India – Beasley's Place

Not so long since my last post, catching up!

Another deeply researched book as usual from Barbara Tuchman and, like A Distant Mirror, a book you cannot put down when you start reading it.

Although originally published in 1962 about a subject that happened in 1914! I had not read this book before now. I have no idea why not. Did I discover new facts about the early days of the World War One? Yes I did.

It’s amazing what you think you know from past teachings until you read something like this and up crops a host of new facts you never knew about. This is another must read book, filled with some interesting photos and full of notes, sources and a great index.

After the book above, a lighter read.

I had not heard of this author before, but William Boyd has written a well-thought-out story in this one. Apparently his first of what looks like many, from the list on his Wikipedia page,

Kept me entertained right through to the end. Another good read.

With a few more that I have received from friends, it looks like I will get to know Mr. Boyd a bit more over the coming months.

Another new author for me! Recommend by my sister and what a great read it is. Has really researched his story and brings together an interesting police duo of Inspector Wyndham and Sergeant Banerjee.

Set in 1919 Calcutta and having visited the place once on business in the early 80s, it was interesting to read the differences described and yet similarities that remained in my mind from my visit.

A great tale, well told and kept the pages turning. It looks like Abir Mukherjee is well on his way to being a successful author, He has me hooked, as I have already bought the next instalment – A Necessary Evil in the series.

What a book! It’s taken me over six weeks to read this book. It contains so much information about a subject I thought I knew, but clearly didn’t. Also, as is custom now with me, when reading factual books it took me to many places on the Internet.

I just did not know how much fighting there was between the various ‘tribal’ factions before the Europeans came to India. I also did not know how much Afghanistan and other States had invaded these lands.

It’s the first book written by William Dalrymple that I have read, it’s a very well researched book with great footnotes and explanations and a real insight in into the way the East India Company operated across the various states of India. History is sometimes not very pretty, but this book is straight forward in its telling, including all its gory details. A very good read.

This is the fourth and final instalment of The Joubert Family Chronicles series from Kate Mosse. What a great read and finale to a story that has spanned some 300 hundred years in its making.

I did not like the third instalment – The Ghost Ship – as I thought it wandered of the main the theme and to me at the time of reading, it was just a bit of a Pirate story. However, in hindsight (always a wonderful thing) and now having read the last instalment, I see it a bit more clearly in the whole series.

I have not read any of Kate Mosses books before these, but it has spiked my interest and will be using a birthday gift voucher to purchase The Languedoc Trilogy.

James Clerk Maxwell is not a name that springs to mind in most people’s thoughts. But if you look around at the modern world, his influence is everywhere. As the person who discovered Electromagnetic Waves, his discovery led to the eventual development of the Radio, Television, Radar to name a few and even today’s ubiquitous Smartphone. I also know his name from a photography point of view, as he is credited with taking the first colour photograph.

This excellent short book from Wiley is well worth the cost and Basil Mahon (ex REME) has done a very good job in covering Maxwells life and works and how he influenced the work of many others including Albert Einstein. In a modest way, I would not have had a technical career in the Royal Navy without Maxwells discoveries

Tag: India

Books I’ve read – 8

Books I’ve read – 6