What are you reading now?

[Stanfordian]

Given the announcement of the sad death of Maya Plisetskaya (composer Rodion Shchedrin’s wife) a former prima ballerina absolute at the Bolshoi her fascinating autobiography ‘I, Maya Plisetskaya’ is well worth reading. Although I could find no mention whatsoever about her Jewish roots. Last year when I visited Shchedrin at his Munich apartment his wife did not seem to be around. I assumed she was out shopping when maybe she might have been ill in bed.

[aeolium]

I've just finished reading The Almost Nearly Perfect People by Michael Booth about the Nordic countries (Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland). I found it very enjoyable and thought-provoking. Booth, an expatriate living in Denmark and married to a Dane, was interested in what he felt was the almost uncritically good press about these countries, particularly the central Scandinavian ones, and wanted to shine a light on some of the more questionable features. At the end his conclusions are overwhelmingly positive about them, but the book does make one think about some of the trade-offs involved in having the state extensively involved in most areas of life and strongly communitarian ideologies, for instance in his discussions of Jante Law and the curious pressures of hygge and folkelig in Denmark. Booth makes quite a lot of use of statistics as well as interviews with those knowledgeable about the countries he's observing, but inevitably it is a fairly broad-brush survey with generalisations some will think unsustainable. But it's an amusing and readable book which makes one want to find out more about each of the societies.

[gurnemanz]

Having devoured Stalingrad, D-Day and the fall of Berlin I am about to launch into the new Antony Beevor: Ardennes 1944, Hitler's Last Gamble, which has just arrived.

[Radio64]

I've just finished reading The Almost Nearly Perfect People by Michael Booth about the Nordic countries (Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland). I found it very enjoyable and thought-provoking. Booth, an expatriate living in Denmark and married to a Dane, was interested in what he felt was the almost uncritically good press about these countries, particularly the central Scandinavian ones, and wanted to shine a light on some of the more questionable features. At the end his conclusions are overwhelmingly positive about them, but the book does make one think about some of the trade-offs involved in having the state extensively involved in most areas of life and strongly communitarian ideologies, for instance in his discussions of Jante Law and the curious pressures of hygge and folkelig in Denmark. Booth makes quite a lot of use of statistics as well as interviews with those knowledgeable about the countries he's observing, but inevitably it is a fairly broad-brush survey with generalisations some will think unsustainable. But it's an amusing and readable book which makes one want to find out more about each of the societies.

Thanks for that tip-off. I'm currently reading The Year of Living Danishly by helen russell - a somewhat light-hearted view of Denmark and Danish folk, a personal account laced with factual research, interviews with experts etc., although with more than a touch of 'fiction' about it.
Perhaps the one you mention might be a bit more factual, although personal biases are bound to crop up.

[Stanfordian]

Having devoured Stalingrad, D-Day and the fall of Berlin I am about to launch into the new Antony Beevor: Ardennes 1944, Hitler's Last Gamble, which has just arrived.

Hiya gurnemanz, Yes I have read and enjoyed those too; we must have a similar taste. If you haven't read it already I recommend the bombing of Dresden by Frederick Taylor. I seem to remember that one group of Lancasters dropped its cargo on Prague mistaking it for Dresden. I'll have to look out for Antony Beevor: Ardennes 1944, Hitler's Last Gamble.

[gurnemanz]

Hiya gurnemanz, Yes I have read and enjoyed those too; we must have a similar taste. If you haven't read it already I recommend the bombing of Dresden by Frederick Taylor. I seem to remember that one group of Lancasters dropped its cargo on Prague mistaking it for Dresden. I'll have to look out for Antony Beevor: Ardennes 1944, Hitler's Last Gamble.

Thanks for the tip, Stan. We have a family interest in Saxony. My wife was born in Leipzig and her father in Dresden.

[richardfinegold]

Hiya gurnemanz, Yes I have read and enjoyed those too; we must have a similar taste. If you haven't read it already I recommend the bombing of Dresden by Frederick Taylor. I seem to remember that one group of Lancasters dropped its cargo on Prague mistaking it for Dresden. I'll have to look out for Antony Beevor: Ardennes 1944, Hitler's Last Gamble.

I also recommend Beevor's book about the Spanish Civil War.

[Petrushka]

Just about to re-read Major General Sir Edward Spears' two volume story of the Fall of France in 1940, Assignment to Catastrophe. I picked up the 1954 edition of this set around 20 years ago and it's a terrific read. Spears was Churchill's personal representative to the French government so was right at the heart of the mounting disaster following the German invasion and he has a thrilling story to tell. I can't recommend this book too strongly to anyone interested in the subject.

