Booknerd

[PeterL22]

don't know that book or author Peter. Anyway, I'm surprised you get chance to read it with all the posts on this thread!

[PeterSwede]

Im surprised myself lol

[catalina2]

imagesdfsdfs.jpg (5.78 KiB) Viewed 22 times

This is a cheezy little book about a cheezy subject. Let me elucidate. Gary Byrne is your average guy with one exception, he has dyslexia. This disability prohibited him from attending college, not that it was a gole of his. His admits he was more of jock than a student. One aspect of his character which never failed him was his sense of duty. He worked hard and fought hard. He was selected for the Air Force Security Police and then made his way, finally, to the uniformed division of the Secret Service under the George W. Bushes.
His book is a fascinating read if only to gain some insight into the multitudinous details involved in protecting the White House, no matter who the occupants happen to be. There is a White House hierarchy. It extends from the kitchen to the custodial staff. It's astounding how much abuse these people receive from some of the occupants of the people's house, yet, they persevere. It seems the Clintons and their hangars on were a different breed. Heady with power and ready to destroy any vestiges of the Bushes, Hillary went to work. Bill was painted as the affable “good ole boy” glad-handing everyone in sight. He was also a letch. I had no idea how easily white house “staffers” could access the oval office let alone the White House grounds. So we come to Monica Lewinsky and the trail of women “assistants” which frequented the oval office while Hillary was away. At times the visits occurred while she was present in her “special office”. It's not known whether Bill was that starved for sex, disrespected her that much or just didn't give a damn. That was the most benign, believe it or not, of the activities. Gary recounts the loud, very loud invectives and arguments which occurred on a routine basis and heard by almost everyone in the White House.
What struck me about the book was how the character of the White House was diminished to a red neck trailer park with the Clintons in attendance. Very little decency to each other or staff members and all facade.
One last point Gary brought to light that I hadn't really appreciated. Bill would often be seen with bruises about the face and at one time a black eye. Various excuses were put forward but all new from the hysterically loud confrontations that they were the result of physical violence against the President by the First Lady. “What (thought Gary) if the President was really injured in one of these altercations. What if he falls against a table and is seriously injured or worse?” The uniformed staff's only primary responsibility is to protect the United States President from harm. How do you protect him from his wife. Ever occur to you?

[PeterSwede]

Im sorry i was sharing the wrong book. This book is the one i reading right now. Very easy and exciting reading about a young man that is a very badguy, and a girl next door that falls in love with eachother.
And it will be conseqenses

[PeterL22]

My current reading matter is "Moneyball" by Michael Lewis. I bought it for two reasons - I like baseball (my favourite American sport) and also some football clubs are using similar methods to build up their squads in Europe. So I bought it , and it has been sitting on my coffee table for about a year - I was waiting until I could face a dry statistical book which needed thought etc. When I picked it up a day or so ago, I couldn't put it down - I guess a few of you will have read it - but the bits describing Bean's career in baseball versus what was predicted for him (and how this moulded his thinking), were fascinating. Then the descriptions of how the experienced scouts looked at players and how when he was General Manager he challenged for the draft are really good. Haven't finished it yet - but recommend it not just as a baseball (or even sports) book but a great insight into how humans make decisions - and why evidence is often one of the last things they look at!

[catalina2]

imagesfdgdsfg.jpg (8.55 KiB) Viewed 20 times

No, this isn't a book about a cretinous film star named Forest Whitaker. It's about a man who became transformed in life. Whitaker Chambers was a complex man. In his early years he became enamored of the Marxist/Leninist doctrine as so many young people with sophomoric minds do. He became a Russian agent in his early years. These were the tumultuous years when the Russians butchered the Czar and his family and then went about butchering themselves as communists/socialists are prone to do. After the blood baths of the first World War and the following blood bathes of the Stalin regime, Whitaker began to become unsettled. He saw the purges. During and after the war he experienced the vicious atrocities Stalin would mete out to his own people. He began to doubt. He was still a communist and a spy but he hid information that Stalin wanted as insurance against being assassinated himself. He, at that time, was on the same staff as Alger Hiss at Time magazine. They both were Soviet spies. By this time it was during the Truman and Eisenhower years and HUAC, under Senator Joe McCarthy, was attempting to expunge all communists from government and the entertainment industry. The fact that he used the same tactics as the Soviets made him (McCarthy) a symbol of derision for the left (the communists and their sympathizers whom we see today protesting in the streets). Because he was an alcoholic and used devious means does not mean, as a corollary, that he was wrong. On the contrary, he exposed many communists one of which was Alger Hiss. Hiss was from the higher socioeconomic classes. He went to the “right” clubs, he held the “right positions against McCarthy and HUAC, he was a Harvard graduate and he was editor of Time. He was also exactly what McCarthy accused him of being – a Soviet spy. So was Whitaker Chambers. Whitaker lost faith with the Soviets after seeing their brutality and became a Quaker. He loved his family. He came before HUAC and exposed Hiss. The media of course went predictably unhinged, as they do to this very day, and used every expletive available to denigrate Chambers but he was unswayed. He was up against the left wing establishment that thought the same as Felix Frankfurter, the infamous liberal justice. Frankfurter believed, as did most liberals of the time, that Sacco and Vanzeti, two treasonous bastards (the Bergdahls of the day) were innocent. Hiss, along with the press, thought the same way. Of course, he,himself, was at that very time engaged in espionage against the United States. He thought they were unjustly convicted and HANGED for treason. We, sadly, no longer do this. Chambers was vindicated when Hiss was later convicted and sentenced for perjury as he Was, in fact, an agent of the Soviet Union. He HAD committed espionage against the United States.
This book details Chamber's arguments in the debate and is a fascinating read. For those of you who wish to know the real facts of the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) this book will be most informative. Not much has changed. We still have the “elites” like Hiss and we still have middle America, the Whitaker Chambers of the world. One is named Barack Obama and the other Donald Trump. YOU decide which one is the traitor to his country.

