tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post5208307023273210332..comments2024-02-29T02:54:19.767-05:00Comments on Babbling Books: Five Days in London by John LukacsBrian Josephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-14334893035959369712013-05-12T14:02:40.357-04:002013-05-12T14:02:40.357-04:00Hi Maria - I think that is true. There are several...Hi Maria - I think that is true. There are several ways that folks often look at history. Some think that the major trends are inevitable, others think that it is more personality driven.<br /><br />Of course folks like me do believe that there are major trends that to some degree are inevitable, yet sometimes individuals make enormous differences and push the trends in different directions. Churchill was likely one of those.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-85112549712262100622013-05-12T12:55:25.630-04:002013-05-12T12:55:25.630-04:00Churchill was definitely a great statesman. Had h...Churchill was definitely a great statesman. Had he not been at the head of the British government at the time, we would have been studying a totally different history in high school! Maria Beharhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13635809880830316283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-76793557638201906872013-04-30T22:47:52.576-04:002013-04-30T22:47:52.576-04:00Hi Maria - I am thinking that halifax's role w...Hi Maria - I am thinking that halifax's role was probably not mentioned in too many high school history classes. This book really digs into details. One interesting thing about may 1940 was that it was well after the period of appeasement. Many people really thought that Hitler had won and that great Britain was soon to be over run no matter what anyone did. Churchill just would not give up.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-32716775489413738562013-04-30T10:05:25.526-04:002013-04-30T10:05:25.526-04:00Hey, Brian!
Thank you for another cogent analysis...Hey, Brian!<br /><br />Thank you for another cogent analysis of an important book! Although I'm not very familiar with this period in history (alas, I don't read much history...), I do remember enough from my high school world history classes to know that Churchill was one of the giants of Western civilization. I remember reading about how he rallied the British to stand up to Hitler. Although of course Britain couldn't have done it alone, as you point out, Churchill set an example of courage and resilience in the face of a truly monstruous evil.<br /><br />I had not heard of this Halifax before, or maybe I just don't remember him from my history classes. Well, it doesn't sound like he's worth remembering. Lol.<br /><br />As I read this excellent review, I couldn't help thinking that policies of "appeasement", as opposed to those of aggression or defense, have to fit the times and the situation. However, when a free nation is faced by an enemy as formidable as Hitler, no appeasement is possible, since it will only produce the result such an enemy really wants -- surrender of the free nation to its insatiable need for conquest and domination. <br /><br />Thanks for another fascinating review!! :)Maria Beharhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13635809880830316283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-62647451879304936092013-04-29T08:20:57.786-04:002013-04-29T08:20:57.786-04:00Hi Violet (For some reason you appear here as &quo...Hi Violet (For some reason you appear here as "Name") - This is actually a point that Lukacs makes. One reason for appeasement was that the British Conservatives thought that Hitler would be an effectively counterweight to communism which indeed they feared more.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-5733505901194928832013-04-29T02:50:53.276-04:002013-04-29T02:50:53.276-04:00Dear old Winnie. I have a soft spot for him becaus...Dear old Winnie. I have a soft spot for him because without his dogged determination things would have turned out very differently in Europe. So many of the British Aristocracy and the members of the government were pro-Hitler and anti-Communist that it all could have turned horribly pear-shaped had Churchill not been PM. I will have to read this book, I think. Namehttp://still-life-with-books.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-6916864322402919382013-04-25T03:44:47.562-04:002013-04-25T03:44:47.562-04:00Yes, this one is on my list of books I would like ...Yes, this one is on my list of books I would like to read. It sounds very interesting and is one of those books which opens your eyes to dangers you hadn't really realised existed. Tom Cunliffehttp://www.acommonreader.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-32254707527483327992013-04-24T20:40:16.753-04:002013-04-24T20:40:16.753-04:00Hi Rachel - Thanks for the good word.
