The History Book Club discussion

52. by Martin Edwards

Date finished: May 10, 2012
Genre: British mystery
Rating: B+
Review: Another good book in the Harry Devlin series. Devlin is a solicitor in Liverpool who is always drawn into a murder investigation, often against his will. In this tale, he receives a notice announcing his own death on Midsummer's Eve which is one week away. His law partner treats it as a joke but Harry isn't so sure. From that moment on, his world starts to fall apart. Meanwhile, young women are being murdered and mutilated and Harry suddenly becomes a suspect. He gets involved in the investigation and finds some shocking secrets. This is a fast moving and intricate thriller which I would recommend.

53. by Deborah Blum

Date finished: May 12, 2012
Genre: History/forensic medicine
Rating: B+
Review: This is an unusual but interesting book as it is a mix of the history, science, and true crime. The author traces the birth of forensic medicine which basically began in the office of the Medical Examiner of New York City. The use of poison as a means of murder was all-pervasive and had been since the days of the infamous Borgia dynasty. Science was at a loss to determine the presence of poison in a human body and murderers were having a field day. Drs. Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler changed all that in 1918 with trailblazing scientific detective work and became the founders of forensic medicine.
The author cites famous and not-so-famous murder cases and how forensics played the major part in bringing the killers to justice. Each chapter deals with a particular poison from chloroform through thallium and explains the effects that each has on the body's systems. A fascinating subject which is well presented and enlightening. Recommended.

54. by Georges Simenon

Date fininshed: May 13, 2012
Genre: Classic French police procedural
Rating: B-
Review: Another entry in the seemingly endless Maigret series and, as are all Simenon's books, it is very short. Maigret comes home after work and finds a visitor waiting for him. The man states that he is considering killing his wife who is having an affair and asks Maigret what he should do. Obviously Maigret tries to talk him out of this scheme and sends him on this way but can't get the visit out of his mind. What transpires is not exactly what the reader might expect. Simenon's spare narrative and low key style is certainly different from the usual police procedurals ......no shootouts or wild pursuits. But I enjoy his almost cerebral approach to everyday police work in the city of Paris; however, this is not one of my favorites but it is still enjoyable.(

Wow Jill - awesome.

I think Americans, especially, should be aware that there are few shootouts in Europe in general. I'm not even sure how many policemen are allowed to carry guns. I can't remember seeing any guns while I was living there in the 1960s and 70s. Being ready to shoot to kill any criminal was begun by Americans in the West and continued on into the cities. Personally, it still saddens and annoys me that police don't just take a shot to wound but feel they must kill to gain the upper hand.

Thanks for your thoughts,Sigrun. The lack of violence is probably why I like the Maigret books.....they are very low key.

55. Maigret and the Fortuneteller(no cover available) by Georges Simenon

Date finished: May 16, 2012
Genre: Classic French police procedural
Rating: B

Review: Another of the short but neat little tales of Inspector Maigret of the Paris Police. In this outing, a fortuneteller is murdered and Maigret finds an befuddled old man locked in the kitchen of the murder apartment. He doesn't seem to know anything and appears to be a tramp......but it is discovered that he is a retired doctor which doesn't quite fit the image he presents. Is he the murderer or just someone who came to have their future told? There are many twists and turns before the solution is reached and you will have fun trying to guess what is really going on

56. by William H.C. Smith

Date finished: May 18, 2012
Genre: French history/biography
Rating: B


Review: Although there may not be a plethora of new information for the scholar of French history, this biography of the members of the Bonaparte family is packed with interesting facts. It gives equal focus on both Napoleon I and Napoleon III. Napoleon I staked his claim to be accepted by other European monarchies by placing his brothers on the thrones of French satellite countries. Following military defeats that ended his empire, his only legitimate son, Napoleon II died young and in exile. but the dynasty sprang back to power under his nephew, Louis Napoleon, who became Napoleon III. He also died in exile, after defeat by Germany in 1870, while his only son, the Prince Imperial, was killed in the Zulu War in Africa. The monarchy in France was put aside forever and this history shows the lasting influence exercised by France's Fourth Dynasty. Well written and recommended.

