There are a few contemporary authors whose work I will pick up regardless of the subject because I know from previous readings that I will enjoy the sThere are a few contemporary authors whose work I will pick up regardless of the subject because I know from previous readings that I will enjoy the style of writing. Bryson is one of them (Hampton Sides, Jon Krakauer, Dan Jones and Eric Larson are among the others) and this book doesn’t disappoint. Bryson turns his humorous style onto the human body and gives us a layman’s tour of the human body in which we all reside.
I’ve read several other books that chart a similar path, most noticeably the works of Mary Roach which I find similarly enjoyable. Maybe because I have read somewhat widely on this topic, and studied biology in a past life I was familiar with many of the subjects tackled but by no means all and it was very interesting. I learned a lot and, as always, BB is a pleasure to read - some humor as always but gentle and understated. He is a great author in my view, tackling serious subjects as well as out an out observational humor (1927 is his best work in my view) and this was a quick and enjoyable read and we all need to read those sometimes, don’t we?...more
This is one of my guilty pleasure books. I have a, probably unhealthy, true crime fascination. It's one of those subjects that both interests and repeThis is one of my guilty pleasure books. I have a, probably unhealthy, true crime fascination. It's one of those subjects that both interests and repels me. I was looking for a book on this subject and this caught my fancy as I have long been interested in how DNA was being used to catch criminals. I was unfamiliar with how DNA genealogy was a key part of this effort, as I was naively assuming that DNA was basically limited to trying to match that found at a crime scene, with the criminal who carried out a particularly vile act. I hadn't thought about how it could be used to build a family tree to identify who might be a suspect. It was all very interesting.
However. I have never been interested in the whole genealogy thing. I am also adopted so I would be one of the wrenches that get's thrown into the family tree building exercise. We mess it up because we obviously don't share genetic material with our adoptive family. I think I might be unusual in the adoptive child community. I don't know anything about my birth parents from the 60s, and I don't feel anything is missing in my life as a result. I don't believe that "I don't know my true identity" because I lack this knowledge. I will, forever, be grateful to my birth mother in particular for not aborting me and I hope she had a happy life, but I feel no desire to look for her and she has never come knocking at my door either. The reason for writing this is that I can't relate to the assumption that is given some play here, that it is the human condition to know all this stuff. I don't buy it.
Well, you might well ask what all this has to do with the Golden State Killer (GSK). The title is perhaps somewhat misleading. Whilst the hunt for the GSK is certainly a central plank of this story, we are treated to a lengthy explanation of the general use of genetic genealogy as it applies both to finding long lost relatives, and more latterly, to the identification of unknown corpses and the hunt for cold case killers. Whilst I could feel somewhat aggrieved about this if I was solely interested in the specifics of the GSK case, it is actually quite interesting to understand how the field has developed over the past couple of decades, and its success in solving cold cases is admittedly impressive. Barbara R-V is genuinely an expert and her style of writing is refreshing an honest, so she teaches us how the techniques work and it is very informative.
However, as I say, this is not solely about the vile murderer of the title, and B R-V ventures into areas that, I think, are much more interesting. Specifically, the issue of privacy. Now, it is pretty clear where she sits on this issue and that is that all DNA profiles that are published on sites such as 23 and me etc. should be fair game for law enforcement because of the utility of the information and its demonstrable use in catching killers. However, to her credit, she also examines some of the arguments against, although, in my view, she comes very close to arguing that the end justifies the means. I can understand that but I don't share her world view! I don't trust the police to use DNA profiles for unadulterated good. I do see the dangers of people finding out the guilty secrets of others (unknown kids etc) and the attendant blackmail risk. I fear that when sensitive information is available widely, it is quickly used in ways that were not intended and may be harmful.
I realize I'm a bleeding heart but I can't dismiss the concerns in the way that this book does, although I understand the frustrations and passion behind the argument. It is to her immense credit that B R-V raises these issues and discusses them and the fact that she clearly does get that this is an ethical gray area. What I find a bit harder to accept is her appeals to what she calls, apparently with a straight face, her "Guardian Angel" who helps provide her with a breakthrough just when she needed it. At one point she relates an, admittedly unlikely, coincidence that made all the difference and essentially moves from scientific rigor into woo. "Coincidence is Gods way of remaining anonymous" she egregiously writes about these apparent chances that seem unimaginable to her.
As a skeptic and an atheist I hate this way of thinking. God wants to remain anonymous huh? Why? Where was God when these vile acts were being committed and why didn't it stop them? Why would it let these cases stay unsolved with all the untold misery they entail for 10, 20, 50 years and then intervene, not by giving you the suspect, but by giving you the most tenuous of coincidences that you have done nothing to justify aren't exactly that. Spare me. You have a guardian angel helping you rather than it being your skill, dedication, hard work and patience that won out? Fallacious thinking in my opinion and it detracts from the message.
Still, I enjoyed the book and I learned a lot and it had me thinking about complex and nuanced issues and making me question what I think and that's always a good thing I think. I am glad I read this, I am much more informed about an area of crime fighting I didn't really know existed and I'm grateful for that....more
I recall seeing a dramatization of this book in the UK many years ago, of which I have only the vaguest recollection. I am also embarking on a quest tI recall seeing a dramatization of this book in the UK many years ago, of which I have only the vaguest recollection. I am also embarking on a quest to read all the Man Booker winners, which led me here, despite not having read the other works in this series.
I was hoping for a story illuminating what it was like living in India, as a Brit, post independence. I did get some of that but I found the book slightly turgid and slow, and I’m not quite sure why. It is a tale replete with an odious villain and covers a time and a place I find fascinating, yet it somehow failed to grab me. This suggests my expectations were off. The Mis en scene is definitely interesting - the turn around of ex-pats living in rented accommodations owned by an Indian is well set up.
