David Mitchell's Unruly is a blend of humor and historical analysis which privides a fresh take on the history of the English monarchs. Mitchell succeDavid Mitchell's Unruly is a blend of humor and historical analysis which privides a fresh take on the history of the English monarchs. Mitchell succeeds in making complex historical information accesible, while Mitchell's narative style makes sure that the reader is both informed and entertained. History doesn't have to be dull and boring, it can be engaging and entertaining and can (re)kindle the fascination of the readers. I really liked it....more
I have been to the southern part of the world, farther south than anyone of you, ye or any man yet known
In the year of our Lord 1577, Francis Drake emI have been to the southern part of the world, farther south than anyone of you, ye or any man yet known
In the year of our Lord 1577, Francis Drake embarked from Plymouth with a small fleet of five ships and a crew of 160 men, driven by a daring ambition to uncover new trade routes and seize the riches of the Spanish Empire. With the tacit support of Queen Elizabeth I, Drake explored the coasts of South and Central America, launching surprise attacks on unsuspecting Spanish settlements and vessels, and navigated the straits of Magellean to reach distant lands like Tahiti and New Guinea, ultimately venturing as far as the Philippines and Indonesia. Having circumnavigated the globe, Drake brought back an astonishing bounty of precious metals, spices, and jewels. His historic feat marked him as the first Englishman and only the second person in history to circumnavigate the globe, earning him the accolades of knighthood from Queen Elizabeth I and a generous share of the spoils.
The exact net worth of the loot acquired by Drake is not known, but it was estimated to be about 400,000 pounds in 1580, which would be equivalent to about 88 million pounds or 120 million dollars today. The loot was enough to pay off the entire national debt of England at the time and still leave a surplus for the queen and the crew. It was also more than the annual income of the Spanish crown from its American colonies.
In "In Search of a Kingdom," Laurence Bergreen recounts Drake's epic voyage within the broader context of the fierce rivalry between Elizabeth I and King Philip II of Spain, drawing from a range of sources including the colorful accounts of Bernardino de Mendoza, Spain's ambassador (and spy) to London and a keen observer of Drake's exploits. Mendoza's narrative offers an often comical attempt of Mendoza to unravel the mysteries of Drake's activities.
The book also relies heavily on Drake's own writings, providing a glimpse into the 16th-century perspective on encounters with indigenous peoples and the complexities of their interactions with the Spanish colonizers. Bergreen quotes Drake verbatim, so the use of Old English may seem archaic to modern readers and even gets frustrating as the book progresses.
Bergreen contends that Drake's success marked the beginning of England's ascendancy on the world stage, though some may debate the extent of its impact. Yet there is no denying the profound humiliation inflicted upon Spain, as Drake not only outmaneuvered his rivals but also brazenly seized their wealth in a daring display of global piracy.
"In Search of a Kingdom" offers a colourful account of one of history's early global adventurers, capturing the spirit of exploration and conquest that shaped the course of nations....more
I didn't really know what to make of this book from Julian Barnes. This book is about Neil, whose professor, Elizabeth Finch (EF), had made an impressI didn't really know what to make of this book from Julian Barnes. This book is about Neil, whose professor, Elizabeth Finch (EF), had made an impression on him for the rest of his life. For Neill she's an enigma and he is surprised when he inherits her literature and journals. He attempts to decipher the enigma, only to realise she will always remain an enigma. In the end, he has to come to terms with that.
It is a strange book. The book consists of three parts. Part one describes EF still living, the second part goes on a tangent towards Julianus, a Roman Emperor and the third part Neil's efforts to reconstruct the woman that was Elizabeth Finch.
I didn't know what to make out of it. Barnes has written better books....more
Barbara Tuchman is a name I encounter often when browsing through history books, but until now I never read any books of her. One of her most well-knoBarbara Tuchman is a name I encounter often when browsing through history books, but until now I never read any books of her. One of her most well-known books is "The Guns of August," which explores the events leading up to World War I and which is often cited in a lot of books I have read about that time period. So when I stumbled upon the Zimmerman Telegram, an audio book of merely 8 hours, I decided to give it a go. Of course I knew of the Zimmerman telegram, it was the attempt of Imperial Germany to seduce Mexico to invade the US in case of a war between Germany and the US. The telegram was intercepted by the British and, with a sly smile I assume, passed on to the Americans, resulting in their declaration of war against Imperial Germany. The German defeat followed suit.
