by Edith Thomas
A great book about the role women played in the Paris commune of 1871.
Their role was significant and the book produces good evidence to refute the belief that the main role of women in the commune was burning things down.
The question it leaves you with is why it took so long afterwards to give women a strong role in French politics and society. 9/10
Sunday, June 28, 2015
The Emperor Waltz
by Philip Hensher
First off, this is a long book. I am not sure that splitting stories up between other stories makes this a novel as opposed to a collection of short stories. That aside these are engaging stories on the whole. I particularly liked the story of Duncan trying to set up the first Gay bookshop in London. I particularly disliked the story of Christian, a student at the bauhaus. He and all the other characters were particularly horrible and the last section featuring them was something in nothing. Throw in some christians being fed to the lions and middleclass kids sniffing poppers while the parents had a very nice party downstairs and you have a good collection of stories. Part of the fun was trying to find a link. I failed to find one. Fun at the time but not a book I would race back to. 6/10
First off, this is a long book. I am not sure that splitting stories up between other stories makes this a novel as opposed to a collection of short stories. That aside these are engaging stories on the whole. I particularly liked the story of Duncan trying to set up the first Gay bookshop in London. I particularly disliked the story of Christian, a student at the bauhaus. He and all the other characters were particularly horrible and the last section featuring them was something in nothing. Throw in some christians being fed to the lions and middleclass kids sniffing poppers while the parents had a very nice party downstairs and you have a good collection of stories. Part of the fun was trying to find a link. I failed to find one. Fun at the time but not a book I would race back to. 6/10
Saturday, June 06, 2015
Reader for Hire
by Raymond Jean
The story of Marie-Claire who has a beautiful reading voice and places an advert in the paper offering to read to people. She gets an odd assortment of takers and this becomes a very funny book as she tells us of her encounters. I really loved the ending 9/10
The story of Marie-Claire who has a beautiful reading voice and places an advert in the paper offering to read to people. She gets an odd assortment of takers and this becomes a very funny book as she tells us of her encounters. I really loved the ending 9/10
Massacre
by John Merriman
This is a very readable history of the events of spring 1871 and the 10 weeks of the Paris commune. These events are made very personal by use of first hand accounts and memoirs, but also takes in the impact that these few weeks have had on subsequent history. He does not hide away the incredible contribution made by women to the commune and what is surprising is that it took so long for women to be given equal rights with men. Many would argue, with some justification that this is still an issue.
This is a very pro communard history but none the worse for that 9/10
This is a very readable history of the events of spring 1871 and the 10 weeks of the Paris commune. These events are made very personal by use of first hand accounts and memoirs, but also takes in the impact that these few weeks have had on subsequent history. He does not hide away the incredible contribution made by women to the commune and what is surprising is that it took so long for women to be given equal rights with men. Many would argue, with some justification that this is still an issue.
This is a very pro communard history but none the worse for that 9/10
The Night at the Crossroads
by Georges Simenon
A really enjoyable Maigret where a man complains about his car being stolen only for it to be found in a neighbors garage with a dead body inside. So begins a long investigation with a number of nice twists, but rest assured, our hero sorts it in the end! 8/10
A really enjoyable Maigret where a man complains about his car being stolen only for it to be found in a neighbors garage with a dead body inside. So begins a long investigation with a number of nice twists, but rest assured, our hero sorts it in the end! 8/10
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