In the early 1930s, Robert Byron traveled throughout Persia and Afghanistan, with any eye toward seeing spectacular examples of Muslim architecture wi...moreIn the early 1930s, Robert Byron traveled throughout Persia and Afghanistan, with any eye toward seeing spectacular examples of Muslim architecture with his own eyes. This book describes his journeys in a diary form that, in addition to being painstakingly descriptive of the buildings he visits, is also quite poetic and funny. His remembered conversations and interactions with various dignitaries and bureaucrats can be quite amusing.
Being a creature of the 1930s and the British empire, Byron has his prejudices and can come off as a bit of a snob. He clearly loves the world he's passing through, although he seems to worship an idealized version of past Islamic glory, and doesn't appear to have much respect for the current denizens of this part of Asia -- with a few exceptions. Nothing much seems to faze him, as he swings wildly between opulent accommodations and sleeping in ditches, navigating snowy passes and travelling across barren desserts. He always has an eye for the flowers and plant life around him, and he's a keen observer of minutiae. His description of a father and son getting their goats across a flood-swollen river really grabbed me.
If you are interested in this part of the world, read this book. It took a while for me to read it because I found myself searching for and consulting the books' maps often, and, after a while, I found myself looking up some of the buildings online at Wikipedia and ArchNet to see more images. One thing I learned from this book -- I want to read more about Goharshad -- the most amazing woman from world history you may never have heard of.(less)
Really, quite an amazing story. Strayed seeks out the Pacific Crest Trail as a way to confront and work through deep grief, mostly surrounding the dea...moreReally, quite an amazing story. Strayed seeks out the Pacific Crest Trail as a way to confront and work through deep grief, mostly surrounding the death of her mother. For someone who characterized herself as making bad choices, I was amazed at her ability to stick with her epic walk. But as she put it, she didn't really have any other choice.
The experiences she describe of her time on the trail really stick with me, and I got a kick out of following her progress northward on the map. I've personally been to four of the locations she describes on her journey -- but have a hard time imagining walking from one to the next.
This is a really amazing story of perseverance and figuring out your place in the world. I wonder if her feet have recovered, 18 years later... (less)
I can't believe it took me nearly a month to read it. Usually, a long reading time means I'm not really that into a book -- but that is NOT the case h...moreI can't believe it took me nearly a month to read it. Usually, a long reading time means I'm not really that into a book -- but that is NOT the case here. Phileas Fogg still could have read this 2.8 at time at the same rate I did before he got back to London.
Noting that a comprehensive account of the history of global circumnavigation had never been written, Chaplin set out to do so. Starting with the early European maritime explorers and working through to our orbital age, she describes the different methods we humans have used to get around the globe, noting the many firsts -- first non-Westerner, first woman, first animal, first east-to-west, first west-to-east, first person to do it twice, first by bicycle, first by balloon, etc. In addition to factual circumnavigation, she also explores the way traveling around the world has influenced literature and been used as a literary device.
Some of the themes she returns to are circumnavigation as a Western privilege and as an outgrowth of colonialism and overseas empires, and of the effects circumnavigation has on the environment. A fun and interesting account of humanity getting to know our home by going around it.(less)
I read Figes' The Whisperers almost 5 years ago and really enjoyed it. It's one of the first books I entered in Goodreads, although I'm befuddled as...moreI read Figes' The Whisperers almost 5 years ago and really enjoyed it. It's one of the first books I entered in Goodreads, although I'm befuddled as to why I didn't write anything about it at the time.
Just Send Me Word is an even more focused way of looking at life in Russia during Stalin's regime. While The Whisperers used personal stories to look at the overall reign of oppression, Just Send Me Word focuses more narrowly on the Gulag system, as described in the letters exchanged between one of the prisoners and his fiance. They saved these thousands of letters and donated them to the Russian human rights organization, Memorial. The author was able to visit this amazing couple in their old age.
