THE SHOWMAN: THE INSIDE STORY OF THE INVASION THAT SHOOK THE WORLD AND MADE A LEADER OUT OF VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY by Simon Shuster

February 12, 2024February 12, 2024szfreiberger Biography Leave a comment

Working trip of the President of Ukraine to Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad and Cherkasy regions

(Ukrainian President Zelensky visting troops at the front)

As the war grinds on in Ukraine, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson remains adamant that he will not bring to the House floor for a vote a bi-partisan bill negotiated by Democratic and Republican senators that would provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and funds to deal with the crisis at our southern border. It seems that Donald Trump has instructed the Speaker on how to proceed with the legislation because if it passed it would provide President Biden a political victory during our election season. The fact that Ukraine is slowly running out of munitions and weapons has no impact on the MAGA world as its goal is to re-elect former President Trump and the consequences be damned. Vladimir Putin sits in the Kremlin with that cheshire smile on his face laughing on the inside as he observes the political chaos in Congress and believes that anything that would return Trump to the White House would benefit Russia. The result is that he will drag the war of attrition out further in the hope of achieving that goal.

Meanwhile, frustration in Kyiv, NATO headquarters, European capitals, and Washington is reaching new heights as the Biden administration tries to cull a deal. The man responsible for leading the Ukrainian people, President Volodymyr Zelensky tries his best to convince House and Senate members of the crisis that will ensue in Europe and the threats it will create should Russia prevail. Zelensky is the key figure in the process and is the subject of Time magazine correspondent Simon Shuster’s new book THE SHOWMAN: THE INSIDE STORY OF THE INVASION THAT SHOOK THE WORLD AND MADE A LEADER OUT OF VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY which provides in intimate detail the story of Zelensky’s evolution from a professional comedian to a symbol of Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion of February 24, 2022 and how he has tried to rally western democracies to support his cause and bring about Russia’s defeat in Crimea and eastern Ukraine.

There are a number of important books concerning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Ukrainian history. Most recent are those by Yaroslav Hrytsak, Serhii Plokhy, Owen Matthews, Joshua Yaffa, Paul D’Anieri, Christopher M. Smith, Jade McGlynn, Luke Harding, and Christopher Miller. All are excellent monographs, but Shuster’s biography brings the life and actions of President Zelensky into greater focus than other authors.

Shuster offers an unparalleled look at what Zelensky, his wife Olena Zelenskaya, his two children, and the Ukrainian people experienced as the war drew closer, and the actual invasion and its consequences. Shuster zeroes in on Zelinsky’s decision making, tactics to try and invigorate and reassure the Ukrainian people, and the impact of the strategic approach taken by the Ukrainian military leadership. All aspects of the war are explored with many insights and airtight analysis.

Shuster does well in describing Zelensky’s rise from being an entertainer to a successful politician. Among the important points he makes focuses on the characteristics and talents of the comedic world and the entertainment business that Zelinsky developed over the years and how he employed them in his transition to politics. Many of the individuals who worked with him in his production company would find themselves as part of his “inner governing circle” once he assumed the presidency of Ukraine.

Local resident hugs a Ukrainian servicewoman after Russia's retreat from Kherson, in central Kherson

(The liberation of Kherson from Russian troops)

There are a number of interesting points that Shuster offers in dealing with Zelensky’s approach to Putin, the preparation of the domestic population for war, and the outbreak of war itself. For a long time Zelensky was under the delusion that he could deal with Putin on a one to one basis. He believed once he sat down with him he could rely on his personal persuasive talents to come to agreements with the former KGB operative. This reflects Zelensky’s naivete when it came to Putin. I am certain that Zelinsky was completely aware of Putin’s Pan Slavic beliefs, his mantra that Ukraine was part of Russia, not a separate country, and a modus operandi employing “little green men” in eastern Ukraine, Crimea. Zelensky did get his face to face with Putin and negotiations in 2019 which in the end were a failure. Prisoner swaps were agreed to but on issues of substance dating back to the Orange Revolution of 2014 there was no progress. Putin was inflexible, arguing there were no Russian troops in the Donbas region so Zelinsky’s goal of Russian troop withdrawal before any elections could take place was a non-starter.

Zelensky firmly believed that war could be avoided and did his best to prevent a furtherance of a conflict that began in 2014. He refused to accept American intelligence that the war was imminent. He was overly careful in making war preparations fearing he would scare the Ukrainian people, would harm the domestic economy as Ukraine was dependent upon Russia for gas and oil and a significant amount of investment would be lost, and lastly, it would send the wrong message to Putin fostering an invasion. Nationalists in the Ukrainian parliament opposed Zelensky’s stance arguing he was selling out to the Russians.

Ukrainian President Attends Wreath-Laying Ceremony At Tomb Of Unknown Soldier

(Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenskaya)

Shuster is correct in that Putin was a spy who believed in subterfuge as opposed to direct combat. A prime example is Putin’s relationship with Viktor Medvedchuk, a Ukrainian media billionaire who was Zelensky’s main political opponent. Medvedchuk’s relationship went back decades with Putin attending his wedding and was the godfather to his daughter. In reality Medvedchuk, a member of parliament, was Putin’s surrogate whose media empire attacked Zelensky repeatedly, particularly over his Covid vaccine policies as Putin’s “Trojan Horse.” As Zelensky’s popularity declined in 2019 and 2020 and Medvedchuk’s political party made gains in parliament, Putin came to believe that he could achieve his takeover of Ukraine by democratic means once his surrogate replaced Zelensky. This was not to be as Zelensky confiscated Medvedchuk’s assets which Shuster argues pushed Putin toward invasion and restore what he termed the “historical unity” between Russia and Ukraine.

Many wonder why Ukraine was able to push back the invasion within a few weeks. The key was the battle for Kyiv which was the most significant combat in Europe since World War II. Others have reflected on the idea that Russia relied on maps that dated to 1989, the fact that troops and certain commanders did not receive their orders until two days before the invasion, the Russian military did not train enough for the type of resistance it came upon, etc. But the keys as Shuster points out were the purchase of Bayraktars drones from Turkey which were successful against the long Russian columns of tanks, artillery, and other equipment and supplies. The appointment of Major-General Valery Zaluzhny as commander of Ukrainian forces as unlike senior Ukrainian officers he was not trained in the Soviet model of warfare, and he implemented a more offensive approach toward the Russians in the east. Now they could fire back, something they had been restrained from doing before Zaluzhny took command. Lastly, American satellite intelligence proved a boon to Ukrainian defense and offensive actions.

Valentyna Nechyporenko, 77, mourns at the grave of her 47-year-old son Ruslan, during his funeral at the cemetery in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Monday, April 18, 2022. Ruslan was killed by Russian army on March 17 while delivering humanitarian aid to his neighbours in the streets of Bucha.

(Results of Russian atrocities in Bucha)

Shuster describes the atrocities of Bucha in intimate detail, the key battle for Mariupol, the siege at the Azovstal Steel works and the fighting in Kyiv suburbs. He describes a leader who seemed to find himself and employ his communication talents once the invasion began. He kept pushing for American and European weaponry which in large part was successful as the war ground on. One of the key elements for war on Putin’s part was the weakening of NATO and blocking Ukrainian membership in the alliance. Putin’s goals backfired as Ukrainian military needs were met by the west. Kyiv gave up old Soviet military weapons and systems and integrated NATO equipment into its military arsenal. The more weapons that arrived and with the training of Ukrainian forces by NATO, more and more they became a western force. Further, to Putin’s anger, Finland and Sweden joined NATO increasing NATO’s presence on its 900 mile border with Finland. Putin’s response was vindictive bombing of civilians and threats of nuclear war.

(Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) arrive to attend a meeting on Ukraine with French President and German Chancelor at the Elysee Palace, on December 9, 2019 in Paris. – Russian president will for the first time hold formal talks with his Ukrainian counterpart over the conflict in Ukraine’s east, at a much-anticipated summit in Paris)

FRANCE-RUSSIA-GERMANY-UKRAINE-POLITICS-CONFLICT-DIPLOMACY

Shuster has not produced a work of hagiography as is seen by his commentary on prewar policies and digs around the corrupt oligarchs in Zelensky’s orbit. Despite this THE SHOWMAN is a portrait of a brave, inspirational, and bold leader who did not shy away from danger, visiting troops and combat areas to share in some way what his people were experiencing. Shuster, who has been reporting from Kyiv since 2009, relies a great deal on interviews with the most important players in the Ukrainian drama. He would interview Zelensky in 2019 as a presidential candidate and was able to become part of his inner circle and shadow him for the first year of the war. He points to Zelensky’s limited experience as a statesman who was able to gain the trust and support from the West employing “incessant repetition” of his demands through rhetoric, his personality, and commitment to his cause. Zelensky did resort to highhandedness at times which Shuster blames on the exigency of war, not any drive toward autocracy.

Zelensky’s transformation into a wartime leader was not predictable and he evolved turning the conflict into one the West would take ownership of. The problem is that as the war continues it seems the West might be losing interest, or “Ukraine fatigue,” as the Republican Congress threatens further military aid, and Donald Trump may appear on the horizon as President which would play into Putin’s hands. This fear was reaffirmed this weakened at a Trump political rally as the ex-president pontificated on NATO warning members that if they didn’t pay enough dues he would not honor Article Five of the NATO charter. He further stated that if that were the case he would encourage Putin to do “as he damned well pleased” and even encouraged the Russian autocrat to invade westward. In the interim the conflict is pretty much frozen on the battlefield as both sides fight for limited territory. The problem is should Ukraine run out of certain weapons by spring it could lead to negotiations where Putin achieves most of his demands or obtains out and out military victory and the end of a free Ukraine.

President honored the memory of the Kruty Heroes

COLD CREMATORIUM: REPORTING FROM THE LAND OF AUSCHWITZ by Josef Debreczeni

February 4, 2024szfreiberger Holocaust, World War II Leave a comment

(Rail line leading into Auschwitz)

At a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise worldwide, supposedly due to the war in Gaza, which is erroneous as the phenomenon was increasing long before Hamas’ brutal attack on October 7^th. At the same time, we recognize Holocaust Remembrance day which commemorates the annihilation of Jews during World War II. It is fitting that at this time Josef Debreczeni’s memoir of his time in “the land of Auschwitz,” COLD CREMATORIUM: REPORTING FROM THE LAND OF AUSCHWITZ has been rereleased.

Originally published in 1950 it was never translated because of the rise of McCarthyism which rejected any pro-Soviet literature; Cold War hostilities as Stalinists refused to accept the Jews as “victims of fascism” singled out for extinction; and the rise of anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe. However, its appearance has made an important contribution to the great works of Holocaust literature as its author points out many things that have either been forgotten or overlooked.

Jonathan Freedland writes in the Forward to the book, referring to Debreczeni as a “witness, survivor, victim, and also an analyst, offering ruminations on some of the enduring questions raised by the Holocaust among them the puzzle of how arguably the most cultured nation in Europe could have led the continent’s descent into the most brutal savagery.” Other vital insights provided by Debreczeni include a reminder that the victims of Nazi brutality did not know their imminent fate, a crucial fact in trying to comprehend how the Final Solution was possible, and that so many others certainly did. Debreczeni reminds us that the Holocaust may have been developed in Berlin, it relied on accomplices throughout Europe – from liberal France to anti-Semitic Poland. Many of these individuals may have suffered from “willful blindness,” as they would later deny seeing or participating in atrocities. The author’s account of the actions perpetrated by Kapos, many of which were Jews is disturbing and for most beyond the capacity to imagine. In a diabolical Nazi system “the best slave driver is a slave accorded a privileged position” is an accurate and scary proposition.

(They came with the things most valuable to them unaware that everything would be taken including many of their lives)

For Debreczeni many chroniclers of the Shoah do not emphasize the economic function of Auschwitz enough. The author describes the German corporations involved to the point that many victims would have company names printed on their striped pajama type uniforms. The brutal conditions that victims faced were laid bare. The illicit trade between prisoners, kitchen workers, guards is ever prevalent – a life for people denied the fundamentals needed for survival – to eat, drink, bathe are all missing with disease and lice everywhere caused by a total lack of sanitation. People were treated like animals, and for a chance at survival the same people morphed into animalistic behavior as they completely lost their identity, self-respect, and will to love. The end result is a slow descent into madness and suicide for many who Debreczeni comes in contact with. For those who deny the Holocaust this memoir is a stark response.

Debreczeni has written a haunting memoir, conveyed in the precise and unsentimental style of a professional journalist whose eyewitness account is of unmatched literary quality. The author’s writing is evocative, employing irony, sarcasm, and an acerbic humor as he prods the reader into the “the Land of Auschwitz,” a place that is intellectually incomprehensible. What sets the book apart is the reporting that the German guards were largely absent or stayed in the background. Instead, it is the prisoners themselves who rule over each other depending on their status which forms a window into the complex organization of the camps.

The memoir begins in January 1944 with a prisoner transport where victims are oblivious as to their location and what the immediate future might bring, ending with liberation by Soviet forces in early May 1945. Debreczeni provides precise details of who certain prisoners were and what they experienced. For example, Mr. Mandel, a carpenter who always had a cigarette in his hand, but once they were taken away he still raises his empty fingers to his lips – he will be the first to die on the transport or the TB riddled Frenchman, a lower level Kapo in Auschwitz who developed a semblance of humanity as he warned prisoners as to what was about to happen to them. Debreczeni holds nothing back in describing how people of varying backgrounds cooperated with the Nazis, including Jews. A prime example is Weisz, a low brow salesclerk from Hungary, “a low-life Jew” who wielded a truncheon. He was “power crazed, malicious, a wild beast,” who was the epitome of the Nazi system that “the best slave driver is a slave accorded a privileged position.” Most of these types of slave drivers came from the “lower rungs” of Jewish society before the war. Those who came from the highest levels of Jewish society were found to be helpless in the Nazi camp hierarchy. Another is Herman, an SS guard who had been a bartender before the war and was one of the few guards who exhibited a degree of empathy as opposed to his murderous compatriots as he would drop a half smoked cigarette to the ground for a prisoner to find. A typical power hungry individual was Sanyi Roth, a room commander for tent #28, a notorious repeat offender, serial burglar who was put in charge of the worst tent which housed murderers, robbers, and other “creatures.” Interestingly, after Debreczeni flatters him he begins to take him under his wing. Perhaps the most despicable person was Moric, the foremost Kapo of all camps, whose nickname was the Fuhrer of the death camps – the sole Jew who held as much power as Nazi officials. Another individual who stands out, but in a positive fashion is Dr. Farkas, a Jewish physician who was forced to cooperate with the SS. But at the same time was able to display compassion and medical knowledge to treat many inmates. In fact, without his care Debreczeni would not have survived.

(The bunks at Auschwitz II-Birkenau)

The author provides an understanding of the evil the Nazis perpetrated aside from annihilation. He describes the genius of those who developed the Final Solution. To achieve mass death a killing infrastructure needed to be created. A key aspect of which was the hierarchy of power which the Nazis implemented providing certain prisoners a key role in the genocide. The Germans kept themselves invisible behind the barbed wire as “the allocation of food, the discipline, the direct supervision of work, and the first degree of terror – in sum, executive power – were in fact entrusted to slave drivers chosen randomly from among the deportees.” For their hideous work they received certain benefits including more food, clothing, the opportunity to steal, and power over their fellow prisoners – power over life and death, which for many was intoxicating. They all played a role in the vertical structure that resembled a military command where each person from the highest to the lowest Kapo knew their job and what would happen to them if they didn’t carry it out. This structure also was apparent in camp hospitals like Dornhau where Doctors, medics, nurses, and other workers had specific roles in the Nazi hierarchy.

Debreczeni offers an exceptional description of the “Land of Auschwitz” which consisted of many sub-camps in addition to the more famous areas like Birkenau or lesser labor camps like Furstenstein which the author experienced personally which was typical of other work camps who held the same characteristics. This area consisted of a castle complex which the Nazis destroyed in order to create an underground complex for a new headquarters for Hitler, should retreat be necessary and an arms factory on the site.

