In the First Circle (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, written between 1955-1958; this translation 2009)

(741 pages)

Solzhenitsyn is amazing - a favorite.

First read this book almost 13 years ago in a version that Solzhenitsyn had self-censored in hopes of getting it published in the USSR - which didn't happen.  This - the full version - became available in English translation a few years ago.  Delightful re-read; the full version is an improvement (though I was thoroughly satisfied with the first version that I had read).

Not difficult to see why many compare his works to those of Dostoevsky - prolonged discussions of ethical or philosophical matters; stand-alone chapters; many characters interacting.

Solzhenitsyn so effective at weaving into the story the effects of the socialist system on persons from all walks of Russian life - not just the prisoners - returning veterans, stranded spouses (typically wives), the stress on the jailers and officials, Stalin's loneliness, etc.  Pretty much everything corrupted.

Innokenty's decision.  Lubyanka.

Zeks in the sharaska live so well compared to the camps (after all, it's only the First Circle! (yes it's a Dante allusion)) - but facing ethical decisions - typically the scientific projects involved devices used to imprison folks! - is it ethical to assist with this project - when succeeding at it might be the zek's only hope of ever being released from the gulag (with profound positive implications not just for the zek - but also for the stranded spouse and other family members)?  Returning to the camps if fail or refuse to cooperate?

Main character is Gleb Nerzhin (imprisoned mostly for having spent time as a POW in a German camp) - he faces this ethical issue.  As do Sologdin and Gerasimovich.  Gleb discussing ideas with various folks as he tries to find his way.  As the story progresses, Gleb interacts more and more with Spiridon - a peasant whose story line illustrates the ways that those folks lived through those times, for better or worse.  Some folk wisdom.

Excellent throughout but - as I felt in the first reading - the chapter where Gleb is visited by his spouse (Nadya) - is just a knockout, heartbreaking.  Solzhenitsyn knew about this, had experienced it.  (Following chapter - where Gerasimovich is visited by his spouse - also very fine.)

One of my favorite bloggers recently read this book for his first time, loved it, did a virtual book club on it - so I listened to a couple podcasts - I hadn't realized that Solzhenitsyn's personal background incorporated so many elements of this story.  What a life he led.

The letters from Dyrsin's wife.

Rubin - dedicated communist yet well-liked.

The "relationship" decisions faced by the prisoner and the spouse over so many years - continued marriage to a prisoner almost certainly preventing meaningful education or employment - and opportunities with others - ach.

Etc.  Wonderful - a gift to run across works like this.

The Mill on the Floss (George Eliot, 1860)

(544 pages)

I really liked this.  I'm continually impressed with George Eliot; it's time for another reading of Middlemarch (it's almost been 15 years).  At the moment, this one is my favorite of hers.  It's one of her earlier works.

Characters here are so well presented - all believable, all so well sketched and  developed (with enough surprises along the way).  There were enough characters to fill out the story, but few enough so that this kind of detailed exposition could happen.  [Only exception:  Stephen Guest felt odd but in the end I felt he fit the flow.  (Interesting that at book's end there is a short discussion of what apparently was a great deal of criticism taken by Eliot for the Guest character.)]

--Maggie Tulliver
--Tom Tulliver (Maggie's brother) (these are the two main characters)
--Their parents; Mr. Tulliver likes to go to law; he wants Tom to become educated; Tom's struggles with the clergyman-teacher.

--The Dodson sisters (Mrs. Tulliver was one of these) - esp. Glegg - the voicing on these was utterly uncanny.  And often hilarious.  Also their husbands.  Easy to understand that this was a world Eliot had lived in.

--Lucy Deane - cousin (daughter of one of the Dodson sisters).

--Stephen Guest.

--Lawyer Wakem; his son Philip.

--Bob Jakin - Tom's childhood friend, more of an acquaintance.

The story revolves around Maggie and Tom, but primarily around Maggie.  Realistic, flawed, wonderful character.

Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America (Gilbert King, 2013)

(464 pages (including notes))

Book club selection (via CPG; session held 21 October 2018).

This was useful, timely.  Author builds the story around the efforts of Thurgood Marshall (and other NAACP members and supporters) to assist the "Groveland boys" - four blacks wrongfully accused in Florida.  With useful background about Marshall, the NAACP, its legal strategies, the environment in the South.  Florida as a dangerous, volatile state; the local sheriff here was a rather awful character.