The letters frame the history nicely. Figes uses the letters that Lev and Sveta sent to each other to point out how the Pechora labor camp worked. How these two kept their sanity during their 15-year separation is evident in the letters. These are two loving, intelligent, caring, creative and brave people. Reading these letters can feel a bit voyeuristic at times, but what a gripping way to present history. I'm so glad that these letters, and Lev and Sveta, survived.(less)
I really enjoyed The Passage, and this one was a worthy follow-up, although I enjoyed it in different ways. I like how the actions was spread over lar...moreI really enjoyed The Passage, and this one was a worthy follow-up, although I enjoyed it in different ways. I like how the actions was spread over large geographic areas and wide ranges of time -- it wasn't difficult to follow. However, some of the mystical elements rang a bit hollow for me. I liked the book more when it focused on relationships and action. Also, at the end, I had the feeling that a very complicated puzzle had fallen together a bit too neatly. Still, the whole concept of survival in a post-apocalyptic world full of voracious used-to-be-humans is quite compelling. How could it not?
I especially enjoyed the parts set in Texas. During one part of a journey, the characters are described as being somewhere on the little stretch of highway along which my great-grandparents are buried. Being familiar with many of the places in the book adds a certain vividness.(less)
A humorous yet philosophical take on pollution and what it means to live with it. When I say humorous, I wouldn't exactly say funny. I did laugh out l...moreA humorous yet philosophical take on pollution and what it means to live with it. When I say humorous, I wouldn't exactly say funny. I did laugh out loud a few times -- let's just say I enjoy his sense of humor.
Blackwell visits some nasty places -- Chernobyl, the oil sands of northern Alberta, the refineries of Port Arthur, the Great Garbage Patch in the Pacific, Brazilian soy fields encroaching on rainforest, Chinese cities whose main industries are computer recycling and coal mining, and a putrid yet holy river in India.
In each of these places, Blackwell manages to find some beauty in the ugliness as well as encountering locals who are engaged in doing likewise. His focus isn't on how terrible these sites are -- that's obvious. Rather, he tries to find how these places might make us look at our own environments in new ways. For in most cases, even though these places might be far from us, we've all had our hands in their creation.
On page 226, Blackwell serves up the gist of his argument.
We also hold up these poster children—Linfen, Port Arthur, Chernobyl—to tell ourselves that the problems are over there. And we'd like to keep it that way. We’d like to keep a tidy bubble for ourselves, and draw a line around some trees, and declare no farther. That here, at least, inside this boundary, nature survives. As long as there is Yellowstone, we'll have a little something for what ails us. What a joke. So much of our environmental consciousness is just aesthetics, a simple idea of what counts as beautiful. But that love of beauty has a cost. It becomes a force for disengagement. Linfen is too foul to care about. Port Arthur is too gross.
So I love the ruined places. And sure, I love the pure ones too. But I hate the idea that there’s any difference. And I wish more people thought gross was beautiful. Because if it isn’t, then I’m not sure why we should care about a world with so much grossness in it.
I liked how the narrative worked in the second half, moving between what the balloonists experienced and how their loved one's dealt with their increasingly long absence. Overall this book was an excellent overview. My only gripes are that there were no captions for the photographs. And although there was one map, it was microscopically tiny and seemingly randomly inserted in the book. The last paragraph gave me chills.(less)
So I've been on a Vinge kick, having read all 3 of the Zones of Thought books in the past few months. I've noted that a lot of reviewers aren't liking...moreSo I've been on a Vinge kick, having read all 3 of the Zones of Thought books in the past few months. I've noted that a lot of reviewers aren't liking this third one as much, but it didn't bother me as much. It's a very, very different book.
I had a hard time following the plot sometimes, mostly because it was hard to track a lot of the political machinations that take place outside the narrative. But I love Tine's World and the idea of two very different races trying to figure out way to live and work with each other in the face of an even larger outside threat. The threat only lurked in the background through most of this book, but it's clear that there is another one in the wings, if Mr. Vinge has it in him. I sure hope he does.(less)
Looks like this might be shaping up to be another sci-fi summer...
