Customer Reviews:
Readable, but a bit lacking.......2007-10-16
I was in college when the Falklands war broke out and never really understood what actually happened and why.
I bought "The Battle for the Falklands" as a way of finding out and whilst this book is easy to read and well written I found it lacked a certain personnel perspective. I researched other titles and ended up seeking out "9 battles to Stanley" by Nicholas Van De Bijl.
This told me more of what I wanted to know in terms of how hard both sides had actually fought and the reality of battle. It showed, in several cases, how close the British forces came to defeat and ultimately that victory was a result of superior training, ability and a certain amount of luck. Despite the rhetoric the Argentineans weren't a walk over and although this book only deals with the land base forces I think it is more realistic and informative.
It certainly helped me understand the sacrifices each side made and the futility of war.
Gripping - if one sided.......2006-09-24
A superb collection of the players and events leading up to the Falklands conflict. The comparisons between the infamous 1983 South Atlantic war and today's headlines are not accidental. Hastings and Jenkins lend a broad stage to the conflict and protray it well as it unfolded among the nations of the world. As the book unfolds, the challenges of an ill equipped force against an uncertain enemy and the politics of every move are made clear. One of the most telling lines was the reference to the revelation of the assault on Goose Green by the BBC prior to the actual attack, a revelation which cost the British and Argentinians additional lives and casualties.
Although there is some treatment of Argentina's perspective, this is largely a book about the UK effort. I was very impressed with the detail, honesty and flow of the work. And nary a mention of Prince Andrew!
Eminently Readable Account.......2004-01-13
The 1983 British bid to recapture the Falkland Islands is one of the most important and least studied military undertakings of recent history. Hastings' book has been around for a long time and it's probably the best known work about the short-lived campaign. It's well researched, well written, and well edited and the order of battle appendix is a nice addition too. The epic foot march across East Falkland (in artic conditions) by the Marines and Paras of the Commando Brigade is only one of a host of impressive accomplishments by British forces. This is a veritable cornucopia of "lessons learned" from infantry operations, to air defense conundrums, to fleet tactics, to logistical problem-solving, it's all in here. If you're a military professional, this is a must read. It's too bad there are not more titles available on this topic.
The politics and logistics of an avoidable war........2004-01-03
This has to be the most definitive account, from a British perspective, of a war that continues to invoke emotive reactions when discussed either side of the Atlantic. The narrative is perfectly balanced with the immediacy of the action described by Max hasting who was on the ground with the Task Force and the intrigue of the politics explained with unnerving clarity by Simon Jenkings. The book interwieves a stark narrative of the realities of battle with an enlightening view on the working of politicians and their influence on the start and ultimate outcome of war. While the book should appeal for those with a thirst for the factual, there is sufficient analysis of both the strategy of battle and the politics of war to satisfy most. I began reading this book looking for answers to how and why the war started, in this regard I feel the account fully satisfied my curiosity. What surprised me was the degree to which the descriptions of the strategy for naval warfare invoked images and scenarios that were as reminiscent of ancient history as they were relevant to contemporary conflicts. Descriptions of diplomatic efforts to forestall a war, the series of mis-communications that led ultimately to open conflict, the initial celebrations in suport of the Task Force and the ultimate subdued reaction to conclusion of war all make sobering reading. For detailed tactical accounts of naval battles this must be one of the best case studies since the Second World War. The ultimate question as to whether the war was justified or otherwise is analysed in conclusion although the authors err on the side of impartiality raising more questions than answers. A thoroughly recommended read.
The definitive account of a war where many died for so few........2004-01-03
This has to be the most definitive account, from a British perspective, of a war that continues to invoke emotive reactions when discussed either side of the Atlantic. The narrative is perfectly balanced with the immediacy of the action described by Max hasting who was on the ground with the Task Force and the intrigue of the politics explained with unnerving clarity by Simon Jenkings. The book interwieves a stark narrative of the realities of battle with an enlightening view on the working of politicians and their influence on the start and ultimate outcome of war. While the book should appeal for those with a thirst for the factual, there is sufficient analysis of both the strategy of battle and the politics of war to satisfy most. I began reading this book looking for answers to how and why the war started, in this regard I feel the account fully satisfied my curiosity. What surprised me was the degree to which the descriptions of the strategy for naval warfare invoked images and scenarios that were as reminiscent of ancient history as they were relevant to contemporary conflicts. Descriptions of diplomatic efforts to forestall a war, the series of mis-communications that led ultimately to open conflict, the initial celebrations in suport of the Task Force and the ultimate subdued reaction to conclusion of war all make sobering reading. For detailed tactical accounts of naval battles this must be one of the best case studies since the Second World War. The ultimate question as to whether the war was justified or otherwise is analysed in conclusion although the authors err on the side of impartiality raising more questions than answers. A thoroughly recommended read.
