History

One Summer – America 1927 by Bill Bryson.

I’ve read several Bryson books and mostly enjoyed them.  This was the latest to land in my lap and was a little different to the normal ‘quirky travel book’.  It charts the summer of 1927 which shaped the future of the USA and indeed the world for a long time to come.  I know little of American history but have no doubt that Bryson has done his research correctly and there is no doubt that 1927 was a hell of a year.  From May to September of that year a whole load of stuff happened that’s for sure.  It began with a notorious murder trial in New York while large parts of the country were underwater from a huge flood of the Mississippi.  Charles Lindberg became the first man to fly across the Atlantic whilst other tried and failed, some dying in the attempt.  Top bankers from USA, Britain & Germany held a meeting and made decisions that led to the stock market crash.  44 people were killed when a nutter blew up a school.  Prohibition was in full swing (we all know what a good idea that turned out to be) but the tide was turning and someone (can’t remember her name but it wasn’t Elliot Ness) worked out a way to bust Al Capone (& others) through tax evasion.  Two immigrant terrorists were executed, Jack Dempsey fighting Carpentier was the first sports event to be broadcast live on radio and this was followed later in the year by the Dempsey vs Tunney rematch.  Also television was invented, the silent film era ended.  Closer to the American heart Babe Ruth had a golden baseball season.  

Hang on a minute…  Dodgy bankers creating a depression, mass murder at a school, immigrants plotting terrorism, the death penalty still doesn't deter murder, gangsters growing rich from prohibition,; Hey don’t worry we have sport!  1927 or right now?  Things have changed but things have stayed the same.  Have we learnt anything from history?

This book was a good read because I learnt a hell of a lot about the good old USA.  I find British history fascinating and America’s short history intriguing.  I knew a little about Charles Lindberg but absolutely nothing about the massive flood that smashed through the states.  I thought dodgy court verdicts, political corruption and fuck witted presidents were a modern phenomenon but it seems they are as old as the constitution.  I was aware that racism was rife in these times (through the beautiful & brilliant Maya Angelou autobiographies) but didn’t know that there were movements towards Nazi style racial purification going on.  I knew about Henry Ford, production lines and the model T but I didn’t realise what a moron the man actually was.

In general nonfiction rarely holds my attention in the same way as a good novel and ‘One Summer’ was no exception.  It’s a good book that I’m glad to have read but with such a broad subject there will always be sections I find fascinating and others I can’t be bothered with.

“The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak was as good as any book I read last year so I don’t know how I forgot to mention it the other day.  It’s set in Germany during the Second World War and describes the lives of the ordinary German people through the war years.  We forget these people suffered just as our own grandparents did.  If the author is to be believed many ordinary Germans were offended by the Third Reich too.  The story is told by Death as he charts the life of a young girl Leisel, who sees tragedy, friendship, love, bravery and more tragedy.  She thieves a few books along the way too.  That makes it sound gloomy which it isn’t, there is humour throughout and it’s an uplifting experience.  I loved it.

England are currently playing a three way ODI series in Australia who predictably beat us in the first match.  Next up England managed to batter India and its particularly nice to see Finn getting a load of wickets.  In a few hours we play our third game of the series against the Aussies again, we must be due a win against them?

Confused

I’m confused. 

If capitalism is so great why does most of the “free world” owe money to China?  Also why are there so many people living in poverty in the USA?  And why are they allowed guns?

The European Union confuses me too.  I suppose that on balance it’s good that most countries in Europe are united under one banner.  It must be better than the several centuries we spent at war with each other.  But how else does European union benefit me and my family?  I can’t see how membership of the EU can benefit the UK as well as benefitting a poorer country like Romania for example.  Someone could baffle me with figures and explain the EU is good for business and therefore good for everyone but in a capitalist society the privileged few feel the benefits far more than we, the people do.

Some things don’t confuse me.  I understand that democracy is a worthy ideal but it doesn’t actually work very well, in any situation, ever.  I know that all politicians are liars who are not worthy of my vote.  I know that my vote will change close to fuck all because politicians don’t run the world, big business (i.e. a few rich men) runs the world.  They find new ways to rip us off and we just lap it up. 

I may have a grim view of modern life but I remain happy because with the exception of these occasional rants, I ignore it all.  I just don’t care about politics and all that bollocks and I rarely watch the news.  I do what I must to get by with a smile on my face and make the most of my free time but doing the things I love with the people I love.  My closest friends have very similar views on life as I do, we all opt out.

I talk about books a lot on this page so I’ll end with one now; George Orwell’s “1984”.  Many people refer to this book every day without even realising it because things like “Room 101” and “Big Brother” are familiar in our world.  Just about everything predicted in this book has come to pass, you don’t have to use much imagination to draw parallels from what Orwell describes to what is happening in the world around us.  1984 is a terrifying book.  I dare you to read it.

