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Engineering future mobility
by Mayank Dhingra 08 Nov 2018
The first FISITA Automotive Congress in India was inaugurated in Chennai on October 2
L-R: Murli M Iyer, global advisor, SAE International; N Balasubramanian, DVP, Product Engineering, Renault Nissan Tech & Business Centre India and global advisor, SAE International and FISITA Americas; Arvind Balaji, JMD, Lucas TVS; Dr Aravind S Bharadwaj, CTO, Farm Equipment Sector, M&M;
Dr Pawan Goenka, MD, M&M; Dan E Nicholson, president, FISITA and VP, Global Propulsion Systems, GM; MM Murugappan, chairman, Murugappa Group and Chris Mason, CEO, FISITA.
For an industry taking on disruptive technologies, automotive engineers will be the movers and shakers of mobility. The 37th FISITA World Automotive Congress, held in India for the first time, saw plenty of discussion and debate, technical seminars, student and young engineer activities, all with an aim to share and expand knowledge.
The first week of October 2018 was a momentous one for India and the automotive industry. That's because the 37th FISITA World Automotive Congress – a congregation of international automotive leaders and experts – was held in Chennai from October 2-5. It was the first time the biennial industry event, first organised in 1947 in Paris, was held in India, which speaks volumes for the country's growing status in the global automotive scheme of things. SAE India, the local arm of SAE International, hosted the four-day event at the Chennai Trade Centre on the theme of 'Disruptive Technologies for Affordable and Sustainable Mobility'. SAE India, with a membership base of over 50,000, is the biggest affiliate of SAE International.
FISITA or the International Federation of Automotive Engineering Societies has 37 member bodies globally. With disruptive technologies in the auto industry gaining significant momentum and India being a hub for IT and software development, the event essentially was meant to enable participants from all across the world to not only exchange ideas but also brainstorm challenges and changes that these new trends offer. And it proved to be an engineering tech tour de force, what with 400 delegates, 90 exhibitors and over 1,500 visitors.
India, which is set to surpass Japan as the global No. 3 passenger vehicle market by 2022, and is the No. 1 in motorised two-wheelers, clearly was the undisputed destination of choice for 2018 FISITA. It was in September 2016 that the FISITA organisers confirmed Chennai as the venue for the global event. The capital of Tamil Nadu was a good fit considering it is the preferred automotive and R&D hub in India and a stronghold of both vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers. Chennai and its Oragadam belt is from where OEMs like Hyundai Motor India, BMW India, Renault and Nissan, Ashok Leyland, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, Royal Enfield and TVS Motor Co roll out their products. What's more, being an engineering hub with rich local talent as well strong industry-academia connect, it was not surprising this year's FISITA saw a packed house on all four days with 1,600 visitors, well over its 1,500 closed registrations limit, thronging the show.
Dr Pawan Goenka: "Disruptive, affordable and sustainable are the new key trends in the auto industry and engineers are working strongly towards developing such technologies."
With global industry tackling a plethora of disruptions, the likes of which have never been seen before, the programme at FISITA included plenary sessions from luminary industry personalities, as well as a slew of technical seminars on varying topics such as engine and transmission design, NVH, electric vehicle development, vehicle safety and autonomy among others, conducted by industry experts in their respective domains.
FISITA 2018 was also the ideal forum for companies to showcase their latest advances and industry did not disappoint. Nearly 90 exhibitors including carmakers BMW, Toyota and Nissan wowed with their latest technological advancements on the EV front; component majors like AVL, Bosch and Continental revealed their breakthrough technologies for vehicle electrification; and testing equipment suppliers such as ATS, IDIADA, iASYS and Faro along with software majors Dassault Systemes and PTC gave a hint and more of how they can support ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) and EV validation. There was also participation from leading colleges of the likes of IIT Madras, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Vel Tech showing how young talent is being nurtured at these institutions to make them industry- and future-ready.
Excellence in mobility engineering
Having been instrumental in establishing SAE's India chapter and being a patron to the FISITA 2018 World Congress, Dr Pawan Goenka, managing director, Mahindra & Mahindra, who won the 2016 FISITA Medal of Honour – which is awarded to an individual for distinguished achievements in automobile engineering – and the sole Indian to get this prestigious recognition, kicked off the global event.
FISITA president Dan Nicholson: "Automotive engineers are relentlessly working towards developing and refining life-saving safety systems and technologies."
Dr Goenka, who is a true-blue automotive engineer, said, "Disruptive, affordable and sustainable are the new key trends in the automotive industry and engineers are working strongly towards not only developing such technologies but also wholly encompassing business models which are disruptive at the same time. While which technology emerges as the inanimate solution going forward is yet to be seen, what is plausible is the collective effort of the industry towards moving in a direction of sustainable future."
"The FISITA Congress is a unique conglomerate of technical leaders at a single place and, given its talent, India is set to bring immense value to the automotive community," Dr Goenka added.
He said that the FISITA team had worked hard to handpick the technical programmes listed for students, researchers as well as working professionals. He added that the auto industry is undergoing a metamorphosis with mobility set to be transformed with CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric).
The FISITA nominations committee conferred this year's honour to Dr Akihiko Saito, chief engineer at Toyota Motor Corporation, and the man behind redesigning the sixth and seventh generations of the Toyota Corolla sedan, making the car a global best-seller. While Saito's diligent efforts also saw him take the company into the world of motorsport, Saito now serves as an advisor to the Japanese automaker.
Dan E Nicholson, president, FISITA, and vice-president, Global Propulsion Systems at General Motors, said, "The automotive industry is in the midst of a serious transformation and technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) are dramatically changing the way how projects are conceived, built and delivered." He also championed the cause of road safety and added, "With over 1.3 million road fatalities happening every year majorly due to human negligence, active safety systems, as well as autonomous driving technologies, are the solutions towards improving the current scenario. Automotive engineers are at the forefront and relentlessly working towards developing and refining such lifesaving safety systems."
The handsome, all-electric BMW i3 hatchback offers a green motoring range of up to 183 kilometres on a single charge.
Tier 1 supplier Lucas TVS' joint MD, Arvind Balaji, who presided as the guest of honour, said that the automobile industry is experiencing a four-fold phase of disruption in the form of CASE. While full vehicle electrification is still some time away, IC engines are going to stay in the picture until 2030. "The foreseeable future will see a combination of a mix of propulsion technologies including hybrids, electrics and fossil-fuelled vehicles."
"With a need to conform to BS VI and CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) norms, we have to continue investing more in technology, as well as capacities to be able to cater to the growing needs of the market," said Balaji.
Sharing his thoughts, Chris Mason, CEO, FISITA, said, "As young engineers in India prepare to become leaders of tomorrow, FISITA has chosen the country to launch its Congress to share knowledge and benefit the industry."
"Mobility requirements of 2030 will only be fulfilled by a collaborative effort between industry and the academia, and FISITA plays a huge role in bringing the two together," added Mason.
The Mahindra Electric Scalable Modular Architecture (MESMA) platform is set to spawn a host of electric vehicles.
He also announced the creation of a sustainable, charitable fund for engineers in the form of the FISITA Foundation, in an attempt to allow open research, spawn innovation and nurture young talent at the grassroots level.
MM Murugappan, vice-chairman, Murugappa Group, and member of the board of directors at Mahindra & Mahindra, was the chief guest. He said, "There is a significant change taking place in mobility across the world. Not only is there a geographical shift happening from the developed countries in the West to the developing markets like Mexico and India, but the Asia-Pacific region with China leading, can be seen driving growth of the industry globally in the future."
Murugappan added, "In India, the automotive industry has always been at the forefront of doing consortium research. I hope FISITA will support industry to take this research forward. While government agencies are pitching in to resolve the issue of air pollution in India, road safety is another key area which needs to be addressed for progressing in the right direction."
Tech on display
Of the 90 exhibitors at the event, here's looking at some of those which caught everyone's eye.
AVL: The German engine technology giant showcased its 48V vehicle electrification systems as viable solutions for cutting down CO2 emissions as well as enhancing vehicle efficiency by up to 30 percent. The motor-and- battery combination can be customised to be accommodated with a number of powertrain options offered by carmakers globally. AVL also displayed its electric motor test beds for dynamic and fully automated motor testing.
Ather Energy's S450 electric scooter shines on innovative technology, minimalist design and plush riding experience.
Other solutions also included its E-Motor Emulator for testing motor inverters in EVs at full loads, a low-voltage EV Storage regenerative power supply for testing micro- and mild-hybrid systems, and a range of portable emission measurement systems (PEMS) for mapping NOx and particulate matter (PM) concentration in the vehicle's exhaust, as mandated by the real driving emissions (RDE) regulations in EU from September 2017.
ATS: Automotive Test Systems had its range of testing equipment for ADAS and autonomous driving technologies for vehicle OEMs on display. There was the RT-Range S under the OXTS brand, which offers testing capabilities for US' NHTSA-guided front collision warning; lane departure warning as well as Euro NCAP-regulated autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems. The global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-based technology features a hunter and a target, and can capture comprehensive measurements such as polar coordinates to the horizontal range and angle to target with an accuracy of up to 2cm. The data generated can then be plotted into OXTS' graphing software NAVgraph and viewed alongside CAN data.
