"I've started on David McCullough, 'The Path Between the Seas'; the story of the Panama Canal"
I'm not at all up to speed here, but didn't I read recently that it has just been widened, to take even larger cargoes of Chinese goods to East coast USA, and the Chinese are in fact building a completely new canal? They're very strong strategic thinkers - not worried about the next election.
Born to be mild Sapere Aude Ego Lego Preferred pronouns - Thou, Thee, Thy, Thine My non-working days are Monday - Sunday
Maz, I'm like you about avoiding infectious diseases. I think the `eat dirt for immunity' theory is well past its sell-by-date, it works for other animals but Westernised humans have moved beyond that stage. Microbes are evolving faster in response to our behaviour and lifestyle and it's now a case of `don't get the new bug' rather than hope immunity to the old bug will be sufficient.
Back to books. I'm reading a modern facsimile edition of an official book published in 1943 about the Fleet Air Arm and finding many facts that I didn't know before. For example, when the Battle of Britain began and there was a shortage of experienced pilots the Navy offered for their pilots to voluntarily and temporarily fly with the RAF. Many of them took up the offer, which is courageous when you think how they were used to a very different type of air operation. At that time they didn't need to do much `dogfighting' and were mostly involved with torpedo attacks, bombing, reconnaissance and observation. Yet they performed well and Douglas Bader's wingman was a Navy pilot. Another example is the desert campaign in North Africa. Navy pilots had been on their usual operations from carriers in the Mediterranean, sinking Italian warships and protecting convoys to Malta and Egypt against German and Italian aircraft but the enemy attacks were so intense that several carriers were sunk or disabled. Eventually it was decided that the Navy aircraft and pilots from these carriers would join the RAF in the desert. It was a big shock for the pilots to move from their cabins and wardrooms and the excellent maintenance and repair facilities of carriers and find themselves in tents with hardly any water and everything coated in dust and sand. But the RAF pilots quickly came to admire their ability to navigate about in the desert - after all, navy pilots are used to flying long distances over the featureless sea and, in that respect, the desert wasn't much different.
Nullius in verba: On the word of no one (Motto of the Royal Society)
Tiz, I'm sure you are right about the new strains of disease but exposure, survival and consequent immunity is still a major factor in honing our immune systems to greater efficiency.
I'm having to switch my focus and do some digging into social housing...... Thank you Tiz!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net
"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
Tripps wrote:If you have £2.04 to spare you could do worse than buy this book Backroom Boys
Many on here would enjoy it. I particularly liked the history of Mobile Phones - commonplace now - but easy to forget that they are only about 30 years old.
Going off Tripps recommendation I have bought this from the suggested source. It has arrived (in 3 days) but I am going to save it as my "beach book" when we go to Greek foreign parts next month. I'm not an avid reader of any particular genre, I prefer technical mags and stuff like that, this looks like it could be interesting. My copy is in good nick and a steal at just over £2.00 including delivery. I'll buy a general puzzle book at the airport, probably with a free pen and I will be sorted for a week in the sun. Must remember my reading sunglasses I invested in last year but have never had occasion to use in anger.
I finished the Panama Canal book and have gone back to the 1977 book by Anthony Sampson on 'The Arms Bazaar', an account of the trade in arms at all levels. This is still going on today.......
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net
"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
Two books.
1 A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Hole Steven Hawkins Link. I read this book when it first came out nearly 30 years ago. I must admit I didn't understand it at that time. Having found a copy at my favourite charity shop book stall I gave it another try. This time I'm more familiar with the terminology but still didn't understand it.
2 The World economy since the wars. (A personal View) John Kenneth Galbraith. Another oldish 1994 book, again from the book stall. An excellent book very easy to read and quite amusing considering how the various politicians got the world in such a mess. Very enlightening and explains the background to how things came about and what we can expect in the future
A reminder to Stanley. Joseph Stiglitz's new book is out on publication. The Euro: How a Common Currency Threatens the Future of Europe Link.
