Memoirs of an Arabian Princess from Zanzibar - Emily Ruete

I'd like to say I picked this book on purpose to read, but honestly, it was an accident. I was going to pick up one of my print books, but I knew I had a couple doctor appointments coming up, so I wanted something on my Kindle. My finger tapped on this one accidentally, and I decided I would go ahead and read it. Don't get me wrong, I planned on reading it eventually, maybe just not this soon.

Emily was born in Zanzibar as Sayyida Salama bint Said in 1844. In this book, she mostly talks about the way her people live and how it differs from life in Germany. She also tells stories from her childhood and early adult life, focusing on her life in Zanzibar. Eventually, she married a German man and moved to Germany, but she did return to her homeland one more time before her death in 1924.

I found this book to be really interesting. I think it would be the most beneficial if you were creating characters for a book and your setting was this time period and this particular place. The author is very thorough and covers a wide range of subjects. She covers everything from a day in her life to holidays she observed and what she ate and wore. If you have any interest in this place during this time period, I highly recommend this book. You'll learn a lot. Good Book!

The Master Mummer - E. Phillips Oppenheim

I wanted some help finding my fiction. This time, I went to my younger daughter and asked for her opinion. The moment she saw the title, she picked this book for me to read. She had no idea what a mummer was, but it sounded amazing to her, so I downloaded a copy and started reading. And just in case you didn't know (which I wasn't sure), a mummer is an actor.

Okay, so I can't give you much about the plot of this book because the facts are slowly revealed throughout the story itself. I will say a bit about the beginning. An author is looking to tell a story that's different from what he usually writes. He lives with two other bachelors, and one of them recommends he observe real people so he can write about them. Arnold heads off to the train station and meets a man. Together, they see a young woman who seems terrified of the man she's with. Soon the two men find themselves in a position to do something about it.

I really did enjoy this book, but I did have a slight issue with the three bachelors. It took me a while to keep them apart. Their names are Allan, Arnold and Arthur. Mostly, it was Arnold and Arthur. Their names were just too similar. Other than that, the book was pretty entertaining.

I loved the way the identity of the girl is revealed little by little throughout the book. It isn't all revealed in one big moment, it's little bits here and there. I thanked my daughter for picking a winner, and I might ask her again in the future. Good Book!

Happy Odyssey - Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart

I have many autobiographies waiting for me, but this one shot to the top of the list when I listened to Sabaton's newest single release, The Unkillable Soldier, and realized it was about this incredible man.

If you want the short story, this man survived 3 wars and was shot multiple times. When I say multiple, I'm not saying once or twice. Not only did he lose his left eye, he was shot in various body parts and always went back for more. He was a POW, survived plane crashes and had his own set of pajamas in his room at the hospital where they knew him well. Seriously, just look him up and be amazed at what the man went through.

He's famous for saying in these memoirs, "Frankly, I had enjoyed the war." At first, this may seem to raise some red flags. Did he enjoy the killing? I don't think so. His memoir focuses mostly on the people that he served with. He barely mentions his injuries. They're in there as another part of his journey. He mentions so many people by name that I find it amazing. In the preface, he mentions that he may have things out of order since he never kept a diary. For goodness sake, he didn't plan on writing his memoirs until he broke his back and didn't think he'd be able to walk again! His memory is spectacular!

There may be a fine line between insanity and bravery, but I don't believe that Carton de Wiart was insane, nor do I think he was a murder-hungry man. I think he enjoyed the camaraderie that came with war. He judged men fairly, no matter what side they were on. The only time he mentions any sadistic tendencies was removing snails from their garden while he was a POW. Other than that, he criticizes or praises men and women whether they be his ally or not. He also enjoyed solitude at times, but he was drawn to sportsmanship. He has a whole chapter about the house he had in Poland where he would hunt and observe the habits of the local birds.

This was one of the better autobiographies I've read. I loved his humor and his honesty. I think the most amazing thing is that he lived to the age of 83. Any one of these injuries would've probably knocked me out of anything for good, but this man never quit. Good Book!

The Hour of the Dragon - Robert E. Howard

It was time for a fiction book, and I wanted to give some sci-fi another shot. I went to gutenberg.org and typed in science fiction. After sifting past the more popular (and recognizable) titles, I came across this book. It had an interesting title, but I went in completely blind. There will be spoilers in this review, so just be aware of that.

