Very readable for an academic book (not trying to be snarky, it's very hard to write readably yet academically.) Thorough and balanced. I'm only on thVery readable for an academic book (not trying to be snarky, it's very hard to write readably yet academically.) Thorough and balanced. I'm only on the 20th century bit for research but will doubtless return to earlier sections in due course.
I am almost completely sure that Goodreads has linked this to the wrong author. ...more
Second in this outstanding pair of anthologies of post-war queer men in London up to the moment of legalisation of male homosexual behaviour. There's Second in this outstanding pair of anthologies of post-war queer men in London up to the moment of legalisation of male homosexual behaviour. There's a good balance between the utter hate-spewing awfulness of the Press and the politicians (then as now a twin pair of pustulent boils on the nation's arse) and the thoughtfulness, defiance, courage and joie de vivre of many individual lives in the face of everything thrown at them. Also some massive fuck ups, wild Establishment corruption, and the ever absurd censorship exercised over plays. A really involving slice of history. ...more
The extraordinary story of a German Jewish woman who became a Soviet spy and eventually Klaus Fuchs' handler, passing the atomic bomb secrets to StaliThe extraordinary story of a German Jewish woman who became a Soviet spy and eventually Klaus Fuchs' handler, passing the atomic bomb secrets to Stalin, while finding time for two marriages, several lovers, and three kids. And then became a successful children's writer, as you do.
It's a fascinating story, well told, with a good line in making complex stuff and a lot of history clear.
It's very domestic focused, with a lot on her relationship with her nanny, who she was in love with, her feelings about the kids etc. I get that part of her success was down to the 'housewife' cover and the era's general sexism, and that it was super important to her. I just can't help noticing I've read a lot of Ben Macintyre books about male spies where we barely hear a word about their domestic arrangements, what school their kids went to, their private concerns about balancing domestic life and espionage, etc. Maybe that simply tells us something about male spies, or about (a lot of) men (of the era), but it grated. ...more
A really excellent and comprehensive anthology focusing on queer men in London post war to the end of the 50s. Includes extracts from newspapers, lettA really excellent and comprehensive anthology focusing on queer men in London post war to the end of the 50s. Includes extracts from newspapers, letters, diaries, novels, plays, and quite a bit from the censors of plays. Many queer voices.
Obviously a lot of it is homophobic, and some of it really vile stuff. The last extract of the book is, jawdroppingly, a court report about a young man accused of sexual assaults on two women. The accused had had homosexual encounters before, and a psychologist literally described his attempted rapes *in court* as "a step in the right direction". I mean...fucking hell. Fuck.
A lot of this makes one feel, as one might feel now, that the British press en masse needs to be shot at dawn. However, there are also lots of non-awful pieces--loving, thoughtful, atmospheric, defiant, humane, and often very funny. I shall cherish Noel Coward's remark on seeing a poster of Michael Redgrave and Dirk Bogarde in The Sea Shall Not Have Them: "Why not? Everybody else has."
Brief but very useful annotations from the anthologist. This includes, in the biographical notes, a comment that one individual's book Come Cruising "disappointingly turns out to be about yachting".
A fantastic bit of work bringing the queer London 1950s to life. Highly readable and invaluable. I shall get the 1960s volume....more
A good factual overview of SOE operations, notably less sensationalist than many more recent ones, and very well written: it crams in a lot of facts aA good factual overview of SOE operations, notably less sensationalist than many more recent ones, and very well written: it crams in a lot of facts and names but remains highly readable.
Foot, of course, was an intelligence officer who actively served with the French Resistance, and his own feelings come across in moments when he refers to the "pornographers" who dwell on extensive descriptions of Gestapo tortures, or casually notes in an otherwise academic paragraph that the concentration camp guards were "the scum of the earth". ...more
Enormously detailed account of the publishing and literary world that existed in Shakespeare's time. Hugely researched and as such, significantly too Enormously detailed account of the publishing and literary world that existed in Shakespeare's time. Hugely researched and as such, significantly too detailed for me as a general-interest reader. ...more
Entertaining, written in a highly personal manner which I found endearing because I like David Mitchell. Don't think I learned anything very new but hEntertaining, written in a highly personal manner which I found endearing because I like David Mitchell. Don't think I learned anything very new but he's good at contextualising and it's funny and readable. ...more
Extremely loosely structured and poetically written book covering some aspects of Japanese histpry, a bit of a travelogue of Tokyo, and some thoughts Extremely loosely structured and poetically written book covering some aspects of Japanese histpry, a bit of a travelogue of Tokyo, and some thoughts about time. It hangs, very roughly, off trips to see old Edo's various bells that were used to makr the time, but that isn't really an organising principle. There's a lot about a coffee shop for no discernable reason.
