“The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of past centuries.” — René Descartes
“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt on the morning after the Pearl Harbor attack
Soviet soldier raises flag over Reichstag in May 1945
The Plague, a novel published by Albert Camus in 1947, was my first introduction to a subset of existentialist thought popularized by Camus known as absurdism. While much of the content of absurdism was covered in the earlier post on The Stranger, I did want to begin this post by familiarizing the reader with a... Continue Reading →
“A Pint of Sweat Will Save a Gallon of Blood.” -General Patton
Michael and David discuss Antony Beevor's book, D-Day: The Battle for Normandy after visiting The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana together. Description of book: Renowned historian Antony Beevor, author of Stalingrad and The Battle of Arnhem, and the man who "single-handedly transformed the reputation of military history" (The Guardian) presents the first major... Continue Reading →
"The West is a story. It's not a place. It's a story we tell ourselves about where we've been and where we're going." - Ken Burns
"Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege" is a gripping book that offers a detailed and nuanced understanding of one of the most important battles of the 20th century.
"I looked up at the mass of signs and stars in the night sky and laid myself open for the first time to the benign indifference of the world."
Admittedly, I had only read a little of history and war before Michael and I began reading together. My first attempt at reading history “seriously” was Oswald Spengler’s two-volume set, Decline of the West. I mistakenly thought that history could be comprehended like a novel or short story. I was like a young boy who,... Continue Reading →
"When the results of this year's campaign were reported in his dispatches, a thanksgiving of twenty days was celebrated in Rome."
Brains and Brawn 