57. by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Date finished: May 19, 2012
Genre: British police procedural
Rating: B

Review: Another in the enjoyable Bill Slider series. In this entry, a handsome doctor who is known as a womanizer, is murdered in his expensive home and it looks like a professional hit. Slider and his crew are on the case and discover that the victim had many female admirers but none can give them a clue as to who would want the charming doctor murdered. The trail leads to his ex-wife, a most unpleasant individual, and to her live-in boyfriend but what is the motive?........and are they really involved. The story goes off the rails just a bit toward the end when we discover exactly what is going on but nevertheless, it is another tidy little mystery. I recommend this series with its quirky characters and involved plots.

58.

by Jonathan Mahler

Date finished: May 24, 2012
Genre: American history
Rating: A

Review:
I loved this book!!! It describes the year of 1977 when New York City was gripped in near hysteria caused by the prowling murderer, the "Son of Sam", and the famous blackout which unleashed looting and burning on an unprecedented scale. Add to the mix the political campaign for mayor involving Ed Koch, Mario Cuomo, and Bella Abzug and the bankruptcy faced by NYC . Then top it off with the Yankees run for the pennant and the all too public fights between the Yankee's manager Billy Martin and his superstar Reggie Jackson. The author is able to meld all these events into a readable, often humorous, tale of NYC at its worst and a year when the golden city on the Hudson was becoming a cesspool of crime and racial tension. Highly recommended.

Jill wrote: "58. [bookcover:Ladies and Gentlemen the Bronx is Burning: 1977 Baseball Politics and the Battle for the Soul of a City] by Jonathan Mahler

Date finished: May 24, 2012
Genre: American history
R..."

Looks very interesting!

Nicole wrote: "Jill wrote: "58. [bookcover:Ladies and Gentlemen the Bronx is Burning: 1977 Baseball Politics and the Battle for the Soul of a City] by Jonathan Mahler

Date finished: May 24, 2012
Genre: American ..."

It is really good, Nicole as the author uses parallel events to weave the story of that year. I will say, however, that you need to like baseball (which I do) since a lot is dedicated to various games on the Yankee's path to the World Series.

Well, being originally from Toronto and a Jays fan (sad, I know), maybe I'll skip the parts about the Yankees. LOL.

Nicole wrote: "Well, being originally from Toronto and a Jays fan (sad, I know), maybe I'll skip the parts about the Yankees. LOL."

Even sadder to say, I am a Pirates fan and when did they last win a pennant or the Series......or for that matter, a game??? Love 'em anyway.

I hear you, Jill, not since the Bonilla and Bonds years :-(

59.

by Martin Edwards

Date finished: May 26, 2012
Genre: British police procedural
Rating: B

Review:
In this entry in Martin Edward's Lake District series, the Cold Case Squad, headed by Hannah Scarlett is investigating the seven year old death of a young woman found drowned in mere inches of water. Hannah is determined to bring justice for the young woman's dying mother. Then two more murders occur in quick succession and it appears that there are connections to the cold case. The Squad encounters dark secrets and strange obsessions before this case is solved. It's a complex story with some very interesting characters and although it is not one of my favorites from this author, it is still a smashing good read.

60.

by Liza Picard

Date finished: May 29,2012
Genre: British history
Rating: B+

Review:
This book covers the mid-years of Queen Victoria's reign and they were years of dramatic change and achievement.In 1840, London was basically a pest-hole, with sewage running in the streets and fouling the River Thames, crowded and filthy slums, appalling poverty, and disease. The author shows the reader the physical reality of daily living and it is not a pretty picture. But as the century moved forward, progress was made.....flushing lavatories, underground railways, umbrellas, letter boxes, advances in medicine, and schools for the poor. But it was still a city where parents sold their children, executions were public, the dreaded workhouses still existed, and prisoners were still "transported" to Australia. The author's descriptions are vivid and often humorous; this is a fascinating snapshot of London, a city that has come through the "best of times and the worst of times" and is timeless in its appeal.

Jill wrote: "60. by Liza Picard

Date finished: May 29,2012
Genre: British history
Rating: B+

Review:
This book covers the mid-years of Queen Victoria's rei..."