Adient: The seating solutions major, which was spun off from Johnson Controls in October 2016 as a separate entity of the group, showcased its range of lightweighting as well as scalable seating solutions for various vehicle applications. It had a host of innovations on display with a composite-derived seatback, which, it claims cuts down on weight by a significant 30 percent by doing away with trusses and braces normally needed in a metal-based seat structure.
Toyota is accelerating progress to zero-emission vehicles by 2050. The carmaker brought its Scion iQ EV to FISITA 2018.
The innovation continued with the seating foam as well, where the area closest to the occupant's body saw relatively softer material, gradually thickening to offer better support near the seat back's enclosure. While there was a modular lightweight seat structure on offer, especially developed for South East Asian markets from 2020 onward, the company's showstopper was its AIS-1 demonstrator targeted at the B+, compact sedan and the compact SUV segments, which depicted its efficient design, lightweight structure as well as top-notch comfort levels. The key highlights included NVH-absorbent VibraTech foam which cuts down transmission of road vibrations by 20-25 percent; ultra-lightweight headrests and digitally printed seat fabric with removable seat covers for easier upholstery upkeep. The concept also boasted in-built child-seat boosters as well as integrated air vents behind the front-seats for rear-seat occupants.
Bosch: The global Tier 1 major demonstrated its electrification technology with a clear perspective that electric powertrains are set to be the future of mobility. It demonstrated its 48V battery- and motor-equipped Maruti Suzuki Baleno which would help pave the way for a zero-emission future. The company envisions EV range to go beyond the 300-400km mark by 2022. The technology also represented its integrated direct current (DC-DC) converter, e-axles, regenerative braking and drive control systems.
Continental: Another of the global technology leaders, Continental, apart from its 48V mild-hybrid technology which now powers a host of electrified cars in the Volkswagen Group stable, had its telematics-based connected speedometer on display for two-wheelers, which can connect with a rider's smartphone and offer features such as navigation and vehicle diagnosis.
The company also gave a hint of its other solutions including immobilisers running Thatcham logics and tyre pressure monitoring systems.
Dassault Systemes: The French simulation system giant showcased its range of analysis tools for product validation as well as manufacturing operations management. While its Enovia suite helps companies integrate multiple operations right from PLC to manufacturing, quality and delivery within the enterprise and offer complete product lifecycle management (PLM) capabilities, its Delmia Apriso is well known for digitally managing the shop floor and enhancing production efficiencies.
MM Murugappan: "The auto industry has always been at the forefront of doing consortium research."
The company also displayed its Exa analysis platform, which can move 3D geometries and offer virtual water- and wind-tunnel testing. The tool utilises accurate physics to replicate on-road conditions like water splashes and dust flow, and helps engineers improvise their designs.
Emerson: The US-based electrical equipment giant was represented at FISITA in the form of its sub-brand Branson Ultrasonic, where it showcased its ultrasonic plastic welding technology, which is heavily used at OEMs as well as Tier 1s to seamlessly weld parts such as emblems on steering wheels, tail-lamp and head-lamp casings as well as glove boxes. The company had its 2000X-series ultrasonic plastic welder on offer, which offers an operational range from 15 to 40 kHz.
Faro: The company showcased its portable coordinate measuring machines (PCMMs) – Faro Arm and Quantum – which aid easy quality verification by allowing for instant 3D inspection of components and surfaces, their dimensional analysis, CAD comparisons, as well as reverse engineering. The laser-based Faro Arm offers five times improved scanning over its predecessor, with up to 25 microns accuracy.
IPG Automotive: This Germany-based testing solutions company revealed its range of systems for validating vision-based ADAS technologies. Its Monitor Hardware-in-Loop (HIL) as well as video interface box offer testing capabilities for functions such as high-beam assist, lane detection, traffic-sign recognition and surround-view. Its HIL integration provides closed-loop capabilities due to short latencies and gives feedback from camera response into the simulation.
PTC: The US-based software and simulations major brought out the capability of Augmented Reality (AR) in a big way, showing how companies can leverage the tools to drive their sales and marketing strategies to connect visually with customers. Its Vuforia Studio tool allows visualising a system in 3D and then letting people interact in AR to have a unique product experience.
Driverless cars, shared vehicles as new mobility solutions
In an interesting plenary session on educating the mobility engineers of tomorrow, Professor Helmut List, CEO, AVL, made a detailed presentation where he depicted autonomous driving and shared mobility as the new mobility solutions for the future. He said, "CO2 reduction remains a big target for automotive companies and answers such as ICE-based hybrids (XEVs), full EVs or even FCEVs (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles) have the potential to emerge as the new propulsion technologies. While each technology has its own set of merits and demerits, their adoption will largely depend upon a country's power and fuel generation roadmaps."
Chris Mason, CEO, FISITA: "The mobility requirements of 2030 will only be fulfilled by a collaborative effort between industry and
the academia."
With this huge variety and complexity, he described how engineers are shouldered with an essential task of creating products that are based on flexible, yet, integrated systems, which include power electronics such as state-of-the-art electric axles and battery packs.
"Multiple variants, system complexity and environmental regulatory conformity will call for an atmosphere of increasing partnerships within the industry. Quicker development will also need more analysis being done in the virtual world," advised Professor List.
He explained how methodologies such as fully integrated software and simulated analysis tool chains such as Hardware-in-Loop (HIL) are going to become important assets towards testing and validating these powertrain solutions of tomorrow. "The modular engine families of today need to be transformed into those sustainable ones of the future, which could cater well to the consumer requirements," remarked Professor List.
He added that "prices of battery cells are coming down and will go below US$ 100 per kWh by 2022. Engineers will have to work around the battery packs in order to get the maximum range and performance possible. The next stage in terms of battery technology will be solid-state battery cells which are set to enhance range further."
AVL's 48V mild-hybrid battery and motor technology can couple with IC engines to enhance efficiency by 30 percent.
On the other hand, electric charging infrastructure and the longevity of batteries with fast charging remain the other areas demanding crucial research. "For a company to arrive at the right decision for product development, there needs to be an in-depth assessment of the entire technology spectrum," he concluded.
BMW's vice-president for vehicle safety, Professor Klaus Kompass threw light on the potential of active safety systems in cutting down road fatalities by monitoring vehicle dynamics and actively preventing accidents in the first place. "Ninety-eight percent of road accidents are caused by human errors, and even though technical systems are advanced, they have their own strengths and weaknesses too," said Kompass.
He showcased how BMW has been marching towards developing and deploying contemporary ADAS functions such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control (ACC), and other associated radar monitored safety functions which help aid driver in responding to a situation and preventing a crash.
ATS showcased its range of high precision testing equipment for ADAS and autonomous driving technologies in Chennai.
India, with its safety regulations such as frontal- and side-impact crash testing norms becoming mandatory for new models from October 2017, and now set to cover all existing models from October 2019, is also set to march in the direction of reducing the number of road crash fatalities on its roads, with the government upping the ante by putting in drastic regulatory reforms. While it all boils down to individual road manners in the real-world, engineers are tasked with the humongous job of enhancing vehicle safety, as well as reducing vehicular emissions, all at the same time. The FISITA Congress, with a substantial display of innovative technological solutions as well as developmental tools gave the industry a right platform to muster up and collaboratively act towards a better tomorrow.
In a panel discussion on 'The future of mobility', Autocar Professional's executive editor, Sumantra B Barooah, set the tone by taking into consideration the '7Cs' as defined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the MOVE Summit last month (September)in New Delhi.
While Common, Connected, Convenient, Congestion-free, Charged, Clean and Cutting-edge emerged as the key focus agendas from the prime minister's speech for OEMs and researchers to move towards a sustainable tomorrow, the panelists were largely of the opinion that India has its own set of unique challenges, which need to be solved by solutions which are customised, adapted and even built specifically for the country.
Adient Technologies' key exhibit was its AIS-1 demonstrator, conceptualised for B+, compact sedan and C-SUV segments.
A technology-agnostic policy roadmap towards a cleaner future is also something which the industry demanded, given there is a need to significantly invest in R&D for developing innovative technologies.
Overall, FISITA 2018 achieved what its overall aim is: to support and encourage the world's engineers to achieve their goals and create solutions which continually push the boundaries of technology and improve our society, especially where they relate to mobility, safety and the environment.
(This article was first published in the 15 October 2018 issue of Autocar Professional)
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Q: Google maps api Directions User defined Steps I have a google map service with the stores mapped on it.
I also have directions service (then you define two addresses or more and it shows you a way on this map, see google map api directions). So I waте to show the nearest stores to this way. Of course it could be the store located in the next streat of my way, so it also should be included to the list.
So far I just found only an array of steps in the directions object which I get from google maps api. But these steps are predefined by google, so they can be too close one each to other and they also can be too far (if a part of your route is a highway or there is no any special steps on your way etc.)
So, what I want to do. I want to make my own steps on the line that I get from google directions (for example to put these steps on my line every 500 meeters etc.), and after that to search every step for any stores around 200 meeters.
Is it possible to do? I cannot find any solution of this idea in internet.