However things move so slowly. The development of characters is always important of course but for me, the only real interest comes in the final third when we really get to know and understand Lucy and her frustrations with her husband, Tusker, and what it means to have stayed on and how their finances are in a parlous state. She considers a return to the UK but fears she wouldn’t have enough money, knowing as she does, that Tusker is in poor health and will likely pre-decease her. This is where the story becomes poignant and even sad. Her plaintive question at the stories end is very moving I found.
It’s been suggested to me that I prefer an urgency of prose and I know I much prefer novels with a distinct plot rather than an exercise in navel gazing. For example I prefer the writing style of Orwell in “Burmese Days” to that employed here. Again, this is merely preference as I did enjoy elements of this book. I have seen reviews commenting on the humor, particularly as it relates to Mrs. Boolabhoy where I just found her grotesque. So, as usually, I suspect it is down to me and my preferences that don’t score this higher. I’m still glad I read it....more
I am somewhat uncertain about this book even as I write this review. I have a feeling I should re-read it because I am a little worried that I have miI am somewhat uncertain about this book even as I write this review. I have a feeling I should re-read it because I am a little worried that I have missed something, or maybe even the whole point of the narrative. As always, I suspect the fault for this lies more in my lack of sophistication as a reader rather than any issue with the storytelling.
As an admirer of most things French, and an amateur devotee of philosophy and literature, one would imagine that there is far more here to engage me that turned out to be the case. It is essentially a novel where we are introduced to a living situation by two narrators - the concierge who works in a Parisien building, and one of the residents therein. Obviously, their paths cross as the concierge hides her light under a bushel as an avid reader of philosophy and literary texts, especially the works of Tolstoy. The second narrator is a precocious girl who seems determined to commit suicide at a pre-determined time as she generally finds the world in general, and her family in particular, as being unworthy of being in and around.
The first two thirds of the book treat us to what are, frankly, somewhat banal comings and goings in the building. Latterly the plot moves forward into relationships and in particular, the arrival of a debonair gentleman into the building.
Ultimately, as much as I enjoyed certain aspects of the text, it struck me as a somewhat disjointed wandering through the cogitations of a couple of slightly troubled souls. It ultimately passed me by. I am not sure what I am supposed to take from it. Fortunately, this is a book club text and the meeting hasn't happened yet, so I am hoping to get more insight from the discussions. If and when I do I shall probably return and update this review.
After the book club meeting I have a little more insight and it is clear that this is a book very much by and for the French. It examines thought processes more typical of the residents of that fine nation and within this frame it makes a little more sense. I may well re-read it after a passage of time as I will probably get more from it seeing it that way. One of my great friends observed that I need an “urgency of narrative” (I think that’s how he phrased it) to really enjoy a book, and I think that’s right, and what was lacking for me here...more
There's a lot to like in this book that examines COVID, but in the far broader context of pandemics generally, which is a great lens through which to There's a lot to like in this book that examines COVID, but in the far broader context of pandemics generally, which is a great lens through which to view it. I was very taken by the approach, especially as I picked this up as a cold read, thinking it was perhaps more about pandemics past, than the most recent example. However, I was not disappointed at all.
This is a very well written and approachable account that sheds light on how we manage such calamities, and it is usually pretty bad. As a species we are a panicky group who demand answers to questions for which such answers are unclear, we belittle folks who don't have the answers on our terms of reference and then run down epistemological methods that would most likely give us what we want, and we fail to learn lessons, again and again. However, what particularly struck me was the tone of the narrative. It was entirely reasonable. This is not a screed against anti-science people, although one would be justified in my opinion, nor is it a critique of politicians and leaders without qualification. Indeed, DMc does provide criticism where it is due (which is a lot) but also recognizes that the timeframes when decisions need to be made are different for leaders and sometimes they made the right, difficult, calls. This gives him a tremendous amount of credibility as an author and we should really listen to what he has to say.
Further, he does what I often criticize authors for not doing and that is recommend solutions. What we should do, but probably won't, next time. Because there will be a next time for sure. I admire the way he makes recommendations that would be very unpopular, and acknowledges that but argues for the greater good and the saving of lives. These are wide ranging and would require significant policy change and political will and they go beyond, but include, comments about lock downs etc. He discusses the importance of addressing poverty and unaffordable meds in developing countries where so many pandemics begin, addressing international pharm and the need for collaboration therein, increasing surveillance, working with local witch doctors and healers to identify patterns and trends and much more. Honestly, although we know much of this lacks political will, what's the point of trying to do something if one doesn't aim high. And what could be more important than protecting the globe from pestilence?
Really excellent contribution to the COVID literature which, whilst clearly taking a strong stance with which I agree, is very well argued in the context of other diseases such as HIV, monkeypox, TB and influenza. He avoids taking sides although is unafraid to pull his punches and seems to have an excellent grasp on human nature and some of our foibles. An unexpectedly good, and thought provoking read that I greatly enjoyed, and has me looking at things in a different way. These are the ultimate tests of a great non-fiction book for me....more
Over the past year or so, I have taken up recreational running. This, by no means, makes me an endurance athlete, or indeed an athlete of any stripe. Over the past year or so, I have taken up recreational running. This, by no means, makes me an endurance athlete, or indeed an athlete of any stripe. However, I have made it up to half-marathon distance which takes me a couple of hours or so. Therefore I have started to ask the question about what it takes to be an elite distance athlete. I have also long wondered where the limits of human achievement might be. For example, it will never be possible to run a marathon in 10 minutes, but where do those limits lie?
This book attempts to answer those questions in some detail. It is framed around Kipchoge's and Nike's attempt to dip below 2 hours for the marathon with their "Breaking 2" program. The narrative examines the elements that have an impact on performance, including: fuel, water, oxygen, muscle strength, training and, crucially, mental and brain aspects of endurance running.
