What a wild ride! I was always told how unstable Beethoven was, how brutish and lower case "c" crazy he was, but I guess he was all that and more.
BUT,What a wild ride! I was always told how unstable Beethoven was, how brutish and lower case "c" crazy he was, but I guess he was all that and more.
BUT, if we ignore his bad behavior, his compulsive lying about his ancestry, the horrible mixed-up family situation, and some rather boarish behavior in general, we can ALL, almost universally, agree that he was ONE HELL OF A MUSICIAN.
Rock star is the proper term, not just in behavior, but in the rhythm and over-the-top grandiosity and originality of his work.
And, I shall not ignore the gloriosity of Greenberg's lecture. Top notch, as always....more
I received a little treat for the end of the year. This author reached out to me out of the blue and asked if I wouldn't mind reading and reviewing thI received a little treat for the end of the year. This author reached out to me out of the blue and asked if I wouldn't mind reading and reviewing this non-fiction on the origin of humanity and because it just tickled my fancy (even though I've read many, many books on the same,) I said yes.
Here's the thing, though: It's written very well, it's really short and to the point, and while it doesn't go the sensationalist popular route of trying to be funny or charming with anecdotes or any wild theories, it DOES have the pure charm of being extremely good with the facts.
Indeed, it only starts with Evolution and Darwin and branches out wonderfully to the Simian world, what characteristics were really selected for during our own genetic progression, and so much more.
I can't say that I've read anything new in this book, but I have read over four hundred science books, so I tend to judge these things on how well they're written and the ideas and/or facts within them.
For Ms. Nitam's work, it is clear she used her Doctorate of Philosophy to a wonderful purpose. This is an excellent synthesis of our current understanding of the field.
Indeed, as I was reading it, I came to the conclusion that I would have LOVED to read exactly this book as I was just getting started.
It is no-nonsense, full of great facts, and would have been a perfect introduction for a serious student. There's absolutely no wasted time and it's perfectly accessible.
In other words, this book OUGHT to be well-received everywhere. All it really needs is great marketing. I wish it, and the author, all the luck....more
It's one thing to say that a Jodi Taylor time-travel historian hijinx tale is a true holiday tradition, but you'd be wrong. It's a MARKHAM Jodi TaylorIt's one thing to say that a Jodi Taylor time-travel historian hijinx tale is a true holiday tradition, but you'd be wrong. It's a MARKHAM Jodi Taylor time-travel historian hijinx tale.
And it is, as we think, all about the pie. Fun stuff, as always!...more
If it wasn't for the fact that this was historical fiction, illustrating the dirty underbelly of Isreal, mostly in the '80s, I would have just said thIf it wasn't for the fact that this was historical fiction, illustrating the dirty underbelly of Isreal, mostly in the '80s, I would have just said that this was a lurid crime book full of dirty cops, drug dealers, murders, and prostitutes.
I WOULD have said that it was sensational and dark and a bit overblown in just how ugly all this shit was, between summary justice being had on a whim, the amazing amounts of drugs, participation in civil wars, wholesale murder -- but no. It is a story of a nation being built by assholes who do what they think needs doing. The hardliners had to come from somewhere, after all.
As a side-note, I was kinda worried about reading this alongside some truly deplorable current-events, but I shouldn't have worried. Lavie Tidhar writes a pretty damning tale without any modern reference material. ...more
Sure, I expected a book on the seven wonders of the ancient world, but this book was pretty special. We didn't just get the 7 monuments -- we got an eSure, I expected a book on the seven wonders of the ancient world, but this book was pretty special. We didn't just get the 7 monuments -- we got an extensive historical context leading up to and far beyond the building and the impact they had on the world.
I especially loved the cultural, military, religious, and intellectual carry-through that leads us, even today, to admire every thing about it.
This was easily the most comprehensive joy-ride through the wonders that I've ever read. 100% recommended.
A very good non-fiction on the Roman Peace. The golden age of the Roman Empire.
Of course, I feel like it borrows so much from Gibbons, with all properA very good non-fiction on the Roman Peace. The golden age of the Roman Empire.
Of course, I feel like it borrows so much from Gibbons, with all proper references to the classics where we can draw full conclusions, but here's the real hook of this shorter work: It's about the peace, itself.
Was the Roman Empire just good at PR, being the victors of history and therefore able to write whatever it wanted about itself? Or was it truly better than that which was the norm?
