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MATTHEW BARLOW'S 50 BOOKS READ IN 2015
JANUARY1.
by
Antony BeevorFinish date: January 06, 2015
Genre: WWII History
Rating: A+
Review: Completely captivating book. A nice change from the Amero-centric historical naratives that I am used to. Beevor masterfully demonstrates the planning and forethought that went into the battle and accurately depicts the horrors faced by all involved.
His sensitivity and tact is evident in his handling over the issue of civilian casualties during the Normandy assault. He chooses not to sweep them under the rug, but to acknowledge that atrocities were committed by both sides, referring to Normandy as the allies proverbial "sacrificial lamb."
Welcome to this challenge, Matthew! Everything seems to be fine in your post (smile).
2.
by
Sally M. WalkerFinish date: January 06, 2015
Genre: Canadian History, Disaster History
Rating: B-
Review: While accurate, the book is clearly aimed at a young audience. Works well as an introduction to the subject but is basically useless as an academic source.
Mod
3.
by
John HerseyFinish date: January 08, 2015
Genre: WWII History, Nuclear History, Japanese History
Rating: A-
Review: This book is much more than a simple examination of the Atomic bomb and the suffering that it caused. It is a cultural examination of the people of Japan and their larger life view. This includes honour, selflessness, charity, and understanding. It shows that not all victims blame the US, although many do, but accept that they cannot change the past, and must instead live for the future. The book creates a feeling if sickness and regret for the suffering the bomb brought and should be a mandatory read for everyone involved in war.
4.
by
Nathan M. Greenfield Finish date: January 13, 2015
Genre: WWII History, Canadian History
Rating: A
Review: This is an excellent book. At first I was put off by the format of vignettes amounting to a few paragraphs each, but have read further I see the advantage. The reader does not become bogged down by the onslaught of information and can easily step away and come back. The format also speaks to the flashes of recounting experiences. The downside is that, given the number of stories being told, it is easy to lose track of an individual story.
From a historical standpoint I see this as an excellent source of information concerning the challenges of POW life and the extremes that they faced. It also details nicely the stark differences that were made in reference to POW treatment of the Soviets vs the other Allied powers, due to Stalin refusing to sign the Geneva convention. It also raises the interesting fact that unlike the concentration and death camps of the Holocaust, the POW camps were actually a tolerable situation, at least in the beginning. Finally it gives ample credit to the role that civilians, including some German citizens, played in helping escapes reach freedom.
5.
by
Laura HillenbrandFinish date: January 16, 2015
Genre: WWII History, Memoir
Rating: A+
Review: Rarely has a book left me so emotionally drained. The story of Louie's life is absolutely incredible. The incredible triumph of Olympic recognition to the utter depravity of man. The 47 days he spent adrift at sea were surely the easiest of his journey. The barbarity of Japanese POW camps is something that is beyond comprehension in today's society. I myself find the exploration of this subject to be heart wrenching and sickening. A member of my own family was in one if these POW camps, and although I have few memories of him, the knowledge of what he went through shakes me to the core. In a society that is so often cruel to our military veterans we lack the understanding to accept the horrors of war and empathize with them. This book makes the horror chillingly clear and leaves the reader in turmoil.
6.
by
Antony BeevorFinish date: January 23, 2015
Genre: WWII History, German History
Rating: A
Review: This book is clearly much more than a time line for the assault on Berlin, it is in fact a road map to the Cold War. The large scale posturing that took place between Stalin and the West makes it clear that post war tensions would exist. It also makes clear that America was blind to the strategic value of Berlin. It raises the question of what would post war Europe have been like if the Western allies had captured Berlin.
Beevor also provides intimate detail into the war crimes thar were being commited, especially the large scale rapes by Soviet soldiers, not only against German women, but any woman who crossed their path. Additionally the book documents the war crimes of both Germany and the USSR concerning the treatment of civilians in general and the apparent disregard for human life.
Finally it becomes clear in reading this book that Hitler was completely incompetent as a military leader. He allowed his ego to make choices that cost countless lives and destroyed a generation of German lives.
