Michael > Recent Status Updates

Starting today. 955 pages to go.

Loved it!

"Herr Siedler laughs.... Werner is impressed with how numerous and tiny are his teeth.
"'You know the greatest lesson of history? It's that history is whatever the victors say it is.… We act in our own self-interest.... The trick is figuring out where your interests are.'"
So far, a smorgasbord of description - colors, textures, sounds, smells, tastes ... and characters.

"Herr Siedler laughs.... Werner is impressed with how numerous and tiny are his teeth.
"'You know the greatest lesson of history? It's that history is whatever the victors say it is.… We act in our own self-interest.... The trick is figuring out where your interests are.'"
So far, a smorgasbord of description - colors, textures, sounds, smells, tastes ... and characters.

"Herr Siedler laughs. Again Werner is impressed with how numerous and tiny are his teeth.
"'You know the greatest lesson of history? It's that history is whatever the victors say it is. That's the lesson. Whoever wins, that's who decides the history. We act in our own self-interest. Of course we do. Name me a person or a nation who does not. The trick is figuring out where your interests are.'"

"I give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you might forget it now and then for a moment and not spend all your breath trying to conquer it. Because no battle is ever won he said. They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools."

I enjoy his descriptive powers, but this is not my favorite Faulkner thus far.

Quite an engaging read thus far, made more interesting by the current relevance of a living author about his own experience with the "nasty" power of Russia under Putin ... you know, that guy who "colluded to interfere in our election process, 2016," and the same nasty guy to whom Hillary and Obama sold a huge chunk of the USA's uranium. Yep, nasty guy! ;-)

Taking this wonderful volume very deliberately on this second time round. Not "just a history" tome, the author focused on pivotal national trends from the colonial days forward with extraordinary insights and commentary, offering opposing views as well as his own. I look forward with excitement to the remaining pages.

Just starting this one.

Interesting history, but a tedious slog, as though I were blazing the trails, climbing over the windfalls and up the mountains myself. Great appreciation for the explorations by Lt. Patrick Oneill and his hardy band of explorers ... and mules.

Col. John Boyd, USAF, was a macho "fighter jock" but, more importantly, one of the few true "thinkers" in the USAF who defied the "company line" in favor of truth and progress, revolutionizing the art of war and turning conventional USAF thought [aka corruption and imcompetence] on its ears. He was no doubt a genius and indefatigable autodidact whose research and conclusions still reverberate through history.

Col. John Boyd, USAF, was a macho "fighter jock" who beat all challengers. He was one of the few true "thinkers" in the USAF who defied the "company line" in favor of truth and efficiency, revolutionizing the art of war and, in the process, turning conventional USAF thought and policy on its ears. He was, no doubt, a genius and indefatigable autodidact whose research and conclusions still reverberate through history.

Col. John Boyd, USAF, was a macho "fighter jock" who beat all challengers. He was one of the few true "thinkers" in the USAF who defied the "company line" in favor of truth and efficiency, revolutionizing the art of war and, in the process, turning conventional USAF thought and policy on its ears. He was, no doubt, a genius and indefatigable autodidact whose research and conclusions still reverberate through history.

"[Captain John] Boyd gave them the numbers that showed how at any ... part of the flight-performance envelope, the [USAF] F-111 was inferior .... If the F-111 faced a MiG, it would be shot down. Period. End of story...."

"[Captain John] Boyd gave them the numbers that showed how at any ... part of the flight-performance envelope, the [USAF] F-111 was inferior .... If the F-111 faced a MiG, it would be shot down. Period. End of story...."

"[Captain John] Boyd gave them the numbers that showed how at any ... any part of the flight-performance envelope, the [USAF] F-111 was inferior .... If the F-111 faced a MiG, it would be shot down. Period. End of story...."

LeCarre always grabs the reader in the first two pages and never lets go of his sophisticated hooks. "Given his head, [Toby] would long ago have swept away Britain's private education system, abolished all vestiges of entitlement and put the monarchy on a bicycle. Yet even while harbouring these seditious thoughts, the striver in him knew that his first aim must be to rise in the system he dreamed of liberating."

"Given his head, [Toby] would long ago have swept away Britain's private education system, abolished all vestiges of entitlement and put the monarchy on a bicycle. Yet even while harbouring these seditious thoughts, the striver in him knew that his first aim must be to rise in the system he dreamed of liberating."

"If he turned on the television set it said 'Welcome, Mr. Paul Anderson. Why not enjoy a complimentary pre-dinner aperitif in our Lord Nelson's Snug!' The exclamation mark in place of the more appropriate question mark was a source of constant annoyance to the pedant in him." IDENTIFY! 8-)

"That's how Mitchell always was, looking ahead [15 - 20 years]." ~ Alfred Verville, American aircraft designer (1890-1970).