These are all interesting, and well described here and I very much appreciate, as a skeptic, that everything is, or attempts to be, highly evidence based. As a skeptic, I very much appreciate this approach, even when AH attempts to tackle the knotty problem of the impact of our mental processes on our endurance performance. It is an interesting question I think; even when apparently exhausted, there are times when we have all pushed through and found a little extra. So why can't we tap into that when normally running/cycling etc?
It's all very interesting and I suspect we will be talking about this for ever, in the quest to unlock human performance and that's a good thing. Ultimately, I can't help thinking that the overall theme of the book is something that we all seem to intuit - the mind is pretty much in charge and whilst there are physical limits to hydration, muscle fatigue etc, much of how far we can push towards that is our mental capabilities to ignore pain and "push through". It's not as simple as, and AH never says this, simply "mind over matter" or "willpower" but those mental aspects are clearly vital, but are the hardest to access.
It's all very interesting, if somewhat esoteric, to discuss and examine this area of human existence. I very much enjoyed it, and it did challenge or disprove some of the things that I had considered to be true - for example the oft repeated (and false) assertion that once Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile barrier, there was a flood of others doing so. Not so. It's true that John Landy broke the record the next month, but nobody else broke it for 3 years. It's amazing how these myths perpetuate. Well worth a read, although probably mainly appealing to those who have some vested interest in this topic....more
There is a great deal of interest here, and much to suggest that TH extensively, and successfully researched a period from centuries ago, where primarThere is a great deal of interest here, and much to suggest that TH extensively, and successfully researched a period from centuries ago, where primary sources must be difficult to peruse. What we are treated to is a narrative that tracks the descent (in my opinion) from the Roman Republic, to the rule of emperors, specifically the direct lineage of Julius Caesar himself. Rome’s first dictator.
This line contains perhaps the most famous, and infamous, leaders from Ancient Rome: Caesar himself, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero. Each of these characters is given detailed and, one has to say, sordid coverage. I shall return to this point below since it was the aspect of this book I find the most annoying.
Ancient Rome was fascinating and, as does all history, resonates today. The golden age was before this loathsome house of rulers dissolved the republic for a dictatorship and TH does a great job of delving into all the machinations and political intrigue of the time, as well as explaining the zeitgeist that permeated the empire. This includes a myriad characters, as well as a nod to what it was like to be a citizen in Rome - the games, the public spaces and monuments, and life in these times. It is difficult to keep all the characters spread over the decades, straight in one’s head. However, this is hardly the author’s fault of course.
There are several themes that emerge. To me, the maxim of “power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely” is never better illustrated than over these turbulent decades. Pretty much all these emperors set out to give the people why they want and become popular rulers, only to become aware that they are facing plots (real or imagined) and that anyone who displeases them should be, and were, summarily executed. The fact that absolute power gave them the chance to exercise their most base instincts for amusement or paranoia, was not resisted by any of them at various times during their reigns.
This led to most of them coming to a sticky end and dying, as they lived, by the sword. Not all we’re assassinated but those who weren’t, and fell from Grace, were persuaded to commit suicide rather than face the blades of the Pretorian Guard. It’s all very well told, although, for me, it leans too much toward the popular history sometimes, with what can only be speculation about what a character thought or felt.
But there is something incongruent with the telling and that is Holland’s frequent desire, or so it seems, to talk about sex. In graphic terms. Now I am aware this might sound prudish, and I am further aware that the mores of the time had a very different view of sex, gender roles, taboos etc. I’m all for it. I find the USA’s prurience and outrage about sex, usually delivered through the prism of Christianity, absurd and laughable.
However, despite the otherwise imaginative and erudite prose displayed here, TH seems to take every conceivable opportunity to discuss graphic sex acts in explicit terms, including detailed descriptions of genitalia, sordid sex acts with children, descriptions of sex using the f word to describe them etc. It’s completely unnecessary for the narrative, in my opinion, and whilst this sort of course language doesn’t shock me at all (I find profanity to be extremely expressive and useful and I use it liberally) it is incongruous here and therefore seems to be put in to be titillating, or shocking, and it doesn’t add anything. I don’t know why he did it. It just doesn’t fit.
So, in summary: very glad I read it, this is fascinating history and with the glaring exception mentioned above, very well written. I will read his other work about Caesar for sure, but hopefully that avoids the annoyances of this text....more
Every now and then I read a book that generally has rave reviews and it completely leaves me cold. Sadly, this is such an example. This is the second Every now and then I read a book that generally has rave reviews and it completely leaves me cold. Sadly, this is such an example. This is the second McCarthy novel I have read after “No Country for Old Men” and the latter is vastly superior in my estimation. As always when I feel this about a highly regarded work, I suspect this says a great deal more about me than it does the book in question.
I think I must be missing the symbolism here somewhere. I’ve read a lot of dystopian fiction in my time and it is a genre I greatly enjoy, but I think this is he first “post-apocalyptic” tale I’ve consumed. I also have a prejudice about the word “searing” when I see it written in a headline review; it’s usually an indication that I won’t like it. Hillbilly Elegy is a good example that we are currently aware of because of its despicable author, but I digress.
I do quite like CMcC’s minimalist style. Here, we are pitched into the desperate plight of a man and his son (never named) as they attempt to travel the road to the coast to avoid a freezing northern winter through a ravaged, virtually unpopulated landscape completely covered in ash. What happened? We don’t know. Extreme climate change? War? It’s never explained.
What follows is, to me, simply a story of desperate survival, near starvation, occasional stumbling on resources, finding corpses regularly, fighting bad guys, meeting similarly desperate folks on the road and so on. It doesn’t seem very nuanced to me, just a struggle from one calamity to the next as one of the protagonists slowly succumbs to illness. And then it ends.