[PeterL22]

Waiting for my Ayn Rand book to arrive from Amazon - hope its good! - No pressure Catalina

[catalina2]

(correction: Sacco and Vanzetti were given the electric chair. they Should have been hanged)
Re AYN RAND, Peter - I rely on the judgment of history not mine, as to whether you enjoy "ATLAS SHRUGGED" or not. Over seven Million copies have been sold and that was years ago. It's been translated into countless languages. One could say "it has enjoyed a modicum of success".

[PeterSwede]

I might buy that book, But in a swedish translation. I guess the english translation is way too heavy to read.

[PeterL22]

(correction: Sacco and Vanzetti were given the electric chair. they Should have been hanged)
Re AYN RAND, Peter - I rely on the judgment of history not mine, as to whether you enjoy "ATLAS SHRUGGED" or not. Over seven Million copies have been sold and that was years ago. It's been translated into countless languages. One could say "it has enjoyed a modicum of success".

Just teasing Catalina - it looks good. To be honest popularity isn't always a sign of quality- look at Harry Potter! I prefer to rely on recommendations from knowledgeable people.

[catalina2]

understood, Peter. but, in ten years, who will recall "Harry Potter" or J.K. Rowling? Ayn wrote "Atlas Shrugged" in 1957, the middle of the last century

[PeterSwede]

Rewievers from Magazine, News papers, etc often gives good rewiews to very heavy books, which is not very easy reading. Easy books like Astrid Lindgren books for excample often gets dissed by reviewers. Its the same with music. Artists like Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, Backstreet Boys, which is very easy listning is artists that the reviewers loves to diss and gives very bad Reviews to them. So i prefer recomendations from the audience.

[catalina2]

