The History Book Club discussion

Lauren wrote: "I don't know if it is just me but I found the directions for book postings very confusing. So bear with me if I get it wrong. I'm reading Rounding's Catherine the Great."

You got it just right, Lauren. Sorry for the confusion. Some people need a lot of specific explanation as to how to do it, and some people need more of a general overview. We're always trying to find the right balance.

How are you liking the book so far?

Lauren wrote: "I don't know if it is just me but I found the directions for book postings very confusing. So bear with me if I get it wrong. I'm reading Rounding's Catherine the Great.
You did it just right; there are two explanations on the mechanics board; those who need tons of detail and those who don't. The first is for those who are confused and need tons of detail and the second one is for those folks who know their way around software etc.
[bookcover:Catherine the ..."

I'm on
by Adam Hochschild. Great stuff about the Belgian massacre of the Congolese around 1880 - 1910.

After that it's
by Niccolò Machiavelli, tr. Tim Parks for my "How did I get this far without reading this?" series, and then on to
by Roger Osborne, which seems like it's biting off a pretty big piece of world history there, but the NY Times speaks highly of it.

Hi Alex, I read "King Leopold's Ghost" some time back, if you enjoy that book you may be interested in Mark Cocker's "Rivers of Blood: Europe's Conflict with Tribal Peoples".

by Adam Hochschild

by Mark Cocker
Publishers blurb:
"In a little more than 400 years a handful of small, highly advanced nation states at the western extremity of the Eurasian continent brought within their political orbit most of the diverse peoples of four continents. The story of how they did so is a tale of extraordinary human achievement in adversity, but also a tragedy involving the slaughter of millions and the extinction of numerous distinct peoples. This book focuses in detail on four episodes: the Spanish conquest of Mexico and the Andean empire of the Inca, the British decimation of the Tasmanian Aborigines, the Euro-American dispossession of the Apache, and the German subjugation of the Herero and Nama of south-west Africa. These four narratives describe the process by which native tribal people were defeated and in some cases exterminated, the intellectual and moral rationale of the conquerors, and the often extraordinary heroism of the conquered."

I am nearly finished "Russia Against Napoleon" so have picked up a new paperback edition of The "Anzacs: Gallipoli to the Western Front" by Peter Pedersen. When I get to the Western Front section I hope to jump into some of the discussions going on with John Keegan's book.

by Dominic Lieven

by Peter Pedersen

Oh, that's interesting, Rick. Have you read it? For someone with a fairly good lay understanding of all four of those narratives, do you think it'll have information that's new to me?

Hi Alex, I read it when it was first published and although like you I knew the history for all four narratives I still found the book to be a good read, very interesting and it kept me engaged all the way through till the end. Having said that, it may not offer anything new depending on how much you have read previously on these subjects.

I have just finished "Anzacs", what a great read! I have picked up and started "Operation Mincemeat" by Ben MacIntyre. I enjoyed this author's previous book "Agent Zigzag" so I'm hopeful his new book will be just as good if not better.

by Peter Pedersen

by Ben MacIntyre

by Ben MacIntyre

[image error] by Karl Marlantes

terrific writing, a great storyline and essential for anybody interested in the Vietnam war and or (historical) fiction.

Sounds like an interesting book Andre. I have just started reading "Vimy" by Pierre Berton which covers the Canadians and the fighting for Vimy Ridge in 1917.

by Pierre Berton

Matterhorn rears its head again! Last week I read a hugely favorable review; this week everyone seems to be reading it.

a grandson tries to find our what happened to the rest of the men in his grandfathers world war I company after his grandfather dies at the age of 101.

James Carl Nelson

That looks like a great read Patricrk..thank you for the add.

Hi Patricrk, I have a copy of that book on my to read list so I'll be keen to hear what you think of it once you've finished it.

Rick, I'm sure it's a great book. My problem: I can't get too much into WW1. The way young men (often of the so called lower classes) were thrown to their deaths by their officers makes me angry as hell. All the more when people keep talking about the great war, acting as if there was some sense in it all.

Hi Andre,
For me I find it interesting to read about the men who went to war, the reasons why and what these men accomplished against tremendous odds but I also find it very important to remind myself about the horrors of war and the sometimes senseless nature of conflict.

