Region of Waterloo Library discussion
May: Return of the Cold War
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What does Cold War in fiction or non-fiction mean to you?
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RWL
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May 01, 2014 10:58AM
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The first thing I always think of is spies. James Bond or Jack Ryan. These archetypal characters that fit with in very specific molds. Usually they are brilliant, fearless, amoral, defined by intense national loyalty, or loyalty to none.Also, this idea of a cat and mouse game. Each side is so cunning and equally matched that the choice is either a stalemate or all out destruction. There really isn't any middle ground. I guess that is what the idea of mutual assured destruction was based upon.
I can't say i have ever thought about this genre. My dad used to read all sorts of Russia vs USA type books. I would pick up the occasional one that was lying about the house, but I didn't seek them out on my own.
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Can's say I do, though there was probably some Tom Clancy
I have no interest or inclination to read about this. The politics are just too depressing. And blacklisting an all that horrid stuff holds no appeal. My parents were immigrants who survived WWII and maybe that explains why I know all about it and don't want to know more.
YZ wrote: "I have no interest or inclination to read about this. The politics are just too depressing. And blacklisting an all that horrid stuff holds no appeal. My parents were immigrants who survived WWII a..."Now that you mention the black listing, it does bring another, very different book to mind that I read in December. The Apothecary by Maile Meloy. A family involved in acting moved from the USA to England to avoid scrutiny and their young daughter is forced to move with them. In England she gets mixed up with others who are using 'magic' to help defeat the Russians. I have a full review on my blog. http://www.heatherpearson.com/2014/01...
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By the way, you are right: Watchmen is darker than what I typically read! It starts out with a mysterious murder, introducing some interesting characters (superheroes?). I get the impression the world is in need of saving, but I'm not sure why yet! Or by whom...
I read your review, Heather. Thanks for sharing that! Now this book sounds like it's really up my alley (magic + child protagonists + English setting). I'll have to check that one out for sure. I see that RWL has it as well as the sequel!
http://olco.canlib.ca/client/rwl/sear....
thanks for the reminders about the sequel Leanne. i have now placed a request for it.
I've just now (5 minutes ago) finished our book club's book for this month. It is "Rules of Civility" by Amor Towles. It's a first novel, set in NYC at the end of the 30's.This has grabbed me more than anything I have read for some time. I love some of the plot twists, the descriptions of famous buildings and night spots. The layers of society and how they mesh together.
I am so glad I've come out of my dry spell and found a book that has taken me away! A winner, for sure. (and I am not necessarily a fan of "historical fiction")
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If anyone else is interested, you can find it on downloadLibrary as an e-book and as an e-audiobook:
http://www.downloadlibrary.ca/5E01585...
It's also available as a "real" book on our shelves!
http://olco.canlib.ca/client/rwl/sear...
I feel like I've been in a reading dry spell of my own recently, so maybe I should try this one too! Did you like the literary allusions, Yvonne? One thing reviewers keep saying is that the characters in the book are frequently quoting famous authors. Being such a well-read individual, you probably noticed this!
Thanks for reminding me of one of the reasons I loved this book. There were piles of books in many of the main locations (in a literal sense; the main character moves a stack of "literary" reads and replaces them with potboilers.) "Walden Pond" by Thoreau has a special meaning in the story.I really did love this book...
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