Barabara Tuchman managed to improve my knowledge to this whole episode, with a clear writing style and, not unimportant, some subtle humor. She starts off with the often difficult Mexican/US relations prior to World War I, setting the context for the subsequent events. She also made clear what on earth the Germans were thinking; the war had slogged down in the mud of Flanders and by embroiling the US in a war with Mexico the supply to the Allies would be cut off. And, if the Japanese would join Mexico in her fight against the US and ally herself to Imperial Germany, Russia would be finished. Direct telegraph transmission of the telegram was impossible because the British had cut the German international cables at the outbreak of war. Luckily, the Swedish were prepared to send it for them over British cables. Just to be sure, Germany also send the telegram via the diplomatic cables of the United States, who graciously allowed limited use of its diplomatic cables with Germany to communicate with its ambassador in Washington in order to facilitate Wilson's peace offerings. But the German code was cracked, which - true to German character - the Germans were impossible to conceive. After all, a code devised by Germans could never be dissolved by lesser minds.
The British wasted no time in capitalizing this enormous German blunder. In order to prevent the fact that the German code was being read to become known, they obtained the coded text of the telegram from the Mexican commercial telegraph office. This was the cover story they could use to give the telegram to the Americans who, in order to check the validity of the telegram, only had to check their own diplomatic cables. With this, the Americans knew enough. It didn't help that Zimmerman himself acknowledged the existence of the telegram. The game was up.
Funnily enough, it was Wilson himself who tried to keep from going to war while the American public was outraged. Tuchman portraits Wilson as the naive, stubborn president that tried to persuade the belligerents to accept his peace proposals. Up until that time, he had succeeded, but now that the American public clamored for revenge his resistance to going to war was finally overwon. As Tuchman writes, the telegram was the last drop that emptied his cup of neutrality. He had no alternative anymore and was in the grip of events. The United States was kicked into the war, and the Zimmerman Telegram provided the kick....more
I have always enjoyed Dan Jones's non-fiction works about the (among other works) the Plantagenets, the Magna Carta Band of Brothers, medieval edition
I have always enjoyed Dan Jones's non-fiction works about the (among other works) the Plantagenets, the Magna Carta an the Templars, so when I noticed he published a new book titles the Essex Dogs, I wondered which British military unit, group, or division he wrote about. The Essex Dogs were a group of mercenaries, obviously from Essex and they fought under Edward III, during his assault on Normandy as a part of the Hundred Years' War. Only, they never existed. As it turned out, this is a book is a work of fiction. Yes, Dan Jones has written a historical fiction novel.
We start with the landing on the Normandy beach, heading ever deeper into enemy territory toward Crécy and trying to survive. The Essex Dogs and their leader try to survive the harsh conditions and pillage and loot their way to France. Long marches, the waiting, the suffering of the peasants who see their harvest destroyed and their houses robbed - I guess nothing has changed very much since then.
We get to know the individual members of the Essex Dogs who, as a medieval band of brothers, try to protect each other and try to stay alive. The Essex dogs soon find themselves in the midst of diplomacy, as they are tasked with all sorts of diplomatic adventures, such as presenting the bishop of Caen with a peace proposal. In this we learn of the key players, such as the Black Prince (not depicted very sympathetically), the Earls of Warwick and Northampton and various other figures rooted in history.
I don't know how much liberty Dan Jones has granted himself when it comes to historical accuracy. A medieval meth-head? I don't know. The nobility is presented as just as any regular army officer - i don't know if this was the way it was at that time. But for me one of the captivating aspects is the strong sense of brotherhood that mirrors the renowned "Band of Brothers" narrative that emerged from World War II, where - almost 600 years later - soldiers of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment also landed in Normandy. The relationships between characters in "The Essex Dogs" are reminded me of the deep connections formed between soldiers in the 506th Regiment. The Essex Dogs" taps into the universal emotions of friendship, sacrifice, and resilience.
