Library Loot

Even though I’m up to my eyeballs in stuff to read I went a little crazy at the library and wound up with a big ole stack of books. Sadly, I fear I’ll never get ’em read. But I’m sure as hell gonna try.

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted Claire from The Captive Reader and Sharlene from Real Life Reading to encourage bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write-up your post, steal the Library Loot pic and link your post using the Mr. Linky on Claire’s Blog.

• Midnight at the Pera Palace: The Birth of Modern Istanbul by Charles King – A little something representing Turkey for Rose City Reader’s European Reading Challenge. 
• The Forever War by Dexter Filkins – Consider how much I’ve enjoyed his stuff in The New Yorker, I’m embarrassed to say it’s taken this long to read his 2008 award winning first hand account of America’s recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. 
• I Was Told to Come Alone: My Journey Behind the Lines of Jihad by Souad Mekhennet – Been in the mood for books on the Middle East. But then again when am I NOT in the mood to read about the Middle East. 
• Sons and Soldiers: The Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the Nazis and Returned with the U.S. Army to Fight Hitler by Bruce Henderson – A few months ago I watched a great PBS documentary on Jewish American GIs in World War II. Who knows, maybe Henderson’s book will feature an appearance by Hugo Sgitlitz.  
• The Princess Spy: The True Story of World War II Spy Aline Griffith, Countess of Romanones by Larry Loftis – I’m a sucker for WWII era cloak and dagger stuff. 
• Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past by David Reich – I love origins of humanity/deep history kind of stuff. Can’t wait to start it. 

But is having too many books really a problem? Naw. Looks like I’ve got some great reading in my future. Nothing wrong with that. 

Library Loot

Thankfully, it’s not going to be a million degrees this weekend. But I still wanna find a spot that’s cool, grab an adult beverage and read a book. So yesterday while I was in town running errands I dropped by the public library a grabbed some books because, well I could. 

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted Claire from The Captive Reader and Sharlene from Real Life Reading to encourage bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write-up your post, steal the Library Loot pic and link your post using the Mr. Linky on Sharlene’s Blog.

• Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance by Mustafa Akyol – Been wanting to read this one ever since it popped up on my radar a few months ago. Started it last night and so far so good.

• The Lost Art of Scripture: Rescuing the Sacred Texts by Karen Armstrong –  Even though I’m a big fan, I haven’t read anything of Armstrong’s in a long time. How her 2019 book by slipped by without my knowledge is beyond me.

• Sarajevo, Exodus of a City by Dzevad Karahasan – Published in 1994, this one looks bold, unconventional and artistic. I suspect I’ll either love it or hate it. Or both. 

With COVID restrictions in my state finally lifted I can now sit at the bar, drink a pint or two and read until my heart is content. Let the good times roll. 

Library Loot

It’s going to be a million degrees this weekend. (Ok not a million but 112° F or 44° C. ) So I might as well find a spot that’s reasonably cool, grab an adult beverage and read. So yesterday I drove into town to run a few errands and dropped by my favorite public library to grab a book or two. Because if it’s gonna be hot, I gotta have enough stuff to read. 

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted Claire from The Captive Reader and Sharlene from Real Life Reading to encourage bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write-up your post, steal the Library Loot pic and link your post using the Mr. Linky on Sharlene’s Blog.

• Shadow of the Silk Road by Colin Thubron – I’ve been wanting to read this one for years. After finishing Peter Frankopan’s The Silk Roads: A New History of the World I’m thinking now is the time. 
• The Pillars of Hercules: A Grand Tour of the Mediterranean by Paul Theroux – I’ve never read any Theroux but this one looks promising. How can I go wrong with a book about the Mediterranean? 
• The Year 1000: When Explorers Connected the World—and Globalization Began by Valerie Hansen – Another promising follow-up read to Frankopan’s The Silk Roads. Can’t wait to start it! 
• God’s Battalions: The Case for the Crusades by Rodney Stark – I’m afraid in the end I’ll probably think Stark is full of crap. Who cares I still wanna read it. 

With COVID restrictions in my county continuing to be rolled back maybe I’ll find a nice air conditioned pub, drink a few pints of beer read until my heart is content. Let’s just hope when I do eventually step outside I don’t melt.

Library Loot

With the weather improving and COVID restrictions in my area easing up a bit I drove into town today to run a few errands and drop by my favorite public library to maybe grab a book or two. (Because after all, I can’t have too many library books at my immediate disposal can I?) Of course by doing so I’ve completely wrecked any hope I’d stick to my intended 20 books of summer. But seriously, did anyone really think I’d really read all the books on my list? 

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted Claire from The Captive Reader and Sharlene from Real Life Reading to encourage bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write-up your post, steal the Library Loot pic and link your post using the Mr. Linky on Claire’s blog.

• The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan – Grabbed this one for a book club that meets on Zoom next month. I’ve heard nothing but great things about it. 
• Iranian Rappers and Persian Porn: A Hitchhiker’s Adventures in the New Iran by Jamie Maslin – How could I NOT resist a book with a title like that? Plus as we all know I’m a sucker for stuff about Iran. Hoping to feature it as part of my Middle Eastern Memoirs series. 
• A Mighty Fortress: A New History of the German People by Steven Ozment – If 2020 was the year for reading about Italy then 2021 might end up being the year I read about Germany. (Or Iran. Or Russia. Or…) 
• Family History of Fear by Agata Tuszyńska – Yet another book about Eastern Europe and perfect for both Rose City Reader’s European Reading Challenge and Jennifer’s Books in Translation Reading Challenge. 

With COVID restrictions beginning to lessen, weather improving and more people able to interact because they’ve been vaccinated I look forwards to once again being able to sit in a pub with a pint of beer and a big ole stack of books and read until my heart is content. And with a three day weekend coming up next week I think that’s exactly what I will do. 

Library Loot

Due to a recent spike in COVID 19 infections my county has once again been placed under extreme risk restrictions. Fearful my favorite local library will close its doors to walk in traffic I dropped by this morning to grab a few more books. (Because after all, what will I do if I don’t have a towering stack of unread library books at my bedside?) As you can see, it’s all backlist stuff so there’s plenty of material for my “About Time I Read It” series. There’s also a couple of books about China, which I might incorporate into another post featuring books about that country. 

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted Claire from The Captive Reader and Sharlene from Real Life Reading to encourage bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write-up your post, steal the Library Loot pic and link your post using the Mr. Linky on Sharlene’s blog.

• The Dragon and the Foreign Devils: China and the World, 1100 B.C. to the Present by Harry G. Gelber – I’ve seen this one on the shelf numerous times and it’s about time I gave it a shot. 
• Forgotten Ally: China’s World War II, 1937–1945 by Rana Mitter – Someone in the Facebook group Non-fiction Book and Documentary Film Club recommended this book and I was happy to discover my library has a copy. 
• Late for Tea at the Deer Palace: The Lost Dreams of My Iraqi Family by Tamara Chalabi – Been wanting to read this one for years. Hoping to feature it as part of my Middle Eastern Memoirs series. 

With chilly temperatures, overcast skies and things locked down thanks to COVID I guess all I can do this weekend is stay home and read. Thankfully I have no shortage of reading material. 

Library Loot

Two weeks ago another of my public libraries finally reopened, albeit with limited hours. Even though I’m in the middle of several great books right now I couldn’t resist grabbing yet another stack. As you can see, it’s all backlist stuff so there’s plenty of material for my “About Time I Read It” series.

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted Claire from The Captive Reader and Sharlene from Real Life Reading to encourage bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write-up your post, steal the Library Loot pic and link your post using the Mr. Linky on Claire’s blog.

