Judy

I was moved to begin reading this after I read an essay about the author written by his wife after his death from ALS at the age of 62. The book is a compilation/transcription of a series of conversations between the author and Timothy Snyder, each prominent historians, but of different generations. I consider it one of the top 5 books I've read this year. A challenging book to read if you're European history-challenged, like myself, but I could follow the line of reasoning and argument despite the unfamiliar territory.
The book follows Tony's development from his early years growing up in a Marxist family, through his experience with Zionism and his education as a French intellectual. The Cold War years through the fall of the Berlin Wall all contribute to his exploration of liberalism and social democracy ideas, and he has become well-known for his brilliant and, at times, controversial historical writing. He puts each period of his life into a context of what was happening politically, economically, and socially, then discusses with Snyder the questions he was seeking to answer at that time and where his answers led him. Snyder does the job of drawing out and getting clarification for these ideas, and we are treated to a real sense of two amazing minds playing off each other.

I'm glad I read this book just for the glimpse into what being a historian is like, the purpose of history and what's possible with good scholarship and writing. I'm also thrilled that I was introduced to both these authors, and they have other books for me to check out.

Heard the author on a podcast and was very interested and intrigued with the book; had high expectations. Disappointed that the book was more memoir of childhood events and memories of friends, family, etc. Lacked focus on developing understanding of believing in “nothing” as a worldview.

(3.5)

I picked the book up because a reviewer of the fantasy novel “Babel” by R.F. Kuang suggested that a reader who enjoyed this YA fiction novel might be inspired to read this nonfiction book that deals with the same time period and the 19th century war capitalism effects on a global scale.

Babel by R.F. Kuang - Classics of Science Fiction

I skipped the YA novel and went right to this book and I'm pleased with my random path to this book. It was insightful and clear about the connections that evolve as a commodity becomes part of a system of trade, beginning with local subsistence production to a nation-based medium of exchange and eventually a global force for war capitalism, colonization, slavery, and eventually decolonization.

It's written with an interested general reader in mind, yet has enough extended examples, research and interpretation to be included on a course syllabus. This author will be on my list of ones to watch watch when I'm looking for good economic history reads.

I'm attached to this story of Elena and Lila just as if I were watching it unfold on an HBO series. As soon as I finished this second installment, I picked up the next to keep the story going. Deep and powerfully-drawn characters that move through the setting of Naples and other cities of Italy in the middle to late 1960s, with a strong theme of poverty and social justice as a backdrop, have made this unfamiliar place and time real to me.

I've enjoyed diving deep into Elena's character and her striving with academic and intellectual goals, while struggling against “imposter syndrome”. She is succeeding in this strange academic world, but her inner critic constantly shoots her down with harsh judgments. I'm inspired by her devotion to learning, but I also recognize the real risk she faces as she tries to step out of her family's known world. I love the way this author can make that conflict so concrete in this book.

Looking forward to continuing the story in the third book, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay.