Sean O > Recent Status Updates

“the Government whose ‘insatiable lust for power is only equalled by their incurable impotence in exercising it.’”

This resonated.

I am reminded that Churchill coined the term “the Iron Curtin” weeks after the end of WW2. He was right about Hitler. He was right about Stalin.

Heavy coverage of the war years. We are up to Operation Torch and Stalingrad.

And we finally got to Pearl Harbor.

Good book for word nerds

WW2 before Pearl Harbor is Britain surviving against Hitler. Over and over and over.

The last and probably most consequential volume of Churchill’s biography is a quite good so far, despite bringing in a new author to write up Manchester’s research.

Slow to get going. This is a recurring problem with Trollope’s weaker efforts. They take time to get going. Usually they’re worth it by Chapter 5. This one was.

I’ve liked everything Scalzi has written, so it’s weird that I have had this book well over a decade and haven’t read it.

As usual, he writes really good teams. Smart people with quick wit and (sometimes) competing priorities.

DNF. Very different in tone and topic. Cant recommend.

I enjoy audiobooks, but so much rides on the reader. They can really make or break my enjoyment. Who are your favorite readers and their work? Why? I have a couple favorites which I’ll share only if others do too.

The last novel is completely different in tone and style. Dislike.

Dear friends, I’ve been on Goodreads for over 15 years, and some of you are trusted and treasured book recommenders.

I am thinking about doing a quiz show podcast with people who are smart, bookish, and into trivia.

If that’s you and you would like to know more, drop me a message. I would love to find panelists among my favorite people on the internet.

There’s two take home messages in this story.

1. In a world filled with rapid unexplained mysterious death, the poisoner is king.

2. Being a woman sucks in medieval France (and England.) From Queen to servant, you’re fucked. The only person in more danger is the King of France.