What are you currently reading ?

[KTravlos]

Finished David Brewer's " Greece the Hidden Centuries". This is an engaging work of popular history focusing on shedding some light on Greek life and history during the period of foreign rule (Ottoman and Franko-Venetian). While there are many things it misses (for example the potential role of Ali Pasha in fostering the Greek revolt), in general it covers many elements in an even-handed manner. It will probably anger both Greek nationalists and the apologists of the Ottoman Empire, but in general this is a honest (not necessary impartial) view of the history of the period. It is written in the same style as Clark's "Iron Kingdom" or Judson's "The Habsburg Empire", in that chapter are not necessarily in chronological order, and that there is no over-arching narrative, but that instead we are given vignettes of various important aspects of the history of the period, all of which serve the theme.

I think it is a good book that every Greek, and Turk who cares about Greece, should read. It's language is simple and easy to follow. A easy read.

[kipt]

"Finished "War and Western Civilization, 1832-1932" by Fuller, 1932.  The subtitle is "A Study of War as a Political Instrument and the Expression of Mass Democracy".

Interesting overview of the periods noted, but he does go into the operations of the times with numbers and maps.  He recognizes that the peace terms of WWI were a problem.  "For France the war had resulted in a small gain of security, for Germany in a small loss of it; one of the main causes of the war remained; hence the present trouble in Europe and the probability of another war in which Germany will attempt to re-establish her frontiers of 1871, and France to maintain or enlarge upon her existing one."

He was also concerned about the East (Russia and Asia), saying "To those gifted with prophetic vision, to those who can gaze knowingly into the crystal of the past, out of the smoke and the dust and the flames of the World War can be seen the looming forth the form of Ogdai at the head of his Mongol Hordes."

[kipt]

Finished "The Steel Bonnets: The Story of the Anglo=Scottish Border Reivers" by George MacDonald Fraser (Flashman series).

Very well done but confusing for which family is on which side of the border, and some on both.  As well as English helping Scottish Reivers and vice versa.

But great stories and many possible scenarios for SAGA (which I don't play).

Fraser is a good writer and story teller and I enjoyed the book.

[kipt]

Finished "Julius Caesar; Man, Soldier and Tyrant" by J.F.C. Fuller.

Fuller was a very good author (as well as prolific).  He discusses the events leading up to Caesar and then Caesar's life and exploits.  In his view Caesar was more of an opportunist, deficient on long term planning (like logistics) and caused many of his own problems.  However, Caesar's force of personality pulled him though.

Fuller says "...while Pompey was no more than an able soldier, Caesar was a political genius who could relate war with politics, and devise a grand strategy in which war was subordinated to a clearly defined policy that appealed to the masses of Romans".

And "As a leader of men Caesar stood head and shoulders above the generals of his day, and it is more as a fighting than a thinking soldier that his generalship has been judged."

Generally Caesar was conscious of the value of time, but not always.  However, he almost scraped through (though he ignored warnings about the Ides of March). A tough act to follow, but Augustus seemed to correct many of Caesar's short comings in the political field.

[Roy]

Wilbur Smith. Warlock.

What do you mean, fiction doesn't count! 

[DaveH]

Bugles and a Tiger John Masters - his biography of his time in the pre WWII Ghurkas with plenty of discussion of the NW Frontier actions that were routine, which reminded me that Don Featherstone's Wargames Campaigns has one for that period in it.

[kipt]

Finished "The Army in My Time" by Major General J.F.C. Fuller, 1935.

Another book by Fuller; great read.  It goes a long way to show that the British Army was "an army of lions led by donkeys", even though recent scholarship is putting the generalship into a new light, but Fuller was there. 

A quote; "Yet once the war was over, back to 1914 and the "Haig-mind" leapt into the saddle of obsolescence.  In his final dispatch Sir Douglas Haig wrote: 'Then followed the experience of the Battle of the Somme...which showed that the principles of our pre-War training were as sound as ever... the longer the War lasted the more emphatically it has been realised (sic) that our original organisation (sic) and training were based on correct principles.  The danger of altering too much to deal with some temporary phase has been greater than the risk of adjusting them too little.'
The honesty of this remark is undoubted, yet its stupidity is colossal.  Further, it bears no relation whatever to facts".