A: I think I found a solution.
Here it is if somebody will get the same problem
for (var i = 0; i < directionResult.routes[0].overview_path.length; i++) {
    var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
        position: directionResult.routes[0].overview_path[i],
        map: myMap
    });
}

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MLS viewers on NBCSN up 76 percent after four games
by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Apr 5, 2014
[SOCCER ON THE AIR] Through the first four weeks of the MLS season, the average audiences for its games on NBCSN are up 76 percent from last year's average for four games and 115 percent from the 2012 average to an average of 209,500 viewers a game.
The opening day match -- Seattle-Sporting KC -- averaged 330,000 viewers, the most for an MLS game on NBCSN outside the 2012 London Olympics window when MLS games on NBCSN received huge boosts because of Olympic lead-ins. The 2014 opener followed a Chelsea EPL match on NBCSN.
The four-week average doesn't include the Week 5 match between Portland and Seattle that should draw right around the season average. It didn't have the benefit of an EPL match as a direct lead-in on NBCSN. The 12:30 p.m. the Chelsea game was on NBC. But its wild start should have kept some viewers and its end-to-end drama drawn in other viewers.
NBC is in the third and final deal of its current contract with MLS, whose numbers are still a fraction of what NBCSN is drawing for its EPL coverage. Five EPL matches last week averaged more than 500,000 viewers on NBCSN. Three had weekend morning kickoffs and a fourth had a midweek afternoon kickoff.
MLS on NBCSN: First Four Games (2014)
330,000 Seattle-Sporting KC (March 8)
171,000 Seattle-Toronto FC (March 15)
180,000 Real Salt Lake-LA Galaxy (March 22)
157,000 D.C. United-Chicago (March 29)
Average: 209,500.
107,000 Houston-D.C. United (March 2)
79,000 Chicago-New England (March 9)
82,000 Sporting KC-Chicago (March 16)
209.000 Seattle-Portland (March 23)
82,000 FC Dallas-New York (March 11)
124,000 Philadelphia-Colorado (March 18)
107,000 Seattle-Houston (March 23)
76,000 D.C. United-FC Dallas (March 30)
Average: 97,250.
business, mls, television
9 comments about "MLS viewers on NBCSN up 76 percent after four games".
Ginger Peeler, April 6, 2014 at 11:59 a.m.
The games I've watched have used American commentators who spend most of their time actually describing the action on the field. What a pleasure they are to listen to! I'm not sure why the other networks use Brits for play-by-play duties. They spend the majority of their time gossiping about players, other leagues, etc. They talk about pitch, boots. kits and football. Of course, I know what that all means. What bothers me is that no attempt is made to use the terms we use here in the US and I do have trouble understanding some of their words with their accents. We, the audience, are treated as if our terminology is wrong, so we get the "correct" European terms instead. They talk down to us and they get rehired for doing so! So, thank you NBCSN for bringing us simple, straight-forward, informative calls.
Doug Broadie, April 6, 2014 at 12:51 p.m.
Ginger - Couldn't agree more. I think NBC may have dropped out of the MLS/USSF bidding too soon. Why can't we have three english speaking networks. Maybe one of those could pick up the English side of the game broadcast only on UniMas and visa-versa for UniMas.
R2 Dad, April 6, 2014 at 5:27 p.m.
Dear Ginger: sometimes a match is just a match, and brits describing it are just...brits. No need to get so butt-hurt that those brits aren't using words you use. soccer/football is an international sport, and parochialism just shows americans to be pathetic coach potatoes that need spoon-feeding. If this was baseball or football(both sports we invented), I would agree 100%. but we're playing someone else's sport. Maybe we could just roll with it? these brits might seem annoying to you, but come WC in Brazil they are going to be much more familiar with all the players and teams we will be facing. Do you remember how absolutely awful the american commentators were in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006? My 2 cents: the brits talk about the boots and pitch because the play and the players are quite lame in comparison to la liga, serie A, the bundesliga, BPL. Maybe 2014 will be different, and I am truly optimistic each year in MLS will be better than the previous, but the kick-and-run and terrible officiating are difficult to defend when superior leagues are just a channel away.
Zoe Willet, April 7, 2014 at 12:27 a.m.
Lay off of Ginger- she has a good point or two. Also, R2 D2, I notice you didn't mention 2010 in your rant. There are American commentators who know everything the Brits know about the history of soccer- too many to cite in fact, so take your complaints elsewhere, please!
Richard Saunders, April 7, 2014 at 1:20 a.m.
R2 Dad, your elitist Eurosnob smarminess is a detriment to growing the sport in the US. Being a soccer fan isn't a contest, and , short of hooliganism, there is no wrong way of going about it. MLS is improving gradually, and it shouldn't pretend to be anything different than a developing league on the rise. There's zero wrong with being that way at the moment, so knock off the condescension.
Ginger Peeler, April 8, 2014 at 8:27 p.m.
R2Dad...I appreciate your viewpoint. I usually agree with your comments. But I have to disagree here. The Brits invented the game, but it's no longer theirs. "The Beautiful Game" belongs to the world now and is the most popular sport in most countries. Unfortunately, in the US, it ranks behind football, basketball, baseball and hockey. In the 50s and 60s, we were called the ugly Americans when we showed up in Europe and demanded that the Germans, French, Italians, etc, all speak English. Instead, we should have made every effort to work with other languages. We were in their countries, we had no right to insist that they speak our language. Also, I'm one of the last generations before TV. I remember sitting next to the radio listening to programs. When we got our first TV, there were only 2 channels and they went off the air every night. I now have a TV with a 26 inch screen and my old eyes can't always make out the numbers of the players on the field.so I count on the announcers to tell me who's got the ball. And I want to be able to turn the sound up and listen to the game while I'm in the kitchen. I don't want to hear a warm and fuzzy story about some player's cousin in another league on another country. I watched one MLS game where the British announcer was so caught up in his story, he completely missed a shot on goal! And I've watched lots of EPL games (where the referees are terrible and the teams play kick-and-run) where the announcers spend most of their time calling the game. But ESPN has given us gossips who seem to feel they need to make the kind of small talk you get during basketball timeouts and football timeouts. Except there are No timeouts in soccer.
John DiFiore, April 9, 2014 at 11:48 p.m.
Yea, I agree. It's MLS. It's american soccer. And really? "we are playing someone elses sport? hahahaha Whose? England's??? That's funny. Please tell me what makes England so great when it comes to soccer?? It's Spain's game now... And Ian Darke is the WORST!!! So, anti-American! I dont want to watch another USMNT game with him commentating. And Twellman is getting just as bad. Yes the EPL is the best!! But England CERTAINLY is NOT!! The english are no better than us.
p.s. it's "couch potatoe" not coach.
For the record: Max Bretos calls a great game!!! Enthusiastic, POSITIVE AND AWARE OF WHO HIS LISTENER IS..

