A PhD student at the U of Kansas is doing research on "The Darcy Dilemma" which asks the question: what version of Darcy do you like better: Firth or MacFayden AND why did you choose that particular Darcy. You can find the research survey here: https://forms.gle/JpBDswCqy5EzyeMc7
The main character looks back on his time as a German soldier at the eastern front in World War II. With the wisdom of old age he describes the horror and absurdity of war. And he reflects on the questions of guilt and shame, of being on the wrong side as a German.
This is a less known perspective on WWII, at least to me. Very impressive. Very well written.
Here we are, trying to make do on a rainy Monday morning. I had a pretty good weekend. Nothing super special, but got plenty done, including finally buying a Christmas tree. It's a little short but very well-shaped. We'll decorate tonight. I did not, however, get my big project even started - cleaning out the garage. I really need to do it before the snow flies, but there's no sign of it in the 10 day, so I'm safe.
I also got some #reading in. I finally finished Rise & Fall of the 3rd Reich - only took me 4 years! More than 50 years since it was written and it is still terrifying. And I'm almost done with Silkworm, the 2nd Cormoran Strike novel. It's good but a bit wordy. And I'm listening to Knife Creek, the 8th book in the Mike Bowditch series. He's a Maine game warden and the books are solid, but I think I need something gritty. #AmReading#books@bookstodon
Oh, forgot to mention--my review of 'The Betrayals' by Bridget Collins (which I've RAVED about on here--you may have seen some toots) is up on Nerds of a Feather!
Heroes do The One Right Thing. With rising fascism, sometimes The One Right Thing doesn't exist; and usually heroes don't either. In this book, we see what happens when weak, flawed people do a small, right thing.
Starting Bush's "The Case of the Missing Men", book 11/15 for my #DeanStreetDecember & laughing at myself: I DID "leap to an unwarranted conclusion based on these initials" not the ACTUAL, REAL writer normal readers would think of - I thought of Albert Campion🤦♂️😆🤦♂️ #AmReading#ebooks#Kobo#GoldenAgeMysteries@bookstodon
Well THAAAANK YOU #GNUTerryPratchett for 'ruining' a whole page of this book A lengthy passage about a Scottish Highland character's interactions with "the Little People" ends with this question and OF COURSE I read the whole thing mentally substituting "Wee Free" for "Little" - Every.Single.Time 🤣 #AmReading#ebooks#DeanStreetDecember#Discworld@bookstodon
"Crook Manifesto" is Colson Whitehead's second book about Harlem. In the 1970s it's a sordid world full of crime and racism. But still, both books are a kind of love song to the city and its crooked people. But even crooks have their own sense of honesty, their crook manifesto.
I am blown away by Whitehead's writing. The language is both tough and beautiful, in a mesmerising mix. My favourite line: "Crime is just how folks talk to each other sometimes".