tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post5333429871718484677..comments2024-03-28T22:42:54.810-07:00Comments on Bitter Tea and Mystery: Dark Star: Alan FurstTracyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-53970568173377468472013-11-04T07:52:20.199-08:002013-11-04T07:52:20.199-08:00Gramlynch, you are right that the historical eleme...Gramlynch, you are right that the historical elements are very important in these books, and I did learn so much from this book. A big reason why I want to continue reading his books. But one of my favorite genres is spy fiction, and that is what drew me to them in the first place.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-23212433347652416282013-11-04T07:38:53.977-08:002013-11-04T07:38:53.977-08:00I have read all of Alan Furst's books and it i...I have read all of Alan Furst's books and it is wrong to label them spy stories, although spying plays a large part in the various stories. I guarantee you will discover more about pre World War II Europe and Europe during wartime than you will in any dreary history book. You will learn about many European and Middle Eastern cities and the surrounding countryside. You will also learn about love, hate, evil, passion, betrayal and almost every human emotion you can name. Furst's books reek with atmosphere, from steam filled railway stations and dark forbidding docklands to superb restaurants and seedy bars. His characters are always fascinating. As you can see, I am a fan.Gramlynchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-87463062564707304822013-10-31T14:43:25.520-07:002013-10-31T14:43:25.520-07:00Keishon, yes I have read Philip Kerr... and liked ...Keishon, yes I have read Philip Kerr... and liked the books. I have read the Berlin Trilogy plus the next two books in the series. As I remember them, some are set in the years leading up to the war, some after the war....1945 -1950's? I have the next four in the series to read.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-17279529851873915672013-10-31T14:36:45.546-07:002013-10-31T14:36:45.546-07:00I love espionage too and anything set during or af...I love espionage too and anything set during or after the Cold War. Have you read Philip Kerr yet? I have his Berlin Trilogy in my virtual library. I think his work is more Cold War? Not sure. whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18030571187291039318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-39140782963824900722013-10-31T11:55:55.895-07:002013-10-31T11:55:55.895-07:00I hope you like them, Keishon. I love reading abou...I hope you like them, Keishon. I love reading about espionage and this time period, so perfect for me.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-78329943989989685882013-10-31T07:12:55.681-07:002013-10-31T07:12:55.681-07:00Great. Your review has made me move my Furst title...Great. Your review has made me move my Furst titles to my reading list. I bought two of his books to read and I am very much looking forward to reading them. whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18030571187291039318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-85348089402286170502013-10-30T12:22:13.663-07:002013-10-30T12:22:13.663-07:00Anna, I don't know if it really matters readin...Anna, I don't know if it really matters reading these in order. But since I have them all .... I might as well. I am not very good at picking up historical details at the same time as following a plot, but this one did cover a lot of ground that I was hazy about. So they are a great series for me.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-85226202926202431152013-10-30T12:12:21.202-07:002013-10-30T12:12:21.202-07:00I didn't realize they were all part of a serie...I didn't realize they were all part of a series. I've read The Spies of Warsaw but none of the others. I'll have to see which of those I own (snagged from library sales) and read them in order.Annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08046635675540466183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-1885556285189074742013-10-29T12:14:59.504-07:002013-10-29T12:14:59.504-07:00Bill, you have touched on one of the things I like...Bill, you have touched on one of the things I like about his books too. Covering several nations in the same book. In this one, Russia, Poland, Germany, and France.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-39564953976784415332013-10-28T17:43:13.378-07:002013-10-28T17:43:13.378-07:00TracyK: I have read a few of Furst's books and...TracyK: I have read a few of Furst's books and enjoyed them. I have one to be read. I like this his books involve the smaller nations on Europe in the espionage. I appreciate that for these countries there were sometimes no good solutions as they were caught between the machinations of the Great Powers of the time.Bill Selneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17268006369157307593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-12095332712942875062013-10-27T17:08:57.376-07:002013-10-27T17:08:57.376-07:00Sergio, I do think you would like his writing and ...Sergio, I do think you would like his writing and would love to hear what you think when you try it. I do know what you mean about length and typeface. One of the problems of old age.... which you are not near to.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-7802814218277760492013-10-27T12:48:57.935-07:002013-10-27T12:48:57.935-07:00Love a good spy story TracyK, thanks - got given o...Love a good spy story TracyK, thanks - got given one of his books at Christmas but haven;t read it yet, the length and small typeface has me daunted slightly ...Sergio (Tipping My Fedora)http://bloodymurder.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-54496445324784970742013-10-27T09:09:55.544-07:002013-10-27T09:09:55.544-07:00Margot, I want to learn more about World War II an...Margot, I want to learn more about World War II and the build up to the war. But that covers so much, sometimes it is overwhelming. Novels like this help me place the events of the war.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-55163241488289401722013-10-27T08:58:55.148-07:002013-10-27T08:58:55.148-07:00Thanks, Moira. I hope you do give another one of h...Thanks, Moira. I hope you do give another one of his books a try. I would like to see what you think of them.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-25522039895715637052013-10-27T08:56:52.381-07:002013-10-27T08:56:52.381-07:00Thanks, Puzzle Doctor. I understand that espionage...Thanks, Puzzle Doctor. I understand that espionage stories are not enjoyable to everyone. And often they don't even have a mystery to be solved. So some readers don't even lump them in the crime fiction category.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-18596758147003735532013-10-27T08:46:41.509-07:002013-10-27T08:46:41.509-07:00Col, I hope to be reading a lot more espionage boo...Col, I hope to be reading a lot more espionage books in 2014. Including more Furst.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-54398292333423719862013-10-27T08:18:49.421-07:002013-10-27T08:18:49.421-07:00Tracy - An excellent review, for which thanks. I r...Tracy - An excellent review, for which thanks. I really enjoy reading about this historical period, too. And you're right about espionage stories and their pace. They do sometimes build slowly, but when it's done well, the pace works. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-33595187297577223592013-10-27T07:24:19.569-07:002013-10-27T07:24:19.569-07:00I read the one by him called The World At Night, q...I read the one by him called The World At Night, quite some time ago. I don't remember much about it, but I think I liked it... I too like this period, and a certain kind of spy novel, so I should take a look. Good review Tracy.Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-87325886235970705012013-10-26T23:59:40.712-07:002013-10-26T23:59:40.712-07:00Great review Tracy, but spy stories have proved no...Great review Tracy, but spy stories have proved not to be my cup of tea. One day, maybe.Puzzle Doctorhttp://classicmystery.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-90703823168195300792013-10-26T22:57:58.456-07:002013-10-26T22:57:58.456-07:00Tracy, I have only read the one Furst, his Mission...Tracy, I have only read the one Furst, his Mission to Paris earlier this year and it was fantastic. I intend to read more from Furst at some point. I'm with you regarding espionage books, I like how authors fuse history and events into the narrative. <br />col2910https://www.blogger.com/profile/06422138069939709043noreply@blogger.com