Copies seem to be available on Amazon. Here's volume 1: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Assignment-C...to+catastrophe

[Padraig]

The Days of Surprise
Paul Durcan 2015

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Days-Surprise-Paul-Durcan/dp/1846559715/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433515300&sr=8-1&keywords=the+days+of+surprise+paul+durcan

[richardfinegold]

The first book that I read since my surgery was called "The Sherlockian" by Graham Moore. It is a double story. One plot involves a group of Holmes fanatics. Apparently Conan Doyle was a compulsive diarist but one volume of his diaries encapsulating a three month period of his life has gone missing and is considered the Holy Grail amongst "Sherlockians". There is a murder plot involving this diary.
There is a parallel story detailing what Conan Doyle was suppossedly up to at this time, and what he might have wanted to suppress. In it Doyle is attempting to solve a series of murders a la Holmes, and dragoons Bram Stoker into being his Watson.
So now I am reading Stoker's "Dracula" and enjoying it immensely. I had only known the tale from the Bela Lugosi movies and the book is so much better

[umslopogaas]

Richard, Stoker's 'Dracula' is a great read, but do try and see the Hammer movie from 1958, starring Peter Cushing as Van Helsing and Christopher Lee as Dracula. I saw it at a late night double bill with The Marx Brothers in Duck Soup, over forty years ago when I was a student, and it was one of the best evenings in the cinema I've ever enjoyed. Most of the audience, including me, had been in the pub earlier and the mirror sequence in Duck Soup had me laughing so much I would have fallen out of my seat if there had been enough room: cinemas in those days really crammed the seats in close. And the scene in Dracula when the count comes down the staircase to welcome his guests, smiling with the fangs just out of sight, is unforgettable, Christopher Lee was born to play that part.

[StephenO]

The first book that I read since my surgery was called "The Sherlockian" by Graham Moore. It is a double story. One plot involves a group of Holmes fanatics. Apparently Conan Doyle was a compulsive diarist but one volume of his diaries encapsulating a three month period of his life has gone missing and is considered the Holy Grail amongst "Sherlockians". There is a murder plot involving this diary.
There is a parallel story detailing what Conan Doyle was suppossedly up to at this time, and what he might have wanted to suppress. In it Doyle is attempting to solve a series of murders a la Holmes, and dragoons Bram Stoker into being his Watson.
So now I am reading Stoker's "Dracula" and enjoying it immensely. I had only known the tale from the Bela Lugosi movies and the book is so much better

Might give it a go. Thanks for the recommendation. I read Graham Moore's previous novel, The Holmes Affair, and wasn't all that impressed but this one sounds more the thing. I can never resist anything involving Holmes!

I agree about Stoker's Dracula. A brilliant book, although I must say that, of all the Dracula movies, Bela Lugois's is the best I've seen, particularly in the re-released version with Philip Glass's score. Elizabeth Kostova's novel The Historian is a great take on the Stoker/Dracula story.

[richardfinegold]

Might give it a go. Thanks for the recommendation. I read Graham Moore's previous novel, The Holmes Affair, and wasn't all that impressed but this one sounds more the thing. I can never resist anything involving Holmes!

I agree about Stoker's Dracula. A brilliant book, although I must say that, of all the Dracula movies, Bela Lugois's is the best I've seen, particularly in the re-released version with Philip Glass's score. Elizabeth Kostova's novel The Historian is a great take on the Stoker/Dracula story.

The intro to this edition of Dracula trashes to Lugosi Movie, but it is seared in my consciousness for perpetuity.

[richardfinegold]

Richard, Stoker's 'Dracula' is a great read, but do try and see the Hammer movie from 1958, starring Peter Cushing as Van Helsing and Christopher Lee as Dracula. I saw it at a late night double bill with The Marx Brothers in Duck Soup, over forty years ago when I was a student, and it was one of the best evenings in the cinema I've ever enjoyed. Most of the audience, including me, had been in the pub earlier and the mirror sequence in Duck Soup had me laughing so much I would have fallen out of my seat if there had been enough room: cinemas in those days really crammed the seats in close. And the scene in Dracula when the count comes down the staircase to welcome his guests, smiling with the fangs just out of sight, is unforgettable, Christopher Lee was born to play that part.

Interesting concept for a double feature!

[Conchis]

Currently reading Chekhov, A Life In Letters. I love Chekhov but am struggling to get into this - I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to reading epistolary works. Diaries are a much easier read.