I'll be honest, I got annoyed. Which isn't really fair as the subtitle says meditations, and that's what you get. If you like books with 'meditations' in the title, you will doubtless find this much more to your taste....more
A painstaking account of a true crime, in which a dodgy little shit eventually murders his wife. It's interesting with lots of factual underpinning, bA painstaking account of a true crime, in which a dodgy little shit eventually murders his wife. It's interesting with lots of factual underpinning, but--as a non-true-crime reader--I started to be unsure why I needed to know about this particular little shit and his victims. I think that's entirely a me issue.
Does that thing prevalent in non fiction where far too many paragraphs end in ellipses for no reason......more
This is very much about the horrors of the Nazi occupation of Poland, and as such it's an important story, unflinchingly told. There were a number of This is very much about the horrors of the Nazi occupation of Poland, and as such it's an important story, unflinchingly told. There were a number of embassy officials early on who issued visas with wild abandon to get people out while Europe's governments sat on their hands, and once the horrors of the Holocaust became apparent, and yet the Nazis still seemed to be respecting passports, a group of Polish diplomatic staff in exile set out to forge passports entirely, and probably saved up to ten thousand Polish Jews. Which is very much the story I was expecting to read, but it kind of seems like there's not much more to be told--we don't get much information about the men involved, or how they went about it, and the vast majority of the text is about the nightmarish events in Poland. So, a good book, but not really the book it's being marketed as. ...more
Quite interesting deep dive into 1215, the year of Magna Carta, with a look at the politics, John's reign, the collapse of the Angevin empire, and somQuite interesting deep dive into 1215, the year of Magna Carta, with a look at the politics, John's reign, the collapse of the Angevin empire, and some aspects of more normal life--food, the position of women, etc. Not entirely compelling--I don't find his writing that sparky tbh--and I got slightly annoyed at the repeated trope of 'everyone thinks John was a bad king but actually he may well have been a competent administrator' while what's under discussion is a country-wrecking rolling disaster. I mean, show me the part where he did useful things for anyone and I'll listen. ...more
Fascinating stuff. Like many people, for reasons the book thoroughly explains, I had an idea that van Meegeren was a cheeky chappie Robin Hood type whFascinating stuff. Like many people, for reasons the book thoroughly explains, I had an idea that van Meegeren was a cheeky chappie Robin Hood type who got at the Nazis by selling forged paintings to Hermann Goering. Sadly, this is not even remotely the case. He was a dishonest, fascist piece of shit who hand-dedicated one of his own books to Hitler with a grovelling message, and the only reason he sold Goering a fake Vermeer was that one of his collaborators fucked up.
It's quite depressing reading a bio of a really awful person. The author wisely doesn't make us spend too long on van M's rancid personality, but instead does a fantastic job of framing the story--the Dutch art world, the effect of Fascism on art, the practical business of forgery, the reality of the Nazi occupation on the Netherlands and its aftermath. In particular, he does an excellent job of explaining how the van M Vermeers, some of which now look jawdroppingly obvious, came to be accepted as real, and of putting that in the context of art in the time of Fascism.
I really liked the line drawn between art forgery and Fascism--the fundamental dishonesty, greed, entitlement, resentment, and amorality. Lot to think about. A very good book, if one that leaves a nasty taste in the mouth (subject, not author).
Excellent history of the Mongol expansion of the 1200s and its impact on the whole of Asia and the Near East, including Byzantine and the Crusader StaExcellent history of the Mongol expansion of the 1200s and its impact on the whole of Asia and the Near East, including Byzantine and the Crusader States even if they never fought directly. the broad geographical sweep lets us see geopolitics in action very effectively. ...more
Interesting introduction comparing today's celebrity cults and the nature of celebrities with the way celebrity played out in the Regency. Plus ca chaInteresting introduction comparing today's celebrity cults and the nature of celebrities with the way celebrity played out in the Regency. Plus ca change, basically.