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Coney Island's Roller Coasters, Ranked
Coney Island boasts six impressive coasters, but which one reigns supreme?
Coney Island is known for a plethora of features, including its unique roller coasters.
Roller coasters are a fascinating invention. Designed to incite our greatest dreams and our worst fears at the same time, they are without a doubt the most fun aspect of an amusement park (and not to mention, arguably the safest). But they're not for everyone: not all enjoy the soaring heights or the intense G-forces experienced during those intense drops and corkscrews.
While I find them to be quite enjoyable, I actually was pretty petrified of even daring to ride a roller coaster until very recently. However, once I rode one and overcame this feeling (less of a fear and more of a "nah, let's just skip it"), I developed a sort-of inclination toward riding as many as I can, when I can. And I must say, Coney Island was the perfect place for me to start this journey.
My very first "real" roller coaster (not counting those small baby ones you would ride with Mom at the kiddie park) was the Thunderbolt in Coney Island. I've written multiple articles and pieces about Coney Island over the years, and now, I have ridden the six main roller coasters Coney Island has to offer. Growing up so close to Coney Island, I would often visit frequently, but it wasn't until this year that I ever gave the roller coasters a try. And wow, am I glad I did.
As mentioned earlier, it was a good place to start, as the roller coasters present here aren't too intense, but aren't too tame either. They each offer their own unique elements and features, and now, I'm here to rank all six from worst to best. If you love roller coasters and are ever in Coney Island, I definitely recommend riding all six (which will run you about $45, which isn't too bad).
6. The Tickler
The Tickler roller coaster. Photo via Turbopass
The Tickler is a spinning roller coaster located towards the front entrance of Luna Park, just behind the Surf Avenue gates. It's a "wild mouse" coaster, which is a term for a roller coaster featuring spinning circular cars and a bunch of sharp turns, producing G-forces. The Tickler starts with a not-so-steep ascent up a hill, and then gradually begins to descent via sharp turns. Following the four primary turns, you'll descend down a hill (probably backwards), then experience more turns, and the ride will finally be over.
In case you haven't noticed, this coaster's main emphasis is on turns. Sharp turns. Turns that will give you whiplash and bang you around the car without mercy. And it seats four in a very tight space, so if you've got company next to you, your legs will be squashed. I will say, it's pretty fun to go down a hill backwards, especially since the hill isn't tall or steep, but it's not for everyone.
At six credits (or $6), it's the cheapest coaster on this list, and the least intense (and also the most nauseating, and thus the lowest on this list). That doesn't mean you shouldn't ride it, you definitely should, especially if you're with family, as it's certainly more of a family coaster. But if you're a thrill-seeker, there won't be much thrill with this one.
5. Steeplechase
Steeplechase roller coaster. Photo via Luna Park
Unlike the previous coaster, Steeplechase is one whose focus is speed and acceleration. You'll begin your journey by climbing onto the horse-shaped car, at which point the ride operator will adjust the back cushion, pushing it so far into your back that it will squeeze you into your seat. At least you're firm, but it'll be at the expense of your organs slowly being crushed from within. Or at least that's what it felt like for my friends and I when we rode this coaster.
The train will slowly move forward and stop at the launch pad, where a stoplight will count down from red to yellow to green, and when it hits green, be prepared for takeoff. Steeplechase is an acceleration coaster, so its primary element is its fast acceleration right at the start. Once this occurs, you'll be launched forward up the white tracks, and around a few banked turns, and before you know it, that's it. The ride's over.
Steeplechase costs seven credits, or $7, and it's not a bad ride. If you like fast speeds and breakneck turns, it's for you. But its short duration and the tight nature of the seat which you ride in leads to a pretty uncomfortable experience, leading to it ranking fifth on this list. Again, it's certainly a good ride, and I definitely recommend you ride it, but it's not for everyone.
The Phoenix roller coaster. Photo via Brooklyn Paper
Phoenix is Coney Island's newest coaster, opened in the summer of 2021. Its bright red and yellow paint scheme make it hard to miss, but it's easy to miss because it's not actually part of Luna Park, but rather Deno's Amusement Park. You see, Coney Island is split into two parks, per se: Luna Park, and Deno's. All of the other coasters on this list are part of Luna Park and require credits from a Luna Park card, but Phoenix is technically part of Deno's and thus requires a separate Deno's card.
And this inconvenience hurts the coaster, as many will not be willing to purchase a completely separate card for one or two rides, and will be more inclined to skip this coaster. However, I do recommend you ride all the coasters on this list, as they're all great and have something special to offer, and Phoenix is certainly not exempt from that. Being a Vekoma Suspended Family Coaster, its main feature is its inverted, suspended nature, as riders seem to be "hanging" from the track and ride underneath it, rather than the traditional nature of riding in a car which itself rides above the tracks. This sets it apart from the other coasters in Coney Island.
Phoenix is another family coaster, but is definitely more intense than The Tickler. While not extreme like Steeplechase, it contains a good balance of thrill and tameness, not featuring a high speed or any steep drops, but is not shy on twists and inversions. If that's more your cup of tea, Phoenix will certainly satisfy you.
3. Soarin' Eagle
Soarin' Eagle roller coaster. Photo via Theme Park Review
Soarin' Eagle is one of those coasters where the anticipation and build up is probably more intense than the ride itself, but it's nonetheless a fantastic experience. This coaster features you lying forward, stepping into the car and placing your arms through the bars, and then, when the ride operator lowers the back of the car into place, it feels as though they didn't make it tight enough and you're bound to fall out. And it's this that made me the most nervous, but it's actually designed like that so you feel more "air time", and thus amplifying the ride experience.
Once the car starts to move, you'll be taken up to the top via a few twists, and then comes a very small drop and some sharp turns. At some points, the turns are so sharp and come close to nearby buildings that you feel like you're gonna crash into them, and no amount of holding onto the bars is gonna help. But before you know it, the ride is over. Soarin' Eagle looks so intimidating from the ground, or from a distance, or from wherever you're looking at it. It's even more intimidating when you start that initial climb, but the journey itself is, in my opinion, a bit of a letdown compared to all the hype and intimidation. Nonetheless, it's certainly a thrilling coaster and a great ride.
2. Thunderbolt
The Thunderbolt roller coaster. Photo via Zamperla.
The Thunderbolt is probably the most intimidating roller coaster in Coney Island. Opened in 2014, Thunderbolt's main feature is its 115-foot drop from a completely vertical lift. Following its intense drop which produces about five G's of force, you'll enter a large loop, multiple turns and corkscrews, and then finally end your experience on the Thunderbolt.
The Thunderbolt is one of those coasters that doesn't last very long, but feels like an eternity — and that's just the way I and many other thrill-seekers want it. From the very top of the ascent, you'll be able to grab a quick glance of the Manhattan skyline, but before you can focus on any one building, you'll already be plummeting 115 feet straight down. It's absolutely insane and the fact that this was my very first roller coaster (yes, I started with this one!) makes it even better for me, personally. I've ridden this one three times, including once in the front row (do it!) and, for $10, it's certainly worth it.
1. Cyclone
The Cyclone roller coaster. Photo via NY History.
Alright, there's no other way around it. You knew this was going to be number one, but it's not *just* because it's the almighty Cyclone. It's because it's genuinely the most fun experience in Coney Island, without a doubt. Opened in 1927, it's still to this day just as intense as it was during a time when alcohol was illegal.
The Cyclone is a mixed bag, not in terms of experience, but in terms of intimidation. To thrill-seekers who have already ridden roller coasters, the Cyclone will look like a definite ride. But to those who haven't ridden a coaster or aren't thrill-seekers, the Cyclone is the most intimidating thing they've ever seen. But it's universally accepted that once you ride it, you'll want to ride it again. And again. And again.
You're only held down in the car by a single bar that feels like it's gonna rise up during the ride and make you fall right out. But you're actually extremely safe, for the gravity experienced during the ride's drops helps to keep the bar down, or at least that's what the teenage ride operator told me (shrugs). Regardless, the Cyclone features numerous steep drops, sharp turns and dark, menacing tunnels which the train whips through at impressive speeds for an almost-century-old coaster. And you're really getting your money's worth, because it's the longest coaster in the park at almost three minutes, making its $10 price (or, erm, 10 "credits") totally worth it.
And let's not forget the absolutely undeniable character, charm and charisma of the Cyclone that makes it not only a staple of Coney Island, but of Brooklyn, of New York City, and of amusement in general. All of the roller coasters in Coney Island are great, but the Cyclone is a must ride for anyone looking to have some genuine fun.
Chris is a writer and publisher who travels America, and loves doing it. He also loves pizza, video games, and sports, and can tell you a thing or two about each. Follow him on Medium to be informed of new articles.
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Blaze Busters is a 1950 short film directed by Robert Youngson. It centers on firefighters and the blazes they must extinguish. It is narrated by Dwight Weist.

The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film at the 23rd Academy Awards.

References

External links

1950 films
1950 documentary films
Films directed by Robert Youngson
Films about firefighting
American short documentary films
Warner Bros. short films
1950s short documentary films
American black-and-white films
1950s American films

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Will Republicans put Post Office under private control?
September 6, 2015 at 6 PM: An air ambulance has been ordered for a motorcycle rider that crashed on Hwy 49 in Auburn.
A winch was ordered to retrieve the motorcycle. Use extra caution if in that area.
Calaveras County officials like their BOOZER Big Pots best!!
On September 10, 2015 Calaveras County Planning Commission will hold a hearing to turn down yet another proposed Medical Marijauna store; this time on Copper Cove in Copperopolis.
UPDATE at 5:15 PM: CHP has changed this to a major injury collision.
UPDATE:; Hogan was adopted! //Hogan is waiting for you to love him!
What a regal looking boy Hogan is, friendly and with big green eyes, he just needs someone to love him. Come to Calaveras County Animal Services to visit.
September 6, 2015 at 1 PM: A traffic collision has been reported at Hwy 108 and Jenness Road in Sonora.
UPDATE: The motorcycle rider later died of his injuries in a Fresno hospital.
September 6, 2015 at 10:10 AM: A motorcycle has reportedly crashed on Gold Strike Road in San Andreas with a female rider who was injured.
An ambulance is en route to the scene. Use extra caution if heading in that direction.
Colin Powell--smarter than the average Bushee! What is a true PATRIOT??
Colin Powell, Secretary of State under George Bush, Jr. was on Meet the Press this morning, talking about the Iran deal.
On Thursday, President Obama bestowed National Medal of Arts and Humanities awards.
The San Francisco 49ers cut down the starting 2015 team to the required 53 on Saturday September 5, 2015.


BMX Team USA Brings Home the Gold!
BMX Team USA and Conner Fields bring home the Gold from Rio at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Bike Donation from Kevin's Bikes!
Bay Area BMXers on KTVU!
B.A.B Is Your New 2014 #2 Bike Shop Team in the United States!


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Q: How can I disable HealthKit integration in your app? I have an application to requestAuthorization to use HealthKit data into a tableView.
I use this code to ask permission to get HealthKit data:
- (IBAction)healthIntegrationButtonSwitched:(UISwitch *)sender {

    if (sender.isOn) {
        [[GSHealthKitManager sharedManager] requestAuthorization];
    }
}

- (void)requestAuthorization {

    if ([HKHealthStore isHealthDataAvailable] == NO) {
        // If our device doesn't support HealthKit -> return.
        return;
    }

    NSArray *readTypes = @[[HKObjectType characteristicTypeForIdentifier:HKCharacteristicTypeIdentifierDateOfBirth]];

    NSArray *writeTypes = @[[HKObjectType quantityTypeForIdentifier:HKQuantityTypeIdentifierBodyMass],
                            [HKObjectType workoutType]];

    [self.healthStore requestAuthorizationToShareTypes:[NSSet setWithArray:writeTypes]
                                             readTypes:[NSSet setWithArray:readTypes] completion:nil];
}

Could I add to my healthIntegrationButtonSwitched function the other case when "if (sender.isOff) {" to cancel the permission accepted of HealthKit?
thanks!