German corporations do not escape Debreczeni’s withering description as they paid the Nazi regime to rent slave labor and profited immensely. Many books have been written about this subject. For a complete list one can be found at https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/german-firms-that-used-slave-labor-during-nazi-era#google_vignette. In Debreczeni’s case it was Sanger and Laninger who enslaved him as a tunnel digger.

There are many other elements that the author describes from the use of cigarettes as a medium of exchange which became its own underground industry. Another medium of exchange was extracted gold crowns which many inmates did themselves to trade for food – the going rate was one crown for a weeks’ worth of soup. The concept of the “will to live” is explored in detail with harrowing examples. For the author, the will grew and like others he was willing to steal, fake jobs, and other strategies as a means of survival. Debreczeni’s commentary concerning prisoner roundups is very disconcerting as prisoners were asked to volunteer for certain jobs and transport. Many prisoners were willing to play Russian roulette to survive, most who did died, but a few would escape.

Each chapter seems more disturbing than the next and ranking the most horrifying material presented is very difficult. Perhaps the chapters that stand out are those involving the Dornhau camp hospital which describes the Nazi approach to medical care and its sadistic treatment techniques carried out by most medical professionals. It is this hospital that the term “cold crematorium” refers to. Debreczeni’s recounting of the plight of his bunkmates is indescribable especially as typhus became rampant.

As Menachem Kaiser writes in his New York Times review, “How To Talk About Auschwitz,” “Debreczeni recounts his deportation to Auschwitz, and from there to a series of camps. This isn’t the sort of book you can get a sense of from a plot outline. Debreczeni suffers; he survives (or, more accurately, he does not die); he observes. His powers of observation are extraordinary. Everything he encounters in what he calls the Land of Auschwitz — the work sites, the barracks, the bodies, the corpses, the hunger, the roll call, the labor, the insanity, the fear, the despair, the strangeness, the hope, the cruelty — is captured in terrifyingly sharp detail.”

In conclusion, Debreczeni has written haunting conformation of the terror of that was the Holocaust, and the will to survive.

(Entrance to Auschwitz I)

MY FRIENDS by Hisham Matar

January 27, 2024January 27, 2024szfreiberger Historical Fiction, Literature Leave a comment

(Libyan Dictator Muammar Qaddafi)

The history of Libya from 1969 which saw Colonel Muammar Qaddafi seize power through the 2011 Arab Spring that resulted in his demise was wrought with murder, torture, assassinations, persecution, terrorism, lack of freedom, poverty, and victimization to a cult of personality. Those years produced many significant dates, all of which stand out for varying degrees of horror. On April 17, 1984. a crowd of anti-Qaddafi demonstrators gathered across the street from the Libyan embassy in London. During the demonstrations shots were fired from the embassy at demonstrators killing a London police officer and wounding 11 protestors. On April 5, 1986, Qaddafi was deemed responsible for the terrorist attack on a West Berlin discotheque that killed three and injured 229. Ten days later the United States retaliated striking military targets in Tripoli and Benghazi. On December 21, 1988, two Libyan intelligence officers planted a bomb that blew up Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland killing 243 passengers and 16 crew members. On December 21, 2012, following the overthrow of Qaddafi an attack by Ansar al-Sharia on the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi resulted in the death of US Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and 3 others and injured 10. This would lead to a partisan congressional investigation that Republicans used to damage Hilliary Clinton’s presidential campaign. It is clear that during these years Libya was not a place where free thought and democracy existed, and today remains a failed state.

Libyan author Hisham Matar’s latest novel, MY FRIENDS tackles this time period focusing on the 1984 London shooting as the emotional center of the story. The book is narrated by a Libyan exile named Khaled Abd Hady, who left Benghazi in 1983 to study English literature at Edinburgh University and remained in London for thirty-two years. Khaled had been one of the demonstrators on that 1984 day alongside two men who would become his closest friends, Hosam Zowa, a writer who had decided to live in San Francisco with his family before moving to Paris, London and other venues, and Mustafa al Touny, a fellow student at Edinburgh. Matar, born in New York City to Libyan parents, and winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for his memoir, THE RETURN, has authored a quiet novel that examines how the bonds of friendship are forged and fray over a lifetime.

Anti Gaddafi demonstrations outside the Libyan embassy, London 17th April 1984

(Libyan exiles demonstrating against the Qaddafi regime on April 17, 1984)

MY FRIENDS focuses on the relationship among three Libyan men whose lives intersect over more than three decades, from the mid-1980s through the aftermath of the 2011 Arab Spring that deposed Muammar Qaddafi after 42 years. The narrator, Khaled Abd al Hady, who left Libya to study English literature at the University of Edinburgh was inspired to pursue those studies by an enigmatic short story authored by Zowa, who vanished from the literary world after publishing a single story collection.

(It has been almost 40 years since Pc Yvonne Fletcher was murdered outside the Libyan Embassy. ‘She said, “good morning, what a beautiful day”, and five minutes later she was shot’)

There are a number of themes that dominate the novel. The concepts of liberation, exile, moral ambiguity, and friendship are all integrated into the story. Employing the musing of Khaled, Matar focuses on related themes asking the following; was it possible to live a happy life away from home, without one’s family? Second, is it true that all one has to do to survive is to endure each day, and gradually, minute by minute, brick by brick, will time build a wall? Third, What was it like to be a human being in a world where people are willing to crush each other?

These themes follow Khaled’s life for decades as he navigates the twin crises of exile and loneliness. Matar follows the interactions of Khaled and Mustafa, following their emotional, intellectual, and political development. Soon Hosam reappears out of nowhere which becomes the watershed moment in the novel. We follow the lives of the three exiles in beautiful detail as Matar is an exceptional writer who knows how to construct meaningful dialogue and scenery. Khaled will leave the university and wind up in London. After a few years he travels to Paris to be with his friend Ranan who leaves Libya for brain surgery in Paris. It is while he is in Paris that the man behind the desk at his hotel turns out to be Hosam rekindling their friendship. Along with Mustafa, Hannah, Khaled’s girlfriend, and Claire, Hosam’s significant other they form an engaging group whose dialogue absorbs the reader’s attention as they lay out their personal beliefs and how it relates to events in their home country.

By 2011, the Arab Spring broke out in Tunisia and soon spread to Tahrir Square in Egypt, and Benghazi and Tripoli in Libya. Mustafa who had been in exile for decades after witnessing the 1984 Embassy shooting cries at the possibility of ending Qaddafi’s tyranny and decides to return to Libya to fight for the emerging revolution. Khaled, despite the urging of his friend, refuses to return and fight as he is still traumatized by the wounds suffered at the embassy shooting. Matar creates many poignant scenes including Khaled’s father’s visit to convince him to return home, and Mustafa’s conversations with his mother as he fights for Qaddafi’s overthrow.

(Qaddafi’s body after being killed by Libyan revolutionaries)

Matar’s novel provides a vivid picture of Qaddafi’s rule which consisted of paranoia on the part of Libyan exiles living in Europe, and Libyan citizens who remained at home. A tight fisted dictatorship evolved into a “cult of personality” that the Libyan people were forced to endure. Torture, violence, harassment, loss of employment, poverty, assassinations in foreign counties were all elements of Qaddafi’s bag of tricks. This background forms the basis of Khaled’s fear of returning home, Mustafa’s transformation into a revolutionary soldier, and Hosam’s off and on writing which is responsible for the origins of their friendship.

Other important characters are developed. Dr. Henry Walbrook, Khaled’s literature professor becomes his friend and confidant. Mahammed Mustafa Ramada, the voice of the BBC Arabic World Service and journalist who read Hosam’s short story that fascinated and captured Khaled. Hosam Rajab Zowa, Hosam’s father who had been a supporter of Qaddafi and believed the embassy shooting was correct. What happens to these characters greatly impacts the lives of the three exiled friends.

