What are you currently reading ?

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

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Roy

princeps Roy , prince de Monacorra, (ascended in February 2023)
His Serene Highness the Sovereign Prince of (the imaginary sovereign microstate of) Monacorra

All Hail the Principality of Monacorra!  8-}

kipt

Finished "Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I" by Michael Neiberg.  It essentially ends when the war starts, but discusses the first few months and the massive casualties of the beginning.

Great book.  He used diaries and letters from the common people, to include some items from Russia.  No one in this category expected the war.

Once war did break out, all citizens of every country felt as though they were fighting a defensive war (propaganda) and initially made common cause with their governments.  This applied to the Socialists in every country as well (who were a major force before the war - governments were concerned about a general strike and were relieved that it did not happen).  Also, everyone thought it would be a short war; home before the leaves fall or no later than Christmas.  Disastrous for the home front as well as in the trenches.

Things we forget as gamers.  As either Scruby or HG Wells said, there are no tin widows (I can't remember who - it may have been another to say that).

paulr

Quote from: kipt on 22 December 2015, 01:10:47 AM
Things we forget as gamers.  As either Scruby or HG Wells said, there are no tin widows (I can't remember who - it may have been another to say that).

We may forget, from time to time, but most of the general public have no idea at all...
Lord Lensman of Wellington
2018 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2022 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2023 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

d_Guy

Reading Robert Armsrong's Protestant War - The 'British' of Ireland and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Trying to fill in huge gaps in my knowledge.
Also finally got started on Patrick Rothfuss - The Name of the Wind
Sleep with clean hands ...

Tawa

Quote from: d_Guy on 22 December 2015, 03:20:11 PM
Reading Robert Armsrong's Protestant War - The 'British' of Ireland and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Trying to fill in huge gaps in my knowledge.


'kin 'ell, that's fifty odd quid on Amazon!  :o
Well that went down like a lead baboon......

O.P.E (Oik of the Pendraken Empire) - 2015 Honours List.

d_Guy

Quote from: Tawa on 22 December 2015, 10:15:34 PM

'kin 'ell, that's fifty odd quid on Amazon!  :o

I managed to get it used but still very pricey. I have access to a couple university libraries but neither had it - I didn't try inter-library.
For my specialized period of interest in wargaming, the reviews I read suggested that this was essential. One of the several reasons I do 10mm is that I now spend more on books than on figures.  :). Happily Google eBooks (free) has also helped a lot in this area.
Sleep with clean hands ...

fsn

Not reading but I got hooked on this.



It's a ten part series following the USS Enterprise (not the NCC1701, the CV6) through WWII. Lots of interviews with crewmen and some very well done graphics.

Only down side is the commentary which gets a little over dramatic.
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

Is it one of those Sci Fi time travel novels?
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

fsn

No. I said not the NCC1701!   >:(


I'll give your legs such a slap!

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

Would have been much more fun though.

What is it Scotty?

The indigenous population appear to be having some trouble with a nasty man called Emperor Hitler Yamamoto, or something akin, cap'n.

Set phasers to totally obliterate Scotty

A cannay do that cap'n, it's against all the known laws of physics and will disrupt the time stream.

Checkov, send for The Doctor

Doctor who?

No, Bones you idiot. Otherwise we'll be going round in circles for the next four billion years.  ..........and so on.
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

Tawa

Quote from: Leman on 23 December 2015, 07:27:37 PM
Would have been much more fun though.

What is it Scotty?

The indigenous population appear to be having some trouble with a nasty man called Emperor Hitler Yamamoto, or something akin, cap'n.

Set phasers to totally obliterate Scotty

A cannay do that cap'n, it's against all the known laws of physics and will disrupt the time stream.

Checkov, send for The Doctor

Doctor who?

No, Bones you idiot. Otherwise we'll be going round in circles for the next four billion years.  ..........and so on.



And the Duke Flystalker fires a pair of torpedoes that annihilate two rather large Japanese cities.

Scotty: Dr, can ye no stop that?

Dr: Sorry, Mr Scott. Fixed point in time.....
Well that went down like a lead baboon......

O.P.E (Oik of the Pendraken Empire) - 2015 Honours List.

Leman

 ;D ;D ;D

Next problem, how to get the populations of two Japanese cities into an American diner.
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

kipt

Finished "American Armies and Battlefields in Europe".  Its about the American experience in WWI, and is essentially a guided tour of the battlefields.  Lots of pictures, lots of maps, and 3 very large fold out maps in the back pocket.  Book was done in 1938 and prepared by the American Battle Monuments commission.

I think it discusses every Medal of Honor winner during the war.  Interesting vignettes.

Westmarcher

Just finished Howard's The Franco-Prussian War (which I enjoyed - thanks again for the recommendation, chaps) and fsn's Pandraken. Now started Joshua L. Chamberlain's The Passing of the Armies (yes, he of 20th Maine fame), an account of the final campaign of the Army of the Potomac in the ACW.  Must admit to finding Chamberlain's academic, 19th century style of writing slightly hard going so far - then again this may be due to the fact I've not really had a good run at it (too many interruptions at this time of year). One thing I've only found out (after all of these years wargaming and studying Latin in school) is the origin of "soldier"(!). As he explains, the word 'soldier' means a man paid for his service instead of being bound to serve under feudal obligation. This pay was in the form of "soldi" (from the Latin "solidus"), the real money, the piece of solid metal, represented today in the French "sou." . Well, there you go. Anyway, its only the first chapter(!) so I'll soon find oy if it gets any better.
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.

Tawa

Quote from: Leman on 23 December 2015, 11:19:02 PM
;D ;D ;D

Next problem, how to get the populations of two Japanese cities into an American diner.


Open it up as a dim sum bar.....?
Well that went down like a lead baboon......

O.P.E (Oik of the Pendraken Empire) - 2015 Honours List.