Fortunately, we get many, many great examples and a pretty comprehensive, if not over-dwelling, look at life from the start through the beginning of the true decline of the Empire. To me, this was a bit like coming home and enjoying a different take on a classic subject.
But what about the conclusion? Was the Roman Peace good, on the whole? Or was it cruel and capricious and brutal, on the whole?
The answer, of course, is: It Depends. Muahahahaha
Welcome to history. :)
This IS a very readable and enjoyable text. And it IS a bit more accessible than reading the full volumes of Gibbons. Take that as you will....more
This history book really hit the spot. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the Merovingian princes, but this particular focus on the strong QUEENThis history book really hit the spot. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the Merovingian princes, but this particular focus on the strong QUEENS that were the power behind some of the most bloody times, just before and after 600 AD, was a brilliant piece of shading-in for me.
Early Medieval times, a good stretch before Charlemagne, are quite romanticized now. Getting this breath of realism, not just convoluted white-washing for the men, reveals a number of strong, intelligent women embroiled in some rather convoluted politicking. The French Royal line was never quite as barbaric as we are led to think. So much of history is erased by the successors. But in this case, it's just the church and the men who went so far out of their way to erase THESE particularly smart and strong women -- because of their successes.
I know it's kind of a thing these days to glow up women in either history or mythology, and it is what it is, but frankly, I'm impressed by the amount of meat and bones on these particular Frankish women.
This isn't weak history. It's very fascinating....more
I've always been a pretty huge fan of Alexander Hamilton, flaws and all, so it was a no-brainer to want to get around to reading a full bio on the manI've always been a pretty huge fan of Alexander Hamilton, flaws and all, so it was a no-brainer to want to get around to reading a full bio on the man.
And here's the strange bit: I haven't even seen the musical or the movie based on it. I probably will, soon, but in the meantime, I just want to say: "Damn."
Real life really broke the mold when it created this interesting Main Character. I mean seriously. 2/3rds of the novels I've ever read have characters more boring than Alexander Hamilton in real life. He was a genius, amazingly motivated, flamboyant, prone to massive pride-based character flaws and sexual escapades, and absolutely crazy when it came to mud-slinging and duels. And yet, he is credited with some of the smartest and most enduring features of the U.S. Gov and finance, worked tirelessly to prevent a resurgence of a monarchy, and fought like a rabid beast against so many of the biggest names of the day. Madison and Thomas Jefferson were proud to call him their ENEMY.
I personally think that Hamilton was precisely the reason why America flourished. Good policies and tireless devotion to checks and balances.
You know, the very things we don't have anymore.
I swear, if Alexander Hamilton were around right now, he'd be writing great stuff for the revolution, thinking ahead for the aftermath, and organizing us all to be prosperous in the near future.
Alas, since we don't have him, I'm pretty sure America will soon look more like the French.
There's a lot of good info in this biography of the Warburgs. Lots of interesting people. Aby and Eric and even Siegfried are the real stanTwo things.
There's a lot of good info in this biography of the Warburgs. Lots of interesting people. Aby and Eric and even Siegfried are the real standouts for me, from the establishment of philanthropy and libraries all the way to the skullduggery during the Third Reich and the dissolution of the banking empire.
It's literally rich with details and countless people. In a way, assuming that you like endless sprawling extended dynasties, this is a perfect book.
But the other thing:
It's a hot mess the way it's written.
It's almost as if it's a garbage soup of writing, with very few threads to keep the narrative cohesive. It succeeds in being pretty damn comprehensive, but when it comes to the sheer enjoyment of narrative, it's lacking. Big time. I found myself wandering in and out of caring about so many of the happenings, latching on to big events like WWI or the Great Depression or WWII and the times when some of the more interesting family members step up and do something. But the other times were... well... it's a huge doorstopper of a book and I kept checking the time and the remaining pages.
Even so, there were some excellent chapters. The atrocities of the Third Reich, for example.
It's perfect fodder for all you peeps out there who want examples of relationships that tuHappy pre-Valentine's day!
To celebrate, we read ... THIS! :)
It's perfect fodder for all you peeps out there who want examples of relationships that turned out so much worse than your own.
I'd LIKE to say that it perfectly captures the true spirit of human stupidity and obsession, too, but it's 2022 and that's a total hold my beer moment that makes just about everything else pale in comparison.
