History is too much fun...

These are some quotes which still kill me, from a conversation I had with Nat while we were reading up on Nazi generals one evening. All concern real people, and real facts - though Johan and Dicky are characters of ours. x)

"Kluge frequently rode in an airplane to inspect the divisions under his command and sometimes relieved his boredom during the flights by hunting foxes from the air—a decidedly non-traditional method." – “Decidedly non-traditional. I can imagine Dicky doing that” – “Waving a Winchester around”

“JOHAN alternative states "Women in uniforms are to be shot, unless they take them off."

“WHAT is this like CENTER OF FAIL NAMES or wtf is going on here -- Cäsar von Hofacker”

"As a leader who lectured his soldiers about the honor of dying for the German Fatherland, he was nicknamed "Der Sterber" (literally, "The Die-er")"

“this must be a piss take seriously BOCK also has: “He quickly earned the nickname “Holy Fire of Küstrin””

“Hofacker was later forced to betray him, under Gestapo torture, forcing Rommel to take his own life.” – “THAT HOFACKER” -- “Goodbye desertfox plz - Kluge would not join, despite Hofacker's exhortations. (Kluge later committed suicide, believing that he had been implicated). He's like a walking suicide machine. Also - he tried to kill Hitler, failed, and Hitler killed himself.” – “everyone around him kills themselves

"He possesses the Lance of Longinus (or "Holy Lance”) Johan possessed a Lance of Longinus too”

"Funk was held at Spandau Prison along with other senior Nazis. "

"Hitler is a dancing dervish. He must be shot down." – “dancing <__<>

“Stop, Hammerstein.”

“Because of the attack, he was removed from office and was reduced to his permanent two-star rank of rear admiral.”

Fatherland - Robert Harris

I mentioned in my post here that I was reading Fatherland by Robert Harris. I first picked it up as part of a one-off rummage through the shelves of Waterstones/Ottakars/Whatever-it-now-goes-by, in order to get a 3 for 2 discount. Definitely worth the extortion (though I eventually read the copy on my Kindle instead...)

This book is good in numerous ways, but especially in the amount of research behind it, and its attention to detail. In short terms, it is a historical mystery/thriller set in 1960's Berlin in a universe where the Nazis won WWII and the Third Reich was allowed to grow into fruition. Albert Speer's 'Germania' had been built, and everything was trundling on with benign obliviousness to the horrors of the war crimes committed by the Nazi Government during the war. That is, until Xavier March, divorcée, Kripo officer and suspected defector finds himself dragged into something that he probably oughtn't to be!

The plot (which I won't divulge because we all hate spoilers!) weaves in and out of true events and documents, and is set in the run up to the Fuhrertag, Hitler's 75th birthday.

Overall: For the interesting plot, delightful levels of author research and its sheer readability, it's a great book. (Y)