Steinbeck & Capa

[Bear]

Firstly, my apologies to those of you whose education was longer and is more complete than my rather inconsequential achievements, for what follows is almost certainly not news to you. For those similarly academically disadvantaged as myself perhaps this post might be of some value.

I know not in which direction everyone's literary tastes run but mine favours John Steinbeck. Having been thoroughly "put off" any form of literature at the hands of abusive English teachers in my teens, I am discovering the delights I have missed for the last three decades, working my way through Steinbeck's back catalogue.

Thanks to Mrs Bear, I have recently been reading A Russian Journal in which Steinbeck describes his travels through post-war Russia with Robert Capa. Steinbeck, naturally provides the words, Capa the pictures. A remarkable book, one that is as relevant today as it was when it was written, in 1948, and blessed with a lot of Capa originals.

I can thoroughly recommend it, as you may have gathered !

[Pol]

Re: Steinbeck & Capa

Firstly, my apologies to those of you whose education was longer and is more complete than my rather inconsequential achievements, for what follows is almost certainly not news to you. For those similarly academically disadvantaged as myself perhaps this post might be of some value.

I know not in which direction everyone's literary tastes run but mine favours John Steinbeck. Having been thoroughly "put off" any form of literature at the hands of abusive English teachers in my teens, I am discovering the delights I have missed for the last three decades, working my way through Steinbeck's back catalogue.

Thanks to Mrs Bear, I have recently been reading A Russian Journal in which Steinbeck describes his travels through post-war Russia with Robert Capa. Steinbeck, naturally provides the words, Capa the pictures. A remarkable book, one that is as relevant today as it was when it was written, in 1948, and blessed with a lot of Capa originals.

I can thoroughly recommend it, as you may have gathered !

Thanks for that. I've just finished reading [ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Siege-Helen-Dunmore/dp/0141000732/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281372367&sr=8-1"]"The Seige" (Helen Dunmore)[/ame] and was actually digging about for more about the Leningrad Blockade when your post popped in.

Following on from reading the book, I've been looking through lots of images of Russia during WW2. So I've just added 'A Russian Journal' to my 'wishlist' on Amazon.

I can also thoroughly recommend "The Siege" if you ever fancy something fictional but heavily based on historical facts.

Pol

[Bear]

Re: Steinbeck & Capa

Pol, a great book about occupied eastern block during the war:

Dynamo - Triumph and Tragedy in Nazi Occupied Kiev

Part history of the blockade of Kiev, part allegory of resistance and its consequences, and a true story of the "death match" between Dynamo Kiev and the Luftwaffe. Great research and good writing, the memory of which still brings me to tears, years after I read it.

[Pol]

Re: Steinbeck & Capa

Pol, a great book about occupied eastern block during the war:

Dynamo - Triumph and Tragedy in Nazi Occupied Kiev

Part history of the blockade of Kiev, part allegory of resistance and its consequences, and a true story of the "death match" between Dynamo Kiev and the Luftwaffe. Great research and good writing, the memory of which still brings me to tears, years after I read it.

Brilliant, thanks for that one too. I'm working through a few WW1 and WW2 books at the moment, though they can sometimes be a bit depressing so I occasionally dip into something a bit lighter. "The Seige" had been waiting on my 'lighter' list for ages ... but it's set me off on another list of similar stuff.

I was maybe 1/4 of the way through "Alone in Berlin" but dumped it until I run out of reserve books ... 'cos I found it irritating in the extreme. Exactly the sort of behaviour that would've sent my snobbish, blue-rinsed, uninspiring old bag of an Eng Lit teacher into spasm.

Pol

[Bear]

Re: Steinbeck & Capa

Don't get me started on English Lit teachers, mine almost destroyed the joy of reading in me.

[Pol]

Re: Steinbeck & Capa

Don't get me started on English Lit teachers, mine almost destroyed the joy of reading in me.

Same here - but I rediscovered it a few years later it when I was nursing, working on night duty. I used to ferret through the books in the patients' day room and curl up with one of their books during my one hour 'lunch' break.

I just read what grabs my fancy - never bother whether or not it's regarded as 'the smart thing to read'. I have a pile of books by my bed and I'm always adding to it from my 'wishlist'.

It's always a pleasure reading what I want to read instead of reading what I'm being told to read or being judged by what I read.


Pol

[Bear]

Re: Steinbeck & Capa

I am a voracious reader and one of the great pleasures of being "retired" is having time enought to read purely for pleasure. One of my biggest monthly expenses is my Amazon bill.

[Ians Tata]

Re: Steinbeck & Capa

Bear,
One of Maggie's (my wife for those who don't know me from FTU) professors in college wrote his doctoral dissertation on "The Significance of O's and M's in Shakespeare's Literature". As the class was reading sections he would interupt every half sentence to discuss what had just been read. Finally Maggie had had all that she could take and told him in front of the whole class that he was destroying any love of Shakespeare that the students might have. She really made his day when she told him that Shakespeare was the "Neil Simon of his time" and his primary purpose was the box office.

Jeff

[Pol]

Re: Steinbeck & Capa

I am a voracious reader and one of the great pleasures of being "retired" is having time enought to read purely for pleasure. One of my biggest monthly expenses is my Amazon bill.

We apparently have much in common then.

I try to keep the outlay down by getting what I can from 'marketplace' and my sons often give me Amazon vouchers - so I do ok.

I also enjoy audiobooks ... then I pass those on to my mother-in-law. She's 91 and can't see so well to read now but she loves getting a parcel with a few audio cassettes.

Pol

[Pol]

Re: Steinbeck & Capa

Bear,
One of Maggie's (my wife for those who don't know me from FTU) professors in college wrote his doctoral dissertation on "The Significance of O's and M's in Shakespeare's Literature". As the class was reading sections he would interupt every half sentence to discuss what had just been read. Finally Maggie had had all that she could take and told him in front of the whole class that he was destroying any love of Shakespeare that the students might have. She really made his day when she told him that Shakespeare was the "Neil Simon of his time" and his primary purpose was the box office.

Jeff

Good for her - she was right too!

A teacher's influence never ends, it's passed on down the generations. Sad to say too few of them seem to grasp that fact!

BTW - I love your lighthouse picci. I've read most, if not all of Diane Chamberlain's books set in the Outer Banks. I'm never likely to get there but it's so nice seeing a picture from there - a genuine Outer Banks Lighthouse.

Pol