What can you say about this author? Another amazing book from William Dalrymple that is the result of immense research. Though a long read of 567 pages, the last sixty-four taken up by chapter notes, an extensive bibliography and a substantial index, it will keep you turning pages to understand more about the intrigue of Afghanistan.
I must admit, it’s not a part of the world that I knew much about. I guess; like many people today, I learnt more about it during the aftermath of 911 and the resultant so-called Global War on Terror wars.
Although centred on the first British invasion of Afghanistan in 1839, it delves much deeper into that invasion and as the many other invasions have proved, overcoming a tribal based nation with massive forces does not always work out the way it is initially intended. A very good read.
This is the second book I have read by William Boyd and it turned out to be a very good read. Written in Journal form – which took a bit of getting used to – it documents the life of a Logan Mountstuart as he meanders through various careers from Writer to Spy to Art Gallery Owner.
It’s a great story full of surprises and references to real life events that are cleverly woven into the tale. As usual, I can’t help myself when reading any story today without having a tablet/smartphone at hand to follow up on various ‘stuff’ in any book I am currently reading.
From this story, one of the best hoaxes ever played on the so-called experts of the Art World by the author. A good sense of humour!
Book four of the Plantagenet and Tudor Novels series if like me, you are reading them in the order recommended by Phillipa Gregory.
This time centred on the Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick – aka The King Maker and his ambition to have control over the ‘puppets’ he wanted to install on the Throne of England during the War of the Roses.
Central to this story though are his daughters Anne and Isabel Neville, the whole story is told from Anne Neville’s narrative point of view.
Another very interesting story of the destructive ‘Cousins Wars‘ era of English History, with its never ending plotting and killing of one another. Great read and now understanding the different viewpoints.
Four books in this post!
A good spy story and short read. I do like William Boyd’s story telling.
Someone saw me reading Any Human Heart and gave me this one, so I guess that I am hooked! Finished it in a day and a half.
I’ve not seen the TV version of this one – he wrote the screen play for this one (as well as many others), but I would assume that there would be quite a few flashbacks in it as this is style of this story.
Another very good tale and I’ll search out the TV version, when I have time!
Beasley's Place 