The Memory Chalet
- ISBN:
- B00499DRLM
- Duration:
- 15 days
- Authors:
- Tony Judt
- Pages:
- 244
- Rating:
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| date started | date finished | duration | locations |
|---|
| 2022-12-22 | 2023-01-06 | 15 | Mexico City |
review
Absolutely love this book. Itβs been many years since Iβve read another book from Tony Judt and now Iβm confused - why did I take such a long break.
The only thing I didnβt like is his idealization of train system in Europe. Idea of trains is amazing, I love it a lot. However in both 2021 and 2022 I tried to travel around Europe by trains and it is not that simple. Connections are easy only between some big hubs. Some countries not connected at all. In some countries trains are extremely expensive - they take more time and more money than flights. Try traveling from Madrid to Lisbon. Or from KrakΓ³w to Paris. Or from Spain to Eastern Europe. Or try getting to Slovenia from Poland. Milan to Paris sounds simple - not really, it will cost you fortune even with one stop in Switzerland.
Outside this topic of trains if was very interesting to read his ideas on communism, Eastern Europe, French philosophy, New York, identity politics, UK and US, comparison of various education system and different generations.
His thinking and writing is so short and sharp. I really like it and reading this book gave me a lot of energy. Ver similar to the period when I was reading Neil Postman books.
PS I was blown away that he learned Czech and have met Eastern European icons of the 80-90s like VΓ‘clav Havel and love that he talked about CzesΕaw MiΕosz and Milan Kundera.