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GERALD'S 50 BOOKS READ IN 2012
JUNEO'Hara's Choice
52.
Leon UrisFINISH DATE: June 28, 2012
GENRE: fiction, military
RATING: B+
REVIEW: The protagonist Zachary O'Hara grew up in the Civil War years in the home of his dad the legendary U.S. Marine Paddy O'Hara. All Zachary ever wanted to be was a Marine like his dad. He enlists in the Marines and soon finds himself on the cutting edge of a fight to save the Marines themselves from being abolished from the U.S. military forces. Many powerful men are strongly convinced that the Marines are not needed.
Zachary is firmly convinced that the Marines are not only needed but will play a very critical role in the security of the country in the not-too-distant future. He is not only convinced but driven to be convincing to all those who matter in the fierce debate. His very significant efforts are soon recognized in the form his receiving a field commission as an officer. Overlaying this is the fact that he falls in love with the beautiful daughter Amanda of a civilian shipbuilder Horace Kerr, one of his strongest opponents.
Zachary becomes obsessed with completion of a huge project showing the importance of amphibious warfare and the overlapping and extremely important roles to be played by both the Marines and the Navy. A most significant part of the convincing of the powers that be comes in the form of his prophetic anticipation of the aspirations of the Japanese for domination of much of Asia and the Pacific Ocean.
He is soon faced with having to make his “choice� between his love of the Marines and his love of Amanda.
Leon Uris is a wonderful author. While I would not include this novel as one of my favorites of his, it is quite good. I did enjoy listening to the reading of it on CD and recommend it to his fans.
[Book 52 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-7)]
JUNEThe Hidden Target
53. The Hidden Target(no book cover available)
Helen MacInnesFINISH DATE: June 28, 2012
GENRE: fiction, terrorist activity, espionage
RATING: A-
REVIEW: Two American girls Nina and Madge just finishing their educational pursuits in London are ready for some adventure before they return home. They soon find themselves as two of eight members about to set off in a large camper for a trip around the world. Six of the eight including the girls are “innocents� caught up in the desire for a great adventure, but Jim and Tony, who have had the idea for the trip, are not what they seem. As members of a terrorist organization, they are using the trip as a cover story to facilitate the recruitment of others to their cause in the places they stop.
Just before departing London, Nina runs into an old flame, Bob Renwick, an ex-military intelligence officer, who is on the trail of Jim and Tony as well as other members of their deadly organization. Bob knows Jim and Tony under their former aliases Erik and Marco.
After Nina and Madge leave on this bogus adventure, Bob’s sleuthing brings to light who Jim and Tony really are. Bob then has the most difficult task of keeping Nina and the other "innocents," safe from a distance, without revealing himself to Jim and Tony as well as to their bosses, Bob’s primary targets.
This book is a fast read which I thoroughly enjoyed. This book was written more than 30 years ago, but Helen MacInnes proves herself to be quite an insightful author. Her terrorists are not the radical Muslims that menace the world today, but many of the elements and tactics used by her terrorists are quite similar to what is being used to plague the world today. I do recommend this novel.
[Book 53 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8)]
JULYThe Columbus Affair
54.
Steve BerryFINISH DATE: July 10, 2012
GENRE: Historical-fiction, suspense, thriller
RATING: A-
REVIEW: One of my genre descriptors for this book is "historical fiction." It is somewhat less historical fiction than most of that genre, and yet it does indeed combine aspects of both. It is essentially a book of fiction with quite a few historical facts woven into the story.
The primary protagonist Tom Sagan, a Pulitzer Prize-winning top-notch investigative journalist, was been accused of fraud in the supposed fabrication of the facts related to a story about the Middle East. He knows he was set up but has no way to prove it. No publication will hire him or accept any of his stories. From Florida, he has for the eight years since the alleged fraud allegations came to light supported himself as a ghostwriter of best-selling fiction with others getting the authoring credit. The novel begins with Tom about to commit suicide because of his circumstances when he is visited by Zachariah Simon, a fanatic Austrian billionaire who has Tom estranged daughter Alle Becket at his mercy. Simon threatens to kill Alle if Tom does not assist him by having Tom’s father body exhumed, to recover documentation supposed to have been buried with him which leads to a treasure of inestimable value. Because of the estrangement, Tom really doesn’t much care what happens to her until Simon shows her almost being raped over a live, online feed. He then agrees to sign the order for the exhumation.
Tom must be present for the exhumation and is there along with Simon’s representative, who is supposed to end up with the items buried with his father. Tom does not trust Simon to release his daughter and retains possession of what Simon now claims is his. They agree to meet in Vienna, where Simon is holding Alle, to make the exchange.
The action moves from Orlando to Vienna to Prague and then to Jamaica with many exciting twists and turns along the way, including information which would very substantially change a significant part of the last 500 years history of both the European and New World and ultimately have an enormous impact on the conflict between the Jews and Arabs.
The action is fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable. I very much recommend the book.
[Book 54 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-1)]
JULYMy Brother the Pope
55.
Georg Ratzinger (no photo available)FINISH DATE: July 16, 2012
GENRE: Biography, non-fiction, history
RATING: A
REVIEW: This is the beautiful story of the lives of the Ratzinger brothers � Georg Ratzinger (the author of the book) and his younger brother Joseph Ratzinger, better known today as Pope Benedict XVI. Georg and Joseph along with their older sister Maria grew up in the Bavaria area of southern Germany as members of a very close-knit and very religious family. Their parents were Joseph and Maria. Joseph the elder was a policeman and as was customary at the time he and the family were subject to frequent moves with his job. In fact, he had 14 transfers in his 35 year career.
Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger was born on Holy Saturday (Easter Eve) April 16, 1927 in the Bavarian town of Marktl am Inn, which is said to be “between heaven and hell,� i.e., about halfway between the shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary in Altötting and Braunau am Inn, Austria where Adolf Hitler was born, approximately 18.5 miles from each. For those who believe in such signs, it is also 18.5 miles between Wadowice, Poland, where Karol Wojtyla (later to become Pope John Paul II) was born and where there is close by also a Marian Shrine, and Oświścim, Poland, which the Nazis called Auschwitz, the infamous concentration camp.
The family moved to Tittmoning in 1929. In the following years father Joseph became increasing worried about the future. Adolf Hitler, the self-appointed savior of the Nazi Party, was utterly repugnant to the devoutly Catholic man. During his years in this city he had clearly identified himself as a blunt anti-Nazi. He was transferred again, this time to Aschau for his and his family’s best interests and protection.
Music, especially church music, had always fascinated young Georg. His father purchased a harmonium for him, which led to his later becoming a cathedral choirmaster. In Aschau the church organist was a Nazi and got drafted. Georg, who at age 10 had just mastered the harmonium, was asked to take his place. His brother Joseph was at this same time convinced that he would one day be a Cardinal.
The father Joseph realized in 1933 that war was coming, so he purchased for his family a farm house in Hufschlag near Traunstein. Young Joseph started school here and made his first communion in 1934. It was at that time he decided he not only wanted to follow what was happening on the altar, he wanted to be part of it.
Georg entered the minor seminary in 1935 and young Joseph entered in 1939. Soon all religious instruction was forbidden by the Nazis and both Georg and Joseph had to join the Hitler Youth. Subsequently, they each had to serve in the Nazi Army, what was the most horrible part of their young lives. The end of the war found them both alive. After their release as POW’s they returned to Traunstein. Both boys returned to their studies at the seminary � church music for Georg and academic theology for Joseph. They were ordained as priests on June 1951. Georg was on the path to becoming the cathedral choirmaster and Joseph a university professor after receiving his doctorate degree. At age 29 he was appointed as professor of fundamental and dogmatic theology at the College of Philosophy and Theology in Freising, considered the youngest theology professor in the world. Following a move to a similar position at the University of Bonn, he became the theology advisor for a very influential Cardinal Frings. This led to his becoming a member of Cardinal Frings� staff at the Second Vatican Council (1962 to 1965) attended by more than 2,800 bishops from all over the world. After several more theology positions, Joseph was back close to his boyhood home at Regensburg. He was very happy about this since he thought it would be the final move of his career. However, during one of his prior stops he had written a book � Introduction to Christianity � a best seller in 17 countries. Soon thereafter, Joseph had the reputation as the “Mozart of Theology.� This brought him to the attention of Karol Wojtyla, then Archbishop of Krakow and later Pope John Paul II.
In early 1977, Joseph was appointed as the Archbishop of Munich and Freising and was elevated to Cardinal after only 3 months there. In that role he helped elect 2 popes in 1978 � John Paul I and John Paul II. When the later had been pope for 2 years, he visited Munich to talk with Joseph. A year thereafter he summoned Joseph to Rome to become the new Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. One of his assignments in that position was composing an authoritative catechism. Following a huge effort by many contributors, it was published after 5 years and became a worldwide best seller.