• A Mirror Garden by Monir Farmanfarmaian and Zara Houshmand  – I’m a sucker for memoirs by women from the Middle East. Plus I’ve always been fascinated by Iran. 
• Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety by Eric Schlosser – I’ve heard nothing but great things about this one. Can’t wait to start it. 
• The Collapse: The Accidental Opening of the Berlin Wall by Mary Elise Sarotte – I have The OC BookGirl to thank for bringing this one to my attention. The end of the Cold War is a favorite topic of mine.
• Spy Handler: Memoir of a KGB Officer- The True Story of the Man Who Recruited Robert Hanssen and Aldrich Ames by Victor Cherkashin and Gregory Feifer – Again, I love stuff about the Cold War. Feifer’s The Great Gamble: The Soviet War in Afghanistan was a top notch read so I’m optimistic this one is great too. 
• The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wright – Been trying to read this Pulitzer-Prize winner for years. If it’s even half as good as his outstanding Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief I’ll be happy camper.
• Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power by Andrew Nagorski – Yet another one I’ve been wanting to read for a long time. It looks like a great follow-up to Erik Larson’s 2011 book In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror and an American Family in Hitler’s Germany.

Sadly, when it comes to library books I have no self-control. I guess all I can do right now is get back to reading.

Library Loot

Two weeks ago my favorite out of my three public libraries in my area finally reopened, albeit with limited hours.  Even though I’m in the middle of several great books right now I couldn’t resist grabbing a small stack of books. As you can see, it’s all backlist stuff so there’s plenty of material for my “About Time I Read It” series.

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted Claire from The Captive Reader and Sharlene from Real Life Reading that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write-up your post, steal the Library Loot pic and link your post using the Mr. Linky on Claire’s blog.

• A Mirror Garden by Monir Farmanfarmaian and Zara Houshmand – I’m a sucker for memoirs by women from the Middle East. Plus I’ve always been fascinated by Iran. 
• Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety by Eric Schlosser – I’ve heard nothing but great things about this one. Can’t wait to start it. 
• The Collapse: The Accidental Opening of the Berlin Wall by Mary Elise Sarotte – I have The OC BookGirl to thank for bringing this one to my attention. The end of the Cold War is a favorite reading topic of mine.
• Spy Handler: Memoir of a KGB Officer- The True Story of the Man Who Recruited Robert Hanssen and Aldrich Ames by Victor Cherkashin and Gregory Feifer – Again, I love stuff about the Cold War. Feifer’s The Great Gamble: The Soviet War in Afghanistan was a top notch read so I’m optimistic this one is great too. 
• The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wright – Been trying to read this Pulitzer-Prize winner for years. If it’s even half as good as his outstanding Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief I’ll be happy camper.
• Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power by Andrew Nagorski – Yet another one I’ve been wanting to read for a long time. It looks like a great follow-up to Erik Larson’s 2011 book In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror and an American Family in Hitler’s Germany.

 

 

 

Sadly, when it comes to library books I have no self-control. Well, I guess all I can do right now is get back to reading.

Library Loot

For a long time, Library Loot was a regular feature on my blog. Almost every week I would report to the world which books I grabbed from the public library, and in turn link that post on another book blogger’s page. This arrangement not only helped my readers get a glimpse into what I hoped to read over the coming weeks, it also gave me the opportunity to see what other book bloggers planned on reading. I discovered many a great book thanks to this little meme, including Keith Lowe’s Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II, since it was a Library Loot posting on Claire’s blog The Captive Reader that first brought Lowe’s book to my attention. But sadly, I fell out of the habit of doing Library Loot posts.

Even though I’m trying to focus my attention on my 20 Books of Summer, I could not resist these three books and simply had to grab them at the library this afternoon.

