What are you currently reading ?

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

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FierceKitty

While they fit much of your description, I'd say Medea and Lysistrata had plenty of solid stage presence.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

Techno

Quote from: FierceKitty on 06 March 2019, 08:42:32 AM
Of course. My mistake. I was thinking of Mickey in Ibsen's A Doll's Mouse.

Quote from: FierceKitty on 06 March 2019, 09:10:42 AM
Did you know Wagner considered calling Tannhaueser by the name of Die Minnie Singer vom Venusberg?

Very good ! :)

Cheers - Phil

kipt

Finished another "Casca: Panzer Soldier" by Barry Sadler.  This time he is a sergeant commanding a tank (Panther) in Russia.  Starts with Kursk, loses the Panther and gets a Tiger (stolen by one of his men) and later a T-34.

Descriptive low level combat, but entertaining.

KTravlos

Finished Victoria Solomonidis "Greece in Asia Minor: The Greek Administration of the Aydin Vilayet 1919-1922"

Available for free here https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/files/2934862/245618.pdf

Only about 1/3rd of the dissertation is about the actual administration. 1/3rd is taken up with  diplomatic/political history of the war, which does not really bring much new on a broad level, but has some interesting information. The other this is the really interesting one. A chapter on Aristeidis Stergiadis, which was the basis for her later biography of him in Greek, and a chapter on the politics behind the Mikrasiatiki Amyna/Autonomy schemes of 1921. These are worth reading.

In general a sympathetic treatment of Stergiadis, which is rare in Greek. The Allied powers are given most of the blame, and she ,correctly imho, noted how impossible it was for any Greek goverment to not do something in Asia Minor in 1919 in the shadow of the prosecution of Ottoman Greeks 1913-1918, and the Armeno-Assyrian Genocide.

In a way Stergiadis as the persons is a proxy for the position of the Greek state. By necessity given a task beyond their ability, and opposed by their supposed allies.

Worth a read if you are interested in the history of the period, but also in generally in seeing how terrible international relations is for small states.

Poggle

Desperate Valour: Triumph at Anzio, by Flint Whitlock.

Makes me think of how to refight some actions using CoC rules.

lowlylowlycook

Just picked up the digital version of "A Story in Stones: Portugal's Influence on Culture and Architecture in the Highlands of Ethiopia 1493-1634"

Pretty excited.

kipt

Another Bernard Cornwell, "The Burning Land", a Saxon Tale, book 5.  More fighting and intriguing by Uthred of Bebbanburg (although his uncle holds it and doesn't want to give it up).  Uthred doesn't like King Alfred, but works for him and is constantly driving back the Danes (who Uthred would rather join, but it is not to be).

Quick read and entertaining.  Several more waiting in the wings.

kipt

Finished volume 82, No.4 of "The Journal of Military History".  Published 4 times a year.

Articles in this one include:
"The Function of History in Clausewitz's Understanding of War" by Peter Paret
"Perception and Naval Dominance: The British Experience during the War of 1812" by Kevin McCranie
"The War of the Pacific, Technology and U.S. Development: An International History of Regional War" by Thomas Jamison
"The Treatment of Prisoners of War Captured by the Greek Army during the Balkan Wars of 1912-13" by Panagiotic Delis
"'Not only useless, but dangerous?' The Portuguese Expeditionary Corps in France in the aftermath of the Battle of La Lys, 9
April 1918" by Filipe Ribeiro de Meneses

and others.  Also 85 pages of book reviews, which is where I find books I am interested in enough to buy.

KTravlos

Finished in Greek the book "The role of the army in the progress of history from the revolution of 1821 to 1975" by Panos Krikis. A book on the political involvement of the greek army, covering coups and mutinies. Informative for me , but not a good book. There are other greek books on the topic that are better. This was just the most available when I made the purchase.

Steve J

Osprey's Market-Garden series by Zaloga and Ford. A few interesting bits of info and the maps are useful as always, but useful as a good intro to this operation.

kipt

And another Bernard Cornwell bites the dust: "Death of Kings" wherein Uthred fights for the Saxons and Alfred the Great finally dies, to be succeeded by his son Edward.

Quick to read and full of fighting and clever writing.  No. 6 in The Saxon Tale.

KTravlos

Yoshiki Tanaka, Legend of Galactic Heroes volume 8 "Desolation". The penultimate volume in the series and one where an important character has something happen to them. As always a great story, with great quotes about strategy and political science.

kipt

Number 7 of The Saxon Tales,"The Pagan Lord" by Bernard Cornwell. In this Uthred goes north to capture his childhood home, Bebbanburg.  And, of course, bloody battles with the Danes.

kipt

Finished "Montgomery in Europe 1943-45:Success or Failure?" by Richard Lamb, who was an officer int he Eighth Army and later in Italy.

Interesting book which emphasizes the disputes between Montgomery and Eisenhower.  It talks about Montgomery's decisions for Normandy, Arnhem and the mistake of not taking the Scheldt area when he had the chance.

Techno

Quote from: kipt on 02 April 2019, 01:52:06 PM
Number 7 of The Saxon Tales,"The Pagan Lord" by Bernard Cornwell. In this Uthred goes north to capture his childhood home, Bebbanburg.  And, of course, bloody battles with the Danes.

I must go back and listen to those all again.

Currently listening to 'Three hands in the fountain' by Lindsey Davis. (Von was laughing at the Geordie accents some of the ancient Romans were using.....But I DO like the stories in this series.)

Cheers - Phil