7.
by
Ken FollettFinish date: January 25, 2015
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating:B
Review: Good showing by Follett. Starts a little slow, but definitely picks up. Serves as a great examination of life in a Nazi occupied country during the early war. Great spy story throughout.
8.
by
Ken FollettFinish date: January 28, 2015
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: C
Review: This is my second attempt at reading this novel. Usually I adore Follet's books, but this one is very slow at the beginning. it finally picks up after about a hundred pages, but it will take patience to get there. The rest of the book is good, but I wouldn't recommend this for a first time Follett reader.
FEBRUARY9.
by
Chris HadfieldFinish date: February 01, 2015
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction
Rating: A+
Review: Astronomically sensational. Hadfield easily puts his magnetic personality onto the page. This book is so much more than a guide to becoming an astronaut, it is a guide to success in anything that you do. Hadfield is a true Canadian hero.
Mod
10.
by
Ian KershawFinish date: February 08, 2015
Genre: WWII History, Political History, German History
Rating: A
Review: This is a marathon of a read, and is not for the uninitiated. Kershaw's analysis of the final months of the Reich is incredibly detailed and excruciatingly researched. An understanding if the war is absolutely vital for anyone opening this book.
While it is no doubt a difficult read, it is one that is clearly necessary. Readers cannot hope to fully understand the war without understanding the political and psychological thinking among Hitler's inner circle. This makes this book an invaluable source for understanding the bloodshed of WWII
11.
by
Ken FollettFinish date: February 11, 2015 (RE-READ)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: A+
Review: Follett hit a homerun on this one. Amazingly written and an impeccable read. As a fan of historical fiction this is one of my favorites.
Matthew looks like you have had a run of good books lately!
Matthew wrote: "4. by 
Nathan M. GreenfieldFinish Date: January..."
Matthew, unfortunately you'll need to make a correction on the author and delete its photo (when the author doesn't have a photo we don't put it and instead place the author's link with a warning about the lack of a picture) the following way:
4.
by Nathan M. Greenfield (no photo)Would you be kind and correct it?
Mod
Thank you, Matthew! I'm waiting for your next recommmendation!
Wow, those look like some great books. Thanks for posting! (My list of to-be-read grows ever longer...)
12.
by
Ken FollettFinish date: February 15, 2015 (RE-READ)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: A
Review: A continuation of the excellence of book one. Follett bridges the period between the wars seamlessly and introduces a new cast of characters. Definite proof that good historical fiction is based on strong historical fact
13.
by
Ken FollettFinish date: February 21, 2015 (RE-READ)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: B
Review: A slight disappointment after the first two. Still a great read, but the format annoys me. The book spans from 1961 until 1989 (not counting the epilogue), but Follett devotes 3/4 of the book to dealing with the 1960s. Understandably this is an extremely important decade, but it is far from being the only important aspect. He pays no attention to the moon landing, Chernobyl, Soviet-Afghan crisis, or the nuclear reduction treaties. The lack of a central armed conflict means that the book reads slower than it's predecessors, even condensing the Vietnam conflict into a few pages. The book does an excellent job of highlighting the Civil Rights movement, as well as life in Eastern Europe, but fails to manage its timeline. I believe that in trying to condense the entire Cold War into one book, Follett bit off more than he could chew.
Mod
14.
by
Tim Townsend Finish date: February 25, 2015
Genre: WWII History, Religious History, Legal History
Rating: A
Review: This proved to be an extremely enlightening read. While I will readily admit that the first hundred pages are somewhat dry, the rest is an information goldmine. Henry Gerecke's experiences as Chaplain at the Nuremberg trials prove to be a window into the minds of some of humanity's most reviled persons. His dealings with Nazi leaders such as Goering, Hess, Jodl, and Speer, show that while these men committed unspeakable acts of horror, they were at their very core still just men. For many of them he became a source of comfort and was the last face they saw before their execution. In this we must acknowledge that widespread condemnation is to be expected, we should not stand by the belief that these were God-less monsters. Townsend's account of Gerecke's work shows that these men were very much capable of fear, regret, sorrow, and religious belief. It is fascinating to read of this simple Lutheran pastor who through his own fervrent belief in redemption came to be the close confidant of notables such as Goering and Keitel. Gerecke's time with the Nuremberg 21 allowed his firsthand account of the experiences and backgrounds of these men, yet despite all the hatred that he could have had for these men his sole concern was their spiritual ell-being as well as that of their families, whom he also sought to counsel.
