, but it will give a good overview of this horrendous war and the ramifications to the combatants.
I read this in my youth but remember being spellbound by the very idea of the world being overtaken by plants. Nothing like a bit of disaster sc-fi.
My first Archaeology book and enjoyed it enough that I have grabbed a few more by the good Francis Pryor to read at a later date.
Journalism by Jolliffe of the highest order. In the modern world pretend media such as the Murdoch press will not report the truth unless it is their truth. Sad that this book exposes the appalling decisions by western governments, with specific reference to Australia, and the lack of interest by the media to the abysmal treatment of East Timor by Indonesia.
I have little time for modern journalists who are beholden to write what their master wants for the good of the masters political view and already bulging pockets. In fact I have little sympathy for Guthrie considering he had no issues pursuing many who no doubt deserved to have their say and could not. I am loathe to re-read this book but have a memory of Guthrie saying that now he realised how others felt after the treatment he received from the Murdoch press. Indeed Mr Guthrie indeed. With all that in mind in the end, if Guthrie is to be believed as a judge did, he was treated poorly and took Murdoch for some pocket money. All fun and games for people in the media who have little respect for anyone other than themselves. Just politely I say stuff em.
A book explaining how the Normans viewed themselves and their history. Very interesting and those with a bent towards Norman history would not be disappointed.
Enjoyable but in my opinion has not stood the test of time and seems a touch lightweight by today's more forceful standards.
I enjoyed this. Well written but am not that sure it had that much to say that was new. The British Empire being a good thing is not that new an idea is it? The Penguin edition is very cheap and worth the few dollars alone.
I nowadays rarely read novels but did this one after seeing the film The Thin Red Line and reading various reviews of James Jones novels. I could not put this down. Wonderful story and great writing that had me loving every word and moment.
See my review on From here To Eternity. I thought that this would be a let down after that wonderful book but had no issues at all. Fine book indeed. Now to try and force my self to read the final book of the trio.
I enjoyed this book but had issues. It was not as well written as I would have liked. A peoples history this is but Charles Carlton's Going To The Wars told it so much better.
This being my first read on the subject and having little to compare to I found this an interesting read. I was attracted to reading this subject, hence this book, due to my lack of understanding as to the consequences of the issues that lead up to the outbreak of the 30 Year War in 1618.
A well written beginners guide to the English Civil Wars. There are others that I found more interesting but if pushed to select one that was ideal for those without deep knowledge this would be it.
One of the best books I have ever read in any genre. This superb book explains the trials and tribulation of the peoples that had the misfortune to be caught up in the conflict. Be that the injured, the prisoners and even the children Carlton tells their story. How they survived, how they died, how they lived. Highly recommended.
