The West Wing reading log

the west wing · 09-01-2011 11:33pm #1

I've always wanted to keep a reading log, so with the start of the new year when better to begin!

I've currently got about 10 books that I got for Christmas that are waiting to be read. I generally like historical/political books, especially American politics (hence the user name!) The only book of fiction that is on my to-read list is Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections, everything else is either about American Presidents or British politics.

Anyways, onto the log. First book of 2011 that I read was Margaret Thatcher - Volume One: The Grocer's Daughter by John Campbell.
This book seemed quite daunting at first as it was 447 pages in length and only on the last page does she become Prime Minister. I was somewhat reluctant to read it as I thought it would be boring and drawn out. However Thatcher's early life was quite interesting and varied and I thought that it was a well-written and well-researched book that is both even-handed and insightful, which given the subject matter and her divisive effect on the public, I thought it was very balanced. Overall I'd give it :pac::pac::pac::pac: out of five.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Margaret-Thatcher-One-v-1/dp/0099516764/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1294611599&sr=8-12

Now onto Margaret Thatcher - Volume Two: The Iron Lady, also by John Campbell. Coming in at 801 pages on top of the 447 in the first volume, if I haven't formed an opinion on Thatcher after this, I never will!:p

the west wing · 17-01-2011 12:32am

Margaret Thatcher - Volume Two: The Iron Lady by John Campbell

Having read Margaret Thatcher Volume One, I was really interested to see how Campbell would deal with her time as Prime Minister. Like the previous book, he was fair and balanced, showing both the good and bad sides of Mrs. Thatcher. At just over 800 pages, the book deals with every aspect and issue of her premiership. In my opinion the bests parts of the book were those that dealt with her relationships with her cabinet, other UK politicians, the Queen, the miners, the hunger strikers, Ronald Reagan, Gorbachev as well as other European leaders. It is through these relationships that we see the real Margaret Thatcher.

I found the in-depth discussion of various domestic policies that are dealt with in the book somewhat tedious and I struggled to get through those chapters at times. However, chapters like the one which discuss her fall from power, were so well written that it compensated for any times that I struggled with the book.
Link

To both volumes I would give :pac::pac::pac::pac:/5, however together I would give them :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5 as I feel you will find it difficult to source a better and balanced book on Margaret Thatcher.

I've just started Franklin Delano Roosevelt - Champion of Freedom by Conrad Black. I'm not sure if I will finish this book as I'm hoping to move to Dublin temporarily this week and I don't feel like hauling 1134 pages around in my luggage! If I don't manage to finish it this week, I'll move onto something lighter and come back to it at a later date!

the west wing · 31-01-2011 11:56pm

The Making of the President 1960 by Theodore H. White.

Okay, so I didn't end up finishing Franklin Delano Roosevelt - Champion of Freedom by Conrad Black. I read about 200 pages and moved up to Dublin. I will get back to it at a future date as it looked promising and was very readable, however luggage space dictated a smaller book. I decided to stay with the Presidential politics theme and read The Making of the President 1960 by Theodore H. White.

This book is the initial volume in Theodore H. White's classic series of histories of presidential campaigns. It is the most famous out of the series as it covered John F Kennedy's presidential election against Richard M. Nixon. One of the reasons this book is so informative is that White, as a reporter, was given much access to both JFK and his staff. It is easy to see that White, by the end of the book is very much pro-JFK. However even though bias is shown, it is still a good book to see the politics that played out during the election campaign. White covers both the Primaries and Conventions of both the Democrats and the Republicans, as well as the main campaign.

The book gives a detailed account of the political landscape at the time, discussing both the African American vote and Civil Rights and the role the Irish Americans played.

1960 was arguably the first modern Presidential campaign in American history, as the first televised Presidential debate took place, which was to have huge repercussions, in terms of the direction of the election.

There are a lot of interesting and funny anecdotes throughout the book and in my opinion was a worthy winner of the Pulitzer Prize for general non-fiction. The book, at 382 pages is still a classic and a must read for both fans of JFK as well as those interested in the volatile world of US politics. I'd give it :pac::pac::pac::pac:/5. I do own the rest of the series, however I have not yet read them and I don't have them in Dublin with me. But I hope over the coming year to get through them.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-President-Perennial-Political-Classics/dp/0061900605/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296511838&sr=8-1

My next book is 1492 - The Year Our World Began by Felipe Fernández-Armesto. I just picked this up in the bookshop at the weekend as I thought it sounded interesting. I'm a little disappointed that I only read three books in the month of January, but I guess that's what happens when you move your whole life to another city!

the west wing · 05-02-2011 11:31pm

This isn't a review of a book but I just wanted to say my piece about my feelings of the closing of Waterstones in Dublin.

