Thread: What book are you reading right now?

The Forgotten Centuries

Decent read.

The Quiet Americans: Four CIA Spies at the Dawn of the Cold War—A Tragedy in Three Acts

Scott Anderson


The Quiet Americans chronicles the exploits of four spies - Michael Burke, a charming former football star fallen on hard times, Frank Wisner, the scion of a wealthy Southern family, Peter Sichel, a sophisticated German Jew who escaped the Nazis, and Edward Lansdale, a brilliant ad executive. The four ran covert operations across the globe, trying to outwit the ruthless KGB in Berlin, parachuting commandos into Eastern Europe, plotting coups, and directing wars against Communist insurgents in Asia.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...uiet-americans

Bali: Heaven and Hell by Phil Jarratt

Heaven and Hell is a lively cultural and social history of Australia’s favourite holiday island. Detailing the island’s tumultous and often violent past, its mythology, religion and politics, and the last 50 years of western colonization and modern development. It is a place that both appeals and repels. Together with substantial knowledge and research of the island’s early history, Phil Jarratt has plenty of personal first hand experience from the early 70s Bali and so takes the reader on a fascinating and personal journey back into another time and place. Extensive interviews with participants from this time in Bali feature to provide a unique first hand view of the dramatic changes and developments that have taken place.

I’m half way through it so far, and he has detailed some quite interesting history of Bali from circa 1900 when Bali was first ‘discovered’ by Europeans. Now getting into his personal accounts of his times there in the 1970s.

Fake Heroes: Ten False Icons and How they Altered the Course of History - Otto English

From the author of Fake History, Otto English, comes a shocking yet hilarious look at ten of the greatest liars from our past, examining these previously unquestioned idols and exposing what they were trying to hide.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...5-fake-heroes?

"History, much like modern life, is in short full of bullies, self-promoting charlatans, bigots, bastards, and liars."

...Harlem Shuffle and Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead: excellent stories of Harlem culture, crime and survivors...next up: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride...the story of Black and Jewish intermingling in Chicken Hill, Pennsylvania...

The Shadow of the Wind, byCarlos Ruiz Zafron.One of the few books where the blurb live up to hype.Set in Barcelona and a bit of everything, mystery,romance,thriller. first book by a Spanish author I have read in a long time, highly recommendedbut if you do not like it I will sneer at you.

^ Bladdy hell, strangely enough I find that title interesting.

But I have bought several books over the past couple of years and all have remained unread. It's just so easy to watch Netflix.

I’m rereading Shogun by James Clavel. It’s a good one.

...The Heaven and Earth Grocery by James McBride...a novel of Jewish and Black interactions in the '30s in backwater Pennsylvania...a good read...

Reading "Red Storm Rising" again by Tom Clancy. Pretty interesting to read these days with all that has happened since then including the wall coming down.

Originally Posted by Mendip

I find that title interesting

This one is much better...

Originally Posted by thailazer

Reading "Red Storm Rising" again by Tom Clancy

One of his best, IMO.

Originally Posted by Ravers98

This one is much better

That should enhance Mendy's pond life study

Originally Posted by DrWilly

Bali: Heaven and Hell by Phil Jarratt




I’m half way through it so far, and he has detailed some quite interesting history of Bali from circa 1900 when Bali was first ‘discovered’ by Europeans. Now getting into his personal accounts of his times there in the 1970s.

Looks like a very interesting read,

Legend.

After my visit to Livingstone and Lusaka I decided to learn about more. Picked up this book by a former parliamentarian of Zambia and a Greek-Cypriot.

I’m rereading Tai Pan by Clavel. Not enjoying it as much as first time around. It feels disjointed but that might be because I keep falling asleep each evening while reading…

I've been switching between Gregg Olsen's true crime stuff of late.

Finished these:

If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood

Amazon.com

Abandoned Prayers: The Incredible True Story of Murder, Obsession and Amish Secrets

Amazon.com

Now on this:

A Twisted Faith: A Minister's Obsession and the Murder That Destroyed a Church

Amazon.com

All highly recommended if you're into true crime.