What's Everyone Reading?

[coldstream]

I've heard that Seamus Heaney, imho, the best poet writing in English in the last 30 years has died in Ireland at Age 74.

He is a Nobel laureate who wrote in the spare modernist vein of Robert Frost and W.B. Yeats... but more of the former than the latter.. very down to earth, rustic poetry. I just finished The Human Chain.. which i believe is his last book.. and it's lovely.. irridescent.

In my library i have several books of his middle period.. Wintering Out, Field Work, North (all about 90 pages in length) as well a some books of Selected Verse.

Most people don't read poetry these days.. which is a loss. But Heaney's work is amongst the most accessible and resonant in the modern canon. Give it a try.. it'll be well worth it.

RIP Seamus.

 

[eh1eh]

I've heard that Seamus Heaney, imho, the best poet writing in English in the last 30 years has died in Ireland at Age 74.

He is a Nobel laureate who wrote in the spare modernist vein of Robert Frost and W.B. Yeats... but more of the former than the latter.. very down to earth, rustic poetry. I just finished The Human Chain.. which i believe is his last book.. and its lovely.. irridescent.

In my library i have several books of his middle period.. Wintering Out, Field Work, North (all about 90 pages in length) as well a some books of Selected Verse.

Most people don't read poetry today.. which is a loss. But Heaney's work is amongst the most accessible and resonant in the modern canon. Give it a try.. it'll be well worth it.

RIP Seamus.

This guy was deep. And a bit weird but that's art, right.

Requiem for the Croppies
Written in 1966, on the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising. Printed in Door into The Dark, 1969.
"Terraced thousands died, shaking scythes at cannon.
The hillside blushed, soaked in our broken wave.
They buried us without shroud or coffin
And in August... the barley grew up out of our grave."
Two Lorries
From The Spirit Level, published 1996.
"So tally bags and sweet-talk darkness, coalman,
Listen to the rain spit in new ashes
As you heft a load of dust that was Magherafelt,
Then reappear from your lorry as my mother's
Dreamboat coalman filmed in silk-white ashes"
Mossbawn: Two Poems in Dedication
Published in North, in 1975 and dedicated to Mary Heaney.
1. Sunlight
"Now she dusts the board
with a goose's wing,
now sits, broad-lapped,
with whitened nails
and measling shins:
here is a space
again, the scone rising
to the tick of two clocks."
1. The Seed Cutters
"They seem hundreds of years away. Brueghel,
You'll know them if I can get them true.
They kneel under the hedge in a half-circle
Behind a windbreak wind is breaking through."

 

[JakeElwood]

Road to Perdition (1998)

Road to Perdition (1998) by Max Allan Collins and Richard Piers Rayner...

​

 

[Blackleaf]

WHEN BRITAIN BURNED THE WHITE HOUSE" by former Channel 4 News presenter Peter Snow.

In August 1814 the United States' army is defeated in battle by an invading force just outside Washington DC. The US president and his wife have just enough time to pack their belongings and escape from the White House before the enemy enters. The invaders tuck into the dinner they find still sitting on the dining-room table and then set fire to the place.

9/11 was not the first time the heartland of the United States was struck a devastating blow by outsiders. Two centuries earlier, Britain - now America's close friend, then its bitterest enemy - set Washington ablaze before turning its sights to Baltimore.

In his compelling narrative style, Peter Snow recounts the fast-changing fortunes of both sides of this extraordinary confrontation, the outcome of which inspired the writing of the 'Star-Spangled Banner', America's national anthem. Using a wealth of material including eyewitness accounts, he also describes the colourful personalities on both sides of these spectacular events: Britain's fiery Admiral Cockburn, the cautious but immensely popular army commander Robert Ross, and sharp-eyed diarists James Scott and George Gleig. On the American side: beleaguered President James Madison, whose young nation is fighting the world's foremost military power, his wife Dolley, a model of courage and determination, military heroes such as Joshua Barney and Sam Smith, and flawed incompetents like Army Chief William Winder and War Secretary John Armstrong.

When Britain Burned the White House highlights this unparalleled moment in American history, its far-reaching consequences for both sides and Britain's and America's decision never again to fight each other.