I was saddened on Tuesday when I walked into Waterstones and saw the disappointment, anger and sense of loss the employees of Waterstones had on their faces. I hadn't heard they were closing until I overheard members of staff talking about it. I could not believe a whole bookshop that I spent many a Saturday browsing though would be gone by the end of the week! It seemed so cold and heartless. I have had many good debates with Waterstone's staff, and often got great recommendations from them about books I would never have even entertained the notion of buying.

Tonight I know I must share in some of the guilt for the reason for it's closure. On many occasions I have bought off Amazon, book depository and others, instead of making the trek to the bookshop. I told myself 'it's cheaper this way' or 'I want it ASAP'. However now I see the price I really paid!

I know some will say that there are plenty of other bookshops to go to,or you should get with the times and buy an e-reader (I'm 22 and I know this is where my generation will purchase their books in the future.) But I love real books. I love to be able to hold them in my hand, visually see how far into the book I am and how far the next chapter is. I love to gaze at my collection of books on my bookshelves and see the depth of knowledge I've acquired and where my next adventure will take me. I adore spending lazy weekends slowing walking through a bookshop and picking up random books to see if something will take my fancy. Yes you can browse Amazon, but it is not personal and not as satisfying in my opinion.

I enjoyed the cafe in Waterstones, the hot chocolate was a particular favourite. To be able to start my reading my recent purchase straight away, was for me an added bonus! This service is not offered in either Hodges and Figgis or Chapters, the other bookshops I love.

I doubt any of the staff in Waterstones in either Jervis or Dawson St. will ever see this tribute to them. That's ok, but if any of you do take the time to read this, I just want to say Thank You! You brightened up many weekends for me and let me escape any worries I had while within your four walls. The purchases I made no doubt changed my life, as I now am on my way to becoming Librarian. Without the books I bought, this would not have happened.

So thank you, and I wish the best of luck in whatever direction life takes you. You will be missed!

the west wing · 06-02-2011 8:32pm

1492 - The Year Our World Began by Felipe Fernández-Armesto

Generally I wouldn't read this kind of book as it concentrates on maritime and exploration history. As I've mentioned in my first post, I'm mainly interested in modern American history and politics. So from the outset I don't think I'm the best judge of the book.

I've read great reviews of the book and had seen it all over bookshops in Dublin. But in all honesty, it wasn't for me.

The book itself is well written and is an easy read. I read it in about 5 days. Had I been able to give it more time I probably could have read it in 3. The chapters I found most engaging were the ones where the author discussed Italy, the New World and the final chapter, where he linked the events of 1492 to modern day and our own world.

There were a lot of interesting anecdotes in each of the chapters but I did find myself skimming over parts of it that I found tedious or had little previous knowledge of and didn't find that interesting.

I would recommend this book to people who are interested in exploration history as it gives great accounts of the various maritime and land expeditions at the end of the 1400s. For me however, the book was some what forgettable. I would give it :pac::pac: and a half/5.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/1492-Year-Our-World-Began/dp/1408809508/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

At this stage I've completely abandoned my original to-read list that I made at Christmas. Mainly because I'm in a new city and don't have access to the books and also because I went a bit mad buying books when I heard Waterstones was closing!! So for my next book I will be reading Made in America by Bill Bryson. I've never read any of his stuff before, not even the famous 'A Short History of Nearly Everything', so I look forward to seeing what his style of writing is like. I'm glad to be back on familiar territory with regards to American history and culture. Going for minor surgery during the week so I'm not sure when I'll update this again, hopefully soon!

Caros · 08-02-2011 3:07pm

I've read a few Bill Bryson's and they're good, he has a great irreverent way with words, very enjoyable. Hope the surgery goes well for you. take care.

metamorphosis · 08-02-2011 5:46pm

Must put some of these books on my to read list

the west wing · 13-02-2011 8:50pm

Made in America by Bill Bryson

I loved this book! Simple as that. I'm glad this week of all weeks I decided to pick it up. as after surgery I needed a good laugh, and this certainly provided.

