xterra
So far, so good...
Hmm. I read that title as if "British Stole" referred to a garment. I couldn't figure out who would stuff it, or why, or where.
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What book is everyone reading at the moment? Part 2.
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- Start date
Emily's Cat
Rarely prone to hissy-fits
Descent of Angels
The Radiance by Ayad Akhtar, 2026.
Somewhat about sexual politics in post-pandemic US academia, partly about the author's emotions, thoughts, and feelings in relation to a brain injury he incurred. Highly intellectual but that's also its failing. The author thinks too much IMHO. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Somewhat about sexual politics in post-pandemic US academia, partly about the author's emotions, thoughts, and feelings in relation to a brain injury he incurred. Highly intellectual but that's also its failing. The author thinks too much IMHO. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Spektator
Is that right?
The Book of Dreams and Ghosts, Andrew Lang
The Highlander Andrew Lang, he of the Crayola fairies, published this collection of anecdotes in 1897 and revised it in 1899. It is a loosely-organized anthology of cases that Lang either investigated personally, heard about from eyewitnesses, heard about it from secondary and tertiary sources, read about, or . . . whatever is left.
The dreams are typically strange in some way, like the one in which a bulldog in a bowler hat and cutaway coat, and wearing a monocle, whacks me in the shins with a cane. It’s the usual group of allegedly paranormal dreams: A dreams of B, who dies a thousand miles away at what might be the exact moment that A’s dream occurs. Or C dreams of a buried treasure and goes to dig it up, only to find that the site is the basement of Parliament. That kind of thing.
Mind reading, future prediction, and shared dreams have their turn. As for ghosts, they range from annoying poltergeists to tragic visions of the dearly departed, to terrifying encounters on some bonny brae. Repetitive and not particularly persuasive, the ghost tales are less convincing than the folk tales Lang collected in the Red Fairy Book.
Lang’s Scottish dialect terms creep in often and they’re braw keepit for a lowlander ta gleech. I kept having to look up dialect terms and often as not the Google response was “hell if I know.”
The [first] Jungle Book, by Rudyard Kipling
Soneone once asked Bertie Wooster if he liked Kipling, and he replied, “Don’t know, old thing. I’ve never Kippled.” Anyhoo, only the first three of these seven stories (which include interpolated poems) concern themselves with Mowgli, stolen from his human family by a tiger and adopted by a family of wolves and reared as one of the pack. Unlike in the Disney version, the Kipling one has Mowgli being educated by the wise and articulate bear, Baloo, and the irresponsible, sometimes goofy panther, Bagheera. I know, I know, but Sebastian Cabot always played dignified, rather stuffy pukka sahib British gentleman, while Wonga “Phil” Harris clowned around with Jack Benny and sang patter songs like “That’s What I Like About the South” and “The Thing.” The cartoon swaps the personalities, probably to match the voices.
The rest of the stories deal with other animals, Arctic seals, constrictor snakes, elephants, camels, and so on. The best of these is the one about the mongoose, Rikki Tikki Tavi.
For kids’ stories, the tales are pretty intense. There’s murder, cannibalism, kidnapping, and a good dose of colonialism. But what do you expect, a woke wolf-boy? Fat chance. The tone suits the era and the audience.
The Moral Narratives of Hayao Myazaki, Eric Reinders
Since retiring from University teaching, I have less patience with academic criticism than once I had. Eric Reinders, a professor of religion at Emory University, examines the animated cartoon feature, I beg your pardon, the anime oeuvre of Hayao Miyazaki, eminence grise of the Japanese film production company Studio Ghibli.
Reinders has points to make, very good, but the book is more like a series of essays with roughly the same thesis, so it’s a bit like reading the same argument over and over with very little variance. Reinders addresses Shintoism and Buddhism, among other creeds, and explains how all of the Studio Ghibli movies actually use the tenets of Eastern religions to enrich the narratives
However, while I really admire the art, the loose structure, and the intriguing, sometimes enduring characters in the films, it seems to me that Miyazaki’s animated films can communicate richly with viewers who are not well-versed in Eastern religions and philosophy. Just my opinion, mind. I have no beef with those who have the depth of knowledge to explore such things.