I don’t know, it just didn’t seem to grab me. I’m not sure what message we are supposed to take from it. It didn’t seem to speak of the human condition beyond what people will do to survive which I guess is something, but it just seemed bleak and straightforward as a narrative to me. No Country had great characters and asked questions of the reader: what would I do? What is the nature of evil? Does good usually triumph? None of these were asked of me by The Road. As I always write here, I’m sure it’s me...more
Personally, I can think of fewer places I would rather be than crammed into a deep sea submersible in the freezing cold depths of the World's oceans, Personally, I can think of fewer places I would rather be than crammed into a deep sea submersible in the freezing cold depths of the World's oceans, whilst said ocean tries to crush me into oblivion. I am sure that the undersea world is fascinating and definitely something worthy of detailed exploration (and protection) but I can do with out seeing it myself.
Having said that, this is a book penned by an author with a diametrically opposed view of this undersea world. SC is clearly very passionate about such exploration; a passion that comes across very clearly in the writing and it is a joy to experience it through her writing. This is a book about the really deep ocean and what a flourishing ecosystem it is. This is not a hunt for lost wrecks, although the discovery and arguments over preservation of a danish treasure galleon are covered in one chapter, but rather a examination of what makes this environment so compelling and relatively unexplored.
The early part of the narrative explores the history of how explorers and scientists viewed not just the deep ocean, but the high seas generally. This includes the early maps with their "here be monsters" through to theories about how the water was frozen at great depths, monsters inhabited the deep through to the theory that the deep ocean was essentially a lifeless desert. Of course, until very recently, we lacked the technology to get down there, certainly in manned submersibles but now we have it, there is a whole world to investigate.
As mentioned above, SC writes about her trips to the deep, as well as recounting other trips and discoveries, with real passion and interest. As I've mentioned, this is a world most of us will never see so it is very good that others will take those trips. The final quarter of the book examines the vile approach of mining and exploitation of the deep oceans to rip out the metals, manganese nodules etc. with no care for the delicate eco-systems that would be destroyed and the likely negative impact on the climate and oceanography of the planet. I confess to being unaware of this environmental rape of the planet's resources, but I cannot really be surprised by it at all. The indignation and outrage, that I share, comes across from these pages.
In summary, I was interested in the subject matter here although I confess to being someone who actually fears the ocean and its denizens much more than being a lover of the mysteries of the deep. I lack the passion of deep sea exploration as an obvious result, but this is a subject that is both fascinating and repellant to me so I was pretty absorbed as I read this, which is very well written and moves along at quite a clip. The deep ocean is a very alien place but as tech improves we are obviously getting more an more of a glimpse into its wonders. Hopefully we look after it better than we do the land....more
As a devotee of history and, in particular, reading about history both obscure and well known, this book is pretty much guaranteed to appeal to me andAs a devotee of history and, in particular, reading about history both obscure and well known, this book is pretty much guaranteed to appeal to me and when I saw it as I was looking for some new to read. It is an interesting take on history as AC travels around visiting, and sometimes actually looking for, sites that are important in American history, but which are largely forgotten. It is an interesting take and makes us wonder how many of these sites we pass every day without realizing their significance, or that they are even there.
This leads him on a peripatetic journey with many side trips when he realizes there is another site or story of interest nearby. This appeals to me, as I think I would do the same is on a similar quest. Many of the places he visits are connected with the lives of history-makers that are well known, but there are also obscure figures who have been of great import in the history of the World but of whom we may never of heard. In the latter case this is often scientists and medical practitioners whose breakthroughs benefitted millions, but who remain largely unknown.
The narrative is divided into sections that share a similar categorization. For example, the aforementioned medical discoveries and activities, burial grounds of the famous, legal cases, conservation sites etc. It all works well although we are treated, as may be expected, to something of a whirlwind tour! One investigation ends and we are whisked off to the next one and the new story, sometimes linked to that which went before, developed.
These histories are interesting in themselves, and tell us a great deal about the World today. Not least of which is the general lack of reverence for history, and knowledge of it, in the US. I wasn't aware, for example, that sites such as the Alamo and Ford's Theatre were allowed to go to ruin and were once slated to be pulled down and replaced with something utilitarian. AC pointedly, and amusingly, points out that "the parking lot" is the bane of historical sites. That speaks to this country's desire to make things convenient, especially for the ubiquitous automobile, and not respect its past. This is better today than heretofore but one wonders how many incredibly important sites have just disappeared. This happened where I live, where a fascinating and important Underground Railroad site was planned to disappear under a landfill until local activists stepped in.
And this is the point, made my AC at the end. What is the point of history and why is it so important? It is a human thing. We are all in this together and it is vanishingly unlikely that any of us would get to spend a few years on this insignificant planet in a vast and uncaring universe, yet here we are. What came before resonates and has relevance to today and, I agree, is vitally important and adds immeasurably to what it means to be human. Very interesting read, if a little hard to follow exactly where he was going at times, and because of the very varied subjects tacked, you will likely find some more interesting than others. ...more
It has been a while since I renewed my quest to read all of Shakespeare's plays, and I still have a long way to go. This is a highly regarded example It has been a while since I renewed my quest to read all of Shakespeare's plays, and I still have a long way to go. This is a highly regarded example of his comedies and the wordplay among the characters is a delight, as one would expect. I don't think I get on all that well with Shakespeare comedies to be honest, beyond such whimsical discourse.
I find the plot line of this play somewhat convoluted, following the well trodden path of unclear undentities, love both requited and unrequited, a malevolent person trying to break up couples etc. Of course, it is unfair to criticize from several centuries after the event, when Shakespeare was probably one of, or the, first to put these together in plays. It's always a joy to read these plays which are replete with comments on what it means to be human, have doubts, love, be unsure of love, how to deal with machiavellian people and so on. The Bard, of course, does this better than anyone.
