Petermc - Journal 2012

For several years I've been a member of the 75ers, but a return to full-time education in 2011 and a new job in a new career in a new town in 2012 means that I can no longer read anywhere like 75 books a year. So here I am... a new home for my book-related lists, idle thoughts, and trips down memory lane; without the pressure of numbers!

I read non-fiction almost exclusively and always have half a dozen books on the go at any one time, and while I don't do formal reviews anymore I'm always happy to respond to any questions people may have about a book.

My physical and virtual libraries run into in excess of 3000 books, and I have no intention of listing them all on the LT database. In fact I made my book list private since, as it stands, it is totally unrepresentative of my actual collection and therefore a misrepresentation of my wide ranging literary tastes and interests.

Enjoy :)

Here is a look at the NF books I completed in 2011.

You'll no doubt note that the list is dominated by automotive-related books. This is due to the fact I bought a 1965 Mustang during the year, and scored a job lot on an excellent collection of Jeremy Clarkson books (more to come). And what with full-time post-graduate study, I was also rather inclined to keep the reading matter fairly light.

Books 2011
The Path to Power (The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 1) by Robert A. Caro
Means of Ascent (The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 2) by Robert Caro
How to Land an A330 Airbus: And Other Vital Skills for the Modern Man by James May
It's All About the Bike: The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels by Rob Penn
Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure by Matthew Algeo
Collector's Originality Guide Mustang 1964 1/2 - 1966 by Colin Date
Car Fever: The Car Bore's Essential Companion by James May
My Other Wife Is a Car by John M. Wright
I Am Ozzy by Ozzy Osbourne and Chris Ayres
A Week at the Airport by Alain de Botton
101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die by Ian Buxton
Jeremy Clarkson's Motorworld by Jeremy Clarkson
Clarkson on Cars by Jeremy Clarkson
Born To Be Riled by Jeremy Clarkson
The World According To Clarkson by Jeremy Clarkson
I Know You Got Soul by Jeremy Clarkson
And Another Thing... by Jeremy Clarkson
Don't Stop Me Now!! by Jeremy Clarkson
For Crying Out Loud! by Jeremy Clarkson
How Hard Can It Be? by Jeremy Clarkson

Great to see you here! No numbers, and drop in and out as you please.

Recent NF aquisitions (in no particular order) which may or may not be read this calendar year as per my whim...

The Captains: The Story Behind Australia’s Second Most Important Job by Malcolm Knox
A great title and a fascinating look at Australian cricket through the prism of its captaincy.

Tintin: the Complete Companion by Michael Farr
Missed out on this when it was originally published in 2001, then saw the prices of out-of-print copies soar.

Australians: Origins to Eureka by Thomas Keneally
Australians: Eureka to the Diggers by Thomas Keneally
Volume 1 and 2 of Keneally's new history of Australia, albeit in parts lifted from previous works.

Hitler's Hangman: The Life of Heydrich by Robert Gerwarth
Heinrich Himmler: A Life by Peter Longerich
Published within a week of each other, these new biographies have been reviewed very favourably.

King's Counsellor: Abdication and War: The Diaries of Sir Alan Lascelles edited by Duff Hart-Davis
Promises to be a very interesting look at Churchill's relationship with the King.

Winston S. Churchill, Volume 1: Youth, 1874-1900 by Randolph S. Churchill (Hillsdale College Press edition)
Thought it was about time to tackle the huge, many-volumed official biography... one book at a time.

ANZAC Fury: The Bloody Battle of Crete 1941 by Peter Thompson
Another in Thompson's FURY series, and one I wanted to read given my own research into the ANZAC experience in Crete in 1941

What It Is Like to Go to War by Karl Marlantes
Have Malantes' fictional Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War, so thought it worthwhile to grab his recent NF effort as he comes to terms with the whole experience.

I envy you your new car, petermc. My very first car was a 1965 Mustang, fastback, blue. I remember it very fondly. Unfortunately I didn't have it long. A school bus totaled it while it was parked at the curb in front of my house. Adding salt to the wound was that they later used photos of its wreckage in a cautionary movie shown in driver's education classes, with the implication being that the driver was at fault. Hah!

Enjoy your new treasure and all the other new starts coming your way this year!

#5 muddy21 - Thanks! Sorry to hear about your car. Mine's a 65 GT coupe which I had a scout in the USA seek out for me. I then had it imported here to Australia about 6 months ago, and despite a few minor issues expected of a 46 year old car, it's been fantastic. The kids love it!

Completed

Fried Twinkies, Buckle Bunnies, & Bull Riders: A Year Inside the Professional Bull Riders Tour by Josh Peter
If I had to name one of my guilty little pleasures, it would be sitting down in front of the television on a weekend and watching the PBR tour; so this little gem from sports jornalist Josh Peter really clicked with me. And together with his easy-going prose it proved to be a lightning quick read. As the blub says: "Josh Peter captures the high drama of the sport and introduces readers to a culture that's rife with colorful characters: the courageous riders chasing their dreams, the scouts, breeders, love-struck groupies, and a few of those very angry bulls." My only criticism is that despite the title he didn't profile any buckle bunnies to gain some insight and perspective there. Whether you follow the PBR tour or not, this book deserves your attention.

You can read excerpts online at the book's homepage: http://www.friedtwinkies.com/

Hi, Peter. Just stopping by to visit your thread over here. Happy New Year!

#8 Terri - And a Happy New Year to you! Thanks for stopping by :)

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Was all set to read 1Q84 after "Fried Twinkies" (see #7 above), but my sister, knowing how much I enjoyed the recent BBC2 series The Trip starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, gave me a copy of Rob Brydon's autobiography, Small Man in a Book (published in October 2011). I've loved Brydon's work for some time now, so was thrilled to get this. In fact, it went straight to the summit of Mount TBR! First chapter was 'laugh out loud' funny, while the second and third chapters are much more nostalgic in nature. The writing style feels very natural and the comedic touches unforced. So, off to bed now to enjoy chapter four.

Completed

Small Man in a Book by Rob Brydon
English comedian Rob Brydon leads us through his struggles to become a popular comedy actor. From stops and starts in radio to shopping channel host to warm-up man to successful voice over artist, Brydon, yet unfulfilled, finally made it in comedy through his masterful impersonations and his skills as an observer of the human condition. Success also relies on just a little luck, and there's a bit of that as well. But what shines through most of all is Brydon's sheer perseverance. If you're a fan, you'll love it. If you've never heard of Brydon, you might just become enamored enough to hit YouTube after (or even before) reading this. I loved it (but I was a fan to begin with!).

The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande
Author of Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science and Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance, Atul Gawande leads us through the art and benefits of the 'checklist'. Through his remarkably successful work worldwide with WHO in developing checklists to reduce the risk of complications and death in the operating theater or as a result of surgery, Gawande is well placed to explore the way in which checklists can benefit everyone; with stories from the aviation industry, finance, and of course medicine. Eloquent is the only word to describe Gawande's writing. This book will have you thinking how you can incorporate checklists in your life.

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Now reading: Stuff Parisians Like: Discovering the Quoi in the Je Ne Sais Quoi by Magny Olivier

Catch-up...

Stuff Parisians Like: Discovering the Quoi in the Je Ne Sais Quoi by Magny Olivier
Sommelier, TV presenter, best selling author and small business owner, Magny Oliver, has written a book full of biting wit and cutting humour that disects and lays bare what it is to be Parisian. Originaly published in French as Dessine moi un parisien, you can expect the occasional odd turn of phrase but this does not detract from the enjoyment this book provides the dedicated Francophile. Each 2-3 page chapter examines some aspect of the Parisian's character, ending with a French phrase to help you sound more Parisian, and a word of advice from the author. Great book!

The Memory Chalet by Tony Judt
I loved this book! A different type of memoir presented as a series of essays, arranged in parts according to theme. Perhaps at it's most powerful when he explores themes of education, austerity and identity. Judt was paralyzed when he dictated this book, having since died of the terminal disease ALS that had made him a prisoner within his own body. Judt talks about this as well and you can't help but be moved. This is a book I know I'll be coming back to again and again. My copy is already bristling with bookmarks indicating passages worth remembering. Highly recommended.

