Tuesday, July 30, 2024

QUARTERED SAFE OUT HERE - George MacDonald Fraser

 























The author of this memoir is also the author of the " Flashman" series. This is a personal memoir of his time with his section in Burma. It’s very well written, funny , tragic with one of the best introductions to a book I’ve read. My only trouble was trying to understand the Cumbrian accent that its written in, but apart from that worth finding and reading


STALIN AND HIS HANGMEN - Donald Rayfield

 























A very heavy read , the brutality of the regime was relentless.
Well worth finding and reading


WORLD WAR ONE -Norman Stone

 




















The entire 1st World War in 190 pages. Some interesting snippets but in reality this would serve better as a series of lectures

Thursday, July 11, 2024

MUD SWEETER THAN HONEY - Margo Rejmer


 



















Albania obviously doesn't have any oil because no one cared a jot about this hell hole.

This is a collection of oral histories, of course there will be exaggerations but the bottom  line is the people of Albania suffered horrendously for decades under an insane communist regime.

Sadly, the grand children of those that suffered are already disbelieving about what went on, so books like this are important so no one ever forgets.



Monday, July 8, 2024

EUROPE AT WAR 1939-1945 - Noman Davies




















Simply brilliant.  This is not a narrative history of battles and individuals , rather a why, who, and how individuals and groups acted the way they did and the why they had to. 

Outstanding.

DOWN AND OUT IN PARIS AND LONDON- George Orwell


 



















Hardly uplifting but a very good social document of the times.

NEMESIS -Max Hastings
























The best of Hastings I have read. I agree with the thinking, the bombs weren't about saving Japanese lives but saving American lives.  This is rationally laid out and it was the correct decision.

THE SECRET LIFE OF J.EDGAR HOOVER - Anthony Summers

  A man who abused his position like no other public servant in history.  A vile little man.