I don't know. I think I lack appreciation for Shakespeare and should read and study him more than I do. I will continue to work through his canon of plays, but for now I seem to find myself more drawn towards his tragedies and especially, his histories, more so that the comedies....more
I'm a great fan of history and it is always worth revisiting particularly famous episodes from the past, to ascertain whether one's opinions of said eI'm a great fan of history and it is always worth revisiting particularly famous episodes from the past, to ascertain whether one's opinions of said events should be re-examined as time passes. This is perhaps never more apt than considering the mutiny on the Bounty. This event has captured the imagination of historians and the general public for centuries now, helped of course by the numerous dramatizations that have made it to the big and small screens.
So, I was very interested to pick up this book by renown author Caroline Alexander and from the point of view of depth, research and detail it certainly doesn't disappoint. This, however, is a double edged sword. We are treated to an extraordinary amount of detail on pretty much everyone involved in this sorry tale, which really helps flesh out the narrative beyond the main characters of Bligh and Christian. One of the things that struck me is that the voyage itself was incredibly banal, although it probably spoke to the times. The Bounty was on a quest to find breadfruit plants to return to England and also to use as a staple food for slaves in the colonies.
Mutiny was, and probably still is, perhaps the most heinous crime in the Royal Navy. As this seems like an egregious example, there seems to have been many attempts to somehow make this mutiny romantic - Christian was appallingly treated, and the mutineers were only trying to stay with families they had made in Tahiti etc. This has somehow made the story one of a group of downtrodden mutineers driven to it by a tyrannical captain. I think that is the narrative that the films portray for example.
I was hoping that this book would arrive at a position on this, but for all it's detail, it never seems to take a position on Bligh in particular, or what actually drove the mutineers to their actions. There is perhaps one paragraph, at the very end, that plaintively asks the question: "What caused the mutiny?" and it isn't satisfactorily answered in my view. Now, I am sure this was the point ie to present a detailed narrative that is as factual as possible and leave the reader to decide. But I don't like this approach as much as an opinion from the author.
Particularly, and ironically, despite the detail, I don't think we have enough of a steer. Are we to believe that Bligh was any worse than other skippers? On the contrary we are often told he was reluctant to use the lash. But then we hear about his foul temper and language but that all seems to be hearsay and despite some allusions to foul language being hardly unusual at sea, we are not given anything to tell us if he was a martinet or not. What we are told suggest not. Which leads one to conclude that Christian was the problem, but we are not specifically led to see him as a villain either.
So to me, it's all a bit unsatisfactory. I appreciate knowing all this detail but honestly, I don't need to know the life stories of all those involved including the captains who sat as a court martial over the unfortunates who paid the price. It all gives me the impression that I know much more about the details, but I still don't know to what extent Bligh deserved to have been relieved of his command or not. He seems to have shown exceptional seamanship especially when cast adrift from the Bounty with his loyalists, and his career had its ups and downs but overall seemed pretty successful. I think that's the whole point, and what I wanted to know, so I would have appreciated more of an opinion from CA, that I could then have agreed with or not....more
This is deservedly considered one of the pioneers of dystopian fiction. Not nearly as well known, at least to me, as “Brave New World” or the quintessThis is deservedly considered one of the pioneers of dystopian fiction. Not nearly as well known, at least to me, as “Brave New World” or the quintessential example of the genre: “1984”. However, it deserves to be considered among those disturbing novels and, as always with such works, some of the plot lines come true as history unfolds. Or at least they resonate.
As a (champagne) socialist, I share the world view of one of the main protagonists here as he espouses all that is wrong with capitalism and how it exploits those who don’t actually own the means of production. Bordering on Marxism as Ernest talks of the proletariat and the oligarchy (the titular Iron Heal as it becomes totalitarian), it is an interesting structure for a novel.
London tells the tale via a discovered manuscript from centuries before, although the action it describes takes place in London’s own time. So, we are looking back at a first person account of the rise of the oligarchy, and the fight by socialism against it, but from centuries into the future. Therefore there are exhaustive footnotes explaining to the reader, presumably one from around 2600AD, what some of the references mean, even though we understand them as they are current for us. It works but I found it somewhat tiresome after a while.
This style makes an unusual reading experience that requires work from the reader. Simple narrated novels are easier of course. One is required to pull together all the nuances from a first person account and that requires concentration. Nothing wrong with that of course. I have seen reviews of this as being more of a political screed than a novel and there is plenty of that and the critique of capitalism is something with which I agree so I enjoyed it a lot! However, this may be why the novel doesn’t have such widespread recognition as some others here above referenced.
As always, there are resonances to today. Any progress in the US on the left is met with both verbal and real violence as those in power seek to protect why they have and suppress those that are merely seeking a share of the benefits of their labour. Also, those in power seek to convince those without to join them in the power struggle, much as the GOP today succeeds in convincing many that they have the interests of working people at heart.
I enjoyed it a lot although I found the structure and timeline difficult to follow and so the read was somewhat disjointed for me. I struggle with unorthodox narrative styles such as this, which is my problem not the book’s....more
Although I had long been aware of "Twelve Angry Men" it was only last year that I sat down and watched the gripping screenplay that was played out in Although I had long been aware of "Twelve Angry Men" it was only last year that I sat down and watched the gripping screenplay that was played out in the classic movie with Henry Fonda as the center of the story that is juror #8. The course this play takes is probably so well known as to be almost a cliche and, if you weren't aware of how it gets to its conclusion, you will certainly see where it is going pretty much from the opening scene, or else the play would be a short one indeed.
All the action takes place as the jury are deliberating on their murder verdict, one where a return of guilty will send the accused to the electric chair. It becomes clear as the narrative unfolds that said defendant is not in the same social, racial or ethnic group as those in the jury. Reading it in 2024 one suspects that the defendant is black, although this is never stated. However, we are treated to many displays of bigotry and "you know what they are like" from one juror in particular, and this becomes more overt as the discussion is moving away from him.