Nero's burning Rome over a dead lover? I suspect the California wildfires were set to Lady Gaga's Bad Romance. Don't you wonder what THAT story was all about?
Lord Byron's romance read like Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Trump might have been inspired by Norman Mailer. And the others are just as fun/wicked/ugly.
Definitely worth the read. You know, to make yourself feel better. :)...more
This one fairly wraps up the originally planned trilogy with more of Thomas of Hookton and his expert archery skills and mysterious connection to the This one fairly wraps up the originally planned trilogy with more of Thomas of Hookton and his expert archery skills and mysterious connection to the Holy Grail.
If you've read the other two, you'll know there will be plenty of battles. There also happens to be a new love interest in a heretical girl who leads him to become a heretic in the middle of the Hundred Year's War -- never a fun time in any case, but now much worse, especially with the oncoming wave of the Black Death -- and, to be frank, it's a real mess.
Not the story, so much, but the whole situation. I mean, sure, to go back to your old murder-y life as you try to convince yourself that the Grail is real and not just a free-for-all power grab from all the people in the Western World, all you have to do is let the girl burn... but no, love trumps all.
Eeek. Well, the whole thing is a mess, and reading this just makes me realize that I'm happy I didn't live through any of this. A lot of great historical novelization here, and overall, an excellent read.
This historical novel still burns pretty brightly, just like the Hundred Year's War it depicts.
What a nasty time. It makes me thankful that we're not This historical novel still burns pretty brightly, just like the Hundred Year's War it depicts.
What a nasty time. It makes me thankful that we're not quite THERE yet.
Thomas continues his adventure in gross poverty and murder in an appropriately low style, joining armies all over the place to shine as the wonderful archer that he is. We see a lot of England this time and I really appreciated the battles with the Scots. Oh, and hearing "The English" become a substitute for all rapists, brigands, and assholes was also great. It turned the term into a general-purpose curse word. :)
Solid continuation. Just a hit of Grail stuff, good buddy-building, and endless war....more
Since the new movie adaptation of the real history, with all-star actors and actresses, is all the buzz, I decided to read the book that it was based Since the new movie adaptation of the real history, with all-star actors and actresses, is all the buzz, I decided to read the book that it was based on. And no, I have not seen the movie (yet).
But either way, I'm glad to have read it. It's the account of the last lawful use of duels in the French court during the Hundred Year's War, and because it was a pretty horrific way to perform law from any way you look at it, it also ended the practice.
Rivalry, rape, rapine, perhaps even a bit of revenge. Of course, the topic is evergreen. How should the law be settled in case of rape accusations? Why, with multiple perjury, likely malfeasance, with women treated as chattel and burned, pregnant, at the stake for simply accusing her rapist, of course. And if that isn't enough, resort to systemized knightly duels because, as we know, might always makes right.
The history is written well and the book is very readable, full of basic explanations and personages and cultural baggage, but the history of this, itself, is aggravating as hell.
Good book, however. And good riddance to the practice....more
I find myself in a funny and odd situation as I read this. I’m a big fan of epic fantasy, and yet, for some reason, I have generally ignored regular hI find myself in a funny and odd situation as I read this. I’m a big fan of epic fantasy, and yet, for some reason, I have generally ignored regular historical fiction.
WHY?
I DON’T KNOW.
For let me put this very clearly: all the action, characterization, siege warfare, interpersonal conflicts, lords, ladies, general grunts, and the clergy are all heavily represented in BOTH genres. Indeed, both historical fiction and epic fantasies are separated ONLY by the author’s willingness to add a little magic (not even necessary in most books) or make worldbuilding that is created out of whole cloth.
In this case, I’m just pointing my finger at events in here that is reminiscent, happily so, of a previous trilogy that sets up the events of the current trilogy, as if I were reading a long Epic Fantasy work, but in this case, it’s just my knowledge of England’s History. Hey now! It’s the Black Prince and the start of the Hundred Year’s War! I’m thinking of Shakespeare’s Edward II and Richard the II and all the class warfare and the heavy reliance on Long Bows to turn the tide of battles and just how F**ked the French were.
And for me, it’s JUST like reading a huge, complicated Epic Fantasy.
Like I said, it’s odd. Or rather, I’m odd. And I’m really liking this. It’s great Epic Fantasy, people… even if it is a meticulously researched and accurate accounting of ACTUAL HISTORY.