Peter Snow - When Britain Burned the White House - Hodder & Stoughton


Now read The Daily Express's account of that great period in history:

The British plan was to march on Washington but to do that they first had to defeat the Americans at what went down in history as the Battle of Bladensburg. On the face of it the Americans, under Brigadier General William Winder, should have won. They had 6,000 soldiers facing 4,500 and the British had to attack them across a river. But Major General Robert Ross's men were battle-hardened whereas the bulk of the Americans were inexperienced militiamen.

IT DIDN'T help that the American defence was bungled at almost every turn. An order to destroy a bridge across the river into Washington - vital to the British advance - was mysteriously never carried out. One line of soldiers was positioned a mile behind the front line, too distant to offer speedy support. And one detachment of 150 men was commanded by a former Attorney General who had no experience of combat.

What followed was one of the most humiliating episodes in American military history. Apart from a brief moment of hope when they rained fire on British soldiers crossing the bridge three abreast, they soon wilted and the order to retreat was given with many men having failed to fire a single shot.

Worse, there was no rearguard defence of Washington so the order went out to abandon the capital to the enemy. Ross led an advance party of soldiers, plus sailors expert at demolition, into the city.

President Madison and his wife Dolley had to flee their home. The only other time a president has had to abandon the White House was on September 11, 2001, when George W Bush retreated to a bunker in Nebraska after one hijacked plane was flown into the nearby Pentagon and another brought down by its passengers before it could reach the White House.

When Britain burned the White House | UK | News | Daily Express

 

[EagleSmack]

... a few days later...



Ohhhh... poor General Ross. lol

(Be advised... book has not been published yet.)

BL... FAIL

 

[JakeElwood]

Havana Fever (Padura)

Havana Fever (2005) by Leonardo Padura...

​

 

[JLM]

"Paths of Glory" by Jeffrey Archer.

 

[gopher]

HELLUVA TOWN: THE STORY OF NEW YORK CITY DURING WORLD WAR II - Richard Goldstein

 

[EagleSmack]

 

[Blackleaf]

Ever since reading a Daily Mail article about the 1959 Dyatlov Pass Incident - Dyatlov Pass Indicent: what slaughtered nine hikers on Siberia's Death Mountain in 1959? | Mail Online - a few weeks ago, I've beome fascinated by it.

In fact, it seems a lot of people are now fascinated by it, due to the fact that all copies of the new book on the subject were sold out at my local Waterstones very quickly, so much so that I had to order my copy and wait for them to send me a text to let me know when it arrives in the store.

The book Mountain of the Dead: The Dyatlov Pass Incident was written by Irish author Keith McCloskey, two of whose less interesting previous books were about Scottish airports.

In January 1959, ten experienced young skiers set out to travel to a mountain named Mount Otorten in the far north of Russia. The name Otorten translates as 'Don't go there' in the local Mansi language. One of the skiers fell ill and returned. The remaining nine lost their way and ended up on another mountain slope known as Kholat Syakhl (translated as 'Mountain of the Dead' due to other deaths that occurred there - bizarrely, the other two incidents also involved nine people being killed, and ancient folklore tells of nine Mansi dying). On the night of 1 February 1959 something or someone caused the skiers to flee their tent in terror by using knives to slash their way out rather than leaving by the entrance. When they failed to return, search parties were sent out and their bodies were found, some with massive internal injuries - such as crushed skulls - but with no external marks on them. Some of the victims weren't even wearing shoes. The autopsy stated the violent injuries were caused by 'an unknown compelling force'. The area was sealed off for years by the authorities and the deaths and events of that night remain unexplained.

What happened to them? Were they killed by aliens? Were they attacked by the Yeti? Were they killed by secret Soviet death rays? We may never know.

Benefitting from original research carried out in Russia, this book attempts to explain what happened to the nine skiers who lost their lives on the 'Mountain of the Dead', in what has come to be known as the 'Dyatlov Pass Incident'.

Four of the nine young adults who mysteriously and bizarrely lost their lives on Kholat Syakhl in the USSR in 1959. Who, or WHAT, terrified them so much on that freezing Siberian moutainside that they slashed their way out of their tent and made a run for it, even when some of them weren't properly dressed? Was it aliens, the yeti, secret Soviet death rays? Ancient folklore tells of nine Mansi - the local native peoples - dying, and this incident was one of THREE incidents in which nine people were killed in the area! The Soviet authorities put their deaths down to an "unknown compelling force".

 

[Colpy]

The Truth About Trudeau by Bob Plamondon

I already despised the SOB.....this book simply gives me more ammunition.

