Reading the 20th Century discussion

I'm keen to read...


The Revolutionists: The Story of the Extremists Who Hijacked the 1970s (2025)

by

by Jason Burke


It's a biggie and I'll be doing it on audio


If anyone fancies a buddy in early 2026 then here's the place to reply

No pressure, I'll be reading it anyway


More info...

In the 1970s, a network of radical extremists terrorised the West with plane hijackings and hostage-takings. Among them were the beautiful young Leila Khaled with her jewellery made from grenade rings, the hard-drinking philanderer Carlos the Jackal sporting shades and open-neck shirts, and the radical leftists of the Baader-Meinhof Gang. They sought to liberate the Palestinians and overthrow western imperialism, orchestrating spectacularly violent attacks that held governments to ransom and the world gripped to their television screens.

Drawing on decades of research, declassified archive material and original interviews with witnesses and participants, Jason Burke provides a masterful account of their exploits over the course of this dark decade. From Dawson's Field and the Munich Olympics to the Iranian Embassy Siege in London and the Beirut bombings of the early 1980s, he takes us into the lives and minds of the perpetrators of these attacks, as well as the government agents who sought to thwart and assassinate them. In the process, he shows how the extreme fringe of a secular, leftist, revolutionary movement ultimately birthed something altogether different and far more lethal: the violent expression of a fanatically conservative religious zealotry.

Gripping, globe-spanning and pulsing with drama, The Revolutionaries is the definitive account of the decade when terrorism took to the skies and transformed the world.

I definitely want to read that but it's dependent on getting it from a library as it's in hardback.

B&H Libraries have five copies and four reserves

Ah, I haven't registered yet as have been waiting to have something with proof of address but will do. I popped into your Oxfam at the weekend - cute!

Glad you approve

I have plans but probably further along in the year. My big read for January is going to be Effingers and at 864pp it will keep me through January and February but if I can find time, I will try to make it.

Thanks Sam

Sam wrote: "I have plans but probably further along in the year. My big read for January is going to be Effingers and at 864pp it will keep me through January and February but if I can find ti..."

@Sam,

I am also planning to read that sometime next year. I've also put my hand up for The Way We Live Now with another group early next year.

Cphe wrote: "Sam wrote: "I have plans but probably further along in the year. My big read for January is going to be Effingers and at 864pp it will keep me through January and February but if I..."

Another Trollope still on my TBR. I hope to read at least one of his next year.

@Sam,

Read He Knew He Was Right (even though he was wrong!!!) as a buddy read with two other wonderful ladies this year and we really enjoyed the novel no end. It generated quite a bit of discussion.

I picked it up for 99p somewhere or other so I would definitely be in.

My BIG read for next year will be On a Sea of Glass: The Life and Loss of the RMS Titanic

It is over 1660 pages long and is THE Titanic book.

Also, I want to read The Life and Death of Peter Sellers which is also over 1000 pages.

There are also a couple of books connected with terrorism on my non-fiction reading list in case anyone is interested. They are:

V13: The extraordinary gripping account of the Paris terror attacks by France’s leading non-fiction writer

and

Targeted: Beirut — The 1983 Marine Barracks Bombing and the Untold Origin Story of the War on Terror

We did Buddy Reads of all of Trollope’s Palliser series. Here’s the final one…..

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

It’s a fab series

Susan wrote: "Also, I want to read The Life and Death of Peter Sellers which is also over 1000 pages."


I fancy that one too. But I’m not sure I’m going to get to it in 2026. I look forward to your thoughts Susan.

I will let you know if I get to it, but definitely I want to read the Titanic book first. It is, absolutely, my reading project next year.

It's shocking that we are already thinking of books we won't have time for next year though!

I have definitely made more effort to read personal reads this year. And more non-fiction.

When are you planning to read The Revolutionists, Nigeyb?

I’m not sure Susan


If there had been any immediate enthusiasm I’d have prioritised it

I’ll now just read it when the fancy takes me, probably in the next few months

Nigeyb wrote: "We did Buddy Reads of all of Trollope’s Palliser series. Here’s the final one…..

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/......"

@Nigeyb,

You're not wrong - loved the series

OK no problem. It's on my TBR list too so will be interested to hear your thoughts.