Following the death of Pope John Paul II, Joseph was elected as the new pope, choosing the name Benedict XVI. He did not seek, nor did he aspire to be Pope. Five days after his election he addressed German pilgrims who had come to his installation: “When, little by little, the trend of the voting led me to understand that, to say it simply, the axe was going to fall on me, my head began to spin. I was convinced that I had already carried out my life’s work and could look forward to ending my days peacefully. With profound conviction I said to the Lord: Do not do this to me! You have younger and better people at your disposal, who can face this great responsibility with greater dynamism and greater strength. “I was then very touched by a brief note written to me by a brother Cardinal. He reminded me that on the occasion of the Mass for John Paul II, I had based my homily, starting from the Gospel, on the Lord’s words to Peter by the Lake of Gennesaret: ‘Follow me!� I spoke how again and again, Karol Wojtyla received this call from the Lord and how each time he had to renounce and to simply say: Yes, I will follow you, even if you lead me where I never wanted to go. This brother Cardinal wrote me: Were the Lord to say to you now, ‘Follow me�, then remember what you preached. Do not refuse! Be Obedient in the same way that you described the great Pope, who has returned to the house of the Father. This deeply moved me. The ways of the Lord are not easy, but we were not created for an easy life, but for great things, for goodness.�
My Brother, The Pope is a very well-written and most enjoyable book about an extraordinary family living through the worst of times. The values instilled in young Georg and Joseph gave them the strength and courage to deal with the Nazi years then go on to highly illustrious careers as priests I highly recommend this book.
[Book 55 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-2)]
Mod
From message 8 on, you need to edit the book title out of the format. I wish I had caught it sooner.
If you want to add the book title in bold above the required format, I will allow that but not the other deviations. It shouldn't take you too long to fix things up where you got derailed.
As you recall, we required folks to say that they would follow the required format before we would set the threads up.
You did at first.
Here is a workaround if you have a need to see the title itself in words:
Here is the required format with the recommended workaround which does not change our format whatsoever or its readability:
JANUARY
My Early Life
1.
Winston S. ChurchillFinish date: March 2008
Genre: (whatever genre the book happens to be)
Rating: A
Review or a Few Words about book: You can add text from a review you have written but no links to any review elsewhere even goodreads. And that is about it. Just make sure to number consecutively and just add the months.
Note: I will delete required format post once you get started.
===================
This is the required part of the format:
Our Format:
JANUARY
1.
Winston S. ChurchillFinish date: March 2008
Genre: (whatever genre the book happens to be)
Rating: A
Review or a Few Words about book: You can add text from a review you have written but no links to any review elsewhere even goodreads. And that is about it. Just make sure to number consecutively and just add the months.
Note: I will delete required format post once you get started.
========================================
We feel that adding the book title link after the book cover link makes things cumbersome and unreadable - so it is not allowed on these threads.
You have done a terrific job so before adding any other books - please take a few minutes and edit all entries after message 8. We appreciate your compliance and once this is done, I will delete this post. There have been many folks who try to chisel away at our requirements and standards but we do not allow it.
JULYArmageddon
56.
Leon UrisFINISH DATE: July 20, 2012
GENRE: historical fiction
RATING: A++
REVIEW: Leon Uris is masterful in describing the horrors of the 1948-49 Berlin Blockage by the Soviets and in bringing alive the incredible and amazing story Berlin Airlift by the Americans and British and to a much lesser extent the French to overcome the effects of the blockage. I had, of course, heard of the Berlin Airlift but really did not know very much at all about it.
Following the final surrender of the Germans, Germany itself and separately the city of Berlin were divided into four zones reflecting the occupiers, i.e., the Americans, the British, the French, and the Soviets. Joseph Stalin’s ruthless Soviets had already swallowed up all of Eastern Europe and were intent on adding first Germany and then the remainder of Europe to the English Channel. The initial effort was to drive the allies out of Berlin, which was more than 100 miles inside the Soviet zone of the divided Germany. They used every brutal tactic they could devise to accomplish this goal. When these efforts did not work as they envisioned, they clamped a hard blockage on land and river routes into the city. This necessitated a decision on the part of the allies of whether they had the desire and wherewithal to resupply the 2 million inhabitants of West Berlin with all their needs via air. This meant flying in everything from food to coal to newsprint and anything else needed to sustain life.
Americans were tired of all aspects of war and wanted to bring the troops home and stop all the spending. President was convinced that if a stand was not made against the Soviets in Berlin the cancer of communism would continue its relentless spread. He made the extremely difficult decision to proceed with would become known as the Berlin Airlift. The closest operation to what was envisioned that had been previously attempted was known as The Hump when allied pilots in 1942 resupplied Chiang Kai-shek’s Chinese from India by flying “Over The Hump� of the eastern Himalaya Mountains. Those with experience in that operation and still on active duty were reassigned to Germany and those who had either retired or been discharged were prevailed upon to return to become a part of the massive new operation. The infrastructure of Germany was essentially wiped out, so gearing up for this colossal operation required the efforts, ingenuity, and tenacity of a tremendous number of individuals.
It was without hesitancy that I added this book to my fairly short list of all-time favorites. It is superb historical fiction of how the first great battle of “the cold war� was won by “the good guys.� I recommend it in the highest terms.
[Book 56 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-3)]
JULYO IS FOR OUTLAW
57.
Sue GraftonFINISH DATE: July 21, 2012
GENRE: fiction, mystery
RATING: B-
REVIEW: O is for Outlaw is another fairly entertaining Kinsey Millhone adventure. She accidently comes into possession of documentation showing that her ex-husband Mickey McGruder did not commit the crime she thought he had. This misinformation had led to their divorce 15 years earlier. She feels that she has to find him to apologize, but when she does find him, he is in a coma in the hospital after having been shot. This further leads her to a series of unexpected events and discoveries as she attempts to clear his name.
Kinsey Millhone is a very likeable character, but this novel got a little confusing with all the various characters and their flashbacks to the Vietnam War. Perhaps it was partially because it listened it it on CD rather than actually reading it. For the most part it came together at the end. Again, it was entertaining for Kinsey Millhone fans, but I can give it only a lukewarm recommendation.
[Book 57 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-4)]
Mod
The title links still need to be removed from the following:
Please remove the title links from the following message numbers: 8, 9. 10, 11, 13, 17, 18, 19, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 35, 36, 38, 39, 42, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 52, 54, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62 through 70; on 82 where there was no book cover available in that case you add the title link PLUS bold the tile which you already correctly did. 101 at the bottom.
I can see that all of the newer ones have been corrected.
I also see that you have started going backwards in fixing the order of the Finish Date through message 75.
I am really sorry that we did not catch these minor points earlier - probably because you are making such tremendous progress and we love your reviews.
Thank you so much for your cooperation. When in doubt always check post one
or post 106.
Once things are all correct, I will remove this post.
JULYThe Storm
58.
Clive CusslerFINISH DATE: July 23, 2012
GENRE: fiction, nautical adventure, terrorist activity
RATING: B+
REVIEW: Another spectacular adventure of Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala. No small stakes involved here, the boys must literally save the world as we know it from a madman from Yemen, who is just a few steps away from being able to control the weather in any part of the world. He envisions monsoons in the deserts of the world and severe droughts in those areas used to having monsoons. As he finalizes his control, he plans to "sell" the life-saving rains to the highest bidders. Kurt and Joe must scramble to thwart the Yemeni's diabolical plans.
A fun, quick read, recommended for Cussler fans.
[Book 58 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-5)]
Bentley, I am correcting these as I have time. If it is not fast enough for you, I guess you'll just have to delete my membership.
Mod
JULYThe Sea Witch
59.
Stephen CoontsFINISH DATE: July 27, 2012
GENRE: Fiction, war, military aviation, 3 novellas
RATING: B
REVIEW: Stephen Coonts is masterful in placing the reader in the cockpit of 3 diverse aircraft under radically different sets of circumstances. The book title The Sea Witch is from the first novella, which stars a fascinating workhorse aircraft � the giant PBY Catalina, a do-anything seaplane of World War II. A young dive-bomber pilot is asked to leave his squadron for alleged reckless behavior and ends up assigned as co-pilot in a Catalina squadron. The fact that he has never flown this aircraft apparently is not taken into account. On his first flight in the Sea Witch his piloting skills are tested to the maximum following a raid on a Japanese-occupied island.
Coonts explores the aviation during World War I in the second novella � The Seventeenth Day � and the incredible daring and skill required of the pilots of that era. American Paul Hyde dropped out of college to join the “great adventure� of World War I as a pilot for the Royal Flying Corps of England. He soon finds out that it is a very serious business with the biggest challenge to last beyond the 17-day life expectancy of the average pilot. This short novella covers his 17th day and describes in detail the harrowing challenges faces by those daring pilots.
