What are you currently reading ?

[kipt]

He does a great job in his writing.  I thought I had some other of his books but going through my list I have none.  Will have to remedy that.

[kipt]

Finished "Napoleon's Library: The Emperor, His Books and Their Influence on the Napoleonic Era" by Louis Sarkozy,

An avid reader from the beginning,  and as he learned French in 3 months (although with a terrible accent and unable to spell very well) it shows how intelligent he was.  His major reading was in history, but he also read novels and the great philosophers.  When he got to the royal military academy at Brienne the curriculum emphasized the great classics and biographies of great men. The reading "must have been to Napoleon's liking since he took to them so well".

Napoleon would read in order to see how he should perform or govern.  He constantly requested books on politics when he became First Consul and also geographies and travel histories for the countries he went to (invaded).

He had raveling libraries made as he embarked on his conquests, starting with Egypt. The bookcases, carried with the army's baggage train, were made of mahogany, and the books were made to a special travel size, all numbered and put into categories.

in 1814 his libraries had 68,000 volumes. He allocated great sums for the purchase of books; 20,000 francs for the library at the Palace of Laeken north of  Brussels, plus 40,000 francs for the composition of both libraries at Laeken and Fountainebleau.

At Saint Helena, he said he had "a library of 1,800 volumes", but complained to Sir Hudson Lowe, his jailer, that he needed 60,000! However, even though supporters sent him books, all political books, pamphlets and periodicals were kept from him.  Eventually the library at Saint Helena "held 1.052 books, divided into: Theology and Law (23 volumes); Science and Arts (289 volumes);Literature (269 volumes); Geography and Travel (80 volumes); History (331 volumes) and books in Foreign Languages (60 volumes)". In addition "were books brought from France and additional shipments donated by the English government, resulting in a total of approximately 1,800 on the island".

A different look at Napoleon's life and makeup, which makes this book a good addition to my library (about 5,000 volumes at the moment).

[kipt]

Finished "Extreme tactical Leadership: The Traits And Skills Of Successful Battalion Commanders In Combat" by Jeffery R. Sanderson, who retired as a full colonel with the silver Star, several Legions of Merit and the Bronze Star among others.

The book reminds my of a leadership book with bullets.  But when I was working leadership books at that point reminded me of the Army but without combat. I had 13 years or sop in the Army as an Engineer officer.

The book discusses several traits and skills taken from interviews with 12 combat battalion officers (all Lieutenant Colonels when in command); nine Infantry, one Armor, one Artillery and one Combat Engineer. There are snippets of interviews identifying Commander #1, #2 and so on.  Pretty much the same as very successful business men without life and death courage.

Skill are listed as Technical, Conceptional and Interpersonal. Traits are listed as Drive, Motivation, Cognitive Ability, Confidence, Task Knowledge, Personal Courage and Personal Integrity. These are all further defined in the text.

From a gamers point of view I would have liked to have read about actual combat scenarios and what the commanders did and how they reacted., but there are none.

So all in all, somewhat interesting but not what I really expected.

[fsn]

It was my birthday last week and my lovely team gave me a book voucher. I try and use such thing to buy books that I wouldn't normally buy myself. For reasons I won't go into, I have the small beginnings of an interest in the Spanish Civil War, and so I splurged on The Spanish Passion, Helion's guide to the SCW.

 

A thorough guide, over 160 glossy pages, covering history, materiel, units and scenarios. Interestingly, the book also contains a painting guide, using Pendraken figures. 

I fear I may be doomed.

(I also secured volumes 1 and 2 of Helion's Birth of the Byzantine Army 476-641 and The Trayne of Artillery 1642-1645. )

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

A worthwhile purchasing choice

[NTM]

Operation Torch is a focus at the moment so Tunisgrad by Saul David and An Army at Dawn by Rick Atkinson.

[Chris Pringle]

"July 22: The Civil War Battle of Atlanta" by Earl J. Hess.
Yep, researching another BBB ACW scenario.
I was pleased to realise that I am in the same authorial stable as the illustrious Dr Hess - this is one of his books published by the University Press of Kansas.
https://kansaspress.ku.edu/author/earl-j-hess/

[kipt]

Finished "The Cavalry of the Army of the Ohio" by Dennis W. Belcher. Similar to his other book on the Cavalry of the Army of the Cumberland.  Information on numerous regiments and their actions.  Many of the Kentucky and Tennessee regiments spent most of their career fighting local guerillas and the various raids by Southern horsemen.

Good detail.

[kipt]

Finished volume I and II of "General Sir Ian Hamilton's A Staff-Officer's Scrap-Book During the Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905.  Hamilton was sent by the War Office to observe the Japanese army and actions.  He was there from March 1904 until February 1905.

Very interesting observations on Japanese commanders, soldiers, equipment, the Russians, tactics and weather.  Many of the Japanese commanders and staff officers had attended military training with the French and Germans and somewhat spoke those languages.  This enabled Hamilton to somewhat converse with them but he did have an official translator assigned to him.

