What are you reading now?

[Jim05]

Half way through the Chairman's Lounge by Joe Aston

Should have been named: The Leprechaun that killed Bambi"

I’ve read it and was fortunate to get early access to some of it and TBH there wasn’t much in there that many of us in the industry didn’t know and certainly no earth shattering new revelations. Was a bit disappointed that Joe couldn’t put his agenda aside and embellished the truth on a few things but I guess that’s just creative journalism. Probably a 7/10 for me

[Jimmy_041]

Half way through the Chairman's Lounge by Joe Aston

Should have been named: The Leprechaun that killed Bambi"

I’ve read it and was fortunate to get early access to some of it and TBH there wasn’t much in there that many of us in the industry didn’t know and certainly no earth shattering new revelations. Was a bit disappointed that Joe couldn’t put his agenda aside and embellished the truth on a few things but I guess that’s just creative journalism. Probably a 7/10 for me

You're on the inside so that's not unusual
For those of us that had to endure Qantas over the past 10 years - it explains a lot
The lies they told to avoid paying back money or giving us back the flight credits after Covid were bordering on criminal
Unfortunately, the ACCC settled for $100m (which I suspect they regard as the best result for them).
They should have pursued them - down to the execs involved.

As Aston wrote: Joyce probably expected that his history should be taught in business schools - just not what will be taught.

As for Goyder and Sampson............
I have just read through the Goyder Qantas and AFL CEO replacement chapter.
Also. quite magnanimous of Sampson to say: "his experience would help repair the airline's damaged brand and reputation" when he presided over it.

[DOC]

Been reading Chris Hammer and Garry Disher books. Both superb Aussie authors. Disher is a South Aussie and it shows in his books. All a good read.

[mighty_tiger_79]

Listened to Shawshank Redemption last week at work

[DOC]

Listened to Shawshank Redemption last week at work

I don’t think many would guess after watching the film that the book was by Stephen King.

[wenchbarwer]

Listened to Shawshank Redemption last week at work

I don’t think many would guess after watching the film that the book was by Stephen King.

Really? Never knew that

[mighty_tiger_79]

Gonna start the audiobook Lincoln Lawyer tomorrow.
Love the movie.

[DOC]

I’ve read The Crossing and Dark Sacred Night by the same author, Michael Connelly.

Really enjoyed them

[Jimmy_041]

Armageddon: A Novel of Berlin

Leon Uris

Compelling reading

[DOC]

Armageddon: A Novel of Berlin

Leon Uris

Compelling reading

Is that a reread for you?

[wenchbarwer]

Armageddon: A Novel of Berlin

Leon Uris

Compelling reading

Looks good, I'm after a new book too

[Jimmy_041]

Armageddon: A Novel of Berlin

Leon Uris

Compelling reading

Is that a reread for you?

It's book I started but left in the beach house last year
I read ~170 pages then but I'm almost finished this time - its a very good history lesson via fiction
The Russians did some pretty terrible $hit but so had the Germans to them

I've also got Berlin: the downfall 1945 by Antony Beevor which I'll read next

[wenchbarwer]

Armageddon: A Novel of Berlin

Leon Uris

Compelling reading

Is that a reread for you?

It's book I started but left in the beach house last year
I read ~170 pages then but I'm almost finished this time - its a very good history lesson via fiction
The Russians did some pretty terrible $hit but so had the Germans to them

I've also got Berlin: the downfall 1945 by Antony Beevor which I'll read next

That's a great book, the Russians certainly gave back as good as they got, and then some...

Stalingrad is also a brilliant read of his.

[Pseudo]

Armageddon: A Novel of Berlin

Leon Uris

Compelling reading

Is that a reread for you?

It's book I started but left in the beach house last year
I read ~170 pages then but I'm almost finished this time - its a very good history lesson via fiction
The Russians did some pretty terrible $hit but so had the Germans to them

I've also got Berlin: the downfall 1945 by Antony Beevor which I'll read next

That's a great book, the Russians certainly gave back as good as they got, and then some...

Stalingrad is also a brilliant read of his.

Anything of Beevor's is worthwhile.

[Kahuna]

Sniper.jpg (35.24 KiB) Viewed 12823 times

The Winter Sniper by James Mullins.