It's amazing how recently all this happened; how much progress has been made; I think sometimes we lose sight of this given that plenty of stupid stuff continues.  Something about groups, or tribes, or however it's best described - seems unlikely that humans will ever entirely rise above these divisions.  But hopefully progress can continue.

Some of the details help someone like me, in some tiny way, imagine how it may have felt to be treated this way.  At one of the trials - black visitors at the courthouse eat lunch out on the lawn - guess what, every one of them had brought a paper bag lunch in the certainty that no restaurant would serve them.  This was "normal."

Florida not a cotton state; but once they master frozen orange concentrate there is a big need for workers - guess who was recruited, guess how they were treated.

Also - the risk to whites not toeing the line - including abusive behavior to someone named Mabel Norris Reese (initially a mostly unquestioning supporter of the local authorities but she changed over the years).  Your family, your business, your personal safety.   Examples in wartime, in religious settings, etc.

The extreme danger of sheriffs, police, the prosecutors, the judicial system - so much depends on integrity here.  Post 9/11 adulation isn't helping accountability.

The incredible courage of folks like Marshall (and other then-NAACP staffers and their supporters) - regularly encountering genuine physical danger - difficult to imagine.

Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam (Mark Bowden, 2017)

(608 pages (including notes))

We've thought very highly of Ken Burns's (fairly) recent Vietnam War series on PBS; this book had some of the same feeling, but focused on a single battle (though with plenty of helpful surrounding detail).  I liked it a great deal.

Hue as an important historical city in Vietnam - I had no idea - pretty far north in South Vietnam.  A citadel and "old city" portion, heavily fortified.  Cultural/historical significance, meaning US couldn't bomb it.

North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong meticulously plan to attack Hue as a featured element of Tet offensive - they realize they cannot hold it indefinitely, but believe they can make a real statement here.  And they definitely did.  Took over the citadel - thick walls, limited number of gates, defensive towers, moats - bigtime problems given that razing wasn't an option.

US planners and higher-ups tended to discount Tet in general, and discounted the situation in Hue in particular.  Meaning regular guys are sent into ridiculously dangerous situations due to higher-ups not comprehending, at least in the early going.  Author provides intimate descriptions of what can only be called raw courage - just amazing what these guys were doing - many of them truly "regular" draft fodder - many not particularly fired up to be there, but doing their jobs. 

Some of that reminded of this book - so much courage seems to be bound up with the guys close by.

North Vietnam with zero air power, limited firepower of any kind - necessitating quite a bit of courage and persistence - yet also incredible cruelty, ideological purification messes, etc.

Amazing degree of press access and honesty (and bravery - these folks were in the middle of things) - post-Vietnam I believe the military keeps much tighter control over the reporting, greatly sanitized.

Recommended.

The Tales of Chekhov (short story collection, late 19th century)

(620 pages)

Chekhov's reputation is so high that I've been looking around for collections of his short stories; bought this one on Amazon, it's a rather odd collection but nevertheless a fine introduction.

All I've previously read of Chekhov's work - this compilation of his longer stories.  I learn that he is mostly remembered for his short fiction (including items from this collection) and plays.

He must have been an entirely amazing fellow - medical practice, Sakhalin Island days, little things like that in addition to epic writing ability.

Recently saw a quote that seems apt - to the effect that the problem with short stories is that they are so difficult to remember.  That's certainly the case with this collection.  I genuinely looked forward to picking up the book every time I turned to it - that's typically the case, but ran at a deeper level with Chekhov's short stories, not sure why.  I'll stick with the usual explanation - "he sees us" - gently illuminating our foibles, and our wonderful-ness.

I much recall his ability to portray scenes in nature, or landscapes perhaps - the sun, especially when setting or rising; wind, specific birds offering sounds, clouds, bullfrogs, the scene changing as the sun moves, a hot day - this  is not important as his descriptions of his characters - but it helps make the stories entirely immersive.

Return of the Native (Thomas Hardy, 1878)

(275 pp)

I like this, though not as much as Hardy novels previously read (this one, and in particular this one).

Entirely set in village/rural/heath-country.  A countryside with which I'm not familiar, but I am pretty confident Hardy did an amazing job of describing - that part alone is captivating.

Diggory Venn is a "reddleman"; the book starts out as he assists Thomasin Yeobright (who had rejected his earlier marriage proposal); we meet her brother (Clym - who is the returning native), Damon Wildeve (proprietor of an inn), Eustacia Vye (thought perhaps to be a witch!), and various of their family members and the villagers.