I'd read a review of Vinge's newest work based on this universe, The Children of the...moreLooks like this might be shaping up to be another sci-fi summer...
I'd read a review of Vinge's newest work based on this universe, The Children of the Sky, some months back, and was intrigued enough to try and tackle all three books, starting with this one. I was talking with a writer/teacher friend of mine, trying to explain how well-crafted this story is. I don't think I did a particularly good job then, and I don't know that I will now. The reader is just kind of plopped down into a universe -- ours, as it happens, thousands of years from now -- of which he or she knows nothing. But Vinge slowly builds all the aspects of it -- technology, culture, communication, history, the laws of nature, politics -- at just the right pace to keep you interested. I never felt that "oh, here's the part where the author does the exposition thing." I don't know how authors do this, but Vinge does it masterfully. In short order, I was drawn in.
One of the main threads of this story, is that the laws of nature change the further one gets from the center of the galaxy -- way out past where we are (where all the exciting stuff happens), computers are capable of much more, and the speed of light can be surpassed. The closer one gets to the center of the Milky Way, the slower and dumber things are. (Ahem.)
It starts with a lot of crazy action, backs off, and then builds to a heart-thumping conclusion, involving multiple intelligent races, non-mushy love stories, political intrigue, self-sacrifice -- a great story all around. I was kind of exhausted after this, but immediately picked up a copy of A Deepness in the Sky...
It had been such a long time since I'd read the previous books that I had to rely on resources like A Wiki of Ice and Fire to catch up, although I had...moreIt had been such a long time since I'd read the previous books that I had to rely on resources like A Wiki of Ice and Fire to catch up, although I had to do so carefully in order to avoid spoiling things for myself. But it was indispensable in bringing back to mind the myriad characters.
As with many long-ranging series, I kind of feel like I'm riding this train because it's easier than getting off. I have just enough interest left in some of the characters that I'm willing to keep reading, but it is becoming more of a chore. I appreciate the size and scope of the tale, but reading it is starting to take up a lot of energy. The payoffs, to me, are getting farther and farther apart. Still, I'll come back for more.
Had to take a pause in the middle of this because I couldn't finish the e-book in the two weeks allotted by my public library -- then had to get in line to check it out again. Fun fact -- Overdrive "remembered" where I'd left off. I wasn't aware it could do that. Nice.(less)
Having recently read The Left Hand of Darkness, I was prepared to enjoy The Dispossessed. Although set in the same Hainish universe as TLHOD and deali...moreHaving recently read The Left Hand of Darkness, I was prepared to enjoy The Dispossessed. Although set in the same Hainish universe as TLHOD and dealing with the many of the same themes (gender, politics, loyalty, family, language, culture), it achieves so much more.
The story takes place on two worlds that seem to revolve around each other in the Tau Ceti ssytem, the peoples of each seeing the other as its moon. Urras is the lush homeworld where everyone is from. Anarres, only recently settled, is arid and harsh. Anarres is populated by refugees from Urras who, in rejection of the polarized and economically stratified political systems there, set up an anarchists' utopia. Shevek, a physicist of Anarres who's work is not entirely understood or appreciated by his own people, is the first person in over 150 years to travel back to the home planet, given a grant to work on his ideas about time and space. But it seems that his hosts on Urras have other plans.
The book has an interesting structure, alternating chapters set in the present on Urras with chapters in the past detailing Shevek's life on Anarres, starting with his childhood and moving toward the present, until the two story lines eventually meet up.
This isn't exploding planet, laser blaster science fiction, but rather a carefully crafted story that slowly intertwines several "what ifs" and presents them to the reader through a very memorable character. Reading this novel is like having a wonderfully vivid dream.(less)
An informative and well-written tour of today's map-intensive world, written by a former Jeopardy champion, and who gave perhaps the world's best answ...moreAn informative and well-written tour of today's map-intensive world, written by a former Jeopardy champion, and who gave perhaps the world's best answer in the form of a question, ever.