Soldiers loyal to the head of Libya's Government of National Unity, Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, sit in the back of a truck in Tripoli, Libya

(Fighting between the two most powerful factions in the capital could pose significant risks today, 2023)

Matar uses Hosam to present various literary ideas. Being a bibliophile, my favorite comments include Hosam’s remarks that “there was no point in owning a book unless one intended to reread it multiple times.” Further, he states “to have an endless number of books sit on the shelf just because one has read them or might one day read them is absurd.” However, I agree with his final commentary on books “like Montaigne, you believe that the very presence of books in your room cultivates you, that books are not only to be read but to be lived with.” What Hosam secretly found troubling was not the sight of a large number of books but the stability that such an acquisition assumes, which for him was very difficult to accept.

Matar brings closure to his story as the Libyan chapter of the Arab Spring takes hold. Khaled was afraid to return to Benghazi as he feared he would not be able to reconstitute his life, which had taken so long to accomplish after three decades in exile. He was afraid he would lose the security, emotional grounding and dependable relationships he had developed which his parents could not understand, producing a great deal of guilt. Mustafa did not suffer from these doubts as he returned and immediately joined revolutionary forces to fight to end Qaddafi’s tyranny. Hosam on the other hand will return to bury his father and please his mother. He still refuses to return to his writing and he falls in love as decides he must join the fight.

As Peter Baker writes in his New York Times book review Matar focus is on “the experience of Libyans seeking safety in exile. Matar — himself one such exile — picks apart their psyches, analyzing at a microscopic level how violence and migration have altered how they think and feel and relate to the people closest to them. He has returned to this cluster of topics as if it’s a house he’s obsessed with, examining it from different angles, sneaking inside and finding new rooms, even new wings.” “Readers encountering Matar for the first time will find in “My Friends” a masterly literary meditation on his lifelong themes. For those who already know his work, the effect is amplified tenfold. In the dark house Matar continues to explore, the rooms are full of echoes: The further in you go, the louder they get.”*

*Peter Baker, In ‘My Friends’ an Exile Finds Himself Outside Libya, but Never Far Away, New York Times, January 10, 2024.

(Libyan Dictator Mummar Qaddafi)

COLD VICTORY by Karl Marlantes

January 20, 2024szfreiberger Espionage, Historical Fiction Leave a comment

Russia Soviet Union Finland winter war ski patrol snow frozen soldiers

(Russian troops in Finland during WWII)

Russia has shaped twentieth century Finnish history due to the small nation’s proximity to the Slavic giant. Before World War II, the Helsinki government found itself dealing with a Russian invasion, during the war it suffered Nazi occupation leading to a reinvasion from Moscow that at the end of the war saw it loose roughly 11% of its territory to its Stalinist neighbor. Today Finland has reemerged as a pawn in Russia’s drive to recapture its empire. After Finland obtained NATO membership, Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened Finland and with its long border the Finnish government must be prepared for any eventuality as the war in Ukraine grinds on, and as Republicans in the House of Representatives continue to block any aid for the Kyiv government. This landscape lends itself to a wonderful opportunity to create historical fiction involving the Russo-Finnish relationship. Karl Marlantes, the author of MATTERHORN, one of the most profound and disturbing novels about Vietnam, and DEEP RIVER, a wonderful and engrossing work of historical fiction centered on the experience of Finnish immigrants in the logging area of Washington state at the turn of the century, has filled that gap with his latest book, COLD VICTORY.

Those familiar with Marlantes’ previous efforts will not be disappointed with his current effort. Set in the heart of the emerging Cold War the Finns are caught between East and West trying to recover from the damage caused by World War II. The most important characters in the novel include Arnie and Louise Koski, a married couple who have been posted to Helsinki. Arnie is a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army and has been appointed military attaché to the US Legation. Louise is a rather clueless “diplomatic” spouse who creates a number of issues for her husband and will learn many difficult lessons. Mikhail and Natalya Bobrov are in a comparable situation. Mikhail is the Russian military attaché in Helsinki and Natalya works at the Russian Legation. She develops a strong friendship with Louise as do their husbands, as both spies engage in intense competition with each other. Kaarina Varila, a Finnish relative of Arnie, and the Head of a Helsinki orphanage is emblematic of Finnish hatred of the Russians. Other individuals include Colonel Oleg Sokolov who is in charge of Soviet security in Finland as part of the MGB – the Ministry of State Security which is considered worse than the Gestapo. Sokolov is a sinister individual who is like a spider spinning his web of intrigue. Max Hamilton is the US Charge d’ Affaires at the US legation and Aleksandr Abramov is the Soviet Envoy.

Soviet Union Russia Finland winter war soldiers snow

(This is a Finnish light artillery squad on patrol duty in the Karelian Isthmus on January 3, 1940. Using white tunics over their heavy winter clothing to camouflage themselves, the soldiers took on the appearance of ghosts as they travel over the snow covered terrain)

Marlantes integrates a number of important historical characters in his story. Those who stand out are Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin whose motivations and realpolitik are on full display. Another is Lavrentiy Beria, Head of the MGB, and a man who strikes fear in all who come in contact with him. These and other characters highlight the author’s strong command of the history of the period. Further, he integrates a number of notable events and observations into his plot. Useful examples include a discussion of the Katyn Forest Massacre in 1943 as Beria ordered the murder of 22,000 Polish officers, and the history surrounding the 1944 Moscow Armistice whereby Finland was forced to pay a massive reparation to Russia and turn over a substantial amount of territory.

The story centers around Russian paranoia concerning Finland who they view as a threat to their security as a western invasion route against Moscow. The US on the other hand is worried about communist influence in the Finnish Parliament as they hold over one-third of the seats in addition to the presence of Soviet troops. Marlantes has created a espionage plot centered on raising funds for a Finnish orphanage which Louisa and Natalya work to support as they are heartbroken by the number of orphans that were created because of World War II. Second, the story is played out by the competition between Arnie and Mikhail who have challenged each other with a grueling ten day 300K ski race from the Artic Circle to Kuopio. The race became a metaphor for the competition between capitalism and communism and a pawn in the developing Cold War between the Soviets and Americans and should Mikhail lose the race the Stalinist regime would probably kill or exile him and his family to Siberia as he would be viewed as a spy and an embarrassment to Moscow.

(Karl Marlantes, author)

In developing the relationships among his characters, Marlantes juxtaposes the differences between the Soviet Union and United States, how both powers viewed the recent war, and their current distrust of each other as relations continued to deteriorate. The question in the background rests on trust, as each character seems to question the loyalty of those they deal with, not knowing who might be spying on whom. Marlantes uses Sokolov’s past life and current role as a vehicle to highlight the suffering of the Russian people during the war because of the Nazi invasion and a justification for its own invasion of Finland. Now that the Nazis are defeated his role is to root out internal enemies of the motherland and employ all the weapons of the Stalinist system – a system that fills the world with disinformation and deceit.

For Marlantes whether writing about Vietnam or post-war Finland, war is a confusing and rich world where death and bureaucratic stupidity abound. If one where to think about events in Ukraine today there is a similarity to what happened to Finland after the war. The significant difference is Ukraine has received enormous amount of western aid, and Finland did not. Marlantes has written a tight Cold War novel that draws the reader in and does not let them go until the book is read from cover to cover.

Russia Finland Helsinki winter war bombing trenches damage

(War between Finland and Soviet Russia started 22.45 o’clock (M.E.T.) on November 30, 1939. Trenches which were dug at the beginning of the Finnish-Russian tension in Helsinki, December 1, 1939)

THE WIZARD OF THE KREMLIN: A NOVEL by Giuliano Da Empoli

January 16, 2024szfreiberger Historical Fiction Leave a comment

(The Kremlin, Moscow)

Since February 2022 when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine a plethora of books have been published or reissued that deal with the mindset of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The most important include works by Philip Short, Steven Lee Myers, Catherine Belton, Masha Gessen, Mark Galeotti, Owen Matthews, Luke Harding, Christopher Miller, Serhii Plokhy, Angela Stent, Shaun Walker, and Samuel Ramani. These authors explore Putin’s rise to power, his Pan-Slavism ideology designed to restore the Kremlin to its previous world power status, his domestic agenda, and the reason behind his invasion of Ukraine. These monographs are works of non-fiction and rely on intensive research that includes interviews with the relevant personages and scouring available documentation to foster insights and critical viewpoints. Turning to the fictional genre it has a recent addition to this subject matter with the publication of THE WIZARD OF THE KREMLIN: A NOVEL by Giuliano Da Empoli that attempts to explain Putin’s realpolitik and other aspects of his reign employing the format of a novel.

