Zeitoun (Dave Eggers, 2009)

Book club selection (via Zaida; session held December 20, 2015)

Not what I expected!  The story line is unusual/interesting - involves Hurricane Katrina and post-storm life in New Orleans.  The protagonist seems like a pretty capable fellow - nice family, immigrant from north Africa, making a living with some rental properties and construction work.

Some elements of the story line reminiscent of the Galveston story.  Anti-Islamic strains, reminiscent of current issues.  Civic officials and law enforcement dealing with a situation that really could not be prepared for, and plenty of venal behavior to go around.

All that was interesting enough.

But it turns out that the protagonist had some issues with the wife after the hurricane - probably understandable given what they all went through.  Seems like the author should have dealt with this?  Maybe it was a timing thing?

Poland - A History (Adam Zamoyski, 2009)

I find this author quite readable (here, and here).  Motive for reading this book - I know so little about Poland, yet it appears my wife has about 3/4 of her heritage there (meaning 3/8 for our kids)  - that's a lot.

Zamoyski comes from a family with a long history in Polish nobility.

So what did I learn?  Way too much to keep straight, but some useful strands:

1.  Poland had very large land territories at various stages in what I'll call early-modern times.  Arrangements with Lithuania, Ruthenia (Ukraine), etc.  Often lightly populated and loosely controlled - but a large power player.

2.  Russia got stronger.  German states got stronger, culminating in 19th century unification.  But even somewhat before that - an essential issue for Poland is its unfortunate position between Russia and Germany.  A huge effect on its history especially in early 18th century and after.

3.  Hard to believe that Poland was simply partitioned off the map following a sequence of moves primarily involving Germany, Austria, Russia.  Polish politics wrapped up in regaining the homeland; less experience addressing practical governance.

4.  And of course there was the Soviet era.

5.  Farther back - a governing method that involved an elective king and required lots of consensus - in some ways probably quite modern - but in the end this paralyzed the state.

6.  As I've gotten to understand better - in part because of the Zamoyski books linked above - the concept of the "nation" and "patriotism" are incredibly slippery, and dangerous.  So much is invented after the fact for reasons of state.  There does seem to be a core . . . but on the margins, what really is "Poland" and "Polish?"  Borders and peoples have moved around for as far back as our knowledge extends.

7.  A consequence of being positioned so far east - Cossacks, Tatars, Turks.  Important roles in fighting the Ottomans.

8.  And the incredibly large Jewish population - at least compared to other European countries - lightly-populated areas welcomed Jews getting kicked out of western European countries.  Though once in place - often mistreated.

9.  Roman Catholicism certainly not a sure thing!  Look at the geography.

10.  Lots of diplomatic noise in 19th and 20th century about re-forming a nation of Poland - but mostly talk, as the balance of power seemed to work - and radical change like this could upset things.  Short-lived state post WWI.