The maps are very good and the descriptions of combats interesting.  He was able to observe some and then get more information from commanders and staffs afterwards.  The sketch-book is really notes from his diaries while he was there. He did send official reports to the Home Office but these are not included.

Hamilton's writing is very interesting and entertaining.  A quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed.  Makes me want to do this period but in a smaller scale, which, unfortunately, are no longer available fro Irregular.  I know Pendraken has this period, but we will see if I can hold off.  Painting15mm Napoleonics from my stockpile at the moment.

[pierre the shy]

I wonder how much Hamilton's observations during the Russo-Japanese war may have influenced him when he was planning his Gallipoli campaign some 10 years later?

Different campaign circumstances but some similarities.....Japanese had to move a lot of troops to the Korean peninsula and there were some heavily fortified Russian areas such as Port Arthur which required beseiging in order to take them.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Finished Dark Agent by Neal Ascher, very good hard sci-fi. Nice twist with some of the more obscure characters getting the limelight.
Started Circe by Madeline Millar. Goid retelling of Greek Myths from her viewpoint.

[mollinary]

Just started Robert Harris' new book 'Agrippa'.   Was patting myself on the back for getting it at 20% off in the local TG Jones/WHSmith closing down sale when I wandered into Waterstones only to find it on offer at 1/2 price!  Doh!!!

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

 

[kipt]

Finished "Stephen Dodson Ramseur: Lee's Gallant General" by Gary W. Gallagher.

West Point graduate 1860, resigned April 1861. He was appointed as Captain of the Ellis Light Artillery by Governor Ellis of North Carolina.  An exacting commander, he drilled his unit to become the best, an ability that he used throughout his military career.

Later in 1861 he became Colonel of the 49th North Carolina Infantry Regiment.  He went on to command a brigade and eventually a division.  Wounded several times, and married when on leave, he was killed at the battle of Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864.  He never saw his newborn daughter.

Interesting officer and Gallagher does a great job detaining Ramseur's life.

[fsn]

"TO BANG IT OUT BRAIFLY : Scotland's Victory in the Bishops Wars 1638-1641" dropped on my doormat this afternoon.

Seems to be a most detailed account of the history and forces involved, including the Battle of Newburn. (I modellled my ECW armies on Newburn, and am about to find out how wrong I was.)

171 pages, lots of pictures.

https://www.caliverbooks.com/bookview.php?3ec581d6c10944fbae87ec611d45065d&id=31705

[Steve J]

The War of the Austrian Succession by Reed Browning. A few chapters in but I'm enjoying his writing style and the way he provides the right amount of info without swamping you with detail.

[kipt]

Finished "Guadalcanal: The First Offensive", part of the U.S. Army In World War II, The War In The Pacific series, by John Miller, Jr.  This is a Special Commemorative Edition, the 50th Anniversary, by the National Historical Society. The other U.S. Army in WWII books are in green bindings - this is not.

First printed in 1949, the official records were sparse and mainly lacking.  The historical division was not yet established.  However the text is quite good, along with maps and pictures.  Some interesting appendices: D, for example, is "A Japanese Analysis of American combat Methods on Guadacanal".  It says the Americans were slow and cautious and that officers of middle rank and below possess little tactical ability.

[pierre the shy]

I'd be interested to know what you think of Reid's book once you have a chance to read it fsn.....its on my to get list at some stage.

I opted instead for Edward Furgol's new volume "His Majesty's Loyal Subjects: The Scottish Royalist Armies of the British Civil Wars, 1639-1655" that has finally been published.

Furgol's new book is not cheap (Look on it as an "investment" ), but as one of the authors of the three "Celtic Fringe" booklets for FK&P I am interested enough to see what new information he has found about the Scots Royalists.

I have a copy of Furgol's eariler work on the Covenanters which is very comprehensive.   

[Radar]

FSN - second PTS's request. Is it a new publication (not seen it before).

As for the new Furgol, I've seen some of it, but in an earlier guise. I think there must be a 'story' why it changed publishers...

I'm thinking that the €180 price tag is a bit steep, which is clearly a bonkers statement when I have all 3 volumes of the fairly new collection of Cromwell's Speeches and Letters. Would be good to hear your impression of it PTS.

The old Furgol SL&C armies book is practically identical to Reid's recent history of the SL&C armies (I've got both, Reid's will be considerably cheaper than a 2nd hand copy of Furgol's)

[fsn]

FSN - second PTS's request. Is it a new publication (not seen it before).

It is new. Published in August.

I'd be interested to know what you think of Reid's book once you have a chance to read it fsn.....its on my to get list at some stage.

I've scanned it and read the first chapters. So far, very readable. Nothing in the history side that is new, though a bit more depth than I've had before. The bit I'm looking forward to is the army lists and descriptions of the standards carried.