Jennings ruminates and expounds on all manner of geography, from students who display their intensive knowledge in geography bees (one of which my niece just participated in!) to college students who can't find their own college on a map. He discusses the profound effects online mapping and GPS have had on our culture, including geocaching, and, some of my personal favorites, like highpointing and documenting confluences of latitude and longitude. And, he looks into the amazing places that maps and mapping might take us in the future. I loved the way he worked map terms into the title of the chapters -- very clever!
If you are in love with geography and maps (and who isn't?), you should read this. Thanks, Donna, for pointing this book out to me!(less)
This is one of those books that seems like a cute idea, but turns out to be so much more than it appears.
The author, inspired by a story presented by...moreThis is one of those books that seems like a cute idea, but turns out to be so much more than it appears.
The author, inspired by a story presented by one of his students, decides to go find out what happened to a bunch of plastic bath toys that fell off a container ship in the northern Pacific in 1992. IN the course of his adventures, he meets and hangs out with the people mentioned in the subtitle, plus toy manufacturers, container ship captains, Arctic scientists, and other characters in an exploration of the economy of modern things and how they get to us. If they ever do get to us.
Throughout the book Hohn does that thing good teacher's do, drawing together what we're learning about these seemingly simple toys and making connections with epic literature, mostly notably Moby Dick. It would be easy to do this in a ham-handed way, but Hohn does it well. In addition to making me think about all the little things around me and how they got to me, and it made want to read Moby Dick again.(less)
I tend to love books that focus on one thing, person, culture, idea, food, mineral, etc. and how it basically changed everything and made us what we a...moreI tend to love books that focus on one thing, person, culture, idea, food, mineral, etc. and how it basically changed everything and made us what we are today. Without any one of these very important things, we would still be sad blobs of formless jelly, unable to even conceieve of writing reviews in Goodreads. So maybe I'm starting to weary of reading such books. After reading this, I thought maybe so, but that doesn't explain my excitement upon discovering that there is a whole giant list of such books put together in Goodreads. I tingled. So maybe I'm not ready to give up on this genre just yet.
This was pretty enjoyable, but I kind of got bogged down. I liked that this ran the gamut, from ancient to modern uses of salt, and how salt shaped so much of culture -- especially in the culinary realm. As I was finishing this book up, I spent an evening eating way too many salty chips and got a killer headache. Just sharing.
I generally enjoy anything I read about the colder parts of the world, and this was no exception. It was quite different than many of the books I've r...moreI generally enjoy anything I read about the colder parts of the world, and this was no exception. It was quite different than many of the books I've read lately, though. Rather than being a history of a particular area or person associated with the Arctic, this book reads like a series of journalistic pieces, which, in a sense, they are. Over the course of several years, Wheeler visits various areas around the Arctic. Chapters are set up by region, covering the Russian far east, Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Svalbard, Lapland, and back around to Northwest Russia.
In between short historical vignettes, she meets with locals and scientists, exploring the outlook of those who live in (and make their living in) the far north. Throughout are several warnings about the environmental and cultural pressures imposed from the southern parts of the world -- some of this makes for some grim reading. But I enjoyed Wheeler's writing style, which can be quite poetic. The librarian in me loved the various books and authors she invokes, several of which I recognized and a few of which I'd read. (less)
I kind of got the idea that this book was really two books mashed up. It's a book about surfing, and it's a book about waves. These two topics are int...moreI kind of got the idea that this book was really two books mashed up. It's a book about surfing, and it's a book about waves. These two topics are intertwined, of course. However, I came away feeling that the author really wanted to write a book about surfing and surfers, but that someone suggested she talk to a bunch of scientists about waves, too, probably to make it more marketable. I just never felt that the two approaches meshed very well. This could have been two separate books, really.
Casey clearly loves the water and surfing, and writes eloquently about big waves and the people who surf them. It really shows when she's writing about her experiences hanging out with and watching guys do incredible things on waves. Surfing doesn't hold a lot of interest for me, but to her credit, she really made the topic interesting -- despite some annoying passages where she records surfer's dialog with no explanation of what they're saying. And although she also interviews scientists, shipping insurers and salvage experts, she doesn't have the same passion when she covers these area.
