p.s. - this looks good - had a tear in my eye remembering it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9Ovkye6lac
and its based on this book -
http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Enemy-Nelson-Mandela-Nation/dp/1594201749
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Book for December/January 2009/2010
Hi All
sorry for the delay in sending this. wont bother thanking myself for hosting the last meeting as that would be weird. In case you forgot the books for the next meeting are as follows -
The Lost City of Z by David Grann
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-City-Legendary-British-Explorers/dp/1847374360
and also (if you have enough time)
Fateful Choices: Ten Decisions that Changed the World by Ian Kershaw
Paperback version -
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fateful-Choices-Decisions-Changed-1940-1941/dp/0141014180/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260317364&sr=1-1
and the much nicer hardback version that looks much better and costs a similar amount -
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fateful-Choices-Decisions-Changed-1940-1941/dp/0713997125/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260317364&sr=1-2
sorry for the delay in sending this. wont bother thanking myself for hosting the last meeting as that would be weird. In case you forgot the books for the next meeting are as follows -
The Lost City of Z by David Grann
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-City-Legendary-British-Explorers/dp/1847374360
and also (if you have enough time)
Fateful Choices: Ten Decisions that Changed the World by Ian Kershaw
Paperback version -
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fateful-Choices-Decisions-Changed-1940-1941/dp/0141014180/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260317364&sr=1-1
and the much nicer hardback version that looks much better and costs a similar amount -
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fateful-Choices-Decisions-Changed-1940-1941/dp/0713997125/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260317364&sr=1-2
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
November Meeting Wed 25th
Next meeting is at Leslie's house 16 Ashdale Road, Terenure on Wed 25th next. DONT FORGET THE POEM... Brendan suggested we should all dig out a poem of some sort for this month so why not...
Time is 8.45 for 9. Leaving it at this slightly later time to allow people meet home commitments etc.
leslie
Time is 8.45 for 9. Leaving it at this slightly later time to allow people meet home commitments etc.
leslie
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Black Death and those fighting Irish...
Finished the Ziegler Black Death book. It is good and well researched, if a little chauvinistically focused on the UK.
Ireland does get a bit of one chapter but it focuses on the dreadful state of the place in the 14th century -
Now I've just dug out an essay from Dr. J.F. Lydon, Lecky professor of history at TCD (published in The Course of Irish History Ed. TW Moody and FX Martin) and he doesn't mention any of this. I know who I believe.
Lydon explains how in the late 13th and 14th centuries the Gaelic chieftans had gradually been gaining back the land stolen from them by the Norman invaders but that this was a period of prosperity - e.g.: "prosperity meant leisure and the desire for an education" leading to schools and the founding of a university in Dublin 1320 (admittedly the plague and troubles late in the century were its undoing). The arrival of gallowglass mercenaries from Scotland had evened up the score and the gaelic chieftans could now match the Normans in battle and were gradually driving them back to the coast and to their castles.
According to Lydon the plague caused panic more among the Norman settlers, many of whom went home or fled to towns (all of which were under the control of the Normans). The 14thC was a period of Gaelic Revival and renewal not one of bloody wars and destitution.
There was "recurrent war... but it must be seen in its proper perspective. For most people in the colony, or for that matter in the Gaelic areas, the war was usually far away and never touched them."
The main war in the 14thC was the one caused by the arrival of Richard II in 1394 which only temporarily stemmed the gaelic revival.
feckin perfidious albion and her vassels telling lies about us again.
Ireland does get a bit of one chapter but it focuses on the dreadful state of the place in the 14th century -
...(thanks to) the perpetual, ruinous civil war which ravaged the country in the 14th century as in almost every other century. The Black Death was no less painful to the Irish because they were accustomed to live in a state of even bloodier disorder than their neighbours across the Irish Sea but it should not be forgotten that a high proportion of their misfortunes would have arisen even though there had been no plague to help them forward.
Now I've just dug out an essay from Dr. J.F. Lydon, Lecky professor of history at TCD (published in The Course of Irish History Ed. TW Moody and FX Martin) and he doesn't mention any of this. I know who I believe.
Lydon explains how in the late 13th and 14th centuries the Gaelic chieftans had gradually been gaining back the land stolen from them by the Norman invaders but that this was a period of prosperity - e.g.: "prosperity meant leisure and the desire for an education" leading to schools and the founding of a university in Dublin 1320 (admittedly the plague and troubles late in the century were its undoing). The arrival of gallowglass mercenaries from Scotland had evened up the score and the gaelic chieftans could now match the Normans in battle and were gradually driving them back to the coast and to their castles.
According to Lydon the plague caused panic more among the Norman settlers, many of whom went home or fled to towns (all of which were under the control of the Normans). The 14thC was a period of Gaelic Revival and renewal not one of bloody wars and destitution.