Saw this advertised on Facebook and sounded right up my alley. Book one of a trilogy, I pulled the trigger on it with the view to reloading with the other two depending on the calibre of this one. (see what I did there?). I do like a decent war story and have read many, both fact and fiction and can say without a shadow of doubt this is the absolute worst one I have ever read. Premise sounds good, young backwoods Finnish lad steps up to defend his country against the Russian horde in WW2. Would of been good if the hero (Hale) had become a casualty early in the piece, say after 3 or 4 pages. A short essay on heroic but tragic sacrifice. Sadly author James Mullins didn't see it that way.



**Warning, some spoilers below**



The writing is extremely repetitive and unimaginative, uses phrases that belong to another era or genre, (no one is killed, they are slain by Hale, Hale slays them etc). Author apparently wrote historical novels according to the bio. For a bloke who also claims decades in the military, he must of missed all the lectures regarding firearms. Hale uses a Mosin , his own hunting rifle. This is cause for much merriment and derision from his comrades until he points out "it has been fitted with an upgrade kit to bring it up to military standard". This appeases his critics and there is no more said about the matter. He doesn't use a scope either. Doesn't need one, hell of a shot he is. Head shoots the pilot of a strafing aircraft closing at over 400mph. Took him three shots though, so maybe not all that good. Reloads his rifle with stripper clips "smiles and slams it home" every time. Reloads with bullets, not rounds or cartridges. Resupplies by stripping slain Russians of bullets which he places in a bag. Reloads all his clips from the bag and smiles again when he has thirty bullets left over. Still smiling, thinks the thirty "look about the right size" to fit his looted sub machine gun.



Not unusual in this genre to devote some space to recognising the dehumanising effect war has on previously innocent backwoods lads. Mr Mullins remembered this plot device from his Dummies Guide to Being an Author. Hale's mum laments the loss of her son's innocence for a page or two before we thankfully get back to slamming, slaying and smiling. Romance too, oh the sweetness among the mayhem..........Treated by a nurse for a minor wound, Hale smiles as "he got instantly lost in her eyes". thankfully managed to find a way out only to encounter his girlfriend while at home to convalesce and "got instantly lost in her eyes" as well. You're doing it wrong,Hale, old mate.



Family values run strong through this story, defence of kith and kin and all that. We get to see this when Hale's grandad is heroically slain during an altercation with some Russian home invaders. Holding grandad in such high regard they all smilingly decide to give him a decent burial despite the impending visit by the Russian Commissar (the one with bad teeth, stinking of garlic and vodka, no well worn tropes here) accompanied by a truck full of unsmiling soldiers and an armoured vehicle or two. Upon arrival, said Commissar enquires as to the nature of the hump in the driveway. After a quick recce it is confirmed the hump is the resting place of someone's grandad. This gives the Commissar pause for thought and the reveal of the cliffhanger setup for the next book.



I won't be reading it.

[mighty_tiger_79]

It's a pity you pulled the trigger on it

[Jimmy_041]

Sniper.jpg

The Winter Sniper by James Mullins.

Saw this advertised on Facebook and sounded right up my alley. Book one of a trilogy, I pulled the trigger on it with the view to reloading with the other two depending on the calibre of this one. (see what I did there?). I do like a decent war story and have read many, both fact and fiction and can say without a shadow of doubt this is the absolute worst one I have ever read. Premise sounds good, young backwoods Finnish lad steps up to defend his country against the Russian horde in WW2. Would of been good if the hero (Hale) had become a casualty early in the piece, say after 3 or 4 pages. A short essay on heroic but tragic sacrifice. Sadly author James Mullins didn't see it that way.

There is a similar Finnish film being done this year about a sniper: Häyhä

Is it related?

[Kahuna]

There is a similar Finnish film being done this year about a sniper: Häyhä

Is it related?

Doesn't look like it. Movie is about a real person, looks like it could be worth a watch. Thanks for the heads up.

[Jimmy_041]

There is a similar Finnish film being done this year about a sniper: Häyhä

Is it related?

Doesn't look like it. Movie is about a real person, looks like it could be worth a watch. Thanks for the heads up.

There are some really good Finnish war movies

The Winter War (Finnish: Talvisota) (On SBS)
Tali-Ihantala 1944
The Unknown Soldier (Finnish: Tuntematon sotilas)
Sisu

Plenty of great Danish & Norwegian ones as well

[wenchbarwer]

There is a similar Finnish film being done this year about a sniper: Häyhä

Is it related?

Doesn't look like it. Movie is about a real person, looks like it could be worth a watch. Thanks for the heads up.

It'd be this bloke then - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4