Dan Jones has ventured into historical fiction with this book, blending real historical events and figures with fictional elements to create an engaging narrative. It offered me a unique blend of entertainment and education, and may do the same to you as well, as long as there is an understanding that certain elements are fictionalized for the sake of the narrative. Readers who appreciate the camaraderie and brotherhood depicted in "Band of Brothers" may find themselves drawn to the relationships and interactions among the characters in "The Essex Dogs."...more
As a young man, Edmund Halley travelled to St. Helena where he observed a transit of Mercury. At once he realUniting the world to measure the universe
As a young man, Edmund Halley travelled to St. Helena where he observed a transit of Mercury. At once he realized that if two observers were widely separated in latitude, they would see a transiting planet move along different chords as it traversed the Sun. If each observer timed the transit from beginning to end, the shift in the planet's position — its parallax — could be calculated and used to determine the Earth-Sun distance. Although transits of Mercury are relatively frequent, the planet's parallax is too small to be of any use. However, a transit of Venus is a different matter. But these transits are very rare, they occur in a pattern that generally repeats every 243 years, with pairs of transits eight years apart.
At that time, 18th century astronomers had a map of the solar system, but no idea about the true size. By using Halley's method, they could determine the distance between the Sun and the Earth and therefore map out the true size of the solar system. Venus was they key to unlock this secret. The quest to use a transit of Venus to calculate the Earth-Sun distance became one of the great scientific obsessions of the 18th century.
For the first time in history, scientists needed to coordinate their observations with those from other countries. Nations locked in battle had to work together for the first time in the name of science for the first time ever. In many dozens of locations, many hundreds of astronomers would have to point their telescopes at the sky at exactly the same moment in order to see Venus's progress across the burning disk of the sun and afterwards, share their findings. This was a time that Europe was in war, and the astronomers had to overcome warring armies, pirates, violent storms, tropic diseases and bitter cold. But they were literally prepared to die for science.
This book describes the efforts of those astronomers that were dispatched across the world to observe this rare celestial encounter. The book is divided in two parts, the first one detailing the efforts of various astronomers during the first transit on the 6th of June 1761, and the second part details the transit on 3-4 june 1769. It is a story of perseverance, dissapointment and sometimes just bad luck. Imagine having travelled to the other side of the world, across hurricanes and pirates. French astronomer Guillaume Le Gentil, who never reached his destination due to the Seven Years War and had to observe the first transit from a rolling ship. Determined, he decided to stay in India for the next 8 years in order to observe the second transit, only to be the spectator of a fatal cloud. Disappointed, he decided to head for home, only to discover he had been declared legally dead, his wife had remarried, and all his relatives had "enthusiastically plundered his estate". What a stark contrast with English astronomer Charles Green, who under captain James Cook was sent to tropical Tahiti, where he witnessed the transit in more pleasant circumstances where they celebrated the success by seducing some handsome girls who, as they were delighted to discover, agreed to sleep in their tents.
Both transits of Venus provided scientists with invaluable opportunities to narrow down the distance between the Sun and the Earth to agreeable ranges. It also was the first time that there was a remarkable international collaboration and competition among astronomers. The science of two nations may be at peace, while their politics are at war. It was this "Peace of the scientists" that proved to be of vital significance to the advancement of knowledge.
Wulf skilfully weaves together the historical backdrop, scientific discoveries, and personal narratives of the astronomers who embarked on these daring expeditions. The book effortlessly combines scientific knowledge with human stories, making it accessible and engaging for readers with varied backgrounds.
The Magna Carta, also known as the Great Charter, was originally issued in 1215 in England and has established principles that have influenced legal sThe Magna Carta, also known as the Great Charter, was originally issued in 1215 in England and has established principles that have influenced legal systems and the concept of government in many countries around the world to this day. In this (short) book, Dan Jones takes us back to the events leading up to the creation of this document and the influence and misconceptions that endure to this day.