The Battle for Iwo Jima by Robert Leckie
A fairly short book, so it doen't go too deeply into any person's or unit's story, but as an overview it's a very worthy read. I have most of Robert Leckie's books on the Pacific War, but this is the first I've read. As for other books on Iwo Jima in my possession (aslso unread), I have Nightmare on Iwo Jima: A Marine in Combat by Patrick F. Carus, and The Quiet Hero: The untold medal of honor story of George E. Wahlen at the Battle for Iwo Jima by Gary W. Toyn. As for the books I have that cover Iwo Jima amongst other Pacific War battles - too many to mention.

Peter,
Glad you liked Leckie's Iwo Jima book, I read his book on Okinawa a couple of years ago and was not impressed. I look forward to reading some of his other books. If you're interested in another Iwo Jima book, I liked So Sad To Fall In Battle: An Account of War Based on General Tadamichi Kuribayashi's Letters from Iwo Jima.

Hope everything is working out well with the new job and most recent move.

#12 Mike - Great to hear from you. I forgot about "So sad...," I do have it, having picked it up at a booksale when I was still resident in Japan.

Everything is well, but teaching highschoolers has been far more stressful than I anticipated!

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Have finished several books recently; namely..

Driven to Distraction and Round the Bend, both by Jeremy Clarkson

and...

Winston S. Churchill: Youth 1874-1900 by Randolph S. Churchill

as well as...

Glock: The Rise of America's Gun by Paul M. Barrett (see review below)

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Glock: The Rise of America's Gun by Paul M. Barrett
Being in the market for a new handgun, and considering one of the fourth generation Glocks, I just had to read this... and I'm glad I did! There are plenty of reviews out there on this book, so I'm not going to waste valuable reading time writing another one. Instead, I'll point readers to Our Favorite Weapon (fom The New York Times Sunday Book Review), which is excellent at capturing the book's strengths and weaknesses. Despite whatever weaknesses this book has however, it's Barrett's reporting on the corporate shenanigans and human dramas that make this book a fascinating and compulsive read.

... and do I still want to buy a Glock after reading the book? Hmmmm.... I've wavered, but in a strange way, when all is said and done, the gun's history has somehow added to its allure!

Note: When this book was published (January, 2012) the court case against former Glock executive Paul Jannuzzo was still pending. The case has now been heard (it ended last week), and Jannuzzo has been found guilty of racketeering and theft. As he awaits sentence - a possible jail term of up to 30 years - this book has never been more timely. To find out more about the case you can read the following article which appeared in Corporate Counsel yesterday (March 9, 2012): Jury Foreman Explains Glock GC Guilty Verdict.

Catch up

Since my last post, I have read the following NF titles...

53 Interesting Things to Do in Your Lectures (5th Edition) revised and updated by Anthony Haynes & Karen Haynes
I enjoyed this book, but was shocked by just how few of these "worthwhile" ideas I was actually implementing! So I have embarked, with firm determination, to putting many of the items into practice; linking lectures and transitioning between activities were personal weak points that I've definitely improved upon as a result. I should also point out, that although I'm only a high school teacher (not the tertiary education lecturer this book may have been aimed at), the issues and ideas covered in this book are just as pertinent.

Mrs. Kennedy and Me: An Intimate Memoir by Clint Hill
I've seen this book described as a "love letter" from Mr Hill to Mrs Kennedy, and I can well understand why. Former secret service agent Clint Hill's memoir of his assignment to the protection of Jacqueline Kennedy is not one of those tell-all books that promise to reveal the principal actors' dirty laundry, while hiding safely behind their tombstones. Rather, Mr Hill, looks back at his time with America's First Lady through a soft focus lens, always maintaining the discretion one would expect from someone in his profession; displaying all the elements of a man clearly bewitched. Despite this however, the book is a genuine page turner, nowhere more so when we reach that inevitable chapter "That Day in Dallas."

