Sid R.
@sid-ram.bsky.social
Just another transplant in NY.
All opinions/posts are personal and solely reflect my thoughts.
All opinions/posts are personal and solely reflect my thoughts.
5/ The Malayan Trilogy by Burgess
4.5/5
3 fun novellas (his first) about Malaya as it was decolonizing from the perspective of a colonial officer. Features an interesting hodgepodge of multicultural characters, and eschews stereotypes in favor of depth and cultural understanding.
4.5/5
3 fun novellas (his first) about Malaya as it was decolonizing from the perspective of a colonial officer. Features an interesting hodgepodge of multicultural characters, and eschews stereotypes in favor of depth and cultural understanding.
December 7, 2025 at 7:38 PM
5/ The Malayan Trilogy by Burgess
4.5/5
3 fun novellas (his first) about Malaya as it was decolonizing from the perspective of a colonial officer. Features an interesting hodgepodge of multicultural characters, and eschews stereotypes in favor of depth and cultural understanding.
4.5/5
3 fun novellas (his first) about Malaya as it was decolonizing from the perspective of a colonial officer. Features an interesting hodgepodge of multicultural characters, and eschews stereotypes in favor of depth and cultural understanding.
4/ In Retrospect by McNamara
Unrated (don't know enough about the War to assess its credibility)
A bit of a grind, but provides a good overview of key meetings and decisions, and how the war escalated. McNamara comes off as bookish & analytical, & as someone who misses the forest for the trees.
Unrated (don't know enough about the War to assess its credibility)
A bit of a grind, but provides a good overview of key meetings and decisions, and how the war escalated. McNamara comes off as bookish & analytical, & as someone who misses the forest for the trees.
December 7, 2025 at 7:33 PM
4/ In Retrospect by McNamara
Unrated (don't know enough about the War to assess its credibility)
A bit of a grind, but provides a good overview of key meetings and decisions, and how the war escalated. McNamara comes off as bookish & analytical, & as someone who misses the forest for the trees.
Unrated (don't know enough about the War to assess its credibility)
A bit of a grind, but provides a good overview of key meetings and decisions, and how the war escalated. McNamara comes off as bookish & analytical, & as someone who misses the forest for the trees.
3/ Long Island Compromise by Brodesser-Akner.
4/5
Fun read that manages to be comedic with gravity. And successfully empathizes with its traumatic protagonists while making it clear that they're objectively terrible people. Really blew past my expectations.
4/5
Fun read that manages to be comedic with gravity. And successfully empathizes with its traumatic protagonists while making it clear that they're objectively terrible people. Really blew past my expectations.
December 7, 2025 at 7:24 PM
3/ Long Island Compromise by Brodesser-Akner.
4/5
Fun read that manages to be comedic with gravity. And successfully empathizes with its traumatic protagonists while making it clear that they're objectively terrible people. Really blew past my expectations.
4/5
Fun read that manages to be comedic with gravity. And successfully empathizes with its traumatic protagonists while making it clear that they're objectively terrible people. Really blew past my expectations.
2/ Street Without Joy (also by Fall)
4.75/5
More like a history book than HiaVSP. If the latter is an income statement, this was a series of Balance Sheets, providing point-in-time analyses of the war in its later stages. Great overview of various theaters and a few key engagements.
4.75/5
More like a history book than HiaVSP. If the latter is an income statement, this was a series of Balance Sheets, providing point-in-time analyses of the war in its later stages. Great overview of various theaters and a few key engagements.
December 7, 2025 at 7:19 PM
2/ Street Without Joy (also by Fall)
4.75/5
More like a history book than HiaVSP. If the latter is an income statement, this was a series of Balance Sheets, providing point-in-time analyses of the war in its later stages. Great overview of various theaters and a few key engagements.
4.75/5
More like a history book than HiaVSP. If the latter is an income statement, this was a series of Balance Sheets, providing point-in-time analyses of the war in its later stages. Great overview of various theaters and a few key engagements.
1/ Hell in a Very Small Place by Bernard Fall (sorry, had to download the pic, I lent my copy to a colleague).
5/5
Stellar account of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu from a French perspective, hands down the best nonfiction I've read this decade.
5/5
Stellar account of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu from a French perspective, hands down the best nonfiction I've read this decade.
December 7, 2025 at 7:08 PM
1/ Hell in a Very Small Place by Bernard Fall (sorry, had to download the pic, I lent my copy to a colleague).
5/5
Stellar account of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu from a French perspective, hands down the best nonfiction I've read this decade.
5/5
Stellar account of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu from a French perspective, hands down the best nonfiction I've read this decade.