Jones delves into the immediate political and social context that led to the creation of the Magna Carta and the motivations of the barons. It also highlights King John's motivations and the concessions he made. As he makes clear, the original intent of the Magna Carta lay in terms of restoring peace and addressing grievances by the barons, and never was intended as a political statement intended for future generations. However, in later history he traces down how this document became a symbol of liberty and the fight for rights and its impact on important historical documents, such as the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Beautifully illustrated, this book illuminates the intricate complexities and profound influence of the Magna Carta, far surpassing my initial expectations. It revealed the layers of significance that this historic document holds, leaving me with a deepened understanding on how this document gained the image we have of it today....more
I got the impression that this book was mainly targeted to American readers who may view him as a tyrant who opposed the colonists' legitimate grievanI got the impression that this book was mainly targeted to American readers who may view him as a tyrant who opposed the colonists' legitimate grievances and violated their natural rights in an effort to perhaps adjust this image (as the subtitle "the misunderstood reign" suggests.
Unfortunately, for me this book required a certain level of background knowledge or concentration to understand and appreciate - which I was lacking. It therefore did not resonate with me and I decided to spend my time on a different book....more
An intriguing book about an oft forgotten phase in the Pacific War, when Japan invaded the Dutch East Indies and the Japanese still ruled supreme. WitAn intriguing book about an oft forgotten phase in the Pacific War, when Japan invaded the Dutch East Indies and the Japanese still ruled supreme. With a mix of old and obsolete destroyers and cruisers the ABDA command tried to halt the Japanese advance. The author provides a fresh narrative on the way the Dutch with their obselete ships fought the Japanese and how they succeeded with just a handful old submarines to sink more ships than the British and US combined. Karel Doorman, the Dutch admiral who went down with his ship, is reinstated as the man who tried his best, although not enough but at least he tried.
Unfortunately, although extensive and meticulously researched, the narrating style is rather dull and not engaging. Therefore 'just' 3 stars....more
December 1941 was the month that World War II became truly a 'world' war. The Germans (and Italians) had signed the Tripartite Pact in September 1940 December 1941 was the month that World War II became truly a 'world' war. The Germans (and Italians) had signed the Tripartite Pact in September 1940 with the hopes to defeat Britain and to deter the US from entering the war. The Japanese were hoping to drag Germany into the war against the US and Britain. British grand strategy was above all concerned with bringing the US into the war and Roosevelt was slowly provoking Germany in order to declare war, only to be helped by this by the attack on Pearl Harbour, in one stroke defeating the isolationists and uniting the US as a whole.
The war in the Pacific united the United States, involved the US in the war (finally, as Churchill regarded it) and helped Germany to hide its setback before the gates of Moscow.
Evan Mawdsley argues that the events of the twelve days from 1 to 12 December 1941 were pivotal. He examines the momentous happenings of December 1941 from a variety of perspectives. It shows that their significance is clearly understood only when they are viewed together. In this the book succeeds, however Germany's setback before Moscow feels like the odd one out. I noticed I tended to skip the chapter dealing with this event, as the events in the Pacific and Malaya leading up to Japan's assault were much more interesting....more
Dan Jones is my favourite author when it comes to Medieval history and this book is no exception to that rule. Engaging and readable, Dan Jones knows Dan Jones is my favourite author when it comes to Medieval history and this book is no exception to that rule. Engaging and readable, Dan Jones knows how to paint the bleak Medieval power struggle during the War of the Roses. Highly recommended if you want to know more about this....more
Surprisingly readable account on how the various combattants financed their war. Gaaff explains the various economic terms in such a way that anybody Surprisingly readable account on how the various combattants financed their war. Gaaff explains the various economic terms in such a way that anybody without an economics degree still can understand the basic principles. Not only the war itself, but also the run up to and the aftermath is described. Interesting for anyone with an interest in World War I....more
There is no loyalty on the pinnacle of politics, only calculation, ambition and ideology
From the moment Neville Chamberlain brought Churchill in the gThere is no loyalty on the pinnacle of politics, only calculation, ambition and ideology
From the moment Neville Chamberlain brought Churchill in the government in September 1939 untill sometime after the crises in 1940 he experienced a breathtaking ascent. Winston Churchill propelled and directed this upward movement, establishing himself not merely as Britain's prime minister, but as her indespensible man. Particularly in 1940-1941 he spoke in language as beautiful as Shakespeare's, what everyone wished that they could say. The nation recognized him as the embodiement of her will to survive, and so despite an occational hickup, he reached the apex of his popularity.
