Cold War

> Tag: Cold War

Rosenberg, H-bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom….Brando, “The King and I” and “The Catcher in the Rye”

Act of War: Lyndon Johnson, North Korea, and the Capture of the USS Pueblo by Jack Cheevers

December 23, 2021 by ingres77 Leave a Comment

One thing I love about history is that no matter how much you think you know, there’s always something new to uncover. Such was the case, here. I think I have a pretty good handle on 20th century US history. I’m not an academic, by any means, but I’ve done a fair bit of reading. I’ve either never heard of the USS Pueblo, or had forgotten about it until reading this book. Technically speaking, the Korean War never ended. We were all reminded of this […]

The Weekend

Absolute Friends by John Le Carré

Are Snakes Necessary? by Brian De Palma and Susan Lehman

The Jedi Doth Return (William Shakespeare's Star Wars) by Ian Doescher

August 23, 2021 by Jake Leave a Comment

I really wanted to write separate reviews of these but life is incredibly busy right now so this will have to suffice… Absolute Friends *** This is another review I’m glad I slept on. I really wish I liked it more than I did. The beginning was great: two friends making their way across the chasm of time and space in the post-WWII Cold War Europe. Idealism mixed with low class status, the desire to create a better world but lacking in power to do […]

It’s a real life spy thriller! (And it’s really good!)

The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War by Ben Macintyre

February 6, 2021 by LaneyFace Leave a Comment

Oh boy, do I love a good espionage thriller. So, continuing with my “what’s free and available” method of choosing books, I picked up my father’s copy of Ben Macintyre’s The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War. This is the true story of a high-ranking KGB official who defected to MI6 during the deepest freeze of the Cold War. (KGB is Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti for anyone who plays trivia – it seems like a formidable bonus question). Macintyre interviews […]

Arguably, America’s Greatest General

George Marshall: Defender of the Republic by David L. Roll

September 27, 2019 by thewheelbarrow Leave a Comment

I remember learning about the Marshall Plan in AP US History class and how critical it was to repairing the world after WWII. I did not realize until years later that General George C. Marshall was individual who lent his name to the plan. I’ve been in the Army for thirteen years, as of yesterday, and I’ve developed opinions on many famous generals from our history. Most of those opinions are demonstrably leery of anyone who receives unadulterated hero worship. I am not a fan […]

Throwing a kitten out a window was only a warning shot.

Moonglow by Michael Chabon

April 29, 2017 by borisanne 2 Comments

Halfway through Moonglow, I caught myself with my hand over my mouth, trying to keep my breath inside my body because the prose was so exceptionally beautiful. I had my worries before reading this book. I have only recently discovered Chabon, and have only otherwise read The Yiddish Policeman’s Union, which was so stunning that it made me want to punch something. There is a lot of hype surrounding Moonglow, and even I only got it by accident from the library on a strict, one […]

Wonder Bread, Leave it to Beaver, and Eisenhower. Thrilling times for everyone.

Eisenhower: The White House Years by Jim Newton

April 29, 2016 by ingres77 Leave a Comment

It’s always been difficult for me to gain much traction with Eisenhower. Bookended by the tumultuous era that began with FDR and extended through the Truman administration and the turbulent civil unrest of the JFK/Johnson/Nixon administrations, Eisenhower has always been the eye of the storm. Much of what happened in the ’50s happened behind the scenes: covert missions in Iran and Guatamala, unbridled tension within the party over Sen. Joseph McCarthy, in-fighting over whether or not a nuclear response was required in various hot spots […]

wicherwill on thank you to my friend EvinThe characters also don't really do the fantasy bits--they begrudgingly put up with the weird, which is why I was struggling with whether this counts...
LittlePlat on Complain about lack of standalone fantasy and then complain when I find oneI have been meaning to get a copy of this as well - Kingfisher is a delight. And I'm glad you've pointed out there's adult-adult...
Emmalita on “Your body was numb to grief; perhaps you had felt it once, but you did not feel it anymore.”We jusssst opened it up.
LittlePlat on “Your body was numb to grief; perhaps you had felt it once, but you did not feel it anymore.”How was I not aware of this? (Also, still getting the hang of discord - I had to get one of our students to show...
LittlePlat on “Your body was numb to grief; perhaps you had felt it once, but you did not feel it anymore.”I loved that you picked up so many other things the second time around. And would kill to be able to read a Muir penned...

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