Library Corner
Philomel Base Library
Base Librarian Janet Gilmore
I enjoyed both of these nonfiction books even though the subject matter is so diverse.
James Scott
The attack on the Liberty: the untold story of Israel’s deadly 1967 assault on a U.S. spy ship.
James Scott, a journalist and son of a surviving Liberty officer, recounts the story of the horrifying attack and shows how political considerations overrode the demands for justice. During the Six Day War the Liberty was eavesdropping on communications while travelling in international waters off the coast of Egypt. The ship was clearly identifiable as an American naval ship and had been observed by the Israeli Air Force for several hours. Without warning the Israeli jets open fire, after the air attack ends torpedo boats move in and score a direct hit ripping a hole in the hull. In the attacks 34 crewmen were killed and 171 injured and only heroic efforts stop the ship from sinking. The Israeli Defence Force have never satisfactorily explained what prompted the attack.
Adam Nicolson
Sissinghurst: an unfinished history
Adam Nicolson has always been a passionate writer about landscape and buildings but this book has the added dimension of being a very personal story. The story of an estate in the Weald of Kent is told from the very beginning, from Medieval manor, great sixteenth century house, eighteenth century prison to picturesque ruin. In 1930 Adam’s grandparents Harold Nicolson and Vita Sackville-West bought the property and created a beautiful garden and started to restore part of the buildings. The estate was given to the National Trust by Nigel Nicolson. On the death of his father Adam and his family moved back to Sissinghurst. In alternate chapters he recounts his attempts to persuade the National Trust to return the surrounding farm to mixed farming rather than commercial cropping. The only thing that detracts from this book are the extremely dull, blurry black and white photographs. It is a good thing the writing is so vivid.