It’s the 100th Anniversary of the start of the First World War. Margaret MacMillan’s masterful story of the slow-motion slide into that stupid and deadly war is full of gems like this one:
One of the leading beauties in Europe, the Empress Elisabeth, wife of Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, exercised and dieted fantically to keep her looks. …In 1898 an anarchist stabbed her in the heart but her corsets were so tight that she did not die at once. (p. 222)
The absurd military build-ups, the nasty war in the Balkans, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and the secret treaties among the Great Powers all led to a war most people thought was unthinkable. New technology–submarines, planes dropping bombs, machine guns, tanks, and poison gas–made warfare much more deadly. My optimism in humanity took a big hit when I finished reading The War That Ended Peace. But I do want to read more of Margaret MacMillan. She made 739 pages fly by! If you’re going to read one book on the causes of World War I, this is the one to choose! GRADE: A
George, I didn’t realise 2014 would be the 100th anniversary of the Great War. I’ll accept your recommendation and try and read this book. From the historic viewpoint, I find wars an intriguing subject for reading.
Prashant, you’ll be astonished by what you learn from Margaret MacMillian’s brilliant book! She’s a great writer.
George, Did you see the new treatment for sleep apnea in the NYT today>
Patti, I did see that article in the NY TIMES about “doctors surgically implanting a remote-controlled neurostimulator that, activated at night, sends regular electric impulses to a nerve inside the jaw. The impulses cause the tongue to move forward during inhalation, opening the airway.” But my nasal pillows and CPAP work great for me so I’m not a candidate. People who have trouble with CPAPs and masks should look into this new surgical approach.