Book Reviews.

Thought I would start a thread for book reviews. Read a good one or a bad one,Fiction or Non Just jot down a few words telling us about it. Rate it from 1 to 5 stars. Make sure to mention Title ,Author and publishing date.

Edited by Dawn

Hello!

Augusty 1914 , by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn.

This thin piece of 500 pages is very entertaining  (and brilliantly written), if you like history. It`s about the battle of Tannenberg 1914, in witch the russians lost their entire 2nd army. I would rate it 5/5.

/Capa

The War of the Roses & The Princes in the Tower By Alison Weir Published 1995 & 1994

The books portray in great detail the pertinent events of the time period although the bias of the author clearly comes through in her analysis of the princes. She tends to disregard and not even mention numerous events and possibilities when it comes to them. For a more balanced look at the subject check Paul Kendall�fs work. Over all the Authors style is a little bit choppy and is often over laden with detail and sometimes a difficult read. The war of the roses was the better of the two less riddled with biases. They are not necessarily for those that only have a casual interest it the subject but worth a look if you have a great interest.

I would rate them *** and ** stars respectively.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight translated by Brian Stone

Brian Stone did a wonderful job translating this Middle English epic. The way he captures the spirit of the alliterative revival of the time Sir Gawain was written is very good. It is short, since it is in fact just a long poem. The Green Knight is mysterious and seems to symbolize just about everything. However, while the execution itself is great, the story itself leaves much to be desired. This Arthurian legend is not on par with the great epics like Beowulf, or the Iliad. This is not the fault of Brian Stone, as he did not write the story. The end leaves more loose ends than there are fish in the sea, and adds up as much as a subraction equation. Rating 3/5.

 

A History of Japan:By Kenneth G. Henshall

First published in 1999

Though roughly fitting about lets say,15,000 years of history into 216 pages,including notes,poems and glossaries of japanese terms mentioned in the book,its actually quite satisfying if you're into japanese history.It condenses the history,but in a way in which you can fully understand what happend in the period itself,without giving the reader too much to read.The japanese myths introduced in the volume are a plus,and so are the notes,which offer far more insight.Kenneth puts in so much depth,and yet in so little number of pages.I read it often.

I would give it ****

Edited by Vamun Tianshu

Glad to see this tread being used so thought I would stiky it for a while in hopes it would continue.

Waiting for Godot, By Samuel Beckett

Themes:  Pointlessness and Absurdity

I hated my self for reading this...but the crap sticks to you and now I'm quite fond of the play.  My favorite saying now is, "Nothing to be done..."

Read it.
Hate it.
Enjoy it.

I, Claudius: *****(5/5)
Robert Graves
1934

I, Claudius is one of this centuries best books. The book revolves around the first royal family of the Roman Empire, the Julio-Caludian dynasty. All the events are seen through the eyes of Tiberius Claudius. Claudius was born prematurely. he drools,shakes, has uneven leg(one bigger than the other) and walked in a perpetual limp. he is dismissed by his family as an idiot and as useless.  This book is filled with murder, suicide, betrayals, incest. Anyone who is seen as a threat is killed. Claudius, due to his families view of him, is one of the only people to survive all this. He survives Livia, who kills just about all to get her son to be Augustus heir, Tiberius, son of Livia, who is a perverted paranoid  and Caligula, the mad emperor to become Emperor himself in 41A.D.


Claudius The God: And his wife Messalina ****(4/5)
Robert graves
1935


 I gave this book a 4/5 when compared to its predecessor but on its own its still an amazing book. Not quite as intriguing as I, Claudius, Claudius the God tells the story of Claudius administration. beginning around the time of Caligula's death and going until th very end when he is poisoned by his own wife and niece, Agrippinilla. The book tells the accounts of Claudius reforms to the Senate and his conquest of Britannia. It follows the intrigues of his third wife Messalina, whom I would underrate if I called a slut. It is a great book. While it is not as interesting as I, Claudius it is still an amazing book that will get your emotions running.






Edited by Qnzkid711

ahh just finished 2 books of interest, Castles fo Steel: Britain Germany and the Great war at Sea, by the same guy that wrote the great Peter the Great biography...whats his name..I dont know because the book is not with me at the moment.  Very good, written like its not a textbook as a narrative, naval combat afficianados like me will very much enjoy both the attention to technical background and tactical appraisal.

The other book I finished was REALLY good for those of you who like Guns Germs and Steel type books.  Civilizations by Fellipe (something) Arnesto takes a look at many human civs by dividing them up not based on time line or culture, but by environment.  Thus Ethiopia and Tibet are in the same chapter etc.  Tracking the common threads of human experience and culture based on teh environment which you live.  Covers woodlands, jungle, islands, steppe, highlands, desert, river valleys etc...very good.  Lots of stuff abgout the Indian Ocean, which after reading this book I became convinced in the worlds most important geographic feature.

Right now Im halfway through Meiji and his world, its a very long book and Ill post what I think about it when I am done. 

I read Waiting For Godot in high school years ago but could not make any sense of it because I rushed through it during the last week.  If anyone can tell me what Beckett meant... That and The Stranger.