The Highlander Andrew Lang, he of the Crayola fairies, published this collection of anecdotes in 1897 and revised it in 1899. It is a loosely-organized anthology of cases that Lang either investigated personally, heard about from eyewitnesses, heard about it from secondary and tertiary sources, read about, or . . . whatever is left.
The dreams are typically strange in some way, like the one in which a bulldog in a bowler hat and cutaway coat, and wearing a monocle, whacks me in the shins with a cane. It’s the usual group of allegedly paranormal dreams: A dreams of B, who dies a thousand miles away at what might be the exact moment that A’s dream occurs. Or C dreams of a buried treasure and goes to dig it up, only to find that the site is the basement of Parliament. That kind of thing.
Mind reading, future prediction, and shared dreams have their turn. As for ghosts, they range from annoying poltergeists to tragic visions of the dearly departed, to terrifying encounters on some bonny brae. Repetitive and not particularly persuasive, the ghost tales are less convincing than the folk tales Lang collected in the Red Fairy Book.
Lang’s Scottish dialect terms creep in often and they’re braw keepit for a lowlander ta gleech. I kept having to look up dialect terms and often as not the Google response was “hell if I know.”
The [first] Jungle Book, by Rudyard Kipling
Soneone once asked Bertie Wooster if he liked Kipling, and he replied, “Don’t know, old thing. I’ve never Kippled.” Anyhoo, only the first three of these seven stories (which include interpolated poems) concern themselves with Mowgli, stolen from his human family by a tiger and adopted by a family of wolves and reared as one of the pack. Unlike in the Disney version, the Kipling one has Mowgli being educated by the wise and articulate bear, Baloo, and the irresponsible, sometimes goofy panther, Bagheera. I know, I know, but Sebastian Cabot always played dignified, rather stuffy pukka sahib British gentleman, while Wonga “Phil” Harris clowned around with Jack Benny and sang patter songs like “That’s What I Like About the South” and “The Thing.” The cartoon swaps the personalities, probably to match the voices.
The rest of the stories deal with other animals, Arctic seals, constrictor snakes, elephants, camels, and so on. The best of these is the one about the mongoose, Rikki Tikki Tavi.
For kids’ stories, the tales are pretty intense. There’s murder, cannibalism, kidnapping, and a good dose of colonialism. But what do you expect, a woke wolf-boy? Fat chance. The tone suits the era and the audience.
The Moral Narratives of Hayao Myazaki, Eric Reinders
Since retiring from University teaching, I have less patience with academic criticism than once I had. Eric Reinders, a professor of religion at Emory University, examines the animated cartoon feature, I beg your pardon, the anime oeuvre of Hayao Miyazaki, eminence grise of the Japanese film production company Studio Ghibli.
Reinders has points to make, very good, but the book is more like a series of essays with roughly the same thesis, so it’s a bit like reading the same argument over and over with very little variance. Reinders addresses Shintoism and Buddhism, among other creeds, and explains how all of the Studio Ghibli movies actually use the tenets of Eastern religions to enrich the narratives
However, while I really admire the art, the loose structure, and the intriguing, sometimes enduring characters in the films, it seems to me that Miyazaki’s animated films can communicate richly with viewers who are not well-versed in Eastern religions and philosophy. Just my opinion, mind. I have no beef with those who have the depth of knowledge to explore such things.
Safe-Keeper
My avatar is not a Drumpf hat
Lost Lambs is brilliant and hilaroous so far.
Eta: hilarious, even. I cant spel today, apparently.
Eta: hilarious, even. I cant spel today, apparently.
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Safe-Keeper
My avatar is not a Drumpf hat
Lost Lambs is still brilliant, 39 pages in. Author is really good at laundry lists of mischief. If I may:
By the way, Dua Lipa* has an interview with the author that seems really promising. Haven't watched it yet because I want to read the book first.
*Yes, that Dua Lipa. She's also an incredibly well-read and intelligent connoisseur of books.
By the way, Dua Lipa* has an interview with the author that seems really promising. Haven't watched it yet because I want to read the book first.