But with national survival no longer at stake, Churchill had to deal with parlementary critics and rebellions. Inconsequential at first, but increasingly threathening he had to fend of potential rivals for the leadership. His concentration lapsed and he experienced physical illness, the so-called black dogs of depression. There still would be triumphs, but also depths, culminating in his election defeat in July 1945 where, in a shocking upset, he lost to his rival Attlee.
This book deals with those critics and rebellions by his ministers. It showed me that Churchill's colleagues did not treat him with the reverence and to consider him to be a great and brilliant man as we do today, but also as a difficult and flawed one. In short they viewed him as a human being, imperfect like all human beings....more
In Bomber Command Max Hastings provides a definitive account on the strategy and policies from Bomber Command, which in the course of 4 years was ableIn Bomber Command Max Hastings provides a definitive account on the strategy and policies from Bomber Command, which in the course of 4 years was able to lay waste to many German cities. It was computed after the war that 593,000 German civilians died and 3,37 million dwellings were destroyed.
It gives a good description from the initial strategy, based on the Trenchard doctrine, to precision-bomb German installations. Pinpoint attacks were directed to German targets, with heavy losses and minimal results. After the Butt Report, which showed that a large number of bombs never hit the target, Great Britain still continued the bombing raids, for the simple fact that in the beginning phase of the war there was simply no other means of taking the war to Germany.
However, with the growing number of bombers and the introduction of more and more effective bombers, the decision was taken at the end of 1941 that, since a city was the highest common factor which most crews could identify on a given night under average conditions, Bomber Command would abandon its efforts to hit precision industrial targets and address itself simply to attacking the urban areas of Germany.
But how effective was the bombing? Harris points out that German production actually grew during the later war years, despite the heavy bombing attacks. According to him, the only way to hit the German armies was by focussing on the oil refineries. Only by September 1944 the Allies started focussing on the oil refineries, which should have been done much earlier. The Oil Plan will be remembered by history as one of the Allies’ great missed opportunities.
How was it at the receiving end? According to Harris, the Germans should have focussed on their night-fighter capabilities. Had they done so, had they lavished a fraction of the resources devoted to futile aircraft development or even ground defences upon the night-fighters of the Reich, had Jeschonnek or Goering forcefully supported Speer and Milch in their efforts to gain priority for home-fighter defence, Bomber Command might by the winter of 1943 have suffered losses that would have brought its offensive against Germany to an abrupt conclusion.
While reading the book, you might forget how it was in the ground for Germans themselves, who had to endure the bombing for so many years. Hastings gives the example of Darmstadt, a city relatively unmolested. Until 11/12 September 1944 that is, when a bombing raid destroyed large parts of the city. Hastings paints a vivid description of the horrors that fell on the population, which will haunt me forever to come.
All in all, the bombers made an important, perhaps critical contribution in 1941 and 1942 to keeping alive the morale of the British people, and to deterring the Americans from a premature second front. When they possessed the strategic justification – in 1942 and 1943 – they lacked the means. By the winter of 1944, when they had gained the means, the justification was gone.
How could anyone not like a book written by Max Hastings?...more
This book is really about Stalin. He was the one who both dealt with Hitler and Churchill and Roosevelt. Stalin is portrayed as an unscrupulous dictatThis book is really about Stalin. He was the one who both dealt with Hitler and Churchill and Roosevelt. Stalin is portrayed as an unscrupulous dictator who managed to use his diplomatic mastery to delude both Churchill and Roosevelt, but got deluded on his own by Hitler. When Churchill and Roosevelt saw the real Stalin, it was already to late. Interesting book about an interesting man and I really liked Laurence Rees's writing style....more
“I never gave them courage, I was able to focus theirs."