The central character in Da Empoli’s work is Vadim Baranov, a lover of literature, also known as “the wizard of the Kremlin” who was a television producer before becoming Putin’s political advisor. After fifteen years at Putin’s side, Baranov decides to escape Putin’s grasp and explain the inner workings of the Russian state where Putin’s sycophants and oligarchs battle for the attention of the Russian Tsar. Russia finds itself in a dark place because of Baranov’s work as the Kremlin “spin doctor.” Baranov is ensconced in a system he helped create but realizes he must leave – not an easy thing to accomplish in Putin’s Russia.

(Russian President, Vladimir Putin)

Da Empoli conveys his story by employing Baranov as a conduit for the narrator of the novel. The novel opens with an unnamed narrator visiting Moscow to research the early 20^th century writer, Yevgeny Zamyatin. It turns out that Baranov is an admirer of the novelist and through social media the narrator visits Baranov in his remote country house. As the novel evolves Baranov shares his life story with his visitor moving with energy through Russia in the 1990s to the invasion of Ukraine.

As the Soviet Union comes to an end in 1991 it appears that Russia may be on the verge of some sort of democratic edifice with the end of censorship and a new cultural freedom. As we know this did not come to pass and Baranov, who resented the new intelligentsia realizes that the future will belong to more practical individuals as a result he will join Putin as a political/media advisor and consummate insider. In this capacity Da Empoli relates Putin’s rise to power and through dialogue with the Russian autocrat he explains in rather crude form his view of power, how it should be used, and what it can accomplish – the restoration of Russia as a force in the world.

(Russian oligarch, Boris Berezovsky)

Da Emploi’s fictional account borders on reality as he weaves in historical events and characters into his novel. We are witnessed to Putin’s actions and reactions to the sinking of a Russian submarine in the Barents Sea in which the entire crew drowned; terrorist attacks by Chechen rebels that some believe was carried out by the FSB; employing Putin’s large labrador in a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, knowing her fear of dogs, among many other examples. Influential figures appear and reappear. Oligarchs such as Boris Berezovsky, a billionaire who for a time owned ORT the main Russian television station; Mikhail Khodorkovsky, an opposition activist who had owed Yukos, the largest Russian energy company; Igor Sechin, Putin’s Deputy Chief of Staff and energy issues who would eventually take over Yukos; Yevgeny Prigozhin, a gangster who became Putin’s caterer and eventually opponent, and other important individuals.

(Igor Sechin, Putin’s Chief of Staff)

Da Empoli employs a sarcastic sense of humor and a great deal of irony in carrying out his plot as he compares the old Soviet state to the nouveaux riche of the new Russia. Through Baranov’s autobiography the author offers interesting comparisons of Joseph Stalin and Putin, and descriptions of Russia in the 1990s when it seemed to be on the cusp of some sort of democracy with the present autocracy. Da Empoli explains the need of the Russian people for stability and unity after the chaos of the 1990s – for Putin this could only be accomplished through raw power, never admitting an error, appealing to Russian nationalism by calling for a restoration of its Soviet Empire, interfering with the internal mechanism of western democracy, and never giving in to those who oppose him.

The author is right on as he parrots Putin’s critique of Russian docility toward the west under Boris Yeltsin. As Baranov recounts “our docility called for the harshest punishment. NATO flooded into the Baltic States, and American military bases into central Asia. The oversight of financial institutions was no longer sufficient; now they wanted to take power directly. Send us back to the basement and replace us with agents of the CIA and the International Monetary Fund. First in Georgia, then in Ukraine, the very heart of our lost Empire.” For Putin, American actions in Ukrainian elections and its move toward the European Union and NATO was the last straw resulting in the invasion.

The book is ostensibly about cunning and the manipulation of reality as Baranov, a wonderful storyteller that the reader falls under his spell. Baranov uses his prowess of creating a new reality, a vision of Russian specialness, a new national myth, and cultivates grievances against the west carrying out Putin’s mission. Da Empoli has created an important character to carry out his novel in Baranov, a cynic who possesses sharp political analysis. His character is loosely based on Vladislav Surkov, a politician and strategist whose Machiavellian approach to politics made him a perfect advisor for Putin as he accompanied him from St. Petersburg to the Kremlin. The novel succeeds as a work of fiction, but its origin in reality makes you shudder as you read on.

(The Kremlin, Moscow)

NAPOLEON: A LIFE by Adam Zamoyski

January 10, 2024szfreiberger Biography, French History Leave a comment

French general and emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

According to British historian Munro Price over 200,000 books have been written about Napoleon Bonaparte. There is a fascination with the French dictator that historians have addressed for over two centuries, and currently Hollywood has produced its own version of Napoleon. Today the most recognized biographies of Napoleon are written by British historians that include the three volume work of Michael Broers, and the single volume by Andrew Roberts which approaches 1000 pages. Obviously, if one is to put pen to paper concerning Napoleon, the result will be a rather long monograph. One of the latest contributions to the Napoleon genre is by Polish historian, Adam Zamoyski entitled, NAPOLEON: A LIFE though shorter than Roberts’ work by 250 pages it is a comprehensive look at the French leader that digs a little deeper into his thought process and ultimate decision making than previous works.

Zamoyski has written a thorough and workmanlike biography focusing on Napoleon’s personal life, domestic issues and relationships, his ideology, domestic and foreign threats to his reign, along with insights and details pertaining to the battlefield and the diplomatic movements of the period. In doing so the reader should acquire an intimate knowledge of Napoleon – what made him tick, what was his belief system, and determine his place in history.

François Gérard (1770-1837), Portrait of Josephine de Beauharnais, 1801, oil on canvas,... Josephine Bonaparte’s Gardens at Malmaison

(François Gérard (1770-1837), Portrait of Josephine de Beauharnais, 1801, oil on canvas, 178 x 174 cm/70 x 68.5 in. Hermitage Museum, Russia)

What sets Zamoyski’s work apart is the context that he places his subject. According to the author Napoleon should be seen as “a visible symptom of the sickness of the times, and as such bore the blame for the sins of all.” Zamoyski argues that Napoleon did exhibit extraordinary qualities, but in many ways was quite ordinary. To credit Napoléon as a genius for his many victories, overlooks the worst disaster in military history as he single-handedly destroyed the great enterprise he took years to create. Undoubtedly he was a brilliant tactician, but he was no strategist, as his miserable end attests to. Further, Zamoyski argues that Napoleon was not an “evil monster.” He was selfish, violent, and egocentric, but there is no evidence that he inflicted suffering needlessly. His motives and ambition are akin to Alexander I, Wellington, Nelson, Metternich, Blucher, Bernadotte and others whose careers adjoined Napoleon. In addition, if one examines British actions in India, Canada, and Egypt; Austrian measures in Poland and Italy; Prussian activities in East and Central Europe; and Russian movements across Central Asia, one should conclude he was nothing more than the embodiment of his age. Throughout the monograph Zamoyski develops these themes and integrates a great deal of Napoleon’s personal life and beliefs.

(Empress Marie-Louise, by François Gérard 1810 © Louvre Museum)

According to Zamoyski, Napoleon’s Corsican lineage plays a significant role in his emotional development and worldview due to how the French government treated his family and the Corsican people in general. As the French Revolution evolved into the “Reign of Terror” and the authoritarian rule of the Directory and the European wars that ensued Napoleon learned that the rules of chivalry did not apply, and only winning mattered. Zamoyski argues that “the dreamy romanticism of his youth had been confronted with the seamy side of human affairs, and at the age of twenty-four he had emerged a cynical realist ready to make his way in the increasingly dangerous world in which he was obliged to live.”

