Sixty: A Diary of My Sixty-First Year: The Beginning of the End, or the End of the Beginning?" by Ian Brown

Sixty: A Diary of My Sixty-First Year: The Beginning of the End, or the End of the Beginning? by Ian Brown
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

When I read the preview for this book, I thought I would like it. I am slightly older then the author and was curious about his experiences and perspectives given that we are both in our 60s. To be honest, the book was rather depressing to me. I did not need to know that our best days are behind us, women no longer find us attractive and that friends and people we know in our age group die or suffer from illness or other injuries. We also begin to lose our memory and our judgment is not as sharp as it used to be. This book may be an interesting read for those who are in their late 40s and 50s as they will be able to see what their imminent future holds.

I can't say that I learned anything new from reading this book – – maybe that was not the author's intention. It certainly wasn't a book that uplifted my spirits – – that's for sure.


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Berlin Diary: The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent 1934-41

Berlin Diary: The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent 1934-41 by William L. Shirer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read and reread Shirer book three or four times during different periods in my life. While his own personal story as a journalist is very compelling, because of his adventures and experiences in Nazi Germany, even more interesting to me was the reaction of the German people to Hitler. It's hard to believe that a civilized and cultured nation would allow a mediocre man to be the leader of their country and to plunge them into war and self-destruction.

The reader wonders if something like that could happen in the United States. Until this election cycle, I would have said no – – there are more smarter and wiser people than dumb and evil ones in this country. Now I'm not so sure…

I would list this book as one of the most influential ones in my lifetime. It is a long book – – over 600 pages but the story is very compelling and needs to be shared.


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