Book Description
The Hundred Days that saw the British response to General Galtiere of Argentina's invasion of the Falklands are for many British people the most remarkable of their lives. There will be massive revival of interest in this period in 2007 and this book covers all the main events of that momentous time. It describes the dark days of early April, the feverish response and forming of the Task Force, the anxieties and uncertainties, the naval and air battles that preceded the landings by 3 Commando Brigade and 5th Infantry Brigade.
The extraordinary battles such as Goose Green, Mount Tumbledown, Wireless Ridge etc are narrated fully but succinctly.
This is a very balanced overview of a never-to-be-repeated but triumphant chapter in British military history.
Average customer rating:
- Battalion level view of Combat
- Outstanding narrative of leadership during Falklands.
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Take That Hill!: Royal Marines in the Falklands War
Nick Vaux
Manufacturer: Brassey's (UK) Ltd
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The Battle for the Falklands
ASIN: 0080405681 |
Customer Reviews:
Battalion level view of Combat.......2005-07-17
Nick Vaux's memoir of his experiences as a Commando (battalion level) commander during the Falklands Island War should be mandatory reading for anyone aspiring to tactical command. His book, well written and entertaining, provides valuable insight into the stresses and strains that affect the commander. Battle focused training, hasty planning, and the effects of the environment on combatants are also topics that he addresses.
Outstanding narrative of leadership during Falklands........1998-02-08
Nick Vaux commanded the 42 Commando during the Falklands campaign and has written about it in this non-fiction work. This engaging, fast read follows his command from England to the Falkland Islands where the unit suffers appalling conditions and undergoes horrendous demands but has a spectacular fight in the final liberation of the island. This is highly recommended for members of the profession of arms and provides other readers a sense of the desperate conditions of modern war.
Average customer rating:
- outstanding treatise on the war,by the man who won it.
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No Picnic: 3 Commando Brigade in the South Atlantic : 1982
Julian Thompson
Manufacturer: Leo Cooper
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0850523044 |
Customer Reviews:
outstanding treatise on the war,by the man who won it........1999-04-09
Julian Thompson is described as the "man of the match"by Jenkins and Hastings.This was so true,as commander of 3 commando brigade he was the tactician that made the british victory happen,this book is a must read for all soldiers everywhere.Get the details of the amazing feat that was the greatest air/sea battle since WW2.
Book Description
Battle Atlas of the Falklands War 1982 from the occupation of South Georgia and the Falklands Islands/Malvinas by the Argentines, the assembly and dispatch of the British Task Force, to the reconquest of the islands. Includes 48 maps, 51 photographs, and appendices listing British ships and aircraft and Argentine aircraft losses and British gallantry awards
Customer Reviews:
A singularly credible account........2007-06-01
2007 sees the 25th anniversary of the Falklands War of 1982. In the UK at least, it seems as though everyone and each of our television channels is reliving that war in one way or another. Some authors and commentators are simply climbing onto the bandwagon with material which, to put it simply, is suspect. NOT SO!, with this book.
Michael Clapp was "Commodore Amphibious Warfare" during the Falklands War and co-author Ewen Southby-Tailyour was a serving Royal Marine Officer during that same conflict and whose knowledge of the waters of the Falklands was so invaluable before during and even after the landings. It was Southby-Tailyour who warned the officer in charge (Not!, the Commanding Officer I hasten to add) of the party of Welsh Guardsmen on board the "Sir Galahad" to get ashore before they were attacked and offered assistance to this end. That officer, incidentally, refused the request and the Sir Galahad was later attacked with great loss of life.
Those, then, are the credentials of the two men who have collaborated in the writing of this book. It is an important historic document.
The Captain of any ship is "Master" of that ship. He also commands all the ship's boats and is ultimately responsible for ensuring the safe embarkation and disembarkation of all on board. From ships lifeboats (even life-rafts) to assault craft, considerable training and expertise is required in getting passengers safely away and safely ashore. Never more so than when under fire from a belligerent enemy.
