War and Famine - May 28, 2014

So I have read yet another book about one person’s relationship with one book.  So far I have covered George Eliot’s Middlemarch, James Joyce’s Ulysses and I currently finished one about Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace.  All three intimidating books that I doubt I will get around to, but I always have admiration for those who pick them up and not only read them…but read them multiple times. 

Currently Reading:

• Goldfinch by Donna Tartt      
• Natchez Burning by Greg Iles (received through the publisher)
• About Face by Carol Howard (received through NetGalley)
• Like No Other by Una LaMarche (received through the publisher)

On Deck:

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
• Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Angry Years: The Rise and Fall of the Angry Young Men by Colin Wilson (received through NetGalley)
• The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames by Kai Bird (received through Goodreads)

Recent Reviews:

The Third Horseman: Climate Change and the Great Famine of the 14^th Century by William Rosen (received through NetGalley)

3 stars

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for a while as I have done quite a bit of reading about the time period and know some of the history.  I was mostly excited about examining the role of climate change during this time, but found it was only a small part of the extensive history covered in this book.  It also covers Vikings, Scottish rebellion, and other wars that contribute to the reason the countries were not well prepared for the drought and resulting famine.  The book is well researched but very dense and I lost interest at times.  Overall a well written history of the time but one that could have been pared down.  I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Give War and Peace a Chance: Tolstoyan Wisdom for Troubled Times by Andrew D. Kaufman (received through NetGalley)

4 stars
 
Andrew Kaufman is a Tolstoy scholar an admirer of his work, including the long and daunting War and Peace.  In this book, he not only discusses the main characters and plotlines of the book but also examines how he has used parts of the book in relation to his own life.  There are also facts about Tolstoy, his relationships, careers and philosophy.  It is divided into sections about subjects such as love, family, happiness, and death and uses excerpts from the book as well as episodes in Tolstoy’s life.   What I enjoyed most about this book is the idea that some books are timeless and while the situation changes the characters and ideals can be used throughout time.  Kaufman writes clearly and passionately on the subject and I felt as if I had a good understanding of Tolstoy’s epic by the time I finished.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.