Zamoyski’s portrayal does an excellent job recounting Napoleon’s relationships with Josephine de Beauharnais who he married in 1805 and divorced in 1810, and Marie-Louise, the Habsburg Archduchess who took her place. The detail is striking, providing insight into Napoleon’s emotional state and his genuine love and caring for both women. At times Zamoyski goes overboard as he relates Josephine’s numerous affairs and Napoleon’s adolescent love for Marie-Louise.

Along with the women in his life Napoleon’s family is placed under a microscope, particularly his brothers. First, Lucien, a rather egoistic individual in his own right who helped Napoleon become First Consul during the Brumaire Coup and then lived his life according to his own needs rather than conforming to his brother’s wishes. Second, Joseph who believed he should have been the French Emperor, not his brother who reigned in Italy and later made a mess of his rule in Spain – a rather incompetent individual. Third, Jerome, a total military failure, and lastly, Louis, Napoleon’s favorite who would deal with psychological issues and became king of Holland but angered his brother when he refused to support the Continental system.

(Charles Maurice de Talleyrand)

A key component in understanding Napoleon’s mindset is his approach to diplomacy which for him was an extension of the battlefield. Zamoyski’s nimbly account recounts Napoleon’s negotiations and relationships with Austrian Chancellor and former ambassador to France, Klement von Metternich, Russian Tsar, Alexander I, Charles Habsburg, Holy Roman Emperor, and French Foreign Minister Charles Maurice de Talleyrand who initially supported Napoleon, but turned against him when he believed the Emperor’s expansionist policies went too far. Zamoyski integrates many other key figures into the monograph that includes lesser royal figures, French generals, Russian, English, Prussian, and Austrian figures. In reading Zamoyski’s account it conforms to A. J. P. Taylor’s classic THE STRUGGLE FOR THE MASTERY OF EUROPE, 1815-1848.

One can draw many insights from Zamoyski’s analysis as he argues that Napoleon was a dichotomy in that he felt insecure next to the monarchs of Europe because he lacked their “bloodlines,” as he referred to himself as “parvenue.” On the other hand, he saw himself as a supreme leader creating his own emperorship defeating the monarchies that he compared himself to. Zamoyski does a wonderful job describing the Napoleon-Alexander I relationship as the French autocrat had little respect for the Russian monarch but grew to respect him as he ultimately could not bend Alexander to his will despite professions of love and respect. Other important insights involve the opposition to Napoleon in France from Jacobins and Royalists. A number of coups are discussed, and it is clear in Napoleon’s mind that the only way to remain popular and maintain domestic support was to keep delivering victories on the battlefield as opposed to obtaining peace. For Napoleon war was the tool to tamp down unrest in the military and domestic sphere no matter how much opposition he encountered.

(Klement von Metternich)

Zamoyski relies a great deal on previous research particularly, Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. His decision making and battlefield conduct are laid out clearly as he quotes from his previous book, 1812: NAPOLEON’S FATAL MARCH ON MOSCOW. Particularly interesting is Napoleon’s admission that invading Russia was a grievous error – a rare confession. One of the highlights of Zamoyski’s work is his reliance on Napoleon’s remarkable correspondence, personal reflections, and notes left by those close to him to create an exceptional portrait of the French Emperor.

(Alexander I)

Zamoyski’s depiction of Napoleon is enhanced as he tackles his domestic program. The Code de Napoleon, the Concordat with the Papacy, and his educational system are well known, but reflect interests apart from the conduct of war. However, relying on Napoleon’s letters as he describes his cultural interests, his plans for museums, opera houses, wide boulevards and other cultural and architectural projects allowing the reader to acquire a sense of Napoleon’s desires, not only to conquer and spread his “continental system” throughout Europe, but also to encourage and foster intellectual pursuits.

Zamoyski’s achievement in this book is to bring to life Napoleon as a person, not just a military leader, and political ruler. He describes a man who viewed the world through the lens of a game of chess, and people, religion, morality, affections, and other interests as pawns in a game where pieces needed to be moved and used as the situation called for. To Zamoyski’s credit his monograph is eminently readable and deeply researched making it an important contribution to Napoleonic literature.

Jacques-Louis David: The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries

THE FRANCHISE: NEW YORK RANGERS, A CURATED HISTORY OF THE BLUESHIRTS by Rick Carpiniello

December 14, 2023December 14, 2023szfreiberger Sports, Uncategorized Leave a comment

NCAA HOCKEY: JAN 11 Rivalry on Ice - Yale v Harvard

In the spring of 1994 Howie Rose’s call of Stephane Matteau’s game winning goal against the New Jersey Devils sent the New York Rangers to the finals for the Stanley Cup. This would end the Blueshirts 54 year drought and was music to every tortured Ranger fan’s ears. The season and playoff run were magical, but it would lead to another drought now reaching three decades. For Ranger fans who lost the finals to the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, it has been a rough go, but the history of the organization has improved over the last few seasons, and many believe or hope that this could be the year that the Rangers hoist the Cup once again.

Rick Carpiniello, a sports reporter for THE JOURNAL and THE ATHLETIC from 1978 to 2021 new book THE FRANCHISE: NEW YORK RANGERS. A CURATED HISTORY OF THE BLUESHIRTS brings hockey to the forefront through a series of wonderfully reported essays about the organization’s championship close calls throughout the 1970s, finally winning the Cup in 1994, and its decline until the emergence of Henrik Lundqvist as the team’s goalie in 2012, Carpiniello’s monograph is based on intimate knowledge of the franchise forged through extensive relations with the players, coaches, and other members of the organization.

Captain Mark Messier receives the Stanley Cup after the Rang

(1993-94 season the New York Rangers win the Stanley Cup)

Perhaps the most interesting aspects of Carpiniello’s book are his character studies ranging from Rangers General Manager and Coach Fred Shero, flamboyant winger, Ron Duguay to current players like Norris Trophy Winger Adam Fox and Chris Kreider. In each instance Carpiniello reaches for entertaining quotes, player opinions of different teams and players, team bonding, and the outrageous actions of different personalities.

Carpiniello begins with the famous 1978-9 season tease when it appeared the Rangers might finally break the curse that dated to 1940. They had defeated the dreaded New York Islanders in a series that created the chant Ranger fans employ to this day of “Potvin sucks.” However, despite defeating the Montreal Canadiens in the first game of the Stanley Cup finals, they went on to lose four straight providing Les Canadiens their fourth consecutive finals victory.

The author is right on as he describes the “disorganization of the organization” in the 1980s. Ownership had opportunities to trade for Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier much earlier than they finally did and refused. They hired a series of general managers and coaches who either did not fit the profile of their jobs and made decisions which in many cases are hard to fathom. Herb Brooks, the 1980 Olympic coach was a failure, Ted Sator was in over his head, Michel Bergeron was a bust, and Hall of Famer Phil Esposito, also known as “trader Phil,” made a series of poor trades and his record as a coach was not much better. The key person was Craig Patrick who was a GM and coach but was gone by the late 1980s but drafted the likes of Brian Leetch and Mike Richter. The savior of the 1980s was John Vanbiesbrouck, an excellent goalie who was in large part responsible for the few Ranger successes during the decade.

(Ranger defenseman Brian Leetch)

Carpiniello has a knack in developing stories about some interesting/flamboyant characters in his narrative. Names like Tie Domi, Joey Kocur, Ulf Samuelsson, perhaps the dirtiest player in hockey at the time, and Jeff Beukeboom come to mind. All were fighters, who had talented upside. Other key personalities that the author weaves in and out of this monograph are Neil Smith, the GM who traded for Mark Messier and signed free agent Sadam Graves. Smith would put together the team that finally won the cup under Mike Kennan’s leadership. Kennan became head coach, when then coach Roger Neilson, another interesting personality could not get along with Messier and was fired.