A: There's no way to de-authorize HealthKit access programmatically, but there's also no need to. When the switch is disabled you should just make sure to not query HealthKit anymore. Also the user can de-authorize your app in the Sources panel of the Health app if they have a privacy concern.


text:
Distinct features of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgA response in COVID-19 patients
Hai-qiong Yu, Bao-qing Sun, Zhang-fu Fang, Jin-cun Zhao, Xiao-yu Liu, Yi-min Li, Xi-zhuo Sun, Hong-feng Liang, Bei Zhong, Zhi-feng Huang, Pei-yan Zheng, Li-feng Tian, Hui-Qi Qu, De-chen Liu, Er-yi Wang, Xiao-jun Xiao, Shi-yue Li, Feng Ye, Li Guan, Dong-sheng Hu, Hakon Hakonarson, Zhi-gang Liu, Nan-shan Zhong
European Respiratory Journal 2020; DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01526-2020
Hai-qiong Yu
1State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease for Allergy at Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Allergy & Immunology, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, China
9These authors contributed equally to this work
Bao-qing Sun
2State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
Zhang-fu Fang
3Department of Respirology & Allergy, Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
Jin-cun Zhao
Xiao-yu Liu
Yi-min Li
Xi-zhuo Sun
Hong-feng Liang
4Yangjiang People's Hospital, Yangjiang, China
Bei Zhong
5Department of Infectious Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, China
Zhi-feng Huang
Pei-yan Zheng
Li-feng Tian
6Center for Applied Genomics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Hui-Qi Qu
ORCID record for Hui-Qi Qu
De-chen Liu
7Department of Preventive Medicine, Shenzhen University Health Sciences Center, Shenzhen, China
Er-yi Wang
Xiao-jun Xiao
Shi-yue Li
Feng Ye
Li Guan
Dong-sheng Hu
Hakon Hakonarson
8Divisions of Human Genetics and Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Zhi-gang Liu
Nan-shan Zhong
Humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 showed an early response of IgA, instead of IgM, in COVID-19 patients. As highlighted by our study, enhanced IgA responses observed in severe COVID-19 might confer damaging effects in severe COVID-19.
In comparison to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), SARS-CoV-2 appears to be more contagious [1], and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients demonstrate varied clinical manifestations distinct from those seen in patients with SARS-CoV and middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infections [2]. Collective results from the clinical and epidemiological observations suggest a distinct viral-host interaction in COVID-19 patients. Profiling of the antibody response during SARS-CoV-2 infection may help improve our understanding of the viral-host interaction and the immunopathological mechanisms of the disease.
Studies on humoral responses to infections have been mainly geared toward the production of high-affinity IgG antibodies that efficiently resolve an infection. It has been well recognised, however, that humoral immune response to infection can be a double-edged sword that either serves as a protective mechanism to resolve the infection or aggravates the tissue injury, e.g. IgG response causes fatal acute lung injury by skewing inflammation-resolving response in SARS [3]. In the case of respiratory infection, while IgM and IgG isotypes have been the primary emphasis in characterising immunity, mucosal and systemic IgA responses that may play a critical role in the disease pathogenesis, have received much less attention.
This study was designed to better understand the timing and patterns of humoral immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 in a cohort of COVID-19 patients and evaluate their relationship with the disease course and severity. 37 patients with COVID-19, average age of 52.3±16.3 years old, were enrolled in this study. The enrolled COVID-19 patients consisted of 25 males (67.6%) and 12 females (32.4%). All patients had positive testing for viral nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2 (Real-Time Fluorescent RT-PCR Kit, BGI, Shenzhen). According to the Guidelines of the Diagnosis and Treatment of New Coronavirus Pneumonia (Edition 7) published by the National Health Commission of China [4], the enrolled COVID-19 patients were categorised into 2 groups: 20 severe cases (54.1%) and 17 non-severe cases (46.0%). The non-severe group included patients with mild and moderate symptoms who were also required to be admitted to hospital by the COVID-19 control policy in China. The severe group included severe and critically ill patients. Mild patients did not show abnormal CT imaging. Moderate patients included had fever and/or classical respiratory symptoms, and typical CT images of viral pneumonia. Severe patients met at least one of following additional conditions: (1) Shortness of breath with respiratory rate (RR)≥30 times·min−1, (2) Oxygen saturation (SpO2, Resting state) ≤93%; or (3) PaO2/FiO2 ≤300 mmHg. Critically ill patients met at least one of the extra following conditions in addition to the COVID-19 diagnosis: (1) Respiratory failure that required mechanical ventilation; (2) Shock; or (3) Multiple organ failure that required intensive care unit (ICU). All clinical diagnosis were confirmed by a team of trained physicians. All the blood samples were collected within a timeframe of 0–8 weeks after admission. A total of 183 serum samples collected during the hospitalisation period of the 37 patients were tested for SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein specific antibodies. The levels of SARS-CoV-2 S protein-specific IgA, IgM and IgG antibodies were assayed by chemiluminescent immunoassay. The S-protein peptide was acquired from University of Science and Technology of China.
Our study shows the first seroconversion day of IgA was 2 days after onset of initial symptoms, and the first seroconversion day of IgM and IgG was 5 days after onset. The positive rate of antibodies in the 183 samples was 98.9%, 93.4% and 95.1%, for IgA, IgM and IgG, respectively. The seroconversion rate for IgA, IgM or IgG was 100% 32 days after symptom onset. According to the cumulative seroconversion curve, the median conversion time for IgA, IgM and IgG was 13, 14 and 14 days, respectively. The levels of both Ag-specific IgA and IgG were markedly increased around 2 weeks after the symptom onset and remained continuously elevated for the following 2 weeks. In contrast, the levels and time dependent changes of IgM were minimal. The relative levels of IgA and IgG were markedly higher in severe patients compared to non-severe patients (fig. 1). There were significant differences in the relative levels of IgA (P<0.001) and IgG (P<0.001) between the severe and non-severe groups. In contrast, no statistically significant changes occurred in the levels of IgM between severe and non-severe patients after the disease onset. In further subgroup analysis, we found a significant positive association of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgA level and the APACHE-II score in critically ill patients with COVID-19 (r=0.72, P=0.01), while the level of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG and IgM did not show correlations with disease severity.
Chronological profiles of antibodies in COVID-19 patients. Patient's samples collected from week 0–1, 1–2, 2–3, 3–4, 4–5, 5–6, 6–7, 7–8 since illness onset were pooled for analysis. a–b) The medians of antibody detection value (luminescent value) of samples at the same time point since onset was used to plot the graph. a) all patients; (b) patients with severe illness. c–e) Time-serial changes of the level of different antibody comparing in severe and non-severe groups. The medians of antibody detection value (luminescent value) of samples at the same time point since onset was used to plot the graph. c) IgA; (d) IgG; (e) IgM.
The present study showed that the levels of specific IgM antibody were significantly lower than those of IgA in both severe and non-severe patents. This pattern of humoral immune response is different in case of SARS-CoV infection, in which IgM and IgA showed similar chronological profiles in terms of both seroconversion time and antibody titres [5], in line with the knowledge that viremia is common in SARS.
As a mucosal targeted virus, SARS-CoV-2 would be expected to generate secretory IgA (sIgA) and induce strong mucosal immunity. Indeed, the mucosal anti-viral immunity has been shown to result in part from the IgA-mediated interactions with the pathogenic microorganisms to prevent pathogens from adhering to the cell surface [6]. However, recent studies also found that sIgA is able to induce interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and granulocyte–macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) production by normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLFs) [7]. It is also proposed that sIgA may have synergistic effects with IgG in promoting antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) [8]. In contrast to mucosal IgA, the role of serum IgA have been relatively unexplored. Previous studies have shown that IgA mediates either pro- or anti-inflammatory effects in innate immune cells and suggested a plausible role of IgA as a driver of autoimmune diseases and regulator of immune hyperactivation [9]. Monomeric binding of serum IgA to the Fc alpha receptor (FcαRI) has been suggested to mediate inhibitory function via the receptor inhibitory signals in a variety of myeloid cells [10]. In contrast, crosslinking of the FcαRI by IgA and pathogen is able to transmit activating signals leading to phagocytosis, respiratory burst, ADCC, increased antigen presentation, degranulation, and cytokine release [11]. Cytokines including transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and IL-10 can induce antibody isotype switching [12]. Upregulated IgA production may be the result of increased levels of TGF-β and IL-10 that promote antibody switching in SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Considering the roles of mucosal and systemic IgA in COVID-19, inducing IgA production, e.g. using Lactoferrin to activate canonical TGF-β signalling [13], or retinoic acid to enhance lactoferrin-induced IgA responses [14], has been proposed as novel therapies for severe COVID-19. However, as highlighted by our study, enhanced IgA responses observed in severe COVID-19 might confer damaging effects in severe COVID-19. As a result, we hypothesise that severe COVID-19 might be at least in part an IgA-mediated disease (related to IgA deposition and vasculitis), which helps to explain common organ injuries in COVID-19, e.g. acute pulmonary embolism, kidney injury, etc [15]. We acknowledge the limitations of this study, including no measurement of local IgA, and limited number of patients. Future investigative efforts are certainly needed to explore the functional significance of mucosal and systemic IgA in COVID-19 and if local interventions at the mucosal level at the nasopharynx/oropharynx could reduce viral load and symptoms.