There was "recurrent war... but it must be seen in its proper perspective. For most people in the colony, or for that matter in the Gaelic areas, the war was usually far away and never touched them."
The main war in the 14thC was the one caused by the arrival of Richard II in 1394 which only temporarily stemmed the gaelic revival.
feckin perfidious albion and her vassels telling lies about us again.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Weird Books
Maybe we could get some of these on the reading list for the Gentlemen’s Book Club
Spend 5 minutes browsing the site.
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/books/weird/index.shtml
My favourites are:
The big book of Lesbian Horse stories
The waterless toilet; Is it right for you ?
And who would be without a copy of
Do-it-yourself coffins: for pets and people.
Regards
Jeff
Spend 5 minutes browsing the site.
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/books/weird/index.shtml
My favourites are:
The big book of Lesbian Horse stories
The waterless toilet; Is it right for you ?
And who would be without a copy of
Do-it-yourself coffins: for pets and people.
Regards
Jeff
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Lost City of Z
As mentioned below the book for this month is NOT the Lost City of Z. However it seems that a couple of people have already purchased it. Lets not put pressure on ourselves to read two books for next month so I propose that Lost City of Z is the book for October/November.
Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco is another book mentioned at a previous meeting that could be added to our longlist... there was a great film made from this book starring James Garner.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/index.html?curid=863889
Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco is another book mentioned at a previous meeting that could be added to our longlist... there was a great film made from this book starring James Garner.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/index.html?curid=863889
Friday, September 18, 2009
It was a great night Wednesday, really enjoyed it. Thursday morning, not so much.
Regarding the great meal debate, which was sparked by a mention of el Bulli restaurant, some of you might enjoy this:
http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2009/08/dinner_at_el_bu.html.
I think it does a good job of capturing the whole el Bulli experience (except for the going there with your gay boyfriend part), although rather than win any converts to the cause I suspect this will just deepen the
divisions;-)
Regarding the great meal debate, which was sparked by a mention of el Bulli restaurant, some of you might enjoy this:
http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2009/08/dinner_at_el_bu.html.
I think it does a good job of capturing the whole el Bulli experience (except for the going there with your gay boyfriend part), although rather than win any converts to the cause I suspect this will just deepen the
divisions;-)
CHANGE of BOOK
Hi All
The book below was suggested by 2 people that have already chosen a book (me and steve). We need to share the love. This book has now been rendered optional and the new book is -
The Black Death by Philip Ziegler
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Death-Philip-Ziegler/dp/0750932023
I think to contribute to the blog you need a google or gmail account. Let me know if ye have problems
l.
The book below was suggested by 2 people that have already chosen a book (me and steve). We need to share the love. This book has now been rendered optional and the new book is -
The Black Death by Philip Ziegler
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Death-Philip-Ziegler/dp/0750932023
I think to contribute to the blog you need a google or gmail account. Let me know if ye have problems
l.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Book Club
Many Thanks to Steve for hosting last night which went on until around 1.30 am and late in the evening involved 12 year old Bowmore Whisky. A good discussion and a few good arguments on subjects like whether a great meal can ever take be compared to a great cultural or social experience (Brendan No, Leslie YES).
Books were mostly found worthy. Yamato Dynasty suffered from dodgy unsubstantiated history mixed with interesting stuff leading some of us not knowing what to believe and what to discount.
Beyond a Boundary was much admired by all and is worth reading if you have not yet done so. (might even lead to an outing to the next cricket international in Clontarf).
Last Train From Liguria had admirers and detractors and some who just refused to care (ie didn't want to read it). I say its a wonderfully written book but then the author is a friend of mine. our first foray into fiction not an unqualified success but then it was only a third book as part of a summer reading list. I never expected everyone to read it.
Next book club is probably in late October or Early November. Suggested dates are Oct 28th or Nov 4th. No venue yet.
The book is as follows -
The Lost City of Z - by David Grann (Simon and Schuster)
Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett was the last of a breed of great British explorers who ventured into ‘blank spots’ on the map with little more than a machete, a compass and an unwavering sense of purpose. In 1925, one of the few remaining blank spots in the world was the Amazon. Fawcett believed the impenetrable jungle held a secret to a large, complex civilization like El Dorado, which he christened ‘City of Z’. When he and his son set out to find it, hoping to make one of the most important archaeological discoveries in history, they warned that none should follow them in the event that they did not return. They vanished without a trace. In The Lost City of Z, David Grann ventures into the hazardous world of the Amazon to retrace the footsteps of Colonel Fawcett and his followers, in a bracing attempt to solve one of the greatest mysteries. It is an irresistibly readable adventure story, a subtle examination of the strange and often violent encounters between Europeans and Amazonian tribes and a tale of lethal obsession.
the summary above is from the Samuel Johnson prize page - the book was shortlisted this year. This is a good place to find worthy books btw.
http://www.thesamueljohnsonprize.co.uk/pages/previous-winners/2009/the-books/the-lost-city-of-z.htm
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-City-Legendary-British-Explorers/dp/1847374360
2 Other things - I have set up a Blogspot (as a discussion board rather than as an actual blog). This is a place to put thoughts as they occur and to list books worth a look. I will email everyone a login. I am not precious about this so if ye feel it is unnecessary and we should just stick to emailing each other thats fine too.