This one is going right from your review to my TBR list! It sounds very interesting.

It's a goody, Bea.

61.

by James Chambers

Date finished: May 31, 2012
Genre: British history/biography
Rating: B
Review:
This is an interesting biography of Princess Charlotte, daughter of the Prince Regent, the future George IV, and heir to the British throne. She was used as a pawn by her father, his advisers and her mother, the disgraced Princess of Wales and her treatment at their hands was shameful. But she was adamant about who she would marry and her choice was Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, a dashing officer in the Russian Tsar's army. She prevailed and the tragically short marriage was a love match. Charlotte died along with her son in childbirth but her death had far-reaching consequences in the future history of Europe; it eventually brought Victoria to the British throne; Leopold became King of the Belgiums; and his nephew Albert became the beloved husband and Prince Consort of Queen Victoria. A sympathetic portrait of a Princess whose short life reads more like fiction than fact.

June

62. by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Date finished: June 1, 2012
Genre: British police prodedural
Rating: B+
Review:
Another in the DCI Bill Slider series which again proves that the author can write a great little police procedural. In this outing, a famous former BBC journalist who was working for the government is killed in his apartment. It is made to look like a robbery and the caretaker of the building is set-up as the murderer. But Slider and his squad know differently. Things turn very dark when one of Slider's old enemies,Trevor Bates appears on the scene and threatens Slider's life and that of his soon-to-be wife, Joanna. Is Bates involved in the murder and if so, why? A complicated story which reaches into the higher echelons of government and keeps the reader's attention from page one.

63.

by Charles Finch

Date finished: June 3, 2012
Genre: Victorian mystery
Rating: B+
Review:
This is the first of the Charles Finch books which started that series off with a bang! Finch is a Victorian gentleman of means and family who enjoys detecting as a hobby and surrounds himself with interesting friends who are always willing to assist him. In this initial outing, his best friend's former housemaid dies, apparently a suicide by a rare and exotic poison but Finch thinks otherwise. The house where the girl worked is full of suspects....politicians, rich gentlemen, n'er-do-well relatives, and servants. Then another body turns up in the middle of the season's most fashionable ball and Finch is stumped as to not only who is the killer but what is the motive. As the puzzle unfolds, the author gives us a glimpse of upper class Victorian London while entertaining the reader with a complex and enjoyable mystery

I guess we all interpret things differently, Mike but thanks for your comment. I was just disappointed with the book and sometimes it makes one dislike the major players as well. Maybe "stuffy" was the wrong word but I was not taken with Dodd. Did you like the book overall?

Interesting comments. I wanted more about Dodd and a tad less about Martha. I wasn't really "disappointed" in the book - I just wanted more from Dodd's pov. I think my description of him would include the words "cautious" and "reserved." He was the ambassador in a clearly difficult situation and not respected by others in the US State Dept. - he had to mind his manners. (heh)

Interesting indeed. I have seen mixed reviews on this book so it is interesting to see differing viewpoints of those who have read it. It is on my list and in fact I picked it up this weekend on my Costco run. (That book isle is dangerous to my pocketbook.) I'm looking forward to reading it, mostly because I am intrigued! I haven't read his other one yet, although that is also somewhere on my shelf.

and both by Erik Larson

64. The Hollywood Exiles(no cover available) by John Baxter

Date finished: June 6, 2012
Genre: Film history
Rating: C-

Review:
This was a rather odd book......it certainly filled in the gaps about certain European film actors, directors, writers, etc. who came to Hollywood to make their fortune, from the silent era to WWII. Some we know, some we don't but overall it is full of interesting information. On the down side, and this is hard to explain, there was a definite bias by the author. He blamed the US film industry for the downfall of many of these artists, some of whom could not or would not adapt to the manner in which film in Hollywood was perceived by the studio heads. Granted, it was a dog-eat-dog environment and the management was only concerned with profits......but that was a well known pitfall in Hollywood. American taste in film differed from that of Europe and you either adapted or you failed. His bias is much more obvious when he describes the lives of those who came to America to escape the Nazi threat. In that era, he blames the American government for its policies about immigration and quotas. A glut of artists descended on the film industry and there were not enough jobs to employ them all. The prejudices of the author almost caused me to give this book a lower rating but some of the profiles of the European artists earned it another star.....barely.

