Matteo Cordero > Recent Status Updates

After I’ve left the book for my month trip to Vienna, started to read it again.

After a month's break from reading this book - as I left it at home during my travel to Vienna due to its size - I started reading it at this point.

It is fascinating to read about the ascendant of power of Lincoln, which originated in the poor conditions of the first US settlers in the northern American Midwest in the early 1800s. As a young and strong man, Lincoln did many tough jobs in harsh conditions on his father's farm, as most pioneers did.

The charismatic figure of Dumbledore always attracts me. Since the first begging of the book, the headmaster showed patience - a fundamental characteristic of real powerful people - to introduce Harry to the most important aspects of Voldemort's life. The book reflects on the evil part of immortality that goes against one of the important aspects of our lives—a great metaphor for our contemporary society.

It is fascinating how Hamilton laid the foundation for the world's most powerful and economically prosperous country. He contributed to building the US treasury, making US bonds the most secure investments in our age.

The notes at the end of the book are great. I highly suggest reading all of them! They've inspired me!

I’m so fascinated by the history of Hamilton. Leader of the Continental Army, he participated in liberating the Americans from the British Empire. Hamilton had a noble idealism about the Revolution: the War of Independence was a fight for freedom for the people. Part of Hamilton’s ideas was the abolishment of the slavery of black people which makes him such a fascinating character of history.

This book have so many facts and information about climate catastrophe that we are already experienced that he shocked completely. The use fossil fuels is having huge and multilateral effect on our life: from global warming to air pollution they are already destroying our life. Air pollution alone is killing millions of people every year in the world. These facts are scary but are the truth.

This book makes all our problems so small compared to the huge global issue of Global Warming and Climate Change. These phenomena will affect everyone around the world (even more people than World War II). It is a must-read text to understand what everyone will be facing in the coming years.

Short but with a lot of work to practice German. A great way to start learning German. Paul Noble has a great strategy that allows you to start learning a language without fear and at a great pace.

Although Napoleon wanted to export with force the ideas of liberty and equality of the French Revolution, I think he only brought misery and death. At the apogee of his career, he became a despot (similar to a monarch) with little understanding of the reality around him. When waging war, he thought to work in the interest of France but behind this, there was only his maniac obsession with power and egocentrism.

By reading about the defeat of the campaign of Russia, I can conclude that Napoleon was a megalomaniac tyrant who had brought only misery and death to Europe. Napoleon was not a far-sighted leader. In Russia, he didn't have any strategy: he did not consider anything of the context for the invasion, such as the cold winter - trapping Napoleon in the Russian winter was one of the strategies of the Tzar.

Complete and fast-reading overview of the numerous campaigns of Napoleon.

Complete and accessible biography of the journey of life and career of Napoleon. In my view, a little confusing in the narrations of the battles. However, it is particularly interesting the information about Napoleon's use of propaganda to gain control among the French people and its army to lead them into his wars.

Great way to start to learn German (if your English is good)

For any Italian interested in their problems (socially and economically) this brief book is fascinating.

Although this book is masterly written, it covers in detail a subject that I am interested only in the general idea. Moreover, I believe Spillover is probably too old: it was first published in 2012, eight years before the COVID pandemic, one of the most critical events in our history. More we know now about viruses than eight years ago so I believe that this book is a little obsolete.

Masterly written and engaging like a thriller. He describes the evolutions and research behind the most important viruses, some of the most dangerous and subtle elements in nature.

Paul Noble's language courses are amazing to learn German - a language well known to be very difficult - so enjoyable and very accessible. Noble's principle as a beginner book for German students is that as they already English, they can understand German. The basics of the German language - for historical reasons - come from English.

Although this biography is a beautiful account of one of the most fascinating statesmen in history, in the book I find some parts a little boring. There are different passages that talk about constitution laws and the development of internal policies of the different states that I didn’t find interesting.

In contrast to the Napoleon, Metternich was the Machiavellian politician who wanted to accomplish peace and balance of power in Europe with a diplomatic relationships with the numerous countries in Europe.

As an Italian, this book is very informative to the dramatic economic condition in which our country lives.

Metternich, the Prince of Peace.

Metternich a great and farsighted visionary

Dominate while seeming to submit….

“In an age of violence and bloodshed, he had realised that ideas are more powerful than force.” The Great Arab Conquests, John Bagot Glubb, 1963

It’s touching the last chapter on the premature death of Grant caused by cancer. In this part, the author emphasises the contrast between Grant’s grandiosity and high values and death. The President reached the highest rank of the political life of one the most influential country in the world and still death has taken away as a mortal man. Grant died stoically as soldier without the fear of death.

Chernow writes that Grant had a way of standing back and letting things happen - a tacit form of approval. Inaction had become his preferred form of action.

As it was written by the President Hayes, President Grant was a “first soldier and a man of sterling qualities”.

The glorious career of Ulysses S Grant who started as an excellent General and then statesman who, it is mentioned by Chernow, “set the Stage for America’s emergence as the world’s supreme industrial power”.

This book tells the glorious fight against the brutal evil of the slavery of black people conducted by two of the most noble just men in history: Grant and Lincoln.