I realize it's not entirely fair to judge a book against the reader's expectations. I just wish my library had added additional subject headings for this book besides "Rogue Waves." It seems that the catalogers, like me, were fooled by the title.(less)
One of the best history books I've read in a long, long time. I had a hard time getting into this book, but am so, so glad I stuck with it. If you hav...moreOne of the best history books I've read in a long, long time. I had a hard time getting into this book, but am so, so glad I stuck with it. If you have even the remotest interest in the history of the American west or military history, read it.
Each chapter has at it's core a major event either leading up to or taking place during the Battle of the Little Bighorn, but within the chapters, Philbrick brings in relevant information from the players past, whether it's former battles individuals participated in, family background, individuals' personal interests (baseball, anyone?), or geography. It can be a bit disjointed and difficult to follow at first, but stick with it. In the appendix, there is a list of all the major players in both the Seventh Cavalry and the Lakota/Cheyenne village that I wish I'd found earlier. Each chapter is packed with maps that really help you see what happened where during this campaign.
This is historical writing at its best. The author does an amazing job of pulling this complex story together and making it interesting, exciting, and meaningful.
Philbrick has a paragraph on pages 209-210 that really gets to the meat of the of the challenge of historiography. I wanted to include it here because I think it so eloquently sums up the complexity of trying to pull the truth out of a pile of conflicting narratives.
"We interact with one another as individuals responding to a complex haze of factors: professional responsibilities, personal likes and dislikes, ambition, jealousy, self-interest, and in at least some instances, genuine altruism. Living in the here and now, we are awash with sensations of the present, memories of the past, and expectations and fears for the future. Our actions are not determined by any one cause; they are the fulfillment of who we are at that particular moment. After that moment passes, we continue to evolve, to change, and our memories of that moment inevitably change with us as we live with the consequences of our past actions, consequences we were unaware of at the time."(less)
I read through this much faster than I thought I would, considering it's size. I love reading books about cold places, and Frazier doesn't disappoint,...moreI read through this much faster than I thought I would, considering it's size. I love reading books about cold places, and Frazier doesn't disappoint, although much of the book describes traveling through Siberia in the summer.
Frazier mixes historical information with his own experiences in Russia over a 20-year period. He works these two together rather seamlessly, I think. He doesn't pull any punches, describing both Siberia's beauty and it's harshness. He travels by train, car, car-on-a-train, and plane, describing the cities, industries, weather, people and history that make the concept of Siberia so compelling. If you have any interest in this part of the world, read it.(less)
I read a review of this in the New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/bo...) and thought I'd check it out. I had the idea that this book w...moreI read a review of this in the New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/bo...) and thought I'd check it out. I had the idea that this book would mostly be about Sayyida Salme (later Emily Ruete), a princess of Zanzibar who eloped and moved to Germany in the mid 1800s. But it turned out to cover a myriad of topics, including the history of Oman and Zanzibar, the history of the Omani/Zanzibari sultanate, and slavery and exploration in east Africa. Many character from that time period are featured in their own chapters as well -- people like David Livingstone, Henry Morton Stanley, and the slave and ivory trader, Tipu Tip. Often-times, these kinds narrative side trips annoy me in a history book, especially when the topic doesn't seem to have much to do with the main story. This book does trend in that direction, although the digressions didn't bug me all that much in this case. I suppose because the various people and topics were of interest to me.
Although the middle of the book deals heavily with Salme's life in Zanzibar and the intrigues of her vast extended family, she drops out of the picture toward the end and the book just kind of stops. Having the last chapter state that "she lived another 30 years..." and then just stopping was a tad abrupt. I would like to have learned more about her later life and the lives of her children.
But if you have any interest in Zanzibar, African history or religious culture clashes, you'll enjoy this.(less)
I love books about cold places, and try to read one in the summer. This summer's is Arctic Labyrinth.
