What are you currently reading ?

Started by goat major, 03 November 2012, 06:40:05 PM

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kipt

Finished "Stones River-Bloody Winter In Tennessee" by James Lee McDonough.

Very good description of the battle and the movements and thoughts leading up to it.  an 'almost won' by the Confederates under Bragg (with a different commander the 'almost' part most likely would be deleted).

Rosecrans wasn't a strategic genius but delivered a win for Lincoln when it was needed.  Due more to the fighting qualities of his brigadiers and troops however.

Terry37

Friends, Just so happens I live right in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, site of the Battle of Stones River. I think there was one very key advantage to the Union position and their ability to resupply from Nashville, and/or move reserves to needed points in their line which really edged their ultimate victory. First they controlled he Nashville Pike, which is still used today as a secondary road to Nashville, and they were in a horseshoe curled back on Murfreesboro, while the Confederates would have to move their troops much greater distances to achieve the same build up or to plug the line. True the Confederates felt they had actually won the battle and had even telegraphed President Davis advising him so.  I am not big on the ACW as the uniforms are too dull for my liking, so am by no means any kind of expert. I have a few relics from the battle here and have dome some study of this battle just because of living here. There were 8 Medals of Honor awarded for the battle and one is displayed in the museum.





















Thought I would share a few pictures of the battlefield and from inside the museum. It is a National park, as is the Union cemetery across from the park Complex. There are no Confederates buried there. Originally they were denied as being traitors of the Union, but a later law, at the turn of the 20th century I believe, reversed that ruling and it was planned to bury the Confederates in the same cemetery. However, the strong southern feelings that still existed did not want "their boys" buried with the Union boys. So the Confederate soldiers who fell are buried in a cemetery in Nashville. That is so sad, because as the author of Barry Lyndon said at the end of his book - "they are all the same now."

Terry
"My heart has joined the thousand for a friend stopped running today." Mr. Richard Adams

fsn

Very nice. Thank you for sharing.


I like the ACW because of the relatively plain uniforms. Always think it's a great place to start gaming. 
Lord Oik of Runcorn (You may refer to me as Milord Oik)

Oik of the Year 2013, 2014; Prize for originality and 'having a go, bless him', 2015
3 votes in the 2016 Painting Competition!; 2017-2019 The Wilderness years
Oik of the Year 2020; 7 votes in the 2021 Painting Competition
11 votes in the 2022 Painting Competition (Double figures!)
2023 - the year of Gerald:
2024 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

Techno

Very nice piccies, Terry !

Cheers - Phil.

Leman

Have to agree with Nobby on this one - really interesting war to game and the uniforms are really quite diverse. Even in the west there were some zouave units and the US cavalry units didn't always follow regulation dress. The Confederate flags in the west are a fascinating mixture before 1864 and the senior officer personalities are a most interesting bunch. In 1966 this is where my gaming took off (courtesy of Don Featherstone and Airfix) and I am still gaming this period in 15, 6 and 3. Oh for the privilege of living on an actual ACW battlefield!
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

Lord Kermit of Birkenhead

Quote from: Leman on 09 July 2018, 08:50:01 AM
Oh for the privilege of living on an actual ACW battlefield!

Unfortunately you'd never get a visa, and would you really want to live in a country with Boris as president  ?  ;) ;) ;)
FOG IN CHANNEL - EUROPE CUT OFF
Lord Kermit of Birkenhead
Muppet of the year 2019, 2020 and 2021

Leman

Ian, that was going through my head, but despite what we are bombarded by in the media, plus a surfeit of Balloon Man making crass statements on a regular basis, I am sure most Americans, like most other people, are pretty decent folks and would make pretty good neighbours. Unlike some countries they do have the opportunity to vote him out.

On a slightly different tack, there is something I do find a bit odd and that is the number of US TV shows that don't really promote the country in a very positive light. I've just finished watching series 2 of Goliath and it was a bit depressing.
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

steve_holmes_11

Quote from: FierceKitty on 30 June 2018, 03:34:31 PM
One of his better books, for my money. James Bond it isn't.

