[Waffles]

At the moment I'm reading A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell. Been an interesting read so far.

[robgski]

Thomas Sowell

Excellent writer!

After finishing "The Candy bomber" I decided to stick with some Berlin-centric history by reading Anthony Beevor's " Fall of Berlin", which I only read halfway through before being distracted. After that, I have a book about Berlin 1961 and the Wall to complete reading. I was actually in Berlin on two separate occasions in 1989, once before and once after the opening and removal of the Berlin Wall. It was an occasion I did not expect to see in my lifetime, and when I returned to Berlin 12 years after, so much had changed. Now it's been almost 20 years since my last visit, I can't imagine how the city and its people have gone on since.

[robgski]

Having finished books about the Fall of Berlin, and the Berlin Airlift I am now reading about the Berlin Wall

[moggi1964]

I always have a few on my table. Currently got:

Zen Camera - Ulrich
Medium Format Handbook - Hicks
The Photographer's Eye - Freeman
Mastering black and white photography - Garrett
The Art of black and white photography - Beazley

I read Sci-Fi on my Kindle.

[RobA_Oz]

My present reading is down to two:

‘The Discovery of Heaven’ by Harry Mulisch; and

‘Self Portrait’ by Man Ray.

Most of the time I have at least two on the go, depending on the weather and the state of my other tasks.

[lesmore49]

Excellent writer!

After finishing "The Candy bomber" I decided to stick with some Berlin-centric history by reading Anthony Beevor's " Fall of Berlin", which I only read halfway through before being distracted. After that, I have a book about Berlin 1961 and the Wall to complete reading. I was actually in Berlin on two separate occasions in 1989, once before and once after the opening and removal of the Berlin Wall. It was an occasion I did not expect to see in my lifetime, and when I returned to Berlin 12 years after, so much had changed. Now it's been almost 20 years since my last visit, I can't imagine how the city and its people have gone on since.

I have no discipline, so as a result, usually at any time I have about 15-20 books on the go. I am quite interested in German, Austrian history and some of the books on my table , partially read, include The Hapsburg Empire, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, by William Shirer.....about third time I've read this in the past 50 years +,.

Another book is the The Ring of Steel about Germany and Austria prior to and early on ...during WW1. Interesting to read the different perspective of this period in history from the 'other side' as it were.

Also Danubia and Germania which are two books by the same author....Simon Winder.

Another book that looks at the period between the wars, Paris 1919... and reviews at the Paris Peace Conference and the significant effect it had on Germany and Austria, etc, after WW1.....some say this conference it bears some responsibility for WW2

Anyways without getting further into details...these are history books that provide a pretty good background on things from the turn of the last century to mid century....in parts of central and Eastern Europe.

[lesmore49]

At the moment I'm reading A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell. Been an interesting read so far.

Me too.

[robgski]

I have no discipline, so as a result, usually at any time I have about 15-20 books on the go.

I understand completely, I only mentioned my downstairs meal time book. Upstairs I am reading "An Army in Exile" by LtGen WLadyslaw Anders, about the remnants of the Polish Army which fled east from the invasion in 1939 were first imprisoned, then formed into a nominal force in Ukraine, and finally were allowed to relocate to Persia, along with thousands of women and children. I'm only part of the way through, but it is fascinating so far.

[lesmore49]

I understand completely, I only mentioned my downstairs meal time book. Upstairs I am reading "An Army in Exile" by LtGen WLadyslaw Anders, about the remnants of the Polish Army which fled east from the invasion in 1939 were first imprisoned, then formed into a nominal force in Ukraine, and finally were allowed to relocate to Persia, along with thousands of women and children. I'm only part of the way through, but it is fascinating so far.

Sounds like a good book.

[robgski]

Sounds like a good book.

It is. I'm almost finished, so the next book on the list is "The War of the Roses" by Dan Browning. His histories are very well written, a good mix of narrative and detail. I've read his books on the Plantagenets and the Templars as well.

[lesmore49]

It is. I'm almost finished, so the next book on the list is "The War of the Roses" by Dan Browning. His histories are very well written, a good mix of narrative and detail. I've read his books on the Plantagenets and the Templars as well.

Sounds like an author to check out.

Presently, I'm reading a history book, entitled 'Blenheim, Battle for Europe ', by Charles Spencer, who is also the Earl Spencer. He has an interesting turn of phrase and the book itself is quite a deep look into this famous battle. I'm enjoying it.

[Waffles]

I finished the Thomas Sowell book and it was, indeed, quite good. Figured I'd take a break from non-fiction and look for a novel to read, though not sure what that would be. I usually tire of trying to find something and just return to re-reading books from my shelf.....right now I'm reading So the Wind Wont Blow It All Away by Richard Brautigan. Never ceases to simultaneously move me and cause me to laugh out loud.

[clackers]

Elton John's autobiography 'Me'.

He's clean these days. AA worked for him, and boy he needed it, sometimes attending two meetings a day wherever he was in the world.


"[for an insane party at his LA rental house] ... I'd had the garden strung with lights, got Bob Halley to fire up the barbecue and invited everyone I knew was in town. By the middle of the evening I was flying, absolutely out of my mind, when a scruffy guy I didn't recognize wandered into the party. Who the hell was he? He must've been one of the staff, a gardener. I loudly demanded to know what the gardener was doing helping himself to a drink. There was a moment's shocked silence, broken by Bob Halley's voice: "Elton, that's not the ****ing gardener, that's Bob Dylan."

So, the book is a hoot - can only imagine the showbiz stories he had to leave out!

[robgski]

Starting "Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan.

[Liney]

After his death was reported last week I went back and started to reread Murray Walkers autobiography.