John Reed

1919

---

An eye-witness account of the Bolshevik takeover of the Russian Revolution. Perhaps too detailed for anything except reference, but fascinating as a counterpoint to the more accepted (and Bolshevik-defined) history of their rise as a steady, inevitable, unanimous undertaking by the people. Here there are disagreements, armed struggles, and dissent from within the workers' Soviets and unions.

It's also notable that there's (as far as I can tell) exactly one mention of Stalin, as People's Commissar for Nationalities, again underlining the degree of re-writing of history that took place later. Stalin is far from being a prominent individual, or even a serious leader in the early days of what became the Soviet Union, and his later ascendancy is entirely unheralded in his early actions.

3/5. Finished 01 January 2022.

(Originally published on Goodreads.)

James Joyce

1914

---

Short tales of turn-of-the-century Dublin, but capturing the essence of Ireland and urban life. The stories are loosely linked, with a main character in one appearing in a walk-on part in another (and some later do the same in Ulysses): but they stand alone in terms of style and subject matter. Joyce's ability to look inside someone's head is on full display, especially vivd when expressing their disappointments or fears at their own failings.

The strongest story (and the best-known) is certainly The dead, an exploration of alienation and social concern through the medium of a musical soirée rolling into a remembrance of a past love tied up with a husband's jealousy and passion.

But Dublin itself is also a character, especially if one knows the streets and even the shops visited and alluded to – many of which remain intact a century later. It's amazing that a set of stories focusing strongly on their human characters' interactions can also evoke the city so strongly.

5/5. Finished 27 December 2021.

(Originally published on Goodreads.)

Beth Macy

2018

---

A personal but very balanced history of how the opioid epidemic erupted in Appalachia, drawing heavily on the authors' experiences in her home town of Roanoke, VA.

It's a story that starts with drug company malfeasance, and I expected that to be the core of the story – but it's really only the start, as the impact of available prescription painkillers triggers an avalanche of users switching to heroin and then to fentanyl, with each change of drug generating fresh overdoses. There's a fascinating change in the dynamic between healthcare and law enforcement as the user population changes and the drugs invade more affluent areas, as well as being an indictment of America's very disjointed and vey much for-profit healthcare system. Many of the treatments that are available are snarled in a culture-wars debate about the "rightness" different approaches, entirely divorced from the evidence. It's also interesting (and somewhat terrifying) to understand exactly how many pathways there are to addiction, how many "gateway" drugs there can be, and how social pressures can prevent many people from seeking treatment even if it's readily available. Very sobering.

5/5. Finished 23 December 2021.

(Originally published on Goodreads.)

Tim Parks

2020

---

A tale of Italian life, and especially Italian academic life. I've seen this as an outsider, and recognise some of the terms and issues described: it'd be fascinating to hear an Italian academic's view too.

The story goes well beyond academia, though, to the things that make Italy both a wonderful and damaging culture: the impact of tight families and high expectations, especially for people moving from the south (Puglia and Basilicata) to the north (Milan, Bologna). Many of the themes have equivalents in other places, especially Ireland, but the differences in perception are often hard to decode as an outsider, and this book was often like listening-in on episodes that I've seen but not understood.

4/5. Finished 02 December 2021.

(Originally published on Goodreads.)