Books and Stuff

14/01/15

Ladies on social media, pouting at the camera does not make you look sexy.  It makes you look like you've got a gob full of cake.

Ignoring Christmas works!  But the few days I spent with my loved ones was great and I got a load more new books to read too.  I got two books written by Elly Griffiths featuring “Ruth Galloway” and a cast of familiar characters solving mysteries and murders.  In the past I’ve read and enjoyed “The Crossing Places and also “The Outcast Dead” which didn’t quite work for me.  (I may have mentioned them on here but can’t remember).  Recently I really enjoyed the “Janus Stone” which is set in Norfolk as usual and features some of the waterways I like to fish.  Ruth’s skills as an archaeologist are needed to examine a child’s bones and the mystery starts.  The other book was “Dying Fall” in which the cast contrive to relocate to Lancashire for a short while, long enough for another enjoyable murder mystery to unfurl.  I like these books and will look out for Elly Griffiths and Ruth Galloway again.

During the break I discovered a wonderful local beer.  The picture tells you everything you need to know about it and if you enjoy a real pint, give it a go.  As the new year is upon us and I haven’t written much on here for ages here are a few of the books I enjoyed this year;

Best Classic was “Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy” by John Le Carre.  I read a few “Smiley” books last year and enjoyed them all.

Funniest was probably Jonas Johannson’s latest “The girl who saved the King of Sweden” if anything even more of a laugh than the “One hundred year old man…”

I can’t remember being disappointed by any novels in 2014 and it’s not fair to criticise Khaled Housini’s “And the mountains Echoed” because nothing he writes will be as good as the Kite Runner. A few biographies were a bit underwhelming, Ian Botham’s “don’t tell Kath” in particular.

I don’t think I re-read anything last year but I did spend a lot of time on familiar turf with familiar characters; Ian Rankin’s ‘John Rebus’ and Michael Connelly’s “Harry Bosch”.  I feel like I’m getting to know Edinburgh and Los Angeles and I love these two characters and their stories.

Surprising - I don’t know why I find a Stephen King book surprising because I’ve read and enjoyed loads of them.  King gained his reputation by shocking and scaring people but my favourites are the ones that move me.  “Lissey’s Story” had the supernatural element, was totally believable and definitely moved me.

The most Life affirming could also have been the funniest.  I loved the “The Rosie Project” by Graeme Simison because it was moving, funny and heart-warming.  I also have a personal attachment to the subject which really made it resonate.

Since I last wrote on here England have shoved Alaistair Cook aside as the ODI captain and appointed Eoin Morgan.  As much as I like Cook this has to be the right decision for his test career and England’s world cup chances.  I’m not convinced that Morgan is the right man to take over but we wish him well.  In the coming weeks England have a series against Australia and India which will be a huge test and a good gauge of our chances in the world cup.

Humbug

07/12/14

When England are not involved in any cricket I forget to blog.  In the absence of test cricket it takes at least two ODIs to make me remember.  England have lost the first two and I’m only mildly interested.  I’d like to see us do well in the world cup but right now they look nowhere near good enough.  England haven’t been in with a serious shout at the world cup since 1992 when we really should have won it. 

I was in Australia at the time and at the SCG when England thrashed Australia with a great all round performance from Ian Botham’s, possibly his last man of the match in international cricket?  This performance and that ’92 world cup is mentioned in Beefy’s autobiography, “Don’t tell Kath” which I read last week.  It was published about twenty years ago so a little dated but covers his career right up till retirement.  Now Botham is the greatest English cricketer that I have seen and has been a hero for most of my life.  I enjoyed reading Beefy’s accounts of series and matches that I have lived through as well as his adventures away from the game.  Botham is very honest about his indiscretions over the years but doesn’t seem to be particularly repentant.  His attitude to life is hell for leather, live the moment but with a bit of damn the consequences.  Ian Botham is going to do what he wants, when he wants and if you’re not with him then you must be against him.  Despite being a hero, I have to say he doesn’t come across as a very nice bloke.  Overall a decent read but I’ve read many better ‘cricket books’.

A quick update;  A few days have passed and England have played two more ODIs, winning won then losing the next in the final over.  A few positives and good performances but still no closer to knowing what our best XI is.

Its December already and the kids and I have spent the afternoon putting up the tree and decorations, it’s that time of year again.  This year I have decided not to be quite so grumpy about the whole over-commercialisation of our winter festival.  I will also try to not so rude to people full of booze and fake cheeriness.  I can do fuck all about it so I will do my utmost to ignore it.

