Book I Read In 2011

Books/Literature/Writing - Books and Novels

By: bretsuki 20-Jan-2012

Introduction:

Even though I am working on graduate studies I love to read.
This is my top five books from my readings of 2011

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer

This book is written as a series of letters and telegrams.

Set in London: The Island of Guernsey and France in 1946. It tells the story of a young authoress, famous for her book on debutante life before World War II. She receives a letter from a stranger, Dorcie, a man from Guernsey, stating he has a book she once owned. There follows an wonderful story of life recovering from war, the longevity of friendship and love. On the way you find out what Potato Peel Pie is, and how a pig began a literary society.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - Helen Simonson

This book set in Sussex, by the sea, England. Tells the story of retired Major Pettigrew, his relationships with those around him, Mrs Ali, the owner of the village shop, her nephew Abdul Wahid, Pettigrew's son, something in the city is obsessed with getting the right contacts and his hands on the Major's match pair of Churchill shotguns.

A wonderfully charming and readable story which I just had to re-read over the holidays.

Stealing the General - Russell S. Bonds

The year is 1862 and the Civil War is not going well for the Union.

Union spy Robert Anderson comes up with an ingenious plan to wreck the Atlanta - Chatanooga railroad. With a group of twenty-four Ohio Volunteers he walks to Marietta, Georgia and steals the locomotive, General but he doesn't reckon on the tenacity of the trains conductor, who chases the stolen locomotive theough the countryside, and hails down the locomotive, Texas, whichis the start of the gret locomotive chase.

In a well researched history, Bonds captures the thrill of the chase and tells the stories of the men from their meeting with Anderson till their final meetings as veterans of the war between thstates. On the way they also receive the first Medal of Honoe awarded for bravery by the US Congress.,

The Ghosts of Cannae - Robert L . Connell

Before Rome was an Empire it struggled with the great city of Carthage for dominance of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Battle of Cannae marked both the low pointfor Rome in the First Punic War, but their defeat at the hands of Hannibal Barca was also just the spur needed to bring out the changes that the old republic needed to gain ultimate victory.

Connell tells the story of the Punic War and Cannae is the defining moment. For every general who has dreamed of himself as Hannibal, Connell contends the must be a general who prays he is not another Consul Varo.

A Night to Remember - Walter Lord

This book now fifty years old is the story of possibly the most famous shipwrecks in history.
The sinking of the Royal Mail Steamer Titanic. Lord's book was used as the basis of the 1950's movie of the same name and Lord was also a technical advisor on James Cameron's movie Titanic.

Lord used interviews with survivors to create a complete record of the tragic hours after the ship struck the iceburg in April 1912.

A must read if you intend to watch the new 3D Titanic due to be released on this 100th anniversary.

Final Thoughts

These are some of the many books which I have read in the last year. Some are fiction, some non fiction.

But all are very good reads.

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Give this list a high five!

Comments

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goodselfme 1/22/2012
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You have a great list of books here.thank you. h5
clewand550 1/20/2012
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Thank you for sharing this list of books.