Four men have found a magic MacGuffin that raises a 3000-year-old wizard to help them conquer the world. The wizard has his own plans, and when one of the enemy kings is saved, it starts a sequence of events that leads to the downfall of them all. 

I think my favorite part of the book had nothing to do with Conan (the king) or the wizard. Right before the final battle, a man appears in the enemy camp offering to betray Conan to them. Instead, he leads them into a foggy area where they are ambushed. They way that chapter was written was really good, and even though Tiberius died, he laughed his way into the grave knowing he'd accomplished his mission.

Now on to my least favorite part of the book. Most of it is dedicated to Conan tracking down the MacGufffin. Sure at times there's action, and him travelling around the countryside builds his army when people realize he's alive, but other than that, the wizard is not a threat. He's a threat at the beginning of the story, and that's about it. Sure, he kills someone here and there in his own camp, but Conan is far away.

This one taught me that I need to do at least a bit of research before I make that final selection of what to read. Since I don't consider this a science fiction book, I didn't accomplish the goal I set for myself. I wouldn't call this a terrible book, but it isn't something I'm sure I would recommend, either. I mean, if you're going to build up a final showdown between the wizard and the warrior, it's kind of a letdown when they don't even see each other.

Eastern Approaches - Fitzroy Maclean

I picked this book because I was intrigued by a "real-life James Bond" and hearing his exploits in his own words. I had to get this one as a paperback since it's not available for my Kindle. 

Fitzroy Maclean was a resourceful man who started out in Russia, made his way to Central Asia (by his own smarts and quick thinking at times), then headed off to Northern Africa and finally to Yugoslavia to connect with the mysterious Tito during WWII.

The summary for this book makes the claim that Maclean is a real-life inspiration for the character of James Bond, and after reading his memoir, I can see why. He tells his story in an engaging way, and he doesn't overstate his role. He's charming enough to get along with almost anyone he meets, and he can get out of tight spots.

I can see where some would be a little put off by the writing. It's not all action and adventure. It's somewhat long at 532 pages, and some of the descriptions can be a bit tiring. His writing style has an edge of humor at times that made me smile, and I really enjoyed the accounts from the other side of him parachuting in with a Kodak and a pipe.

This is going to be another one of those books that I will mourn that there isn't a digital version. What a pity if it should be lost or someone who wants to read it can't get access to it because it's out of print. Good Book! 

Three movies that piqued my interest...

Lately, I've had the chance to see some really good movies on a variety of streaming services. I've also seen some pretty strange stuff, but we won't talk about that. I'm going to briefly mention three here without saying too much, but all three are based on true stories and led me to look more into what inspired the movies. I think all three are worth watching, so if you've got the time and one sounds interesting, why not give it a watch? I'm listing them here in alphabetical order.

The Courier - Amazon Prime

Benedict Cumberbatch portrays Greville Wynne, a salesman who gets wrapped up in the spy game during the Cold War. It isn't what he's used to, and it has long-lasting effects on his life. The end almost had me in tears. There is real footage of Wynne at the end, and it made me smile.

Munich: The Edge of War - Netflix

I wasn't expecting too much from this one. This is set before the breakout of WWII. The main event is the Munich Conference in 1938. One man has come into possession of a document that he wants to get to the English Prime Minister, and he needs a former friend's help. Even knowing how things would turn out with the Conference itself, I still felt tense wondering what would happen to the two men. This one surprised me in a good way and was well worth my time!

The Train - Tubi

My daughter has found some "interesting" stuff on this free streaming service, and so have I, but I've also found some stuff that's totally been worth watching. This movie was one of them. It's from 1964, so it's black & white and over two hours. That made me a bit wary, but it was really good. It's about the French Resistance in WWII trying to stop a train full of precious paintings from leaving France when the Allies are days away from reclaiming Paris. It's not one of those movies where everyone makes it out alive, so don't get too attached to the characters. This one is based on a book by Rose Valland, a real Resistance member who saved many works of art. I'd never heard of this movie, but it's a hidden gem that I am glad I watched!