In early 1982, a hastily assembled Royal Navy Task Force was steaming towards the Falkland Islands which had been invaded by a foreign force. The British troops on board the various ships were tried and tested veterans of Northern Ireland but had no experience of what was to come. Worse still, apart from the Commandos, most had little or not experience in going to war by sea.
The responsibility for putting them safely ashore rested with their Royal Navy `chauffeurs' and that responsibility came down to Michael Clapp. In this book he reveals - with considerable honesty, the full story of the events that led to the resultant victory on land. In so doing he had to adopt old, forgotten methods in a bid to find common ground for all concerned. It upset some - but then nobody likes change foisted upon them, especially senior officers. Point is, it worked!
The reasons why San Carlos Water was chosen is fully explained and, with hindsight, is probably the one single factor - more than any other, that led to the eventual victory.
I can identify with a no-nonsense, straight-talking officer who cares not what feathers he may ruffle when given an important task. It says much for his style and the decisions he took that nobody - senior officer or below, has ever challenged his honesty or the importance of this book.
For those with an interest in the Falklands war of 1982, this is essential reading.
NM
(Retired British army major)
It takes Logistics to conduct the amphibious operations.......2002-04-25
1. I had read this book about two years ago and liked it great deal....Falkland war was a unique war in many respects. It was a war fought on doorsteps of adversary by a nation thousands of miles away. To regain a piece of land (or should I say an island) captured by not so weak enemy, whose logistics train was much much shorter was per-se a military operation, but in true sense it was first of all a major logistics exercise to make that military might reach that far from UK and then make that military might fight the battle. Operations actually were a much smaller part of the whole game.
2. Commodore Michael Clapp, was Commander of Amphibious Task Force of Royal Navy. He was the man at the most happening part of the war. It was very easy for him to push all the shortcomings and problems under the carpet and brag about the successes, which were by no means small. The virtues of the Victor are generally remembered and the vices forgotten. One must however remember that the ones who do not learn from history (past lessons) soon themselves become history. Commodore Clapp has been forthright in his approach and has very systematically brought out the chaos and problems of such operations. In the fog of war confusion and chaos would reign, but a side that minimises it, generally fares better.
3. He has highlighted as to how the then strategic perspective of UK had resulted into cutting of forces. How a maritime nation had become land centric and was reducing its naval forces. In such circumstances, it received a jolt at Falklands, which was contrary to the perception prevailing at that time. This jolt forced an ill prepared nation to gather itself and brace up for war. What was achieved in such a short span was commendable, but Cmde Clapp has done an essential service by putting the preparations and the war in correct perspective. Highlighting the plus and the minus dispassionately. Britain won the war, but few set backs due to logistics problems would have turned the tables. When at war one must fight whole-heartedly, but an analysis in retrospect is always very important to learn from them and not to repeat the same mistakes next time. Cmde Clapp deserves praise for doing that essential task, though it might have been unpleasant to do so.
4. A must read for those having interest in maritime affairs in general and in amphibious operations in particular.
Battle from the top.......2000-08-14
I found the book "Amphibious Assault falklands" very interesting. It gives us the perspective of one of the leaders of the campain, and shows us all the considerations and planning before the assult. Together with the book "No picninc" I think this in one of the most informative books about the war, if you want to know the war from the top.
Buried in logistics -- where's the war?.......1999-01-11
If you are writing about the Falklands War, this would be an important source book for details on some aspects. But if you want to know about the war, pick another book. Michael Clapp was Commodore (permanent rank was Captain) of the amphibious assault force, the naval officer in overall command of getting the marines a soldiers ashore along with their supplies. His book, written with a colleague, is a numbing and intensive description of logistical matters liberally strewn with incomprehensible acronyms. Much muted complaining about bad communications and fuzzy organization. It's a wonder the Argentines lost! Events outside his immediate concern get little notice. Sinking of the Belgrano and its consequences merits a mere dismissal as left wing whining. There is no sense of humanity here at all. Still, one has to give credit for the enormous logistical task successfully completed at such a distance from home base. But it's easy to put down.
Book Description
This book provides new light on the way the Argentine forces were organized for war, the plans and reactions of the commanders, the sufferings of the soldiers and the shame and disillusionment of defeat. Martin Middlebrook has produced a genuine 'first' with this unique work.
