Books you're reading... and should read. | Page 7 | Vital Football

Books you're reading... and should read.

Went away last week, and borrowed a book from my son, "Stalingrad" by Antony Beevor. It's a fairly hefty tome which I'm still reading, and my son warned me that there are parts which don't make good bedtime reading. It provides a graphic description of the conditions faced by both sides, and the cruelty and total lack of respect for their own citizens/soldiers by both Hitler and Stalin, each being shown as equally narcissistic. I certainly had one night of bad dreams after a day when I'd read a fair chunk

Haven’t read his Stalingrad but ‘The Battle for Spain’ on the Spanish Civil War is excellent.
 
Endurance by Alfred Lansing regarding Earnest Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition and being stranded on the ice.
&
Shackleton’s Way by Margot Morrell & Stephanie Capparell analysing leadership lessons.

Both good books as is Steven Peters the Chimp Paradox.
"Endurance" by Alfred Lansing is indeed a super read. How Shackleton managed to save himself and all the men under his command almost defies belief. An engrossing read and a remarkable story.
I'd also recommend "Longitude", by Dava Sobel. A fascinating read about one man's struggle (John Harrison, who spent most of his life living in Lincolnshire - he later came to fame as a result of Del Boy and Rodney's "find" in Only Fools and Horses) to crack the problem of how to accurately measure (is that the right term?) Longitude and how petty officialdom tried to stop and thwart him.
In a similar vein, "The Keys of Egypt" by Lesley and Roy Adkins is another "cracking" read, as is "The Dinosaur Hunters" by Deborah Cadbury.
 
Currently reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. She's very talented but I thought in her last book, My Little Friend, she didn't stick the landing. The Secret History was an excellent debut though. I'm 660 pages in so about another 200 to go and I'm interested to see how she concludes things.
 
"Endurance" by Alfred Lansing is indeed a super read. How Shackleton managed to save himself and all the men under his command almost defies belief. An engrossing read and a remarkable story.
I'd also recommend "Longitude", by Dava Sobel. A fascinating read about one man's struggle (John Harrison, who spent most of his life living in Lincolnshire - he later came to fame as a result of Del Boy and Rodney's "find" in Only Fools and Horses) to crack the problem of how to accurately measure (is that the right term?) Longitude and how petty officialdom tried to stop and thwart him.
In a similar vein, "The Keys of Egypt" by Lesley and Roy Adkins is another "cracking" read, as is "The Dinosaur Hunters" by Deborah Cadbury.

Yes, Longitude is excellent. Sir Joseph Banks (another Lincolnshire connection, of course) doesn't come out of it terribly well, though, if I remember correctly.

I have seen some suggestions Sobel overstated her case in support of Harrison somewhat.
 
Currently reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. She's very talented but I thought in her last book, My Little Friend, she didn't stick the landing. The Secret History was an excellent debut though. I'm 660 pages in so about another 200 to go and I'm interested to see how she concludes things.

TL:DR! :grinning:
 
Haha come on now Notty you know you've got it in you.

You seem like a fella who has a dusty copy of Zinn's "People's History of the United States" that you pull out every few years.

I've never heard of that. Will look it up.

Basically - most people on here will realise this - I use wikipedia and The Bluffer's Guide To... books to appear intelligent and well-informed.

Even so, that still hasn't made me stupid enough to vote for Brexit.
 
I've never heard of that. Will look it up.

Basically - most people on here will realise this - I use wikipedia and The Bluffer's Guide To... books to appear intelligent and well-informed.

Even so, that still hasn't made me stupid enough to vote for Brexit.

I'd like to think if you had a daily diet of the Mr. Men books, that would be enough to make people realise the stupidity of Brexit. Not many readers in the UK.

Do check out Howard Zinn. I think he was one of the great minds of the 20th century and would excoriate contemporary politicians if he were still alive. He has some collections of essays that are shorter, that you can jump in and out of, but the "People's History" is the type of book that changes the way you think. Basically, instead of looking at history as the recollections of dead white guys on horses, he looks at it from the perspective of those who have been denied a voice and agency in the historical narrative. Of note, it was his experiences as a bomber in WW2 that shaped his outlook on life.
 
I'd like to think if you had a daily diet of the Mr. Men books, that would be enough to make people realise the stupidity of Brexit. Not many readers in the UK.

Do check out Howard Zinn. I think he was one of the great minds of the 20th century and would excoriate contemporary politicians if he were still alive. He has some collections of essays that are shorter, and you can jump in and out of, but the "People's History" is the type of book that changes the way you think. Of note, it was his experiences as a bomber in WW2 that shaped his outlook on life.

Sounds really interesting.

As to to the Mr Men, I understand Mr Brexit met a truly horrible end involving being crushed to death by a massive customs declaration form. It was sad, but strangely inevitable.
 
Sounds really interesting.

As to to the Mr Men, I understand Mr Brexit met a truly horrible end involving being crushed to death by a massive customs declaration form. It was sad, but strangely inevitable.

I heard that Mr Johnson walked past whistling, and told him everything was alright and, despite multiple broken bones and a lack of breath, he should realise that he had never felt better and more in control in his life. This was just as the form was pressing down on Mr Brexits windpipe apparently.
 
I heard that Mr Johnson walked past whistling, and told him everything was alright and, despite multiple broken bones and a lack of breath, he should realise that he had never felt better and more in control in his life. This was just as the form was pressing down on Mr Brexits windpipe apparently.

Dominic Raab, meanwhile, told Mr Brexit he would be fine in 10 years. Even though he would actually be dead in 10 minutes.
 
Yes, Longitude is excellent. Sir Joseph Banks (another Lincolnshire connection, of course) doesn't come out of it terribly well, though, if I remember correctly.

I have seen some suggestions Sobel overstated her case in support of Harrison somewhat.
A girl has gotta make a living somehow. Even if she did it was still a remarkable achievement by Harrison and didn't do Del Boy any harm:giggle:
 
Two books which supporters of many a football club have read , and give great reviews are "The Bromley Boys" and "Home and Away" both written by a long term Bromley supporter . The first book was made into a full length feature film .

Now perish the thought i should mention a book about another football club , but they are a good read , both with a hint of seriousness and fun . worth a punt , and yes i have read both .
 
Well, prompted by Red Wimp, I've just ordered a biography of Thomas Paine. Anyone writing a pamphlet entitled "The Rights of Man" has to be worth a read about.
 
Is it good?

Interesting. I'm about half way through, and he's recently joined Arsenal. Very focussed on football, and little on family, other than when he was growing up. Repetitive in some ways, but he comes over as very driven (wouldn't get to where he did if he wasn't!!). Certainly pleased I've got it, and easy to read
 
Interesting. I'm about half way through, and he's recently joined Arsenal. Very focussed on football, and little on family, other than when he was growing up. Repetitive in some ways, but he comes over as very driven (wouldn't get to where he did if he wasn't!!). Certainly pleased I've got it, and easy to read

He always struck me as very "dry".

I don't generally read much about sport/football (it shows, right?), although "Moneyball" was very good.
 
Yes, he does come over a bit that way.

I don't read much general football. It's really just about LCFC and associated people and events eg KA, Butch, Jacko, Bradford. The only exception is Cloughie