great individual rivalries

Michy · Post by **Michy** » Wed November 17th, 2010, 6:47 pm

I despise sports, so when I think of rivalries I never think of sports teams.

As for the lady -- "Lady Molly" doesn't ring a bell. I almost think she wasn't ever given a name......??

Susanna Kearsley · Post by **Susanna Kearsley** » Wed November 17th, 2010, 9:15 pm

Sherlock Holmes once said he'd been beaten "three times by men and once by a woman". That woman -- who to him was always THE woman, according to Watson in "A Scandal in Bohemia" -- was the lovely and intelligent Irene Adler.

Michy · Post by **Michy** » Wed November 17th, 2010, 9:24 pm

Yes! That's the story and that's the woman! Thanks!

I love your books, BTW.

Kveto from Prague · Post by **Kveto from Prague** » Thu November 18th, 2010, 8:09 pm

[quote=""Michy""]Someone has mentioned Hitler v. Churchill, but I think you could also say Hitler v. Roosevelt. And how about Elliott Ness v. Al Capone?

[/quote]

Id actually say Hitler vs Stalin was THE WWII rivalry. Hitler certainly considered Stalin his biggest threat. Im guessing he shot himself because he was afraid of falling into Stalin's hands. It was the Russians who took Berlin. And about 85 percent of German causulties were on the Eastern front in WWII. No good guys in that rivalry.

It seems Al Capone and Elliot Ness were good rivals. at least in the films

Michy · Post by **Michy** » Thu November 18th, 2010, 8:20 pm

[quote=""Kveto from Prague""]Id actually say Hitler vs Stalin was THE WWII rivalry. Hitler certainly considered Stalin his biggest threat. Im guessing he shot himself because he was afraid of falling into Stalin's hands. It was the Russians who took Berlin. And about 85 percent of German causulties were on the Eastern front in WWII. No good guys in that rivalry.
[/quote]

Good points. I think Hitler's ideologic opposition to Stalin (fascism vs. communism) was much stronger than that to Britain or the U.S. And of course, the USSR was a huge power that could simply march over their borders. Whereas it wasn't so easy for Britain or the US, since all troops had to be transported by air or water.

Coincidentally, I'm listening to an audio book right now about WWII. I picked it up thinking it was HF, but it's written like NF so I'm guessing it's a true story.... about a Polish zookeeper and his wife in Warsaw who, after their zoo was all but destroyed by the Nazis, used it as a front to rescue Jews. It brings out an interesting facet that I've never heard before. And that is, the Nazis' insanity wasn't only concerned with creating a "pure" human race, but also with creating "pure" animal and plant species.......

Kveto from Prague · Post by **Kveto from Prague** » Thu November 18th, 2010, 8:35 pm

[quote=""Michy""]Yes! That's the story and that's the woman! Thanks!

I love your books, BTW.

[/quote]

aye, scandal in Bohemia was one of the better sherlock holmes short stories. Adler was a great character

Susanna Kearsley · Post by **Susanna Kearsley** » Mon November 22nd, 2010, 12:12 am

[quote=""Michy""]I love your books, BTW.

[/quote]

Thanks, I'm happy to hear that.

donroc · Post by **donroc** » Mon November 22nd, 2010, 1:18 am

Disraeli and Gladstone
William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal
Aaron Burr and everyone else.

annis · Post by **annis** » Mon November 22nd, 2010, 6:29 pm

Posted by Donroc

Disraeli and Gladstone

Brings to mind another pair of British political rivals- William Pitt the Younger and Charles James Fox.