Maybe that ought to count for something, too. :)...more
To be entirely honest, I cannot truly describe this book. What themes it has is threaded so deftly and lost so deep in a massive mound of history and To be entirely honest, I cannot truly describe this book. What themes it has is threaded so deftly and lost so deep in a massive mound of history and characterizations and the only thing that I can point at is the similarity of PLACE.
Northampton. Of course, I have to wonder about that, too when it came to the Crusades period, but it could very well have been there, too, considering.
So. Six thousand years of Northampton, perhaps. Short stories that are firmly placed not only in time and place but in VOICE. The cave boy's survival, discovery, and love are shocking not for the basic idea, but for the depth and complexity and the downright interesting diction. Moving forward through time, Moore shows just how much research he had put into all this, writing very careful historical fiction with all the feel, ugliness, and passion of the periods. Hundreds of years' hop every time, finding messages of deep magic, disillusionment, and terror, Moore is at his best.
Fun to note: Jerusalem shares almost every aspect of this novel. Amazing writing, nearly confounding, so RICH that it would take years to plumb its depths kind of writing. Voice of the Fire is slightly more accessible and really presages his later work.
But overall, there's only one word that describes either: Brilliant. (Even if I feel like I have no idea what I just read. ;) The journey through so many people is the thing. ...more
This is a historical fiction that centered on Belle de Costa Greene and her time as the personal librarian of the private, later to become public librThis is a historical fiction that centered on Belle de Costa Greene and her time as the personal librarian of the private, later to become public library of JP Morgan. From being a smart negotiator and rather ruthless in securing rare and valuable texts for her employer to the full establishment of the renowned library, with her in charge, I loved every aspect.
What really made this particular novel stand out is the fact that she was not only female, rising to such an esteemed position, but the fact that she was, in fact, black. Light enough in skin color to pass as white, perhaps, but she was forced to hide that fact, changing her name and being very careful due to the time period.
It's several decades since the Reconstruction and the heady period of hope had become one of disgust for the Jim Crow laws, the street justice of casual, brutal racism, and a fairly vast backlash against all black folk. Of course, there were always a few bright communities and a great number of new highly educated and hopeful people, and Belle came from that background thanks to her father.
This was real history with a massive lean-in to what it would have been like to hide in plain sight from some of the worst racism in America.
The only thing I didn't really care for, honestly, was the romance angle. Give me books, give me a spotlight on injustice, but if the romance was ... not all that great, then I just wish the novel had focused only on its strengths. That's my opinion, of course.
Overall, it was pretty good, somewhat heartbreaking, but still a thing of hope... even if it was built entirely on a lie. Ability and intelligence SHOULD have been enough. ...more
After more than half a lifetime of being told that Adam Smith was one hell of a brilliant man and he should be a must-read for anyone wanting to underAfter more than half a lifetime of being told that Adam Smith was one hell of a brilliant man and he should be a must-read for anyone wanting to understand what capitalism really means, I FINALLY went ahead and READ Wealth of Nations.
Okay. So I'm a bit late for the party. I've read the Kensians and I've read tons of books on how the Chicago school really f**ked up so many developing nations and I've been a student of the stock market, global economy, and how it directly ties to history. It's a hobby. I learn a lot.
So, was Adam Smith this horribly dry Englishman from the time of the American Revolution that liked to drone on about business?
Hell, no. Or rather, he was a contemporary and he was a student of business and trends and markets, but he was also a very good writer, continually interesting, conversational, and frankly brilliant in the way that a great mentor or teacher ought to be.
And it is brilliant. No doubts about it. But let's keep it real. This is about the Invisible Hand of the marketplace. He illustrates how neither workers nor employers can dictate economic conditions. Putting one's finger on the conditions can lead to serious imbalances and overcorrections.
Of course, he was illustrating these ideas hundreds of years ago and since that time there have been thousands of people attempting to argue or disprove the premise or at least to game the system in such a way that they can pretend to be economic magicians.
But the fact is this: without outside shenanigans, coercion, or fraud, Adam Smith's observations are still as valid now as they were back then.
My favorite takeaway: the Scottish banks and how they began lending out more money than what they had on hand because people were gaming the exchange rates of gold in other countries, and how gold prices, even though they OUGHT to have been stable as a guide of value, suddenly proved to be quite unreliable. And that's not even bringing up the mines and new gold.
