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Offical Book Thread :D
16-10-2014, 09:25 PM (This post was last modified: 16-10-2014 09:27 PM by Caspin.)
Post: #51
RE: Offical Book Thread :D
This is what I am going to read next. It was in the recommended reading list in the programme from "The Crucible" that I saw earlier this year.

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The print is tiny! I see that there are charts and maps. Hopefully I will be super edumacated by the end. Yes
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17-10-2014, 07:39 AM
Post: #52
RE: Offical Book Thread :D
That looks good - the American witch crazes were a different kettle of fish to the European ones although some of the same ulterior motives applied.

"A fart on Thomas Putnam!"

Egyptiandance Wacko Fryingpan

[Image: 135762.jpg]
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18-10-2014, 06:35 PM
Post: #53
RE: Offical Book Thread :D
It is quite fascinating. I can't stop reading. I need three bookmarks so I can find my way quickly between the text, the notes, the appendices and back again. I've made a note of some other books on English and Scottish witch trials, as recommended in this book, and will order them at the bookshop.

All those bloomin' Thomases and Sarahs and Elizabeths. I wish people had slightly more diverse names!

It is fascinating reading about the war going on in the background. You would thing that people being scalped/shot/house burned down would be sufficient drama without introducing the devil.

The Salem trials were different from those that had gone before because of the sheer numbers accused and executed, but also because there were more men accused than was normal, while young, poor women such as servants were given more attention than was usual. It would seem that previously it would be men who would accuse women, whereas here you have women (or in fact just girls) as the accusers. Also it says that judges tended to be very sceptical and reluctant to condemn and execute those accused of witchcraft, with even the main textbooks on spotting a witch urging caution and instructing the ruling out of disease or other mundane causes, whereas in Salem they were only too happy to go nuts and hang everyone. Plus the law got involved early on, rather than the clergy dealing with the possessed.

Also it was an unusual incident in terms of the level of remorse and regret expressed by judges and jurors afterwards, with survivors and descendants of the executed being offered compensation and some jurors making apologies. The author mentions that she looked at the papers of the judges and other key officials, which, since they were such prominent men, are held by museums or historical societies. In many cases there are gaps covering the years of the trials, suggesting shame at their involvement resulted in those men, or their embarrassed families, removing those papers before donating them.

I am totally hooked.

Goody Caspin over and out.
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22-10-2014, 08:38 PM
Post: #54
RE: Offical Book Thread :D
Blimey, just got to a really exciting bit about the war between the English settlers and the native Americans, which the author calls Indians because that is what they'd have used in the 1600s.

The Indians have attacked and captured some fishing boats belonging to the settlers, but the settlers fight back and retake control of a boat. They sail it into the harbour with the Indians as captives, planning to get a ransom For them. Now get this! A group of women (meek obedient Puritan lasses, I think not) drive off the settler fishermen in a furious rage and set upon the Indians "with violent hands". The fishermen try to intervene but are pelted with stones. When they returned later they found that the women had, without the aid of weapons, severed the Indians' heads and pulled the flesh from their bones. Grim, hey.

The question remains - why the hell isn't this chapter called "Goodies v Squaws"?

Dunno
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23-10-2014, 07:46 AM
Post: #55
RE: Offical Book Thread :D
Perhaps because Bill Oddie, Tim Brooke Taylor & Dr Graeme Garden will sue Biggrin

Egyptiandance Wacko Fryingpan

[Image: 135762.jpg]
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04-11-2014, 01:47 PM
Post: #56
RE: Offical Book Thread :D
Biggrin Silly boy!

This seems the right time of year to read war books. Always a cheery experience, not. I bought this, which is a collection of letters and diaries and whatnot from WWI. I suspect I am in for some harrowing tales.

[Image: BrokenWorld.jpg]


Apparently there is one item written by a nurse who is responsible for nursing an injured soldier back to health - so that he can be taken out and shot after court martial.

What a world. Sad
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15-03-2015, 04:38 PM
Post: #57
RE: Offical Book Thread :D
Don't feel like playing a game today so now that I've finished cooking and baking I think I will settle down with a murder mystery because I BeatingHeart them Biggrin

I've got this one on the go at the moment. The British Library have released a set of paperbacks of old mystery stories that are difficult to find or have otherwise been out of print for a long time.

[Image: L_ISBN_9780712357159.jpg]


I'm starting with this one because I love Cornwall. It's Agatha Christie-ish but not as good (so far). Nice picture of the coast though.
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09-05-2015, 02:33 AM (This post was last modified: 09-05-2015 02:37 AM by simspeaker4.)
Post: #58
RE: Offical Book Thread :D
(06-03-2012 10:53 AM)Ollie Wrote:  looking to read something new. Got any ideas? I like detective books or realistic spy/espionage type books (preferably based around 1960/70's).

Ludlum's the ticket but if you want some good KGB-related material, go with Brian Freemantle. Something lighter? Ian Fleming, of course.

(26-07-2013 11:46 PM)Minty Wrote:  Oh yeah, the Holocaust. If you ever want the brutal lowdown on it without the soft soaping or sanctification that tends to get in the way of the truth, read Commandant of Auschwitz by Rudolph Hoess (the Commandant in question). He really does himself no favours (passages about children carrying their toys in with them to the gas chambers), & there's a horrible "there but..." to him. He also correctly predicted that in years to come people would try denying the events there ever took place, because what happened was so monstrous & insane you wouldn't believe anyone could do such a thing.

Did you see "Auschwitz: The Nazis & The Final Solution" when it was on the BBC? Brilliant series, the best ever about the subject matter. I was amazed at the former camp guard (Oskar Groning) who spoke on it at length, primarily because he wanted to shut up Holocaust deniers. There's a very good book that accompanied the series that for once does the show justice.

Egyptiandance Wacko Fryingpan

Night by Elie Weisel. That is the first and last on matters Holocaust. However, Boyne's 'Boy in the striped pyjamas' is really good as well.
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15-08-2015, 03:19 PM
Post: #59
RE: Offical Book Thread :D
I enjoyed the plays and loved the TV version. Now the time has come to tackle these beasts.

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My only concern is that it will take me the rest of the year, I seem to have so little time for reading these days. Sad
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07-11-2015, 05:24 AM
Post: #60
RE: Offical Book Thread :D
Spending time with Ian Rankin and 'The impossible dead' - not Rebus but in a similar vein. It's not as dark as the likes of Rebus and Edinburgh's finest so it's just what I'm looking for.
How goes your foray into Hilary Mantel, Caspin? I've never read any of her works so I'm interested to read your thoughts.
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