As I've previously said I've never read anything by Bryson so I was interested to see why he is such a popular author. His writing style is very readable, you would easily read 100-150 pages a day. The book never labours and keeps your interest until the end.

The book is a sort of history of the American English language and explains how words came to describe things and objects got their names. It may sound boring but it really isn't. There are so many nuggets of funny facts that you constantly have a smile on your face. Unfortunately I have a head like a sieve and I've forgotten most of the facts and ancedotes but I have no doubt that I will re-read this book at some point to re-fresh my memory and have another good laugh!

I really can't recommend this book enough and I'm most definitely purchasing more books by Bryson. It's only a pity it has taken me so long to realize his brilliance! Easily :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5!

I'm back to my original list of books that I wanted to read after Christmas, well for now anyway! The bookshops in Dublin are far too tempting to pass by! So the next book I'm going to read is The Making of the President 1964 by Theodore H. White. This is the follow-up to his previous book The Making of the President 1960 (see review above). I'm not sure this book will be as interesting as the first, mainly because the assassination of JFK overshadowed much of the election. But we shall see.

the west wing · 19-02-2011 10:25pm

The Making of the President 1964 by Theodore H. White

This is the second in a series of four books by Theodore H. White on U.S. presidential campaigns from 1960-1972. 1964 was the presidential election of Lyndon B Johnson versus Barry Goldwater.

Even though White's first book on JFKs election is often credited as being one of the greatest campaign books of all time I actually preferred this one. Firstly this book is not written as romantically as the first. It was quite clear that White was in utter awe of JFK during the 1960 election and thus wrote a biased but engaging portrayal of the campaign. What I liked about this book was that it was somewhat more balanced. It is clear the White respected both LBJ and Goldwater and I believe gives a more fair portrayal of the election. He showed both men's good and bad points.

Secondly, what really interested me were the chapters on Civil Rights in America. Reading this in 2011, with an African American in the Oval Office, 1964 America seems like a completely different world! That African Americans were being hosed and beaten just because they wanted to be treated equally boggles the mind! The viewpoints of some of the politicians in 1964 seem so far removed from present day that at times I felt I was reading a book of fiction. Just to realize how far as a nation America has come in 50 years, is reason enough to read this book.

Thirdly, the first chapter that deals with JFK's assassination and aftermath is well written and gives a great understanding of the mood of the nation as the days, weeks and months past.

Even though the election result was never really in doubt, this book is still engaging and entertaining and is important as it highlights the the first modern election that was fought along regional lines. For example, the Republicans focused much of their resources on the South (an ironic shift for the Party of Lincoln), while the Democrats began to solidify their growing dominance in much of the Northeast and Upper Midwest (overturning many traditional bastions of Republican strength). In many ways, this sectional division still exists today, with the existence of "Red" states and "Blue" states. The emergence of this begins in 1964.

Overall I would give it :pac::pac::pac::pac:/5. A good read but you would certainly enjoy it more if you have read the first book in the series.

So onto my next read! As I hope to go to my first Boards bookclub meet up, I've just picked up their current selection Things the Grandchildren Should Know by Mark Oliver Everett. Would not be a book I would normally read so I'm interested to see how I get on!

the west wing · 20-02-2011 8:57pm

Things the Grandchildren Should Know by Mark Oliver Everett

Well that didn't take long to read. Three and a half hours to be exact! I'm not going to go into detail reviewing this as I don't want to rehash my viewpoint at the book-club meeting. I'd like to sound somewhat original and intelligent at the meeting :cool::D

For a book I wouldn't normally pick up, I thought it was enjoyable even if it was utterly depressing. I'd recommend it, though I would have preferred something that took a little longer to read. Overall :pac::pac::pac::pac:/5. I'll be interested to hear what the rest of the book-club thought of it

Now back to normal reading! The Bridge - The Life and Rise of Barack Obama by David Remnick is the next book up for reading. This will definitely take longer to read! It has gotten some great reviews so I am looking forward to it, plus I'm glad to be reading some current history for a change

Denerick · 22-02-2011 2:16pm

Speaking as someone who has an amateur interest in American history and politics, I have to say your log is one of the more insightful and entertaining around here. Keep up the good work!