*Yes, that Dua Lipa. She's also an incredibly well-read and intelligent connoisseur of books.
Vixen
Penultimate Amazing
The Microdot Gang by James Wyllie, 2022
This was an astonishingly good read. I say this, because most books dealing with the youth cultures of the 60's and 70's blend into each other and are all pretty 'samey', referring to the same sources and quotes. Thus, I was surprised to find myself totally engrossed in this book, a real-page turner until sometimes, four o'clock in the morning!
It revolves around the Operation Julie police raid of 1977, which involved over 800 police - many armed - from several police forces at 87 different addresses, the aim to bust two LSD-production factories. One based in Wales, in a self-supporting farming collective, and the other at a manor house in Hampton Wick. In all some 120 people were convicted and claims of over ten million doses of LSD seized. The Wales ringleader was a brilliant PhD chemist, Richard Kemp and his GP wife, Christine Bott. The other was an equally brilliant chemist, Henry Todd and his assistant Andy Munro. The tabloid press had a field day of lurid tales and 'hippie' undercover cops. Plus the courts' astonishment of the middle class nature of many of the defendants.
What is fascinating about Wyllie's book is his incredible research skills. He doesn't just focus on the Operation Julie case, he takes us back to where Kemp learnt his skills and how Todd came into the picture. two entirely different characters, one a believer in the counterculture (Kemp) and the other, a straightforward business opportunist. The courts acknowledged that Kemp's LSD was exceptionally pure, even more so than the ingredients supplied by Sandoz in Switzerland to the CIA in the USA, during their 1950's and 60's MK-ULTRA experimental era. Wyllie takes us back to where it all began, with shady globe trotting characters setting up secret laboratories in Belgium and France. Kemp, having learnt his trade, bringing it to the UK. Wyllie strongly hints - without actually going there - at CIA links behind the Stark character, who was instumental is setting up these labs.
An excellent read.
This was an astonishingly good read. I say this, because most books dealing with the youth cultures of the 60's and 70's blend into each other and are all pretty 'samey', referring to the same sources and quotes. Thus, I was surprised to find myself totally engrossed in this book, a real-page turner until sometimes, four o'clock in the morning!
It revolves around the Operation Julie police raid of 1977, which involved over 800 police - many armed - from several police forces at 87 different addresses, the aim to bust two LSD-production factories. One based in Wales, in a self-supporting farming collective, and the other at a manor house in Hampton Wick. In all some 120 people were convicted and claims of over ten million doses of LSD seized. The Wales ringleader was a brilliant PhD chemist, Richard Kemp and his GP wife, Christine Bott. The other was an equally brilliant chemist, Henry Todd and his assistant Andy Munro. The tabloid press had a field day of lurid tales and 'hippie' undercover cops. Plus the courts' astonishment of the middle class nature of many of the defendants.
What is fascinating about Wyllie's book is his incredible research skills. He doesn't just focus on the Operation Julie case, he takes us back to where Kemp learnt his skills and how Todd came into the picture. two entirely different characters, one a believer in the counterculture (Kemp) and the other, a straightforward business opportunist. The courts acknowledged that Kemp's LSD was exceptionally pure, even more so than the ingredients supplied by Sandoz in Switzerland to the CIA in the USA, during their 1950's and 60's MK-ULTRA experimental era. Wyllie takes us back to where it all began, with shady globe trotting characters setting up secret laboratories in Belgium and France. Kemp, having learnt his trade, bringing it to the UK. Wyllie strongly hints - without actually going there - at CIA links behind the Stark character, who was instumental is setting up these labs.
An excellent read.
Emily's Cat
Rarely prone to hissy-fits
Horus Rising
May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry, 2026.
On this year's Booker Prize shortlist, I thought I'd give it a go. A first novel by an acclaimed poet, about a museum curator.
I'm 60 pages in, and loving it.
On this year's Booker Prize shortlist, I thought I'd give it a go. A first novel by an acclaimed poet, about a museum curator.
I'm 60 pages in, and loving it.
Spektator
Is that right?