It is not a blind hatchet job, and gives credit where it is due.

But Trudeau lovers, I am even better prepared to puncture your delusions about your idol.

 

[spaminator]

Ever since reading a Daily Mail article about the 1959 Dyatlov Pass Incident - Dyatlov Pass Indicent: what slaughtered nine hikers on Siberia's Death Mountain in 1959? | Mail Online - a few weeks ago, I've beome fascinated by it.

In fact, it seems a lot of people are now fascinated by it, due to the fact that all copies of the new book on the subject were sold out at my local Waterstones very quickly, so much so that I had to order my copy and wait for them to send me a text to let me know when it arrives in the store.

The book Mountain of the Dead: The Dyatlov Pass Incident was written by Irish author Keith McCloskey, two of whose less interesting previous books were about Scottish airports.

In January 1959, ten experienced young skiers set out to travel to a mountain named Mount Otorten in the far north of Russia. The name Otorten translates as 'Don't go there' in the local Mansi language. One of the skiers fell ill and returned. The remaining nine lost their way and ended up on another mountain slope known as Kholat Syakhl (translated as 'Mountain of the Dead' due to other deaths that occurred there - bizarrely, the other two incidents also involved nine people being killed, and ancient folklore tells of nine Mansi dying). On the night of 1 February 1959 something or someone caused the skiers to flee their tent in terror by using knives to slash their way out rather than leaving by the entrance. When they failed to return, search parties were sent out and their bodies were found, some with massive internal injuries - such as crushed skulls - but with no external marks on them. Some of the victims weren't even wearing shoes. The autopsy stated the violent injuries were caused by 'an unknown compelling force'. The area was sealed off for years by the authorities and the deaths and events of that night remain unexplained.

What happened to them? Were they killed by aliens? Were they attacked by the Yeti? Were they killed by secret Soviet death rays? We may never know.

Benefitting from original research carried out in Russia, this book attempts to explain what happened to the nine skiers who lost their lives on the 'Mountain of the Dead', in what has come to be known as the 'Dyatlov Pass Incident'.

Four of the nine young adults who mysteriously and bizarrely lost their lives on Kholat Syakhl in the USSR in 1959. Who, or WHAT, terrified them so much on that freezing Siberian moutainside that they slashed their way out of their tent and made a run for it, even when some of them weren't properly dressed? Was it aliens, the yeti, secret Soviet death rays? Ancient folklore tells of nine Mansi - the local native peoples - dying, and this incident was one of THREE incidents in which nine people were killed in the area! The Soviet authorities put their deaths down to an "unknown compelling force".

there was a tv series based on this. I'm not sure if its available on dvd yet.

Siberia | A Reality Show in Tunguska, Russia Turns Thriller | NBC

there was a documentary that I saw on this.

Ancient Aliens Season 03 Episode 10 - Aliens and Evil Places - YouTube

 

[Blackleaf]

there was a tv series based on this. I'm not sure if its available on dvd yet.

The book's brilliant. I struggled to put it down last night after I started reading it. The first chapter reconstructs, from the group's entries into their diary - which they each took in turns to write in - from eyewitnesses and other sources the group's journey north through the vast Russian wilderness from their hometown to Kholat Syakhl in the northern Urals by train, bus, lorry, foot and skis, and tells you details about each member of the Dyatlov Group, such as Zolotarev, the oldest member of the group, a tough WWII veteran and unarmed combat expert, who remains an enigma even today and who some believe may have had something to do with the deaths (it was also his 38th birthday the day that he and the others were mysteriously killed), and Thibeaux-Brignolles, who was born in a Gulag because his French Communist father was imprisoned and executed there. It tells you how they cheerfully sang songs on the train as one of them - Rustem Slobodin - played the mandolin; how they talked about subjects such as love on the train; how Kolmogorova, one of the two girls in the group, stared out of the train window staring at the vast expanse of Taiga stretching off into the darkness late at night as the othe rmembers of the group slept around her; how they ran into trouble when they arrived at a train station halfway through their train journey when a bad-tempered policeman briefly arrested one of them; how they spoke to a group of schoolkids in the same town whilst waiting for their next train about sports tourism and how the kids took a liking to Kolmogorova; how they saw another group of hikers and skiers from their university on the train and how Kolmogorova in the Dyatlov Group took a fancy to one of the boys in the other group and how she became upset when the groups split; about how the eight males in the group promised the two females in the group that they would not smoke at all at any time on the trip; about how one of them (luckily for him) had to pull out of their trip due to illness before they reached their destination etc etc.