In addition to the obvious value that this book holds to religious and Holocaust historians, it also details the groundwork of the International Military Tribunal, the creation of international laws, the defining of a war crime, and the basic tenements by which we judged those who act in war. In this it proves to be an invaluable resource for not only historians, but anyone undertaking interest of career in international law.
It sounds like one for my list. Thanks for posting the review!
Goes on my tbr list. The Chaplain was in a tenuous situation, wasn't he? Facing men that who responsible for ungodly crimes but yet using his faith to overcome hatred and try to bring spiritual closure to their lives.
Mod
Matthew wrote: "14. by Tim Townsend (No Photo)Finish Date: February 25, 2015
Genre: WWII History, ..."
This sounds very interesting. I'm adding this book to the Religions folder, too.
Matthew....one little correction. Please use lower case "d" for "date" in "Finish date". Don't feel bad, most people do that but for consistency, we ask that you make that change. Thanks so much and thank you for some great reviews!!!
is that really necessary? The upper case d looks cleaner and more professional
Mod
I understand the desire for consistency, but that seems absurdly nit picky
MARCH15.
by
Adrian WealeFinish date: March 9, 2015
Genre: WWII History, Political History, German History
Rating: B
Review: Despite being extremely dry reading, this is a very informative book. Weale addresses not only the widely viewed aspect of the SS as war criminals, but explores its origins and its political nature. In fact he makes the not unreasonable case that the SS, and its militarized unit the Waffen-SS, were far from an effective military force. They were constantly at loggerheads with the German military and its command. Weale saves the atrocities of the SS, the death camps, for the end of the book, showing them as the last ditch effort of men such as Himmler and Heydrich to "solve" the "Jewish question". The book dispels the image of the SS as a finely tuned politcal and military machine, exposing it as a group of bumbling anti-Semites more interested in political infighting than helping Germany to achieve its aims.
Read it and really liked it, Matthew, and I totally agree with your review. Political jealousy and power grabbing were hallmarks of the SS and, of course, Himmler. Let me recommend another book which looks at Heydrich, who may have been one of the most evil of them all. Who knows what other horrors he would have come up with if he hadn't been assassinated.
by Robert Gerwarth (no photo)
16.
by
Jeffrey HerfFinish date: March 16, 2015
Genre: WWII History, German History, Propaganda Analysis
Rating: B-
Review: I'm very much split on my opinions of this particular book. On the one hand it is clearly a very well researched narrative of the Nazi regime's hate for all things Jewish, its motivations, its propaganda, its skewed world view and its deliberate actions to pull the wool over the eyes of its own people. However, the book also strikes me as being incredibly one sided. Herf makes almost no acknowledgement of the other victims of the Holocaust, be they gypsies, POWs, political prisoners, or disabled Germans. His sole focus is on the anti-Semitic attacks of the Nazi controlled press. While this is clearly in line with his thesis, it strikes be as being imprudent to overlook the universal suffering that was taking place. Additionally he makes statements that he does not seem to be able to back up, or waits until much later in the book to provide tangible evidence for. Very early in the book he criticizes Soviet forces for not launching air raids on the death camps as soon as they came into range. He does not however immediately prove that the Soviets knew the location of these facilities, or what exactly was occurring at them. Nor does he take into account the larger scale military strategy consequences that attacking these facilities from the air would have had. True, air raids may have destroyed the facilities, but they certainly would not have prevented the Nazis from using other methods to commit mass murder, but instead would have likely provoked a violent reaction against the inhabitants of the facilities.
Herf is also unduly critical of the German people in their acceptance of the party line. He rails against the German people for not seeing through the Nazi lies about the Holocaust, arguing that they should have picked up on statements from men such as Hitler and Goebbels, saying that the Jewry needed to be liquidated or exterminated. Herf fails to make the case that the average German would have been able to grasp the horrors of these statements when they were constantly being fed the anti-Jewish propaganda that Herf himself is attempting to analyse. This, to me, shows a lack of understanding of the psychological effect that propaganda has on its recipient, especially when the state exerts such a masterful level of control over the media that the public is exposed to.
