Review: D-Day: Minute by Minute

This is the story of D-Day, the beginning of the end of WWII, from different accounts throughout that momentous day.

There are a great many books (many still being written today) about WWII and especially D-Day. I’m glad this is the one I picked up. As it says in the title this is a minute by minute account of that fateful day. It is not an historical narrative. Though a unique format, it works very well.

The story follows quite a few participants, organizers, civilians, and even quotes from Anne Frank’s diary. One might think this different format may force the reader to struggle to experience the horror and dreadfulness of the day. But that would be wrong. There are several perspectives shared that have you taking deep breaths to continue reading.

What makes this book so good is the German perspectives throughout. Because at the end of it all their perspectives are also worthy of being known and shared. The chaos, the confusion, the desperation, and even the realization that the war could not be won. The author gives all of that from the Germans.

After reading this I may look into a more traditionally written account of D-Day, but I don’t feel it’s at all necessary if I decide not to.

A unique and gripping account of mankind’s greatest day. 5 stars.

On this day in 2020 – 0 books
On this day in 2021 – 3 books

Help me Name a Character

Back in October when I first returned to the blog I wrote about wanting to write again. I’ve been thinking about it these last 3 months, but still no planning or outlining. There’s no rush. More recently I’ve been thinking much more about the character I want to create.

I know no one has been here since the beginning, but when I first decided to start this blog it was called “Write me a Book, John!”. I still love that name. I created it to document my writing. It was a new, fun experience I’m glad I had. Then the blog went through multiple years of rather exponential growth. I couldn’t keep up with the comments and likes and notifications. But then things fell back to earth because I’ve had several periods of not posting. But now I’m back into the swing of things and let’s get back to the origins.

I’ve been brainstorming character names. I know everyone has their own process and some may search for specific meaning in a name. I don’t. When coming up with a name I mostly go off the sound of it. Which is how I landed on Andrew Banks nearly 8 years ago. Right now I know 2 things for sure. I want the name to be Hispanic and male. The one I keep circling back to is Joe Alvarez. But I’m not convinced. What do you think? What’s your process for coming up with a name?

New Video: Why I Read

Have you ever asked yourself why you do something? I asked myself why the heck I read and this video is part of that answer! Even if you don’t feel like watching, I want to know why you read!

Fire, Fire, Fire

Y’all. If you haven’t thought about what you’d take when escaping a fire, then what are you doing? 😂

But really, it almost happened last night. I’m watching TV on my couch after work and I hear that blaring fire alarm sound we all know. So I jump into action. I got some trash bags and started throwing my books in. Wasn’t thinking about which ones or which authors, I was just focused on any of them.

After making it through maybe 50 books, I started hearing people laugh outside and the alarm had stopped. So I stopped. There’s nothing else I own that I’d care to take. Nothing else. What about you?

New Video: Why I Never Reread Books

This is a fun topic for me because I always feel like everyone is against me, but that’s okay! I’m standing my ground and fighting y’all off! Ha. Watch and tell me what you think!

I’ve Hit the Wall

I’ve been really open about my reading slumps. I always know one is lurking just around the corner. It doesn’t matter how much or how little I’m reading. There will always be periods during which I simply will not read. I’m in the midst of my first one of 2019 right now.

I’ve finished one book in the last month. Even knowing this I just haven’t had the desire to read recently. My current book is on my coffee table. A few nights ago I started it and only read about 30 pages before deciding to sleep. I haven’t picked it up since.

I don’t have a plan or something specific I do when this happens. And y’all know that sometimes one of my reading slumps can spread out over multiple years. I don’t think that’ll be the case this time around. Here’s to hoping it isn’t.

What do you do when you experience a reading slumps?

A Kinda Sorta (Most Definitely) Review of Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep

Spoilers ahead (but who cares, it was published 80 years ago.)

It happened again. I may need to lay off books published before 1970 because clearly I have issues with just about every one I read.

I decided to read this after playing around online and looking up detectives I’d never read before. It didn’t hurt that Raymond Chandler is something of an icon in mystery circles. But, oh boy.

Philip Marlowe is a PI in LA. The book was published in the 1930s, so I guess the assumption is that it takes place during the same period. There are a number of mentions of prohibition. He’s hired by a rich guy who’s getting blackmailed.

I’m going to start with some of the positives:

NONE.

I’m not exaggerating or trying to be silly. There is nothing I can point to in this book that I really enjoyed. But don’t get me started on the negatives.

The writing style made me want to claw my eyes out. How many times can one person say “you’re cute” in a single work? My goodness. No creativity whatsoever.

There are two women who have prominent roles in the story and both of them (they’re sisters) separately are throwing themselves at Marlowe. Ugh. But he’s got the moral compass of Jesus and takes neither of them up on their offer.

Multiple times during the story he slaps women across the face.

There is absolutely no action throughout the story. I kept thinking at some point something would have to happen. Nope.

Twice he went into bad situations without a weapon of any kind against fully armed guys. And twice he got out just fine. Okay, fucking Zeus.

His wit and humor are awful. He’s not funny. Clearly he influenced later detectives, but they’re much better written.

Everyone was smoking the whole book. I have cancer now.

I rated it a 2 star read, and it was just above 1984 and Fahrenheit 451. Honestly, it was shaping up to be a 1 star rating from me until the last 5 pages or so.

Definitely do not recommend to any reader, ever. I can come up with several modern detectives much more intriguing than this bozo.

Another New To Me Author

I started my 10th book of the year last night and it’s by another new to me author. It’s the 4th one so far this year. There’s no way I can stay on that kind of pace of reading new authors. Can I?

I get in my head a bit because when I start a new book I’m excited, no matter what. But when it’s written by someone I’m not familiar with there’s an extra level of intrigue. But there’s also the thought of “what if I don’t like something everyone else seems to love”. I know it’s silly, but I’m not the only one thinking it. I mean, there are plenty of titles coming to mind as I write this I simply did not enjoy.

How often do you start reading a new author for the first time?

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New Video! Why You Should Never Lend Out Your Books

I know I disappeared last week. I had something come up and it basically took over my thoughts for the week. I didn’t even read. But it’s okay. We’re all still here, right?

Even with other things consuming my thoughts I decided I would not let it stop me from uploading a new video. I know no one really watches, but I enjoy the process of creating something not entirely written. So, take a look and tell me what you think!

New Video! February 2019 Book Haul

I know what you’re thinking. Didn’t I JUST post one of these videos recently? Well, yes. But everyone knows one can never have too many books! Right? RIGHT? Anyway, I picked up a few more books recently from my local HPB because they gave me a bed in back where I sleep now. Ha.

Also, special shoutout to Die a Stranger by Steve Hamilton, The Little Sister by Raymond Chandler, and You by Caroline Kepnes. I bought all of these over the weekend and I already had the video edited and uploaded. Whoops.

Now watch and tell me which books you’ve picked up recently!