indexzzz.jpg (11.21 KiB) Viewed 12 times

Before events overcome Britain I think it time to bring to mind the role one of the world's greatest British figures, Sir Winston Churchill. It's not unfair to speculate whether Britain will ever see a man of his caliber again. I always liked Churchill but never more than after I read his history called THE SECOND WORLD WAR. To be sure, it is a history viewed from his perspective and that of the British people. It does not touch upon the war in the Pacific except tangentially. Churchill's military career began ignominiously in World War I. He was one of the architects of the Gallipoli landings in the Dardanelles in which thousands of Brits and Aussies were slaughtered in the belief that naval power would overcome the formidable position of the Turks. He resigned and later led an infantry battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers early in 1916. He was always a fierce opponent of Hitler and challenged Neville Chamberlain at every turn. Contrary to what was written in Judgment at Nuremberg, he complimented Hitler ONE time. It was in regard to getting the trains to run on time during Germany's complete collapse after the Treaty of Versailles. At the outbreak of the Second World War, he was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty. He had been against German rearmament since the end of the first World War.
His first book of the anthology is entitled THE GATHERING STORM. In this volume he recounts the condition of England after the First World War. It was depleted of fighting men in a war of trench warfare that sickens the heart. Men were thrown into direct canon shot and slaughtered on the field of battle on Both sides. Churchill was instrumental in developing the concept of the tank as the war ended. Britain then, was in a sad state both in terms of men, supplies and economy. Certainly it was in a better position than Germany. Germany began to extract concessions from the other European countries by defaulting on its war reparations. Hitler demanded that Germany be able to protect itself and began arming. This sparked the German economy. Churchill warned of the growing national socialism that was developing as a consequence of Hitler's rise. No one listened least of all the United States. We, at the time, were participating in the world wide depression of the thirties and were isolationist. Hitler annexed the Sudetenland, nothing happened. He marched into Czechoslovakia, nothing happened. Churchill was outspoken about the threats these bloodless acquisitions represented. His calls for action fell on deaf ears. After Chamberlain returned with the “peace in our time” agreement, Hitler invaded Poland and the “phony war” began. Britain did not finally declare war on Germany until September 3, 1939. The British expeditionary force was badly beaten and had to return to England in humiliation at Dunkirk.
We now begin the second book in the series THEIR FINEST HOUR. Hitler was determined to destroy England by air. Churchill knew he had not the resources but he had an early warning system. He theorized rightly that it would be prudent to allow the Germans to fly across the channel, burning fuel, rather than attempt an attack on the continent. With the few aircraft he had he allowed the Battle of Britain to begin. The Brits beat back the German air force and it was the inspiration for Churchill's brilliant quote “never have so few done so much for so many”. Churchill was constantly in touch with FDR to get the United States involved. He knew with the United States the war would eventually be won but FDR demurred. There was growing isolationism in the states and it was a powerful force to overcome. Finally on December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the United States. For some reason still not completely clear, it was Germany that declared war against the USA. Of course we had been helping the British through lend/lease and supplied them food with our Merchant Marine during the Battle of the Atlantic but to declare war was Hitler's biggest error. Churchill was delighted. Events began to move quickly.
These events are described in the next volume of the series THE GRAND ALLIANCE. The Soviets, after being attacked by Hitler instead of sharing Poland, were resentful and Stalin wanted revenge. The Soviets were to attack Germany from the East and American from the south through Africa. The African campaign was brutal and the Brits were losing until El Alamein. It was here that Churchill uttered his famous quotation “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning". Both the Americans and Brits rushed across Africa defeating the Africa Corps of Rommel. The United States had almost limitless material and men. Rommel had neither. Churchill knew that we could still lose the war.
This brings us to the third in the series THE HINGE OF FATE. The battle of the Atlantic was threatening Britain's life line. Hitler's wolf packs were disseminating the liberty ships provided by the US. After we entered the war it was a while before we could produce the ships, bombers, tanks and trained men to assist Britain. Britain was undergoing the Blitz and being starved. Finally under the prodding of Churchill the enigma code was broken and almost at the same time ASDIC was invented (radar). Now with the Atlantic secured and victory in Africa it was time for the next volume THE CLOSING RING.
It was often joked that Churchill's second home was Britain during these years of war. It was a commentary on how important to the war effort he felt the USA was and he was correct. He and FDR became fast friends though Truman was avoided and/or ignored. Churchill and FDR were “aristocrats” and old Harry was just a haberdasher from Missouri. Neither FDR nor Churchill would appreciate what a pivotal role he would play not so much in the European theater as in the Pacific. In this volume Churchill discusses the selection of Eisenhower as the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces. This was a brilliant move by Churchill though he was criticized at home for snubbing Montgomery who was, by this time, a national hero. D-Day was devised and the greatest armada in history sailed across the channel to land on Normandy – the Brits on Sword and Gold, the Americans on Utah and Omaha and the Canadians on Juno. Once the landings were finally a success all forces moved inland and the Americans and Brits moved into the underbelly of Europe in first Sicily, then Italy and finally France to join with the allies who had landed at Normandy. Meanwhile the Russians threw men at the Germans on the Eastern front which was a meat grinder for both sides. Stalin resented and never forgot that the Western nations never, in his estimation, supported the Russian effort in men or material. Nothing Churchill could say would assuage him. Churchill was a realist about Stalin. He knew they were each using each other. He always felt the war should have continued after the fall of Germany into the heart of Russia. It was to be Churchill who described the “fall of an iron curtain”. It was Churchill who knew that the European war could well end in a stalemate. The Battle of the Bulge almost proved him correct.
We now move to the final book in the series TRIUMP AND TRAGEDY. In this volume Churchill describes his devastation at the death of FDR, a long time friend. It was then he made himself available to Truman. Truman, it should be noted, wasn't even aware of the development of the atomic bomb. It was FDR, Stalin and Churchill who met first at Yalta then Churchill, Truman and Attlee at Potsdam to design the post war world (Ironically, today, it was Churchill, Stalin and FDR who met in Tehran in December of 1943 to plan Overlord ((the Normandy invasion)) and the final strategy for the defeat of the Nazis). Churchill was all too aware that the seeds of the next war are often sewn at the end of the preceding war. He was correct. The seeds of the middle east war were sewn when the Arabs were becoming outnumbered in Palestine from Jewish immigration during the war. The Brits failed in their blockade of Jewish immigration and the United Nations, later, did as well. The Brits left Haifa in 1948 and the state of Israel was formed. The Arabs were already disputing an Israeli independent state. Stalin became increasingly resentful of the West and was consolidating his power at home. The French did not want an independent Indochina (Viet Nam). America had become a world power and the British a strong nation was now a shadow of its previous greatness. Two years after the war they lost India.

