What are you currently reading ?

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

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hammurabi70

Quote from: kipt on 15 June 2020, 08:35:31 PM
Finished "Lincoln"s Loyalists: Union Soldiers From The Confederacy" by Richard Nelson Current.

60 years reading abut the ACW and did not know how many southern Unionists there were.  The book talks about each southern state and their contribution, as well as how the men were able to join (obviously the Confederacy would try to deny them that chance.

As for numbers, the author gives these figures: Tennessee, 42,000, Virginia and West Virginia, 30,000, Arkansas, 10,000, Louisiana, 7,000, North Carolina, 5,000, Alabama, 3,000, Texas, 2,200, Florida, 1,500 and Georgia 400.  In addition, bout 2,700 rebel prisoners were recruited.  104,000 is a lot.  These are the white soldiers and there were many black soldiers as well.

He takes exception to Livermore's "Numbers and Losses" as do other more recent authors.

Interesting.

Interesting point and thanks for posting; I suspect most Americans are unaware of that. Certainly those Americans I have discussed the AWI with are surprised that there were many Loyalists who remained adhered to the crown, not to mention runaway slaves joining the British forces and the exertions of the Founding Fathers to get them back.


Quote from: monkeynut on 24 June 2020, 08:17:20 AM
Now I've got some down time I've started to re read all my old Commando comics not so much high brow but great for scenario ideas and the old nostalgic trip to my youth! No 994 Riley's Rifle is today's read with cup of tea and coconut macaroon this pm! Who said retirement would be boring!


🐵


I have only encountered one individual who said that; everyone else is rushed off their feet.

Quote from: kipt on 24 June 2020, 08:04:13 PM
Finished "1901" by Robert Conroy.  This time Germany decides they need the American territories taken from Spain.

President McKinley has a heart attack and VP Teddy Roosevelt becomes President.  The Germans land on Long Island and move somewhat inland.  The Kaiser expects the Americans to negotiate, but, of course, they don't.  Well written and a good story, easy to read.

Looks like some good material for an alt-history campaign there.

KTravlos

Finished

"Balkan Breakthrough: The Battle of Dobro Pole 1918", Richard C. Hall

This book is mis-titled. It is an ok general survey history of the Macedonia Front during the First World War with a focus on the Bulgarian point of view. The military history is at the Theater/Strategic level. It does require some prior survey knowledge of the war in the Balkans. Beyond that a good easy read, which provides some info about the Bulgarian war effort.

Finefrock, Michael M. "Ataturk, Lloyd George and the Megali Idea: Cause and Consequence of the Greek Plan to Seize Constantinople from the Allies, June-August 1922." The Journal of Modern History, vol. 52, no. 1, 1980, pp. D1047–D1066. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1881129.

Fairly anti-Hellenic, the big contribution of this article is to answer the question of why Mustafa Kemal decided to attack the Greek salinet in August 1922. It seems that the the Turkish command had good intelligence of the transfer of Greek forces to Eastern Thrace for the Greek operation against Constantinople/ Istanbul. This created a military opportunity when Greek reserves in Asia Minor were depleted decreasing the chance of plugging a breakthrough. Author chides Hadzanesti as transferring to many forces to Thrace for what was essentially a diplomatic bluff (quite clearly the Greek government did not intend to attack).


Adamwest

Adrian goldsworthy the fall of carthage
Really enjoying this, lots of detail about the conflict. Some unknown (at least to me) information i.e polybius using the word speirai to mean maniple in reference to the carthaginian deployment during cannae.

hammurabi70

Quote from: Adamwest on 25 June 2020, 07:36:31 PM
Adrian goldsworthy the fall of carthage
Really enjoying this, lots of detail about the conflict. Some unknown (at least to me) information i.e polybius using the word speirai to mean maniple in reference to the carthaginian deployment during cannae.

Yes, its a great book.

hammurabi70

Russia in Flames by Laura Engelstein

A superb analysis of the Russian Civil War that even handedly praises and excoriates all sides as the unpleasant events proceed through the pages.  My third general book on the RCW and probably the best.  I feel that it gave a real insight into proceedings in a way that the previous ones had not.

fsn

26 June 2020, 08:25:29 PM #3320 Last Edit: 26 June 2020, 08:27:07 PM by fsn
I'm listening to "the Blade Itself" by Joe Abercrombie.

It's sort of fantasy (with magic but no monsters - yet), but the characters are well written and the voice artists does a very creditable job.

It makes one feel pity for an inquisitor.

Techno - I think you may like it.


Press the button Techno ... you know you want to.
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kipt

Finished "1942" by Robert Conroy, another alternate history. 

This time the Japanese follow their attack on Pearl Harbor with a third wave that destroys the oil tanks, making Pearl Harbor useless as a base.  Then, sevaral months later the Japanese land and occupy the islands.  A left behind American officer starts guerrilla warfare and the USN plots revenge.

Again, good writing, sex (evidently in all his books - at least so far) and a quick read.


Adamwest

Quote from: fsn on 26 June 2020, 08:25:29 PM
I'm listening to "the Blade Itself" by Joe Abercrombie.
I downloaded this on my kindle, the inquisitor was my favourite character! Ive still to finish this actually....

flamingpig0

Quote from: Adamwest on 26 June 2020, 11:12:15 PM
I downloaded this on my kindle, the inquisitor was my favourite character! Ive still to finish this actually....

The inquisitor is a brilliant character.
"I like coffee exceedingly..."
 H.P. Lovecraft

"We don't want your stupid tanks!" 
Salah Askar,

My six degrees of separation includes Osama Bin Laden, Hitler, and Wendy James

Raider4

Quote from: Adamwest on 26 June 2020, 11:12:15 PM
I downloaded this on my kindle, the inquisitor was my favourite character! Ive still to finish this actually....

Just checked, only £0.99 . . . Oh, go on then.

Adamwest

Thats the reason i bought it!  ;D

kipt

Finished another alt history book, "Never Call Retreat: Lee and Grant: The Final Victory" by Newt Gingrich and William R Forstchen.  It was given to me and turns out it is the 3rd book in the set (I have now ordered the first two), so will be reading them out of sequence.

In this book Lee wins at Gettysburg and pursues the Union army.  He also turns toward Washington, but Lincoln has brought Grant to the East.  Guess who eventually wins the war...

Good read with many interesting characters (as are most of this genre of historical novels).


Ithoriel

Still whittling away my pile of "lockdown" Ospreys while sitting at my dining table having meals or coffee. Brief periods of reading curtailed even further by my dining area having no thermal insulation to talk of so on cold days meals are eaten in the living room and coffee is consumed at my PC (such a bad idea!).

I've finished:
Early Aegean Warrior 5000–1450 BC
Bronze Age Greek Warrior 1600–1100 BC
Sea Peoples of the Bronze Age Mediterranean c.1400 BC–1000 BC
The Mycenaeans c.1650–1100 BC
Mycenaean Citadels c. 1350–1200 BC
Troy c. 1700–1250 BC
Soldier of the Pharaoh  Middle Kingdom Egypt 2055–1650 BC

Just started:
The Fortifications of Ancient Egypt 3000–1780 BC

Still to go
Gladiators 100 BC–AD 200
There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

paulr

There seems to be a bit of a theme there Ithoriel  ;)
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Orcs

Just lisrening to "the Lord of the Rings"unabridged version while I paint.  I listen to this and "The Hobbit" about once a year

Its read by Rob Inglis - he is really good to listen to - does the voices and everything.

still looking for a CD of "The Silmarillion".  I have it on Cassette, but no longer have a working player
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