No criticism on LeMay, USA did prevail. We aren’t perfect and there’s no certainty. On the other hand, to paraphrase from Rust Cohle of True Detective, the world needs bad men like us to keep the other bad men from the door. I am not cynical, it all plays into my self interests. lol and pass the peanuts.
Chas,
Don’t misunderstand me. LeMay was a hard and difficult man who did horrible things in service of what he thought was a greater good. He cared deeply about his men, and when the war was over, worked tirelessly to help Japan rebuild their Air Force to the point that he was honored by their government. One interesting thing the book noted was that a Japanese government official actually thanked him for being so terrible because it stopped a land invasion and precluded the Soviets participating in said invasion and partitioning the country like happened in Europe. LeMay killed hundreds of thousands of non-combatants - that is a fact; however he did that because he truly believed that he was saving lives by making the war shorter. 20-20 hindsight and modern morality see the horror and indict him, perhaps justifiably. But he wasn’t entirely unfeeling; remember, when he was in Europe and mandated long, straight bomb runs without evasive action, he led the first raid personally in the lead aircraft. Anyhow, sorry to go on so long.
Mike
EDIT - re-reading that, I didn’t mean that to sound as harsh as it came out, especially for @1cdfoley ; LeMay is someone I’m still trying to understand. He was a man of contradictions; extraordinarily anti-racist for his era (he is quoted as saying he was totally unconcerned with where a man came from or what race he was as long as he could do the job) he ran as Vice President to George Wallace. He firebombed Tokyo and killed untold Japanese civilians and then returned to Japan to rebuild their military. He’d send hundreds of men to their certain deaths yet had paintings of his two most costly missions in his foyer to remind him daily of their sacrifice. Strategic Air Command was based on a zero-failure standard and somehow he made that not only possible, but the culture people strived for because being in SAC meant being the best. He was gruff and coarse and his men loved him. People like that fascinate me. So, if I offended, I apologize.
md
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No need to apologize. Actually, I apologize for posting my humor. I was born in 1944, thus my comment on events serving my self interest. Well the war was shorten and Dad came home to procreate me. LOl, its only been downhill since then for me (Dad did go back for more War: Korea and Viet Nam). That is why I am probably fascinated by Kurt Vonnegut. To get back on topic, reading, I love this forum. I realize that there is infinitely more to our wonderful world than my self interests, shame on me, shame, shame.
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Took a break from the Trump bio “Confidence Man” and just finished this one. Not sure why I decided to read it, but it got great reviews, and it had a provocative title, and I remember her from when my kids were little and watched her on tv.
She didn’t really want to become an actor, but wanted to please her demanding, abusive mother. Well-written. Funny and sad, etc…
This is quite extraordinary so far. Surprisingly “Wow!” futurist in the way William Gisbon’s Neuromancer was when it came out in 1984. Though of course that…came out in 1984.
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One of my favorite authors, and only fiction I’ve read a second time.
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I picked this up on your reference. I am a third of the way thorough. Wonderfully intelligent writing.
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Really an amazing piece of both writing and imagination. Still shaking my head. I gather that not all of his work comes together as well as this does.
I read Gibson’s “classic” trilogy: Neuromancer, Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive.
I’ve always been interested in that “Matrix” cyberpunk genre of SciFi. I had heard of Miéville some time ago, but he fell of my radar. His list of books look very interesting, indeed. Time to hit the web for a stock of winter reading material.
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I am also impressed.
Reading this one next in the “musical lives” book series. Debussy certainly comes across as a quite entertaining and witty character, one I would have like to have met.
Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World
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Yeah, I have a copy. You need one?
Mike D
I’d like one yeah but it’s over $100 at a local bookstore.
Let me see if I can find mine and you can have it. Won’t be able to get to it until after the holidays though if you can wait.
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