It is undoubtedly gripping, and minimalist in delivery - one scene (the jury room), atmospheric (stifling day, flared tempers, a storm etc.) and no names, merely Jurors 1 to 12. Obviously it translates very well to the screen and, I would imagine, to the stage although I have never seen it live. However, I think it is the themes that resonate, and should do so with those seeing or reading this play. I love the fact that we come into the narrative cold. The first lines are from the judge who dismisses the jury to consider their verdict. So we don't know the facts of the case and have to piece it together from said deliberations. It is a great technique.
One of my pet peeves is the lack of logical and critical thinking and this is able exposed by Juror 8 here. He doesn't advocate for a particular verdict, he just picks away at arguments. He asks others if they are sure, he introduces doubt, he challenges them when they try to shift the burden of proof. All of this is great, and much needed in society today, never mind the 50s when this is set. Most of us need to have things we think are "just obvious" and "common sense" questioned, because all too often such positions cannot really be defended. I guess we all hope we would have someone like juror 8 if we were facing a trial such as this.
I guess one of the questions here is, were the jury correct? Was he guilty? Of course we don't know and that's not really the point. We are shown here, powerfully, how prejudice and bigotry can cloud judgement and move one away from plain thinking, as well as not deeply questioning positions because they somehow match your own (confirmation bias), and how difficult, but important, it can be to stand up to a majority. It is done masterfully here. Everyone should read it....more
I've read a lot about Jack the Ripper over the years and this is an interesting, and important narrative on the subject and it is important to tell itI've read a lot about Jack the Ripper over the years and this is an interesting, and important narrative on the subject and it is important to tell it. At the risk of sounding pretentious and patronizing, I commend HR for taking on this subject which must have been a serious research challenge to say the least. So much "Ripperology" is, to my mind, misguided and is effectively a search for a likely suspect when I suspect that the true culprit was a woman-hating psychopath who was a deeply insignificant and frustrated man who took out his impotent rage on a very vulnerable population and was otherwise a complete non-entity. We see this with a lot of serial killers who seek some sort of notoriety and/or enjoyment from killing, but are never known unless they are caught.
As others have mentioned in these reviews, it is important that the victims are recognized. There is also the warped narrative that I confess I fell for as well, that the Ripper prayed on prostitutes and HR attempts a line of argument here, fairly persuasively, that the majority of the canonical five were not sex workers but as others have said, I am troubled by this line of argument as I will mention below.
Many of the accounts I have read of the murders themselves, as well as a search for the guilty man, are also prurient and titillating in their coverage of the crimes themselves. In other words there are lengthy descriptions of the injuries inflicted on these unfortunate victims, especially the mutilation of Mary Kelly. It is greatly to the credit of this book that it is all about the victims and not the murderer and it is poignant that each section devoted to a victim, ends with the last sighting of her, and then, perhaps, a short account of her relatives who were forced to identify her remains. We have heard enough of the nature of the crimes, and this is not what this book is about and it is done well.
Ultimately, the nature of the desperately poor sections of 1888 London means that a great deal of the lives of these women will remain forever unknown. I was actually very impressed that so much detail emerged about their, frankly, brutal and sordid lives. A number of them struggled with poverty early and whilst initially making it out of the slums, eventually made their way back there. The common theme amongst them all, is alcohol. This seems to draw them together much more than being sex workers. The book does a very good job of explaining the nature of late 19th Century Whitechapel with its poverty, depravation, slumlords, alcoholics and desperate battle for survival against an uncaring society in which a murderer such as the Ripper could flourish.
However, despite the obviously robust research that went into this, there is a great deal of conjecture, perhaps inevitably. There is a lot of "she must have" and "it is likely that" which is OK, but there is a lot of it. It goes to prove that these women obtained fame by coming across one of the most famous and callous murders ever to disgrace history but otherwise lived a sad but utterly unremarkable life shared by many.
Which brings us to the issue of prostitution. I think that HR's approach to this is actually an attempt to argue that these women have been unfairly so categorized so that the narrative of "prostitute killer" could be applied to the Ripper. There is a danger in this that was prevalent at the time, but which I also recall from the days of the Yorkshire Ripper, that the crimes were somehow less heinous as a result. Maybe the police were less robust in their search because the victims were "just whores". So it does make sense to challenge this narrative but that leads into another dangerous area.
In my opinion there is nothing wrong with sex workers and those who engage in such work shouldn't be judged as less than anyone else. This applies to history as much as to today. Of course, the nature of the business, covered briefly here, attracts highly undesirable people and practices such as forced prostitution, pimping, maltreatment etc and that should be condemned. However, as is argued in this book, although not strongly enough in my view, is that this should be irrelevant to them as victims. Even if they were prostitutes, they didn't deserve anything like the treatment they received on a day to day basis, never mind at the hands of a knife wielding psychopath. By trying to argue that, actually, most of the five were not engaged in prostitution, could be seen as an attempt to claim that, even more so, they didn't deserve it. I don't think this was the intention, but that narrative nags at the back of my mind.
Jack the Ripper will probably always hold a special place in the annals of crime, London history and in world notoriety. Any attempt to finally trace the culprit will only be conjecture at this stage, unless something comes to light that has failed to do so in 136 years since those ghastly events. HR is right in that we have tended to step over the victims in our attempts to gaze at the "main event" of how they met their end. There is an interesting hypothesis here that is mentioned in passing, that all these women were essentially either homeless, or bordering on it and when drink is added to the equation, it is entirely possible the Ripper crept up on them sleeping and murdered them in their sleep just because they were there. This would explain the lack of noise or witnesses to each murder. This is a line I hadn't heard before and whilst speculative, makes sense to me.
This is very useful way to recognize the lives of these unfortunate women and put them in the context of the times which are graphically explained. A most useful addition to the Ripper books, and a side not before told to my knowledge....more
As a history enthusiast, this book came across my recommendation feed and is seemed like an interesting idea. It is that. IM makes the point in his coAs a history enthusiast, this book came across my recommendation feed and is seemed like an interesting idea. It is that. IM makes the point in his concluding remarks that history is, or should be, about more than dates and dry facts, but about the human condition in the past to which we can never return, but which shapes us all. I like this approach. I have always found that examining history is interesting precisely because I want to try to understand what it must have been like in times gone by. Most of the time Medieval England wasn't a great time to be alive especially if you were among the peasantry. However, there were good times as well as hardship and this book attempts to tell the story in the form of a handbook for someone getting off a time machine and exploring said times.
