McCulloch is one of my favourite historians, the more so for being able to write so well and engagingly about something I’m not all that interested in (the history of Christianity). I think I recognise what Rowan is describing here in a book I have on the go at the moment, Peter Wilson’s history of the Holy Roman Empire. There’s something very soothing about reading about Lothar the Flat’s defeat at the Battle of the White Pheasant in 1412 at bedtime. It drowns out Everything That’s Going On for a while, enabling sleep. The trouble is, it makes me want to look things up, or see if there’s a cheap copy of a biography of Gustavus Adolphus on amaz*n. And that lets ETGO back in. Ban phones. Lothar the Flat never needed one, after all.
Lothar the Flat is absolutely priceless, thank you. I think I have that book actually and kind of failed at it - if I'm thinking of the same one, it's thematic rather than chronological? Which I tend to struggle with. The Holy Roman Empire was flipping complicated enough when they ran it in date order. But maybe I should give it another go!
yes, thematic. It is a huge book, but I take it in little bites. I’ve been to Austria for work, hence the interest. But in general it’s the fact that none of it has anything to do with me and mine is a big part of the appeal.
I'm going to need your opinion on "Steal" on Prime Video. I quite liked it, and I didn't feel like there were glaring plot holes beyond the usual "how is it possible that you can fire machine guns at people in a confined space and somehow miss?" thing. But I'd be interested to know what you think!
Ooh I wanted to watch this but I am already stretching tobias’s patience with dumb thrillers (ploughing my way through ‘Tehran’) - will add it to the list after he’s been allowed to watch Wonderman
The Ice Storm is a film I had completely forgotten until I read the title here. I remember really enjoying it but I can believe what you say is true and so I’m interested in a rewatch.
I picked up The Bourne Identity in my school library when I was maybe 14 and absolutely loved the premise and the mystery of it. As such, I have always been furious with the Matt Damon films for their simplification of the plot and the bastardisation of the later titles in the trilogy to become completely different stories from their literary counterparts. I’ve never been one for a revenge thriller tbh and this is the only thing these films were reduced to. I suppose the cynicism of the CIA inherent in the films’ plots makes them better suited for the 00s but I can’t forgive them the removal of what I felt at the time was such a brilliant plot twist, albeit perhaps a little convenient in terms of maintaining Bourne’s heroism. I pretty much hate the films with a passion.
Yay! Let me know how you get on. On the subject of book recommendations, I meant to say that I finally finished The Custom of the Country and I loved it, so thank you. Hopefully you enjoy this one as much.
McCulloch is one of my favourite historians, the more so for being able to write so well and engagingly about something I’m not all that interested in (the history of Christianity). I think I recognise what Rowan is describing here in a book I have on the go at the moment, Peter Wilson’s history of the Holy Roman Empire. There’s something very soothing about reading about Lothar the Flat’s defeat at the Battle of the White Pheasant in 1412 at bedtime. It drowns out Everything That’s Going On for a while, enabling sleep. The trouble is, it makes me want to look things up, or see if there’s a cheap copy of a biography of Gustavus Adolphus on amaz*n. And that lets ETGO back in. Ban phones. Lothar the Flat never needed one, after all.
Lothar the Flat is absolutely priceless, thank you. I think I have that book actually and kind of failed at it - if I'm thinking of the same one, it's thematic rather than chronological? Which I tend to struggle with. The Holy Roman Empire was flipping complicated enough when they ran it in date order. But maybe I should give it another go!
yes, thematic. It is a huge book, but I take it in little bites. I’ve been to Austria for work, hence the interest. But in general it’s the fact that none of it has anything to do with me and mine is a big part of the appeal.
I'm going to need your opinion on "Steal" on Prime Video. I quite liked it, and I didn't feel like there were glaring plot holes beyond the usual "how is it possible that you can fire machine guns at people in a confined space and somehow miss?" thing. But I'd be interested to know what you think!
Ooh I wanted to watch this but I am already stretching tobias’s patience with dumb thrillers (ploughing my way through ‘Tehran’) - will add it to the list after he’s been allowed to watch Wonderman
The Ice Storm is a film I had completely forgotten until I read the title here. I remember really enjoying it but I can believe what you say is true and so I’m interested in a rewatch.
I picked up The Bourne Identity in my school library when I was maybe 14 and absolutely loved the premise and the mystery of it. As such, I have always been furious with the Matt Damon films for their simplification of the plot and the bastardisation of the later titles in the trilogy to become completely different stories from their literary counterparts. I’ve never been one for a revenge thriller tbh and this is the only thing these films were reduced to. I suppose the cynicism of the CIA inherent in the films’ plots makes them better suited for the 00s but I can’t forgive them the removal of what I felt at the time was such a brilliant plot twist, albeit perhaps a little convenient in terms of maintaining Bourne’s heroism. I pretty much hate the films with a passion.
Oh you have really made me want to read the books now
Oh, you should! I guess they are very of their time but I love them, especially the first one.
I'm gonna do it. I need a new (old) thriller.
Yay! Let me know how you get on. On the subject of book recommendations, I meant to say that I finally finished The Custom of the Country and I loved it, so thank you. Hopefully you enjoy this one as much.
Hurray! Spreading the magic of Undine Spragg ;-)