Status Updates From Duce

We're getting closer to Mussolini's demise. The book gets kind of confusing as a lot of names get tossed at you. There are many people involved, some of whom are trying to hide Mussolini, some to capture him, some to find him and execute him. Lots and lots of names. A glossary of people would have been helpful, as well as more maps showing where the activity is taking place. Still -- very interesting.

This book continues to fascinate as it gets into a place and time period with which I am unfamiliar. There are battling factions in Italy while the Allies are coming in. Meanwhile, Mussolini has had some personal problems, with his wife confronting his mistress in a scene that could have been written for a soap opera.

Continuing to get into history that I didn't know, like a Fascist trial set up by the Nazis to condemn scapegoats for the overthrow of Mussolini. Incredible!

I'm up to a part of this book that I think is not covered enough -- what a mess Italy was during WWII. Now you've got the Germans trying to take over right after the Allies did some bombing, and the Neapolitans are fighting the Germans right in the streets! Amazing stuff!

I was somewhat confused by the description of the Germans' plans to rescue Mussolini from captivity.

It's only a bit past the middle of the book, and Mussolini has been forced to resign and has been arrested. I learned from the bio of Hitler I read recently that Mussolini's downfall was a long one.

I got some reading done, but I've slowed down because of a cold. Where I am not tracks the Hitler bio I read -- Mussolini is starting to follow Hitler's lead. Unfortunate.

Italy has conquered Abyssinia easily, with more problems dealing with the conditions than the opposing army. Mussolini is becoming more warlike and is forming an alliance with Hitler, despite his previous distaste for the Nazi leader. Still a very interesting read.

I'm making slow progress because I've been tired, not because of the book. I'm still finding this to be an easy read and very interesting. So far, Mussolini comes across as a rough, horny guy who wants to do the best for Italy but is dragged down by his followers.

I don't know if this book presents a common assessment of Mussolini or if it is controversial, but Mussolini is being presented as a reluctant dictator, that it was his followers who were bloodthirsty, forcing him to be unaccommodating to his Socialist adversaries and establishing a totalitarian state.

Surprisingly easy read so far. The author doesn't spend too much time on Mussolini's childhood and young adulthood, instead getting very quickly to when he is the Fascist leader of Italy.

I am reading a different edition of this book. Not sure if the pagination is the same.