The characters sort out their relationships.  I like that Hardy creates complex characters; no really bad ones, though the plot line is a little too tidy as it wraps up.

The Lost City of Z (David Grann, 2005)

(319 pages)

Book club selection (via Nick; session held 5 September 2018).

I like this genre.  But so far had only read about it in the context of the Nile (Alan Moorehead's White Nile and Blue Nile, biographies of Stanley and Livingstone, etc.

It was interesting to think about the differences - the Nile was impossibly difficult, but the Amazon seemed far worse. 

Another point of reference was Arthur Conan Doyle's Lost World - a great story, and modeled to some extent on this adventure.

Story is built around a fellow named Percy Fawcett; he rattles around in British colonial outposts; like famous African explorers, he seems immune to the hardships.  Fawcett becomes convinced that the Amazon formerly supported large cities (or at least one large one), and works to raise funds, launch an expedition, and hope to find it.  Takes his son and his son's best friend on the final effort.

He disappears without a trace; various folks go looking for him (generally with awful results); the author also goes out into the Amazon, after a fashion. 

Built - The Hidden Stories Behind Our Structures (Roma Agrawal, 2018)

(271 pages)

I saw several positive reviews so gave it a try.  Interesting but not compelling.

What the author is trying to do:  give non-engineering types enough basic information so that we can look at roads, bridges, buildings and think about some of the foundational principles involved in putting them up.  And it does have that effect, though I don't expect to retain much.

Interesting discussions about the incredible engineering and construction skills of the Romans. 

Didn't realize concrete was such a valuable product (mastered by the Romans, then their methods were lost for hundreds of years).

Pendulums atop tall buildings to offset swaying - who knew?

Interesting discussions of the Pantheon and Brunelleschi's dome.

Elevators can only travel about so far because the steel cables to move them become too heavy. Maybe that's why we had a stop-off on the way to the 80th floor of the Sears Tower back in the day?

The House of the Dead - Siberian Exile under the Tsars (Daniel Beer, 2017)

(378 pages)

While this overlapped with several other books (for example this one on the Decembrists - early exiles; Dosteovsky's exile here; Polish rebels in exile here; Solzenhitsyn here; Chekhov on Sakhalin Island), it was well worth reading - much additional information and perspective.

I hadn't realized the scope of exile in tsarist days.  In the early days - c. 1700 - it was a convenient way to get rid of political opposition - a few folks were sent far, far away.  Then the regime figured out that sending forced labor to Siberia might be a good way to exploit natural resources there (along with rehabilitating the exiles).  Then the regime started expanding the variety of offenses that gave rise to exile - a great way to get rid of undesirables.  But the system had very limited resources, and the numbers sent into exile simply overwhelmed it.  The goals were not achieved and, if anything, Siberian development was retarded.

For a long period, those exiled walked prodigious distances to their final destination -Tobolsk to the Nerchinsk silver mines was 3570 km (like walking from Madrid to St. Petersburg, or from Washington DC to Salt Lake City).  Lots of folks don't make it - limited accountability as exiles are handed off along the route.  (Compare Brits transporting folks to Australia - a single captain with a single medical officer on a single ship - survival rates improved dramatically once rules were put into place.)

Early arrivals sometimes found Siberia refreshing - people less beaten down than the serfs - but the flood of exiles and the constant exposure to doubtful types changed this over time.  Many political exiles who weren't particularly violent or dangerous - but many, many criminals who were.  A bad mix.

Often often no right of return - settle in Siberia after sentence, if survive - difficult.

As the 19th century proceeds and the numbers continue to increase - the Siberian experience produces flashpoints for resistance to absolutism.  This escalates into the early 20th century - many key figures in 1905 and 1917 were here.

Epilogue introduces how 1917 revolutionaries - ardent opponents of the exile system - adapted it for their own purposes after taking power.  With horrific efficiency.

The Forge of Christendom - The End of Days and the Epic Rise of the West (Tom Holland, 2008)

(413 pp)

Had recently read this book by the same author - it focused on what I'm calling "late antiquity".  I don't think the current book is part of a series, but it does pretty much pick up fairly shortly after where the prior book left off.

Something I notice - the titles of these two books are rather sensational; fortunately the content is useful, measured.

