Saw a blurb for this, thought it looked like my kind of thing, asked the library to send it to me, here it is. I think I'm the first person to check it out.
244 pages. Let's see what Westad has got.
Day 1 (DDRD 3,069) March 27, 2026)
Read to page 39.
Oh. Oh. Get this: "The best example of how British politics went from complacency to fear is the sudden appearance of the question of tariffs." (35) As it flails about in its death throes, Britain decides that imposing tariffs is the way to maintain their hold in the competitive trade market. Mmm-hmmm.
Day 2 (DDRD 3,070) March 28, 2026)
Read to page 84. Well...I'm not sure about this book. Thus far (about 1/3rd of the way through) I don't feel that I've learned a whole lot that I didn't know before. It's interesting enough, I suppose, but it's not digging its claws into me yet.
Day 3 (DDRD 3,071) March 29, 2026)
Read to page 150.
For one thing, to date this book has primarily focused on the events that led up to World War I. The supposition is that those events parallel what's happening now, but I would prefer more now and less then, especially if we're going to end up hypothosizing that World War III is imminent and unavoidable. 🥶
Day 4 (DDRD 3,072) March 30, 2026)
Read to page 195. So one more day ought to do it. This book has been such a disappointment, though. It's more about yesterday's umbrella than tomorrow's rain.
Day 5 (DDRD 3,073) March 31, 2026)
Read to page 244, The End.
The last 16 pages ("Conclusion") are more what I thought this book would be about. Also, surprisingly topical, mentioning events from 2025. But all in all this book was not worth five of my reading days, so make it worth my while and give it a skip. That way I'll feel that I have not read in vain.
No comments:
Post a Comment