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I recently finished The Last Secret of the Secret Annex: The Untold Story of Anne Frank, Her Silent Protector, and a Family Betrayal by Joop van Wijk-Voskuifil. The author is the son of one of the young women who helped to support Anne Frank and her family while they were in hiding. I didn't really learn anything new and it was obvious that the author is not a professional writer as much of the writing was either dully presented or repetitive. It was one of those books that I wanted to like much more than I actually liked.
My father is reading Children of the Flames, about Joseph Mengele, his childhood and his WWII experiments on twins. He said he's enjoying it. I am not sure what he means by that. It's a very difficult subject and possibly a difficult read. And if it's supportive of Mengele I'm not going to read it, although it's currently on my book list. I'll have to ask him next time we talk, it was mentioned in passing at the end of a phone conversation.
Just finished 1066 The Year of the Conquest by David Howarth, Penguin paperback.
Originally published in hardback 1977.
His interpretation of events and the principal characters was controversial at the time. He was among the first to view Harold Godwinson fairly and restore his reputation and interest in him and his brief kingship.
The Normans and Establishment historians had painted a dark picture of Harold to justify the invasion but documents written before and even after it show Harold to have excelled politically, diplomatically and militarily. There was a reason the Witan chose him to be king.
His defeat of Harald Hardrada at Stamford Bridge only took one day and was the last invasion attempt by Northmen. The author says that some of his army was unhappy that Harold hadn't shared the trophies of battle more generously which is why some drifted away on the march back to London.
The author is critical of William's methods and duplicity although he respects William's intelligence and determination.
Howarth describes the simple structure of English society before the conquest and how it was destroyed after. He regards the conquest as a disaster for England rather than the much needed correction by superior people, the way it has been looked at for almost a thousand years.
I finished The Lincoln Highway and thought it was just beautiful. I had put it off for a while because although I wanted to read it, I thought it was going to be a bit more work. It was actually very easy read. The story and subject had much depth to them but it was really enticing. Each time I finished a chapter, I would want to read another. I also read and loved his Gentleman in Moscow, as well as Rules of Civility which I enjoyed but didn't think it was stellar....but that one was much more trying for me. This was just a great read.
I give it 5 stars.
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Been reading Driving Mr. Yogi by Harvey Araton, the story of the strong friendship that developed between Yogi Berra and Ron Guidry that began when they'd spend spring training together with the NY Yankees. Surely entertaining for baseball fans and those who enjoy a story about a true man of character which Yogi certainly was.
Currently I am reading a biography about Barbara La Marr written by Sherri Synder
So far, the book is interesting because Barbara La Marr was an interesting person (silent film actress that lived an extraordinary and died at the tender age of 26).
The Stranger in the Woods: `A meditation on solitude, wildness and survival' Wall Street Journal Paperback by Michael Finkel. So far so good. A story about a hermit.
Been reading Driving Mr. Yogi by Harvey Araton, the story of the strong friendship that developed between Yogi Berra and Ron Guidry that began when they'd spend spring training together..
Sounds interesting. I'm gonna see if my library system has it..
I just started 'Edison's Ghosts' (Spalding). Basically it's about the personality quirks of famous geniuses. A cool concept, looking in to the complexities of human nature. But I am finding the author's own moral evaluations already boring.. ie- pointing out the misogyny of 2500 years ago, etc.
I'm rereading Honore de Balzac right now. An amazingly brilliant writer. A refined philosopher and an exquisite connoisseur of the human soul.
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