I've always been a history buff, with a focus on U.S. military endeavors. Lately, I've been into exploration and adventure books, finding these ordinary people doing extraordinary things absolutely fascinating. And so, I leave you with July's Book Review:
- Into Tibet: The CIA's First Atomic Spy and His Secret Expedition to Lhasa, by Thomas Laird: This book peaked my interest following a Washington Post story about the first CIA agent killed in the line of duty. Apparently it had taken them upwards of 50 years to publicly acknowledge that Douglas S. MacKiernan was the first CIA agent killed in the line of duty (though he has been the "First Star" on their Wall of Honor for some time now). Conducting a quick Google search, the Wikipedia article on MacKiernan cited often to Into Tibet. This book was absolutely enthralling. I almost felt as though I was a CIA agent trekking across the Inner Asian plateau, sleeping in yurts and drinking butter tea. Plus, this book gave a previously unknown history of the secret atomic spy operations in place right after WWII. Laird's book is exceptionally researched, due to years of FOIA requests to the Department of State and CIA. I wholeheartedly recommend this riveting true account.
- Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone, by Martin Dugard: Inspired by History Channel's docu-drama "Expedition Africa" during which four modern day explorers follow Henry Morton Stanley's trip from Zanzibar to Ujiji looking for Dr. Livingstone, I decided to read about this expedition for myself. Now, I think like most people, I had heard of Stanley and Livingstone and knew there was a search of some sort involved, but had no grip on the actual facts. This book proved an excellent description of their concurrent lives and individual journeys, alternating between Stanley and Livingstone by chapter. I find the geopolitical issues of Africa fascinating, and it is arguable the exploration by Stanley and Livingstone (and the subsequent press storm) kicked off the period of European colonialism and the effects thereof. So, I found it interesting to read about Africa (from a European perspective), pre-colonialism.
- Seven Years in Tibet, by Heinrich Harrer: This book kicked off my interest in Inner Asia and Tibet. Yet again, I had a vague understanding of Tibet, in that I knew the Dalai Lama was in exile and there was a move to "Free Tibet." I guess I hadn't put two and two together that Tibet had been it's own independent country prior to the Chinese takeover in 1950. A beautifully written narrative by Harrer, an Austrian who escaped from a British POW camp in India, describes his trek across Tibet with little more than the clothes on his back to his eventual ascent to Lhasa and service as tutor to the young Dalai Lama. Yes, I know it's a movie, but go read the book.
- West with the Night, by Beryl Markham and The Flame Trees of Thika: Memories of an Africa Childhood, by Elspeth Huxley: Several months ago I read Out of Africa by Isak Dineson (Karen Blixen) and was moved by the heroine's strength and survival on the plains of British East Africa, essentially abandoned by her big game hunting husband. Wondering if there were other biographies of women who lived in BEA during the early 20th century, I stumbled upon West with the Night. Beryl Markham stunningly catalogues here life in BEA as a young woman who eventually becomes a pilot, shuttling critical goods and medical services to settlers throughout the colony. I was most amused that she ends up rescuing Karen Blixen's husband (of Out of Africa) from certain death when his hunting party is trapped by a flood on the African plains. Huxley's Flame Trees of Thika was not as gripping as Markham's story, but it was written through Huxley's eyes as a child. Her parents settled farmland in modern-day Kenya, and her innocent assessment of the challenges they faced through a child's perception further deeped my understanding of life in British East Africa. All three of these books were good reads.
No comments:
Post a Comment