Martin Middlebrook is the only British historian to have been granted open access to the Argentines who planned and fought the Falklands War. It ranks with Liddel Hart's The Other side of the Hill in analyzing and understanding the military thinking and strategies of Britain's sometime enemy, and is essential reading for all who wish to understand the workings of military minds.
The book provides new light on the way Argentine forces were organized for war, the plans and reactions of the commanders, the sufferings of the soldiers and the shame and disillusionment of defeat.
Customer Reviews:
Well written.......2007-08-15
A good book covering the angles from a different side - detailed in some areas but silent on others especially as a cross reference against the very British publications (eg Max Hastings etc).
A very good book on the individual stories and very well worth the read if nothing more than on the very different perspective from the Argentine side.
A must read if you have any interest in this conflict..........2007-05-10
I have never read one of Mr Middlebrook's books before, but I am now searching for other titles by him. Because this was one of those books that I had a hard time putting down. Up front let me say that my nationalty is British and I can remember the Falklands War like it was yesterday. However despite having read numerous accounts of the British Victory very little has been said from the perspective of the soldiers who wore the Argentine Unform. This book changes all that, and thru what where obviously some pretty intense interviews as you read this book you start to get a feeling and even an understanding of the passions and emotions of the young soldiers facing the Brits. In the western press we hear about the superiority of the British War machine during the conflict; however the Argentines did put up a spirited if ineffective defence of the Falklands. Another thing that I thought was very interesting about this book is that we get to see how and why misinformation was distributed in the fog of war. I suppose the difference between the British and Argentine governments is that we laid open the books after the conflict to the public versus the Argentines who outright lied to preserve face. Then there are the issues of the foot soldiers on the Argentine side who despite facing what is arguable the best trained army in the world, displayed uncommon gallantry far and above what the pro British press has previously reported. About the only thing I wish Mr Middlebrook had fleshed out a little more is politcs of the Argentines on the mainland.
The Falklands War from an Argentine Perspective?.......2005-08-24
For those of you looking for something different to Sir Lawrence Freedman's official history, or Max Hastings 'Falklands War', try Martin Middlebrook's 'The Argentine Fight for the Falklands'. I bought it thinking it was another Argentine perspective. But for Falklands analysts it is still worth having in the library. Pages 131-132 alone are worth the price. Two British frigates were very nearly sunk by an Argentine submarine. Why they survived makes interesting reading and is very useful for capability analysis today.
Book Description
In the second volume of his official history of the Falklands Campaign, Lawrence Freedman provides a detailed and authoritative account of one of the most extraordinary periods in recent British political history and a vivid portrayal of a government at war.
After the shock of the Argentine invasion of the Falklands in April 1982, Margaret Thatcher faced the crisis that came to define her premiership as she determined to recover the islands. The book covers all aspects of th campaign-economic and diplomatic as well as military and demonstrates the extent of the gamble that the government took. There are important accounts of the tensions in relations with the United States, concerns among the military commanders about the risks they were expected to take, the problems of dealing with the media and the attempts to reach a negotiated settlement. War and Diplomacy describes in dramatic detail events such as the sinking of the Belgrano, the battle of Goose Green and the final push to Stanley. Attention is also paid to the aftermath of the war, including the various enquiries, and the eventual restoration of diplomatic relations with Argentina.
Book Description
The Argentine invasion of the Falklands in 1982 sparked national outrage and Britain felt she had to avenge the humiliation and protect her own. This volume explores both the military and political dimensions of this important conflict, including detailed accounts of the air / sea battle, the Battle for San Carlos Water, Goose Green, Mt Harriet, Tumbledown and many others. It explains how success in the Falklands set the stage for the years of Thatcher's dominance, and restored British prestige. Including first hand accounts from both soldiers and civilians, this is an interesting and thoroughly up to date appraisal.
Customer Reviews:
A good account of the war.......2007-03-22
As usual, Osprey describes war histories in a very effective way. This book is ideal for anyone who wants to have a neat idea of what happened in Falkland/Malvinas in 1982.
Not enough sources, too many errors.......2006-03-16
If you are looking for a narration of the Falklands War from the English point of view, this is the right book for you: brief, exciting and with many illustrations. However, if you want an exhaustive, updated and impartial chronicle of this conflict, you will be disappointed with this work of Duncan Anderson.
