The Disappointed Idealist

Sex Lives of the Kings & Queens of England: An Irreverent Expose of the Monarchs from Henry VIII to the Present Day by Nigel Cawthorne My rating: 1 of 5 stars Not entirely accurate. Gossip oriented to the point that even monarchs like Edward VI and Jane Grey (dead in their teens) were included. View all my reviews

Russia: A 1000-Year Chronicle of the Wild East by Martin Sixsmith My rating: 4 of 5 stars Reading a book about Russian history is like watching a battered woman that keeps on ending up in abusive relationships, each one worse than the one before. It should serve as a warning to all of those who think that a strong hand is what is needed to solve a problem. Unfortunately in the geopolitics of today, it seems like nobody is learning the right lesson. Putin wannabes are elected all over the place. Read and learn the trap of the easy fix, rushed evolution without education to help understand the principles behind it and empty populism. It is well written, unbiased and presented from the perspective of someone who lived there long enough to know how things work. Highly recommended. View all my reviews