Eliot Rosewater · 25-02-2011 12:57pm

the west wing wrote: »

For a book I wouldn't normally pick up, I thought it was enjoyable even if it was utterly depressing. I'd recommend it, though I would have preferred something that took a little longer to read. Overall :pac::pac::pac::pac:/5. I'll be interested to hear what the rest of the book-club thought of it

As a fan of Everett's music I enjoyed the book a lot, especially the parts where he explained back stories to certain songs. Have you listened to much of Eels?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEaZz18fOYY

sponsoredwalk · 25-02-2011 4:32pm

If you found the stuff on Hugh & Mark Everett interesting then this program:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnnA3sgMXCI

will "blow your mind", to parpaphrase Mark from the show

the west wing · 25-02-2011 6:19pm

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

As a fan of Everett's music I enjoyed the book a lot, especially the parts where he explained back stories to certain songs. Have you listened to much of Eels?

I had never heard of the Eels before reading the book so I had no idea who he was and what his music was like. I was going to listen to some of the music first, but decided against it as I was afraid it might colour my judgement of the book. After finishing the book I youtubed some of his stuff and have to admit it's not really to my taste. Though I did enjoy it more as I knew the background to the music, overall it wouldn't be the type of music I normally listen to.

the west wing · 06-03-2011 8:34pm

The Bridge - The Life and Rise of Barack Obama by David Remnick

This book is a fascinating account of President Barack Obama's life and the people and ideas who shaped it. This book is not merely a retelling of his past, it delves much deeper and looks at how Civil Rights and the issue of race in America has been dealt with since the 1960s, which after reading White's books (see above) I found very educational. It also looks at how President Obama came to appreciate his race (as his up-bringing is not that of a typical African American).

I think what makes this book so interesting is the Remnick interviews many of the senior black leaders in the US, especially those who had been involved in the Civil Rights struggle of the 1960s and asks them about their feelings about Obama. Another reasons why this book is so absorbing is that it deals with the Rev. Wright scandal, in I believe a very balanced way.

The only area where I think this book is weak is that it doesn't really give an in-depth look into the 2008 Presidential election, though it does give much detail about his earlier elections. This I'm sure is because most of us are familiar with the Presidential race. Also I would have liked it to talk more about his wife and children, as it examined so much of his ancestors. However these two criticisms are very minor, I just enjoy memorable personal anecdotes in a book.

Overall I think this book in time will become the key text on President Obama's early life, apart from his own books. It is very well written and goes at a nice pace, coming in at 600 pages. I'm going to give it :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5.

Surprise, surprise I'm back to The Making of the President 1968 by Theodore White. I hadn't planned on reading this next however after reading The Bridge I thought this would complement it nicely as this book should deal with the death of Martin Luther King and the riots that occurred after.

the west wing · 12-03-2011 1:18pm

The Making of the President 1968 by Theodore White.

In this his third book about U.S. Presidential elections, Theodore H. White chronicles the presidential campaign in a year when everything seemed to go wrong. 1968 was the year that Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King were assassinated, riots erupted on college campuses as well as the Democratic National Convention, the Tet offensive occurred and Lyndon Johnson seemed completely bogged down in the mess that was Vietnam. The question of race and civil rights was still in some ways unresolved, especially after the King assassination and the emergence of a third Presidential candidate, George Wallace, who at the time many felt was an out and out racist.

It was with this volatile background that the 1968 Presidential election took place between Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. Both men had many hurdles to jump over to gain their party nomination, Nixon still had the 'stench of loser' on him after losing to JFK in 1960 and Humphrey was Vice President to JBJ and thus was tied to the decisions LBJ made on Vietnam.

Most of the action in this book takes place at the start, during the primaries. Here Kennedy decides whether he will run or not, and then his subsequent assassination, LBJ decides that he will not seek re-election and also how Eugene McCarthy was able to tap into the student movement. On the Republican side, it's interesting to see how Nixon manages to re-invent himself into a contender for the Presidency.

Of the three books in the series I've read, this has been my least favorite. I felt that White almost ignored the assassination of King while devoting a whole chapter to Bobby Kennedy. While it has always been clear from White's writings that he is in awe of the Kennedys, I felt his unbalanced coverage ignored a major part of the 1968 story.

Also the part of White's writings I enjoy the most is the anecdotes and behind the scenes coverage. In each of his books he devotes a chapter to how he sees the country. In this book there was a lot more of it, and though it gives a good account of the state of America in 1968, I feel at times it is long winded and I often began to glance over the pages.