Finally late in the evening (very late) myself and Brendan started banging on about poetry and decided we should all find a poem for next month in addition to the book. can be something from school or childhood (- e.g. Ogden Nash's poem Ode on my Goldfish - O Wet Pet).
-----------------------------
Other Books Mentioned included -
Pepys by Claire Tomalin
wonderful biography of the social diarist. a good intro to the man well worth looking at before you tackle the diaries themselves (Leslie read this a year or two ago and flew through it - Brendan is in the process of reading it).
Postwar by Tony Judt
I'm in the middle of this. Hugely comprehensive and informative history of Europe from 1945-2005. I learned that over 70 million people were forced to move out of their country (german speakers back to germany from all over, jews anywhere that would take them etc.).
AC Grayling was mentioned (forget the book - possibly the one on the morality of bombing cities)
for contemporary Poetry I recommend Vona Groarke, Jean O'Brien, Michael O Siadhail, Patrick Chapman (who hopes to join the book club).
Books were mostly found worthy. Yamato Dynasty suffered from dodgy unsubstantiated history mixed with interesting stuff leading some of us not knowing what to believe and what to discount.
Beyond a Boundary was much admired by all and is worth reading if you have not yet done so. (might even lead to an outing to the next cricket international in Clontarf).
Last Train From Liguria had admirers and detractors and some who just refused to care (ie didn't want to read it). I say its a wonderfully written book but then the author is a friend of mine. our first foray into fiction not an unqualified success but then it was only a third book as part of a summer reading list. I never expected everyone to read it.
Next book club is probably in late October or Early November. Suggested dates are Oct 28th or Nov 4th. No venue yet.
The book is as follows -
The Lost City of Z - by David Grann (Simon and Schuster)
Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett was the last of a breed of great British explorers who ventured into ‘blank spots’ on the map with little more than a machete, a compass and an unwavering sense of purpose. In 1925, one of the few remaining blank spots in the world was the Amazon. Fawcett believed the impenetrable jungle held a secret to a large, complex civilization like El Dorado, which he christened ‘City of Z’. When he and his son set out to find it, hoping to make one of the most important archaeological discoveries in history, they warned that none should follow them in the event that they did not return. They vanished without a trace. In The Lost City of Z, David Grann ventures into the hazardous world of the Amazon to retrace the footsteps of Colonel Fawcett and his followers, in a bracing attempt to solve one of the greatest mysteries. It is an irresistibly readable adventure story, a subtle examination of the strange and often violent encounters between Europeans and Amazonian tribes and a tale of lethal obsession.
the summary above is from the Samuel Johnson prize page - the book was shortlisted this year. This is a good place to find worthy books btw.
http://www.thesamueljohnsonprize.co.uk/pages/previous-winners/2009/the-books/the-lost-city-of-z.htm
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-City-Legendary-British-Explorers/dp/1847374360
2 Other things - I have set up a Blogspot (as a discussion board rather than as an actual blog). This is a place to put thoughts as they occur and to list books worth a look. I will email everyone a login. I am not precious about this so if ye feel it is unnecessary and we should just stick to emailing each other thats fine too.
Finally late in the evening (very late) myself and Brendan started banging on about poetry and decided we should all find a poem for next month in addition to the book. can be something from school or childhood (- e.g. Ogden Nash's poem Ode on my Goldfish - O Wet Pet).
-----------------------------
Other Books Mentioned included -
Pepys by Claire Tomalin
wonderful biography of the social diarist. a good intro to the man well worth looking at before you tackle the diaries themselves (Leslie read this a year or two ago and flew through it - Brendan is in the process of reading it).
Postwar by Tony Judt
I'm in the middle of this. Hugely comprehensive and informative history of Europe from 1945-2005. I learned that over 70 million people were forced to move out of their country (german speakers back to germany from all over, jews anywhere that would take them etc.).
AC Grayling was mentioned (forget the book - possibly the one on the morality of bombing cities)
for contemporary Poetry I recommend Vona Groarke, Jean O'Brien, Michael O Siadhail, Patrick Chapman (who hopes to join the book club).
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