Mike wrote: "Jill wrote: "I guess we all interpret things differently, Mike but thanks for your comment. I was just disappointed with the book and sometimes it makes one dislike the major players as well. Maybe..."

Thanks, Mike. I noted that the book you mentioned doesn't have a cover but don't forget the author link on your citation.

You may have read Berlin Diary but if not, it gives you the insight of what was happening in Germany leading up to the war. The author was assigned there during Hitler's rise to power and his narrative is fascinating. Of course, he also wrote The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, the definitive book on the Nazi regime as well. I would highly recommend both books.



and by William L. Shirer

Interesting, Mike. Go ahead and modify message 129 to include the author link that Jill suggested, and add Shirer's picture and link on message 131.

This will be helpful for our club members, thank you. Good stuff!

Jill wrote: "64. The Hollywood Exiles(no cover available) by John Baxter

Date finished: June 6, 2012
Genre: Film history
Rating: C-

Review:
This was a rather odd book......it certainly filled in the gaps abo..."

Jill wrote: "64. The Hollywood Exiles(no cover available) by John Baxter

Date finished: June 6, 2012
Genre: Film history
Rating: C-

Review:
This was a rather odd book......it certainly filled in the gaps abo..."

Too bad about the bias. It should have been a fascinating book. And to think how the "successful" emigres enriched Hollywood movies you need look no further than: Chaplin, von Stroheim, von Sternberg, Lang, Curtiz, Ulmer, Dieterle, Freund, Wilder, Hitchcock, Lubitsch, etc. etc. etc. The list goes on and on. In fact, it's kind of hard to imagine Hollywood film without the Europeans.

Hey Mike:

I see you added the title link, but that is not necessary if you have a book cover. You still need to add the authors for both citations.

I appreciate your efforts.

Thanks, Bryan, you beat me to it.
It takes a little getting used to, Mike, and remember that the book link is the default setting which most of the time isn't necessary. You'll get the hang of it.

65. by Stephen Booth

Date finished: June 7, 2012
Genre: British police procedural
Rating: B

Review:
Another in the Fry/Cooper police series set in the Peak District and it is just as interesting and complex as those that have gone before it. A reclusive woman is shot dead through the window of her home and the police can't find anything of a personal nature about the victim except her name....she talked to no one, she didn't leave the house, and she was a mystery to her neighbors. No motive is apparent. Meanwhile across town, a fire destroys a house and kills a young mother and two of her three children. The police suspect arson and zero in on the father who was not in the home at the time of the conflagration. Again, there seems to be no motive. The story becomes much more complex before all the loose ends are tied up and trust me, you won't figure it out.

Mike.....As you can tell from the books listed here, I am a great fan of the British mystery/police procedural and read them in between those very large history books that I love.

66. by

Date finished: June 9, 2012
Genre: British police procedural
Rating: B-
Review:
This is the first of the Inspector Ian Rutledge books I have read and, although I liked it, I think I should have read the ones preceding it to get an overall understanding of the main character. Throughout the book, Inspector Ian Rutledge, tormented by his time in the trenches in WWI, holds conversations with the spirit of Hamish (who I assume was his batman) who died in that war....but circumstances surrounding his death are sketchy and appear to be somehow the fault of Rutledge. That may be have been explained in the earlier books.
That aside, the story is well done as Rutledge finds an engraved cartridge casing identical to the ones he saw in the war......and when others appear, he wonders if he is being stalked. He is then sent to an isolated village to investigate the shooting of a constable with an arrow (!) and finds himself involved in more than he bargained for.....and the cartridges continue to show up. There are plots within plots and are all tied together rather tidily in the end. Enjoyable but sometimes puzzling.

Please note that the author, Charles Todd is a husband and wife writing team,hence the author phote of two people.