The reasons are not difficult to guess. In the section "Select bibliography", the author mentions NINE books; only "half-book" (the work of Virginia Gamba-Stonehouse with Lawrence Freedman) have Argentine origins. Hardly surprising, the text of Anderson is strongly unilateral and full of errors. Here a brief selection:
3) Page 11: no mention to the first English invasion of Buenos Aires in 1806 under the command of Popham and Beresford (the same expedition who occupied Cape Colony before)
"...an along with [Argentine] independence in 1820..."
Argentine independence took place in 1816, not 1820
"In 1831 the American frigate Lemington..."
The US-American ship's name was Lexington
8) Page 25: "...Harriers...would have to face some 120 Argentine machines of equal of superior performance."
A quarter of these 118 Argentine aircraft were COIN/trainer turboprops (Pucará & Turbo Mentor) with a maximum speed of 500 km/h. Only 32 machines (8 Mirage III and 24 Daggers) were theoretically superior to the Sea Harrier, but they operated at the limit of their range (they wouldn't perform any air refuelling) and their missiles were very inferior to the AIM-9L Sidewinder
12) Page 32 (photo): "Douglas A-4C Skyhawks."
These are A-4B of the Grupo 5 de Caza (Fight Group 5)
14) Page 35 (map): "Task Group 79.1 & 2 (Aircraft-carrier and 2 destroyers)" and "Task Group 79.4 (3 frigates)"
These groups included four destroyers (Hércules, Santísima Trinidad, Comodoro Py and Comodoro Seguí) and three corvettes (Drummond, Granville and Guerrico)
15) Page 37: "Unknown to the RAF, the Argentine engineers who had constructed the airfield had made a mistake when plotting its position on survey maps. As a consequence, the airfield's position on maps the crew was using was 1,000 m from its actual position."
Really? Perhaps the Argentine engineers made this error on purpose for the British maps; or perhaps that was only an excuse of the British pilots for their failure to hit a 1,250 m runway meanwhile their Argentine colleagues hit frigates that were ten times smaller...
"...one bomb hit the centre of the runway, cratering it badly and ensuring it could not be used by fast jets."
The bomb hit only a border of the runway, that was never able to operations with fast jets because it was still too short
17) Page 40: "She [the Belgrano] sank within 45 minutes, with the loss of 368 lives."
The Belgrano sank within one hour, with the loss of 323 lives
18) Page 41: "During the next 24 hours Lynx helicopters sank and disabled two Argentine patrol boats on their way to the islands."
No Argentine patrol boat was sunk. The Skua missiles were unable to sink the 800-ton Alférez Sobral: damaged and with seven killed it was able to reach Puerto Deseado without help. The Sobral wasn't on the way to the island but on the search of the crew of the Canberra shot down at 1 May: the two airmen were never found
19) Page 43: "The first success came on 9 May when Coventry, a Type 42, shot down two Skyhawks and a Puma helicopter."
The two A-4C were not hit by Sea Darts missiles but they crashed due to bad weather (like two Sea Harriers three days before)
"...a bomb from the second attack wave hit Glasgow, but passed through her without exploding."
Right, but Glasgow was so badly damaged that some days later it had to take the way back to England
21) Page 50: "In fact, the settlements [at Goose Green] held 1,500; with added reinforcements the number was to rise to 1,630."
At 26 May, the settlements held only 845 men (included 202 ground crew from the airfield). At 28 May two reinforcements came: a platoon of the Regiment 25 (44 men) and the Company B of the Regiment 12 (132 men)
23) Page 53: "As he [Jones] single-handedly stormed an Argentine trench from the rear, he was cut down by a burst of machine gun fire from behind".
I don't want to offend the memory of "H" Jones, but I must tell you the other version of his death:
As the Company A was stopped by the fire of the defenders of Darwin in a path between two minefields, three Paras took off und shuttled their helmets. The Argentine officer, Lt Juan José Gómez Centurión, accepted the parliament's offer and met one of the enemy soldiers who introduced him as Lieutenant Colonel Jones and demanded the surrender of the Argentines. Surprised and annoyed, Gómez Centurión broke up the parliament and both officers went back to their men. At this moment a British MG that used the break to flank the Argentine's position opened fire and hit three Argentine soldiers. Gómez Centurión saw Jones behind a fence and fired twice with his rifle: Jones was hit from a bullet in the neck and died.