The Last Battle, Cornelius Ryan
Cornelius Ryan, popular historian most known for his books on World War II, here tells the story of the end of the war in Europe: the Battle of Berlin. Like his D-Day history, The Longest Day, this volume recounts momentous events. Like A Bridge Too Far, it analyzes hasty and mistaken decisions, not all of them on the German side. It is long and complex, but a gripping read.
Ryan begins his account in the aftermath of an Allied bombing raid on Berlin, March 21, 1945. He writes of ordinary Germans trying to do ordinary things, the chief one to survive in a rapidly unraveling city Gradually the scope widens to cover the competing Allied armies closing in from the East, the North, and the West. The Russians, thirsty for revenge after Hitler’s futile but enormously punishing invasion, are poised mere dozens of miles to the east, with two rival Soviet Marshas, Ivan Koniev and Georgi Zhukov, assembling two overwhelming forces. Stalin insists that they attack separately but simultaneously, purposely demarcating their objectives to bisect Belin. The Berliners, who realize that the Nazi regime is dying, pray that the city will be taken by the British or the Americans. They know that the Soviets will be much more rapacious.
As for the British and Americans, Churchill and Roosevelt envision a drive across northern German, engulfing Berlin and pushing on to join the Russians at the Oder. Churchill frets that Roosevelt is enfeebled and increasingly irresolute.The commander of the American forces, Eisenhower, has the opinion that a push to Berlin will be horrendously costly in American lives, and that at this state of the war Berlin is no longer a strategic prize. His British counterpart, Montgomery, remains adamant that his British forces can seize Berlin without the Americans – but Monty had become known for being so finicky about preparations that they interfered with his actual attacks.
Facing the Allied armies were the German generals, chiefly the realist soldier Heinrici, who sometimes seems the only sane man on any side. Hitler, Goering, Himmler, the top Nazi brass, are determined that no matter which enemy captured Berlin, they would have in their grasp a city of the dead. No citizens of Berlin were to evacuate (Goering excepted himself). On Hitler's order, Germans were to fight to the last man, woman, or child. Hitler, as ill as Roosevelt and increasingly detached from reality, badly micromanages Heinrici, ordering divisions that no longer exist to join him, forcing him to oversee imprudent troop movements.
In the end, the Soviets reached the city first, and as they closed in on Hitler’s bunker, the Fuhrer commited suicide, and with Hitler he German army’s organized resistance also perished. Roosevelt had preceded him in death. Before long the Allied forces do join the Russian ones, and the major forces split up the spoils. The inevitable result was a divided Germany and Berlin, a cold war, an arms race . . ..
Sadly, Ryan’s history still seems all too familiar. Wars go on, leaders seem unhinged, and in the end the people suffer.
Cornelius Ryan, popular historian most known for his books on World War II, here tells the story of the end of the war in Europe: the Battle of Berlin. Like his D-Day history, The Longest Day, this volume recounts momentous events. Like A Bridge Too Far, it analyzes hasty and mistaken decisions, not all of them on the German side. It is long and complex, but a gripping read.
Ryan begins his account in the aftermath of an Allied bombing raid on Berlin, March 21, 1945. He writes of ordinary Germans trying to do ordinary things, the chief one to survive in a rapidly unraveling city Gradually the scope widens to cover the competing Allied armies closing in from the East, the North, and the West. The Russians, thirsty for revenge after Hitler’s futile but enormously punishing invasion, are poised mere dozens of miles to the east, with two rival Soviet Marshas, Ivan Koniev and Georgi Zhukov, assembling two overwhelming forces. Stalin insists that they attack separately but simultaneously, purposely demarcating their objectives to bisect Belin. The Berliners, who realize that the Nazi regime is dying, pray that the city will be taken by the British or the Americans. They know that the Soviets will be much more rapacious.
As for the British and Americans, Churchill and Roosevelt envision a drive across northern German, engulfing Berlin and pushing on to join the Russians at the Oder. Churchill frets that Roosevelt is enfeebled and increasingly irresolute.The commander of the American forces, Eisenhower, has the opinion that a push to Berlin will be horrendously costly in American lives, and that at this state of the war Berlin is no longer a strategic prize. His British counterpart, Montgomery, remains adamant that his British forces can seize Berlin without the Americans – but Monty had become known for being so finicky about preparations that they interfered with his actual attacks.
