Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to read a book about a major world event! This can be a recent event or something from the chapters of world history.

Suggestions for Each Week

If you're reading in order, this week is: 10/7 - 10/13

To discuss the book, don't forget to add it in the A-Z folders or join the existing discussion if your book is already listed.

Progress Post:
- What are you reading this week?
- What interested you about this world event?
- Are you interested in learning more about this event?

Reading out of order.
What are you reading this week?
For topic 41 I have read Target Tobruk: Yeoman in the Western Desert

What interested you about this world event?
I've always been interested in books both Fiction and Non Fiction about the wars.

Are you interested in learning more about this event?
Yes. There is always something more to learn about these events

I'm struggling with picking something for this week that isn't about the Holocaust. I have quite a few books on my list that I want to read that are Holocaust or WWII-related, but since I already have a few lined up for my challenge, I'm hoping to find something else. I would love to see what everyone else is choosing.

What are you reading this week?The Mercy of the Sky: The Story of a Tornado

What interested you about this world event? I live in Oklahoma City, OK. I can tell you exactly where I was when May 20th occurred.

Are you interested in learning more about this event? Yes and no. This book hit too close to home for me. The events are still too raw. I think if I was going to read another book about the Moore tornadoes I need to wait several more years.

I have a fascination with WW2 and The Holocaust and this book is a need to read.

I like fantasy so this one is tough, do you think the American gold rush counts? I could read Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

I love books about WWII as I find it to be a very interesting topic of study. There is always more to learn in my opinion. I definitely want to continue to read books about this event. For this challenge I read, Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, which is about the Lithuanian genocide committed by the Soviets during WWII. It was a beautiful book.

This is second challenge I chose to complete by reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne. This was an easy middle grade that I completed in about two hour. It is from the perspective of a young boy whose father is in charge of Auschwitz dutring World War II. I would recommend this purely because the ending made the book.

- What are you reading this week? I have chosen A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding

- What interested you about this world event? I've heard so much about Hiroshima, but not Nagasaki.

- Are you interested in learning more about this event? Maybe not to the extent of knowing absolutely everything about it but it's one we never fully covered in history.

Progress Post:
What are you reading this week?
Orhan's Inheritance by Aline Ohanesian
What interested you about this world event?
After having read Sandcastle Girls, which was the first I had ever heard of this genocide, I wanted to read more.
Are you interested in learning more about this event?
Maybe.

- What are you reading this week?
Children's book - The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson

- What interested you about this world event?
The book is a memoir of a Jewish boy saved by Oskar Schindler during WWII. I have never seen Schindler's List so I was interested in the specifics of the story.

- Are you interested in learning more about this event?
Yes. I will watch Schindler's List at some point and maybe read a non-fiction book on the subject.

Progress Post:
- What are you reading this week?
I read West About: A Novel of Magellan's World Voyage

- What interested you about this world event?
I wanted to read about an event that I had never read about previously.

- Are you interested in learning more about this event?
Yes, this was a fictionalized account of Magellan's voyage. I would like a more factual in depth accounting.

- What are you reading this week?
Secrets of a Charmed Life

- What interested you about this world event?
I started reading it because it was recommended and popped up on my library loans. So was going to read it not for a week but it ends up being a really good story about the London Blitz.

- Are you interested in learning more about this event?
I'm an aviation historian with a specialty on strategic bombing, so clearly I spend lots of time on the Blitz.

- What are you reading this week?

I read The Complete Maus for this prompt, but apparently forgot to mention it here...

- What interested you about this world event?

I don't know, really. I seem to have an odd interest in human atrocities. I certainly read about them quite a bit.

- Are you interested in learning more about this event?

Yeah, I've seen quite a few Jewish perspectives on the holocaust, but I'd really like to see one from the homosexual perspective. Did any make it out? Of all the perspectives I've seen, this seems to be oddly silent.

- What are you reading this week?
I just finished Everyone Brave is Forgiven set in WWII England and Malta

- What interested you about this world event?
WWII is always an interesting topic for me because there are so many different perspectives and experiences associated with it. This book was intriguing because it was inspired by the author's grandparents.

- Are you interested in learning more about this event?
Always

I'm reading Winter of the World by Ken Follett, which happens from roughly 1933 to 1945. I've read so many books set during WWII and spent so much time studying this period at school that I normally can't any more (that's why I don't think I'm ever going to read The Book Thief). This trilogy spans the whole 20th century, that's what got me interested at first, to now more about WWI and the Cold War.

For this book, I'm really interested in seeing how the war affected people who weren't directly involved in the conflict, like people living in London or the US. The beginning of the book also sparked my interesting in the rise of Nazism in Berlin.