At least, that is the approach and I think it works pretty well. it isn't a guidebook per se, although it veers into that territory somewhat. Handbook is probably a better way to describe it as it appears in the subtitle. The narrative tells us about the people we might encounter should we walk about medieval England. It tells of the cities, the infrastructure, the law, what to do and so on and it all paints an interesting picture. Let's face it; who among us that is remotely curious, hasn't, at some time, though about what it must have been like to live in the past. Maybe you have played the game of "which period of history would you most like to have been alive for?" When we play this game, we like to think of ourselves as in a privileged position of course: we are the lord not the peasant. This book tells us what it is like for all members of society and being on the lower end, as most were, is rough.
It is perhaps beyond the scope of the book to link up some of the historical events that happened in the 14th Century but I would have liked to see a timeline perhaps by way of introduction. For the uninitiated this period can be notoriously difficult to keep straight - which King was on the throne, when was the peasant revolt and what did it involve? etc. For example, the revolt is mentioned several times but not really explained as context and the background unexplored. As I say, I do realize that this may be beyond the remit of the narrative, but I really think it would have helped to tie it together a little, even if just as a summary.
However, I am glad to see that there are other titles in this series and I will definitely seek them out since I very much enjoy the approach and some of the insights were entirely new to me. For example, in this book he explains the set up of society as broadly thus: Those who fight (Knights, nobles etc), those who pray (clergy, monks etc) and those who work (peasants) whilst accepting there are those that don't fit neatly into those boxes such as merchants. It is an interesting way to look at things and I look forward to exploring more English history through this lens....more
What a horror story. I will probably write something further down that some people won't like but it was a minor element of this book and I will get tWhat a horror story. I will probably write something further down that some people won't like but it was a minor element of this book and I will get to that. First of all, this is a book, and indeed a path, that must have been extraordinarily difficult for RD to write/go down. If anyone is minded to minimize the trauma and damage caused by vile predators like Larry Nassar, read this book and it will give you a good insight into how horrific such abuse is, and how manipulation, grooming, abuse of trust, power dynamics etc. characterizes evil-doers such as Nassar. It is genuinely tough to read and even if one has followed the trials etc. at some level, the depth of his depravity and, equally important, the connivance of the authorities is awful. I am very glad RD was able to write this and show us, although we who haven't experience this can never truly understand, how bad this is.
I suspect this is a story that plays out every day, often with the result that the perpetrator actually escapes accountability. For those in the UK we know that the likes of Jimmy Savile are out there still. However, even for those of us who strive to educate ourselves on this topic, or who have loved ones who experienced sexual assault/abuse, seeing it laid out here is sobering.
Nassar exhibited many of the traits we are coming to learn about as typical. Accomplished in a particular field, personable, able to manipulate and put people at ease, having power/authority, able to brush aside people who complain because of his renown etc. We are also enlightened on the environment that allows such malice to thrive: powerful organizations behind him (USAG and Michigan State Univeristy in this case) often peopled by friends of the abuser, police departments not taking complaints seriously and only investigating in a cursory manner, members of the community not wanting to think this could happen on their watch/in their church/university/organization. We need to listen to victims/survivors and I am in awe of the courage it took RD to follow this through to Nassar's conviction.
I encourage everyone to read this so that, hopefully, we can be in a better position to prevent abusers such as this from gaining access to vulnerable people again. My only critique of the book is perhaps unfair and speaks to my secular world view. I understand how important religion is to many people but I do object to certain religious dogma being put down as if it is simply "truth". In this case, we are asked to accept that since there is evil in the world, there must be an entity that defines good and evil and to know evil, we must have a higher power that tells us what good is, and that is God. I flatly reject that assertion, and consider the God of the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, to be a poor arbiter of what constitutes good and evil, but this is not the place for such a debate I don't think, so I will leave that here.
I've seen reviews that critique the use of dialog quoted verbatim from many years ago and I, too, often find that troublesome as memories of these things tend to fade but that is minimized here since RD kept a journal for much of the time in question. As I say, I am not a fan of this is non-fiction accounts where there is no recording available, but I don't think it was incongruous in this narrative. At least not to me.
A harrowing read as all these sorts of important works are. To think that such individuals are loose in society and preying on kids especially is beyond appalling but the only way to fight it is to expose it, and call out the hypocrisy and cover ups that so often attend these grotesque acts. As RD powerfully quotes here, the words of William Wilberforce: "You can choose to look away, but you can never again say that you did not know". We do know. We must not look away....more
Orwell is a tremendously important author and I greatly enjoy his writing both in short form essays, and in his longer novels and novellas. This is thOrwell is a tremendously important author and I greatly enjoy his writing both in short form essays, and in his longer novels and novellas. This is the second of his essay collections I have read, and I understand that this is the medium where he is, perhaps, held in the highest regard. I enjoy reading essay collections generally, although I am sometimes conflicted with them. Often a narrative I find compelling ends too soon, and sometimes I find they drag. One can always move on in the latter case of course.
There is a lot of interest here, but somehow I found this anthology somewhat less engaging that the previous volume I read. I am not quite sure why. I found his wartime diaries less interesting than I expected but I did very much enjoy the last few entries detailing his school experiences to which, for those of us coming up through the British school system, we can readily relate! Of course there are many others of interest here but I was somewhat disturbed by the antisemitism that reared its ugly head on a couple of occasions. I had not detected that in his other writings, but there is a chance I wasn't looking hard enough. It is hard to be a fan of a writer and then come across such a shameful element of bigotry, however casually expressed. The same thing happened to me with Dickens.