24) Page 54: "...the Argentines [suffered] 55 dead and 86 wounded. In addition, 1,536 physically uninjured Argentines became prisoners of war."
The Argentines suffered 50 dead and almost 120 men were wounded. Only 1,083 soldiers surrendered
"...the Argentines...were...equipped with automatic weapons...and supported by mortar and artillery fire and ground attack aircraft."
The Argentines had only four machine guns (one 12,7mm and three 7,62 mm), whereas their enemy had 56 MG (14 to 1). As the Argentines, the Paras had 105mm guns (at the end six), 81 mm mortars (at the end eight) and air-ground support. And they had something that the Argentines didn't have: 12 granade-throwers M79, MILAN and Blowpipes missiles and naval fire support from the 114mm gun of the frigate Arrow
26) Page 58: "The frigate Cardiff, returning from bombarding Stanley, sighted the landing craft."
Cardiff was not a frigate but a Type 42 destroyer. By the way, one hour before a British Gazelle helicopter was shot down by "over-anxious" crew of Cardiff: four men were killed
27) "The landing craft [Foxtrot 4] was saved from almost certain destruction by the arrival of two Sea Harriers..."
The Foxtrot 4 was sunk together with the transported material
29) "...British gunners were trained to a much higher standard."
The principal advantage of British artillery was the 17 km range of their guns compared with the 10,5 km range of Argentine OTO Melara howitzers
"...additional fire support was to be provided by automatic 4." guns of four warships..."
The standard gun of British warships is 4,5in (114mm)
36) Page 86: "Nearly 100 Argentine dead were found in positions on the ridge [Wireless Ridge]..."
The Regimiento 7 lost in Longdon and Wireless Ridge only 35 killed
Finally: in this book I couldn't find any reference to the help of the Chilean dictatorship to Britain (military intelligence, aggressive movements of his army and navy against Argentine, a British Recce-Canberra unit that operated with Chilean colours from the Patagonia, etc): this help was acknowledged in public by Margaret Thatcher in 1999, when her friend, ex-dictator Augusto Pinochet, was arrested in England.
More than twenty years after the conflict, such inaccuracy is simply unacceptable. It is lamentable that Anderson, in spite of his notables academic records (he is head of the Department of War Studies at Sandhurst), has been incapable to write a true valuable work on this tragic conflict.
Fantastic history of the Falklands war.......2003-07-30
I found this to be extremely informative as well a gripping read. Excellently written and involves the reader to make the material come alive. If you have any interest in this conflict this is *the* authoritative read.
Amazon.com
In the past decade Colm Tóibín has garnered international fame for his fiction, reporting, and travel writing. Now, in his new novel, The Story of Night, he breaks new emotional ground with the story of a gay man coming of age in Argentina during the Falklands War. Tóibín weds his two themes--the ongoing Argentinean struggle toward democracy and the personal journey of a man coming out--with intellectual deftness and literary agility. Written with grace and understatement The Story of Night is Tóibín's best work yet.
Book Description
A daring and deeply moving novel set in Argentina in the time of the Generals--a time when the streets are empty at night, and people have trained themselves not to see. Richard Garay lives with his mother, hiding his sexuality from her and from society. Stifled by his job, Richard is willing to take chances, both sexually and professionally. But Argentina is changing, and as his country edges toward peace, Richard tentatively begins a love affair. The result is a powerful, brave, and poignant novel of sex, death, and the diffculties of connecting one's inner life with the outside world.
Download Description
A daring and deeply moving novel set in Argentina in the time of the Generals--a time when the streets are empty at night, and people have trained themselves not to see. Richard Garay lives with his mother, hiding his sexuality from her and from society. Stifled by his job, Richard is willing to take chances, both sexually and professionally. But Argentina is changing, and as his country edges toward peace, Richard tentatively begins a love affair. The result is a powerful, brave, and poignant novel of sex, death, and the diffculties of connecting one's inner life with the outside world.
