What are you currently reading ?

[Subedai]

Not militarily orientated at all but I found out how to download all of the E E Doc Smith's Lensman series to my Kindle. Had them all in the '70's and fancied reading them again. They are next after I finish the current pot-boiler of a D&D novel trilogy.

MickS

[FierceKitty]

A spotter's guide to sci-fi aliens:

An Arthur Clark alien is tall, benign, god-like.

An Isaac Asimov alien speaks exactly like every other character.

A Philip K. Dick alien is the normal-looking chap next to you on the subway; also possibly yourself.

A Clifford Simak alien is trembling under a bush, waiting to be protected.

A Ray Bradbury alien is sitting on the porch in dungarees waiting for Mom to finish cooking the apple pie.

A Douglas Adams alien is drunk.

An E. E. Doc Smith alien is dead.

[Ithoriel]

So if films are made of their works who should play the aliens?

An Arthur Clark alien is tall, benign, god-like - Morgan Freeman

An Isaac Asimov alien speaks exactly like every other character - Sean Connery

A Philip K. Dick alien is the normal-looking chap next to you on the subway; also possibly yourself - Me, obviously

A Clifford Simak alien is trembling under a bush, waiting to be protected - Woody Allen

A Ray Bradbury alien is sitting on the porch in dungarees waiting for Mom to finish cooking the apple pie -

A Douglas Adams alien is drunk - Brian Cox or Ken Stott

An E. E. Doc Smith alien is dead - so many actors have qualified themselves for this part in 2016. Anton Yelchin or Kenny Baker maybe.
[/quote]

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Neal Asher alien is a 20 wide crab that will rip your head off...

[fsn]

Are they the ones that eat their young?

Nasty B's.

[Steve J]

Neil Thomas' Napoleonic Wargaming. Just arrived so glancing through it this afternoon

[FierceKitty]

So if films are made of their works who should play the aliens?

An Arthur Clark alien is tall, benign, god-like - Morgan Freeman

An Isaac Asimov alien speaks exactly like every other character - Sean Connery

A Philip K. Dick alien is the normal-looking chap next to you on the subway; also possibly yourself - Me, obviously

A Clifford Simak alien is trembling under a bush, waiting to be protected - Woody Allen

A Ray Bradbury alien is sitting on the porch in dungarees waiting for Mom to finish cooking the apple pie -

A Douglas Adams alien is drunk - Brian Cox or Ken Stott

An E. E. Doc Smith alien is dead - so many actors have qualified themselves for this part in 2016. Anton Yelchin or Kenny Baker maybe.

Don't know about Morgan Freeman and "god-like" - he seems to me to have based his career on a look of suffering victimhood (mind you, I suppose that's true of one popular god too).

Billy Bob Thornton for the Bradbury?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Are they the ones that eat their young?

Nasty B's.

Yup

[Leman]

So why are they still around?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Large broods

[Leman]

Large boobs?   

[Ithoriel]

Don't know about Morgan Freeman and "god-like" - he seems to me to have based his career on a look of suffering victimhood (mind you, I suppose that's true of one popular god too).

Billy Bob Thornton for the Bradbury?

Billy Bob Thornton works for me! Hadn't realised I'd missed that one.

[Westmarcher]

But was it an inside job for Charles?

Well history tells us that Charles had his secret Treaties with (and subsidies from) Louis XIV so who knows what other secrets he had. However, after Blood was captured, he managed to obtain an audience with Charles, Prince Rupert and Prince James so this suggests either extreme curiosity on Charles part or someone at Court persuaded him to do so. It was also quite uncharacteristic of Blood to commit a crime for personal gain - usually his activities were politically motivated. Blood said he did it for financial gain, saying he thought they were worth about £100K but as Charles had only paid about £6K for them it seems unlikely Charles was trying to raise funds for himself (although I seem to recall £30k was advanced for furnishing new regalia - Cromwell's regime had sold the old regalia to build warships, etc.). I'm still on the follow-up chapter and other theories have been postulated by the author but obviously I don't wish to say too much more in case someone else wishes to read this book.

[T13A]

Hi

Just finished 'Burma '44', by James Holland. Excellent account of the Japanese HA-Go offensive in February 1944 and the 'battle of the Admin Box'. This was the first real victory by the British and Empire troops over the Japanese. Particularly useful for the use of tanks in the jungle (Grant/Lees of the 25th Dragoons).

Highly recommended.

Cheers Paul

[kipt]

Finished volume 80, No. 4 of "The Journal of Military History".

Articles on "Alexander's Cavalry Charge at Chaeronea, 338 BCE", "One Battle and Two Accounts: The Turkish Brigade at Kunu-ri in November 1950", Orphan of the Mekong Delta: The Army-Navy Mobile Riverine Force", as well as others.

Also many book reviews - good place to find books for a wants list.