Sophie wrote: "The beginning of the book also sparked my interesting in the rise of Nazism in Berlin. "

A brilliant book that I read on this was The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler - it really helped me to understand just how the hell it happened. If I ever remember who I lent the book too, I can lend it to you. :)

Thanks Jody, I'll let you know if I want to read it someday :)

Another amazing book about Hitler is La Part de l'autre. In one half of the book you follow his life and in the other half, how his life would have been if he got accepted in Vienna's art school. Sadly, I don't think it was translated in English, but it is a great alternate history book.

What are you reading this week?
Roots: The Saga of an American Family and The Book of Negroes



What interested you about this world event?
I was looking for something that wasn't about a war or the Titanic. Though these books touch on wars, there are not primarily about war.

Are you interested in learning more about this event?
Yes and no. It's a very ugly part of history, and much like the Holocaust and genocide in general, I have troubles wrapping my mind around human beings being so cruel and inhuman to each other. However, this is history nonetheless, and those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Let's not do that, let's be better.

- What are you reading this week?
I read The Time in Between

- What interested you about this world event?
I was actually more interested in the setting (Spain and Morocco). Most of the stuff I've read about World War II has taken place in France and Germany (or other countries under control of the Nazis) so it was interesting to read something from another place.

- Are you interested in learning more about this event?
Yes, but to be honest, I've read a lot of WW2 books in the past year and have several others still waiting to be read. I think I might take a break and try to read about other important events in history.

J wrote: "I've seen quite a few Jewish perspectives on the holocaust, but I'd really like to see one from the homosexual perspective. Did any make it out? Of all the perspectives I've seen, this seems to be oddly silent ."

For my week 36 (book about different culture, sexual orientation, etc), I'll be reading Branded by the Pink Triangle, which is about homosexuals during WW2. It's a nonfiction YA book and is only 155 pages, so it seems like it's definitely worth checking out.

I'm reading Brethren: An Epic Adventure of the Knights Templar
This is a fictional tale set in the Crusades. I'm not interested in it for the religious aspect but the historical aspect.

I read :

This is about the effect of the Australians who were POWs in Java and Burma and made to build a railway line under dehumanising conditions.

I have been trying to understand the reasons and effects of war. I learnt about WW II in school. And yes there was the stress on the Holocaust. But I'm coming to realise that this war has much far reaching implications. That other peoples were ill-treated and yet their story doesn't seem as well known. In this story, it also explores the effect on the veterans on trying to live the rest of their lives.

I read The Book Thief for this category.
I've read a lot of books about WWII and the Holocaust but all non-fiction and everyone loves this book.

Another reason I wanted to read it is that it gives a picture of life in Germany and the challenges Germans faced during the war.
It was a brilliant book.

- What are you reading this week? The Girl You Left Behind
- What interested you about this world event? This was a fictional book about events from WWI. Most of the books I've read have been above WWII so it was interesting to read something set before that time.
- Are you interested in learning more about this event? I'm always interested in learning more about history.

What are you reading this week? The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History5/10/16
- What interested you about this world event? the history behind the Apaches and their wars
- Are you interested in learning more about this event? yes, this book had so much in it , that I loved reading about the Apaches and their history , and what they went though and their ways of life.

What are you reading this week?
Pontius Pilate
What interested you about this world event?
I wanted to know more about the trial and crucifixion of Jesus from original sources other than Scripture.
Are you interested in learning more about this event?
Yes, I would like to know more about the Roman administration at this time period.

- What are you reading this week?

Night by Elie Wiesel

- What interested you about this world event?

The Holocaust and WW2 are both incredibly interesting and incredibly sad.

- Are you interested in learning more about this event?

Yes...and sometimes no. I found visiting Dachau and Auchwitz very unsettling, but I think it's important the world doesn't forget such an awful period of time.

What did you read?
The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman

What interested you about this world event?
I've always been interested in this time period. But I mainly read this because I've always been intrigued with the fact that President Kennedy had recently read this book before the Cuban Missile Crisis and credits it with his peacefully resolving it.

Are you interested in learning more about this event?
Always.

What are you reading this week?
The Remnant - Stories of the Jewish Resistance in WWII by Othniel J. Seiden

What interested you about this world event?
Just that it is a major event in history, that we must never let happen again

Are you interested in learning more about this event?
Although this event was totally shocking , I do find that books about it tend to be good reading. I don't usually particularly choose a book about it to read

I just finished All Quiet on the Western Front, and I am quietly sobbing. Heartbreaking. It is about a German soldier's experience i. World War I, universally - and deservedly - claimed to be the best war novel ever written.