Al-Jihad, the last novella, describes a unique aircraft � the Osprey, which has tilt-rotors permitting it to take off like a helicopter then fly more or less like a conventional fixed-wing aircraft. A young female Osprey pilot locates a long-retired Marine Corps sniper Charles Dean, who was assigned to her father’s command with a story that makes him question her sanity. Her parents were killed on airplane destroyed by Libya-supported terrorists. She has a contact in the CIA who has given her inside information that these same terrorists are gathering at a remote location in the Libyan Desert to plan another such bombing. She wants Charles Dean to assist her in flying to this desert site to assassinate these terrorists. He thinks she is beyond crazy but is lured by the $3,000,000 she is offering to pay him.
Each of the three novellas is exciting in painting very vivid pictures of what is or was involved in piloting the aircraft in question. I found the tales very interesting and do recommend the book to readers who like such action.
[Book 59 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-6)]
JULYOrdeal (or What Happened to the Corbetts)
60.
Nevil ShuteFINISH DATE: July 28, 2012
GENRE: fiction, war, nautical
RATING: B+
REVIEW: Nevil Shute is one of my favorite authors. This book was widely distributed during its 1939 publication under the title What Happened to the Corbetts?. About 1,000 copies were sold in the United States under the title Ordeal. I happened to find a copy in my local library under that latter title.
Peter Corbett is a solicitor who lives with his wife Joan and their three young children near Southampton, England in the later 1930’s. The story begins just as their country has gone to war against an unnamed enemy. Their world is torn apart by nightly high-level through-the-clouds, indiscriminate bombing of their city. They are forced to cower in a trench Peter dug in their backyard. He parks their car over them for protection. Soon they have to contend with food and water shortages. A further critical shortage is milk for their infant. What little water their can get has to be boiled before using because of a cholera outbreak and later the area is hit with a typhoid epidemic. Just as they decide to move from their home to the small yacht they have some distance away, the diseases result in their area being quarantined. They are finally able to get to the yacht but soon the bombing begins in that area also. Finally, they decide that they must sail off to a safer location. They must overcome severe challenges to accomplishing this. Peter wants to join the military to fight for his country but first of all wants to see that his wife and children are safe by sending them somehow to live with his sister’s family in Canada.
This is an exciting story with lots of difficulties which must be overcome. I did enjoy it fairly well, although it is not nearly as good as many of Shute’s other novels. It was good enough to give it a reasonably good recommendation.
[Book 60 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7)]
AUGUSTThe Sins of the Father
61.
Jeffrey ArcherFINISH DATE: August 1, 2012
GENRE: fiction, family saga
RATING: A-
REVIEW: The recently published The Sins of the Father is the second of Jeffrey Archer’s planned trilogy of the Barrington and Clifton families. At the end of last year’s first volume Only Time Will Tell, Harry Clifton is about to marry his sweetheart Emma Barrington when it comes to light that he may very well be Emma’s brother, the offspring resulting from a single encounter between Emma’s father Sir Hugo and Harry’s mother Maisie just six weeks prior to Maisie’s marriage to the long-deceased Arthur Clifton. Obviously, the marriage is called off, devastating both Harry and Emma. A most significant additional implication of this disclosure is that if the paternity by Sir Hugo is proven conclusively, Harry is heir to the title and all properties related thereto at Sir Hugo’s death. This is because he is several weeks older that Emma’s brother Giles, who is also Harry’s best friend.
Harry makes a drastic decision to leave all these nightmares behind and join the military. Before his slightly delayed enlistment can begin, he decides to sign on as fourth mate for a one-month turnaround cruise to America on a merchant ship. The ship is torpedoed and sunk with only two survivors, Harry and Tom Bradshaw. Tom dies shortly thereafter but not before Harry assumes his identity. As soon as he lands in New York, Harry posing as Tom is arrested for murder. With no identification and having identified himself as Tom Bradshaw, Harry is talked into pleading guilty to the lesser charge of military desertion rather than murder. Having been railroaded by an unscrupulous lawyer, he soon finds himself serving six-year prison sentence. He wants to leave the continued impression with his family in England that he was buried at sea so that the complications for Emma and Giles remain resolved as they were with his supposed death.
Emma, who had Harry’s child about nine months after his disappearance, discovers that Harry may still be alive and, still desperately in love with him, leaves immediately for America to try to find him. While she is develops numerous leads regarding Harry’s circumstances and whereabouts, she seems to be thwarted at every turn. She had planned to be gone from England and her son only a few weeks, but soon finds that she is stuck in America following the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. Emma moves in with her great aunt in Manhattan and remains tenacious in her search for Harry.
Jeffrey Archer keeps the action fast-paced with many unexpected turns. I highly recommend this follow-up to the first of the trilogy and very much look forward to volume three.
[Book 61 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-1)]
AUGUSTRuined City
62.
Nevil ShuteFINISH DATE: August 2, 2012
GENRE: fiction
RATING: A-
REVIEW: Nevil Shute is one of my favorite authors. Ruined City began a little slow but picked up quickly. A fairly young and very successful, workaholic financier Henry Warren realizes that his failing marriage is about to come to an end. The latter issue disturbs him very little, but he grows very concerned about his poor physical condition which is the result of his having driven himself extremely hard to reach the level of success that he has. He knows that he gets very little exercise and vows to make radical changes in his lifestyle. He has his chauffeur drive him from his London home about 300 miles north and drop him off for an undetermined period of time near the vicinity of Newcastle near the northeast coast, not far from the border with Scotland. It is from there that he begins his new routine of walking 20 miles per day. Following a week or so of this, when he is beginning to feel like a changed man, he experiences a severe intestinal attack. He is taken to a local hospital in the small town of Sharples in a delirious condition. He must have an immediate operation to relieve the obstruction. Unshaven for the week he has been walking, with little money on him, and having lost his identification, he is taken for an unemployed, homeless man. When he realizes this following his successful operation, he decides not to disabuse them right away of this extremely incorrect assumption and instead welcomes the anonymity that such circumstances provide him.
During his six weeks of post-operative recovery, he learns much about the town and people of his once-prosperous town. The local shipyard has been closed for more than five years along with the rolling mills and mine. After these primary employers closed their doors, the majority of the small businesses that existed in prosperous times had no choice but to close also with the vast majority of the local workforce being unemployed. He learns a great deal by just observing the “gaunt and listless� fellow patients, hearing them talk as if there is nothing worth living for, and noting that there seems to be a rather high mortality rate. He talks with the hospital almoner, i.e., social worker, Miss McMahon and learns that so much of this is due simply to lack of proper nutrition because they have so very little money. She tells him of what Sharples was like prior to the widespread unemployment. When he asked her why she doesn’t leave, she said because it is her home and because she firmly believes that prosperity will return in some manner.
As he reaching this end of his recovery period, he asks Miss McMahon if she can arrange for him look at the closed shipyard, rolling mills, and mine. She does arrange this, although she is quite puzzled as to why he, as an unemployed clerk (so she thinks), wants to do such a thing. He is finally discharged so he can continue his supposed search for employment. He promises Miss McMahon in writing to begin paying off his hospital bill as soon as he is employed again.
On his way back to London he realizes that he has found his new reason to continuing working instead of retiring. He vows that he will do everything in his power to become the catalyst that will result in prosperity returning to the economically dead city of Sharples. He immediately begins this “heroic gamble� at very substantial risk to his extensive fortune and impeccable reputation.
Nevil Shute is a wonderful storyteller and this tale is no exception. While not among my top favorites of his novels, Ruined City is quite good, and I do give it a very favorable recommendation.
[Book 62 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-2)]
Looks like you had better increase your target again, Gerald....you are rolling on!!!!
Jill, I plan to increase my target again but not just yet.
AUGUSTThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
63.
Mark TwainFINISH DATE: August 8, 2012
GENRE: fiction, adventure, classic, humor
RATING: A-
REVIEW: Huck has great adventures up and down the Mississippi River on rafts, canoes, and other water craft as he gets into and out of one scrape after the other. Joined by Tom Sawyer in the latter part of the book, they are always on the edge between doing what’s right and what might be a little wrong as they attempt to assist the “runaway� slave Jim to reach freedom. Parts of the book are extremely hilarious. It is truly a classic.
[Book 63 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-3)]
AUGUSTPied Piper
64.