This book is his experiences from the Boer War through WWI and into the 1930's.  He is a good author and this book is easy to read.

[Raider4]

Wilbur Smith. Warlock.

What do you mean, fiction doesn't count! 

Well done, makes some relief from all of these terribly serious books that some folks read.

Myself, I've just finished 'Ender's Game', I'm currently reading (at least) one chapter of the third 'Song of Ice & Fire' book a day, and am also reliving my childhood by trundling through the original Dr. Who books published by Target in the 70's. I owned the first 40-or-so published at the time. Will probably start 'Auton Invasion' tonight.

Cheers, Martyn
--

[KTravlos]

As part of my research for the "Salvation and Catastrophe" project, I just finished the excellent "Ionian Vision"( Yunanistan' ın Anadolu Hayali 1919 – 1922) by Michael Llewellyn Smith. Of all the books and material I have read on the Asia Minor Campaign (Greek-Turkish War of 1919-1922), this is by far the best on the political and diplomatic aspects of the Greek activity. This is not a military history (for these you should look at the English translation of the Concise History by the Greek General Staff, various articles, the Erickson "Campaign Series" on Mustafa Kemal, and the upcoming book he is writing on the Turkish War of Independence(of which the Greek-Turkish War was a sub-part). Instead this is a text focused on the Greek political world, the diplomatic interaction of Greece with the Great Powers, and the impact that had on the onset, conduct and tragic end of the war. What really stands out for me, beyond Smith's excellent writing, is the widespread use of primary sources, especially many Greek ones. What is more, Smith, unlike most Greek authors who have tackled the issues, used primary sources from all the political factions of the greek political world (Venizelists, Anti-Venizelists, Communists). Most Greek authors have strong political biases on this topic and this will lead them to ignore many primary sources. Not here! Smith uses almost everything out there (With the exception of Turkish sources, beyond Lord Knissos biography of Kemal. This is defensible as back in 1973 almost no Turkish sources were available in English, French or Greek, languages the author, a diplomat, knows well. Unfortunately this is still largely the case. Let us hope the centenary will change that). He has his own biases, but he is honest, and this is proven by the heavy use of primary sources to defend his opinions. This is by far the best book on the greek policy during the Asia Minor War! With the centenary of the onset of this tragic and epic tale that ends with the creation of modern Turkey and the destruction of the Greek and Armenian presence in Asia Minor, this is a good book to visit. It exists in English, Greek and Turkish.

Next up, Andrew Mango's "Ataturk"

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

'The Last Plantagenet' by Mike Amberry.
Good, descriptive fiction in a 'what-if' style. Nice sense of mystery in the second timeline too.
Look forward to see where he takes this.

Helps I went to uni with him and he is a walking buddy too!

[Poggle]

'Passchendaele: The Lost Victory of World War 1' by Nick Lloyd. A fascinating if sombre read. Justifiably scours Haig and Gough for their ineptitude.

It has me casting my eye over the World War One range and thinking how 10mm would work with the Through the Mud and the Blood rules.

[FierceKitty]

A number of Stephen Kings recently, attempting to find out what an old ember liked about him. Must say, his books read like an unhappy result of a drunken, biologically and temporally improbable, union of Ray Bradbury and Tolstoy.

Hail Krubrick for seeing the potential in one of them, anyway.

[fsn]

"Kangzhan: Guide to Chinese Ground Forces 1937–45" by Leland Ness and Bin Shih.
Available on the kindle, £3.79.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B074P44715/ref=oh_aui_d_detailpage_o00_?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My kind of book. Details the organisation (theoretical, anyway), equipment and history of Chinese forces in the Sino-Japanese war. It has orders of battle, and everyone knows I love OOBs.

Easy read, with lots of information invaluable to the gamer.

Only problem is ... I'm now looking for Chinese proxies in the Pendraken catalogue.   

[Roy]

The complete works of Janet and John.

So far I've discovered that "Janet had a ball." "John also had a ball." "Janet's ball was red." "John's ball was blue." "Janet liked to bounce her ball." "John liked to kick his." Janet and John books are an atrocity to the written word.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

These are the only Janet & John worth reading:
https://youtu.be/E8U612YLjHQ