67. by Ian Rankin

Date finished: June 12, 2012
Genre: British police procedural
Rating: B
Review:
Inspector John Rebus hates the Edinburgh Festival.....too many tourists, too many drunks and too damn much trouble. But this year, he has more trouble that he bargained for as a young man is found tortured and murdered in the underground medieval section of the city. It is a professional killing and Rebus finds himself in the middle of something that no one expected....the terrorism of Ulster paramilitary groups operating within Scotland. To make things worse, the victim is the only son of the ruthless gangster, Big Ger Cafferty, who Rebus put in prison (and who has made his appearance in other books of this series) and Big Ger is out for revenge. As are all books in the Rebus series, it is violent and complex but as always, a fascinating look at the dark side of Edinburgh.

I am putting this on my TBR list

Bea wrote: "Jill wrote: "60. by Liza Picard

Date finished: May 29,2012
Genre: British history
Rating: B+

Review:
This book covers the mid-years of Queen V..."

It's an interesting book, Janis and is even more so if you are familiar with present day London.

68. by Sarah Bradford

Date finished: June 13,2012
Genre: Biography/British history/British monarchy
Rating B+
Review:
As his daughter, Elizabeth II celebrates 60 years on the throne, I felt it was time to read a little more about her father, George VI. This is the man who was never supposed to be King, nor did he want to assume the throne. But it was forced upon him when his brother Edward VIII (later styled as the Duke of Windsor) abdicated for "the woman I love". George (or Bertie as he was called) was not prepared for the job by his strict and less than loving parents and had to adapt, while struggling with his life-long stammer. But he married the right woman and they formed a loving family. He was popular and his decision to stay in London during the Blitz endeared him further to his people.
The book can be a little static in sections but overall it is very well done and gives the reader an insider's look at the life of well meaning and gentle man who gave his best to his country/empire and has been under-appreciated by those outside of Britain. Recommended.

69. by Ian Kershaw

Date finished: June 19, 2012
Genre: WWI History
Rating: A
Review:
The author looks at the question that we often don't ask.....what made Germany fight on in the last year of WWII, when their country was in total ruin, the social and economic system no longer existed, the military had to depend on old men and children, and the Red Army was at the gates of Berlin? He relates tales of unbelievable events that occurred when the horror that the Nazis wrought came home to the Reich.........the continuing wholesale murder of political/racial "enemies of the State" and the traveling military "courts" which condemned to death anyone considered a slacker/deserter. The killings escalated the closer the Allies came to bringing the war to an end and the country, for the most part, continued to follow Hitler's edict of "death before capitulation". The author posits several reasons for this blind obedience which I will not reveal here; but they seem credible since the post-war testimony from many Germans is not particularly reliable. I was fascinated and chilled by this book which illustrates the continuing inhumanity that existed even after the cause was lost.

Thanks Jill - I look forward to reading this - I read Kershaw's 2-volume biography of Hitler a few years ago and very much enjoyed it. He's a great writer.


& by Ian Kershaw

It is an amazing look at the psychology of a people who could not seem to break the spell under which Hitler held them, although that is only one of the reasons that kept them spiraling toward almost total destruction. Kershaw is an excellent historian and he shows it in this book.........although it did get mixed reviews by some other readers.


by Ian Kershaw

70. The Habsburgs(no book cover available) by Dorothy Gies McGuigan

Date finished: June 24, 2012
Genre: European history
Rating: C-
Review:
I just could not seem to get very interested in this book and it wasn't because of the subject since I am a voracious reader of European history. I think it was the style in which it was written.....it was almost gossipy rather than serious history. The Habsburgs were the longest reigning royal house in European history and much of the major incidents that occurred during their reign were given short shrift in favor of what they were wearing and what was served at various banquets. The author related individual reactions and conversations of the various major players when she could not possible know those details.......it was more like historic fiction. Many pages are dedicated to the tragedy at Mayerling. While important in the dynastic scheme of inheritance , it was certainly not the defining event in the Habsburg reign. There certainly were some interesting historical sections but overall, I was disappointed.