Adam Graves New York Rangers Autographed Game Action 8x10 Photo

(Ranger wing Adam Graves)

Carpiniello brings back many forgotten memories. A few that stand out include the switch in approach under Craig Patrick in the early 1980s from a mean fighting mentality to a skilled group of young players who were not large in stature nicknamed “the Smurfs.” Another important individual was Mike Kennan, a hard ass, controversial coach who upon arriving at MSG felt the Rangers were a soft team. Kennan immediately pushed to trade certain “soft” players who would go on to have tremendous careers with other teams. Names like Mike Gartner, Tony Almonte, Darren Turcotte, and James Patrick come to mind. No matter how much talent Kennan forced Smith to get rid of for second line players, in the end he molded the team by blending their talent and finally ending the “1940 chorus.” Despite his success, Kennan was seen as a “bastard” held beyond contempt by many in the Ranger organization. But, one must keep in mind it was Kennan who pushed Smith to acquire grinders like Matteau, Brian Noonan, and a bunch of Edmonton Oiler Stanley Cup champions.

(Ranger goalie”King” Henrik Lundquist)

The book recounts the magical playoff run that culminated in winning the cup with wonderful anecdotes and player stories. I remember exactly where I was the night they won and as many others have said “I can now die in peace!” However, it was a short dynasty as a new curse and/or drought began the next season which carries on to this day. To Carpiniello’s credit is description of the players, their talent and foibles for the next three decades is remarkable, and all I can say is god bless his memory!

The post-Cup period saw the arrival of Wayne Gretzky, but at the same time they let Messier go. Carpiniello is correct in describing the Ranger’s biggest problem as management as MSG president Dave Checketts who was in charge of the Knicks and Rangers knew nothing about hockey and it showed in his decision making.

Carpiniello digs deep into the second drought and the role of Glen Sather as GM and coach. Sather who built the Edmonton Oilers would eventually be successful with the Rangers, but not until he finally made the correct draft and trade decisions, particularly a 7^th round pick named Henrik Lundqvist who would backstop the team in goal for well over a decade beginning in the 2004-05 season. During this period fascinating new characters came on the scene, particularly emblematic is Carpiniello’s description of John Tortorella, which is priceless. The turnaround for the Rangers came in 2010-11 and from then on they were a sound playoff team which flirted with a cup run in 2013-14.

Chris Kreider Cam Talbot NY Rangers Wallpaper

(Ranger wing Chris Kreider)

At times, the author becomes emotional about certain players and events. Perhaps the most poignant coverage deals with 9/11 and the reaction of the players and how they interacted with first responders and New Yorkers in general. This aspect of the book reflects the wonderful working relationship that the author had with Ranger players.

In the latter part of the book Carpiniello zeroes in on two of the most important and creative approaches taken by the Ranger front office that coincided with a decline in the career of Henrik Lundquist. After a successful run from the 2008-09 season to the 2013-14 Cup final season the team went through its famous rebuild underscored by “the letter” to fans explaining the course the organization was about to take. New leadership came aboard that included John Davidson as President, Jeff Gorton as GM, and David Quinn as coach. Through a series of trades, i.e., acquiring Jacob Trouba, Ryan Lindgren, Mika Zibanejad, and Adam Fox; signing free agents, i.e., Artemi Panarin; resigning Chris Kreider, and significant draft choices like K’Andre Miller and Igor Shesterkin the foundation was set for the current Ranger Roster. When the rebuild did not progress as fast as he wanted, the impulsive Ranger owner, Dolan fired the three men who was responsible for the rebuild in large part to the machinations and violence perpetrated by Washington Capitals Tom Wilson, and brought in an entire new leadership team.

(Ranger wing Artemi Panarin, “the breadman!”

Overall, the book is a wonderful stroll down memory lane for Ranger fans with Carpiniello integrating wonderful vignettes, personal insights and observations which reflect a sense of humor, vast hockey knowledge, and a writing style that is easy to read. If there is one negative in Carpiniello’s approach, at times his narrative comes across as somewhat disjointed as many of his stories and observations lack cohesiveness. However, despite this minor criticism, the book is a wonderful gift for all Ranger fans.

THE ARMOR OF LIGHT by Ken Follett

December 7, 2023szfreiberger Historical Fiction Leave a comment

(Early 19th century British factory)

For those devotees of Ken Follett’s Kingsbridge series his latest addition will not disappoint. His new book, THE ARMOR OF LIGHT is the fifth novel in the series and contains elements from earlier Kingsbridge works. It follows ordinary working people whose lives were altered by historical crises. Follett introduces inventors that change history and have profound impact on everyone. Further, it presents the battle for freedom as people fight for lives free of oppression and lastly, Follett develops impactful female characters who play significant roles in the flow of the novel.

Follett is a master storyteller who has a firm grip on historical detail. The current storyline is set during the Industrial Revolution and relates the tale of a group of intertwined families whose lives are greatly impacted by mechanical and technological change. Follett’s characters are involved in food riots, worker strikes, and resistance to forced military service. The English Parliament responds with a series of repressive laws making it a crime to speak out against the government.

The story’s background focuses on the year 1792 amidst what English historian, Eric Hobsbawm describes as the Age of Revolution. Highlighted by the dual revolutions of industry and ideology in France that commenced in 1789 the story proceeds to the Age of Napoleon as the French dictator launches a series of wars across Europe that will culminate by 1814 with the Congress of Vienna. The story continues for another ten years with the story concluding in 1824.

(A hand loom weaving)

Follett’s mythical village of Kingsbridge is a center of textile production where work is moving from piece work at home to mills equipped with more productive machinery. In addition to being forced to work in pseudo-factories, labor must deal with inflation induced by war and a government that is cracking down on dissent. The propertied classes take advantage of the situation as they control Parliament and make it difficult for workers to unite resulting in low wages, dangerous working conditions, and poor housing.

The story accurately rehashes the plight of English workers at the turn of the 19^th century and their relationship with the new industrial aristocracy fostered by the mechanization of the industrial revolution. Follett depicts many scenes that correctly replicate historical events. From attempts at unionization of weavers to government institution of laws preventing workers from combining; the effects of decades of war with France resulting in increasing inflation and poverty for the masses; action and results from the battlefield; the arrest and prosecution of the poor, even hanging a seven year old boy; the press gang of the poor into the Royal navy; the fears of the gentry first, the French Revolution and later the machinations of Napoleon are just a few themes that Follett develops.

(Rioting mob of Luddites)

Of course, as in any of Follett’s historical novels there are a series of characters, some heroes, others villains. Among those who stand out are Sal Clitheroe and her son Kit. Sal’s husband dies and she remarries and becomes a leader in trying to organize the weavers. Jarge Box, Sal’s second husband, a laborer with a temper who loved his wife. Amos Barrowfield, a clothier who begins engaging in the “putting out” system and graduates to owning his own mills as the novel progresses. He is in love with a woman he cannot have, and of course there is another woman who is in love with him who he rejects. The Riddick brothers. Will who is a self-absorbed nasty person who is also a crook. Roger, a mechanical genius who supports the workers, lastly, George, who is the Rector of Bradford. A key individual is David Shoveller, known as Spade, a generous and caring person who works with Sal to help the plight of the poor. Arabella Latimer, married to the Bishop of Kingsbridge who she deplores and eventually has an affair, a child, and a new marriage! Henry Viscount of Northwood, a soldier who is married to Elsie, Arabella’s daughter, is also married to a man she does not love and cannot have the man she desires.

As far as villains are concerned we can generalize and state it is the English Parliament, judicial system, monarchy, and the British aristocracy for the most part lacks any empathy for its workers and subjects in general. It is highlighted by the policies of Prime Minister William Pitt and others who occupied the office. As for individuals that Follett carefully develops, Alderman Joseph Hornbean stands out as a person who survived extreme poverty as a child including the witnessing of the hanging of his mother. He goes on to become a very rich and influential mill owner with under the table contracts with the English military to supply uniforms. He opposes all progress except machines that will make him even wealthier. Arrest, trials, bribery, hangings are all aspects of things that he is ultimately responsible for. There are many others that Follett introduces, and he is very successful in developing their personalities and their impact on the evolution of the novel.

