So you can get to know me.
Mostly I read history, biography and Sci Fi.
Longest book this year: Rasputin: Faith Power and the Twilight of the Romanovs 848 pages
Longest books I’ve read
Final Solution: The Fate of the Jews 1933-1949 1056
Heinrich Himmler 1041
Goebbels: A Biography 964
Peter the Great: His Life and World 909
Wilson 818
Most books in a year 58
Saddest book: Pretty Little Killers
Some of the Most interesting for various reasons: “In order to Live”, “ The Hunting of the Presidents”, “The Devil in the White City”, “Rescue at Los Banos”
I was very bad at history in school. I couldn't see it as real. I went for historical fiction and I read War and Peace and loved it. Lately I'm either reading or watching Checkov plays. I almost feel sorry for the Russian aristocrats in the plays. I want to read The Gulag Archipeligo some time soon.
A lot of people don't like history. I can see how it could be boring reading about dead people. lol. I have a hard time getting into non fiction. I read it much more when I was a kid, but not too much anymore.
@RussellSteve I think it's something to do with feeling. History in school, with its hundreds of dates and names, didn't register as real to me. I have always suspected that I am somewhat autistic and that would explain the problem. But nowadays we have films and YouTube videos, as well as historical fiction, to ram the idea home that these are real people with real feelings. So learning how people coped and adjusted to new realities helped me greatly to 'put skin on the bones of history' as Gary Jennings said about his book Aztec.
You are quite the voracious reader, and some real depth there. I love the Russian period of the Romanov period, I just finished a biography about one of their relatives and her escape. If you can find Roots of Hate you may enjoy that as it is about the pogroms and how that mindset fed into the Holocaust.
I read a lot too but intersperse fluff for easy and mindless reading
The last few years, I've read 1/2 a dozen books (maybe more) on the Romanovs. Mostly on Nicholas and his family. Currently reading a book on Trotsky. Not quite the Romanovs but certainly important in that time period. My "fluff" books are my sci-fi. They are typically 250-350 pages and they don't make me think.
I will see if I can locate "Roots of Hate" Thanks. I'm always looking for good books.
Posted by MynamehereAnyone really into reading apocalyptic fiction right now?
Posted by AmelieMatisseMy latest read. I really though I was well informed about this era. Sadly I was not.
Posted by AmelieMatisseI went to a lecture by author Richard Rothstein. If you are interested in learning how our government segregated this country, you will find this book fascinating
Posted by Marcie1974This made me giggle
Posted by Marcie1974This made me giggle
Posted by snytiger6With the current trend of the far right moving into the forefront of many countries aroudn the world, perhaps it is time for people to rediscover the book "It Can't Happen Here" by Sinclair Lewis.
Posted by AmelieMatisseAnyone who is an art lover will enjoy this book. And if you are anywhere near Baltimore MD a trip to the Baltimore Museum will get you the chance to see the Cone sisters amazing collection for free
Posted by AmelieMatisseJust finished a biography on Frederick Douglass and this seemed like a good followup.
Posted by GuyKeithAnyone here like Joseph Heller? You may be familiar with Catch-22, but have you read his other books, especially Something Happened? If anyone has read it, let me know. I would like to discuss it.
Posted by ninjarider1Well, one can always hope!
Posted by ninjarider1I "check out" when I read!
Posted by ninjarider1Twenty five percent? I'd say more than that!
Posted by snytiger6Instead of powering it up...
Posted by KodiamusCurrently reading
Posted by MoonTigerA REAL Read Head!
Posted by ninjarider1Any science fiction fans here?