71. by David G. Brown

Date finished: June 27, 2012
Genre: History
Rating: B-
Review:
Here is another book written about the Titanic and the still hotly debated actions of the Captain and crew on that fateful night. This one has a different twist since it is written by an experienced seafaring man who is a captain in the US Coast Guard. He looks at the nautical aspects of what happened from a mariner's standpoint and draws some convincing conclusion some of which have since been supported by recent studies (the book was written in 2001). He gives credit to the attempts to save the ship by First Officer Murdoch (who did not survive) and places much of the blame on Captain Smith (who did not survive) and on J. Bruce Ismay, the chairman of White Star Lines (who did survive and paid the price). He utilizes testimony from both the American and British inquiry boards and he uses his experience with large ships to paint an interesting, if maybe, controversial picture. Be warned, there is a plethora of nautical information which drags down the narrative for the non-seafaring reader but it still is a good read.

Jill wrote: "69. [bookcover:The End: The Defiance Destruction of Hitler's Germany 194445] by Ian Kershaw

Date finished: June 19, 2012
Genre: WWI History
Rating: A
Review:
The author..."

I have this book sitting at home and am even more keen to read after seeing your review Jill.

July


72. by John Mosier

Date finished: July 7, 2012
Genre: WWI Military History
Rating: C-
Review: This is a revisionist history of the Great War and is only recommended for the student of that war and its military tactics. The author concentrates on the Western Front, using some interesting source material, in an attempt to show that the Germans consistently defeated the French and British with less men and fewer casualties. He posits that the Germans had better leadership, battle tactics, leadership, and weapons while France/Britain were still using tactics/weapons from the previous century, thus leading to useless slaughter. He further shows the manipulation of the battlefield statistics and the propaganda used by the Allies which turned defeats or stalemates into victories. I must say that I approached this book with trepidation since the author states in the forward that he doesn't know much about WWI!!!! ..........and my hesitancy was justified. Although the author presents some well researched information, I was not engaged and found the book rather pedantic and sometimes confusing.

73. by Helen Simonson

Date finished: July 11, 2012
Genre: Fiction
Rating: A+
Review:
I loved this endearing book which was recommended to me by a friend who loved it equally. It reminds me of Jane Austen moved to modern times....wit and social commentary with equal emphasis on both. A retired widower, Major Pettigrew, late of the British Army, is proud of his family's illustrious history and is a bit of an throw back to the polite, rather stuffy gentlemen of earlier times. He finds himself attracted to the village store keeper, Mrs. Ali, herself a widow who is just tolerated by the close minded villagers because she is of Pakistani descent. What evolves is a delightful tale that will make you chuckle at the wit, and gnash your teeth at the prejudice. It is heartwarming and proves that love is not a monopoly of the young. I highly recommend it.

I read Major Pettigrew's Last Stand several years ago and just totally enjoyed it. Somehow Simonson managed to get some low-key gentle satire (and no one is spared) into a lovely heartwarming book. Great stuff.

by Helen Simonson

74. by Matthew Dennison

Date finished: July 19, 2012
Genre: Biography, British Monarchy
Rating: C-

Review:
I really didn't care for this book. It looks at the life of Queen Victoria's youngest child, Princess Beatrice and her "servitude" to her mother after the death of the Prince Consort. That "servitude" began when the child was four years old and continued throughout her mother's lifetime. There is so much repetition in the narrative that it had me skipping pages. It went on and on about the Queen's complete domination of her favorite daughter that I began to dislike both the Queen and Princess Beatrice. I am probably the minority opinion on this book but frankly, it bored me.

Thank you Jill for following the required format.

75. by Joachim Fest

Date finished: July 26, 2012
Genre: Biography, WWII History
Rating: B-

Review:
Probably not my favorite book on the personalities of the major players in the Third Reich......but certainly an interesting look at the psychological profiles of the men who visited such horrors on the world. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific individual and dissects his actions and the possible reasons for them. I found the chapter on Martin Bormann the most informative since little is written about him and his fate is still being discussed sixty-seven years after he disappeared from the Fuehrer bunker as the Russians closed in. It is a good companion book to The Devil's Disciples: Hitler's Inner Circle by Anthony Read and an interesting read for the WWII buff.

Anthony Read