Author Contributions: HY, BS, ZF, JZ, XL, YL, XS, ZL and NZ participated in the study design. HL, BZ, ZH, PZ, LT, HQ, DL, EW, XX, SL, FY, LG and DH contributed to patient recruitment, data collection, data analysis, and literature search. ZF, ZH and PZ conducted the experiments on antibodies detection. HY, BS, ZF, LT, HQ and HH drafted the manuscript. NZ and ZL critically reviewed and revised the manuscript. All authors read the manuscript and approved the final version.
Support statement: This work was funded by grants from Shenzhen Science and technology plan research project (No.KQTD20170331145453160), Shenzhen Nanshan District Pioneer Group Research Funds(No.LHTD20180007), Zhejiang University special scientific research fund for COVID-19 prevention and control (2020XGZX040). The research was designed, conducted, analysed, and interpreted by the authors entirely independently of the funding sources. Zhejiang University special scientific research fund for COVID-19 prevention and control; Grant: 2020XGZX040; Shenzhen Science and technology plan research project; Grant: No.KQTD20170331145453160; Shenzhen Nanshan District Pioneer Group Research Funds; Grant: No.LHTD20180007.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Yu has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Sun has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Fang has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Zhao has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Liu has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Li has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Liang has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Zhong has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Huang has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Zheng has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Tian has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Qu has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Wang has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Xiao has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Ye has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Guan has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Hu has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Hakonarson has nothing to disclose.
Accepted May 5, 2020.
This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Licence 4.0.
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Acute pulmonary embolism and COVID-19 pneumonia: a random association? Eur Heart J 2020.
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Restrictive spirometry pattern and abnormal cardiopulmonary response to exercise in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis
Cycloserine did not increase depression incidence or severity at standard dosing for MDR-TB
High-dose versus low-dose prednisolone in symptomatic patients with post-COVID-19 diffuse parenchymal lung abnormalities: an open-label, randomised trial (Acronym: COLDSTER)
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Preview — The Moment Before Drowning by James Brydon
The Moment Before Drowning
James Brydon
3.52 · Rating details · 96 ratings · 31 reviews
In 1959, a French Resistance hero investigates a murder in a small Breton town, while awaiting his own trial.
December 1959: a furious anticolonial war rages in Algeria. Captain Jacques le Garrec, a former detective and French Resistance hero, returns to France in disgrace, traumatized after two years of working in the army intelligence services, and accused of a brutal cri In 1959, a French Resistance hero investigates a murder in a small Breton town, while awaiting his own trial.
December 1959: a furious anticolonial war rages in Algeria. Captain Jacques le Garrec, a former detective and French Resistance hero, returns to France in disgrace, traumatized after two years of working in the army intelligence services, and accused of a brutal crime.
As le Garrec awaits trial in the tiny Breton town where he grew up, he is asked to look into a disturbing and unsolved murder committed the previous winter. A local teenage girl was killed and her bizarrely mutilated body was left on display on the heathland in a way that no one could understand.
Le Garrec's investigations draw him into the dark past of the town, still haunted by memories of the German Occupation. As he tries to reconstruct the events of the girl's murder, the violence and guilt intertwine with his own recollections of Algeria and threaten to submerge him. ...more
Published July 3rd 2018 by Akashic Books
http://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/the-moment-before-drowning/
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Historical Mystery 2018
· 96 ratings · 31 reviews
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Start your review of The Moment Before Drowning
Jun 17, 2018 Marjorie rated it it was amazing
Shelves: librarything
Capitaine Jacques le Garrec has returned to Paris in disgrace. He was a hero in the French Resistance but now is facing charges of a terrible crime that occurred in Algiers, where he was working in the Army Intelligence Service. While he's waiting trial, he's asked to investigate the unsolved murder of a local teenage girl. The French town where this murder took place has a history of German occupation that has left its impact on the residents. As le Garrec looks into the murder, his memories of Capitaine Jacques le Garrec has returned to Paris in disgrace. He was a hero in the French Resistance but now is facing charges of a terrible crime that occurred in Algiers, where he was working in the Army Intelligence Service. While he's waiting trial, he's asked to investigate the unsolved murder of a local teenage girl. The French town where this murder took place has a history of German occupation that has left its impact on the residents. As le Garrec looks into the murder, his memories of what happened in Algiers often collides with the investigation.
I'm very impressed by this author's debut novel. It's a short novel but Mr. Brydon packs in so much emotion, suspense, tension and heartbreak. This story literally took my breath away and has left me shaken. Be forewarned that this book is not for the faint hearted. It's a brutally violent book with graphic descriptions of horrendous torture. Capitaine le Garrec is a broken man, torn apart by his work in Algiers. The moral dilemma he's faced with is a tragic one. There was never a moment in this book that I wasn't completely engrossed. The ending was pure perfection. This book will haunt me for some time to come. This author is one to be reckoned with and I hope his next literary work will be published soon.
Most highly recommended.
This book was given to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.
Feb 21, 2018 Carol Ann rated it really liked it
Terrific and gripping debut!
Detective Jacques le Garrec returns home to Brittany to await trial for potential war crimes committed in Algeria. While home, le Garrec's friend asks him to help solve the grisly murder of a student at the local school. Absolute page-turner and highly recommended. Graphic violence. Terrific and gripping debut!
Detective Jacques le Garrec returns home to Brittany to await trial for potential war crimes committed in Algeria. While home, le Garrec's friend asks him to help solve the grisly murder of a student at the local school. Absolute page-turner and highly recommended. Graphic violence. ...more
Jun 25, 2018 Tonstant Weader rated it it was ok
The Moment Before Drowning has everything I love in a mystery, a strong sense of place, a historical connection in time and place, rich language and description, intrigue, moral equivocation, a complex and flawed main character, and literature and philosophy are woven into the thoughts and conversations of the main characters. Add to that, it takes place in the same setting as Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief of Police series, and I was eager to read.
In The Moment Before Drowning, Jacques le Gerrac The Moment Before Drowning has everything I love in a mystery, a strong sense of place, a historical connection in time and place, rich language and description, intrigue, moral equivocation, a complex and flawed main character, and literature and philosophy are woven into the thoughts and conversations of the main characters. Add to that, it takes place in the same setting as Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief of Police series, and I was eager to read.
In The Moment Before Drowning, Jacques le Gerrac has come back to France to be tried for the murder of an Algerian woman. While waiting for trial and at loose ends, he goes to his hometown where he is immediately asked to investigate an unsolved murder. A young girl, Anne-Lise, was murdered and mutilated and her body was staged. The local police officer is more thug than thinker. Unable to wrest confessions after "interrogation" the case has stalled.
Gerrac interviews friends, family, and possible lovers building a picture of Anne-Lise However, his investigation and his conception of Anne-Lise are continually interrupted by his memory of Amira, the Algerian woman he is accused of murdering and his observation and participation in the torture interrogations of the FLN, the Algerian resistance. From history, we know there were many atrocities and Gerrac is revealed to be a reluctant participant, persuaded to serve out of the idea that if people of good will were perpetrating the ill-conceived war and repression, it would be somehow better. This is a good example of how good people do evil. If I didn't do it, someone who enjoyed it would do it.
Despite everything going for it, I was disappointed in The Moment Before Drowning. There are several reasons, but they are all related to how didactic it is. Mostly it's a failure to let ideas develop naturally, but delivering them instead as something Gerrac reads, questions answered in class, speechifying by characters, and courtroom testimony. It's not natural, not conversational. It sticks out like the sore thumb it is, shoved into an intriguing story, distorting the narrative. The primary purpose of a story is the story. When that is displaced by a desire to indict the past, the story fails. It's even more frustrating when I agree with the moral lesson, but find it intrusive.
As a mystery, it is only fair if you take the time to put the German and French quotations into Google translate or are familiar with Rilke and Baudelaire. When the primary clues are untranslated, it's annoying to have to look them up. Still, it's technically fair, but why leave the French poetry untranslated when after all, the entire story is about this French man in France. It would not be in a foreign language to him as he reads it so it should not be for us. It seemed like needless pedantry.
However, the book is not terrible. There is a real mystery and Gerrac is an interesting and compelling character. I can imagine that sequels may be more intriguing and more compelling now the author does not have to show off how smart he is anymore.
The Moment Before Drowning will be published on July 3rd. I received a copy from Akashic Books through LibraryThing and Edelweiss
The Moment Before Drowning at Akashic Books
James Brydon author profile as crossword setter at The Guardian
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre... ...more
Aug 02, 2018 Jaclyn rated it liked it
Shelves: books-i-own
Stay tuned for a full review which will posted to my blog