The book gives a great account of the election, however compared to the other books I feel it was somewhat weaker. Therefore I'd give it :pac::pac::pac:/5

Once again I'm going slightly off the usual reading list and reading Solar by Ian McEwan. This is the Boards bookclub pick for the month. Having read the blurb on the back, I'm not sure this is the book for me, but I shall see!

the west wing · 13-03-2011 9:57pm

Solar by Ian McEwan.

:mad: I'm sorry that I wasted half a day reading this, as I will never get those hours of my life back! A part of me doesn't even want to go to the Boards book club meet-up to discuss this, as it would mean wasting another hour of my life. This may sound harsh but I found the book completely predictable, was indifferent to the main character and could not find any comedic value to it at all! My advice is to avoid. I'd give it :pac:/5.

The next book I'm going to read is One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. I picked this up as it is something short to read on the train and I've hoping it will engage me more then the last book!

the west wing · 14-03-2011 9:56pm

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

This classic book is about a day in the life of someone who is being held in a Gulag (labour camp) during Stalin's reign. One of my favourite books of all time is Stalin - The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiore, so I had wanted to read Solzhenitsyn's book for a long time. It didn't disappoint! While utterly depressing I found this book gave a real portrayal of life in the Gulag and I could completely visualize Ivan's life.

Though nothing really happens in the book, I think this is it's genius. If Solzhenitsyn had tried to 'sex up' the book then he would have done a complete injustice to himself and the lives of men and women who suffered in the Gulags. I'd recommend this to anyone as it is a history lesson from which we must learn! Easily :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5.

Seeing as I have agreed to go to the newest boards book club, next up to read is Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger. Really looking forward to both the book and the meet-up!

the west wing · 15-03-2011 9:46pm

Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger.

Really loved this book. Again I don't want to give too much of my opinions on the book, but all I can say is that I got so engrossed in it I set my alarm an hour earlier this morning so I would have time to finish it before I went to work! I'd give it :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5.

Staying with the Glass family (characters in Franny and Zooey) Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction by J.D. Salinger will be the next book I'm going to read. I didn't realize that Salinger has written many short stories about the Glass family so I'm going to read this next to see how it compares.

the west wing · 18-03-2011 12:38am

Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction by J.D. Salinger

This was an interesting read after Franny and Zooey as it gave some more background information about the Glass family and helped to fill our some parts of the family. Out of the two stories, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters was the superior of the two in my opinion. It was a proper short story as opposed to Seymour: An Introduction which was more of a rambling musing of feelings. The characters in 'Raise High' were interesting and engaging and were perfect for a short story. Overall I would give Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5 and Seymour: An Introduction :pac::pac::pac: and a half/5.

I seem to be somewhat stuck on fiction at the moment and therefore the next book I hope to read is One Day by David Nicholls. May as well see what all the fuss is about. I don't want anyone to accuse me of not being current

the west wing · 18-03-2011 8:40pm

One Day by David Nicholls.

Very accurate title, it did only take me one day to read.;) Overall it was fine. I wouldn't classify it as 'chick-lit' as I thought it had a bit more depth to it but I think I'll find it quite forgettable in time. It was interesting to see the characters evolve but in the middle I found it somewhat dragging.

I can see why it is popular, as it's easy to read and each character reminds you of someone you know. Not the worst book to pick up, however mine has already found a home in Chapters second hand books. I'd give it :pac::pac::pac:/5.

Still reading fiction (not sure what has come over me) so the next book is The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck. I picked this up during the week while browsing through Hodges and Figgis. Last year I read Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath. Never had the chance to read these in school so was happy to finally read them. Thought they were very good and that's what I bought The Winter of Our Discontent. I hope it lives up to the standard of the others.

the west wing · 19-03-2011 8:15pm

The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck.

This book I felt was completely different to either Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath. To me it didn't even feel written by the same author. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it, I did, just thought it read very differently.

It took me a little while to get into it and there were a few times I wasn't 100% sure what was going on but overall it was a good read. Really liked the ending as it made me think. I can see why some critics thought it was weak but I enjoyed it. Not as good as his other works but I'd still recommend it. I'd give it :pac::pac::pac::pac:/5.