Nevil ShuteFINISH DATE: August 9, 2012
GENRE: fiction,
RATING: A
REVIEW: Nevil Shute is a terrific author. I so very much enjoy his novels and his style of writing. His characters seem to come alive from the start. The protagonist in Pied Piper is John Howard, a 70-year-old English widower whose son was recently killed in action against the Germans very early in World War II. He very much wants to make some sort of war-effort contribution to his country, such as air-raid warden, but is always found to be too old. Very restless, he had to get away for a while and decided to go for a two-week fishing holiday in the Jura Mountains of southeast France near the Swiss border. His timing for this vacation could not have been worse, because it coincided with the German invasion of northern France through The Netherlands and Belgium. He was not overly concerned at first, because he felt that the French would defend their country with more effort than they did.
After a few days of fishing, he began to realize that he needed to leave for England right away. During the latter part of his stay, he had befriended an English couple and their two children. They have lived in Geneva, only 20 miles away just over the Swiss border, for the last 10 years where the man is a very dedicated employee of the League of Nations there. The man has decided that he must remain at his job to work for peace, and his wife wants to remain with him. They ask Mr. Howard to escort their two children Ronnie and Sheila, ages 7 and 5, to their aunt’s home in England. He very reluctantly agrees, anticipating no more than a quick day-and-a-half journey via train to Calais and thence via ship to Southampton.
Soon after they depart, Mr. Howard finds out that the Germans have advanced much more rapidly than anyone anticipated and that the trains have stopped running. They proceed toward the French coast by various means, but are soon forced to walk after their bus is strafed by the German air force. Along the way, Mr. Howard is first asked to add a little French girl Rose, age 10, to their group. Her mother wants her safely out of occupied France. Again he reluctantly agrees because of the help she will be in helping with the younger ones. Next a small French boy Pierre, whose parents were killed in the staffing, joins them.
They arrive at a Chartres with great difficulty. Here Mr. Howard seeks assistance from a family he met the previous year on a more pleasant trip to the Jura Mountains. He finds that the man has been captured by the Germans. His wife and their daughter Nicole devise a plan for their escape. This involves Nicole travelling with them as far as the French coast. At first Mr. Howard won’t consider it, but soon he learns that Nicole and his deceased son were essentially engaged, a fact unknown to him. He hesitantly consents, because he is exceedingly tired and recognizes the value of her assistance with the children. Before long a little Dutch boy Wilhem, age 5, becomes a part of their growing party, because the local French peasants think he is German and are about to kill him.
They soon acquire a Polish Jew who has come to be in France all alone after his parents were killed by the Germans. This most unusual travelling group finally makes it to western France and is very close to realizing their goal of escape to England on a small fishing boat, when they are discovered by the Germans. Things get extremely tense for the entire group before a very unusual turn of events and the addition of their final fellow escapee.
I VERY MUCH recommend this excellent tale, especially to those who enjoy the stories of World War II. It is very heart-warming and a most enjoyable read. If any of you do read this book and it is the first of Nevil Shute’s books you have read, I predict that you will soon be seeking more of his titles.
[Book 64 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-4)]
Very interesting and informative review. I actually had never heard of this author, but your review is inspiring me to go find this book or another of his works.
Craig, I first became a Nevil Shute fan when I read A Town Like Alice. That is a 5-star, A++ book in my opinion and definitely one of my all-time favorites. Shortly, after finishing that one I was hooked. I searched the stacks of our main library for other novels of his and have read almost all of them I particularly liked the titles listed below. Interestingly enough, I have not read as yet what is perhaps his must famous novel, i.e., On the Beach. Actually, I checked it out at the same time as the one I just finished and plan to start reading it tomorrow. Mr. Shute in an author who goes back to the 1920's, I think and forward to about the 1950's. If you like his books, you would probably also like another author from years past, i.e., Noel Barber. My favorite titles of his are also listed below. These should keep you busy for quite a while. Let me know if you become a fellow fan of either or both of these authors.
Nevil Shute, the author of:
Noel Barber, the author of:
AUGUSTA is for Alibi
65.
Sue GraftonFINISH DATE: August 10, 2012
GENRE: fiction, murder-mystery
RATING: B
REVIEW: The first in the Kinsey Millhone series. As with the others in the series, it is fast-paced with lots of action. Nikki Fife has just been released from 8 years in prison for poisoning her husband Lawrence. She has maintained her innocence all along. She now hires Kinsey to find the real killer. The trail is obviously quite cold 8 years after the fact, but Kinsey uncovers a lot of new evidence much of which appears conflicting. In her dogged pursuit of justice for her client, she sorts through everything and pares her list down to a small number of suspects before figuring out what really happened and proving that Nikki did NOT murder Lawrence.
This novel was entertaining, but it was somewhat challenging to keep all the large number of characters involved straight. I give it a somewhat positive recommendation, especially for Kinsey Millhone fans.
[Book 65 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-5)]
My original GoodReads Reading Goal for 2012 was 50 books. When I had read 25 by 3/15/2012, I revised that goal to 60 books. Another revision to 70 books was made on 4/29/2012, at which point I had finished 38 books. Now that I have completed 65 books, I feel that a third revision to a new target of 80 is appropriate. [NOTE: I anticipate a POSSIBLE further revision to 90 and JUST MAYBE I can even make it to THE CENTURY MARK before the end of the year. However, I don’t want to bite off more than I can chew at this time.]
This seems like a fascinating book. I definitely am going to add it to my growing TBR list. Thanks for the review!
by
Nevil Shute
AUGUSTThe Expats
66.
Chris PavoneFINISH DATE: August 16, 2012
GENRE: fiction,
RATING: A
REVIEW: The protagonist of Chris Pavone’s debut novel The Expats, Kate Moore is an operative for the CIA. She loves her job and is very good at it but has never informed her husband Dexter, one of the world foremost experts in banking cyber-security, of her actual employment. Following a very negative incident during one of her assignments, she becomes extremely nervous about possible outcomes and wants to quit but is unable to see a way to diplomatically extract herself from her 15 very successful and fulfilling years with The Company. When Dexter is offered an excellent and most lucrative employment opportunity which necessitates an immediate move to the small European country of Luxembourg, she jumps at the chance to have a good excuse to quit her job and hopefully close the door on her past employment forever and distance herself, both literally and figuratively from it.
Dexter, Kate, and their 2 young boys make the move to Europe and soon settle in to the expat community there. Kate is enjoying her new life as a full-time mother but soon discovers that she is not the only one in the family with significant secrets. She begins to suspect Dexter is not at all what she has always thought him to be. He will not confide in her everything about his employment, i.e., who he is actually employed by and whom his clients are. He maintains that there are extreme confidentiality considerations and requirements which he is obligated to follow as a part of his employment contract.
Kate soon faces a separate external layer of disturbing intrigue when she begins to suspect that their new expat “best friends� aren’t what they seem to be either. She very strongly suspects them of some sort of hidden agenda. Using a few trustworthy CIA contacts from her former life, she begins her own private investigation of both Dexter and the “”best friends.� She thinks the latter might be trying to assassinate a prominent world figure who might come to visit the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Then, she begins to suspect that they are there to investigate her negative CIA incident she wants more than anything to keep hidden. Finally, she concludes that they are actually following Dexter to figure out what he is really up to.
The Expats reads as if it had been written by a very seasoned author rather than the initial novel of a new author. Chris Pavone has crafted into this book many unusual twists and turns, and it is hard to figure out until the very lasts how all the diverse paths being followed by the multiple significant characters will merge. I REALLY liked this book and give it a strong recommendation.
[Book 66 of recently revised 2012 target 80
(Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-6)]
AUGUSTOn the Beach
67.
Nevil ShuteFINISH DATE: August 19, 2012
GENRE: fiction, naval, apocalyptic war
RATING: A+
REVIEW: This novel is an EXTREMELY POWERFUL statement of what a environmental apocalypse would probably be like following a worldwide nuclear war. The book is a "soft treatment" of what would gradually take place in a non-participant southern hemisphere country (viz., Australia) after the imbecilic initiation by a northern hemisphere third-world country (viz., Albania) of what would become an all-out nuclear war. I described this novel as having a "soft treatment" of this horrible subject, because it describes NOT the horrors experienced by those in the cities which were actually bombed but instead the inescapable penalty of gradually spreading radiation poisoning sickness which must ultimately be paid by the entire living population of all of the earth. The truly sad thing about this book is that it was written in 1957 but the threat remains just a real today, 55 year later.
The crew of an American nuclear-powered The U.S.S. Scorpion happens to be in the southern hemisphere during the war and ends up in Melbourne, Australia, the southern-most major city on the globe. The timeframe is about two years after the cataclysmic war in the north. The people of Melbourne are going about their lives as best they can but gradually having to get used to having no petroleum products to run their cars, ships, etc. (all petroleum comes from the northern hemisphere). For all practical purposes life has ceased to exist in the northern hemisphere, and from communications with other southern hemisphere cities/countries, which are more to the north of Melbourne, the radiation sickness is gradually wiping out the populations at these locations.