Europe as a backward dump compared to Persia, Constantinople, Spain, Baghdad, etc.  Charlemagne (following on the achievements of Charles Martel - Tours 732) - tries to restore a Roman empire - centered in the north but with affirmation in the south (Italy). Doesn't last long.

The papacy as a weak institution - not recognized as having much authority over anything - based in a town that had fallen into disrepair.

But perhaps this helped in the long run - separating religious leadership from civil - compare caliph, Constantine in an earlier era - theocratic structures don't birth innovation or free thinking.

The papacy starts to rise from its weakness.  Pepin/Charlemagne looking for validation - turn to the beleaguered bishop of Rome.  Over a few centuries, the pope takes control over appointment of bishops etc.  Takes a run at interfering in civil authority situations - but not nearly enough power.  But the administrative papacy is on its way (the build-up eventually contributing to the Reformation).

Author reviews various of the European kings in the run up to 1000 AD  and the years thereafter - an atmosphere where the end of the world was considered a live possibility.  Christianity making incredible territorial strides - huge land masses in Poland, Russia (though it apes Constantinople rather than Rome), eastern German areas.

These kings aren't all that powerful in their domains - civil order not in good shape in Europe - power ceded to castle-builders (this was new).  Exploitation of peasants; widespread violence; for all its warts the church does fairly regularly make a stand for the oppressed - the Peace of God is enforced after a fashion.  But states starting to be identifiable. 

I underestimate how important and influential the Norsemen, or Vikings, or whatever were in this era - they were traveling pretty much everywhere in Europe and settled down in some form or fashion in many areas (including southern Italy, Normandy, Russia).

1066 - discussion of Hastings.

1095 - Constantinople under stress; pope calls the First Crusade.

The Star Machine (Jeanine Basinger, 2007)

(553 pages)

Divided into two parts - the first discusses the rise and workings of the Hollywood studio system's "star machine" - as at least the author calls it - the second part (which is 75% of the book) goes into extensive discussions of individual stars - I barely skimmed this second part.

But the first part was quite interesting.  PJ and I much enjoy movies of the 1930s and 1940s as well as some of the 1950s stuff.  She's much more knowledgeable than me - much better exposure to this content in her growing-up years - in Iowa we only saw an occasional late-night movie.  I think our tilt toward this era reduces our interest in more modern movies - we're neither used to, nor looking for, graphic content (whether violence or otherwise).  Anyway, we continue watching lots of shows from this era.

Hadn't appreciated the factory-level scope of the big studios - they handled everything - author states that MGM could put out a full-length movie every nine days (1950).  In addition to the big-name folks - fleets of people ready to be put into a scene on short notice.  In a world without TV, the demand for the product was there.

Hard work for the most-used actors - in addition to full days on the set, time required at night to memorize the next day's lines.  Discussions of the seven-year contract, lack of control by the actors, etc. - probably tough, but seems like "first world problem".

Finding a "type" for each star - then putting that star in a movie where he or she could play to type repeatedly - this is what the audience wanted (or had been trained to want).  I've mistakenly criticized some of those stars along the lines of "he can only play himself" - but that was exactly how the studio wanted me to feel.

Author spends a lot of time on Tyrone Power (and they put him on the book's cover) - considered so handsome that he was a little hard to typecast (plus he later (perhaps too much later) wanted more serious roles, which wouldn't then have played to his "type") - anyway we're interested in Tyrone because EMG was compared to him pretty relentlessly in the 1940s.

The New Sorrows of Young W. (Ulrich Plenzdorf, 1972)

(139 pages)

Author does a take-off on Goethe's famous work.  Set (and written) in GDR days, and the story line includes Communist Party-era frustrations and jokes.  Somewhat uses the epistolary method (a la Goethe's Werther), though with cassette tapes.

Protagonist at first seems an annoying rebel-without-a-cause type, but turns out to be delightfully self-aware and an attractive character.  The hopeless love interest is handled just fine - she plus husband did track the original story quite a bit - Charlotte is a nice character here (kindergarten teacher), the husband more wooden than in Goethe's version.

The plot didn't track the original story as much as I had expected, which was a plus.

[Minor item:  protagonist liked joking/punning/offering up aphorisms with his buddy Willi - including "a loaf always has two ends" - reminded of Pete Kirsch humor in 1970s Iowa (among his sayings - he would solemnly intone "everything has an end" if a serious subject was being discussed; then the punch line:  "but the sausage has two ends.")]