I am just about to start "Lucia in the Age of Napoleon" by Andrea Di Robilant.


by Andrea Di Robilant
Publishers blurb:
In 1797, Lucia, the beautiful sixteen-year-old daughter of a Venetian statesman, was married off to Alvise Mocenigo, scion of one of the wealthiest and most powerful families of the once glorious maritime Republic. They were a golden couple in Venice's twilight years. But Lucia's life was suddenly transformed when the thousand-year-old Serenissima collapsed under the blows of young Bonaparte in 1797. This is Lucia's story, from dazzling young hostess in Habsburg Vienna, lady-in-waiting at the court of Prince Eugene de Beauharnais in Milan, single mother in Paris during the fall of Napoleon's Empire or as Byron's hard-fisted landlady during the poet's stay in Venice.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi Andre,
For me I find it interesting to read about the men who went to war, the reasons why and what these men accomplished against tremendous odds but I also find it very important to remind m..."

Rick, as always I of course see your point. It's just "too close to home" for me.
Best,
André

Moved for Andre:

Andre stated:

Thanks Bentley,
I'm not sure who of you reads French but I'm just rereading one of my all time favorite graphic novels written and drawn by a master story teller with a unique sense of humor and a great style (as you can see I'm a fan)

Think Pulp Fiction and The Outsiders, add a lot of French humor, both in the story telling and the graphics, then you know what I'm talking about.

Here you go:

Baru

Thanks, Bentley. This is the first edition, the one I have. WIth time the pages yellowed a little, so Casterman, the publisher, brought it out again in a slightly larger version with also better paper.

Very good...my French is not good any longer but possibly other folks globally might enjoy this one.

I have finished reading "Lucia in the Age of Napoleon" by Andrea Di Robilant, what a great story about a very interesting woman, well worth the time to read. I have now started "The War Diary of Hauptmann Helmut Lipfert".

by Andrea Di Robilant

by Werner Girbig
Publishers blurb:
Aerial combat over the Russian front from one who knew it first hand. Hauptmann Helmut Lipfert's vivid portrayal of his experiences in JG 52 during the last three years of the Second World War will stand as one of the truly classic chronicles of the Jagdwaffe over Russia.

Well I finished "The War Diary of Hauptmann Helmut Lipfert" quite quickly (only 175 pages of narrative) so decided to follow on my aviation theme but from 'the other side' and I am just about to start; "A Question of Honor".

by Lynne Olson
Publishers blurb:
Centering on five pilots of the renowned Kosciuszko Squadron, the authors show how the fliers, driven by their passionate desire to liberate their homeland, came to be counted among the most heroic and successful fighter pilots of World War II. Drawing on the Kosciuszko Squadron’s unofficial diary–filled with the fliers’ personal experiences in combat–and on letters, interviews, memoirs, histories, and photographs, the authors bring the men and battles of the squadron vividly to life. We follow the principal characters from their training before the war, through their hair-raising escape from Poland to France and then, after the fall of France, to Britain. We see how, first treated with disdain by the RAF, the Polish pilots played a crucial role during the Battle of Britain, where their daredevil skill in engaging German Messerschmitts in close and deadly combat while protecting the planes in their own groups soon made them legendary. And we learn what happened to them after the war, when their country was abandoned and handed over to the Soviet Union.

Wow, Rick, you're some reader! Great books! What was that again with building a new library?
All best,
André

Hi Andre, day off work today, heaps of reading time! I am in discussions with my wife about more library space :)

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi Andre, day off work today, heaps of reading time! I am in discussions with my wife about more library space :)"

A new wing perhaps?

I think a new house!

Bryan wrote: "A new wing perhaps?"

A wing each, one for Rick's books and one for his wife...

All very good suggestions however my wife doesn't seem to understand my needs!

ROFL (smile)

Aussie Rick, you make me laugh. Hopefully your wife can laugh at the situation too! Personally, I feel very blessed to have a husband who understands my need for books. He likes books, too, but I'm the avid reader who collects the books. We got three new bookcases from Santa this year. It is so much fun to fill them!

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi Patricrk, I have a copy of that book on my to read list so I'll be keen to hear what you think of it once you've finished it."

I've finally finished The Remains of Company D. James Carl Nelson This gives a good feeling of what it must have been like for the men in the trenches. I recommend it. The writing style takes a bit getting used to.

Hi Patricrk, thanks for the up-date on your book, I will have to try and move it up on my 'to read list'!

Just finished There is no Freedom without bread. Constantine Pleshakov A different take on the reasons for the 1989 collapse of communism. Enjoyed it enough that I set aside a book I was already reading to finish this one first.

Glad you liked it Patricrk.

[image error] Herbert Schandler Lots of input to the writing from the Vietnamese side of this war.