Facing the Allied armies were the German generals, chiefly the realist soldier Heinrici, who sometimes seems the only sane man on any side. Hitler, Goering, Himmler, the top Nazi brass, are determined that no matter which enemy captured Berlin, they would have in their grasp a city of the dead. No citizens of Berlin were to evacuate (Goering excepted himself). On Hitler's order, Germans were to fight to the last man, woman, or child. Hitler, as ill as Roosevelt and increasingly detached from reality, badly micromanages Heinrici, ordering divisions that no longer exist to join him, forcing him to oversee imprudent troop movements.
In the end, the Soviets reached the city first, and as they closed in on Hitler’s bunker, the Fuhrer commited suicide, and with Hitler he German army’s organized resistance also perished. Roosevelt had preceded him in death. Before long the Allied forces do join the Russian ones, and the major forces split up the spoils. The inevitable result was a divided Germany and Berlin, a cold war, an arms race . . ..
Sadly, Ryan’s history still seems all too familiar. Wars go on, leaders seem unhinged, and in the end the people suffer.
The Guide to James Joyce's ULYSSES by Patrick Hastings, 2022
While I've "finished" reading Ulysses, one is never finished with Ulysses. A friend gave me this since she'd bought it thinking she'd use it, but never got past Chapter 3, Proteus. Apparently that happens a lot.
This gives a chapter-by-chapter summary of events and symbolism in the epic book. Very interesting. I've listened to the RTÉ podcast series that does the same thing, but both differ and add to one's understanding.
While I've "finished" reading Ulysses, one is never finished with Ulysses. A friend gave me this since she'd bought it thinking she'd use it, but never got past Chapter 3, Proteus. Apparently that happens a lot.
This gives a chapter-by-chapter summary of events and symbolism in the epic book. Very interesting. I've listened to the RTÉ podcast series that does the same thing, but both differ and add to one's understanding.
Lennart Hyland
Muse
Such a good book. I remember reading that Ryan got access to Soviet war archives, former soviet generals and such. Really want to read his other stuff but havent got time..
The Great Zaganza
Maledictorian
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2016
- Messages
- 33,079
Can't tell you how much I'm enjoying listing to the audiobook of Bad Loon Rising, a Warhammer novel mostly from the perspective of goblins.
The narrator does a wonderful job with the cockney football hooligan accent, and the discrepancy between how serious the goblins take everything in their lives and how hilarious every title, name, item and location sounds makes this something I could listen to for ages.
The narrator does a wonderful job with the cockney football hooligan accent, and the discrepancy between how serious the goblins take everything in their lives and how hilarious every title, name, item and location sounds makes this something I could listen to for ages.
AmyStrange
Philosopher
The following is a PSA for those nostalgic for the mystery series from the 60s:
After reading all the books I have on my Kindle (three or four or more times), and being 70, I got nostalgic for the books I read when I was a kid. To be honest, the Hardy Boys weren't my favorite, but I had a copy of the The Tower Treasure in hardback and began reading that.
After I was finished, I decided to see how many of them I could find for my Kindle on Amazon, AND WHAT I LEARNED JUST BLEW ME AWAY!!!
There was a megapack on sale with the first eight books for 99 cents, but that was only half the surprise. After reading the Introduction by John Betancourt, I learned that the book I owned wasn't the original version, because this is what he wrote:
(SNIP)
I bought the megapack, started reading The Tower Treasure, and found out he was right.
The plot was pretty much the same, but there was so much that was in there that was missing (or different) from the 50's version that it was almost like reading a totally different book. Amongst other changes, the blundering private detective in the 50's version, Oscar Smuff, was originally a real detective on the police force in the 1927 version, but he was still a blundering idiot. Also, Hobo Johnny didn't exist in the original but was added in the 50s.