The Splendid and the Vile isn’t merely a story about war and diplomacy, but a story on how the“I never gave them courage, I was able to focus theirs."
The Splendid and the Vile isn’t merely a story about war and diplomacy, but a story on how the Churchills and their circle coped with the strains of war. Larsson draws from personal accounts of those around him, especially his private secretary John Colville and Mary Churchill. It is through their diaries that we get an intimate insight in Churchill and his inner circle. It are these stories of the different side characters which make this book stand out from all other Churchill books. By focussing on these characters, the reader gets a great insight in these troubling times, where we see that despite the war, life went on. And it brought out the best in them: it was the splendid during the vile.
We see Mary Churchill going from one dance to another, her affectations with various handsome soldiers and diplomats and her (later cancelled) engagement, ending up as an anti-aircraft gunner in Hyde Park.
We see Pamela Churchill, Winston’s daughter-in-law married with Winston’s son Randolph, under the strains of a unhappy marriage, only to find her happiness again in the arms of Averill Harriman.
Jock Colville from whose diary we get an inside account of life at Downing Street 10 and Chequers, expressing his admiration for his boss, his lovelife for and his desire to become an RAF pilot.
Beaverbrook, the minister of Aircraft Production, long time friend and occasional antagonist of Churchill, plagued by eye troubles and asthma, who offered his resignation 14 times before Churchill finally accepted. But not before Beaverbrook managed to double fighter output in his first three months of his office, while at the same time providing the kind of counsel and humour that helped Churchill through his days.
And last but not least, professor Lindemann, a brilliant but arrogant prime scientific adviser to Churchill and his failed scheme of small aerial mines to be dropped on German bombers.
From German perspective we read about Hermann Goring and Goebbels, who desperately try to eliminate Britain, but time and time again wonder how Britain could survive. And Hess is also there, with the story culminating in Hess’s failed mad plot to broker a peace between Germany and England.
The story is Interspersed with interesting anecdotes about Churchill, such as the time he halted a convoy and demanded it returned, to pick up Nelson, the family cat, who they had left at Downing 10. Or the sometimes desperate hope he placed in Roosevelt, who he hoped would come to England’s assistance. His wooing of Harry Hopkins and Averell Harriman, who he hoped would help Roosevelt to convince England was in need of his help. His various visits to destroyed places, to meet he survivors whose courage often left him in tears.
Diana Cooper, wife of information Minister Duff Cooper, told Churchill that the best thing he had done was to give people courage. He did not agree. “I never gave them courage,” he said. “I was able to focus theirs."...more
At such moments the emotions evade verbal expression, complex and stirring as they are. Three thousand years and more had elapsed since men's eyes had gazed into that golden coffin. Time, measured by the brevity of human life, seemed to lose its common perspectives before a spectacle so vividly recalling the solemn religious rites of a vanished civilization
Can you see anything? Yes, wonderful things - Howard Carter
A first hand account of Howard Carter, the discoverer of the (almost) intact tomb of TutankCan you see anything? Yes, wonderful things - Howard Carter
A first hand account of Howard Carter, the discoverer of the (almost) intact tomb of Tutankhamen, the child Pharao of Egypt. It is told from the heart and the feelings that Howard felt during the initial discovery and subsequent excavation and a personal account. If you have any interest(s) in archaeology, this is a must read book.
Let me finish with this quote from Howard Carter:
For the moment – an eternity it must have seemed to the others standing by – I was struck dumb with amazement, and when Lord Carnarvon, unable to stand in suspense any longer, inquired anxiously "Can you see anything?", it was all I could do to get out the words "Yes, wonderful things
The dramatic and unforgettable story of eight young Americans who joined Britain's Royal Air Force, disregarding their country's neutrality laws and rThe dramatic and unforgettable story of eight young Americans who joined Britain's Royal Air Force, disregarding their country's neutrality laws and risking their citizenship. In a few months they became highly skilled and helped England win the Battle of Britain.
Alex Kershaw manages to tell a riveting story - from both the British and German perspective. This sometimes reads as a young boys suspense novel but not with a happy ending. In the end only one survives to tell the tale....more