I am starting the third and final volume in John Gill's trilogy covering Napoleon's 1809 campaign against Austria; "1809 Thunder on the Danube: Napoleon's Defeat of the Habsburgs".

by Jack H. Gill
Publishers blurb:
In this third volume John H. Gill brings to a close his magisterial study of the 1809 war between Napoleonic France and Habsburg Austria. This final volume begins with the principal armies of both antagonists recuperating on the Danube's banks. As they prepared for the next encounter, important actions were taking place in distant theaters of war: Eugene brought his army into Hungary and won a crucial victory over Johann on the anniversary of Marengo, Prince Poniatowski's Poles outflanked another Austrian archduke along the Vistula, and future marshal Marmont drove an Austrian force out of Dalmatia to join Napoleon at Vienna.

These subsidiary campaigns all set the stage for the clash that would decide the war: the titanic Battle of Wagram. Second only in scale to the three-day slaughter at Leipzig in 1813, Wagram saw more than 320,000 men and 900 guns locked in two days of fury that ended with Austrian retreat. The defeat, however, was not entirely complete and Napoleon had to force yet another major engagement on the Austrians before Charles would accept a ceasefire. This under-appreciated battle at Znaim introduced an extended armistice that finally ended with a peace treaty signed in Vienna in October.

Gill makes use of an impressive array of sources to present a lively account that covers the conflict from the diplomacy of emperors to the common soldiers suffering the privations of campaigning and the horrors of battle as they attempt to carry out their duties. Enriched with uncommon illustrations, more than 40 specially prepared maps, and extraordinary order of battle detail, this work concludes an unprecedented English language study of Napoleon's last victorious war.

Robert Ferguson Very readable.

Thank you for the add Patricrk and the comment.

Hi Bentley!
OK... slap on the wrist; I was in the intro section drawing attention to the authors rather than specific books. Thank you for the kind words too. by J.H. Plumb, though sadly my edition is 5,000 miles away is, In my opinion a MUST. I can seriously say after 35 years, I have not come across a better interpreter of eighteenth century England.

Harvey, Harvey, Harvey...you are making me smile.

You are one of our veteran members so you know the guidelines and whether we are citing books or authors, they both have to be added with the links.

You are welcome; I am very sincere about the kind words; but of course, we make sure to remind and enforce the rules even handedly even with some of our esteemed members like yourself.

I have placed the book cited on my to read list. Thank you lots Harvey..good add.

Bentley

Bentley wrote: "Harvey, Harvey, Harvey...you are making me smile.

You are one of our veteran members so you know the guidelines and whether we are citing books or authors, they both have to be added with the link..."

Dear Bentley,
You are a great moderator! All is well! I hope you like Plumb. I actually miss my edition a lot. I'd love to re-read it. I was in the sixth form at school.. (don't ask me which grade it is these days) and could almost recite chunks without effort.

Thank you again Harvey - very much appreciated.

Now I have to get this book and move it higher in my to read list.

It is too bad that you do not have your edition with you.

I have just started reading Matt Gallagher's "Kaboom", which covers his tour of Iraq in 2007-2009.

by Matthew Gallagher
Publishers blurb:
When Lieutenant Matt Gallagher began his blog with the aim of keeping his family and friends apprised of his experiences, he didn’t anticipate that it would resonate far beyond his intended audience. His subjects ranged from mission details to immortality, grim stories about Bon Jovi cassettes mistaken for IEDs, and the daily experiences of the Gravediggers—the code name for members of Gallagher’s platoon. When the blog was shut down in June 2008 by the U.S. Army, there were more than twentyfive congressional inquiries regarding the matter as well as reports through the military grapevine that many high-ranking officials and officers at the Pentagon were disappointed that the blog had been ordered closed.

Rick, Kaboom: five stars!

Hi Andre, good news then. What are you reading at the moment?

by Christian Davenport

by Tatjana Soli

by Luke S Larson

Rick, and some screenplays as inspiration for what I'm doing.

Kaboom: Best book title ever!

I'm reading Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa by Dambisa Moyo, who is by the way totally hot. Very interesting perspective, and not unconvincing.

Woops:
by Dambisa Moyo

Sorry Bryan, I forgot.

Hello Alex:

This looks like an interesting book. Thanks.

Don't forget to add a cover to the book and a link to the author.

by Dambisa Moyo

They all look like great books Andre, I'll be interested to hear about your final views on "As You Were".
Your book, "Dead Africa" sounds interesting as well Alex.

by Christian Davenport

by Dambisa Moyo