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sadkingbilly

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#791

27 June 2025, 11:10

Fine, oh holy one
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NotAllThere

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#792

30 June 2025, 15:20

Knock yourself out. Where I live it's legal to download stuff that's copyrighted. I have my code of ethics, I don't impose them on others.

Just read this

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/72553

Outstandingly good. Well... i liked it anyway.

Down with racism. Long live miscegenation!
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DoctorStrangelove

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#793

30 June 2025, 22:10

Originally posted by DoctorStrangelove View Post

Next: "The Unexpected Dimension" by Algis Budrys. Another anthology. I like anthologies coz the stories are short. Unless they're novellas of course. .

Done: stalled on a couple of stories but off to Oxfam it goes. I used to have a copy of his book "Who?" but I think it went on its way decades ago.

Next: With the Le Carre and two Heinleins stalled: "The Ultra Secret: the inside story of Operation Ultra, Bletchley Park, and Enigma" by F. W. Winterbotham (1974). The book that started the Enigma library. Purchased 29th of January 2000.

Last edited by DoctorStrangelove; 6 July 2025, 13:57.

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#794

7 July 2025, 10:22

Originally posted by DoctorStrangelove View Post

Next: With the Le Carre and two Heinleins stalled: "The Ultra Secret: the inside story of Operation Ultra, Bletchley Park, and Enigma" by F. W. Winterbotham (1974). The book that started the Enigma library. Purchased 29th of January 2000.

Done: off to Oxfam with it: he wrote it from memory so there are inaccuracies.

Next: "The Hut Six Story" by Gordon Welchman: expurgated version lacking the 1982 "Part IV" which lost him his clearances.

The replacement for which is about the Polish contribution to the endeavour and replies to some of the Polish criticisms of "The Hut Six Story" original version.

The foreword by Alan Stripp isn't impressed with "The Ultra Secret" and its description of the Enigma Machine & the Bombes. But then again, it was the first book and Winterbotham wasn't a codebreaker but an organiser & he appears to have done a fine job of that with the SLUs.

Last edited by DoctorStrangelove; 9 July 2025, 14:08.

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#795

9 July 2025, 14:09

Originally posted by DoctorStrangelove View Post

Next: "The Hut Six Story" by Gordon Welchman: expurgated version lacking the 1982 "Part IV" which lost him his clearances.

Done: off to Oxfam with it.

Next: "Seizing the Enigma" by David Kahn. Stone me, the print's a bit small in this.

Goodness me, I've never noticed that before: in the 1920s the Naval Enigma machine had umlauted characters in addition, so 29 position rotors & keyboard.

They didn't last long. The Army version with the stecker board won out.

Goodness me, rereading this after donkey's years I can almost understand how the Bombes worked.

Very impressive achievements by the Polish chaps. Figuring out the wheel wiring by inspection. Who'd have thunk?

Last edited by DoctorStrangelove; 13 July 2025, 12:44.

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#796

9 July 2025, 16:21

Originally posted by DoctorStrangelove View Post

Next: "The Green Hills of Earth" by Robert A. Heinlein*. Another anthology, the first half of which is in the above.

Done! At long last: off to Oxfam with it.

Next: "Double Deuce" by Robert B. Parker. A rather easier read.

Last edited by DoctorStrangelove; 9 July 2025, 22:02.

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#797

10 July 2025, 19:06

Originally posted by DoctorStrangelove View Post

Next: "Double Deuce" by Robert B. Parker. A rather easier read.

Done: off to Oxfam with it.

Next: "Hush Money" by Robert B. Parker.

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#798

11 July 2025, 10:52

Samuel R Delany - Captives of the Flame

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#799

12 July 2025, 14:53

Originally posted by DoctorStrangelove View Post

Next: "Hush Money" by Robert B. Parker.

Done: off to Oxfam with it.

Next: "Night and Day" by Robert B. Parker. Jesse Stone instead of Spencer & Hawk.

Looks like this one came reduced from The Works. No receipt so dunno when.

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#800

13 July 2025, 12:42

Originally posted by DoctorStrangelove View Post

Next: "Hush Money" by Robert B. Parker.

Done: off to Oxfam with it. I am liking these books: short: short chapters, no droning on in Panama about the fall of the Empire etc. What's not to like?

Next: "Lake Wobegon Days" by Garrison Keillor since I don't have any more Robert B. Parker books to read.

Last edited by DoctorStrangelove; 13 July 2025, 13:51.

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