(The impact of the Industrial Revolution)

The story is constructed chronologically, and it follows the course of the wars of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. Follett has excellent command of the war’s progression and its impact on British society, especially the working poor. The lifestyle of the aristocratic households is deftly compared to that of the underclass and how certain characters strive for inclusion with the upper classes. Follett develops a number of important themes, the foremost of which is the precarious nature of work for the poor as mechanization threatens the loss of their livelihood. Other themes include the schism between Anglicanism and Methodism. In addition, the aristocracy’s fear of the ecumenical revolution fostered by the French and a possible invasion of Britain by Napoleon which would destroy their way of life, and the fear of mill owners of the Luddites who were crossing the country smashing machines. This is highlighted by the growth of a number of characters highlighted by Sal as she overcomes widowhood to become a leader and spokesperson of the poor and Amos and Spade as they leave their comfort level to take on more responsibility and leadership in Kingsbridge.

(Coal pits and factories)

THE ARMOR OF LIGHT continues Follett’s remarkable success that began thirty-four years ago with the publication of THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH. Over the decades the series has sold over 27 million copies stunning readers and critics with its rich detail, amazing architectural research, and brilliant storytelling. THE ARMOR OF LIGHT is written with the author’s gift for personal and political drama creating a story that moves gratifyingly through over 700 pages. It is so engrossing that you might want to return to the earlier volumes, the first of which appeared in 2007 presenting a saga that covers 800 years and well over 4,000 pages.

As one reads on and you are as Katherine Powers writes in her Washington Post review, “propelled by acts of highhanded cruelty answered by the resourcefulness and pluck of its victims, a dynamic so predictable that we know that, in most cases, it’s only a matter of time before good triumphs and comeuppance is delivered — whereupon the cycle repeats itself. Yes, we’re being manipulated, but we can’t stop turning the pages: What now? What next? Beyond that, however, it is Follett’s generosity and adeptness with historical detail and nimble depictions of technical matters that set this book, like its predecessors, above mere historical melodrama.”

(Early 19th century British Factory)

November 30, 2023November 30, 2023szfreiberger Uncategorized Leave a comment

BOMBER by Len Deighton

November 29, 2023szfreiberger Fiction/Literary, World War II Leave a comment

(British Lancaster Bomber)

The bombing of civilians during wartime and the concept of “collective guilt;” particularly today with events in Gaza is very controversial. The moral dilemma and the psychological component are aptly portrayed in Kurt Vonnegut’s work, SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE as well as in non-fiction offerings such as historians Richard Overy’s THE BOMBERS AND THE BOMBED: ALLIED AIRWAR OVER EUROPE, 1940-1945; Frederick Taylor’s DRESDEN: TUESDAY FEBRUARY 13, 1945, AND COVENTRY NOVEMBER 14, 1940; Jorg Friedrich’s THE BOMBING OF GERMANY 1940-1945; and Keith Lowe’s INFERNO:THE FIERY DESTRUCTION OF HAMBURG 1943. These accounts are accurate and extremely impactful.

Four decades ago, probably the most precise novel dealing with the air war over Germany was Len Deighton’s BOMBER. The book has recently been reissued depicting an RAF Squadron in devastating detail over a 24 hour period, June 31, 1943, a date the author created. It focuses on an RAF attack on a German city of Krefeld that went wrong resulting in the bombing of the village of Altgarten and the German pilots who met them in the air.

The main characters are RAF pilot, Sergeant Sam Lambert, one of England’s best pilots, and German ace, Oberleutnant Baron Victor von Lowenherz. Deighton develops these fictional characters very carefully integrating their private lives, members of their squad, and their views about the war. Deighton’s detail is exceptional, from the Operations room, mental and mechanical preparations of the pilots, strategies, aircraft design and capabilities. Deighton goes as far as charting the arc of survival for pilots based on the number of missions flown, in addition to factoring the cost of each bomber that was launched on June 31. In all areas the author’s diligence and knowledge of air campaigns is remarkable as is his precise depictions of planes, weapons, and behind the scenes war strategy.

Deighton does well in creating background biographies for all the major characters he introduces which provides insight into their emotions and reactions to the war, air combat preparations, and human relationships. A number stand out including Sergeant Simon Cohen, Flight Sergeants Battersby and Digby all members of Lambert’s squad. Christian Himmel, a twenty-two year old experienced German pilot who steals and leaks information concerning “freezing” experiments of Jews at Dachau to assist German aviators who were shot down in freezing climates. Flight Lieutenant Sweet, Commander of Lambert’s group who believes his underling is too pro-communist. Johannes Iif, a fireman in Altgarten who experienced the fire-bombing of Cologne, an anti-Nazi who was an expert on British ordinance. Gerd Boll and Oberzugtuhrer Bodo Reuter who were in charge of damage control in Altgarten after the waves of British attack planes. Luftwaffe Oberleutnant August Bach, commander of radar station “Ermine” who falls in love with his young housekeeper. Willi Reinecke, Bach’s second in command, and lastly, Hansil, a German boy in the small market town of Altgarten. There are numerous other characters who scheme, plot, fall in love, and experience life as normally as possible based on their situation. Deighton creates an enormous cast that includes airmen, soldiers, firemen, nurses, doctors, wives and civilians of all descriptions which lends itself to an intricate plot despite the fact that the story is developed within the confines of one day.

(British bombing of Dresden, 1943)

The author makes many insightful observations. First, the social class component involving aviators and those that work with them. Certain characters find it abhorrent that bakers, miners, milkmen, firemen, etc. can become pilots. These individuals cannot accept the ranks members of the “lower class” achieve but are forced to work with them. Deighton continuously points to the experiences of German soldiers and aviators on the eastern front which creates a great deal of sarcasm and anti-Nazi commentary among those who survived Stalin’s armies. He points out correctly that Hitler was running out of soldiers and teenagers from the Hitlergund were forced to fight in combat roles. There are also observations pertaining to pilot attitudes toward the rear echelon bureaucrats who made strategic decisions far from the air war provoking aviator anger. The pettiness of certain individuals is clear, i.e.; trying to force Lambert’s wife, Ruth to convince her husband to play cricket for the company team or he would be prosecuted for supposed leftist views. These are just a few insights, there are many more.

Deighton compares Krefeld, the German city, which was the original target of RAF planes, a city known for heavy industry, textiles, light industry, communications in the Ruhr Valley, and Altgarten, the unfortunate victim of RAF error, a sleepy village made up of mostly wooden structures with no wartime industry. As the 700 RAF planes are launched, Deighton focuses on the arial combat in a realistic fashion. However, the German pilots are not able to prevent the disaster that was about to fall on the small German village. Throughout the aerial scenes that Deighton develops, realism is the key allowing the reader to feel that they are aboard RAF or Luftwaffe aircraft.

The British strategy to send hundreds of planes, night after night, to bomb the civilian areas of German cities was based on the decisions of Arthur Harris, head of the RAF Bomber Command. As Malcom Gladwell writes in his review of the reissuance of BOMBER; “Harris was resolutely unsentimental about his decision. He once wrote that it “should be unambiguously stated” that the RAF’s goal was “the destruction of German cities, the killing of German workers, and the disruption of civilized life throughout Germany … the destruction of houses, public utilities, transport and lives, the creation of a refugee problem on an unprecedented scale.” His nickname was “Butcher” Harris, a sobriquet employed with a certain grudging respect, on the understanding that butchers can be useful in times of war. Harris was a psychopath. Twenty-five thousand people in Cologne once burned to death, in one night, on his orders.” According to British novelist Vera Brittain the people of England acquiesced to his decision because they did not have the imagination to appreciate what those deadly bombing campaigns meant to those on the ground.*

I agree with Gladwell that Deighton’s BOMBER is perhaps the greatest antiwar novels that has been written. It may come across as a bit dated, but in reality it is a superb account of aerial combat and the people whose lives depended upon it. For the author one of his goals was to convey the dehumanizing effects of mechanical warfare, a goal he clearly achieved.

*Malcom Gladwell, “Bomber” is one of the Greatest British antiwar novels ever written,” Wsahington Post, August 18, 2023.

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