I was already somewhat familiar with many of the...moreI love books about cold places, and try to read one in the summer. This summer's is Arctic Labyrinth.
I was already somewhat familiar with many of the attempts at finding the Northwest Passage described in this book. Williams doesn't skimp on detailing the trials and deprivations of early attempts, but his focus is on how the methodology of attempts changed over time, and using documentary evidence to do so. He especially excels at pointing out the discrepancies amongst official accounts, published narratives, and private journals and correspondence concerning various journeys.
I have to be really interested in a topic to consult the research notes at the back of books (I'm lazy and prefer footnotes), but Williams section on Sources and Further Reading is a wonderful document. Written in paragraph form, he suggests reference books, points the reader to the best biographies of various explorers, and lists manuscripts and archives he consulted. I'ts much more, well, dynamic than a dry list of sources and it shows the level of scholarship and work that went into producing this book.
My only complaint about this book is that, while there were a few maps, most of the time I found myself consulting the map on page 175, a general map of the Canadian Arctic. A few place names are listed, but by no means all of the ones named in the various attempts described in the book. And there are no tracks outlining all the various routes taken. A map accompanying each chapter with marked routes would have made for easier reading.
On the upside, the book reminded me of John Collier's painting The Last Voyage of Henry Hudson, which I saw many years ago. The story is quite haunting.
There's nothing like a book featuring frostbite, scurvy and temperatures of 101 below zero to stop one from complaining about summers in Texas.(less)
Having gone through Texas history courses a few times as a child, I had a passing knowledge of Cynthia Ann and Quannah Parker. Their story is somethin...moreHaving gone through Texas history courses a few times as a child, I had a passing knowledge of Cynthia Ann and Quannah Parker. Their story is something I'd always wanted to know more about, and this book is a great introduction to their unique place in the history of U.S. western expansion. But it's not just about them. The author uses Quannah Parker's life and story as a frame around which to build on the whole story of the Comanches, their rise to being the preeminent horse warriors of the South Plains, their struggle against white expansion, and their eventual surrender to reservation life.
The Comanches were the ultimate horse warriors, able to shoot from under their horses necks at a full gallop, using the horse as a shield. On horseback, they were basically invincible until western technology developed repeating rifles and six shooters. Their entire culture was centered around two things -- the buffalo and warfare. And about the time the former started disappearing, they started getting bested in the latter.
Gwynne writes vividly about the landscape and the characters that were involved in this whole saga. I found most interesting his descriptions of how the line of settlement moved back and forth as Comanche and white power waxed and wanted through the early-to-mid 19th century. It might explain some of the migration patterns of some of my own ancestors. (less)
This was as much a mini-history of the Ford Motor Company and a mini-biography of Henry Ford as it was about Ford's efforts at creating an Amazonian r...moreThis was as much a mini-history of the Ford Motor Company and a mini-biography of Henry Ford as it was about Ford's efforts at creating an Amazonian rubber plantation. In an effort to show how Fordlandia was an example of Ford's efforts at social engineering as much as anything else, Grandin spends much time discussing other experiments, such as his Upper Peninsula mill towns and his attempts to control the after-work lives of his employees.
A very interesting story, told from the points of view various Ford employees and managers -- mostly from the U.S. There seem to be very few Brazilians left who remember the days of Ford's Amazon rubber plantations, which is shame, because it would be interesting to hear about this grand experiment from their point of view.(less)
This is an interesting approach to history, and as a librarian who works with health sciences literature, one I truly appreciated. There are so many e...moreThis is an interesting approach to history, and as a librarian who works with health sciences literature, one I truly appreciated. There are so many eponymously named medical textbooks, but none more well-known than Gray's Anatomy. Richardson effectively writes a biography of a book, rather than its authors. And although Henry Gray and Henry Carter feature prominently in the story (and Carter more so than Gray), this is a through and engaging homage to a book that has been a part of medical education for over 150 years.