Quite enjoyed it, he does a good "change of pace", through the early part of the book rolled rather slowly.

Now reading "A brief History of Time" - Prof Stephen Hawking.

Leman

Now reading Flodden, a novel about that scrap up in Northumberland. It has started with an 18 year old foul-mouthed, stuttering Scottish poacher stumbling across James IV in the woods. It has now taken the obligatory Bernard Cornwell direction (although not written by him), i.e. local bully picks on him (he's definitely headed for either an English arrow or bill), pretty girl fancies him, her father hates him, and one just hopes that somewhere amongst the Emmerdale Farm of it all there will be a stirring depiction of the actual battle.
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

fsn

Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 11 July 2018, 06:07:23 PM
Now reading "A brief History of Time" - Prof Stephen Hawking.
Don't want to ruin it for you, but the butler did it.

I have read "A Brief History of Time" and Lawrence Krause's "A Universe From Nothing". As I read each page, I understand excatly what is going on.  Then I turn the page and it is as if all comprehension has spilled out my brain. Right good reads though.

Lord Oik of Runcorn (You may refer to me as Milord Oik)

Oik of the Year 2013, 2014; Prize for originality and 'having a go, bless him', 2015
3 votes in the 2016 Painting Competition!; 2017-2019 The Wilderness years
Oik of the Year 2020; 7 votes in the 2021 Painting Competition
11 votes in the 2022 Painting Competition (Double figures!)
2023 - the year of Gerald:
2024 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

Leman

The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

Ben Waterhouse

Stephen S Sears - Richmond the Peninsular Campaign, ACW; having just bought Brigade Fire and Fury II...
Arma Pacis Fulcra

kipt

Finished "The Memoirs of Marshal Foch" translated by Col. T. Bentley Mott, liaison officer between Marshal Foch and General Pershing.

Good book, operational in level, with the beginning and the ending written by Foch.  The first part (Book One) he gives a bit of his boyhood and schooling and then goes into the war.  He first had a corps command and then moved to an army.  Ultimately in Book One he moved to command the French Armies.

The middle section was written by Foch's military associates as Foch did not write about it.  This is the preface to Book Two.

In Book Two he becomes commander of all the Allied Armies.

The memoirs discuss his dealings with the commanders he was either subordinate to or in command of.  Much moving of armies and corps, as well as his decisions for the prosecution of the war and his constant refrain to attack.

Like it quite a bit.

fsn

Just finished reading "Target for Tonight" wargames rules for Lancaster bombing raids. (Kindle edition, Anmazon, A mere £6.00.)

Ummm ... not what I was expecting. Sort of a ludo concept where one progresses from take off, across the North Sea into Germany and back again.

In some a bit of role playing, so quite fun. I'd have liked a bit more about nightfighter combat.

Lots of good information, passed out with the script for the film"Target for Tonight".

Overall 8/10, for what I wanted 5/10.   
Lord Oik of Runcorn (You may refer to me as Milord Oik)

Oik of the Year 2013, 2014; Prize for originality and 'having a go, bless him', 2015
3 votes in the 2016 Painting Competition!; 2017-2019 The Wilderness years
Oik of the Year 2020; 7 votes in the 2021 Painting Competition
11 votes in the 2022 Painting Competition (Double figures!)
2023 - the year of Gerald:
2024 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

kipt

Finished "Fighting Admiral: The Story of Dan Callaghan" by Francis Murphy.

A pretty good history of his life up until he was killed on the San Francisco at Guadalcanal.  Callaghan was very religious - a Catholic, and was pretty strait laced,  He did smoke, as did many people of those times, but did not drink or run around, at least as written by the author.  There is a slight religious tone throughout the book, but it doesn't detract.

Interesting views of the times from WWI through the years between the wars and then WWII up to his demise. Callaghan was an aide to FDR and although not politically minded, did a lot of liaison with the Navy Department ("FDR was very interested in the Navy) as well as many political errands.