If there are any faults in the book, it is in what Mr Hill doesn't say - not about Mrs Kennedy, but about himself. Early in the book he talks about the impact of his new assignment on his family. They are rarely mentioned again. In the acknowledgments he only hints at the devastating impact JFK's assassination had on his life, as well as how this book had helped bring him out of his "emotional prison" where had "languished for years." One could argue that the book would not be about "Mrs Kennedy and me" had he talked about these impacts on his private life. Maybe so, but as it stands it still feels like we are losing an important and very human side to the story.

Coauthored by Lisa McCubbin (of The Kennedy Detail), her voice never dominates except perhaps in the feminine fixation Mr Hill seems to have on the smallest details of Mrs Kennedy's many outfits worn to parties and dinners. Overall however, a good book, giving another valuable (albeit often peripheral) perspective on the Kennedy family.

Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert A. Caro
Well, this is volume III of the 5-volume biography of Lyndon Baines Johnson (5th volume still to be published), and the question is: how does it stand up to the first 2 volumes? "Brilliantly" is the answer!

This volume deals with LBJ's senate years, beginning with a 100-page introductory history of the senate. Was that particularly necessary? No. Did it really add to the biography of Lyndon Johnson? Some may disagree, but I didn't think so. But that is a minor quibble. As is Caro's wont, there are the usual side tracks into the lives and careers of those who played important roles in LBJ's political life, and passionately lyrical side histories that add flavour and pathos. And as usual, if it's possible to say something in a few sentances, you can rely on Caro to say it in a few pages; but such is his skill with the pen that it rarely grates.

As the title suggests, this volume is quite focused on Johnson's senate experience, and there is relatively little on his private life and family compared to previous volumes. However, if you are after a detailed exploration of Johnson's experiences as a freshman senator, majority whip, minority leader, and eventually majority leader; his bid for the presidential nomination in 1956; his role in the 1957 Civil Rights Act; and much besides; then this is the book for you. And what's more, it can be read as a single volume.

The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory by David Plouffe
The Amateur: Barack Obama in the White House by Edward Klein
After "The Audacity to Win," I needed something a little less saccharin. Enter "The Amateur: Barack Obama in the White House" by Edward Klein. Wow! Tell us what you really think Mr Klein! If I was running against the current incumbent, I'd be sending a complimentary copy of this book to every voter in the country.

Mustang Genesis: The Creation of the Pony Car by Robert A. Fria
While Mr Fria may not be the most inspiring of authors, he certainly knows his stuff, and fills the book with enough fascinating facts to make this a must-read for Mustang owners/enthusiasts everywhere. The chapter on the marketing leading up to the official release of the Mustang on April 17, 1964, was, I thought, the most interesting.

Burning Rubber: The Extraordinary Story of Formula One by Charles Jennings
I really enjoyed this book by journalist and author Charles Jennings. Sure, Senna fans have bagged it because he doesn't quite see Senna in the same golden hues they do; while others decry Jennings rather unashamed pro-British outlook; but he never fails to back up his claims with examples or qualify his reasoning. F1 can be a little dry to watch, but this informal and chatty book is anything but dry to read. Great fun, and a fantastic introduction to the characters and cars that have made Formula 1 one of man's greatest sporting spectacles!

Once Upon a Car: The Fall and Resurrection of America's Big Three Auto Makers--GM, Ford, and Chrysler by Bill Vlasic
Centred around the people and events leading up to and following the 2008 government bailout, this must surely be one of my favourite reads this year. Couldn't put it down. Vlasic, an "award-winning business reporter for The Detroit News specializing in coverage of the automotive industry," not only knows his subject inside and out, but is a master of the traditional narrative history genre. Finish this book feeling like an industry insider. Highly recommemnded.

American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company by Bryce G. Hoffman
This is the perfect accompaniment to "Once Upon a Car." After reading Vlasic's overview, this book really filled in the fine detail about Ford during the same time period; focusing of course on Alan Mulally and his efforts as CEO to turn the company around. I thought it would have been hard to top "Once Upon a Car," but I could NOT put this book down!