Richardson covers so many aspects of the world into which Gray's Anatomy appeared in 1858 -- the recent passage of the Anatomy Act that legally regulated anatomy school's acquisition of corpses for dissection, the anxiety held by the poor over what could happen to their bodies after death, the gradual move toward meritocracy in advancement through the ranks of the medical profession, an overview of anatomy texts and how they'd changed over time, mid-Victorian publishing and printing practices, and more. For some, the attention given to some of these topics might seem tedious, but I appreciated this thorough treatment.
I especially enjoyed the chapter on how the authors, publishers and printers dealt with a last-minute realization that, due to a lack of communication, the engraved wood blocks used for illustration had been made too large for the intended book size -- a lucky accident that helped to make Gray's Anatomy unique. I was also moved by Richardson's description of Carter's approach to representing dissected human anatomy in a respectful and caring way -- especially in comparison to the more horrific representations that had appeared in earlier texts.
Richardson understandably gives more attention to Carter than Gray, mostly because Carter kept a journal, lived longer and left more of a paper trail. However, since it is Carter's illustrations that were so unique and innovative at the time, I think this emphasis is fair. Although the book was Gray's, what we remember are the images.(less)
I love the way this focuses its topic, European great power diplomacy from the mid-19th century through World War I, through the lens of family relati...moreI love the way this focuses its topic, European great power diplomacy from the mid-19th century through World War I, through the lens of family relationships. What would make for some pretty dry reading about international talks and intrigue is spiced up by by looking at the personal relationships amongst George V of the British Empire, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany -- plus their parents and nearly ever 19th-century European royal's grandmother, Victoria.
The books starts with a Europe filled with kings and emperors and ends 50 years later with pretty much George left after all the dust has settled. The contrasts and similarities amongst these three mens' personalities is striking. Wilhelm craves attention and power. George and Nicholas shun both, although Nicholas' position as an absolute autocrat requires that he use the power he has -- yet he prefers to avoid conflict. All these men are born with rights and privileges, yet Wilhelm uses his for foolish projects and a military fetish, Nicholas uses his to avoid the people of his country who so desperately need leadership, and George struggles to assert himself within his nation's constitutional limits.
Throughout the book Carter provides letters, telegrams and memoirs of eyewitnesses that testify to the relationships among these three cousins -- warm, often rocky and sometimes bizarre. It's interesting to watch how the ability of these three personalities to affect the world around them wanes just as the whole idea of absolutely monarchy is all but abandoned in Europe. If you like this period of history and have any interest in these men, you'll enjoy this.(less)
An excellent overview of the search for the Northwest Passage. I've read enough books on this topic now, but Brandt wrote in a way that still made it...moreAn excellent overview of the search for the Northwest Passage. I've read enough books on this topic now, but Brandt wrote in a way that still made it interesting. Although the title would lead you to believe that the whole book is about Franklin, it's really not.
Well written and as good a book on the topic as you'll find. I especially liked how Admiralty politics were covered without making them seem dry. The last paragraph is quite haunting and thought-provoking. I won't repeat it here, but it involves The Meal That Dare Not Speak It's Name...(less)
So different from the last book I read, yet equally engaging. I remember writing a paper about North Korea back in college when I took a class on Marx...moreSo different from the last book I read, yet equally engaging. I remember writing a paper about North Korea back in college when I took a class on Marxism. Let's just say it was far enough back that there were plenty of countries to choose from. I wish I'd had a book like this to read at the time.
Demick does a masterly job of teasing out the smallest details of the six defectors she interviews. Although I sometimes got the feeling that she was filling in the gaps, these people's personal histories were intriguing -- and devastating. This book interweaves these personal narratives with historical background and development in North Korea (and Korea in general) in a way that is seamless. These two aspects of the book support and work with each other well. Oftentimes I find that kind of writing distracting -- I want either the personal stories or the history. But this book skillfully blends these two ways of looking at history.
When the defectors stories brought them to the present day in South Korea, I could almost understand the shock they must have felt trying to integrate themselves into a world that had, for all intents and purposes, passed them by. I would have enjoyed reading even more about their lives after their defection, although I understand that wasn't the purpose of the book.