Finally, I found at times that Herf was extremely repetitive in his book, sometimes using the same quotation multiple times in the span of a few pages. This to me is the action of someone who is trying too hard to make a point. His repativity is also shown in his focus on the Jewish fixation of the book. There exists pages in this text in which the word Jew, or some derivative of the word are used in excess of a dozen times. If I had a dollar for every time he used the words Jew, Jewry, or Jewishness than I'd be a very wealthy person.
Despite the glaring issues that I have with this book, it is, in its core, a good source of understanding Nazi propaganda and analysis of the anti-Semitic views of Germany, and to an extent, the wider western world at the time.
Mod
17.
by
Patrick J. Hearden Finish date: March 22, 2015
Genre: WWII History, Economic History, American History
Rating: A
Review: This is probably one of the most remarkable books that I have ever read concerning the origins of WWII. Hearden makes the completely logical argument that the war was based in economic problems resulting from the reparations of WWI and the impact of the depression. He shows that Roosevelt was walking a tightrope in balancing a public opinion that was resistant to war, and the knowledge that war was becoming a necessary evil, one that was needed in order to protect American economic interests.
Hearden provides clear cut evidence that Hitler's preferential trade system was in danger of isolating the US, and that the Imperial ambitions of Japan was endangering the Open Door policy in China. He shows that Roosevelt was fighting against public opinion and congressional reluctance to make moves that clearly demonstrated American dislike for Nazi policies. The argument has been made by other historians that Roosevelt baited the Japanese into attacking, but Hearden shows that he was in fact baiting Hitler, hoping that Nazi aggression would force the US into the war. The Japanese attack allowed him the freedom to enter the war, but still waited until Germany declared war, so that he could justify intervention in both oceans.
As far as economic history is concerned this is a very successful book, it combines well rounded research with an easy read and thought provoking ideals.
Interesting theories from that author, Matthew. I certainly agree that the WWI reparations and the depression had an effect on the European war. I will have to read the book to be convinced that FDR was baiting Hitler to bring the US into the war. Sounds like a good book.
by Patrick J. Hearden (no photo)
18.
by Katayoun Pakatchi (No Photo)Finish date: March 30, 2015
Genre: Cookbook, Nutrition, Health Food
Rating: B-
Review: Not my normal genre for reviewing, but I was approached by the author to review this book, and have gone through it with an eye on certain specific aspects. As a trained cook I examined the recipes for ease of use/understanding, desirability/appatizeness, and nutritional value. From the point of view of a reader I examined it with an eye on ease of read, grammatical/spelling accuracy, and layout.
As a cook I can say that Ms. Pakatchi seems to have an excellent understanding of nutrition, particularity that of lactose/gluten free recipes. These recipes seem to provide excellent nutrition, while maintaining an emphasis on flavour. She also manages to make the recipes sound appetizing, however I would recommend the use of a professional food photographer to make the pictures reflect the desirability of the dishes a bit more, in cooking appearance is very important and food must be sold visually and well as through taste.
As a reader I had issues with the layout of the book. I often found myself scrolling through blank space, and recipes that were split over multiple pages, making reading them more challenging. I also would highly recommend that the book be proofread for spelling and grammatical mistakes, especially in concern to pluralization and capitalization of words, especially in lists of ingredients. Finally I would warn that the recipes included here operate in degrees Celsius, which is a serious adjustment for persons living in North America where degrees Fahrenheit remains that standard for cooking.
19.
by
Laurence ReesFinish date: March 30, 2015
Genre: WWII History, Holocaust History
Rating: A++
Review: This is probably one of the best books concerning the Holocaust that that I have ever read. Not because it is abound with new information, just the opposite in fact, much of the facts discussed are ones that I have heard before. What truly makes this book remarkable is the overwhelming amount of research that went into it, specifically the gathering of first hand accounts from Nazis and survivors alike. These accounts lend an unmistakable realism to the discussion. The reader is not able to disassociate themselves from the material, but are instead drawn into the experience and forced to gain an understanding of what happened during one of the darkest times in human history.
