What are you reading now? (Chapter 2)

[Sean Hayden]

and

[macdoc]

Insanely intense

James Cameron is developing a film titled "Ghosts of Hiroshima", based on Charles R. Pellegrino's book, which tells the stories of survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings. This will be Cameron's first non-Avatar movie in nearly 30 years, focusing on the human perspective of the events and the story of individuals who survived both bombings, notably Tsutomu Yamaguchi. The project is described as his most challenging, aiming for a visceral and spiritual portrayal of the nuclear events from a Japanese viewpoint.

The Book & Inspiration:
"Ghosts of Hiroshima" by Charles R. Pellegrino: was published on August 5, 2025, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing.

Pellegrino, a science consultant for Cameron on Titanic and Avatar, researched the book with firsthand accounts from survivors.

Cameron was inspired by the book's stories and a personal pledge to a survivor of both bombings, Tsutomu Yamaguchi.

The Film Project:
Director:
James Cameron.

Focus:
The film will be a human-centric narrative, adapting the survivors' accounts rather than creating fictional characters.

Story:
It centers on the true stories of individuals, particularly Tsutomu Yamaguchi, who survived the bombing of Hiroshima and later, the bombing of Nagasaki.

[macdoc]

Looks good, starts out in Toronto ....well regarded and there is a TV series.

[macdoc]

Good science and fascinating tales
Learned a lot

[Brian Peacock]

Just finished reading all of Anne Leckie's books. Well worth a punt - if you're into that sort of thing.

[Svartalf]

Well, I still have concentration trouble, so I'm dispersing myself over several books.
a) the Best of Robert Howard : a collection of a choice of his stories and poetry, it does hold some stuff I didn't know, which is why I bought it
b) Western : a comprehensive collection of Robert Howard's Western stuff, of which I knew only the Weird West part until now
c) Sorcery Against Caesar : a collection of short stories set in the first century AD that mix Cthulhu mythos stuff (oh gosh, the references of the author can be ponderous at times) and classic swords and sorcery
d) the Xothic Cycle : a collection of lin carter's Cthulhu stuff, which I'll use to decide if the guy was a complete hack unable to write anything worth reading, or if his hack stuff was mostly confined to his writing on borrowed IP, like the crap he commited around Conan.

[Tero]

I have some history books to finish. Related to the class I gave. Not teaching it, but events just after our class material: War of the roses. Thin book by Ed West. Humorous at times. Now i know Henry Tudor.

[macdoc]

Just finished read all of Anne Leckie's books. Well worth a punt - if you're into that sort of thing.

Like her tho seem to recall there was bit of same same to series....don't think I've read them all tho.

[Brian Peacock]

Just finished read all of Anne Leckie's books. Well worth a punt - if you're into that sort of thing.

Like her tho seem to recall there was bit of same same to series....don't think I've read them all tho.

I read them in order, and while the themes are similar between books, and the plots are somewhat linked, she's very good at character, dialogue and a kind of forensic dissection of certain cultural emblems.

[macdoc]

Don't get me wrong ...I quite liked the books and read the first trilogy.

[macdoc]

2025 Hugo winner...

reminds me of China Miéville and Peridido Station terrific unique world building and a cool detective story.

[macdoc]

Just finished Hail Mary on Audible....brilliant, funny, can't wait for the movie.

[Tero]

Coming on Sarurday, Ed West book that gives game of Thrones back ground. iron fire and ice.

Michael Petras
4.0 out of 5 stars Lots of interesting historical factoids. Lots of parallels between GOT and English history.
Reviewed in Canada on September 21, 2020
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Interesting read. Lots of interesting historical factoids. Lots of parallels between GOT and English history. Recommended for GOT fans. I would never have thought of dragons being similar to gunpowder.

I cannot watch Game of Thrones even to get some idea of it. Without a lot of work shopping for streaming. Or phones. If I change phone plans to pay 130 a month instead of 117 a month, I get the streaming for 10 dollars a month.

Mr Jones also liked it. But he likes to brag.

P.Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars Full of unknown to me historic facts
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2019
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
This is one of the best books I have ever read and I have read more than 2000 in my life. It is packed with amazing and little known facts concerning the early history of Europe so the book should be a real treat to anyone interested in history and the struggles of Europe as a continent from 7000 BC to present day

[Tero]

I have shelved a book I started to read as mainly a reference book. I have a class to give in January so will keep it for that.
Christendom Destroyed: Europe 1517-1648 (The Penguin History of Europe) Paperback – November 10, 2015

The book is part of a series that I have read two books from. Otherwise the Christendom in the title is a bit misleading and I would not have noticed the book. The point of the book that revolves around the 30-years war and the Peace of Augsburg that had tried to resolve the religion issue are indeed covered in a large number of the chapters. But for this era, there were a number of developments that get a little less emphasis here. The Renaissance and its independent thinking did seem to separate religion, or put it aside as we view the world in material terms.

It is mostly about trends and the meaning of the changes in this era, as opposed to the wars themselves. The 30 years war is there but no that much in detail.

The next volume is The Pursuit of Glory: The Five Revolutions that Made Modern Europe. Decided to skip that as it really does not focus well on the Napoleonic wars. It again is similar, describing farms, famines, peoples.

I have the volume on order that is titled The Pursuit of Power. France no longer was as much central in the story, and we should see more of a focus on Prussia and Russia prior to WWI.

If these books are too wordy for you, just read Wiliam Woodruff's A Concise History of the Modern World. It covers enough of the story of Europe to get it in a hundred pages of reading.

Someone else

2.0 out of 5 stars I don't like to give negative reviews
Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2014
A generous two stars here. Sigh. I don't like to give negative reviews.

Mr. Grenngrass needs an editor or six. This is a very VERY hard book to read. Sentence after sentence I have to reread, saying, "What is he referring to? What does that adjective or verb mean in this context?" And he uses the passive voice too often.

[macdoc]

Not my usual fare