What are you currently reading ?

[Terry37]

I ma actually reading two books right now - The final book (read out of sequence because that's how they arrived) in the Millennium series about Lisbeth Salander ( a real heroine to me) - The Girl in the Spiders Web, which is waaaay different from the movie by the same name (but I also liked the movie anyway). The other is the first book in Nicholas Smith's  new spin off series from his best selling series Extinction Cycle - titled Dark Ages, which takes place 8 years after the original series ends. For me, both are a great ride!!!!

Terry

[kipt]

Finished "The Key to Lisbon: The Third French Invasion of Portugal, 1810-11" by Kenton White.

Actually a very good description of the preparation, planning and execution of the invasion.  Good descriptions of the decisions, marches and combats for both sides. It does have good OB's (but for this campaign those are available in many sources).  Busaco is well described.

Liked it.

[fsn]

"Zeebrugge: Eleven VCs Before Breakfast"- by Barrie Pitt.

Zebrugge is one of those things that I have heard of, but never knew much about. It always comes up when the St Nazaire raid is discussed, but this little volume is the first I read on the subject.

Cracking stuff. I have a sneaking affection for Vice Adm Bacon, and his bizarre designs for monitors with 18" guns, and ramps and false bows.

[kipt]

Finished "Belgium in the Great War" by Jean-Michel Veranneman.  He also has a book on Belgium in WWII (which I need to get).

Good read, the author was a Belgian diplomat, whose father and grandfather all served.  If (not necessarily when) I get into WWI, I will do the Belgian front.  I found his descriptions and anecdotes very compelling.

[kipt]

Finished "William Tecumseh Sherman: In The Service Of My Country, A Life" by James Lee McDonough.

Very good story/description/narration of Sherman from birth to death.  the Civil War years are very well covered and the book is easy to read.

All of McDonough's ACW books are good reads and this is no exception.

[Lord Speedy of Leighton]

Just finished Hilldiggers by Neal Asher,awesome.

[fsn]

The Myth of the Andalusian Paradise by Dario Fernandez-Morera.

Title says it all really. The blurb on Amazon is "Scholars, journalists, and politicians uphold Muslim-ruled medieval Spain—“al-Andalus”—as a multicultural paradise, a place where Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived in harmony. There is only one problem with this widely accepted account: it is a myth."

Bit of a polemic. Dario is not convinced by the wonders of al-Andalus, and opines that the Muslims benefited greatly from assimilation of the largely Roman-ish culture.

I was hoping for a bit more of a history of the conquest of Spain by the Muslims and the Reconquista, but it's an interesting read.

[kipt]

Finished "The Journal of Military History" Vol 83, No. 3.

Articles in this issue include:
Decimation and Unit Cohesion: Why Were Roman Legionaries Willing to Perform Decimation?
The Siege of Montfort and Mamluk Artillery Technology in 1271: Integrating the Archaeology and Topography with the Narrative Sources.
The Size of Bulgaria's Medieval Field Armies: A Case Study of Military Mobilization Capacity in the Middle Ages.
Cautious Hawk: Maxwell Taylor and the Path to War in Vietnam.

And many book reviews as well as more articles.  Published quarterly.

[Terry37]

Having just finished Nicholas Smith's first book in he Extinction Cycle Dark Age series I am now reading a short book titled "Operation Siberia". I guess it would probably fall in the Weird War category as it looks like it's going ot be British vs. Russians, vs. prehistoric beasts? Only up to chapter 5 and the story line is still unfolding.

Terry

[steve_holmes_11]

Slim the Standardbearer - Ronald Lewin.

Good reading, but mainly as an attempt to help #3 son with a presentation that compares Hannibal and Slim.

[kipt]

Finished "The Learning Process: The BEF's Art of War on the Western Front, 1914-18" by Andrew Rawson.  Other than bad proof reading, a very interesting book.

I was surprised how many artillery bombardments were (1) not on time-late, (2) too early, (3) got away from the troops, (4) wrong targets, (5) hit own troops, (5) never happened.  Also how many attacks were (1) misdirected, (2) battalions going one way and others a different direction (because of attacking at night or in a fog or going through smoke), (3) part of the attack moving off and others of the same attack not moving (command failure).

Also tanks, while being a great support, got knocked out most of the time it seems.  This is others that got hung up due to shell holes, soft ground.  Seems the Germans used single field guns as AT guns right away.

The lessons learned is a concluding chapter at the end, but in the other chapters (by army, chronological) the lessons are there if you remember the earlier fights.  This is an operational discourse, with the experiences of the different armies, corps and divisions explained.

[KTravlos]

Finished a biography of Greek Prime Minister Charilaos Trikoupes by Lydia Triha. In Greek. While not bad I found it a bit too long and dry.

With Respect
Konstantinos Travlos 

[kipt]

Finished "Maritime Operations in the Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905", volume 1 by Julian Corbett.  this book was not published to the public in its time but to senior naval personnel, only 6 copies made due to receiving confidential Japanese intelligence reports (British allies at the time).  Volume 2, however, had 400 copies printed.

In the book he describes Admiral Togo's dispositions and constraints and how he interfaced with the army.  Much frustration with Port Arthur and Vladivostok, not being able to make an effective blockade at the former and unable, until later, to neutralize the latter.  Volume 2 has Tsushima.

Several actions, both big guns and cruisers, and many good appendices.  All Japanese and Russian ships and battle instructions for both sides.

Corbett was an acknowledged expert in naval history and his writing is very enjoyable to read.

Volume 2 next in line.

[Terry37]

Been watching "Dad's Army" on Netflix, and just finished the little book "The Real Dad's army", which I found very interesting. Have also picked up a few vintage relics of the LDV/Home Guard as collecting has always been a passion for me! Pity my dear better half when she will have to sort all of my stuff!!!!

Now I will either start the just released second book in Nick Smith's Extinction Cycle Dark Ages series or the just released last book in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, the final one not written by Steig Larson. Or I also picked up a short little Weird War book that looks good about the Soviets taking on the west toward the end of WW2 I think. All three are of major interest to me!

Terry

[Terry37]

OK, picked the weird war book - "Operation Zhukov" by John Agnew. Only read the intro and first chapter but already enjoying it. A short story of only about 164 pages I think. Oh, it takes place in 1992, and seems to be primarily between Russia and Germany.

Terry