Books like Wide is the Gate

This book tells the story of Lanny’s involvement in the Spanish Civil War, often referred to as the first battle of WWII, where Hitler and Mussolini sympathizers, as well as agents, abound. Appeasers and pacifists exist among loyal British subjects, and all is usually not what it seems. The only reason I rated this “4” instead of “5” is that I found myself occasionally getting impatient to move on out of the Spanish backwaters, but then I reflected on how this was the reality of the struggle. Today we know what’s going to happen in Sept. 1939, but then diplomats around the world were trying to avoid war. Some at all costs. And there was disagreement on where exactly to draw the line in the sand. And when. Sinclair’s style is just as seductive as ever—I can read him for hours on end, which is a good thing since these Lanny Budd books are really big. I even lowered my Challenge because I plan to read them this year (1 Lanny Budd = 2 of most others).Since I started this series with the Pulitzer Prize winner, “Dragon’s Teeth”, not knowing I’d get hopelessly hooked, I thought about going back now to pick up the first two. But the momentum of the story, as well as the tide of history, is just not cooperating with that plan. To further push things onward, I read “Wide Is the Gate” because of the sample at the end of “Dragon’s Teeth”. More complication. So, I’m just going to read them in sequence going forward, picking up the first two as a prequel about Lanny’s youth when I’ve finished all the rest.So what now? “Presidential Agent”? Or a BOTM break from Lanny’s fascinating life? Hmmm...