So, I will continue to read Orwell because, at his best, he has so much that is both perceptive and prescient to say. Obviously I don't see eye to eye with him when it comes to his anti-semitism, but I am certainly a democratic socialist and his take on the necessity of fighting fascism and desire for equity in society is something I also feel very strongly about. Everyone should read Orwell, above and beyond his two most famous works; 1984 and Animal Farm. Although you should read those too!...more
I followed a number of reviewers who raved about this book and it was certainly interesting and an amazing series of adventures covering 17th century I followed a number of reviewers who raved about this book and it was certainly interesting and an amazing series of adventures covering 17th century piracy on the Spanish Main, which is always going to be a fertile ground for such tales. I was very unfamiliar with this period, and location, of history so there was much to learn here. This story largely comes from chroniclers who travelled with the pirates (or buccaneers, or privateers as they preferred to be called) and they basically sailed around the Caribbean (and further afield) seeking treasure ships to raid and on-shore spanish settlements to plunder for booty.
There is quite the cast of characters here, and the book is very approachable in terms of the writing, although with so many characters it can be a challenge to keep them straight. It seems that pirate ships were surprisingly democratic. The captain/leader was essentially elected and although he could be deposed in what could be, and was herein, described as a mutiny, it was basically a leader being voted out of office. The crews were there for the rewards that could be gathered from their nefarious activities and so members of the crew tended to come and go (as well as being press-ganged) when their monetary needs were satisfied. It is very interesting. I had read about piracy on the high seas in other works and this is a common thread which is perhaps not what one would expect.
This is a swashbuckling tale for sure but for some reason I found it somewhat less engaging than I expected. I won't give too much away but I think the title is somewhat misleading. It is clear that the activities of pirates were a gray area as far as the English were concerned. If the "privateers" were attacking the Spanish they were all for it, at least until a peace treaty was concluded between England and Spain at which point the Spanish put a lot of pressure on Charles II to bring the piracy to an end. He seems to have been half hearted, at best, in obliging. Indeed, the English seemed more than happy to take intelligence from the pirates as it related to Spanish endeavors in building an empire.
This next remark is probably unfair but I must confess to finding the stories of the battles somewhat hard to fully believe as told from the journals. We are given countless stories of how a relatively small force of buccaneers was able to overpower a vastly superior force of spaniards, sometimes at sea, often times in fortified defenses on land and we keep hearing about the prowess of the english marksman and the obvious ineptitude of the Spanish opposition who seemed to be incapable of hitting water if they fell out of a boat. I don't doubt that the buccaneers were professional, battle hardened crews but there is a credibility stretch here for me.
However, it is an interesting and compelling tale of adventure on the high seas but one must remember these men were essentially outlaws, seeking to make a fortune in plundered gold and silver, and being quite successful. They doubtless went through significant hardship in this quest and this is brought home in the narrative. It is just that, to me, sometimes this sounds more like a boys own tale of swashbuckling yarns and I can't help wondering if, sometimes, the stories are exaggerated or embellished by those compiling the original sources from which this narrative is drawn....more
This is the first McCarthy novel I have read and I don't think it will be the last. However, I am not sure that it's a good idea to see a movie beforeThis is the first McCarthy novel I have read and I don't think it will be the last. However, I am not sure that it's a good idea to see a movie before reading a book. In this case, the screenplay and especially the dialogue comes pretty much directly from the novel. For example: "What business is it of yours, where I'm from, friendo?"
The problem with this is that, for this reader at least, it is impossible to read about Chigurh, without thinking about Javier Bardem's outstanding portrayal of him in the movie. This isn't necessarily a bad thing and I am a big fan of Bardem as an actor but it necessarily colors one's view either positively or negatively.
Having said that, this is a bleak novel indeed. I have seen it referred to as a book that includes humor but I, frankly, found it hard to find anything to laugh at here. The style of the narrative is minimalist and not a traditional development of plot, and we are left to figure out for ourselves what is going on and despite some pretty graphic descriptions of murder and mayhem, at times the scene jumps from a dialogue between two people who show up dead one page later (usually at the hands of Anton Chigurh) without a description of the act itself. I know this is a deliberate literary style, and it definitely keeps the reader off balance.
As the story moves along, it is inevitable that we think about the predicament that Moss finds himself in when he comes across a grisly scene of a drugs deal gone wrong, and finds himself in possession of many millions in cash which he takes, although immediately realizing that he is putting himself at grave risk as he accepts that there is no time when people losing that much money would give up the search for it, and by extension, him. He takes it anyway and that sets off the subsequent chain of events. We are left to consider: what would we do? Would we take the full amount, take some of it and leave the rest? Leave all of it? Turn it in to authorities? It's impossible to know, but I doubt many of us would do what Moss does to be honest.
I've seen questions about the characterization of Chigurh, who is the most well known antagonist to emerge from this book (and the film obviously) but it is chilling to read about such an evil character who has no conscience although does seem possessed of a warped sense of what is proper, even articulating that to victims he is about to kill. He tells Wells: "You should admit your situation. There would be more dignity in it". This is seriously terrifying to me and one is left to wonder if there are really such sociopathic hitmen/bounty hunters out there. I suspect that there are and hopefully we never get into a position where one of these guys is after us.
As I mentioned, this is bleak. There is no happy ending here and the loose ends are not tied off, the bad guys don't get caught and we are left wondering who was pulling the strings and how this situation all developed in the first place. That is not really the point of the book and I wonder quite what we are supposed to take from this other than a nihilistic world view which is one that I have a lot of sympathy for so it does speak to me at that level, however depressing that may be.
I am glad I read it and it certainly has me thinking which is, after all, the point of great writing. I am looking forward to reading more of his work and seeing if Chigurh is a one off from his mind, or whether there are similar characters out there for me to discover....more
Loading...
