What are you currently reading?

[Scott Tortorice]

Just started The Gates of Fire in anticipation of the release of The 300 on DVD next Tuesday.

[Pdqport]

I'm 90 pages into Panzer Battles by von Mellenthin. Currently in the midst of the 'Gazala Battles'.

[alanp]

OK, finished War of the Worlds by Niall Ferguson which I would recommend even though I don't agree with his premise that the 20th Century weakened the 'West' and marked the beginning of its downfall.

Started Arno Mayer's The Furies about terror and violence in the French and Russian revolutions but it's too much European intellectual psycho-babble; I want a good read about similarities between the two eras of terror and violence, not some crypto-Marxist explanation of the state of humankind. Needless to say on my 3rd attempt I'm still not able to finish it. (My time is somewhat valuable to me and I have better things to read.)

Which leads me to Castle Waiting, a graphic novel by a woman named Medley. Even though it's 400+ pages, it's a one-day read. Nice art; funny at times, the story of life in a kind of strange castle, is holding my interest today.

[alanp]

Just finished The Romanovs: The Final Chapter, by Robert K. Massie. There are sections on what the last days were like for the Imperial family; how the murders were carried out and what happened to the bodies; who found them and how; what happened to the rest of the Romanov family (up to 1995); and the story of the various claimants to being Tsarevich Alexis and Grand Duchess Anatasia.

Gruesome details in part. Enough information on genetics and DNA testing for all but those who want to see the actual STR sequences. A lot of details about the legal case of Anna Anderson. A sad story overall. Something about Massie's writing doesn't appeal to me but it's a good story and if the subject matter appeals to you, I'd recommend this book.

[Cherper]

Just finished The Romanovs: The Final Chapter, by Robert K. Massie.

I found this book to be very interesting. The writing style is very much like his writing in Nicholas and Alexandra and Peter the Great. He is much better in Dreadnought and Castles of Steel.

Lots of other books about the Romanovs that are pretty good. The Romanovs: Autocrats of All the Russians by Bruce Lincoln is one I can remember. Been a long time since my Russian classes in college.


I am currently reading The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. Fantasy novel reminiscent of Lankmarh. I am also reading Stephen Sears Gettysburg, and a couple of wireless books for a training class I get to go to the end of the month.

[bendizoid]

I am reading a book called "The End of Faith" kind of scary. ( Sam Harris)

Bob

[M Faulkner]

Wife finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows and I am now reading it. On about page 200.

[Boonierat]

[MarkDV]

Just finished SHIP OF GHOSTS about the sinking of the USS Houston and the fate of its surviving crew during WW2.

The ship is sunk on March 1, 1942, and the 300+ survivors (of 1100) swim ashore and are immediately made guests of the empire of Japan...the poor bastards.

They then spend 42 months as 'guests' of the Japanese. At first, their treatment is relatively benign..but it turns brutal as they are forced to work on the Burma RR made famous in the movie BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI.

Great book. Couldnt put it down.

Mark DV
GR MICH

[alanp]

Here's the Houston in the Panama Canal during Carnival (I believe), in 1941. I wonder about the individuals that can be seen on deck in this image.


Oh, and my MHQ arrived yesterday so that's what I'm currently reading.