tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post8246025303571509077..comments2024-03-18T11:01:42.459-05:00Comments on Pretty Sinister Books: The Pass Beyond Kashmir - Berkely MatherJ F Norrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-10934322909579256382012-10-26T07:59:18.305-05:002012-10-26T07:59:18.305-05:00I wholeheartedly agree, Mike. If you come across a...I wholeheartedly agree, Mike. If you come across a copy of THE GOLD OF MALABAR - pick it up. I also wrote about that book <a href="http://prettysinister.blogspot.com/2012/08/ffb-gold-of-malabar-berkely-mather.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>. In many ways I think it's even better than THE PASS BEYOND KASHMIR.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-87155381879445261732012-10-24T15:29:57.450-05:002012-10-24T15:29:57.450-05:00I've just finished 'the break in the line,...I've just finished 'the break in the line," by Mather and stumbled upon this review while searching for more Mather Greats! Although I haven't read this one, the review builds my excitement that they will all be so good. The cultural lessons in these stories stand out by far. I feel you could read many books about the Far Eastern ways and not learn as much as from one of these books. I enjoyed The Break in the line immensly. The characters carry such weight it was a shame to finish.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10252801596270398325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-37121799066041035962012-07-16T16:09:27.445-05:002012-07-16T16:09:27.445-05:00Lovely summary of the book and work of a writer.Lovely summary of the book and work of a writer.pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-26581645112985008822012-07-16T10:14:18.487-05:002012-07-16T10:14:18.487-05:00This is a fantastic book, Carol. When I hit the ha...This is a fantastic book, Carol. When I hit the halfway mark I knew I had to read more by Mather. So I went to the CPL and discovered that every single one of his books is on their shelves! I picked out two of the most interesting including THE TERMINATORS since it's the 2nd Idwal Rees book.<br /><br />You will make Mike Ripley and Andrew at Ostara very happy if you buy a copy of the Top Notch Thrillers reprint of <i>The Pass Beyond Kashmir</i>. Mike told me in an emial yesterday that he plans on reissuing the two other Idwal Rees books if all goes as planned.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-11151200278775126562012-07-16T10:00:56.132-05:002012-07-16T10:00:56.132-05:00This sounds great John, I'll have to get a cop...This sounds great John, I'll have to get a copy. I was introgued when Mike said he was putting this one out as I only know of 'Mather' through his screen work. Sounds like a real corker (to use some vintage Brit jargon) - cheers mate.Sergio (Tipping My Fedora)http://bloodymurder.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-59306591383317416702012-07-16T09:58:12.755-05:002012-07-16T09:58:12.755-05:00I didn't have time or space to talk about all ...I didn't have time or space to talk about all the political aspcets of the book which are numerous. There is a subtantial section of the book devoted to smuggling of Tibetan refugees and their brutal treatment at the hands of a murderous Chinese army. There is also a amzingly prescient monologue delivered by the "master criminal" in which he pontificates on how China will soon be a dominaant world power because no one is paying attention to where their true interests lie. Weston-Davies invents a fictional plot that I shouldn't ruin but it makes a lot of sense in the context of the story. He does, however, erronesouly think that nuclear power will not be of much interest to India or China. So while the author may have been somewhat of a seer in predicitng China's future place in global politics he definitely missed the mark as far as the nuclear race went.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-63811059188849714962012-07-16T07:22:01.524-05:002012-07-16T07:22:01.524-05:00I'm a happy woman today. A new author and a l...I'm a happy woman today. A new author and a list of books I can't wait to read. You are a treasure, John, for introducing me to yet another writer.Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02069656952527430818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-9150566819422679542012-07-16T04:44:27.980-05:002012-07-16T04:44:27.980-05:00John, I have heard of many, and read a few, books ...John, I have heard of many, and read a few, books fictionalised during the British occupation of India but this is not one of them. Thank you for writing about THE PASS BEYOND KASHMIR which certainly seems like a “remarkable” novel. Western writers have been fascinated by Kashmir, the Khyber Pass, linking Pakistan and Afghanistan, and Tibet for more than a century. I can perceive their interest in these regions which continues to attract global attention even today, all for the wrong reasons. I’m going to have to get hold of this book as well as some of the others by John Weston-Davies. <br /><br />“You apparently cannot do anything in India without the help of baksheesh” (bribe, informally). That holds true even now.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.com