grundyscribbling (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
grundyscribbling) wrote2024-06-12 09:19 pm
grundyscribbling) wrote2024-06-12 09:19 pm
Entry tags:
Reading Wednesday
It is Wednesday, isn't it?
Smoke and Ashes: Opium’s Hidden Histories by Amitav Ghosh
Basically the author did a lot of research for his Ibis Trilogy, and ended up with enough to write a non-fiction book about the history of opium and colonialism. (The British Empire: the original narco-state.) I found it fascinating, particularly because – surprising no one familiar with the American education system – the only mention of India in history in school was about early civilizations. So I’ve been trying to catch up, and this ties in nicely with a few other things I’ve read. (Me, reading: “I read her book!” A few references later: “Wait, I need to add that one to my to-read list.” Related: if you have not read Priya Satia, do yourself a favor. Empire of Guns and Time’s Monster are both well worth it.) Aside from the crash course in the history of India, it turns out a surprising number of American fortunes rested on opium as well – “Boston Brahmins” indeed. There is also a chapter on parallels looking at how the infamous Sacklers were really only different from previous well-heeled moneyed drug pushers in doing it to white Americans.
Weird Medieval Guys: How to live, laugh, love (and die) in dark times by Olivia M. Swarthout
Sometimes things on the library new books shelf just look fun. This is one of those. Though it probably helped that I’d seen some of the author’s stuff on social before. This is a compendium of marginalia from medieval manuscripts – with some modern commentary. (Some of it tongue firmly in cheek.) Much fun.
And now to the continuing Poirot kick... (For those indifferent, cheer up, I'm on the home stretch.)
Hickory Dickory Dock
Interesting outing, focusing more on others than on Poirot. I rumbled why but got stuck dithering between two likely candidates for who. That turns out to be for the excellent reason that they were both involved, though only one of them was murdering people. Haven't watched the adaptation yet, as I literally just finished the book half an hour ago.
Elephants Can Remember
One of Christie’s last novels. She can, I think, be excused some of the lack of continuity, but the repetitiveness is very noticeable – at over 80, it’s possible she was suffering cognitive decline. But fair on her still writing at 80+. I was very muddled at guessing the solution – the repetitiveness and unreliable ‘witnesses’ made it difficult to keep track. (It’s almost as though Christie might have been musing on her own memory.) One of the rare times I prefer the David Suchet adaptation to the book – less because they went a slightly different route than because they trimmed out the repetitiveness and made things a bit clearer to follow.
Smoke and Ashes: Opium’s Hidden Histories by Amitav Ghosh
Basically the author did a lot of research for his Ibis Trilogy, and ended up with enough to write a non-fiction book about the history of opium and colonialism. (The British Empire: the original narco-state.) I found it fascinating, particularly because – surprising no one familiar with the American education system – the only mention of India in history in school was about early civilizations. So I’ve been trying to catch up, and this ties in nicely with a few other things I’ve read. (Me, reading: “I read her book!” A few references later: “Wait, I need to add that one to my to-read list.” Related: if you have not read Priya Satia, do yourself a favor. Empire of Guns and Time’s Monster are both well worth it.) Aside from the crash course in the history of India, it turns out a surprising number of American fortunes rested on opium as well – “Boston Brahmins” indeed. There is also a chapter on parallels looking at how the infamous Sacklers were really only different from previous well-heeled moneyed drug pushers in doing it to white Americans.
Weird Medieval Guys: How to live, laugh, love (and die) in dark times by Olivia M. Swarthout
Sometimes things on the library new books shelf just look fun. This is one of those. Though it probably helped that I’d seen some of the author’s stuff on social before. This is a compendium of marginalia from medieval manuscripts – with some modern commentary. (Some of it tongue firmly in cheek.) Much fun.
And now to the continuing Poirot kick... (For those indifferent, cheer up, I'm on the home stretch.)
Hickory Dickory Dock
Interesting outing, focusing more on others than on Poirot. I rumbled why but got stuck dithering between two likely candidates for who. That turns out to be for the excellent reason that they were both involved, though only one of them was murdering people. Haven't watched the adaptation yet, as I literally just finished the book half an hour ago.
Elephants Can Remember
One of Christie’s last novels. She can, I think, be excused some of the lack of continuity, but the repetitiveness is very noticeable – at over 80, it’s possible she was suffering cognitive decline. But fair on her still writing at 80+. I was very muddled at guessing the solution – the repetitiveness and unreliable ‘witnesses’ made it difficult to keep track. (It’s almost as though Christie might have been musing on her own memory.) One of the rare times I prefer the David Suchet adaptation to the book – less because they went a slightly different route than because they trimmed out the repetitiveness and made things a bit clearer to follow.