Oct 18, 2018 Hayleigh rated it did not like it
I wanted to enjoy this book, but ultimately gave up on it. I was intrigued by the narrator's past in Algiers and wanted to see how the two major storylines tied together, but not badly enough that I could make myself finish what turned out to be a very clunky novel. Even though it's a short read, I just couldn't make myself stick with it to the end. While this book has moments where the paragraphs grabbed me and made me want to watch the plot play out, those moments were overshadowed by my frust I wanted to enjoy this book, but ultimately gave up on it. I was intrigued by the narrator's past in Algiers and wanted to see how the two major storylines tied together, but not badly enough that I could make myself finish what turned out to be a very clunky novel. Even though it's a short read, I just couldn't make myself stick with it to the end. While this book has moments where the paragraphs grabbed me and made me want to watch the plot play out, those moments were overshadowed by my frustration at the writing style. There is a lot of "telling" instead of "showing" going on here, and the novel is packed with a lot of description that doesn't add to the story and seems to be there simply so the reader knows something without the investigator having to "discover" it. Similarly, a lot of details are revealed in this "telling" style -- the investigator discovers a newspaper article, journal entry, or even some drafts of the victim's essays, which were not particularly interesting segments for me to force my way through. ...more
Feb 12, 2018 Kerry Pickens rated it it was amazing
Shelves: read-2018
I received this book as an ARC from Askashic Books, and read in the book in two evenings. It's probably one of the most interesting books I have read lately. You could describe it as French noir, but noir is the sense that the film Casablanca was noir. The main character fought in the French resistance and then Algeria, and returns to France to charged with a war crime. While waiting for the trial, he investigates the death of a young girl who was half German. The book perfectly captures those t I received this book as an ARC from Askashic Books, and read in the book in two evenings. It's probably one of the most interesting books I have read lately. You could describe it as French noir, but noir is the sense that the film Casablanca was noir. The main character fought in the French resistance and then Algeria, and returns to France to charged with a war crime. While waiting for the trial, he investigates the death of a young girl who was half German. The book perfectly captures those turbulent times when Europe tried to regain its balance after WW II, and there was no police protection for anyone. Kudos to the author for a beautifully written first novel. ...more
Jun 28, 2018 Jessica rated it it was ok
Shelves: goodreads-giveaway-wins, historical-fiction
(I received an ARC from a Goodreads Giveaway.)
The Moment Before Drowning tells the story of a previously lauded resistance hero during the French-Algerian war. Jacques le Garrec is sent back to his sleepy seaside French hometown after being accused of a heinous crime while serving in Algeria. As soon as he arrives home, a past acquaintance pleads for him to investigate a recent murder of a young woman. As Garrec begins investigating the murder, the truth about the Algerian crime is also brought (I received an ARC from a Goodreads Giveaway.)
The Moment Before Drowning tells the story of a previously lauded resistance hero during the French-Algerian war. Jacques le Garrec is sent back to his sleepy seaside French hometown after being accused of a heinous crime while serving in Algeria. As soon as he arrives home, a past acquaintance pleads for him to investigate a recent murder of a young woman. As Garrec begins investigating the murder, the truth about the Algerian crime is also brought to light.
There is no doubt that this book is extremely well written, however; rather than a mystery novel, it serves as a commentary on the male obsession with the female body. Our main character, Jacques le Garrec, is barely fleshed out but is still viewed as the one light of truth and justice within this entire novel. The remaining cast of male characters are all horrible people (crooked cop, male chauvinist pig and proud Nazi, selfish and naive revolutionary, creepy unstable vagrant, etc.). (view spoiler)[ The person we're not supposed to suspect, the one I suspected from the beginning, is of course the only other seemingly innocent male character: the professor. (hide spoiler)]
Throughout the course of the novel Garrec is obsessed with "seeing" Anne Lise, this beautiful and smart young lady who was so horribly murdered and mutilated. But I felt I never truly "saw" any of the characters. (If anything, I saw female body parts eg. heaving breasts and toned thighs and nipples brushing cloth, or buttocks peeking seductively etc. The typical masculine way in which feminine bodies are written). They were hastily introduced and very seldom built upon, leaving me not really invested in any of them or their stories. And the flashbacks Garrec kept having to Algeria just felt like they were posed to make us believe he was some Saint. That he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and was trying to make up for his previous mistakes.
I think the end is really what did this book in for me. I would have probably given it 3 stars if not for the last paragraph. As Garrec is driving away with another abused and mistreated woman (savior moment who knows how many, I've lost count), he's having to ignore the scent of her perfume, the tightness in his chest and lungs he gets when he catches a glimpse of her (view spoiler)[the same feelings the probable murderer wrote about having to tamper down when in the presence of Anne Lise (hide spoiler)]. He has to concentrate on driving because the idea of being alone in the car with her has his mind racing...It leaves the reader thinking: "it could have just as easily been him." So all that this book really brings to mind is the idea that any man, in a fit of lust and passion, can be quickly turned into a murderer. Mystery solved. ...more
Aug 18, 2018 Jessica rated it really liked it
An atmospheric thriller in the tradition of French existential crime – by an English man paying homage I think. A disgraced army officer returns to France to face trial by his peers for crimes committed in occupied Algeria – themselves a moveable concept given the history of how the French army kept control there. Years ago I saw the film "The Battle of Algiers" and footage from that kept returning to mind as I read Brydon's novel. Details of what he, and his peers, did are brutal and unsparing An atmospheric thriller in the tradition of French existential crime – by an English man paying homage I think. A disgraced army officer returns to France to face trial by his peers for crimes committed in occupied Algeria – themselves a moveable concept given the history of how the French army kept control there. Years ago I saw the film "The Battle of Algiers" and footage from that kept returning to mind as I read Brydon's novel. Details of what he, and his peers, did are brutal and unsparing but the real conflict is in the mind of the narrator as, shifting from one moral pole to the opposite, he's asked to investigate the murder of a young French girl in Brittany, near the house he's been told he must stay in while awaiting his own hearing.
Anyone who's been to Brittany will recognise this bleak landscape, isolated dwellings, and rugged people. But most British readers will have visited for summer holidays. Back in December 1959, the characters of this novel are still close to the damage wrought by being occupied themselves; the bullied become the bullies or retreat into a confusion of despair and silence; the vicious weather swipes at them and it's hard to tell good from evil as one crime blurs with another, and another and characters shift from investigator to suspect.
If all that sounds too miserable to embark on, take heart from it being so beautifully written. The book takes you effortlessly from page to page, and will echo in your mind long after you close the cover. Recommended.
Jun 04, 2018 Laura Henderson rated it it was amazing
Set in the aftermath of WWII, as Europe is still dealing in the aftermath of the French Resistance, this novel follows Captain Jacques Le Garrec. Jacques had been accused of a brutal crime and is awaiting trial. While awaiting his fate he investigates a brutal murder that happened in the Previous winter.
As the novel delves deeper and deeper into this mystery, the novel becomes more and more suspenseful. This novel is fantastically written and well researched. The time period is on point as it de Set in the aftermath of WWII, as Europe is still dealing in the aftermath of the French Resistance, this novel follows Captain Jacques Le Garrec. Jacques had been accused of a brutal crime and is awaiting trial. While awaiting his fate he investigates a brutal murder that happened in the Previous winter.
As the novel delves deeper and deeper into this mystery, the novel becomes more and more suspenseful. This novel is fantastically written and well researched. The time period is on point as it delivers beautifully written descriptions. You can tell the author did a good job researching this time period. The setting is well done as is descriptions of locations.
Overall, I found this novel vastly entertaining and impossible to put down. The writing had me hooked from page one! Such a unique little mystery set in a time that was heightened with fear and panic surrounding the the story's time period. The characters were well written and diverse. I found myself drawn to each character in this book as each pulls the story together in a unique way. This is a definite one click read!
***I received this book as an ARC from Askashic Books in exchange for an honest review*** ...more
Jun 18, 2018 Allen Pasternak rated it it was amazing
As I read this book, the concept of "literary mystery" kept nagging at the back of my brain until it emerged at the forefront. I'm not even sure what a "literary mystery" is. Is the term applied to the likes of Crime & Punishment and The Stranger"? While this novel has similarities to both of those, that's not it. This one is a more tidy fit into the mystery genre without being genre fiction. There are two crimes at the heart of this story - one in Algeria in 1959 as the French fought terrorists As I read this book, the concept of "literary mystery" kept nagging at the back of my brain until it emerged at the forefront. I'm not even sure what a "literary mystery" is. Is the term applied to the likes of Crime & Punishment and The Stranger"? While this novel has similarities to both of those, that's not it. This one is a more tidy fit into the mystery genre without being genre fiction. There are two crimes at the heart of this story - one in Algeria in 1959 as the French fought terrorists and an unsolved murder of a young woman who in the French village of Sainte-Elizabeth a year earlier. Jacques le Garrec is the white knight narrator at the center of both investigations. Is it Brydon's masterful character development and prose that shifts this book into the realm of 'literary'? No, there's something more than that that makes the novel transcendent. The backbone of this novel is ethical and philosophical questions and addresses some profound issues. I look forward to Brydon's next book. The return of le Garrec would be welcome. ...more