Selection

The England selectors have chosen their centrally contracted players for the year ahead.  With loads of ODI cricket coming up, including the world cup there are five incremental contracts awarded to players who specialise in the shorter formats.  Of far more interest are there twelve men selected with Test cricket in mind.  It consists of eleven men who played test match cricket this summer and one who didn’t.  This is Stephen Finn who is looking like finding his form again at last and I’m very pleased to see him back in the squad.  A notable absentee is Sam Robson who did not convince as opener this year.  Robson needs to score big runs on the ‘A team’ tour this winter to have a chance of getting his place back.  Waiting in the wings are Lyth of Yorkshire who will also play for the A team as well as Hales who could force his way in if he does well in ODI cricket.

There are four players who could be classed as all-rounders in Jordan, Stokes, Woakes and Ali, I’d expect two from these to play in a test match.  With no specialist spinner in sight Ali is almost certain to play and I’d go for Stokes if all the others are fit & firing.  If he’s the player he looked like last winter then he has to play.  England do not play test cricket again until next spring when we have a tour to the West Indies before facing New Zealand at home.  England would expect to win both series and any player that does not perform against these teams will find it hard to justify selection for the Ashes series that follows.

Khaled Hosseini wrote “the Kiterunner” which is one of the best books I have ever read (if you haven’t read it, make it the next book you pick up).  He followed this with “A thousand splendid suns” which was another great book.  Both are set in Afghanistan and both are incredibly moving, euphoric in some places but horribly dark in others.  Houssini’s latest novel is “And the mountains echoed” and finds the author in familiar territory, telling a human story amid the historic turbulence of his homeland.  It’s a little different as the narrative jumps around between different characters whose paths connect through the years.  This works well even though there are a couple of sections that could have been left out.   I’ve put off reading this novel for some time as I know just how dark and disturbing Hosseini can be; do I want to go through that?  Will the high point justify it?  “Mountains…”does not take the reader to neither the dark depths nor exultant highs of his previous books.  Consequently it’s an easier, lighter read but ultimately not as fulfilling.  Make no mistake it’s still a damn good book and its unlikely Khaled Hosseini will ever top his first novel.

The ‘Ice bucket challenge’ has been the big craze of late summer.  If people want to be covered in a bucket of ice cold water in the name of charity then good luck to them.  However I’m uncomfortable with the way social media has been used to pressure/coerce/bully people into doing the same.  I regularly donate small amounts of money to charities or causes that are personal to me so opt out of having cold water chucked over me.  I did find myself inspired to invent the ‘Bucket of Michael’s piss challenge’ but so far David Cameron hasn’t answered the call.  Fair enough, I’m sure he gives a little to charity too.

Couple of books & stuff

Moan.  When I watch TV it’s either sport or comedy for most of the time.  I’ve noticed the breaks are loaded with gambling ads whether bookmakers or online casinos.  I have nothing against gambling, not my thing but each to their own.  What bothers me is many of these ads imply its cool to gamble, makes you one of the lads.  This is bollocks, gambling isn’t cool it’s just another way to spend money.  The only thing anyone ever needs to know about gambling is in the long run, the house always wins.  Always.

India won the ODI series because they are world champions and England were pretty awful until the final game when the series had already been lost.  Was this just the wrong team to be able to challenge for a world cup or is it the right squad playing badly?

Finished reading “Norfolk mystery” by Ian Sansom.  An eccentric writer and his upper class assistant are trying to write a book but get side-tracked by a suicide.  Or is it a murder? There’s a bit of melancholy to begin with followed by plenty of head scratching then some chuckling and a couple of full blown laughs.  The story didn’t go far but the characters are great and I look forward to enjoying the madness further as the series unfolds.  Perhaps a future TV series with Colin Firth and Stephen Fry starring?

I followed this with Nasser Hussien’s autobiography “Playing with fire”.  I remember forgetting to read this when it was new on the shelves a decade ago.  Nasser was a cricketer I admired and as England captain he helped build the platform to England’s best decade of test cricket since I’ve followed the game.  I should have read it at the time because the passing years means the book has lost some of the controversy that may have arisen.  I love reading about old matches that I followed and these include Hussein’s entire career so I was a bit disappointed that I can remember the games better than Nasser!  It’s interesting to look at players Hussein picked as potential stars of the future.  Andrew Strauss and Jimmy Anderson proved him right.  Alex Tudor couldn’t stay fit and maybe Rob Key was the right bloke at the wrong time?  Nasser was a very good cricketer, an excellent captain and an honourable man.  His book is a good read a decade on.

For no good reason at all, here's Kiki the wonder rabbit.

Dreams are weird

Last night I dreamed I had a  field of brown cattle and a large shed in my back garden, which had grown from the current tiny patch and become a large rolling field with stone walls and the occasional tree.  Come to think of it there was no sign of my house...
After dark the cows came into the shelter of the shed where I also kept a dinosaur.  A T Rex to be precise.  Now you could expect the Rex to feast on the cattle but this one was a lover not a biter and was only interested in shagging the cows.  A short time later there were several tiny dino-cows running around.
What the fuck was that all about?