Oh, and the photograph on the cover is perfect.(less)
My sister-in-law gave me this book for Christmas and I enjoyed it. I'd read Mawson's Home of the Blizzard awhile back and enjoyed it. This biography o...moreMy sister-in-law gave me this book for Christmas and I enjoyed it. I'd read Mawson's Home of the Blizzard awhile back and enjoyed it. This biography of Mawson was different, though, expounding on all of his Antarctic visits and explorations, whereas Home of the Blizzard focused on the 1911-1913 Australian Antarctic Expedition.
Riffenburgh writes eloquently about the hardships that Mawson and his colleagues experienced during their time in Antarctica, including the famous sledging journey in which Mawson lost his two companions and narrowly escaped death himself. The author doesn't try to whitewash Mawson as Australia's hero of exploration -- he doesn't shy away from pointing out his shortcomings and conflicts with others. But he does paint a fair picture of an amazing scientist in his element. (less)
I had meant to read this book years ago, and then had forgotten about it. Donna recommended it to me a short while back. I'm glad she did.
Overall, I l...moreI had meant to read this book years ago, and then had forgotten about it. Donna recommended it to me a short while back. I'm glad she did.
Overall, I like the approach that Harvey takes, interweaving the story of a notorious map thief with the history of cartography and exploration, and wrapping his whole journalistic exploration of the thief in terms of maps and journeys. And libraries play a prominent role.
I will say, though, that I was amazed how much life has changed in the last decade. This book was written 10 years ago, and its descriptions of "new" efforts like mapping the sea floor and the human genome seem almost quaint. Has so much happened since then?
There were many things that drew me to this book -- a fascination with the north and the cold, interest in things medieval, and a soft spot for storie...moreThere were many things that drew me to this book -- a fascination with the north and the cold, interest in things medieval, and a soft spot for stories about complicated family relationships told over generations. Kristin Lavransdatter has all this in spades.
But reader beware -- this story is long. I can't remember the last time it took me this long to read a book. And this edition would have been well-served with a more detailed map of geographic areas in the novel (almost characters in themselves) and with family trees plotting out the myriad ways the many characters in this story were interconnected.(Note: I've since found this chart on Wikipedia)
These minor gripes besides, I enjoyed this. Each chapter breaks down into little vignettes -- some long dialog-heavy expository sections, others elegantly described landscapes and emotional states. Although the writer was describing a culture that I'm quite unfamiliar with, and though much of the book describes a developing religiosity that bordered on the tedious a times, the humanity of the characters never failed to shine through. A sort of post-saga saga.
The title character, of course, is the center around which the rest of the novel revolves -- basically covering her life from her ealiest memories to her life's end. But it was always interesting when, every once in a while, the author took a break to jump into the heads of some of the other characters.
The author of the introduction classes this novel among the ones that few people read more than once. I'd have to agree. Once is probably enough for this novel, but I know that parts of it will stick with me for some time.(less)
This book combined so many interests of mine, I don't see how I couldn't have liked it. Exploration, maps, history, travel, mountains, archaeology, fa...moreThis book combined so many interests of mine, I don't see how I couldn't have liked it. Exploration, maps, history, travel, mountains, archaeology, family trees -- all that was missing was polar exploration, but since much of it took place at chilly altitudes, I'm still a pretty happy reader.
Thomson masterfully interweaves his own personal experiences as an explorer with accounts of colleagues, historical information and cultural observances in a way that seems effortless. His sympathy with the peoples of eastern Peru, both ancient and modern, comes through readily. I really appreciated the way the book was laid out. He starts in Cuzco, the likely cradle of Incan civilization and works his way chronologically toward this empire's sad end, using various ruins and historical sites to illustrate this historical path. Thomson's gives deference to this order in the book over the order in which he visited these areas, and I think that was a good choice.
His knowledge of the history of Incan civilization is apparent, as well as his familiarity with the history of how that civilization has been, and continues to be, discovered.(less)
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