This has been an ongoing issue in modern economics, the question of fiat versus gold standard. And it also discusses the fundamentals of fractional reserve and debt-based liquidity. Not in great detail, mind you, but the successes of stocks, freer investments, and trust really underlined the spirit of the markets and even more for the system we have today.
Not surprising, I know. For all the people who keep quoting him and all the people who have probably never read him, he's bandied about as the father of economics. Interestingly enough, now that I've read it, I note that there are a lot MORE people who read into him a lot of heavier conclusions than he would have made, himself.
He was the first to admit that trying to strangulate the market by trusts and coalitions of market makers always tend to create massive upheavals, poverty, and violence. Let me restate that: people who try to game the system in big ways are the very ones who cause the whole system to go belly up.
Profit is natural. So is loss. When systems are created to limit one and enhance the other, it capitalizes and consolidates the inequality. When the Invisible Hand comes, it comes down hard.
That's a natural correction, folks.
This isn't a question of Marxism or Capitalism. Indeed, this is older than either. It's just a natural observation of economics and people.
This review is not a comprehensive review, mind you. I was pretty much enthralled by the read. I learned a lot even if it just overlapped with all my previous studies. But best of all, I think it's a fantastically good and easy read. It's good enough that I don't want a break. I'm moving right on to another of Adam Smith's books right away.
This one is a World Fantasy Award winner and a heavily researched historical fiction with vampires, magicians, and even a dragon.
But oddly, it's not This one is a World Fantasy Award winner and a heavily researched historical fiction with vampires, magicians, and even a dragon.
But oddly, it's not the vampire aspect, or the magician aspect, or the appearance of the dragon that makes this novel. Indeed, they are just complications to a rich, detailed world that ranges from Julian to the Medicis to Edward the 4th to the fall of the Byzantine empire. It's the real-world characters and intrigues and HISTORY that make this novel shine.
I can't stress this enough, but if you want to know what the book is about, it's all in the blurb. That's the prime driver. The fact that some of these famous personages happen to be vampires, magicians, or even dragons (and I'll let you have fun finding out the REAL history of the princes and Richard III, as told in this book,) is just spice to a deep, deep tale....more
I'm a big fan of history, and rather than seeing this become a period novel of Germany intersecting with West Virginia, I was delighted to see some raI'm a big fan of history, and rather than seeing this become a period novel of Germany intersecting with West Virginia, I was delighted to see some rather serious ramifications rocking all of Europe.
What? Speedboats and two-seater aircraft flying into the navies and armies of 1633 isn't enough for me?
No. It isn't. But imagine the power that a local library from the future would have over the real history of the past and what it would mean to the people actually having MADE the history? Imagine if Oliver Cromwell was imprisoned before he ever became a revolutionary?
This is anti-determinism at its best, and it gets nicely chaotic.
Sure, we have a few great battles here, with a few courageous people with modern high-tech against period armies, but I was more into the historical craziness. I had a great time. And there is also a more nuanced political commentary going on here, as well as economic. I find myself thinking much more about what I would have done in that time period, knowing what I know.
And isn't that the best part of this kind of novel? It sparks our imagination. :)...more
In the grand tradition of all the best "What If"s of the SF field, this one neatly portrays what would happen if we transported a modern American smalIn the grand tradition of all the best "What If"s of the SF field, this one neatly portrays what would happen if we transported a modern American small town, in its entirety, into central Germany during the Thirty Years War.
In a lot of ways, it's hilarious, but that's tempered by some really great history and ramifications that would have to be explored in true Alternate History SF style. Watching an a**hole cavalry leader play tag with a bunch of hillbillies in pickup trucks had me guffawing.
Surprisingly enough, I knew this would be a jingoism-turned-reality rah-rah America novel, but instead of it annoying me, I had a pretty good time. It seems we finally found a great fantasy reason to be NRA members, so heavily laden with guns and ammunition that they outnumbered family values at a rate of fourteen to one. Personal politics aside, I'm really glad that these coal miners stockpiled enough artillery in their small town to take on an army.
*aside* (I think this novel was written specifically to give private militia-ism a real nice feeling in their pants.)
That being said, the novel is genuinely optimistic. It's all normal folks who honestly believe in all the things they were taught to believe about America and they're willing to murder hundreds of thousands of unprepared grunts in a Germany of almost 400 years ago to prove it.
If this last line made you take a double-take, congratulations. Your irony sensors are working....more
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