Because it is nuclear-powered, the Scorpion becomes the only naval vessel in the world that can still get underway. It undertakes a voyage to the American west coast, remaining underwater essentially the entire time it is in the extreme area of radioactive fallout. It monitors the extremely high levels of radioactivity and finds no remaining human or animal life there. After returning to Melbourne, the crew and the Australians with whom they interact resolve themselves to their fate and through various individual pursuits try to make the best of the time they have left.
The wife of the Australian Naval Liaison Officer to the Scorpion asks her husband: "Why did all this happen to us? Was it because Russia and China started fighting each other?" He nodded. "That's about the size of it," he said. "But there was more to it than that. America and England and Russia started bombing for destruction first. The whole thing started with Albania." "But we didn't have anything to do with it at all, did we - here in Australia?" "We gave England moral support," he told her. “I don’t think we had time to give her any other kind. The whole thing was over in a month.� “Couldn’t anyone have stopped it?� “I don’t know� Some kinds of silliness you just can’t stop,� he said. “I mean, if a hundred million people all decide that their national honour requires them to drop cobalt bombs upon their neighbor, well there’s not much that you or I can do about it. The only possible hope would have been to educate them out of their silliness.�
Again, I emphasize that Nevil Shute wrote this book in 1957. How sad it is that we have learned so little during the ensuing 55 years. About the only change needed to give this novel a little more accurate in today's world would be to substitute Iran or North Korea for Albania.
This book is both horrible in the picture of total devastation that it paints and incredibly important to use as a lesson on what very well could be if the world as we know it is not to succumb to a very similar fate. If only there were some way to “force� the key players of ALL THE POWERS THAT BE to read this novel and take to heart the lessons contained therein. Can’t we stop the madness that is driving us toward to possible brink of such destruction!?!?!? Can’t we � the peoples of the world � turn to whatever god we worship and believe in for guidance to avoid “such silliness�?
[Book 67 of recently revised 2012 target 80
(Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-7)]
A fairly similar-themed book that I read last year is The Last Ship. The most significant difference between the two books is that The Last Ship deals with a mixed crew of both males and females. It is also a fascinating description of what might be.
William Brinkley
AUGUSTThe Risk Agent
68.
Ridley PearsonFINISH DATE: August 24, 2012
GENRE: fiction, murder-mystery, suspence, hostage taking
RATING: A
REVIEW: A Chinese man Lu Hao, working for an American construction company, The Berthold Group, in Shanghai disappears off the street along with an American who was shadowing him for the company. It shortly comes to light that they were both kidnapped, and the ransom demand must be paid within 7 days. Rutherford Risk, a hostage negotiating firm with an office in Hong Kong, is retained by Berthold to find out what happened. Because it is illegal for a non-Chinese firm to engage in private investigation in mainland China, they have to hire a pair of informal “investigators� to act on their behalf. One is John Knox, the best friend of the kidnapped American, and the other is Grace Chu, a native Chinese forensic accountant with extensive military training and experience who lives in Hong Kong and has very close ties to the family of Mr. Lu.
Grace and John have major problems in staying ahead of Mongolian thugs, unethical Chinese police, members of the Ministry of State Security, and others as they try to unravel the increasingly mysterious events which they hope will lead them to freeing those kidnapped and which they find lead them to the corrupt officials at the highest levels of Chinese government.
This is an exciting, fast-paced novel. I found it to be very enjoyable and give it a high recommendation.
[Book 68 of revised 2012 target 80 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-8)]
AUGUSTOn Wings of Eagles
69.
Ken FollettFINISH DATE: August 30, 2012
GENRE: non-fiction
RATING: A+++
REVIEW: I have just finished reading this absolutely incredible story. On a scale of 0ne to 5 stars, I rate it at least SIX STARS. I place it at the very top by far of my ALL-TIME FAVORITES LIST. It is a truly amazing tale and all the more so because it is 100% NON-FICTION. I will be working on a complete review and post it in the next few days. The following is my more complete review:
During 1978 the American multinational information technology equipment and services company EDS (Electronic Data Systems), founded by and then headed H. Ross Perot, was working on a contract with the government of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran to put in place a new electronic social security system for his country. Increasing rumors of unrest within the country resulted in the EDS evacuation of almost all of its employees and their dependents who were there at the time. (The Shah himself was overthrown in February 1979 when the cleric Ayatollah Khomeini came into power.) A few EDS employees stayed in Iran in an effort to keep the business going, even though the payments to EDS had not been made for several months. In the midst of the rising political turmoil and following a demand for back payments due by the company, two of the remaining American EDS employees, Paul Chiapparone and Bill Gaylord, were arrested and put in jail with their bail set at $12,750,000. They had committed no crime and were not actually charged with anything other than supposedly being material witnesses to issues related to an investigation. In effect, they had been taken hostage and the “bail� was actually a ransom.
Much of the secret of Ross Perot’s phenomenal success as a businessman was picking the right person for the job then getting out of his or her way and letting him or her do that job. His employees were fiercely loyal to him, and he repaid their loyalty with equally fierce dedication to seeing that they were taken care of. When he first heard about the imprisonment of Paul and Bill in Iran, he immediately began to take all steps he could to bring about their release. He had an excellent reputation and was well respected by those in government. This was especially the military because of his extreme efforts on behalf of the POWs during the Vietnam War. He called in every IOU he could think of and made contact with many very powerful individuals seeking help to get Paul and Bill freed from their Iranian prison and out of the country. These contacts included former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff Thomas Moorer, former White House Chief of Staff Alexander Haig, multiple then current individuals in the Department of State, and many others. Some of these efforts seemed to be about to yield positive results, but then they all seemed to fizzle out for one reason or another. As Perot was exploring the legitimate means of obtaining the release of Paul and Bill, he began to see that he might have to turn to a more unconventional approach, i.e., break them out of jail. For this he sought out retired U.S. Army Special Forces Officer Colonel Arthur “Bull� Simons, who was probably foremost “expert� in heading such an operation at that time. Simons was then best known for organizing and leading the Son Tay raid, an attempted rescue of American POWs from a North Vietnamese prison at Son Tay. That raid would have succeeded but for the fact that the POWs had been moved a few days before the raid took place.
Simons and seven very carefully chosen EDS executives, most with highly applicable former military and/or other needed experience, began intelligence gathering and applicable training in the Dallas area. They then went to Tehran to execute the plan. They made appropriate modifications and adjustments when initial intelligence proved faulty and/or when circumstances changed, e.g., Paul and Bill were moved to a much more secure prison. Shortly after this team left for Tehran, Ross Perot took the very highly dangerous step of going to Tehran himself to visit Paul and Bill in the prison to boost their morale.
I can’t go into much further detail in this review without the review becoming a spoiler. Suffice it to say that I found this book to be the telling of one of the MOST INCREDIBLE tales I have every read. This impression is amplified in the extreme because it is unbelievably NON-FICTION. I MOST DEFINITELY very highly recommend this book to all interested readers. It is truly fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!
[Book 69 of revised 2012 target 80 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-9)]
I read this book within a year of its publication and I agree with everything you said. It was riviting. I could not put it down, and when I finished reading it -- I started over so I could savor the well researched and written story again. I can't remember every doing that with another book.
SEPTEMBERAn Old Captivity
70.
Nevil ShuteFINISH DATE: September 12, 2012
GENRE: fiction, adventure, aviation
RATING: A
REVIEW: I returned once again to one of my favorite authors, Nevil Shute. Although I’d read this book before, at least 10 years ago or more, I eagerly got into it for this second reading. Donald Ross is a Scotsman who was raised by his aunt following the death of his parents. Funds were not available to send him to Oxford when it was his time to go to college. Instead he goes into the British Royal Air Force, becoming a very good pilot during his five-year period of service. After this he follows the jobs available to Canada performing innumerable seaplane jobs into the Canadian wilderness � flying in supplies, equipment, etc., for trappers, prospectors, hunting parties, and other with interests of varying sorts in northeast Canada. He became most accomplished in dealing with all the considerable factors that have to be taken into account in flying into such conditions, especially what it takes to keeping a seaplane properly maintained and flyable there.
The terrible economic conditions of the 1930’s did not spare Canada. He soon found himself without a job and heading back to Scotland where conditions were marginally better. He applied for numerous flying jobs with no luck, then contacted a friend named Mr. Clarke at the Guild of Air Pilots about job possibilities indicating that he was getting desperate. After a couple of weeks, Mr. Clarke informed him of possible employment for an archeology Professor Lockwood at Oxford. He immediately set out to apply for the job. The professor had discovered information that convinced him there had been early Celtic explorers who had reached Greenland in about the 10th century. He proposed to make an expedition, with the backing of his very successful brother, to the ruins of an ancient settlement named Brattalid on the southwest tip of Greenland to begin an archeological dig and, more importantly, to make a photographic mapping survey of the entire area during his summer break from classes. He was seeking to employ a pilot for that purpose.