I am not a big fan of World War I, nor do I want to particularly read more about it. I just wanted to read this classic for a long time, and it was perfect for this category.

This is truly an incredible piece of literature that everyone must read. Prepare to be thrust into the mind and struggle of these soldiers, and keep a hanky handy.

Marta wrote: "I just finished All Quiet on the Western Front, and I am quietly sobbing. Heartbreaking. It is about a German soldier's experience i. World War I, universally - and deservedly - claim..."

Absolutely.

I read Everyone Brave is Forgiven, historical fiction set in London during WWII. I read a lot of historical fiction, but most of what I've read from this time period is from the perspective of the Jews or the Americans.
This book follows Mary, a rich young socialite, as she volunteers as a teacher for the forgotten disabled and Negro children that didn't get evacuated out of the city.

What are you reading this week?
The General Theory of Oblivion by Jose Eduardo Agualusa

What interested you about this world event?
The Angolan Civil War which occured in the 70s after Angola ejected the colonial power of Portugal

Are you interested in learning more about this event?
No, I've very little interest in war itself. What was fascinating was the premise. An agoraphobic Portuguese woman who finds herself alone as fighting breaks out, blocks herself into her apartment and watches the evolution of a post-colonial Angolan society. It is remarkable.

What are you reading this week?

Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad, which briefly discusses the Russian Revolution & WWI, but focuses on WWII, specifically the 850-day siege of Leningrad by the Germans.

What interested you about this world event?

I started listening to this at work only because it was free from SYNC Audiobooks, but I became very interested in the sheer tenacity of the citizens of Leningrad and the tenacity of Shostakovich in composing his Symphony 7 while enduring air raids, lack of food, and fear of being arrested by the KGB.

Are you interested in learning more about this event?

Honestly, neither Russian history or WWII is that interesting to me, so I don't know if I will deliberately read more about it. But I'm glad I know a bit more about that time. There were a lot interesting details that intrigued me.

- What are you reading this week?
All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr

- What interested you about this world event?
I've always been interested by WW2, and the circumstances that allowed it to occur.
- Are you interested in learning more about this event?
Yes, I think that learning about this event and never forgetting the atrocities that were committed will hopefully ensure it doesn't happen again. Sadly, though, it appears as though mankind has learnt nothing from the past.



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- What are you reading this week?

Another Man's War: The True Story of One Man's Battle to Save Children in the Sudan

- What interested you about this world event?
I saw the movie "Machine Gun Preacher" and found out it was based on a true story about a real man. I actually got to see Sam Childers speak in person while I was travelling in Australia. He was a very powerful speaker and is definitely very motivated.

- Are you interested in learning more about this event?
I am. A lot of the issues he talks about were somewhat brought to light with the whole Kony 2012 campaign. However there still seems to be a disconnect between where children are being harmed by war, either as direct casualties or child soldiers, and the places it isn't occurring. I think it is a very difficult issue, with many complicated factors that does not have a simple solution. Obviously more needs to be done though.

What are you reading this week? One Year After by William R. Forstchen, published in 2015.

What interested you about this world event? This is actually a sequel to One Second After, published in 2009. The fictional world event is an account of the devastating direct effects and aftermath of an unexpected electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack on the United States. This novel explores "what happens next?" two years later, although the title states it as one.

This very possible and very devastating apocalyptic event is continually explored in the news, resulting in the survivalist movement and giving rise to "preppers": people who believe this event could happen and are preparing for it by stocking up on food, shelter and munitions. These folks are not kooks. How would we survive despite food and medical shortages, marauding gangs and outlaws and no electricity? We would be forced back 200+ years in our societal and living conditions. How would we rebuild our communities, cities and country? What would the world look like after this?

Although horribly depressing, it could happen in our lifetime. When the power grid went out for several days in the northeast in Aug 2003, it was a tiny preview of the effects we could be facing in the event of a major EMP breakdown -- or attack.

Are you interested in learning more about this event? Yes, as the world becomes more dangerous and our peace and existence becomes threatened by external forces on a daily basis, it's important to know how to deal with an event like this one, if that's even possible.

What are you reading this week?
Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly, and the Making of the Modern Middle East

What interested you about this world event?
A fellow bibliophile suggested this book. He really enjoys reading non fiction and knows that I enjoy reading history. My husband is also very interested in WWI and WWII military facts. It may help in my relationship if I can do more than nod and smile when he talks about it. It is also nice to learn about other points of view when studying historical events. I have been always told "The winners write the history books.", which is very true.

