The Bookworm’s Thread 2018

Syman

this book looks into the reasons why (in the writers opinion) some men cope with stressful situations better than others, in this case, being in the German concentration camps.



Another book about the atrocities during WWII. this is in the form of a graphic novel.

VfM4meplse

Book 28:



7/10, lots of wisdom, management advice and good old common sense in an easy read.

Syman wrote: »

this book looks into the reasons why (in the writers opinion) some men cope with stressful situations better than others, in this case, being in the German concentration camps.

Its so much more than that, though. This is one of my favourite books, along with Animal Farm and A Fine Balance. If there's any book that will make you stop and think, this is it! I like the look of Maus as well, must keep an eye out for it.

VfM4meplse

Can anyone recommend a good book on Russian history? Nothing too lengthy though! I'd prefer something authoritative but concise to having to go through umpteen pages on Wiki

Syman

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Its so much more than that, though. This is one of my favourite books, along with Animal Farm and A Fine Balance. If there's any book that will make you stop and think, this is it! I like the look of Maus as well, must keep an eye out for it.

I guessed this would be your sort of book VfM4mepls.

Maus is well worth a look. I was chatting with colleagues at work about it. Next day 2 copies landed on my desk!

Callie22

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good book on Russian history? Nothing too lengthy though! I'd prefer something authoritative but concise to having to go through umpteen pages on Wiki

There are so many books on Russian history out there. It depends what aspects you're interested in but I really enjoyed Natasha's Dance by Orlando Figues, which looks at the cultural history of Russia, and Former People by Douglas Smith, which looks at the last days of the Russian aristocracy. They are both quite long though ...

Callie22

I've been reading quite a bit of non-fiction lately, and this weekend I read The Foundling, by Paul Fronczak. It's a fascinating story about a man who found out, after taking a DNA test, that he was not who he thought he was, and his search to discover his real identity. I learned a lot about forensic genealogy and also that truth is often far stranger and far darker than fiction.


I also finished Pilgrim's Wilderness, by Tom Kizzia, which is about a family of Christian fundamentalists who moved to a small ex-mining town in Alaska and the eventual downfall of their patriarch, who called himself Papa Pilgrim. It's a really interesting study of a very dysfunctional family but also the community that they lived in and the tensions between individuals and government in the wildest part of the US.

VfM4meplse

Callie22 wrote: »

There are so many books on Russian history out there. It depends what aspects you're interested in but I really enjoyed Natasha's Dance by Orlando Figues, which looks at the cultural history of Russia, and Former People by Douglas Smith, which looks at the last days of the Russian aristocracy. They are both quite long though ...

I ended up reading the history chapter of this book:



It's long, bloody, and thoroughly depressing - and makes the last 300 years of British history look like Disneyland in comparison

Callie22

VfM4meplse wrote: »

It's long, bloody, and thoroughly depressing - and makes the last 300 years of British history look like Disneyland in comparison

For something a bit lighter there's a really interesting documentary/film called Russian Ark that you might like. It's quite famous in the film world as it was all filmed in one very long take, which is strange at first but it really works once you get used to it. The film itself takes you through the Winter Palace at the Hermitage Museum, and along the way there are encounters with various characters from Russian history, both real and fictional. It's fascinating - you don't learn a lot about the specifics but it's great introduction and a great way to pique your interest in the various periods of Russian history.

sugarbaby125

I have just finished reading The Grenadillo Box by Janet Gleeson which I found to be thoroughly and utterly fascinating.

It is an 18th Century historical whodunnit. It is a hugely enjoyable historical murder mystery. Although it is a novel, it has real historical characters mixed in with fictional characters.

I would give this book 9.5/10

loocyloo

Hello all ... well i don't know where i've been for half of 2018! i was sure i'd posted on this thread, but apparently not!!!

I've read ALOT of books! the Harry Bingham crime series about Fiona Griffiths are very good, and so many more i can't remember!

one that haunts me a bit is 'The Leaving' by Tara Altebrando ... 6 children go missing from Kindergarten one day, 11 yrs later, 5 return .... it wasn't till i returned it to the library, i discovered it was a 'young adult' book! slightly odd end, but still good!

just read 'into the water' by Paula Hawkins who wrote 'the girl on the train' ... it was slightly odd, and didn't particularly engage me.