Books and Stuff

A regular round-up of my book news.

What I've been reading this week...

I finished Parting Shots.  An interesting book, giving the candid views of diplomats on leaving their posts. As such it demonstrates the attitudes of the writers' times, from colonial arrogance to post-imperial angst, and the shifting focus of British foreign policy.  I think more than a few potential readers might be misled by Matthew Paris' reputation and the illustration on the cover - thinking that this will be a collection of comic extracts. It's not, so be aware! It's not heavy reading, but it's far from light!

So I started  Russell Chamberlin Loot: The heritage of plunder.

What I've bought this week...

Christine Kelly, Mrs Duberly's War: Journal and letters from the Crimea - £1.99
Stephen Taylor, Storm and Conquest: The battle for the Indian Ocean, 1809 - £1.99

Henry Cecil, Brothers in Law - £1.45

Books and Stuff

Another round-up of my book news.

What I've been reading this week...

I carried on with Parting Shots.

What I've bought...

Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The authorised history of MI5 - £1.50
Hugh Lewis Nevill, Campaigns on the North-West Frontier - £6.00
Jayne Neville, The Polytunnel Companion - 30p
Anne C Petty, Dragons of Fantasy: The scaly villains and heros of Tolkien, Rowling, McCaffrey, Pratchett and other fantasy greats! - 30p

Boris Akunin, Pelagia and the Red Rooster - 30p

I was also lucky enough to win a free copy of John le Carre's latest book, A Delicate Truth, in a give-away on Goodreads.com

 

Books and Stuff

A regular round-up of my book news.

What I've been reading this week...

I continued with Parting Shots.

What I've bought this week...

Andrew Cook, Cash for Honours : The story of Maundy Gregory - £3.99
Peter Hennessey, The Hidden Wiring: Unearthing the British Constitution - £2.50

Books and Stuff

What I've been reading this week....

I finished Men Whose Fathers Were Men: The story of a hobby by Centurion (Col Reginald Branwhite Jay).  The hobby of the subtitle is medal collecting, and this 1925 book is a lovely period-piece.  It takes the form of one decent chap telling another about collecting in a series of after-dinner chats in his den, during which he expounds on the C19th history of the British Army (particularly in the Peninsular and the First Afghan War).  Very theatrical!

So I've now started Matthew Paris & Andrew Bryson, Parting Shots, which was one of the things I bought last week.  It a selection of extracts from ambassadors' valedictory despatches from abroad.

 

What I've bought this week...

Sam Willis, The Admiral Benbow: The life and times of a naval hero - £3.99
Richard Sale & Eugene Potapov, The Scramble for the Arctic: Ownership, exploration and conflict in the far north - £2.99

Peter F Hamilton, Manhattan in Reverse - £3.99