Chrisl > Recent Status Updates

Will enjoy reading reviews about Perestroika ... savoring Smiley's imagination and unique characters.

Starting re-read

Am curious how much, if any, knowledge the characters involved with Dersu would have had about the Russo-Japanese war?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-J...
Here's a related view of that war that I like:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Print size small - text informative - more people portraits than I'd have predicted. Would like to experience those panoramic places.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_Hor...
Coffee table type book with awesome photography taken in an awesome part of the world.

baseball time exceeding reading time

Lot of 'overlap' with the other book I'm reading, Wade Davis' 'One River.'
Tremendous amount of information being acquired from 'natives' by narrators.
Have used 'Dersu ...' impressive index to browse topics at times, rather than only following text page at a time.

Feeling sorry for the horses ... clouds of vicious insects, tough terrain, and scant food.
Reminding me of book, 'Ginseng Hunters'
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Re-reading some sections of this rich fare ...

Will likely deduct star from original rating. The history of England in the 1860s remain most interesting, but too much detail ...

Little energy for reading - but seem to be inattentively leaving my computer on Goodreads site for hours while the screen is black.

Have been repeatedly playing Van Morrison's 'Village Idiot'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kndj0...

In Texas, heading for Comanche country. First half of book focused on slave life on 'plantation.' Had expected to skim that appalling part of history, but author held my interest. Persy an intriguing character.

not connecting with this one

More war stories than expected. Well presented images. Hope, too

Enjoyable escape with anthropology added

"A wildebeest's tail is much prized by 'sangomas' who use it as the Zulu equivalent of a magic want. Ngwenya was correct in believing witchcraft was behind this killing, but for the wrong reason.

"'Yes, there is witchcraft here ... not in the way you think.'

"I then told them the story of dreams and vulture brains, of the 'sangomas' and the Lotto, and waited for their reaction."

It's discouraging to live in a pro-trump community. Driving about, one only sees pro-trump signs. "Crook County Loves Trump" The main intersection in town features republican headquarters in a former community bank building. Windows of banners and signs.

Locals believe BLM protests were sponsored and attended by outsiders.

Disgusting signs urge recall of Oregon's rational governor, a 'valley' elected democrat.

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/12/wo...

Clifton showing me an engaging portrayal of southeastern Oklahoma, particularly the landscape and tribal cultures. Would like to revisit the state physically to see the country she describes.

Would like to read what police officers have to say about the convoluted law enforcement involving tribal lands ... easy to understand the 2020 Supreme Court ruling ...

Oklahoma certainly has a very colorful history which Jones describes in the rich vocabulary of the time. Wonderful characters.