Customer Reviews:
how disappointing..........2007-07-28
The only other of Toibin's books that I have read was "The Master", which I thoroughly enjoyed. It is brilliantly subtle; my slight and confusing attraction to Henry James has, probably, more than something to do with my reaction. My thought was that such a profound writer should have a few more equally enjoyable books under his belt. I was, at least as concerns this work, horribly mistaken. I did try to like this book. I kept waiting for some depth or maybe some honest emotion. What I got was intolerably lackluster 1st person in short 7 word sentences that drove me /batty/, and a 'love' that is more based on lust than anything else. There is not one drop of feeling anywhere, and this includes the protagonist's reactions to his political situation since he doesn't actually /care/ at all. I skimmed to the end of the book to see if maybe I might be missing something worthwhile, but found nothing that would have made this book worth having bought in the 1st place.
A Timelessly Important Yet Also A Timely Novel.......2005-06-16
2005 and Argentina has just revoked amnesty for those responsible for the brutality and occult treachery of the Dirty War that ended with the overthrow of the military junta with the British defeat of Argentina's forces over the Falkland Islands. And it is during this closure of a long suppressed circle that Colm Toibin's superb 1995 book THE STORY OF THE NIGHT comes back into circulation. By all means read this book now not only to celebrate Toibin's genius but also to gain valuable insight into a political intrigue that has smoldered in Argentina for the past thirty years!
Toibin conjoins the tale of a young lad Richard Garay, the son of a haughty British mother and an Argentine man whose childhood is disrupted by loss of income and instability of social presence, with the general social and political upheaval in Argentina). Richard moves from poverty and the death of his parents to teaching English in Buenos Aires and eventually comes into contact with an American couple Donald and Susan Ford who draw him into their hazy presence in the realm of political coups as an interpreter. Through them he works to gain acceptance of the powerful Canetto family: the father wants to become President of the nascent democracy after the Falklands War has rid the country of the Generals. Richard is a man in conflict: he envies the wealthy, he is gay, and he embodies the state of mind of surviving with a day persona of longing for order and rank which is antagonistic to his night persona of craving passion.
Through a series of twists of fate Richard gradually comes into money by way of the prelude to oil privatization and after unsatisfying attempts at mating he finds love in Pablo Canetto, a handsome man who has likewise hidden his true identity from his family by fleeing to San Francisco's atmosphere. The development of this profound love between Richard and Pablo, threatened as it is by nearly every aspect of life in Buenos Aires, forms the substance of this novel, that substance eloquently exploring the spectrum of love and loss as beautifully as any romance in literature.
Colm Toibin is a master storyteller and one who has obviously scrupulously researched the time frame he has chosen for his novel. Every character is painted well, there being no extraneous moments that are not additive to the story. Toibin's prose is liquid and ravishingly beautiful and he is unafraid to present intimate physical encounters, knowing exactly how much to say without offending the senses of anyone. This richly historic novel ends in a microcosm of a romance: the 'desaparecidos' of the dirty war are mirrored in the equally plangent wake of AIDS.
The story is superb, the introduction to a heretofore vague history of South American coups is fascinatingly related, and above it all is the magic of Toibin's impeccable prose. This is a book to read again and again. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, June 05
"...sneak into other world and find moments of pure pleasure.......2005-05-01
THE STORY OF THE NIGHT is an audacious and deeply moving novel about a man, Richard Garay, who hides his sexuality from his mother in during the time of military dictatorship. Stifled by his job, Richard is willing to risk new possibilities professionally and sexually. As the country is slowly changing and attaining peace, Richard tentatively begins to engage in a secret love affair that does not meet the approval of family and society. His mother is a proud, elegant English woman who will wreak a shrill revenge on Argentina when it is at war with the Britain for the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands She almost thrives too assiduously to preserve the English gentility, which she think the Argentineans lack, in her son. She mistakes Richard's reserve, his reticence, and his distance from her as gentility, thinking it is real but understanding that it is fear.
THE STORY OF THE NIGHT captures South America in its crucial times of political instability and turbulence: the ruthless purge of dissidents after the Chilean coup and the grim uncertainty of the transfer of power in Argentina. As England declares war on Argentina and sends its vessels southward in claiming the ownership of the Falkland Islands, Richard abrasively abandons his unpromising, stifling teaching job and to be under the wings of two American diplomats. The Americans have infiltrated the country, given grand parties with hired guests as a disguise, observed the political climate of the evolving country in order to ensure an orderly transfer of power to a civilian successor. Richard hoists a two-fold responsibility: to serve as a translator and to lobby the Americans in Senor Canetto's candidacy for presidency.