Donald knew that he had the expertise needed for this job and agreed to accept it when offered in spite of the provision that the professor’s daughter would be an additional passenger. She was quite set against her father going due to his age and tried to get Donald to convince him that he should not do it. When all was settled, the expedition did get underway as planned with the pilot, the professor, and his daughter. They flew from Southampton, England, to their expedition base at Julianehaab, Greenland via Invergordon, Scotland; Reykjavik, Iceland; Angmagsalik, Greenland; and a very small nameless Eskimo village between Angmagsalik and Julianehaab where they had to make a weather-necessitated unplanned stop. Along the way they had to contend with both anticipated and unanticipated conditions and emergencies including having to land in ice fields, frequent very low-level fog conditions, a broken leg of a planned fourth member of the expedition who was to meet then by ship in Julianehaab.
This is a very entertaining book as are all of Nevil Shute’s novels. I recommend it quite highly to those who enjoy a good adventure tale.
[Book 70 of revised 2012 target 80 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-9; Sep-1)]
So glad you've continued to post your reviews of the Nevil Shute books you've been reading. Had never heard of the author and now I've got him on my TBR pile in several places, thanks to your introduction.
Mod
Judy wrote: "So glad you've continued to post your reviews of the Nevil Shute books you've been reading. Had never heard of the author and now I've got him on my TBR pile in several places, thanks to your intro..."Judy, I delighted to hear of another potential "Shutist," as the lovers of Nevil Shute's novels are known. I just today began re-reading another of his books (see below). Keep me posted on what you think of him when you have a chance to read any.
Nevil Shute
SEPTEMBERGenghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
71.
Jack WeatherfordFINISH DATE: September 15, 2012
GENRE: non-fiction, historical, biography
RATING: A+
REVIEW: My wife has had this book sitting on the coffee table in our sun room for about the last five years simply because she liked the color of the cover. I finally picked it up to read and am so very glad that I did. It was a real eye-opener. I had always had the impression, as probably many people do, that Genghis Khan was a totally ruthless barbarian, along the lines of Attila the Hun. He certainly was a conqueror, amassing an incredibly large empire which ultimately stretched from Korea and Vietnam in the east to Poland and Hungary and down to Persia in the west. Whether measured by the total number of people defeated, the sum of the countries annexed, or by the total area occupied, Genghis Khan conquered more than twice as much as any other man in history. At its zenith, the empire covered between 11 and 12 million contiguous square miles, and area about the size of the African continent.
In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated merchants or wealthy planters, had been founded by one of its illiterate slaves, who, by the sheer force of personality, charisma, and determination, liberated America from foreign rule, united the people, created an alphabet, wrote the constitution, established universal religious freedom, invented a new system of warfare, marched an army from Canada to Brazil, and opened roads of commerce in a free-trade zone that stretched across the continents. On every level and from every perspective, the scale and scope of Genghis Khan’s accomplishments challenge the limits of imagination and tax the resources of scholarly explanation.
His conquering career began in what would reasonably be perceived as a justifiably manner. His wife was kidnapped by another Mongolian tribe. He decided that he would do whatever was necessary to get her back.
The Mongols “displayed a devoutly and persistently internationalist zeal in their political, economic, and intellectual endeavors. They sought not merely to conquer the world but to institute a global order based on free trade, a single international law, and a universal alphabet with which to write all languages. Genghis Khan’s grandson Khubilai (also spelled Kublai) Khan introduced a paper currency intended for use everywhere and attempted to create primary schools for universal basic education of all children in order to make everyone literate. The Mongols refined and combined calendars to create a ten-thousand year calendar more accurate than any previous one, and they sponsored the most extensive maps ever assembled. In nearly every country touched by the Mongols, the initial destruction and shock of conquest by an unknown and barbaric tribe yielded quickly to an unprecedented rise in cultural communication, expanded trade, and improved civilization.�
Genghis Khan, who reigned from 1206-to 1227, conquered a large and ethnically diverse set of tribes and forged then into one nation. These tribes had traditionally been at war with one another over many decades. Genghis Khan sought to maintain peace by quickly proclaiming new laws to suppress the traditional causes of tribal feuding and war. His first law reportedly forbade the kidnapping of women. He declared all children legitimate whether born to a wife or a concubine. Animal rustling became a capital offense and anyone finding a lost animal was required to return it to the rightful owner. He instituted a massive lost-and-found system that grew with his empire. Any person who found such goods, money, or animals and did not turn them in to the system would be treated as a thief for whom the penalty was execution. He established a limited hunting season and that a hunter could kill not more than what was needed for food. In what was probably the first law of its kind anywhere in the world, he decreed complete and total religious freedom for everyone. To promote all religions, he exempted religious leaders and their property from taxation and from all types of public service. He later extended such exemptions to a range of professions: doctors, lawyers, teachers, scholars, and undertakers. To prevent fighting over the office of khan, he required that one could only become khan by way of election and made it a capital offence for any member of his family to claim the office without a proper election.
Genghis Khan authorized the use of paper money backed by precious metals and silk shortly before his death in 1227. By the time of the reign of his grandson Mongke Khan (1251-59), it became necessary to limit the amount of paper money. Mongke created a Department of Monetary Affairs to control and standardize the issuance of paper money to prevent over-issue and erosion of value through inflation.
As the Mongol empire spread from east to west, the power and value of commerce among the widely diverse areas became quite clear. During the reign of Khubilai Khan (1260-94), he sought to facilitate the speed and safety of commerce through the empire by rapidly expanding the use of paper money, at a time when it was largely unknown in Europe. Because of the potential for financial disasters, the Mongols provided for declaring bankruptcy. However, no merchant or individual could declare bankruptcy more than twice. The penalty for the third time was execution.
Khubilai Khan conquered the Sung Dynasty of China and became head of the new Yuan Dynasty there. He founded the city of Khanbalik, which is now known as Beijing. Included within Khanbalik was the original Forbidden City, where the Mongols could live as they did in the traditional ways on the steppes, hidden from the prying eyes of the Chinese on the other side of the walls of this Forbidden City. He built schools and revived academies for the brightest scholars. He founded the Mongolian Language School and the Mongolian National University of Khanbalik. He attempted one of the more innovative experiments in intellectual and administrative history, i.e., creating a single alphabet that could be used to write all the languages of the world. He created public schools to provide universal education for all children about 500 years before a comparable system was begun in “the West.�
Skilled at moving large numbers of people and utilizing new technology for purposes of war, the Mongols continued the same practices during the Mongol Peace and applied itinerant principles of the nomadic society to very conservative areas of life and culture. The Mongol armies rounded up translators, scribes, doctors, astronomers, and mathematicians to be parceled out among the Mongol families ruling in their wide-spread empire in the same share that they parceled out musicians, cooks, goldsmiths, acrobats, and painters. The authorities divided these knowledge workers, together with all the other craftsmen, the animals, and other goods for transportation via a long caravan trek or sea journey to the various parts of the empire.
The Mongols introduced the use of zero, negative numbers, and algebra in China. Khubilai Khan established the National History Office and commissioned what was probably the most massive history project ever undertaken to compile complete histories of many of the important kingdoms. This project took nearly 80 years to complete. To disseminate the information compiled, the Mongols adopted printing technology very early, establishing a series of regional printing facilities across Mongol-controlled territory. Printing with movable letters probably began in the middle of the 12th century, but it was the Mongols who employed it on a massive scale and harnessed its potential power to the needs of state administration.
The Mongols had the power, at least temporarily, to impose new international systems of technology, agriculture, and knowledge that superseded the predilections and prejudices of any single civilization; and in so doing, they broke the monopoly on thought exercised by local elites. In conquering their empire, not only had the Mongols revolutionized warfare, they also created the nucleus of a universal culture and world system. The new global culture continued to grow long after the demise of the Mongol Empire, and through continued development over the coming centuries, it became the foundation for the modern world system with original Mongol emphases on free commerce, open communication, shared knowledge, secular politics, religious coexistence, international law, and diplomatic immunity. Although never ruled by the Mongols, in many ways Europe gained the most from their world system. The Europeans received the benefits of trade, technology transfer, and the Global Awakening without paying the cost of Mongol conquest.
An enormous amount of the long-term success of the huge Mongol Empire was the result of the establishment of international commerce to make products and goods freely available for exchange among all those nations. As it turned out, this system proved to be the demise of the Mongol Empire when the Black Plague, which probably started in the south of China, was spread throughout much of the known world initially by Mongol warriors from the areas first infected and then further via those engaged in various ways across the international avenues of commerce. With the onslaught of the plague, the unified cultural and commercial empire of the Mongols could not hold, and the complex system collapsed. The Mongol Empire depended upon the quick and constant movement of people, goods, and information throughout its massive empire. Without those connections, there was no empire.
