tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980951139270141970.post1197450029803075993..comments2023-11-30T10:43:33.130-06:00Comments on Reading Freely: So you say you want a revolution?Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15097908023032528200noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980951139270141970.post-90332118592741520552015-06-09T15:10:25.469-05:002015-06-09T15:10:25.469-05:00I have several of his spy stories in my TBR pile(s...I have several of his spy stories in my TBR pile(s). I do miss a good bit of espionage..... Speaking of which - if you're on the BBC iplayer site anyway... try on the Cold War spy drama called 'The Game'. Brilliant.CyberKittenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394155516712665665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980951139270141970.post-46132473375144850502015-06-08T19:33:55.690-05:002015-06-08T19:33:55.690-05:00I doubt it would be geographically restricted -- t...I doubt it would be geographically restricted -- they can't call it the "World Service" for no reason! <br /><br />You might like Phillip Kerr -- he does a lot of German spy novels. Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15097908023032528200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980951139270141970.post-43841688522835048882015-06-08T15:08:50.350-05:002015-06-08T15:08:50.350-05:00The whole idea of free capitalist West Berlin embe...The whole idea of free capitalist West Berlin embedded within communist East Germany was a truly bizarre state of affairs. Made for some gripping spy stories though! <br /><br />As well as the book on Berlin (in 1961 I think) I have another about the building of the wall - plus a few on deeper in the Communist Block. No doubt I'll get around to them eventually. They're just too interesting to ignore for long!<br /><br />Oh, I think both progs where/are on BBC2 if that helps. They're available for 30 days here so I presume it's similar/the same for you - probably.CyberKittenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394155516712665665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980951139270141970.post-51296850456623981602015-06-08T13:52:18.936-05:002015-06-08T13:52:18.936-05:00Thanks for the heads up! I will try to play one wh...Thanks for the heads up! I will try to play one when I finish work tonight. I listen to podcasts while playing Civ 3 and such. <br /><br />As far as the mix, I'd look most forward to the one in Cold War Berlin...East Germany is such a bizaare place, a police state created by people who had just survived a police state, and considered their present police state its exact opposite. "Das Leben der Andern" is a favorite movie of mine, about a Stasi agent who realizes his 'noble' office is being abused by a corrupt official, who labors to redeem himself. Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15097908023032528200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980951139270141970.post-4305177151105665862015-06-08T12:35:45.248-05:002015-06-08T12:35:45.248-05:00BTW - Do you have access to BBC-iplayer? If so the...BTW - Do you have access to BBC-iplayer? If so there's a one off documentary about Joan of Arc and a mulit-part documentary about The Spanish Armada that are worth catching if you can. CyberKittenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394155516712665665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980951139270141970.post-71891728019478579962015-06-06T15:27:59.927-05:002015-06-06T15:27:59.927-05:00Oh, as to the German books. One is a history of Pr...Oh, as to the German books. One is a history of Prussia, one is about the financial crisis in the Weimar Republic and the last one is about 1960's Cold War Berlin.... so a nice mix I think.CyberKittenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394155516712665665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980951139270141970.post-89138646671380095242015-06-06T13:04:26.559-05:002015-06-06T13:04:26.559-05:00So many books................... So many topics of...So many books................... So many topics of interest... [grin]CyberKittenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394155516712665665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980951139270141970.post-64038119680069300512015-06-06T11:02:04.512-05:002015-06-06T11:02:04.512-05:00The difficulty in reading German history is findin...The difficulty in reading German history is finding books about its more peaceful eras. Granted, since 1871 there haven't been many, but not every German is a Prussian maniac. I'll read something in that area myself around October or November, myself.<br /><br />Once this series is finished, I intend on taking a break from the serious history/literature current and do some variety reading...indulge in random mixes. Star Trek, transportation, science, whatever catches my eye. The problem with that is that I also want to deep into southern history/lit again, and do a run in Byzantine history, too...<br /><br />Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15097908023032528200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980951139270141970.post-34586875154273668542015-06-06T10:42:36.175-05:002015-06-06T10:42:36.175-05:00I have a few books coming up (around Christmas at ...I have a few books coming up (around Christmas at this rate) about Britain's sometimes less than 'special' relationship with the US.... [grin] I'm sure you'll like them.<br /><br />But my next two history 'blitz reads' will be on Ireland and Germany (once I've finished with Afghanistan).CyberKittenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394155516712665665noreply@blogger.com