Post by cato on Nov 30, 2022 16:14:37 GMT
My new year resolution of 2022 was to read more books and spend less time arguing with strangers on social media. Now that the year is ebbing to its end I d like to share a few titles that I enjoyed during the year.
Biographies.
Simon Heffer is a Daily Telegraph journalist, historian and cultural commentator. I finished his huge book on Enoch Powell the controversial British politician and thinker. Its not new but is worth a look. Powell had a brilliant single minded independent outlook, often wrong, but sometimes prophetic. One of the great conservative minds of the last century.
Tom Gallager's biography of Portugese reactionary dictator Salazar was mentioned by someone here before. Gallagher seems to be sympathetic to Salazar and makes references to current European issues and ideological disputes . I suspect others will enjoy this book which delighted me.
The book Judging W T Cosgrave by Michael Laffan came out a few years ago but I only got around to it now. Its a good introduction to one of the fathers of Irish independence. A modest but effective and determined underrated leader. Lots of interesting photos and facsimile letters.
Volume two of Peter Seewald's biography of Pope Benedict is a great read too. The entire work is strongly recommended. He mentions the death bed conversion of none other than Fidel Castro who had talks with Benedict during his state visit to Cuba.
Fiction
Alexandria by Paul Kingsnorth is a post apocalyptic novel written in the style of a new version of the Englis language. He movingly narrates the persecution of one the last human communities existing in a futuristic nightmare world. This book really sticks in your mind if you can crack the unusual language used. Kingsnorth is an interesting writer although his fiction seems to be an aquired taste.
Tom Sharpe's Grope is a few years old but is a hilarious bawdy politically incorrect romp which made me laugh out loud. If you haven't read Sharpe you should!
Richard Harris' Haunted by Faith is an excellent introduction to Christian themes in modern English literature . It's one of those books which gets you anxious to follow up on the books the author recommends. I loved this book and will go back to it for future reading ideas.
More books read in 2022 to follow.
Biographies.
Simon Heffer is a Daily Telegraph journalist, historian and cultural commentator. I finished his huge book on Enoch Powell the controversial British politician and thinker. Its not new but is worth a look. Powell had a brilliant single minded independent outlook, often wrong, but sometimes prophetic. One of the great conservative minds of the last century.
Tom Gallager's biography of Portugese reactionary dictator Salazar was mentioned by someone here before. Gallagher seems to be sympathetic to Salazar and makes references to current European issues and ideological disputes . I suspect others will enjoy this book which delighted me.
The book Judging W T Cosgrave by Michael Laffan came out a few years ago but I only got around to it now. Its a good introduction to one of the fathers of Irish independence. A modest but effective and determined underrated leader. Lots of interesting photos and facsimile letters.
Volume two of Peter Seewald's biography of Pope Benedict is a great read too. The entire work is strongly recommended. He mentions the death bed conversion of none other than Fidel Castro who had talks with Benedict during his state visit to Cuba.
Fiction
Alexandria by Paul Kingsnorth is a post apocalyptic novel written in the style of a new version of the Englis language. He movingly narrates the persecution of one the last human communities existing in a futuristic nightmare world. This book really sticks in your mind if you can crack the unusual language used. Kingsnorth is an interesting writer although his fiction seems to be an aquired taste.
Tom Sharpe's Grope is a few years old but is a hilarious bawdy politically incorrect romp which made me laugh out loud. If you haven't read Sharpe you should!
Richard Harris' Haunted by Faith is an excellent introduction to Christian themes in modern English literature . It's one of those books which gets you anxious to follow up on the books the author recommends. I loved this book and will go back to it for future reading ideas.
More books read in 2022 to follow.