THE STORY OF THE NIGHT develops in the backdrop of 1980s in which Argentineans were concerned with employment prospects, inflation, social welfare, stupidity of war, and the menacing disappearances of dissidents. The novel delineates the country in a manner so stultifying and inconsolable as THE LINE OF BEAUTY evokes the forlornness of England under Thatcher in the same decade. Both novels explores the impact that such rough political terrain exudes on an individual who makes choices in life that are deemed alternative. As Richard becomes an indispensable hand in assisting the privatization of oil industry, he has imperceptibly spiraled into an intimate relationship that is sealed with stalwart discretion. His desire to move from having a hidden, secret life with his partner to the aura of recognition, again, echoes to his counterpart in THE LINE OF BEAUTY. Little do they know that a much greater threat, one is that more formidable than being out to their family, prey on their life together.
THE STORY OF THE NIGHT tops the Lambda Literary Foundation's list of 100 most significant gay novels of all time. Beneath the equanimity of the narrative voice are a poignant novel of intimacy, sex, death, and the fear of connecting one's inner life with the outside world. It conveys the hidden fear of coming to family and the fear of elaborating same-sex relationship. The protagonist, on the other hand, is unrestrained in delineating the physical passion of his relationship, rendering it in shameless, exuberant details the scenes of his life that absorbs the needs for love and friendship. The prose exudes an explosive power of suggestibility, which bespeaks a pleasure that is only possible through a mutual understanding of physical contour and desire.
THE STORY OF THE NIGHT, strategically puts its protagonist in a country at a time that people shut themselves off to question authority and train themselves not to see the truth. The immediate effect is an accentuation of the protagonist's isolation from his family and the outside world out of his concealing of his sexuality. This tactic is not without flaw. The politics of the novel, which occupies over a third of the text, can render it dry and insipid. One point Richard Garay makes that really hits home to me (and thus redeem the dryness on all the politics issues) is that heterosexual engagement offers none of the excitement, effortless satisfaction, pure pleasure, and the sense of ease that he gets from being intimate with a man. The novel paints a powerful picture of intimacy and the deep terrain of relationship out of sheer suggestibility that percolates throughout the text.
Sexy new cover for a great novel.......2005-04-27
Set in Argentina during the night of the Generals (the 1980s), "The Story of the Night" follows a young man as he comes to terms with the loss of his parents (a British mother and an Argentinian father), the acceptance of his homosexuality, and his involvement in international politics and finance. While serving as an English language intertreter, our hero meets and falls in love with the son of a major political family. Their love story is one of the most poignant and beautifully realized I've read in a very long time. This is a brilliant, multi-layered novel, rich in mystery, history and political detail. Twice nominated for the Booker Prize, Colm Toibin is a master storyteller.
Powerful & Enchanting.......2004-10-25
The Story Of The Night is one of the most beautiful books ever written about taboo love. Colm Toibin captured the essence of gayety and the confusion by his extraordinary story. I could not leave the book until I read it all. The power of love and hope conveyed is great and new, it is a need to this world where queer love is growing more materialistic and sexual rather than emotional and platonic. I admire Com Toibin for his insight and understanding of the human nature and the diversion that may arise. The Story Of The Night is a story of gay lust turning to be the story of the most powerful true love. The shocking ending creates a huge amount of sadness and causes the heart to beat faster. This book is situated at the top of all love stories written. I sensed Shakespearian emotions in the lines and an accuracy to a gay's life that is the utmost truth. I recommend this books to all gays, it is a must read, gives you hope and will to go on trying. It is recomended as well to all those who wants to understand gays as they truly are.
Books:
- The Battle for the Falklands
- The Battle for the Mind: How You Can Think the Thoughts of God
- The Dirty War
- The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits
- The Guilt of Nations: Restitution and Negotiating Historical Injustices
- The Hunters (A Presidential Agent Novel)
- The March: A Novel
- The Mountain Meadows Massacre
- The North Carolina Experience: An Interpretive and Documentary History
- The Occupation: War and Resistance in Iraq
Books Index
Books Home
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ARGENTINE FIGHT FOR THE FALKLANDS (Pen & Sword Military Classics)
The Falklands War 1982 (Essential Histories)
One Hundred Days: The Memoirs of the Falklands Battle Group Commander (Bluejacket Books Series)
Air War in the Falklands 1982 (Osprey Combat Aircraft 28)
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