Now reading...

[kinuta]

Engrossing political thriller.

[Brad]

For those who may be interested. 

 

[Matthew]

The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions by Mark Lewisohn. Good book, though a sad experience buying it today. I bought it at Half-Price books in Concord, and discovered that the store has been kicked out by the landlord, looking for a better payday from raising the rent sky-high. Why is it that book stores & record stores get treated with such contempt? Don't answer, we all know why: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ 

[soulpope]

[kinuta]

Despite the numerous rave reviews, I gave up on this after 170 pages. I could perhaps have followed the 'plot' if I'd taken copious notes and treated it like a very difficult and perplexing examination.  I don't have the time or will to do that.

On 12/04/2019 at 2:42 AM, Matthew said:

The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions by Mark Lewisohn. Good book, though a sad experience buying it today. I bought it at Half-Price books in Concord, and discovered that the store has been kicked out by the landlord, looking for a better payday from raising the rent sky-high. Why is it that book stores & record stores get treated with such contempt? Don't answer, we all know why: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ 

Indeed. Currently there are no second hand book shops for English language books in the whole of this giant megalopolis.

I kid you not.

 

 

Edited April 15, 2019 by kinuta

[Brad]

[Brad]

On 4/13/2019 at 3:59 PM, Brad said:

Finished this in a few days. You don’t have to be a Caro fan to love this book. A lot of great wisdom about researching and interviewing. Whets your appetite for the last book in the Johnson saga, which is still a few years away. My guess — and hope — is 2022. 

[kinuta]

[kinuta]

[Matthew]

A Night to Remember. Walter Lord. Started reading on April 15, the 107th anniversary of the sinking.

[kinuta]

 An excellent writer and an engrossing police procedural.

2nd reading to prepare for the two following books in the series.

[GA Russell]

On 4/15/2019 at 0:30 AM, kinuta said:

Last month I picked up William L. Shirer's The Collapse of the Third Republic, and I'm looking forward to getting to it.
https://www.amazon.com/Collapse-Third-Republic-Inquiry-France/dp/0306805626/

[ejp626]

Finished up Hoban's Turtle Diary (NYRB).  Quite interesting character study of two lonely souls in London.

Just starting Baum's Grand Hotel (NYRB) and Trevor's The Boarding-House (one of his early novels).

Also, slowly working my way through second volume of Musil's The Man Without Qualities.

[kinuta]

5 hours ago, GA Russell said:

Last month I picked up William L. Shirer's The Collapse of the Third Republic, and I'm looking forward to getting to it.
https://www.amazon.com/Collapse-Third-Republic-Inquiry-France/dp/0306805626/

Although the lengthy passages about  the French politics of the period were only of passing interest, the parts about the military campaign were quite eye opening and dispelled many of my ideas of an all powerful juggernaut sweeping everything aside. The reality was far more complex.

 

 

[GA Russell]

1 hour ago, kinuta said:

Although the lengthy passages about  the French politics of the period were only of passing interest, the parts about the military campaign were quite eye opening and dispelled many of my ideas of an all powerful juggernaut sweeping everything aside. The reality was far more complex.

 

 

Kinuta, I was taught as a boy that the Maginot Line was a great failure.  But not long ago I read that it was a great success, and that the Germans entered France where the Maginot Line did not exist.

One aspect that I know very little about is the Vichy government.  Specifically, what is it that the critics of Vichy think they should have done or not done?  I'm not aware of them having any ability to tell the Germans "No" to anything the Germans demanded.  France was a conquered country, right?

With your English background, what were you taught about that?

[soulpope]

"No Regrets - Writings On Scott Walker" Rob Young (Wire) ....

[kinuta]

3 hours ago, GA Russell said:

Kinuta, I was taught as a boy that the Maginot Line was a great failure.  But not long ago I read that it was a great success, and that the Germans entered France where the Maginot Line did not exist.

One aspect that I know very little about is the Vichy government.  Specifically, what is it that the critics of Vichy think they should have done or not done?  I'm not aware of them having any ability to tell the Germans "No" to anything the Germans demanded.  France was a conquered country, right?

With your English background, what were you taught about that?

We were taught nothing. Our history lessons barely touched on the 20th century or even the 19th century.