There is, needless to say, so, so much more to describe about this wonderful work but space is limited and I'm getting tired. Lol. Suffice to say, if you want a comprehensive, personal account of the war in the European theater you could do worse. Keagan wrote an excellent history but it pales when compared with Churchill's masterpiece for which he won the Nobel Prize For Literature.

One more note. This has to do with one of the atrocities so-called, of the war. It was a controversial decision by Churchill to use “carpet bombing” on the continent. The most egregious example was Dresden. The destruction of Dresden, while immense, was designed to expedite the defeat of Germany. The revisionists will demonize him as they did and do the United States for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Howard Zinn and the rest of the treasonous left will make any excuse, use any action, criticize every step IN HINDSIGHT and benefiting from decisions made by men who cared more for their own countrymen than those of the enemy. I'll stop here for this is a recommendation for a book of outstanding value, not a discourse on treason, which should be read by every serious person interested in Britain and the Second World War.

[PeterSwede]

Another good recomendation Katalina, Thanks for that :)

[PeterSwede]

Now i want to recomend a book about two swedish innocent journalists that wheir stuck in jail in Ethiopia. Suspects for being terrorists

[WalterB]

Rewievers from Magazine, News papers, etc often gives good rewiews to very heavy books, which is not very easy reading. Easy books like Astrid Lindgren books for excample often gets dissed by reviewers. Its the same with music. Artists like Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, Backstreet Boys, which is very easy listning is artists that the reviewers loves to diss and gives very bad Reviews to them. So i prefer recomendations from the audience.

Peter, book reviewers, like movie critics and almost all "critics," are very simply, like you and me, people with opinions about what they've just seen or read. They have no clue about what I like or don't like. They are expressing no more than their own personal opinions. That's why I don't read reviews. I find too many that miss the mark as far as what I like.

[PeterL22]

Rewievers from Magazine, News papers, etc often gives good rewiews to very heavy books, which is not very easy reading. Easy books like Astrid Lindgren books for excample often gets dissed by reviewers. Its the same with music. Artists like Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, Backstreet Boys, which is very easy listning is artists that the reviewers loves to diss and gives very bad Reviews to them. So i prefer recomendations from the audience.

Peter, book reviewers, like movie critics and almost all "critics," are very simply, like you and me, people with opinions about what they've just seen or read. They have no clue about what I like or don't like. They are expressing no more than their own personal opinions. That's why I don't read reviews. I find too many that miss the mark as far as what I like.

Absolutely George - same for music, art, TV or anything. You can sometimes get an idea from the description of the plot etc, but it is an individual's taste generally. Having said that if by chance you find a reviewer that seems to like similar stuff to you - watch them closely!

[hennar2017]

Wow! You guys are way above my head! I must not read the right stuff. As for Ayn Rand--that was about as deep as I go. Can't say I liked it but can't say I didn't.
Churchill's volumes I could never tackle but it is good there are those who do read them. Like I said I am pretty much fiction, but it is fun reading your summaries of the books you are reading catalina2 and Peter Swede. Keep it up!

[PeterSwede]

This is Another book that is well recomended. And the author is good too. He was a forner military for SAS. Most of his books is based on his operation missions. Really intresting readings.
This book Bravo two- zero also became a movie with the actor Sean Bean as Andy McNab.

[catalina2]

51KyiVql9QL._AC_US327_QL65_.jpg (15.24 KiB) Viewed 8 times

index.png (7.24 KiB) Viewed 8 times

Wow! You guys are way above my head! I must not read the right stuff. As for Ayn Rand--that was about as deep as I go. Can't say I liked it but can't say I didn't.
Churchill's volumes I could never tackle but it is good there are those who do read them. Like I said I am pretty much fiction, but it is fun reading your summaries of the books you are reading catalina2 and Peter Swede. Keep it up!

"Above your head"? I don't even know what that means, Hennar. Just read what you enjoy, don't rush, savor every word. If it's a good read it'll conjure images you'll never forget. Most of my reading has been historical/philosophical but I've read many, many mysteries and, of course, the classics.
One piece of advice - don't judge a book by it's weight. I've read several of King's novels hoping I would enjoy at least one. I didn't. They're now doorstops. Insomnia was a ridiculous tome about some idiot who can't sleep and begins to see "bubbles" above ppls' heads meaning they're going to die. This goes on for page after insufferable page. Why I tortured myself with this book I'll never know. I tried a shorter one The Girl Who Loved Tom Jordan. This one was even worse though mercifully short.