STORM by GEORGE R STEWART

OK, it's not a particularly short book but it is a thin one - published in my copy, in 1944 in a Penguin 'Infantry Edition' (original copyright 1941).

Not only is it not short but the publisher's description: 'A Novel', is open to debate.

Yes Storm is a work of fiction but the normal novelistic conceits, at base some sort of romantic engagement, are missing unless one accepts the relationship between the Junior Meteorologist and Maria, the nascent storm he identifies and tracks, "an incipient little whorl, come into being southeast of Japan" which provides the core of the narrative and the backbone of the 12 days (chapters) of the book.

Storm is a story of discovery and explanation not only for the reader but also, one feels, for the author.  The back cover blurb explains that, "... Stewart got the idea for Storm while on vacation in Mexico ...  and soon became interested in the development and movement of storm centers.  Before long he was gathering data for his book by traveling about studying the effects of storms in different climate areas and at different altitudes. ...".

Maria is the subject and the heroine of the tale.  Not a hurricane nor, indeed, a storm of epic proportion, her effects on the lives of millions of people and the work their leaders: the senior meteorologist, the San Francisco air traffic director, the man responsible for power distribution in that part of California, the road manager charged with keeping the traffic moving on the Donner Pass across the Rockies (he fails) and various others, have to undertake to maintain the status quo, are described in detail.

There's unsurprisingly a lot of weather here, and also a bucket-full of morality teaching wartime America that random, apparently trivial, acts may have appalling consequences.  A loose plank falls off a truck and, coupled with slurry spillage, causes the death of a salesman a couple of days later. Boys shooting at electricity distribution poles have effects nearly as catastrophic; and again motorists ignoring warnings about snow chains are badly hit.

The underlying message is, 'Pay attention America, everything everyone does is important and there are people working hard to keep things going who really need your help'. 

But above this (in all senses of the word), is the storm itself representing near-global interconnectedness: 'We are not an island'.  Some say this is a message America has still to learn.

'Storm' by George R Stewart. In my Penguin edition, published 1944 - pp 310.

QUEEN VICTORIA - A LIFE OF CONTRADICTIONS by MATTHEW DENNISON

In Queen Victoria, A Life of Contradictions, Matthew Dennison has written a fine biography and one that, to my mind, sets a standard of succinct clarity that other writers, whether describing Queen Victoria or another major figure, will do well to match.

Almost inevitably, biographies of one of Britain's great queens tend to run to great size but by focusing on Victoria the individual rather than 'Victorian' with all the latter implies, Dennison has condensed his subject's life into barely more than 150 pages (excluding notes and bibliography) gaining narrative pace without missing key detail.  As one who wanted to know more about Victoria than received ideas of pageantry and pomp, Prince Albert and John Brown, without having to embark on a quest to cut through the thickets of Britain's nineteenth century domestic history and foreign policy, this is a book I have long been hoping for.

The story contains many surprises.  I had not known, for example, how influential Prince Albert (and indeed, Leopold, first King of the Belgians) were in British politics.  Indeed, Dennison comes close to arguing that the organization and direction of mid-nineteenth century British government was a construct of Albert's. Victoria, apparently, always saw herself formally as Queen of England but was happy, in that role, to allow Albert actively to influence policy.

Equally, I had not understood that even 150 years ago - despite the absence of instant mass communication - the prevailing mood of the population could reverse so quickly and completely in response to news.  The important example Dennison gives of this took place in the period some ten to 12 years after Albert's death in 1861 when the British were getting somewhat bored by Victoria's withdrawal from public life in the long period of mourning she never entirely relinquished.  She often refused to open parliament, which went down badly, and frequently withdrew to Scotland rather than undertake ceremonial.  One such withdrawal took place at a time when she was actually ill when, moreover, it became clear that the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII) - not usually a popular figure himself - was dangerously ill at the same time.

As the news of Bertie's medical condition filtered out, the strength of support for the royal family regrew very rapidly and led to prayers across the land, supportive leaders in the press, crowds at Buckingham Palace awaiting news and a collective gasp of relief when it became clear that mother and son were going to recover.  While not going so far as to suggest that the Prince of Wales' illness saved Victoria's reign, Dennison certainly implies that without it, the great ceremonies and celebrations of, for example, the Golden and Diamond Jubilees would not have had the impact on the English psyche leading to the 'God is an Englishman' self-righteousness of the pre-WW1 years, that they did.

(Amusingly, the author tells us in a lighter moment that the phrase 'Diamond Jubilee' had to be minted fresh and there were other suggestions 'Jubilissimee' was one). 

The contradictions referred to in the title, were many.  As stated, Victoria was Queen with a capital 'Q' and British with a capital 'B' but had to be coerced into the public appearances the population craved but then she almost always enjoyed them when they did take place.  She was Queen but despite her good or bad relationships with her various Prime Ministers, she was not as much of a ruler as her advisers turn out to be. Again, she took advice in great things but dug her heels in when obstructed in a domestic or court setting - a characteristic that caused problems throughout her long reign.

Long reign, short book, excellent history.  

Queen Victoria, A Life of Contradictions published by  William Collins, 2013.  My edition on Kindle.