Month 1-July 2012


Yoni: Changing Places by David Lodge


I first read this book in Gottingen in 1982. I was working for six weeks at the forest institute of the University of Gottingen. We heard a BBC radio 4 book show about the book and amazingly they had it in stock at the university bookstore. I enjoyed this book on a number of levels, firstly, I was just getting involved in real academic life and the central theme is one of publishing and tenure. On another level there is a theme of comparing life in the United States and England which, as you can imagine, I also found interesting (I always assumed that we would come here on post-doc). It is very funny and there is a chance to learn about the trends in literary criticism and semiotics which may make for useful conversation one day. The Jewish character is funny and well crafted. Many of Lodge's campus novels (there are 3 in this book) have the same cast dropping in and out but this one really features Morris Zapp, who is supposed to be based on the real Jewish intellectual Stanley Fish. I hope you enjoy it.


Noam: Enemy Coast Ahead: Guy Gibson


Growing up in post-war England almost everybody's Father (including your Grandfather) fought in WW2 my generation was brought up on its heroes and Guy Gibson loomed larger than most. Of course, some of this was just wartime propaganda but not Guy, he was the real deal as his autobiography shows. The combination of scientific development (by Barnes Wallace) and heroism by Gibson and the other RAF personal lead to the ability to strike at huge dams deep in Germany. They actually managed to destroy two of them with the innovative "bouncing bomb" (the real effect on German industrial production is now disputed). But they managed and what has become clear to me after recently revisiting the movie "The Dambusters" was how young they all were. Sometimes when my medical students are moaning to me about something trivial I am reminded of these pilots and crew members, their average age was 21, and they put their lives on the line for a daring mission. I am not saying that my generation or yours would not do the same thing if tested by war, but their achievements were remarkable. Lets hope we are never tested in the same way. BTW I also made the Airfix kit of the bomber which amazingly is still being produced.

Welcome to the Mark Platt Book of the Month Club.

Here is the idea:- Every month I will send each of my older sons a new book, something that really left an impression on me when I first read it.
I have decided not to use much non-fiction, simply for the fact that I don't think that either of them has the time to read too much non-fiction. I will be posting the  reasons for my choices