Needless to say, I was most impressed with this telling of the Mongol story. I had no idea whatsoever the tremendous impact the Mongol civilization had on the developing world of its time and continues to have on the modern world. I VERY HIGHLY recommend this extremely well-researched book to any interested reader. I was really “blown away� by what I learned about this incredible group of people.
[Book 71 of revised 2012 target 80 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-9;
Sep-2)]
[NOTE: As is probably obvious, this review is essentially a series of direct extractions from the text of the book. I just wanted to be clear about that point.]
SEPTEMBERTrustee from the Toolroom
72.
Nevil ShuteFINISH DATE: September 21, 2012
GENRE: fiction, nautical adventure
RATING: A+
REVIEW: Trustee from the Toolroom is another EXTREMELY DELIGHTFUL tale from one of my very favorite authors. Englishman Keith Stewart, an engineer by training, is a very simple man with simple tastes and needs. He quits a better-paying engineering job to pursue his dream of being a model engineer or more specifically, he designs and builds every part of a great variety of engineer machinery in extreme miniature. In order to support himself and his wife Katie in following this avocation, he is a journalist for the very popular modelers� weekly magazine Miniature Mechanic, writing serialized articles with illustrations on how he builds the models. He has an exceptionally large readership and receives correspondence from modelers all over the world seeking his advice as they are working on his projects. He answers these letters quickly and in fairly great detail.
Keith’s only sibling � his sister Jo � is married to a former Royal Navy officer John Dermott from a very wealthy family. They have one child, their daughter Janice. When John has to leave his career with the Navy earlier than expected, he and Jo decide to move to Vancouver, British Columbia by sailing their yacht from England. In order to avoid the severe English tax penalties for taking large sums of money out of England, John converts essentially all of their fairly considerable financial resources to diamonds and has Keith assist them in securing what he � Keith � thinks is only Jo’s jewelry inside a sealed copper box encapsulated in concrete in the bottom of their yacht. Prior to sailing, Jo and John ask Keith and Katie to take care of Janice for the three months or so before their expected arrival in Vancouver and for Keith to be the trustee for Janice’s interests should anything happen to them on their voyage. He readily agrees to these arrangements.
As John and Jo are getting close to their planned stopover at Tahiti, they encounter a terrible storm, resulting in their deaths as their yacht is wrecked on a deserted coral reef about 300 miles from Tahiti. Keith learns of the possibility of this tragic outcome from John and Jo’s solicitor, who is finally able to confirm the worst. The solicitor is also able to confirm that John had purchased a sizable amount of diamonds shortly before they sailed. After inventorying all their personal effects, he advises Keith that the diamonds are essentially all the resources they had and that they must have gone down with the yacht when it wrecked. Keith figures out that the copper box he buried in concrete in the yacht are where the diamonds are located. He does not mention this to the solicitor, because of John’s apparent attempt to avoid the tax penalties.
Keith begins to think about the situation very seriously since the diamonds represent Janice’s entire legacy and the fact that he takes his responsibility as her trustee very seriously. He concludes that since the wreck is still above the water, lodged firmly on the coral reef that the box containing the diamonds is potentially salvageable, but he alone must do the salvaging. The most serious problem that stands in the way is the fact that the wreck is on the opposite side of the world. Although he and Katie have very little in the way of financial resources, they both agree that he must make a concerted effort to retrieve Janice’s fortune. He has no idea how he can make the journey, but at the same time he knows that he must do so. A most unusual opportunity arises when he is offered a free ride to Honolulu on a cargo airline. He does not know how he can get from Honolulu to the French Polynesian island on which the yacht is wrecked, but he knows that he has to accept the flight and figure out the remaining logistics when he gets to Hawaii.
Thus begins the great adventure for this simple man who has never left England. This is truly a “feel-good� story in the finest sense of that term. During his adventures Keith’s eyes are opened widely as he finds out what his journalistic efforts in writing for Miniature Mechanic really mean to a wide variety of individuals at both the relatively low and much more significant levels of success. He is treated almost like royalty by fellow modelers anxious to meet him and seek his advice about trying to duplicate his models.
Every time I read a Nevil Shute novel, I want to go immediately and find another. His writing is most enjoyable, and I VERY HIGHLY recommend it to interested readers or those who think they might be.
[Book 72 of revised 2012 target 80 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-9;
Sep-3)]
Gerald you are a man with a reading mission! Go for it, love seeing your progress and selections.
Thanks Alisa. I love to read anyway and have really enjoyed having the extra "push" and inspiration provided by the Book Challenge.
I am assigning you total blame for adding to my TBR list of Shute books!! I have only read two of his two works, listed below (which I really enjoyed) and am now looking for more because of your reviews. :0)
&
by
Nevil Shute
I agree, Jill! My library is seeing a rash of his books being checked out, and ending up on my nightstand. Gerald is an *enabler*. ;)
Jill and Judy, I am most delighted by your comments. Shute is a terrific author. In addition to the ones I've read and reviewed this year, I would also highly recommend the ones below. Below my Shute recommendations, I will throw in a bonus of some really good novels by another author from some years ago. Enjoy your reading.
,
, and
by
Nevil Shute
,
,
,
, and
by
Noel Barber
SEPTEMBERThe Kingmaker
73.
by
Brian HaigFINISH DATE: September 25, 2012
GENRE: fiction, military law, treason, suspense
RATING: A-
REVIEW: I’ve enjoyed Brain Haig’s protagonist Major Sean Drummond in several prior books in the series, but I think I like The Kingmaker best of all. Sean is an ex-infantry officer who was severely wounded, went to law school after his recovery, and is now a lawyer in the U.S. Army JAG Corps. The husband Brigadier General William Morrison of Sean’s former very serious girlfriend Mary has been arrested and charged with treason and numerous other crimes. He has asked Sean to defend him. Sean accepts, even though he can’t stand Morrison, when Mary pleads with him to take the case. Morrison was the intelligence officer assigned to the U.S Embassy in Moscow and his wife Mary was also there as the CIA head of station. The alleged treason related to documents and other intelligence that Morrison supposedly turned over to the Russians over a long period of time.
Sean needs a Russian-speaking co-counsel, but the only Russian-speaking JAG attorney is already assigned to the prosecution team. After an interview he conditionally hires as a civilian consultant a very young, aggressive Russian –speaking female Katrina Mazorski, who is a relatively recent graduate of law school with fairly limited legal experience. They are up against the prosecution team which has been working the case for the six months up until Morrison’s recent arrest. At first Sean cannot get any evidence from the prosecution and then he is flooded with it. However, the most meaningful evidentiary materials continue to be held.
Morrison is being held at the maximum security military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Sean and Katrina visit him on several occasions and have considerable difficulty in getting the co-operation they need from him. He even attempts suicide following continued charges against him made by the prosecution via press conferences. On a fact-finding trip to Moscow, Sean and Katrina realize that they are facing issues way beyond what they had expected. This includes but is not limited to several attempts on their lives. To say that they have a substantial up-hill battle in preparing a proper defense is a vast understatement.
There is lots of action in this very entertaining novel. I found it most enjoyable and do very much recommend it to those who might be interested.
[Book 73 of revised 2012 target 80
(Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-9; Sep-4)]
SEPTEMBERNext
74.
by
Michael CrichtonFINISH DATE: September 25, 2012
GENRE: science fiction, medicine, law
RATING: B
REVIEW: Michael Crichton is a master at taking an outlandish theme and turning it into a very plausible (I don’t necessarily mean believable) novel. Excellent examples of this are resurrection of dinosaurs into modern times in Jurassic Park and time-travel in Timeline. In Next he considers the field of genetics and what might happen “Next.� For example, if human genetic material is injected into the embryo of a chimp or parrot. The results could be a mind-boggling very intelligent humanzee with diminished chimp characteristics replaced by those of a human. A somewhat similar outcome with the “talking parrot� able to think and actually talk rather than just mimic what he hears.
Crichton also speculates about what bizarre extremes might result when highly competitive companies argue, and are upheld by the courts, that they “own� certain genetic material of a particular person. They could seize that material at any time they wish by having a “bounty hunter� arrest the individual in whose body the genetic material they own resides and remove appropriate samples. This could also apply to any of his close relations who would also have the same genetic material.
I found this novel to be a little difficult to follow with its multiple story lines. Some of these subplots would ultimately overlap and others would be stand-alone. Having said that, I did find it fairly interesting it painting a plausible picture of the bizarre circumstances we may face in the future. I would not give it a strong positive recommendation, but it does have some entertaining value in a “what if� sort of way. Some might find it most enjoyable.