Decided that because the new book club is meeting on Tuesday to talk about Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger that I would read his most famous work, The Catcher in the Rye. This book has escaped my reading for some time, but no longer I say! I've enjoyed his other work so far so I'm hoping this too will engage me.

the west wing · 20-03-2011 10:31pm

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.

Well I've had a busy 24 hours as I managed to read three books in that space of time (one of the benefits of not having full time work and no one to be accountable to). So book number one was the famous Catcher in the Rye. I really enjoyed this. Again I loved how Salinger portrayed his characters, and though not the Glass family, they were equally as engaging. I must be honest though this is his most famous work I actually preferred Franny and Zooey. I felt the dialogue in Franny and Zooey more charming and witty. Saying that, I'd still give The Catcher in the Rye :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5.

the west wing · 20-03-2011 10:40pm

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Book number two of the weekend was another one of those immensely famous books that I had never gotten around to read. (On a side note Hodgis and Figgis/Chapters/The Winding Stair are all having field days with my new love affair with classic fiction!)

I didn't know quite what to expect as I've never read any of his other work. Overall I loved it, the various layers of plot and the fascinating characters meant I couldn't put the book down. I can see why some regard it as one of the greatest novels of American literature. Easily :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5

the west wing · 20-03-2011 11:01pm

Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger. (This book also goes under the name of For Esme - With Love and Squalor.)

And to round off the weekend I felt I must finish all the work of Salinger I could lay my hands on. Nine Stories is, you guessed it, a collection of nine short stories written by Salinger. These stories are:

"A Perfect Day for Bananafish"
"Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut"
"Just Before the War with the Eskimos"
"The Laughing Man"
"Down at the Dinghy"
"For Esmé - with Love and Squalor"
"Pretty Mouth and Green My Eyes"
"De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period"
"Teddy".

Personally my favourite were "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" and "For Esmé - with Love and Squalor". Thought these were both beautiful and intriguing. Honestly I thought all the stories were good and none made me lose interest. I would certainly recommend them. I'd give the collection :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5. I must be getting soft in my old age! An all 5 star weekend!

Next up to read I'm finally going back to more familiar ground and reading Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin. This is the true story of how a white American travelled through the segregated Deep South of the 1950s disguised as a black man.

the west wing · 25-03-2011 6:24pm

Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin.

Straight off I would recommend this book to everyone. If it was more widely available I would urge you to go buy it straight away! Even if it is a bit of hassle to get it, it's worth it!

Like I said in my last post the book is about the true story of how a white American travelled through the segregated Deep South of the 1950s disguised as a black man. It is a really eye-opening book that I think describes the situation in America in 1959 and how each side viewed the other. It is interesting to see how the black community open up to Griffin, when he appears to be black and how the white community completely shuts him out. And also how he deals with the emotional upheaval that he endures during his experiment.

It is also fascinating the reception that the book received when first published and the amount of death threats Griffin received. He, his wife and kids as well as his parents had to relocate to Mexico to get away from the threats.

It blows me away that this book is only 50 years old, within my mothers lifetime and yet for a black man he would be unable to find a rest room and may have to walk across a town in order to relieve himself. I would easily give this book :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5.

Next up is Washington, D.C: A Novel by Gore Vidal. Washington, D.C., is the final installment in Gore Vidal's Narratives of Empire,his acclaimed six-volume series of historical novels about the American past. I, however have not read any of the other books in the series so I am probably at a big disadvantage.

the west wing · 02-04-2011 4:59pm

Washington, D.C: A Novel by Gore Vidal.

I've never read any of Vidal's work of fiction, mostly just his essays on the state of America. Like I explained earlier this book is part of a series but you really can just pick this up and read it as a stand alone piece.

It was strange in the sense that although it took me only three days to read it I felt I had being reading it for an age! I'm not sure why this was. I felt the book was interesting and I did enjoy how the characters developed so I'm not sure why it felt so long. I probably wouldn't recommend someone to go out and buy this however if you saw it in a charity shop or someone offered it to you then I would read it. It did hold my attention and if you are a fan of historical fiction then maybe you would enjoy it even more. It's set during Roosevelt's presidency.

I won't be rushing out to get the rest of the series but maybe I shall come upon in time and then read them. I'd give this book :pac::pac::pac: and a half/5.