I'm not sure the selection of people entirely backs up the premise. Harriot Mellon, absolutely: an actress who married first Thomas Coutts and then the Duke of St Albans. Also Lady Charlotte Bury, once agreed to be the most beautiful woman in England, whose story is a fabulous illustration of how quickly and easily you could slide down the privilege scale and the things people did to keep afloat: really interesting. But Princess Lieven wasn't interested in appealing to the masses, only to the elite and the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos was an aristo not a celeb, and neither of them really fulfils the premise. Thomas Lawrence combines incredible talent and achievement with a huge amount of personal fame, especially in his heavily promoted child prodigy days, but again, it's veering away from the premise. Basically I'd have liked more variety. What about Samuel Coleridge-Taylor or one of the Sons of Africa? What about a celebrated villain?
Still, the stories are well told (except for the enraging habit of calling each subject 'our hero/heroine') and it's well researched and interesting stuff. ...more
Great idea but the writing is painfully dry and unengaging. It's so far mostly potted histories of the various eras with particular reference to tradeGreat idea but the writing is painfully dry and unengaging. It's so far mostly potted histories of the various eras with particular reference to trade routes, where I was hoping for vivid descriptions of what diving a shipwreck is actually like, given the author has dived a lot of these. DNF at 30% ...more
An account of the development of humanism and some of the major humanist thinkers, striving in the spirit of modern humanism to be as inclusive as posAn account of the development of humanism and some of the major humanist thinkers, striving in the spirit of modern humanism to be as inclusive as possible (culture, race, gender, sexuality). Obviously this isn't always possible because wow a lot of men have sincerely asserted that all humans have the right to liberty and self fulfilment except women, or black people, or poors. Consider that a reminder of how we can be entirely well meaning while also being prejudiced, blinkered, and wrong.
ANYWAY.
I like humanism, and would probably call myself a humanist. It is sometimes painfully optimistic, which the author does address, and fundamentally hamstrung by its inherent tendency to be open to all points of view when some points of view need killing with fire. As with democracy, I feel it's the worst option except for all the other ones. It is not a creed that will ever see people marching with banners or spilling blood in its name or even schisming furiously over points of doctrine, which is simultaneously its appeal and its achilles heel. This is a good historical overview of development and compendium of pithy quotes.
(I was reading the chapter on 20th century antihumanism while giving blood, ie in a room full of people who'd volunteered to give up an hour, endure some mildly painful needle action, and feel a bit crap for the rest of the day, getting nothing in return other than a moment of altruistic smugness and a biscuit. There was a whole queue of people waiting for their turn to help an anonymous other. It was a happy corrective.)...more
Interesting book by a watchmaker, about the history of horology and most specifically the origins of the watch. It's mostly very much at the practicalInteresting book by a watchmaker, about the history of horology and most specifically the origins of the watch. It's mostly very much at the practical end with some musing about time and how we experience it and a rather lovely concentration on the tactile. Niche, interesting and likeable. I remain baffled how watches work or ever could have worked but that's my own engineering ineptitude. ...more
Geographical determinism at work. I didn't find this terribly readable (author gallops through, jamming in as many facts and scientific terms as possiGeographical determinism at work. I didn't find this terribly readable (author gallops through, jamming in as many facts and scientific terms as possible) and it all felt a bit simplistic tbh.
Obviously I could not resist a history of books bound in human skin: have you met me?
It turns out there's just not a great deal to say about them. TheObviously I could not resist a history of books bound in human skin: have you met me?
It turns out there's just not a great deal to say about them. The author does her best but in truth, the fact that someone decided to bind two copies of Phillis Wheatley's poems in human skin doesn't really tell us much about Wheatley, or bibliophily, or human skin binding, or anything else. I quite believe there isn't the information out there, no fault to the author, but it ends up feeling a bit like, yup, some people did this.
Hence, lots of digressions, many of which track down the path of discussing consent, body ownership, and the history of medical experimentation and research vs consent. This is a very interesting subject in itself, but not really about human skin book binding. And I have to say, I started to get a bit exasperated at what felt like rather performative outrage. Yes, in the heyday of colonialism, slavery, the Bloody Code, total absence of human rights, living exhibits et cetera ad nauseam people felt entitled to use other people's bodies for leather. Are we really shocked or surprised?
Put it another way: there are a handful of books that we know for a fact are bound in human skin, none of them are Nazi / de Sade / occult, most of them are anatomy or crime related, and two of them are Phillis Wheatley, and I just don't feel like there's much of a thesis here. ...more
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