Are you interested in learning more about this event?
It is interesting but I will not go out of my way to find out more about the wars. There are so many more pieces of history that have not been discussed as much as the World Wars. I do like hearing about the other points of view of these events.

For this week, I read Edenland by Wallace King.

What interested you about this world event?
It occurs during the Civil War, but with only a smattering of actual battle scenes.

Are you interested in learning more about this event?
I love historical fiction, and would love to read more that are set during the Civil War.

What are you reading this week? Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
What interested you about this world event? That so many people died, especially the young & old, and that so many people went to that extent of evil, it's horrible!
Are you interested in learning more about this event? Yes, even though it's really depressing. I've already read a bit on it, the most memorable being If This Is a Woman: Inside Ravensbruck - Hitler's Concentration Camp for Women

The Gunner Girl

- What are you reading this week?

The Gunner Girl by Clare Harvey

- What interested you about this world event?


World War II, -read books left by my grandfather and always been interested.

Are you interested in learning more about this event?

Very much so.

- What are you reading this week?
In the Shadow of Blackbirds. It is a paranormal book about the Spanish Influenza in 1918.

- What interested you about this world event?
Wenn seeing the digits 1918 I immediately think of WWI, of the deaths and the horrors that it brought along. But I tend to forget all those millions of people who just got sick and died because of a virus being on a rampage. This particular book touches both the flu and the soldiers who suffered being "shell-shocked" into mental disorder. The paranormal layer deals with ghosts: A lot of fraud spiritualists photographers exploited mourning people by pretending to capture their beloved ones' souls / ghostly remains with their cameras.

- Are you interested in learning more about this event?
After reading the book? Why not. I learned a lot already although the story was purely fictional and not particularly deep.

- What are you reading this week?
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown.

- What interested you about this world event?
This is a book I read for another book club monthly read but it happened to fit this category, too. The story is about the 1936 Olympics which were held in Berlin during Hitler's reign. It is such an inspiring book. The dedication and hardships endured were monumental but the team was successful in winning the gold medal, much to Hitler's dismay.

- Are you interested in learning more about this event?
I am interested in learning more about the Berlin Olympics as well as the University of Washington's rowing team and coaches.

I am currently reading Stay Alive, My Son by Pin Yathay.

This is a memoir of the Khmer Rouge taking over Cambodia in the 1970's. I became interested in learning about this from a Dead Kennedy's record. I am interested in learning more about this.

- What are you reading this week?
I am reading A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel which is set in the French Revolution.

- What interested you about this world event?
I only knew the very basics of the French Revolution - poor people are unhappy, King & Queen get heads chopped off etc. Hilary Mantel starts right back at the beginning for the 3 main characters who kicked off the Revolution (Robespierre, Danton and Desmoulins) and follows the threads of their lives from their childhood homes through the Revolution.

- Are you interested in learning more about this event?
Absolutely. I'm half way through the book now it is hard to believe that it really happened. It's just nuts - the very people who were crying out against the injustices they saw during the monarchy then cheerfully lop off various opponents' heads, justifying it as the only way to save the French republic. I know enough that there are several characters who suffer the fate that they dealt out to others and it is just starting to feel quite paranoid and frenzied.

I expect every French school child knows the whole story but having gone through UK schools I know lots about the Normans and the Tudors but not a lot about the French Revolution except that Marie Antoinette said (or didn't say) "Let them eat cake". This book is quite an eye opener and has the classic Hilary Mantel feel of very well researched historical fiction written in her expertly cheeky way.

- What are you reading this week?
The Complete Maus - Art Spiegelman, a graphic novel
- What interested you about this world event?
I've read an learned a lot about the Holocaust previously, but never in graphic novel form, which was fairly confronting at times.
- Are you interested in learning more about this event?
On one hand, yes -hearing or reading survivors individual stories is an amazing experience and will ensure that we will never forget. On the other hand, of course, it is very confronting and horrifying to read about.

What are you reading this week?
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson

What interested you about this world event?
I'm reading it for my book club and realized it would fit this prompt.

Are you interested in learning more about this event?
Yes. I like history and human interest stories, so this fits the bill.

- What are you reading this week?
All the Light We Cannot See
- What interested you about this world event?
I actually picked it because I wanted to read it and it was a good fit for this weeks topic
- Are you interested in learning more about this event?
I won't go out of my way to learn more

I also read All the Light We Cannot See: Sidekick, I think it was a Kindle deal just after Christmas so I wanted to read it and it fit this task.

I'm not not interested in this event, but I learned a lot about it at school so get easily saturated by it. However, I think I probably will continue to read fiction set in WWII as it makes for some really interesting stories.