Rees does not shy away from placing the blame for the atrocities of Auschwitz and the other camps at the feet of the Nazi puppeteers such as Hitler, Himmler, and Hoss. But he also turns the finger of judgement towards the allies and the Nazis collaborators. While he acknowledges that Allied bombing of Auschwitz in 1944 would have done little to prevent the killing of Jews, he attacks the Allied leaders for their reasoning behind their failure to act. He shows that the allied leaders were fully aware of what was occurring in the German sphere of influence and that genocide was being committed against the Jews of Europe, but rather than intervene the allies turned a blind eye to it, preferring to go the route of saving them by "winning the war". Therefore they ignored the please of several influential groups, using excuses such as being unable to reach the camp for a night raid, or being unable to deal with a flood of refugees that liberation would cause. These excuses, given by both the governments of the US and Britain, coupled with Stalin's own anti-Semitic policies (before, after, and during the war) showed the extents to which the world was willing to go to avoid dealing with the sickening truth of what was happening.
Rees is equally critical of the nations that the German's occupied during the war such as Poland, Slovakia, France, and Hungary, none of which made any concerted effort to prevent the Germans from removing the Jews, even if like Hungary and Vichy France, they had definite government control. The only country that Rees applauds is Denmark, where a concerted effort by government, police, and citizens allowed the death toll for Denmark's Jews to be under 100 out of an estimated 8000 living in the country at the start of the occupation.
The book is a clear indication that we can never be done with the Holocaust, it is something that must never be forgotten, not only for its terrible human cost, but for its ideological causes. We as humans can never again allow ourselves to undergo a social transformation in which the shunning and persecution of and entire segment of society is acceptable. We should look at the events that occurred during these dark times, and take steps to ensure that they never repeat themselves.
What a great review, Matthew. Looks like a book for my tbr list. Thanks.
Looks like I'm slowing down on my reading, but I've started working on my family genealogy, which is very time consuming. I've discovered an ancestor who was at the battle of Waterloo and a branch of the family who were in Salem during the witch trials.
What a contrast. You never know what you will find once you start tracing that family tree.
April20.
by
Margaret MacMillan Finish date: April 12, 2015
Genre: WWI History, Political History
Rating: A+
Review: An immaculate work of historical research. It is truly clear why this has emerged as the premier authority on the Paris Peace Conference. MacMillan shows that the Treaty of Versailles was not the crushing document that popular opinion has come to see t as. It was instead, a convoluted document teeming with hypocrisy and betrayal. I can say without a doubt that none of the signatories of the document were truly happy with the final result, and it is little wonder that its contents began collapsing even before the ink was dry.
MacMillan shows with great detail that each of the nations involved were motivated purely by self-interest, and that "peace based on Wilson's 14 points" was merely a facade created to appease the public at large. Rather than a meeting of the nations to form a lasting peace, the conference became an opportunity for the "Big Four" of Wilson, Lloyd George, Clemenceau, and Orlando to act as judge, jury, and executioner for all of Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Instead of an exorcise in international diplomacy and democracy the world was left with the bitter taste of a quasi-dictatorship of nations that carved up empires and re-drew maps according to their own limited understanding of the world.
Chapter by Chapter, MacMillan picks apart the goals and motivations of each if the key players, and shows how the results brought hardship and confusion to the world. The very idea that such a large treaty could be drawn up openly, subjected to public opinion, and thrust upon defeated nations is mind boggling. The democracies of the west could in no way satisfy the demands of their voters, especially when they themselves did not truly know what they wanted. The entire idea of a treaty presented to the defeated powers without negotiation is laughable, especially considering that the Allied military force was draining out of the European theater, taking with it their bargaining position. It is clear that from the outset the Peace Conference was flawed and doomed to failure.
I read that book last year and it was absolutely top drawer....I totally agree with your review.
Me, too, Jill and Matthew, I liked it a lot.
The History Book Club
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Peter Harmsen (other topics)
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Our Required Format:
JANUARY
1.
Finish date: January 2015
Genre: (whatever genre the book happens to be)
Rating: A
Review: You can add text from a review you have written but no links to any review elsewhere even goodreads. And that is about it. Just make sure to number consecutively and just add the months.