Anyone who might be nostalgic about the books they read in their younger days can find a megapack for The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, and a few others that I can't remember off hand. All of them are for 99 cents on Amazon.
Although I did read the first Hardy Boy's mystery when I was a kid, my real favorites were the Happy Hollisters and Brains Benton. Unfortunately, they didn't have a megapack for those, or at least I couldn't find them anyway, but they did have the individual books.
Anyway, I'm now reading The House on the Cliff so cheerio...
PSSST... You can also find The Complete Fiction of H. P. Lovecraft for both 45 and 99 cents.
THE HARDY BOYS
After reading all the books I have on my Kindle (three or four or more times), and being 70, I got nostalgic for the books I read when I was a kid. To be honest, the Hardy Boys weren't my favorite, but I had a copy of the The Tower Treasure in hardback and began reading that.
After I was finished, I decided to see how many of them I could find for my Kindle on Amazon, AND WHAT I LEARNED JUST BLEW ME AWAY!!!
There was a megapack on sale with the first eight books for 99 cents, but that was only half the surprise. After reading the Introduction by John Betancourt, I learned that the book I owned wasn't the original version, because this is what he wrote:
(SNIP)
(SNIP)
I bought the megapack, started reading The Tower Treasure, and found out he was right.
The plot was pretty much the same, but there was so much that was in there that was missing (or different) from the 50's version that it was almost like reading a totally different book. Amongst other changes, the blundering private detective in the 50's version, Oscar Smuff, was originally a real detective on the police force in the 1927 version, but he was still a blundering idiot. Also, Hobo Johnny didn't exist in the original but was added in the 50s.
Anyone who might be nostalgic about the books they read in their younger days can find a megapack for The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, and a few others that I can't remember off hand. All of them are for 99 cents on Amazon.
Although I did read the first Hardy Boy's mystery when I was a kid, my real favorites were the Happy Hollisters and Brains Benton. Unfortunately, they didn't have a megapack for those, or at least I couldn't find them anyway, but they did have the individual books.
Anyway, I'm now reading The House on the Cliff so cheerio...
PSSST... You can also find The Complete Fiction of H. P. Lovecraft for both 45 and 99 cents.
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Helen
Implicitly explicit
Rereading Philip Roth, The Plot Against America, his novel about a fascist takeover, and its consequences, as Charles Lindbergh defeats Franklin D. Roosevelt in the presidential election. I think this book prooves, without any doubt, that Roth was a time traveller, and was writing about the Trump administration.
It's a great book, emotional, intensly scary, but also warm. His handling of language is, as usual, very pleasurable, there is depth to his handling of the characters, and to the settings. It is also terrifyingly realistic.
It's a great book, emotional, intensly scary, but also warm. His handling of language is, as usual, very pleasurable, there is depth to his handling of the characters, and to the settings. It is also terrifyingly realistic.
Foster Zygote
Dental Floss Tycoon
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2006
- Messages
- 23,458
It seems to be setting up some interesting developments regarding some of the species. The secret way of communication between the Soft Lothark was unexpected and quite interesting.
Safe-Keeper
My avatar is not a Drumpf hat
Finished Lost Lambs. It kind of lost steam during the middle part and the editor should've probably pruned it quite a bit, but overall I really liked it. It's a slightly absurd slice-of-life story about teens who don't get what they need, in a large part because their parents who seem to not understand how to be adults. Not much happens, per se, for most of the book, mostly it's about how the characters deal with, or fail to deal with, the various situations they find themselves in. It's a subversive, satirical, and funny book and I'd love to read more about all the quirky characters.
For those who have played Night in the Woods, someone pointed out in a review that it has kind of those same vibes, and I can see that, to the point where I can see the characters in NITW having some of the conversations in the book.
For those who have played Night in the Woods, someone pointed out in a review that it has kind of those same vibes, and I can see that, to the point where I can see the characters in NITW having some of the conversations in the book.
Gawdzilla Sama
TImeToSweepTheLeg
Just finished The Flying Sorcerers.
Gawdzilla Sama
TImeToSweepTheLeg
Again.
Lennart Hyland
Muse
Currently; Mrs Dalloway