I had the same experience with Hawkins' book. Galbraith was, as well as being an excellent economist and historian, a good writer. I like reading him as well.
Thanks for the heads up.... I shall order it. He was on R4 yesterday.... Still talking sense.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net
"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
Stiglitz. The first few chapters seem a bit repetitive but he is just laying down the foundations for what is to follow. I'll leave it at that or it may spoil the book for you.
I'm well into it P. The first few chapters are a bit hard going and yes he reiterates a lot but as you say he is setting his stall out. Immensely complicated subject, we have to forgive him! So far he is confirming every belief I have held since 1982 when I pinned down the Inter War depressions to one core factor, distribution of wealth and the concomitant of giving the lowest earners enough disposable income to support consumption. He is not disappointing me!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net
"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
Robert Caro’s 4 Volume yet still unfinished biography of Lyndon Johnson.
The Times of Lyndon Johnson is as much a history of 20th century America as it is a biography of the man. I have read of this work for a number of years and bought all 4 Volumes. I read Vols 1 and 2 on holiday – they are weighty, apart from Vol 2 they come in at 800 – 1000 pages each; Vol 2 is a tiddler at 500.
Vol 1 is his background and upbringing in Texas and his election to Congress and failed Senate run; Vol 2 is in effect the story of his successful election to the Senate. Vols 3 and 4 are his time as legislator and VP. The work-in-progress Vol 5 to his death, I imagine, is scheduled for 2018/18 I think. Robert Caro completed Vol 1 in 1981! Truly this is a magnum opus.
And if you check out the books, the hype is enormous and quite frankly so far they have been worth every single penny of my money and time. They are a gripping read. Like the reviewers say, essentially a political thriller. Unputdownable.
BANCROFT The Story of a Pennine Weaving Shed. (Stanley Challenger Graham). Loaned to me by a nice young lady from the reference section at Barlick library. Probably the first time in my life that I've experience an episode of deja vu. Well worth the read just to get the complete picture in one go.
The Hidden Wealth of Nations. The Scourge of Tax Havens. By Gabriel Zucman. ( foreword by Thomas Piketty.)
The first study of its kind to try to quantify how much household wealth is hidden away in tax havens. This does not include the use of company tax loopholes using legitimate avoidance methods. His estimate is that 8% of the WORLDS wealth possibly owned by 0.1% of the population are hidden away and consequently stealing from the tax man by not declaring their income from these hidden accounts. It will come as no surprise to see that the banks assist this avoidance by running complex accounting systems that hide behind privacy rules. (Lancashire Libraries)
I have taken a bold step forward in my reading. I have started 'The Sadeian Woman' by Angela carter..... (LINK). As you can see an entirely new field! At the moment I am concentrating on her philosophical works but I admit to being drawn to her fiction..... All I can tell you so far is that she is opening my eyes to completely new fields and I trust her.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net
"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
I loved Angela Carter's novels when I read them many years ago. I have three on the bookshelves if you would like to borrow them, Heroes & Villains, The Magic Toyshop and The Passion of New Eve. I had Nights at the Circus as well but that seems to have disappeared.
I'd love that Wendy..... I have always been uncomfortable with the way what I see as quite acceptable writing is classified by some as 'pornography'. Angela is giving me some clues as to why I feel like this. Even in these more enlightened days there are people who regard any interest in mild eroticism as being a sign that you are reading 'dirty books'. Like any other healthy person it has played a big part in my life so why should an intelligent interest in it be taboo?
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net
"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
I never thought of her novels as particularly erotic, I just enjoyed her wonderful, weird and strange stories at a time when a lot of female authors were writing about middle class intellectuals.
Finished The Sadeian Woman.... Angela's arguments are ingenious and challenging. I don't buy her view 100% but she has certainly made me have a rethink!
(I'm ready for her earlier novels now Wendy!)
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net
"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