Dec 21, 2018 Rick Mitchell rated it did not like it
First the writing. I thought this was a translation and was shocked to see the author was English. I thought then he must be a professor, but he is a crossword writer. Perhaps that is why the choice of words that was stilted and at times seemed as if a thesaurus was nearby.
Then the plots. Two of them, actually. Both filled with torture and human mutilation. Dark stuff, for sure. Nothing much else. This seems to be an expose on human cruelty.
One of the more annoying things is the interceding of t First the writing. I thought this was a translation and was shocked to see the author was English. I thought then he must be a professor, but he is a crossword writer. Perhaps that is why the choice of words that was stilted and at times seemed as if a thesaurus was nearby.
One of the more annoying things is the interceding of the omniscient third person. It pops up in mid-conversation so the reader has to go back and figure out what was said and what was interjected as necessary to the story.
Perhaps the thing I liked least was the tone and conversation of the characters. All seemed to be imbued with a great vocabulary, tremendous insight and philosophy worthy of undergraduates hanging around the dorm drinking beer on a Friday night.
If I were to describe the book very briefly, it would be overwritten and extremely dark ...more
Jul 13, 2018 Larry rated it liked it
Brydon's novel has two story lines. Captain Jacques le Garrec, a Resistance war hero and successful detective, has been drafted into the French army during the Algerian Rebellion. Serving in French intelligence, he commits what is characterized as a war crime, and is sent back to france too await trial. While waiting, he returns to his boyhood home, where he is persuaded by a friend to investigate the murder of a young woman a bit less than a year earlier. The novel switches between le Garrec's Brydon's novel has two story lines. Captain Jacques le Garrec, a Resistance war hero and successful detective, has been drafted into the French army during the Algerian Rebellion. Serving in French intelligence, he commits what is characterized as a war crime, and is sent back to france too await trial. While waiting, he returns to his boyhood home, where he is persuaded by a friend to investigate the murder of a young woman a bit less than a year earlier. The novel switches between le Garrec's investigation and his trial, and results in a successful resolution of both. It is well written in a sort of emotionally laden way. It is the emotion that gets in the way of my enjoyment, and a higher rating. ...more
Jul 10, 2018 Jim Courter rated it really liked it
The late Ruth Cavins, who edited the mystery imprint of St. Martin's Press, liked to refer to the best mysteries as works of literature about crime. The Moment Before Drowning meets that description. It's dark, with almost no relief to the tension. I'd prefer that the foreign-language passages, especially the poetry that serves as clues, be rendered into English, and in a couple of places characters hold forth on colonialism in ways that sound like they're being read from a tract on political co The late Ruth Cavins, who edited the mystery imprint of St. Martin's Press, liked to refer to the best mysteries as works of literature about crime. The Moment Before Drowning meets that description. It's dark, with almost no relief to the tension. I'd prefer that the foreign-language passages, especially the poetry that serves as clues, be rendered into English, and in a couple of places characters hold forth on colonialism in ways that sound like they're being read from a tract on political correctness. Overall, though, it held my interest.
Jun 25, 2018 Laura rated it really liked it
Shelves: giveaways
This book was very dark and intense. I thought the author pulled everything together very well at the end and connected the protagonist's experiences in Algiers with the case he was working on. One technical thing that bugged me-- if you're quoting a poem in another language, please give the readers a translation. It is frustrating not knowing what's being referred to. Thanks to the publisher for proving an ARC of the book. This book was very dark and intense. I thought the author pulled everything together very well at the end and connected the protagonist's experiences in Algiers with the case he was working on. One technical thing that bugged me-- if you're quoting a poem in another language, please give the readers a translation. It is frustrating not knowing what's being referred to. Thanks to the publisher for proving an ARC of the book. ...more
Jul 25, 2018 Tati rated it liked it
I found that the last couple chapters are really the strength of this book. The excitement of the mystery and the main characters motives are at their most compelling. I was misdirected just enough about the identity of the true culprit that I kept second guessing my own thoughts. Unfortunately, it was hard for me to become invested in any of the characters and I spent a lot of the book unsure if the pace was ever going to pick up.
Jun 17, 2018 Sarah rated it really liked it
A powerful narrative as the tormented protagonist seeks to solve a bewildering mystery, while reliving his deeply disturbing past. Moral and ethical decisions posed during both World War II and in French Algeria are brought to the fore and given real consequences. The author's strong and vigorous writing pulls the story along and makes it hard to put the book down.
Jun 19, 2018 Andy rated it it was amazing
Shelves: 2018, library-thing-early-reviewer
I received this book as an ARC from Akashic books through Librarything.
What a great debut. So much to like. The atmosphere was amazing, the historical context fascinating, and the moral implications deep and relevant to today's society.
Aug 20, 2018 Rachael rated it did not like it
Not really a fan of this book; there were some anachronisms that didn't seem to fit the time frame of the period in which the book was set. Had a hard time getting past some of the unecessarily long and complex work choices -- i.e. putrefaction instead of rot or decay. Not really a fan of this book; there were some anachronisms that didn't seem to fit the time frame of the period in which the book was set. Had a hard time getting past some of the unecessarily long and complex work choices -- i.e. putrefaction instead of rot or decay. ...more
Dec 11, 2018 Ashley rated it really liked it
This mystery is told in a refreshing new way, different from any other mystery I've ever read. It almost becomes more of an internal struggle for the investigator as he deals with some post traumatic stress. I thought it was a really good book! This mystery is told in a refreshing new way, different from any other mystery I've ever read. It almost becomes more of an internal struggle for the investigator as he deals with some post traumatic stress. I thought it was a really good book! ...more
Jul 14, 2018 Joanne Garbato rated it really liked it
Love the darkness of this mystery. Good debut for James Brydon.
Aug 06, 2018 Terri Anderson rated it did not like it
Shelves: mystery, didn-t-finish, historical-fiction
This was just too violent and dark for my taste.
Aug 21, 2018 Ed rated it really liked it
Police thriller based in 1959 of a hero, guilty of the actions of the Algerian French interrogators and accused of murder, comes home to Brittany to solve another murder and find his ownself.
Aug 26, 2018 Sandy Fauser rated it did not like it
I could not get into this book at all. The wording did not flow for me therefore I just couldn't grasp the story. I could not get into this book at all. The wording did not flow for me therefore I just couldn't grasp the story. ...more
Oct 17, 2018 Brian rated it really liked it
Intensely descriptive, often thought provoking. At times, it got very dark and violent.
Mar 09, 2019 Christine Castaldi rated it liked it
A combination of detective story and historical fiction! Very good!
Apr 16, 2019 John rated it it was amazing
Very poetic. You can tell this author is a crossword puzzle compiler. Intellectually challenging.
May 11, 2020 Randy rated it it was amazing
Not my usual read. A dark mystery novel set in France.
Jul 20, 2018 Rachel rated it liked it
Within this murder-mystery, we follow Jacques le Garrec, a French resistance hero and former detective who has just returned to his hometown village in Brittany to await his trial for a crime he is being accused of during his work with the Algerian police. Once he arrives, he is asked to aid in the murder investigation of a young woman whose body was found mutilated and left for the public eye the previous winter. Le Garrec has just over a week to dig up information that has been forgotten, lost Within this murder-mystery, we follow Jacques le Garrec, a French resistance hero and former detective who has just returned to his hometown village in Brittany to await his trial for a crime he is being accused of during his work with the Algerian police. Once he arrives, he is asked to aid in the murder investigation of a young woman whose body was found mutilated and left for the public eye the previous winter. Le Garrec has just over a week to dig up information that has been forgotten, lost, or not found from the previous year to solve the murder and bring closure. Within that time, he must also prepare his own case for the trial that awaits him regarding another young woman. Le Garrec must keep from merging the two women in his mind during the investigation and be able to bring peace to himself with his personal issues as well. The text in this novel flowed smoothly, yet I found the ending to lack all the information it needed to feel complete. This novel is not for the light-hearted; there are graphic, descriptive scenes of torture that can cause uneasiness ...more
Sep 29, 2018 Janet rated it it was amazing
This was a good gook until I got toward the end and there was a mistake that should have been caught by an editor, or the author since the blurb makes him sound do intelligent.
I don't read a lot of history/historical stuff, so it was an interesting read about ann interrogation officer in Algeria during the Resistance. While back in France awaiting trial for a criminal act, he investigates a cold case murder. I liked the mood of the book and enjoyed the writing style and philosophical conversati This was a good gook until I got toward the end and there was a mistake that should have been caught by an editor, or the author since the blurb makes him sound do intelligent.
I don't read a lot of history/historical stuff, so it was an interesting read about ann interrogation officer in Algeria during the Resistance. While back in France awaiting trial for a criminal act, he investigates a cold case murder. I liked the mood of the book and enjoyed the writing style and philosophical conversations. ...more
Dec 21, 2018 Bruce added it
Shelves: abandoned
Slow, dark and depressing.
About James Brydon
Books by James Brydon
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