Jeff Popple reviews three books about naval conflict, good health, and a refugee’s desperate journey. More of Jeff’s reviews can be found on his blog: murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
Operation Pedestal by Max Hastings
Harper Collins, $34.99
In 1942 as World War II raged, a large fleet of British naval vessels and merchant ships set sail to Malta to save the ‘island fortress’ from starvation. It was a risky ploy that seemed doomed to failure. Encountering masses of German and Italian aircraft, U-boats and torpedo craft, the fleet pushed on through some of the war’s most brutal naval battles. Expert military chronicler Max Hastings provides a gripping and well documented account of this largely forgotten episode of the war. Blending the strategic view with the personal exploits of pilots and sailors on both sides of the conflict, this is a masterful piece of military history. Recommended.
So You Think You Know What’s Good For You by Dr Norman Swan
Hachette, $32.99
Dr Norman Swan was one of the first medically qualified journalists in Australia and for more than 30 years, he has been delivering common-sense health information through his various media outlets, and as a physician. Drawing on years of questions from ordinary Australians, he has compiled a fascinating handbook about what is good for you. Filled with interesting and important information, it counters the various medical myths, half-truths and internet misconceptions that we all come across. From nutrition to screen addiction to stress and sex, he covers it all in a clear and easily digestible manner. A good book for the family.
Escape From Manus by Jaivet Ealom
Viking, $34.99
Jaivet Ealom was raised in Burma as a Rohingya Muslim. After years of sectarian violence and discrimination, Ealom fled to Australia seeking asylum. Instead of gaining refugee status, he was imprisoned on Christmas Island and then held on Manus Island for over three years. Unable to return to Myanmar because of fresh waves of genocide, he staged a clever escape. After a six-month odyssey, he eventually made his way to Canada, where he received much different treatment from what he had experienced in Australia. A moving account of an extraordinary experience that also raises serious issues about how we treat refugees.
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