Four of the nine hikers and skiers who died in mysterious and bizarre circumstances. Left to right: Thibeaux-Brignolles; Dubinina; Zolotarev; Kolmogorova. Some of the victims' clothing was found to be radioactive. Both Dubinina and Zolotarev had major chest fractures. The body of Thibeaux-Brignolles had major skull damage. Dubinina was also missing her tongue. What made the nine hikers slash their way out of the tent in terror but then walk in single file away from the tent before they died?

Later on in the book the author will explain in more detail about what is known about their deaths on the night of the 2 February 1959 on the freezing Siberian mountainside; and he will go through every single known theory as to what happened to them, even the really bizarre ones. Some people are of the opinion that the victims didn't die where their bodies were found, but that they were taken elsewhere, killed either deliberately or accidentally, and then dumped back on the mountainside.

It's a fascinating book about a fascinating, bizarre and mysterious subject and is well worth being read.

 

[gopher]

We'll be doing some reading on Henry James for my American History book club. This is the list that I'll be doing for October:


The Ambassadors

Portrait of a Lady

and,


Michael Gorra's Portrait of a Novel ~ Henry James & the Making of An American Masterpiece



I just watched Jane Campion's movie of Portrait of a Lady and recommend it. Very artistic movie.

 

[JLM]

The final pages of "Paths of Glory" by Jeffrey Archer, excellent novel about the life of George Mallory.

 

[Blackleaf]

For royalists who also like music, here is a book to read.

Music & Monarchy, by historian David Starkey and Katie Greening, is based on the brilliant new BBC documentary series (nobody does documentaries better than the BBC) of the same name presented by Starkey, in which he presents a history of Britain in four movements......

BBC History Magazine

Authors: David Starkey and Katie Greening
Publisher: BBC Books
Reviewed by: Tim Blanning
Price (RRP): £20

Tim Blanning enjoys an exploration of the role of music in Britain's history


What music will be played at the next coronation? A safe bet is that it will include Handel’s ‘Zadok the Priest’, played at every coronation since George II’s in 1727. Indeed, that date has a pivotal position in David Starkey and Katie Greening’s stimulating and entertaining romp through half a millennium of music and monarchy, for they tell us that it was then that England “found its musical voice at last and had been given it by a German!” (although Handel was born German but became British in 1727, the year of the coronation). This was second time lucky, as the first version of an English national music, the gorgeous polyphony tradition that developed during the late Middle Ages, had been snuffed out by the Reformation.

There is never a dull moment, as we are whisked briskly, but never superficially, through the centuries in a historical symphony in four movements: ‘God and King’ (16th century), ‘Revolutions’ (17th century), ‘The Sound of Great Britain’ (18th century) and ‘Revival’ (1800 to the present). Along the way we learn a great deal about both music and British history. As the authors claim: “This is not a book about music. It is a history of England written in music, in which both the history and the music are reappraised to their mutual benefit.”

David Starkey and Katie Greening's book Music & Monarchy accompanies the BBC series of the same name presented by Starkey

Written to accompany Starkey’s TV series of the same name, this thoroughly enjoyable book provides further evidence that music is too important to be left to the musicologists. As with the music itself, however, there is something of a tailing off as the 20th century is reached.

Despite their best efforts to talk up Arthur Sullivan (whose 1872 Festival Te Deum is said to “rival the greatest ceremonial music in the royal repertory”) or Hubert Parry (composer of “one of the most impressive pieces of ceremonial music ever written”), one only has to hear a few bars of ‘Zadok the Priest’ to appreciate that Handel was not so much from a different country as from a different planet.

Tim Blanning is the author of The Triumph of Music (Allen Lane, 2008 )

Music and Monarchy: A History of Britain in Four Movements | History Extra

 

[JLM]

Jackalope Dreams - University of Nebraska Press

Mary Clearman Blew

 

[Christianna]

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

and

the Witness Wore Red? RebeccaMusser, the 19th wife of Rulon Jeffs.

 

[Mowich]

Bill is a real potty mouth but he sure can hit the nail on the head about a variety of topics - he has me laughing out loud through most of the book.

 

[Kreskin]