Merlo51

Lsquare28 , 1 month ago to bookstodon

#NowReading

“Rome and Persia:
The Seven Hundred Year Rivalry”

by Adrian Goldsworthy

#BookWyrm #Books #Bookstodon #Read #BooksofMastodon #History
@bookstodon https://bookwyrm.social/user/LarryS/generatednote/4611537

Merlo51 , 1 month ago

@Lsquare28 @bookstodon is this the same book as The Eagle and the Lion by Adrian Goldsworthy

MarianHellema , 3 months ago to histodons Dutch

@histodons @bookstodon

The Path to Power
by
Robert A Caro

This masterpiece is part I of the biography of Lyndon B Johnson. At first I dreaded its 800 pages, but it reads like a novel. It's a highly engaging look behind the scenes, both politically and psychologically.

I was fascinated by Johnson's genius for organizing people and money. Step by step he planned his road to presidency. He succeeded by working relentlessly, by tremendous political talent and by sometimes questionable tactics.

Merlo51 , 3 months ago

@MarianHellema @histodons @bookstodon
A great set of books . ...I'm waiting for the next book in the series.

Lsquare28 , 3 months ago to bookstodon

#FinishedReading

“Forward the Foundation” by Isaac Asimov

And with this, I have completed my decades-long journey through the #FoundationSeries. I started back in the ‘80’s. I remember being fascinated by #Foundation, and enjoying #FoundationandEmpire. But, for reasons lost in time, I never finished F&E. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I finally decided to return to the series, restarting from the beginning. Now, it is done.
#BookWyrm #Books @bookstodon https://bookwyrm.social/user/LarryS/generatednote/4276467

Merlo51 , 3 months ago

@Lsquare28 @bookstodon I thought I might return to the books after seeing the first of the TV series. I was disappointed in a book I had read many times in my youth and enjoyed. I'll try the second book shortly and see if I like it better. I started the second season of the TV series and abandoned it after a couple of episodes. Absolute rubbish.

brucy , 6 months ago to bookstodon

Doing a pinned #Books thread of my reading for 2024. Goal is 40 books, which is for sure low, but I also believe in playing games on "easy" mode. Audiobooks count, sorry.
Feel free to mute this if not your ball of wax.

Book stuff, but in app form.
Goodreads :
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/20783138
Story Graph : https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/brucy
#bookstodon @bookstodon

Merlo51 , 3 months ago

@brucy @bookstodon I was going to read but then saw the author's comments on the Uighurs in China and decided to give it a miss.

ChrisMayLA6 , 3 months ago to bookstodon

I have now completed the nine volume books series The Expanse by James A Corey, and what a ride it has been.

Its quite an extraordinary feat of sustained (coherent) imagination & I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who likes world-building SF.

With its multi-viewpoint narrative strategy but also with it central core of crucial characters, this is space opera of the highest quality.

And the finale is wonderfully pleasing in plotting terms!

Its been a joy!

#sciencefiction
@bookstodon

Merlo51 , 3 months ago

@ChrisMayLA6 @bookstodon It's a great set of books. I had stopped reading science fiction but very glad I started again with this series.

slanderoid , 3 months ago to bookstodon

I'm currently reading "The Master and Margarita" and I'm really digging it. I'm going to get a black cat and name them Behemoth

#reading #books @bookstodon

Merlo51 , 3 months ago

@slanderoid @bookstodon It's a great book. There's a very good TV series in Russian with English Subs that's worth hunting down.
The Rolling Stones' Sympathy for the Devil was inspired by it.

slevelt , 5 months ago to random

#NowPlaying Miles Davis - Porgy and Bess #vinyl @vinylrecords

Merlo51 , 5 months ago

@slevelt @bookstodon I do like Ted Hughes. I've never come across this one though.

appassionato , 5 months ago to bookstodon

The Dictator's Handbook: Why Bad Behavior Is Almost Always Good Politics

A groundbreaking new theory of the real rules of politics: leaders do whatever keeps them in power, regardless of the national interest.

@bookstodon
#books
#nonfiction
#politics
#dictators

Merlo51 , 5 months ago

@appassionato @bookstodon with a Forward by Machiavelli?

Jtmoriartywriter , 7 months ago to bookstodon

Dear friends,

@bookstodon #amreading etc. Here is my Tentative reading list for 2024. I am for 12 novels a year, but life, writing, my family, it can all get in the way. For '23 I read 12 things, but they weren't all novels, so thats a half pass. The list:

Any sequels I'm up to (3 trilogies in this case), lotr i read recently but I loved it so much I'm thinking of doing it again. Dispossessed was on 23s list.

Have you read any of these, what's your take? Any suggestions or definite 'don't read that!'

Cat tax, Elspeth hiding behind a Christmas tree. A naughty torti up to no good.

Merlo51 , 7 months ago

@Jtmoriartywriter @bookstodon Ulysses is a mountain. Took me many attempts before I reached the summit. I listened to it driving to work and back. Then I would check what I read at https://www.ulyssesguide.com/ as well as quickly rereading that section of the physical book. Good luck! It's worth it.

appassionato , 7 months ago to bookstodon

The Sense of Being Stared At: And Other Unexplained Powers of the Human Mind

Most of us know it well--the almost physical sensation that we are the object of someone’s attention. Is the feeling all in our heads? What about related phenomena, such as telepathy and premonitions? Are they merely subjective beliefs?

@bookstodon
#books
#nonfiction
#mind
#perception

Merlo51 , 7 months ago

@appassionato @bookstodon

sarahmatthews , 8 months ago to bookstodon

#Bookreview Hand in Glove by Ngaio Marsh
read on audio
Narrator: Marie McCarthy
Harpercollins
Pub. 1962, 251pp

---

This is a classic crime read set in a village among a group of neighbours who’re related in various ways. I knew I was going to get on well with the #audiobook from the start as the narrator was instantly engaging, expressing the dialogue brilliantly.
The action centres around the home of snobbish Percival Pyke Period, an eccentric figure who’s writing his memoirs, alongside the cook Mrs Mitchell, his loyal servant Alfred and his new lodger Mr Cartell who has a rather troublesome dog, Pixie. The first chapters set up the world surrounding this household with the introduction of a cast of distinctive characters. I particularly liked Mr Cartell’s ex-wife, the Flamboyant Desiree Bantling, and this great description:
“with her incredible hair brushed up into a kind of bonfire, her carefree makeup, her eyebrows and her general air of raffishness she belonged, asMr Period mildly reflected, to Toulouse Lautrec rather than any contemporary background.”
She’s known for her amusing parties and there’s a long build up to her April Fool’s treasure hunt which is set to end in tragedy. In fact, as the murder doesn’t take place until about Chapter 14 I felt I knew everyone involved very well and of course there were plenty of strong motives for possible killers.
The central idea of a letter being sent in condolence to someone for the death of a loved one before the deceased was discovered was unique and played out well.
One thing that surprised me was the lack of period details to root the story to the 1960s. It seemed to me that it could’ve very easily been set in the 30s or 50s, though there were a few passing references like mentioning TV. I guess it stuck out as my other read for the #1962Club was the Miss Marple which was very much about social change.
This is my first Ngiao Marsh novel and I’ll be returning to her in future.
#Bookstodon @bookstodon

Merlo51 , 8 months ago

@sarahmatthews @bookstodon I read quite a few of the Roderick Alleyn a long time ago. I particularly liked her early ones. I must try and see if I can find Hand in Glove. I loved your review.