For my bookcrossing bookclub, we've picked Ghost Light by Joseph O'Connor. I've read about 70 pages of the book so far and am really not enjoying it. Maybe it'll grow on me, but at the moment I think a better book could have been chosen for the 'One City, One Book' honour.

the west wing · 03-04-2011 6:12pm

Ghost Light by Joseph O'Connor.

Well I was a bit harsh in my last entry. The book did grow on me but I can't say I loved it. The book is definitely well written and it does have a certain charm to it. The descriptions of people and places are in parts beautiful, I just felt that the story itself was somewhat lacking. I now fully appreciate why it was picked for 'One City, One Book', as parts of Dublin literally jump out of the pages. Overall I'd give it :pac::pac::pac: and a half/5.

The next book is a classic, and one that has recently had a thread devoted to it on boards, which was what sparked my interest. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov is where I next turn my attention to. I'm interested to see what my reaction to the book is and what I will think of it.

the west wing · 06-04-2011 10:06pm

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

This isn't going to be a long review as I outlined my feelings to the book in the literature thread (Or well I completely agreed with another poster, they hit the nail on the head perfectly). I loved the first part of the book. Thought the characters was engaging and entertaining. I was dying to see how he would seduce Lolita. Once this happened however I slowly began to lose interest as the narrative reflected the main characters decent into madness and paranoia. I would recommend it to someone, just because I think it is an important book to read as it does make you think, however it was not the classic I thought it was going to be. Therefore I'm going to give it :pac::pac::pac:/5.

I'm going to leave the classic modern literature binge I've been on recently and go back to my roots of good old America politics. And to get me back I thought what better but to read about one of the most iconic American families of all time. Next to read is True Compass by Edward M. Kennedy. I've been meaning to read this for an age but decided to wait until it was in paperback. I'm intrigued to see what Teddy talks about and whether he will discuss things in much depth, such as the events at Chappaquiddick.

the west wing · 09-04-2011 11:24pm

True Compass by Edward M. Kennedy.

**Disclaimer** I've always had a soft spot for Teddy Kennedy so this review will show a bias.

I really enjoyed this book, but as someone who has read a lot of Kennedy books this didn't surprise me. The first part of the book that covers the period from his birth to Bobby's death, in my opinion is the best part of the book. I enjoyed it as the stories from his childhood were both terribly funny and sometimes incredibly sad. The one thing that really struck me as I read it was how Teddy portrays his father Joe Kennedy Snr. In the books he comes across much softer and as a better father then he is publicly thought of. (If anyone is watching 'The Kennedys" on the the History Channel, the Joe Kennedy that is portrayed in that is very different to the one described in the book).

For those thinking about picking up the book, here is a few notes.
First, if you are looking for a book about the JFK Presidency, this is not the book for you. Teddy wasn't part of the JFK administration as he was beginning his Senate career and therefore there isn't any new information on JFK's presidency, just some personal anecdotes.

Second, this is not a vindictive autobiography. Teddy doesn't use this book to get get anyone back and there is little bad-mouthing within the book, with the possible exception of President Jimmy Carter.

Finally, if you are hoping for juicy gossip on Chappaquiddick, the breakdown of his marriage with Joan, his battle with alcohol etc, you are better off buying the National Enquirer! Though he does discuss each of these topics, he does not go into great detail.

I've always admired Teddy as he became the stalwart of the family through difficult circumstances and had to live his life constantly compared to his brothers. He was not perfect, but who is? He managed to help many during his tenure as Senator for Massachusetts and I think that has to be admired. Overall I would give this book :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5, as I personally couldn't put it down, even with the points I outlined above.

I thought I was back reading history and politics but the world of fiction has pulled me back! Up next is The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. I've had this since Christmas so it's about time I got around to reading it. I'm looking forward to see if it lives up to the hype!

the west wing · 15-04-2011 5:54pm

The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen.

Hmmmm....this one didn't really float my boat. Parts of it I did enjoy, parts were really descriptive and beautiful and some characters I liked, like Gary (until the end) but others I found completely unbelievable like Denise and the situation Chip found himself in. I think it was overhyped, though I can see some of its merits. I doubt I'll ever recommend it, as being over 600 pages, it is hard work just to finish it. I'm going to give it :pac::pac:/5.

Next up is The Making of the President 1972 by Theodore White. I'm finally back to read the last of the series. It'll be interesting to see how it fares against the rest of the series.

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