Class Note 1965
Issue
July-August 2022
At our monthly class breakfasts in Hanover, Florida, and Lake George, New York, I’ve noticed that the conversations often turn to “Reading any good books?” I asked some participants for their suggestions.
Ken McGruther was first to respond. “As a lover of history I recommend two trilogies of World War II: Pacific Crucible, The Conquering Tide, Twilight of the Gods by Ian Toll (Pacific) and An Army at Dawn, Day of Battle, Guns at Last Light by Rick Atkinson (Europe). Ken added in his favorite novels, which are (in order) Gone with the Wind, The Virginian, All Quiet on the Western Front, and The Caine Mutiny. Dave Bush was next, coming up with another World War II choice in Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors by James Hornfischer. Dave also recommends anything by Bill Bryson, C.J. Box, or Michael Connelly (I would second all these choices). Mike Woodbury suggests any Dale Brown novel about Russian aggression, written three to 10 years ago, saying, “Very scary how accurate they appear now to current events—almost like Putin read them!”
Jim Griffiths reports, “In the past two years I’ve read all the historical fiction by Erik Larson and some by Ken Follett, as well as mystery fiction by Michael Connelly and M.C. Beaton. Incidentally, two of these authors were recommended by fellow ’65s at our monthly breakfasts.” Mark Sheingorn highly recommends White Freedom by Tyler Stovall, tracing the complex relationship between freedom and race. Mike Zare chipped in from Florida with Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, noting, “Probably not permissible in my home state schools.” Bob McConnaughey came up with Go with Me by Castle Freeman Jr., Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, Where the Rivers Flow North by Howard Frank Mosher, and A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean, class of 1924. Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Steve Horvath. His home library may require an entire future column; my skimpy word allowance from DAM just doesn’t allow it here.
We have lost Ted Bracken and Tom Simone. See www.biggreen65.com for further details.
—Bob Murphy,7 Willow Spring Lane, Hanover, NH 03755, (603) 643-5589; murph65nh@comcast.net
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Ken McGruther was first to respond. “As a lover of history I recommend two trilogies of World War II: Pacific Crucible, The Conquering Tide, Twilight of the Gods by Ian Toll (Pacific) and An Army at Dawn, Day of Battle, Guns at Last Light by Rick Atkinson (Europe). Ken added in his favorite novels, which are (in order) Gone with the Wind, The Virginian, All Quiet on the Western Front, and The Caine Mutiny. Dave Bush was next, coming up with another World War II choice in Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors by James Hornfischer. Dave also recommends anything by Bill Bryson, C.J. Box, or Michael Connelly (I would second all these choices). Mike Woodbury suggests any Dale Brown novel about Russian aggression, written three to 10 years ago, saying, “Very scary how accurate they appear now to current events—almost like Putin read them!”
Jim Griffiths reports, “In the past two years I’ve read all the historical fiction by Erik Larson and some by Ken Follett, as well as mystery fiction by Michael Connelly and M.C. Beaton. Incidentally, two of these authors were recommended by fellow ’65s at our monthly breakfasts.” Mark Sheingorn highly recommends White Freedom by Tyler Stovall, tracing the complex relationship between freedom and race. Mike Zare chipped in from Florida with Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, noting, “Probably not permissible in my home state schools.” Bob McConnaughey came up with Go with Me by Castle Freeman Jr., Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, Where the Rivers Flow North by Howard Frank Mosher, and A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean, class of 1924. Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Steve Horvath. His home library may require an entire future column; my skimpy word allowance from DAM just doesn’t allow it here.
We have lost Ted Bracken and Tom Simone. See www.biggreen65.com for further details.
—Bob Murphy,7 Willow Spring Lane, Hanover, NH 03755, (603) 643-5589; murph65nh@comcast.net