• The List by Martin Fletcher – Back in 2014 I stumbled across Fletcher’s novel Jacob’s Oath. Set in 1945 London, Austrian Holocaust survivors Georg and Edith strive to rebuild their lives in wake of the 20th century’s most horrific tragedy. If his 2011 effort The List is half as good, I’ll be a happy camper.
• In the Enemy’s House: The Secret Saga of the FBI Agent and the Code Breaker Who Caught the Russian Spies by Howard Blum – Considering my weakness for Cold War adventures how could I resist this one?
• Seminary Boy by John Cornwell – Neither could I resist a good seminary memoir. (Or for that matter any memoir dealing with religious faith in one form or another.) I’m excited to read this one by the author of Hitler’s Pope.

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by the above-mentioned Claire from The Captive Reader and Linda from Silly Little Mischief that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write-up your post, steal the Library Loot pic and link your post using the Mr. Linky on Linda’s blog.

Well, there it is. Still more reading ahead of me. If I make it though only one of these of books I’ll consider it a major accomplishment. So with that in mind, maybe I need to wrap up this long overdue Library Loot post and get back to reading.

Library Loot: March 14-20

For a long time, Library Loot was a regular feature on my blog. Almost every week I would report to the world which books I grabbed from the public library. This arrangement not only helped my readers get a glimpse into what I hoped to read over the coming weeks, it also gave me the opportunity to see what other book bloggers planned on reading. I discovered many a great book thanks to this little meme, including Keith Lowe’s Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II, since it was a Library Loot posting on Claire’s blog The Captive Reader that first brought Lowe’s book to my attention. But sadly, I fell out of the habit of doing Library Loot posts. Time to change that.

Today, on with spring just a few days away I’ve decided to resurrect that little blogging tradition of mine. Behold, a parade of recently acquired books, courtesy of my public library. Of course, it’s no sure thing I’ll end up reading all of them, but perhaps that’s not the point. Maybe the purpose is to share your reading ambitions with others. So, with all that in mind, here’s what I’ve brought home recently from the public library.

• Faith at War: A Journey on the Frontlines of Islam, from Baghdad to Timbuktu by Yaroslav Trofimov
• The Fires of Spring: A Post-Arab Spring Journey Through the Turbulent New Middle East – Turkey, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, and Tunisia by Shelly Culbertson
• The Invisible Arab: The Promise and Peril of the Arab Revolutions by Marwan Bishara
• The United States of Europe: The New Superpower and the End of American Supremacy by T. R. Reid
• Ants Among Elephants: An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India by Sujatha Gidla
• The Devils of Cardona by Matthew Carr

Well, there it is. Quite a lot of reading ahead of me. As you can see, it’s pretty nonfiction heavy with half the books dealing with the Middle East and Muslim world. Typical of my reading tastes, all these books have an international focus, be it Spain, India or Europe in general. If I only end up getting through only one or two of them before I have to return the books to the library I’ll consider it a major accomplishment. So with that in mind, maybe I need to wrap up this long overdue Library Loot post and get back to reading.

Library Loot Strikes Again

If you could see my living room right now, you’d see I’m surrounded by piles of books. Sadly, only a fraction of these books I’m trying to read, the rest are books I merely wish I could be reading. Included in this overflowing array is a giant tower of library books stacked next to my couch that’s begging my attention like an ignored young child who silently stares into the eyes of a parent in hopes of grabbing  that parent’s attention. So, will all this reading material at arm’s length you think I could resist the urge to grab more stuff from the library? Of course not! Looks like Linda at Silly Little Mischief has the link this week. Here’s what I picked up the other day.

• The Dark Continent: Europe’s Twentieth Century by Mark Mazower – I read Mazower’s Salonica, City of Ghosts; Christians, Muslims and Jews, 1430-1950 back in 2010 I was blown away by the book’s scope and depth. I’m hoping The Dark Continent is also a winner.
• Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China by Evan Osnos – It feels like not long ago I was reading all kinds of stuff on China and India and then for whatever reason I just stopped. India has established itself a regional power to be reckoned with while China is on the cusp of being the next global superpower. With that in mind, time for me get back in the habit of reading these kind of books.
• The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez – I’m about 75 pages into this novel and I’m enjoying the heck out of it.