The History Book Club discussion

I am currently reading:
Eric Hobsbawm

That look's like a very interesting book Fernanda.



by Eric Hobsbawm

I had by Charles Mann on the back burner, and just picked it up again. I really like it, but the amount of information and the amount of thinking required to sort things through for myself can be tiring :)

On the fiction front, I have by Josh Weil . I am already halfway through.

The funny thing is, both books discuss the loss of chestnut trees in North America due to blight.

Hi Dree, I know how you feel, I'm about a third the way through "Washington" by Ron Chernow and I need a break! It's a great book on a very interesting subject but I am getting information overload and have decided to pick up something else and finish off "Washington" in small easily digested chunks!

by Ron Chernow

I've decided to start; "Song of Wrath" and so far it's been a very interesting and easy to read account of the Greek States prior to the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War. I can't wait to start the section of the book where Sparta and Athens come to blows!

by J. E. Lendon

Dree wrote: "I had by Charles Mann on the back burner, and just picked it up again. I really like it, ..."

Dree, looks like an interesting line-up you have going. Great job on posting the book covers and author photos, but remember to also add the author link to complete the cycle. It should be book cover and author link (always) plus author photo when available. Some have them, some don't. Thanks!

Charles C. Mann
Josh Weil

Alisa,
Sorry, I started with message 1 in this thread, which specifically asks for the book link or cover, nothing else (no, I didn't read the whole thread, just the beginning to be sure I understood the thread, and the end because it is the latest. I am finding this group confusing, as I have never been in a group with so many rules that conflict each other, typically posted by the same person. I don't know how anyone can tell which rules/messages/threads supersede others, or how to figure out which is most recent, without having 10 windows open!

Ah, sorry it is confusing, it is not meant to be too cumbersome but I think you will find the posting will come along quickly. If you do run into questions along the way please feel free to drop a note to anyone on the moderator team and we will be glad to help out. We do our best to keep things current, probably the best place to check is the rules/guidelines thread if you have questions or need assistance. You should not have to have ten browsers open at once.

Dree wrote: "Alisa,
Sorry, I started with message 1 in this thread, which specifically asks for the book link or cover, nothing else (no, I didn't read the whole thread, just the beginning to be sure I understo..."

Hello Dree,

I am the founder and creator of the group and I am Bentley. We try to keep things in order in the group to help everyone find everything.

Alisa is correct in her advice to you. I am not sure what rules conflict with each other but if you need any help just send me a PM and I would be happy to help you.

At the very beginning when the goodreads software was not so powerful; we did not do everything we do now. Now when we add the proper goodreads software links; our entire site gets populated accurately and it makes it very easy for all of the membership to research both the books and the authors.

Ennio Flaiano is mostly known for his work as screenwriter of some of Fellini's masterpieces (La dolce vita, to name the most famous). He was also a fine inquirer of Italian society of his time and it is astonishing to see that the works collected in this diary (dating from 1945 to 1955) still offer very precise instruments to look at today's Italy.

Just finished by Nathaniel Philbrick Gives a good account of the battles and all the mistakes by Custer.

Looks like a great book Patricrk.

Love this thread representing the collective wisdom. I am finishing the sad tale of 12 families caught in the Great Depression and Dust Bowl:

by Timothy Egan

Hi Patrick, Nathaniel Philbrick's account is quite good, have you read "A Terrible Glory" by James Donovan? It's another pretty decent account of Custer and the Little Bighorn.

by Nathaniel Philbrick

by Jim Donovan

Hi Hubert,

The book your currently reading looks very interesting indeed and I dare say very touching as well?

by Timothy Egan

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi Patrick, Nathaniel Philbrick's account is quite good, have you read "A Terrible Glory" by James Donovan? It's another pretty decent account of Custer and the Little Bighorn.

[bookcover:The La..."


No, not yet, another book for the growing list of titles I would like to read. This club can be depressing at times.

Ah, but you can sit at a nice sidewalk cafe in Paris with a nice coffee or glass of wine and read as many books as you can squeeze in :)

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi Hubert,

The book your currently reading looks very interesting indeed and I dare say very touching as well?

__________________________

Hubert, would love to hear what you think of it when you are done. I like Tim Egan's writing and have this on my to-read list.
Timothy Egan

Hi
I posted my currently reading and an explanation on "my books" rather than here. I am a slow learner. Anyway, thanks to Aussie Rick, I am reading

Mary wrote: "Hi
I posted my currently reading and an explanation on "my books" rather than here. I am a slow learner. Anyway, thanks to Aussie Rick, I am reading..."

Mary, thanks for showing the book cover. We do also need the author's photo (if available) and the author link. For the book you are reading, it should look like this:

Julian Jackson

Hi Mary, I hope you enjoy "France The Dark Years" by Julian Jackson and it covers what you were looking for.

by Julian Jackson

After finishing "The Irony of American History," I started reading:

by John R. Knaggs

by David Laskin follows the story of 12 men who left Europe for a better life and returned to Europe as soldiers in the American Army in World War I. The introduction says 25% of the American army in world war I was born outside the USA compared to 5% now.

That is an interesting statistic, Patricrk. Makes sense when you think about it.

I've just started reading my copy of "Memoirs of a Polish Lancer".


