February 2023 Reading

February was a short month, but I managed to read six books. 

Nonfiction first:  I’m still slogging along through Winston Churchill’s history of the second world war.  The best part of The Grand Alliance was the account of Rudolf Hess’s parachute landing in Scotland.  It is the kind of weird-but-true story that I enjoy.  For those of you who also managed to miss learning about this in school, here’s what happened.  Hess wanted to end the war.  He thought that if he could just explain what a lovely person Hitler was to the King of England, the war would end and everyone could just live happily ever after instead.  He had met the Duke of Hamilton before, and assumed that if he got to the Duke, the Duke could take him to King George.  So he flew himself to Scotland and jumped out of his airplane.  The plan, obviously, did not work, for any number of reasons.  Churchill quotes Hess’s doctor’s report:  “It was with such thoughts [of making peace] in his mind that he was impressed on hearing his astrologer or fortune-telller, Haushofer, express similar sentiments, and mention the Duke of Hamilton as a person of common sense, who must be horrified at this senseless slaughter.” (p. 53)  So:  fascinating incident.  The book as a whole is not my favorite.  It is long, dry, and self-aggrandizing.  Three more volumes to go.  Sigh.

 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I read Digger Unearthed by Ursula Vernon in a new edition for which I sponsored a Kickstarter.  I am a Vernon fan.  Somehow, however, until now I had managed not to meet Digger.  It was awesome.  It’s funny and deep and adorable and everyone should go read it right now.  Also:  pictures!

 

On the recommendation of my personal librarian, I read some YA fantasy.  The Cruel Prince by Holly Black has an interesting premise involving human sisters who have a fey half-sister, but I didn’t love the characters.  Apparently I am wearing my grumpy pants today, but I’m tired of dark themes.  Jude, the protagonist, does make some hard choices in difficult circumstances and she manages the shifting moral universe well.  Don’t think I need to read the sequels.

 

Syd also recommended the Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo:  Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising.  I liked the first book a lot, but the second one dragged.  By the third one, I was over it.  Again, a lot of darkness.  Times are dark enough already.  Your mileage may vary.

 

February total:  6

Spring total, to date:  21

2023 total, to date:  21