Recommended by Martine Lanners; I'd recommend it as well.

Ants Among Elephants - An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India (Sujatha Gidla, 2017)

(306 pages)

This very recent book received lots of attention; it was billed as a valuable resource to learn something about "caste" in India.  I'm interested in the topic, haven't read much about it; "caste" wasn't evident during our two weeks in India, for what little that vanishingly small sample size is worth.

Not clear to me how much the caste system differs from societal sorting elsewhere (whether based on race or income or whatever).  Perhaps the system runs deeper given the longer history and because there is a religious aspect?  Don't know.

Anyway, this book ends up not helping very much on what I think of as traditional "case" issues, at least for me.  It is an interesting story of a family - Christian - where the lead figure (the author's uncle) becomes a Communist agitator.  All this is taking place in the turmoil of the 1940s and following.  Many difficulties for the family are attributed to caste and I don't doubt that it mattered for them - but I think it's difficult or impossible to separate caste issues from difficulties arising from the family's Christian and Communist characteristics in India at that era.

The lead family figure (author's uncle) seemed to have the usual crusader personality - self-centered.

Helps explain why Subhas Chandra Bose would have had appeal - typically presented as some version of "evil" in Western histories due to his dalliance with Nazi Germany and imperial Japan, but desperation (probably too strong a word but you get the idea) to escape British domination was real in the 1940s.  Author's uncle supported him.

So all in all the book has value to me:  it gave a different look at 1947 and the surrounding years in an area of the country I seldom read about - Andra Pradesh, with some of the action in Telangana (adjacent in south/central India); describes trying to work up through the educational system for those starting out without any advantages; poverty as very real and difficult; earlier generations in this area as "forest people;" zamindars under British rule; etc.

The Dog Stars (Peter Heller, 2012)

(319 pages)

Book club selection (via Zach; session held 11 July 2018).

Book club seems to find its way to dystopian-future books somewhat regularly.  I liked this version well enough.  Spare writing style that worked well.

We don't receive a lot of explanation, but earth's population has been decimated by plague; plus it's getting much warmer/dryer.  A few survivors seem to be doing fine health-wise.  But life has become nasty, brutish, short - civil order entirely broken down - folks doing what they need to do, or want to do.  A few survivors still have the disease.

Protagonist and his dog live with an older gent who goes about the business of survival with enthusiasm and, perhaps, coldness.  Older gent is well-armed.  Protagonist has a plane and does some flying around (with dog) - for enjoyment, and for perimeter control; lost his wife to the plague, has remained relatively normal, doesn't quite know how to approach the world in which he finds himself.  They encounter some additional folks and the story develops.

For some reason this book brought home, in a different (and effective) way, a familiar concept - that civilization is really fragile; that the order that has taken so long and required so much effort will break down so quickly under stress.  Simultaneously reading a Tom Holland book about Europe circa 1000 A.D. - Roman order had broken down, in many areas it was a free-for-all - made me think of this book.

Shantaram (Gregory David Roberts, 2003)

(933 pages)

OK it's long - but the author has a pretty good knack for story-telling and the tale does tug the reader along.

What I liked best - and perhaps this is because our recent visit to India is fresh - he gives what seems to me to be a pretty faithful description of how India (Mumbai in this case) would appear to a Western visitor.  (He's from Australia or New Zealand and supposedly spent 10 years in Mumbai on the lam following a prison escape while serving time for armed robbery.)

Mentions so many little things that resonate with what we saw: mango lassi; "challo!"; stainless steel cup and plate; driver with jasmine garland in his car; the head wiggle (if that's the right term); serve meal on banana leaf; he visits a village that seldom had non-Indian visitors; Mumbai street scenes; many more.

He also spends a bunch of time describing Mumbai slums - which I've never seen anything like - this felt a little idealized, the slum seemed to have better governance than most municipalities.

Two things I didn't love:  #1 - not that he did them badly, but he tried to do too many things - offering philosophical observations, taking the plot in all sorts of directions, so many characters.  Perhaps many readers like this, but I would have preferred tighter.

#2:  author comes across as narcissistic - pretty much everyone he encounters just loves him, several literally want to adopt him; plus he is consistently awesome at dealing with pretty much any situation (and there are a lot of situations over this many pages).

But I kept turning pages and was entertained throughout.

I think the author genuinely loved his time in India, which is kind of neat.