OneGuyFromBarlick

Norman's Anders book came yesterday so I finished Arthur's book on Douglas Prop Liners. Fascinating stuff Tiz, I think you'd like it. (I've just looked on Bookfinder and no mention of it. It must be rare!)
The Anders book is impressive. New condition, coffee table format and beautifully printed. £30 when new..... Looking forward to it.

I'm reading the novel `Dead in the Dog' by Bernard Knight. Not the best murder mystery I've read but I stuck with it simply because the background is so interesting and appeals to my scientific interests. The main character is a young pathologist in the RAMC posted to a British Army Medical Hospital Malaya in the 1950s. There's plenty of techie medical stuff, lots of descriptions of life in the forces in Malaya at the time (Knight was a pathologist and spent time there) and lots of local `colour'. Even the names of the cars bring back memories - Hillman, Riley etc, although I had to look up the Matron's motor, an Armstrong Siddeley Typhoon: LINK I've also learnt that they couldn't store blood because there was no refrigeration so instead they kept blood `on the hoof' - i.e. extracted it from soldiers in the military prison when needed and gave them a pint of Tiger beer in payment. The deal was so popular that they had to keep careful control so they didn't end up `exsanguinating' the prisoners! As an officer pointed out, the system ensured the blood was always fresh (still warm!) and available on demand.

I weighed the new Norman book yesterday. It weighs 6lbs! The reason for this is it's a larger format and printed on very heavy glossy paper to do justice to the numerous photographs.

Ian dropped off a copy of the new book on Clarion House and I enjoyed reading it. You can't help but be impressed by the integrity and persistence of those men and women who believed so strongly in a better way of doing things. Without them we would not have seen the advances in society we enjoy now, all the more reason to be aware of the way they are under attack today.

Norman's book on General Anders, 'Trail of hope' throws up occasional surprises. Menachem Begin who became Prime Minister of Israel was in the Anders armies. (LINK)

Some interesting stuff about the Birth of the State of Israel and the importance of Zionism. I shall post it under politics.

I finished Norman's book yesterday. Not sure where I shall go yet, at the moment I'm reading a rare book on the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway published in 1949.

I finished the L&Y Railway book. Full of information. Particularly interesting is this map of the L&Y network in 1929. Lots of useful information here!

Sat on my book shelf for almost a year now, 'The Tories' by Alan Clark. Never liked the man: probably only bought it because it was cheap. Far too sarcastic for my liking and as it would appear for most of his fellow Tories. The first few pages are totally different from what I was expecting. I think I'm going to enjoy it.

Know the enemy......

If you like history and scientific investigation you must read this book. It is not fiction, it is a history book written in a totally absorbing style. I could not put it down, but it has left me somewhat shocked by what I read. Well worth a read, a mystery that is finally solved by DNA analysis. I will not tell you the end.

Sounds interesting Sue....
I finished this week's Private Eye yesterday. I don't know why I bother, so much nepotism and corruption, depressing but we must know the enemy!

I think I would class this as the best non fiction book I have ever read. It has left a deep impression on me

Sounds very interesting Sue, I shall get it.

I'm going to order it today.

Looked in the library catalogue but they don't have it, so Amazon it is then.

Can they beat this - Lost King of France

But if you buy any books through the Abebooks site avoid a seller with the name Greener Books, London. They let me down badly recently by failing to deliver books that were meant as someone's birthday present and then failing to reply to my messages until I complained about them to Abebooks.

As a rule, the book-selling fraternity are a good bunch. Hard luck Tiz.

I recommended Armstrong's 'Crowthers of Bankdam' yesterday on another topic and as I am being kind to myself during the cold spell I got it down off the shelf and started reading it for the first time in over thirty years. I was right. It's a wonderful story and I am enjoying it!

Bankdam is going down well.....

I've just sent for a biography of Clement Attlee.

I'm anxious to get his take on the issue of 'self identifying' women being eligible for all women short lists, which seems to be exercising the comrades at the moment.

All the women I have ever known have been 'self-identifying'. What the hell are they on about?
Finished Bankdam, magnificent. Am reading his 'Pilling always Pays' which is OK, set in the same town, but not on the same level.....

Stanley wrote: ↑09 Mar 2018, 04:19 All the women I have ever known have been 'self-identifying'. What the hell are they on about?

You're behind the curve on cutting edge issues here. Here's more information than you could wish for - from The Guardian.
gender issues

I am quite happy to remain in ignorance!