I entered secondary school at the age of 11, in 1957, meaning that WW2 was very recent history, 12 years being the mere blink of an eye. More amazingly still, we were taught nothing of The Great War 1914-1918, the single event that transformed Europe.

Everything I know has been self taught. A French person might know more about the Vichy govt.

As far as I can see the Vichy govt. was a pure puppet of Germany and had zero credibility or independent decision making power.

The role of the Maginot line is covered in the book. It did nothing to stop the German attack as they never made a direct assault on it apart from one unsuccessful assault at the northern end of the line. No further efforts were needed as the French army was defeated in other parts of the country resulting in surrender.

Edited April 20, 2019 by kinuta

[soulpope]

2 minutes ago, kinuta said:

The role of the Maginot .... it did nothing to stop the German attack as they never made a direct assault on it. 

True .... Germans invaded France from the north (and not as envisaged from the east) ....

[kinuta]

8 minutes ago, soulpope said:

True .... Germans invaded France from the north (and not as envisaged from the east) ....

True, but the crucial assault was through the Ardennes.

[soulpope]

1 hour ago, kinuta said:

True, but the crucial assault was through the Ardennes.

Yep .... this was meant with "north" (as Belgium was neutral there was no way earlier to extend the Maginot) .....

[Brad]

2 hours ago, kinuta said:

As far as I can see the Vichy govt. was a pure puppet of Germany and had zero credibility or independent decision making power.

There is a difference between going along and being an active participant; that's why Laval was executed and Petain sentenced to death (although the sentence was not carried out). In addition, Vichy remained in control of its colonies in North Africa and the Middle East; they fought the Allies and had to be actively subdued. 

[Larry Kart]

2 hours ago, kinuta said:

We were taught nothing. Our history lessons barely touched on the 20th century or even the 19th century.

I entered secondary school at the age of 11, in 1957, meaning that WW2 was very recent history, 12 years being the mere blink of an eye. More amazingly still, we were taught nothing of The Great War 1914-1918, the single event that transformed Europe.

Everything I know has been self taught. A French person might know more about the Vichy govt.

As far as I can see the Vichy govt. was a pure puppet of Germany and had zero credibility or independent decision making power.

The role of the Maginot line is covered in the book. It did nothing to stop the German attack as they never made a direct assault on it apart from one unsuccessful assault at the northern end of the line. No further efforts were needed as the French army was defeated in other parts of the country resulting in surrender.

"As far as I can see the Vichy govt. was a pure puppet of Germany and had zero credibility or independent decision making power."

 Tainted as it was by links to Nazi Germany, that government was in tune with deep strains in French society, ones that still vigorously exist.

[Big Beat Steve]

15 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

"As far as I can see the Vichy govt. was a pure puppet of Germany and had zero credibility or independent decision making power."

 Tainted as it was by links to Nazi Germany, that government was in tune with deep strains in French society, ones that still vigorously exist.

Indeed ... I am no expert on this but have snapped up information here and there (as chronicled by French and German historians). It is true that there was not so small a part of French society that embraced what VIchy stood for (without being pleased by the defeat against Germany, of course, but still ...).

As an aside and of added interest to those interested in this part of French history within the KEY area of interest of THIS forum, may I recommend for further reading:

"Jazz et société sous l'Occupation" by Gérard Régnier (Ed.L'Harmattan, 2009).

[Larry Kart]

5 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

Indeed ... I am no expert on this but have snapped up information here and there (as chronicled by French and German historians). It is true that there was not so small a part of French society that embraced what VIchy stood for (without being pleased by the defeat against Germany, of course, but still ...).

As an aside and of added interest to those interested in this part of French history within the KEY area of interest of THIS forum, may I recommend for further reading:

"Jazz et société sous l'Occupation" by Gérard Régnier (Ed.L'Harmattan, 2009).

An enlightening, highly detailed book is Robert Gildea's "Marianne in Chains: Daily Life in the Heart of France During the German Occupation" (Metropolitan Books, 2003).

[medjuck]

8 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

An enlightening, highly detailed book is Robert Gildea's "Marianne in Chains: Daily Life in the Heart of France During the German Occupation" (Metropolitan Books, 2003).

Do you think Alan Furst's books capture it well? 

Edited April 21, 2019 by medjuck