I should ju...Hi Rachel - Thanks for the good word.<br /><br />I should just clarify that I think one needs more of a basic understanding of the diplomatic - political situation in the early days of WW II in Europe to really get all that this book is about.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-57000693750294806482013-04-24T16:01:52.818-04:002013-04-24T16:01:52.818-04:00Thanks for the interesting summary! It's proba...Thanks for the interesting summary! It's probably not a book for me since I'm not familiar enough with war history - but it's always nice to read your reviews. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01974988315420539840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-36775580104824346052013-04-10T21:45:33.220-04:002013-04-10T21:45:33.220-04:00Hi Richard - I just looked up The Coming of the Th...Hi Richard - I just looked up The Coming of the Third Reich. It really looks to be a great book. I look forward to reading your comments on it.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-14335680368944835842013-04-10T21:42:43.653-04:002013-04-10T21:42:43.653-04:00Hi Tom - I actually heard about this from an odd s...Hi Tom - I actually heard about this from an odd source. I am generally not a fan of Rudy Rudy" Giuliani. With that said I had heard that he was in the middle of this book when the 09/11 attack occurred and he claims it helped his resolve in dealing with the crises. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-63181186219552302412013-04-10T21:19:54.064-04:002013-04-10T21:19:54.064-04:00Brian, I love it when good historians can let thei...Brian, I love it when good historians can let their hair down enough to do things like calling somebody's memoirs "bland"! Anyway, even though this sounds like a worthwhile read, I think my next 20th century Euro history book will be Richard J. Evans' "The Coming of the Third Reich." Please keep your history reviews coming, though--too many other bloggers only focus on fiction!Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-83160543591878821262013-04-10T16:33:52.510-04:002013-04-10T16:33:52.510-04:00Wow, that is exactly the sort of book I like readi...Wow, that is exactly the sort of book I like reading and I've never heard of it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Just shows the benefit of reading book blogs. Tom Cunliffehttp://www.acommonreader.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-91804301264304685802013-04-09T05:40:46.875-04:002013-04-09T05:40:46.875-04:00Hi Sharon - Thanks for the great comment! Indeed o...Hi Sharon - Thanks for the great comment! Indeed one really does need to think about what one is reading.I do not believe that there is anything wrong with writers being opinionated. Also it is impossible to prove everything one asserts completely. I love the diversity of ideas presented in books. I do think one needs to be skeptical however.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-15606159971798408502013-04-09T00:47:09.303-04:002013-04-09T00:47:09.303-04:00This sounds like a great book. I'm currently ...This sounds like a great book. I'm currently reading a biography of Churchill and this sounds like it would be a good complement.<br />I know what you mean about authors asserting beliefs without necessarily substantiating them or at least ignoring other possibilities. It's why we need to read proactively and not passively (which you know already:)<br />Great review, Bryan.Sharon Wilfonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-55599343355965426292013-04-08T19:44:17.472-04:002013-04-08T19:44:17.472-04:00Hi Heidi - Indeed appeasement taken as far as it d...Hi Heidi - Indeed appeasement taken as far as it did was frustrating. Churchill himself though out of power was indeed dismayed by it. Lukacs points out that the period covered in this book was after the time of appeasement. England and France had indeed fought Hitler but looked in some ways to have lost the fight.<br /><br />Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-56976169785627333382013-04-08T19:40:56.702-04:002013-04-08T19:40:56.702-04:00Hi Harvee - Historical novels can indeed be intere...Hi Harvee - Historical novels can indeed be interesting. From what I have seen, there seems to be many that take place during the Blitz. this was a few months earlier. Though debatable, Lukacs contends that these months were more crucial.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-29605190620644583172013-04-08T11:23:11.076-04:002013-04-08T11:23:11.076-04:00These very specific, micro-histories seem to be a ...These very specific, micro-histories seem to be a common way to really get to the meat of things. Thanks for the review. This looks like a great book. Looking back, appeasement seems rather frustrating, but hindsight is 20/20. Heidi’sbookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15647096496574605262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-71559571314552349482013-04-08T08:29:52.837-04:002013-04-08T08:29:52.837-04:00I've gotten a sense of the intensity of those ...I've gotten a sense of the intensity of those times in wartime England from historical novels!! But this book is the real thing. Excellent review!Harveehttp://bookdilettante.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-68401215508351782872013-04-08T05:45:01.646-04:002013-04-08T05:45:01.646-04:00Hi VB - I do believe that when you look at his lif...Hi VB - I do believe that when you look at his life Churchill did many questionable things. As this book just focused on a very tight subject and time frame most of those questionable actions did not come into play here. <br /><br />I knew nothing of Halifax before reading book but he seemed to have a big impact on his times.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-44103873159428856452013-04-08T02:17:17.014-04:002013-04-08T02:17:17.014-04:00the book seems alluring especially as it deals wit...the book seems alluring especially as it deals with the crucial five days in Britain's history...I m sure i would love this one even though I hav never been a fan of churchill..But Halifax's criticism seems to have had a grt influenece of Churchill..vbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815931257531886393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-10421741684547721222013-04-07T15:44:05.730-04:002013-04-07T15:44:05.730-04:00Hi Stu - I have not seen that show but it really s...Hi Stu - I have not seen that show but it really sounds like it is worth watching.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-40572261210132572572013-04-07T15:38:58.771-04:002013-04-07T15:38:58.771-04:00Hi Parish - Thanks for the inclusion, I am honored...Hi Parish - Thanks for the inclusion, I am honored!<br /><br />Though I did not allude to it in my commentary, there is certainly plenty of material regarding Churchill's life and carrier open to criticism. However, by focusing upon just five days, at least some of it becomes irrelevant.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-31298129362739631392013-04-07T15:33:08.240-04:002013-04-07T15:33:08.240-04:00H Andrew - Indeed it is well covered. In the past ...H Andrew - Indeed it is well covered. In the past few years however at least popular attention seems to be must more focused on the ensuing months and the Battle of Britain which had not yet been in May, 1940.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-21783203270624567672013-04-07T15:05:42.907-04:002013-04-07T15:05:42.907-04:00PS. have added you to the Blogs DolloxPS. have added you to the Blogs Dollox@parridhlanternhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12793548943992250238noreply@blogger.com