[Book 74 of revised 2012 target 80
(Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-9; Sep-5)]
Jill wrote: "I am assigning you total blame for adding to my TBR list of Shute books!! I have only read two of his two works, listed below (which I really enjoyed) and am now looking for more because of your r..."I thought of another recommendation to make to you since you indicated that you liked Shute's On the Beach. The novel indicated at the bottom has a similar theme of the after-effects of a worldwide nuclear war, but it throws in the very intiguing addition of the naval vessel involved having a mixed crew of men and women. I found it fascinating.
by
William Brinkley
SEPTEMBERThe Tombs
75.
Clive CusslerFINISH DATE: September 30, 2012
GENRE: fiction, action-adventure, archeological treasure hunting
RATING: A-
REVIEW: Remi and Sam Fargo have no idea what an adventure is in store for them when they respond to the German archeologist friend’s (Professor Albrecht) secretive request to assist him on a dig in Hungary. They are to meet in Berlin, where the professor is to explain what he thinks he may have found. However, the professor disappears under very mysterious circumstances, possibly having been kidnapped. He had, however, given the Fargos enough in the way of clues to allow them, with their very highly skilled research team headed by Selma at the home of the Fargos in La Jolla, California, to initiate both the search to rescue the missing professor and find out his fantastic discovery.
The search begins near Szeged, Hungary. Following successful completion of their first order of business the rescue of the professor, he tells them that he may have discovered the tomb of Attila the Hun from the year 450 A.D. They then discover in a vacant field east of Szeged a tomb in which Attila filled with vast amounts of gold, jewels, and other precious plunder from his conquests. He, i.e., Attila, also left a cryptic message indicating that is only the first of five tombs spread throughout the vast lands of what was his empire.
The Fargos find out that the professor’s kidnapper is a Hungarian drug dealer who thinks he is a direct descendant of Attila the Hun and will stop at nothing to recover whatever treasure Attila left for him. The Fargos are prepared to begin the quest for the remaining tombs. However, they are concerned for the professor’s continued safety and his physical ability to maintain the required pace to lead the team in the field. Instead, he agrees with their suggestion that he travel to the Fargos home in California and lead the team with the assistance of Selma and her assistants via e-mail, satellite phone and the Internet to interpret the cryptic clues that will send the Fargos from Szeged to Châlons-en-Champagne, France; Lake Garda, Italy; Alba Iulia, Romania; Taraz, Kazakhstan via Russia; and finally to the catacombs of Rome. All the time they have to contend with the Hungarian drug dealer, including his kidnapping of Remi.
The Tombs is a superb adventure on a grand scale. It was well researched and presented in a most entertaining manner. I do recommend it very much, especially to Cussler fans.
[Book 75 of revised 2012 target 80
(Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-9; Sep-6)]
OCTOBERSevere Clear
76.
Stuart WoodsFINISH DATE: October 3, 2012
GENRE: fiction
RATING: B+
REVIEW: Stuart Woods has his protagonist Stone Barrington involved in a big way in a tale of international terrorism. Stone inherited a very large parcel of property in the heart of Bel Air, California from his recently deceased wife Arrington. She in turn had inherited it from her deceased first husband, long-time movie star Vance Caulder. Arrington and Stone had planned and begun a five-star hotel on the property to be named the Villa Caulder after Vance. Stone continued the project following his wife’s death and agreed to a suggested change for the name of the hotel to The Arrington, after his wife.
Coincident with its grand opening The Arrington will host a presidential summit between the Presidents of the United States and Mexico. Security is already extremely tight, but all efforts have to be re-doubled when intelligence uncovers possible terrorist activity in the very close by vicinity.
This was a very fast-paced and exciting read. I have read almost all of the books in the Stone Barrington series and will have to say that it is now my favorite. I would certainly recommend it to fans of this series and also to others who enjoy a lot of action and seeing “the good guys� being severely tested by “the extreme bad guys.�
[Book 76 of revised 2012 target 80
(Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-9; Sep-6; Oct-1)]
OCTOBERWicked Appetite
77.
Janet EvanovichFINISH DATE: October 8, 2012
GENRE: fiction, humor
RATING: F
REVIEW: I have enjoyed reading Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. While that series has it's silliness, the books are for the most part pretty entertaining. I really didn't expect any "high-brow" level of a literary offering, but based on the Plum series I did have a certain level of minimal entertainment expectation for Wicked Appetite. Instead I found it to be extremely silly with almost no entertainment value. The only reason I stayed with it is because it was a book on CD that I had already rented, I enjoy having a book on CD to listen to when I am driving, and it was relatively short. I really did not find anything in the book that I could in good conscience recommend and therefore, I do not recommend it.
[Book 77 of revised 2012 target 80
(Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-9; Sep-6; Oct-2)]
OCTOBERThe Prometheus Deception
78.
Robert LudlumFINISH DATE: October 24, 2012
GENRE: fiction, spy thriller, action, suspense
RATING: B+
REVIEW: Ludlum’s protagonist Nicholas Bryson, a former most important spy with an extremely secret intelligence agency known as The Directorate, secretly disappeared for his protection and became a professor at a small college. He is lured out of this pseudo-retirement when the powers that be fear that The Directorate has “gone rogue,� with a worldwide dominance agenda to be achieved via international terrorism. As Bryson investigates, he encounters many of his once fellow employees from the agency. He more he finds out, the more confusing circumstances become with regard to who is really on the “right side of the tracks.�
There are many convoluted twists and turns that are so typical of a Ludlum thriller. I have read almost all of his novels and very much enjoyed most of them. Because it was so confusing, I would have to rank The Prometheus Deception in the category of fairly good rather than the majority which I would place between extremely good and outstanding. For those who enjoy reading Ludlum novels, I would recommend it but not without the reservations noted above.
[Book 78 of revised 2012 target 80
(Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-8; Jul-7; Aug-9; Sep-6; Oct-3)]
The History Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story (other topics)Twice a Spy (other topics)
Once a Spy (other topics)
The Sandcastle Girls (other topics)
False Impression (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Arnold Schwarzenegger (other topics)Keith Thomson (other topics)
Chris Bohjalian (other topics)
Jeffrey Archer (other topics)
Clive Cussler (other topics)
More...
SEAL Team Six Outcasts
51.
FINISH DATE: June 25, 2012
GENRE: fiction, action-thriller, terrorist activity, military
RATING: A-
REVIEW: Three Navy enlisted men have disobeyed orders in their terrorist-fighting assignments for their SEAL units and come close to getting kicked out of the Navy. They did not, however, take actions which “disobeyed� common sense. For example, an administrative-oriented commanding officer ordered a withdrawal from taking out a known terrorist because there was no independent verification of their target and because he had just crossed the Afghanistan border into Pakistan. Sniper Chief Petty Officer Alex Brandenburg was on the scene with the best chance of terminating this “bad guy� after months of effort. He faked a loss of communication and killed the terrorist, knowing that it would probably get him kicked out of the SEALs and probably the Navy. He was consoled by the fact that there was one less terrorist around to take the lives of Americans. Chief Brandenburg’s CO was livid, but didn’t quite have sufficient evidence to prove willfully disobeying orders. He sent the chief back to the U.S. base in what he expected to be disgrace. Following somewhat similar circumstances, two other SEALs find themselves in the same office with the chief in equally precarious positions. A female petty officer named “Cat� Fares, is the fourth individual of this “select group� of those who had messed up royally after she had severely angered a number of powerful individuals, up to and including the U.S. Vice President, because of her pushing for women to be included in combat assignments.
The four fully expected that they would be kicked out of the Navy. They were surprised to find when they met with the Commander of the SEALs that they initiative and independent thinking were being recognized in the form of a chance to redeem themselves. They were offered an opportunity to become the only members of an ultra-secret unit whose assignment was to terminate the seven terrorist individuals who were vying to take Osama bin Laden’s place following his death. Each of the four knew that this assignment was exceedingly dangerous and one from which some or all may not return alive. Nonetheless, they each accepted the opportunity after being told that the successful completion would mean wiping their slates clean of past errors of judgment and allowing them to resume their regular military careers as they desperately wanted to do. Their new team was known as “The Outcasts.�
The seven tasks within their assignment took them from the darkest heart of the terrorists� home countries to a climb of the Matterhorn where one terrorist was on vacation to a wild chase through New York City. They had to deal with some VERY “hairy� circumstances.
This book does not lack for action. It is very fast-paced and engrossing. I enjoyed it VERY MUCH and recommend it to those who enjoy this genre.
[Book 51 of revised 2012 target 70 (Jan-10; Feb-11; Mar-9; Apr-8; May-7; Jun-6)]