Alice and Riley Present: The Brane Zone Book Club, Part 1
We've reconvened the Book Club and present to you an episode in which Riley and Alice discuss what they've recently read. This inaugural episode of what we might call The Brane Zone (if we don't change our minds) revolves around Alice having read EASTERN APPROACHES, the memoir of Sir Fitzroy Maclean discussing his peripatetic and extremely Type of British Guy diplomatic/military career during the 1930s and 40s.
Comments (32)
Interesting. I was reminded of that feeling from early le Carre of his disgust at the game aspect. I assume that le Carre also hated James Bond.
Late to comment but this was very enjoyable, not least because I've got a copy of Hopkirk's The Great Game sitting right here on my work desk waiting to be read.
Wait shit does this mean the chance of Alice and Riley to ask John Duncan for a degrowth book rec is now slightly higher and we get a pod of them talking about it? You can't pretend you don't know him, you had him on the pod, and it would stop me cringing whenever the two of you bring up the topic at least.
I would not be entirely shocked to meet someone named Fitzroy McLean in an American federal penitentiary doing time for white-collar crime.
Might I humbly suggest “Writtenology”
Can you do “the dawn of everything” from David’s Wengro and Graeber please?
I'd second that, the book is too goddamn long for me to start so if TF could do it for me I'd appreciate it
This man is Stirling Archer.
Yep, IIRC Sterling Archer was named for David Stirling who founded the SAS and recruited Maclean
omg please do captain underpants
Excellent, fascinating topic and observations.
Fascinating: the dude could be played by Jude Law in a Wes Anderson movie.
Not "the mind dojo"? Smdh
Da Literature Zone
Having listened to the episode, I rather like the seldom seen Riley/Alice solo dynamic. It's serious without being too much so, if that makes sense. Rather liked the subject, too. I will have to read the book at some point.
Woah
Love it, brilliant episode
Thanks for this. Have long been interested in Alice's reading habits, and her description at the end of episode is very pleasing. Apologies for my parasocial wierdness.
these days guys like this just go on tv, sad
Good I suggest that you announce which book you'll be discussing a few weeks before each episode, so that people can read it themselves
yeah, came here to say this.
(To the Soviet General at the end of the book) Fitzroy: "You met me at a very strange time in my life..." *'Where Is My Mind' plays over the credits*
We love The Brane Zone, don't we folks?
Book Marx
It's the nerd one.
Between Milo's Russian guy, posho guy, and Victorian imperial civil servant guy, this would have been a fun Britainology.
It’s the Book Club One
Hell yes, this book rules!!! And Fitzroy Maclean is legitimately insane for pulling some of the stunts he did, and getting away with them.
Fake it until you make it mentality at work.
when will the Master and Commander bookclub begin
Book club!
Yay book club!