Translated by Tim Simmons

I'm currently on a Middle East kick and am reading

Kill Khalid: The Failed Mossad Assassination Attempt on Hamas Leader Khalid Mishal and Its Unforeseen Consequences by Paul McGeough

Donna, looks interesting, thanks for sharing. Good job on posting, don't forget to include the book cover photo with the author link.

byPaul McGeough

After finishing "Memoirs of a Polish Lancer" I decided to pick up and start reading my copy of; "Auguste De Colbert: Aristocratic Survival in an Era of Upheanal, 1793-1809" by Jeanne A. Ojala.

This book was first published in 1979 and offers an interesting account of the life and death of Auguste De Colbert, a Napoleonic cavalry officer noted for his bravery, intelligence and horsemanship. Marshal Ney said of him; "I sleep peacefully when de Colbert commands my outposts."


Translated by Tim Simmons


(no cover) Auguste De Colbert: Aristocratic Survival in an Era of Upheaval, 1793-1809 by Jeanne A. Ojala

Well I enjoyed my last two Napoleonic books so much I decided to follow on with a third title; "Prince Eugene at War 1809" by Robert Epstein.

(no cover) Prince Eugene at War 1809 by Robert Epstein

I have been enjoying this book I picked up from the library last week..

by David E. Hoffman
This riveting narrative history of the end of the arms race sheds new light on the frightening last chapters of the Cold War and the legacy of the nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons that remain a threat today.

In the first full account of how the arms race finally ended, The Dead Hand provides an unprecedented look at the inner motives and secret decisions of each side

I have a couple of books going just now:

Abraham Verghese as a buddy read in another group and

David McCullough toward a president's challenge.

Elizabeth - I read Mornings on Horseback a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I thought it was interesting to read about Teddy Roosevelt's childhood and early adulthood rather than his presidency for once. I hope you like it!

David McCullough

My first time posting about an actual book on this site...hope I did it right!! :o)

McKris10, nice job with your first posting. You got it! Thanks for your diligence, much appreciated.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I have a couple of books going just now:

Elizabeth-Mornings is a great book; we just finished reading it as a group read a few months ago. Enjoy!



David McCullough

I've just started "Blood and Faith" by Matthew Carr and already its shaping up to be a very interesting read.


by Matthew Carr

I'm currently reading Gardens of the Moon
genre: fantasy.
Actually is a second try; when I first tried - three years ago - with the Italian edition, I found it too intricate. I am a Tolkien fan whose style is remrkably linear so different from Mr. Erikson's one. Then just a week ago I read a very good review about the author, in the fantasy book review (http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/) so I told my self let's give it another chance. So here I am.

Looks interesting, Andrea. Good job on the book links, but don't forget to add the author link at the end:

Steven Erikson

Working on a couple of non-history/HF books now:

by Isabel Allende

by Stephen Baxter

Liking both so far. Haven't read much SF in years. Allende is one of my favorite authors.

Shadow Force by Matt Lynn

The Infidel by Bob Shepherd

Just finished by Bernard Cornwell This is a very readable fictional account of the Penobscot expedition which according to Cornwell was considered the worst American Military disaster until Pearl Harbor.

Very excited got myself a copy of by Winston S. Churchill

First 2 chapters done and I am loving it.

Sounds like your enjoying a good book Michael, I can't seem to find my copy anywhere in my library! I'm just about to start; "Radetzky" by Alan Sked.

by Alan Sked

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Sounds like your enjoying a good book Michael, I can't seem to find my copy anywhere in my library! I'm just about to start; "Radetzky" by Alan Sked.

[bookcover:Radetzky: Imperial Victor and Mil..."

This book is available as an Ebook for free from the Gutenberg project as well as some of his other works.

The copy I am reading at the moment was found in my Grandmothers library. Even those I have an aversion to second hand book, I was to excited to care in this case

Just finished Two-Party Texas: The John Tower Era, 1961-1984 by John R. Knaggs, and I am now reading:

Indian Wars: The Campaign for the American West by Bill Yenne

Zach, thanks for sharing what books you are reading. Looks like you always have something interesting going.

When referencing a book, please remember to include the cover (if available) and the author's photo. The second book you mentioned should look like this:

Bill Yenne

I see that your first book doesn't have either a cover or an author photo available. Especially for a missing book cover, it helps to add a brief note (i.e. "no cover") so others know you weren't slacking.

Keep up the good reading!

Welcome Zach and thank you for jumping in. You will get the hang of the way we do citations here soon enough. Just remember that they usually have three parts: bookcover, author's photo (we are always curious what they look like) and the author's name in linkable text.

Thank you Elizabeth S for assisting Zach.

I have started
Leo Tolstoy

and

David Mitchell

Which, interestingly enough, both take place during the same time period as our upcoming read
C.S. Forester
which I just finished. I seem to have a theme going--or, rather, my various groups seem to have a theme going! These are all group reads in 3 different groups.

Loved the first one Dree.

I've gotta read War and Peace sometime.

by Leo Tolstoy

To fit with the Russian theme, I'm finally starting Peter the Great. I know others in the group have read it and recommend it, and it was a Pulitzer Prize in 1981, so I expect good things.

by Robert K. Massie

Hi Elizabeth, I'm sure you'll have fun with Robert Massie and his account of Peter the Great :)


by Robert K. Massie

Since Philip Freeman has just released a new book on Alexander the Great which I will most likely have to have I've decided to read his account of Julius Caesar.

& by Philip Freeman