Book club selection (via Chris; session held (via Zoom) 24 April 2020).
Hadn't read this since 2011 (description here); I liked it even better this time around.
a favorite love story; cf'd to PJ - author got it right - the uncertainty in the early going, the mystery, the girl-part, the "that's sufficient" part
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a favorite buddy story - the scene where Otto hands the pill to Robbie; the scene where Robbie thinks to contact Koster when needing help at the seashore; fundraising in what had to be a painful way
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WWI endlessly interesting in part because the soldiers had such a mind-blowing experience. of course it's hard to compare from war to war - but the jump in firepower and technology (gas, planes, etc.) relative to what soldiers were familiar with, and how tactics were used - not sure what would be like this. and they hadn't seen newsreels or really anything that would prepare visually.
survivors then come back to Weimar situation . . . after all the sacrifice and suffering (including home front folks like Pat) - no jobs, no hope
demagogues arise per usual
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the spare writing style works for me - similar to All Quiet OTWF
Magic Mountain - sanitarium scenes
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