The Cairo Code - A Review

Cairo Code

by

Glenn Meade

A Review

A reprint of an older book by Glenn Meade, The Cairo Code is a spy thriller worth reading. The majority of the book takes place in the final months of WW II, as Roosevelt and Churchill prepare to meet outside Cairo to discuss a strategy that is hoped to bring an end to the war.  The Nazis have gotten wind of the meeting and have set in motion an operation to make the meeting meaningless, it will be up to three friends from before the war to stop the unthinkable from happening.

Loosely based on actual historical events, the book is non-stop action as the good and bad get pushed together in unexpected ways with more than one twist. We meet many of the major players of the European theater of WW II - along with those already mentioned, we meet Hitler, Himmler, and other, lesser known, characters in the war. There is enough historical drama to keep the reader making regular dashes into Google in order to verify facts, people, and events. Google maps were, at times, a wonderful tool to understand the sites in Northeastern Egypt that played a role in both the history of WW II and in this tale.

My one surprise is that it presents itself as a Christian book - both by its publisher and by the stores that sell it.  Though it is certainly not an embarrassment to the church, I find little in the book to allow the label “Christian” to be added to its description. A couple of misused Bible quotes do not make a Christian book.

As many know, I am not a great lover of military history - fictionalized or factual - but I could not put this book down. It is a long book, longer than most that I review; but it was well worth the time I spent in its pages. The book comes with a strong recommendation; it will make a good summer or fall read. Whether the reader enjoys war, espionage, or mystery, the book will his or her attention for several hours of excellent reading.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.

Planck - A Review

Planck

by

Brandon R. Brown

A Review

An interesting tale of the time prior to World War II and its completion, Planck's life paralleled that of the famous theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. It was that man, and the recently revised biography by Eric Metaxes, Bonhoeffer (Abridged): Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, that partially propelled my interest in Max Planck's life. My personal interest in the sciences (evidence by degrees in chemistry and computer science) served as the other focal point of interest in Planck's life.

Though the book focuses on Planck's last years of life, his early childhood and training is discussed by means of flashbacks and recollections from the men and women that knew him before his death. In addition, the book contains a bit of physics explained in ways comprehensible to the average reader.

While, Planck son took an active role in the assassination attempt on Hitler's life (being killed himself in 1945 for his part in the attempted bombing), Planck took a milder position – seeing the cruelty unleashed on his generation, yet choosing to not stand boldly against Hitler hoping to contribute to post war Germany in spite of his age.

Max Planck, nicknamed the Father of Quantum Physics, died at the age of 90 on October 4, 1947. Though his name is well-known, his contributions to physics are not as well-known by the general-public as those of Einstein and other physicist of his time. However, without his research, there might still be holes in our knowledge of modern physics.

The book was an interesting read, fitting well with Bonhoeffer's similarly timed autobiography. It comes with a strong recommendation for anyone interested in the history of science. Though occasionally rambling, as the author moves between events current in Planck's life and those that occurred in the past, the book is enjoyable and helped this reader understand the era as it was played out in mid-20^th century among the German people.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.