STALIN- The Court of The Red Tsar - Simon Sebag Montefiore

A fantastic book on this monster.  There is too much information to convey here but needless to say, everything he did ' was for the people'- these types are so good at justifying their crimes as something to benefit " the people".

Another fantastic read.

 

THE TRUCE - Primo Levi

The follow up to "If This Is A Man" -although published 16 years after the first book.

This covers from when Auschwitz was liberated until Levi returns to his native Italy.

It is another story of the human will to survive and while not as harrowing as surviving Auschwitz it is still remarkable.

These books need to be taught in schools.  This history must never be forgotten.

 

THE WORLD - Simon Sebag Montefiore

 

A remarkable big, big,  book.  Huge in scope , its the story of humanity.

There is not a chapter in this book that if you wanted to you could segue off and find a years reading.  The detail is stunning.

I would suggest reading reviews by professionals and then go buy it.

Reading this was the best 9 days reading I have had in a long long time

ABYSS The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962- Max Hastings

 

Lots of interesting facts in here.  Kennedy or Khrushchev were never going to start a nuclear war but there was plenty of opportunity for pilots and sailors to do so. The weapons had no central locking so once they were on a plane or submarine it was all on the individuals.

Kennedy comes out of this looking good, he had some hawks around him that were more than happy to see the world burn, even Robert McNamara wasn't the murderous bastard he turned into over Vietnam.

Hastings is always a good read.

A HISTORY OF BRITAIN 2 : 1603-1776 The British Wars- Simon Schama

 

Very very interesting, covers the Stuarts for most part.

I found, however, it is a very heavy read, very wordy and  it time shifts a bit.

Reading it was time well spent but not a relaxing read

NOODLING FOR FLATHEADS - Burkhard Bilger

A series of essays about the US you never hear about.  These stories are as far removed from Hollywood or Fifth Avenue as you are likely to find.

These essays cover noodling for flatheads , catching catfish by hand ( putting your hand under logs etc and grabbing the fish by its mouth).

Cock fighting, at the time of writing it was still legal in some states.  Moonshine brewing , still huge but being over taken by meth cooking. 

Eating squirrels brains, frog farming, so a totally different view of the US, fascinating in parts.

Worth finding and having a read

1968 IN AMERICA - Charles Kaiser

The title is a bit deceptive, the main thrust of this book is the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination for 1968, concentrating on Eugene McCarthy.

This doesn't however detract from what is a very enjoyable read. It does show what a gutless wonder Robert Kennedy was, he wouldn't declare himself as a runner until McCarthy had done the hard work and Johnson had declared he wasn't standing again.

Martin Luther King gets a good mention.  Interesting the book states that King's funeral was underwritten by Nelson Rockerfeller which was never publicized.

There is a gloss over on the music and Vietnam, but its mainly the Democratic Primaries.

Politics is a grubby, nasty business, populated by nasty,grubby individuals.

A book worth reading