The History Book Club discussion

Ordered a few used books.. this one just arrived today :)


by David Halberstam

a few more arivials


by Brian McAllister Linn

by Cornelius Ryan

by Peter Grose

You and Aussie Rick are in the same boat with the post office deliveries. (smile)

another one today (smile)


. by Jonathan Nashel

Picked up:

Sarah Vowell

Product info:
Sarah Vowell exposes the glorious conundrums of American history and culture with wit, probity, and an irreverent sense of humor. With Assassination Vacation, she takes us on a road trip like no other -- a journey to the pit stops of American political murder and through the myriad ways they have been used for fun and profit, for political and cultural advantage.

From Buffalo to Alaska, Washington to the Dry Tortugas, Vowell visits locations immortalized and influenced by the spilling of politically important blood, reporting as she goes with her trademark blend of wisecracking humor, remarkable honesty, and thought-provoking criticism. We learn about the jinx that was Robert Todd Lincoln (present at the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley) and witness the politicking that went into the making of the Lincoln Memorial. The resulting narrative is much more than an entertaining and informative travelogue -- it is the disturbing and fascinating story of how American death has been manipulated by popular culture, including literature, architecture, sculpture, and -- the author's favorite -- historical tourism. Though the themes of loss and violence are explored and we make detours to see how the Republican Party became the Republican Party, there are all kinds of lighter diversions along the way into the lives of the three presidents and their assassins, including mummies, show tunes, mean-spirited totem poles, and a nineteenth-century biblical sex cult.

Just got:

by David von Drehle (no photo)

It is the story of the 1911 fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory in NYC and how that tragedy led to a great wave of reform. Can't wait to get started on this one.

Just found this book an added it to my TBR byCharles W. Sasser

Michael, Charles Sasser's photo is available. Please edit and add. Then I will delete my reminder.

by Charles W. Sasser

I had a bit of spare cash (if there is such a thing) and so decided to treat myself with a book today!:

by Adam Zamoyski

I also bought these last week for a bargain:

by Felix Markham

by Evangeline Bruce

And I've ordered this online, which I'm very much looking forward to reading:

by Peter Gay

My shelves are beginning to groan under the weight of it all. I've had to clear my wardrobe out of clothes in the name of book-space. :)

Max, be careful - you may grow up to be like Aussie Rick (smile).

Bentley wrote: "Max, be careful - you may grow up to be like Aussie Rick (smile)."

Haha, I'm fast on my way! :)

Good to hear! They are all good purchases Max as well :)

I've just received these three very different books:

by Nicolai Lilin

by Michael Asher

by Trevor Royle
(hardback edition)

Some interesting books there, Rick. Quite different from your usual reading material, it seems.

Rick.....we must have been separated at birth!!! I have also just purchased a book by Trevor Royle:

by Trevor Royle(no photo). I am in my Crimean War phase at the moment so am looking forward to starting it......it is 500+ pages so it may take me a while.

I think so Jill!

I loved Trevor Royle's book on the Crimean War so hopefully you will enjoy it.

by Trevor Royle

Another couple of great accounts are:

by Ian Fletcher

by Julian Spilsbury

Picked these up yesterday from my faithful Post Office box:


by Tim Clayton

by Robert Hughes

Some good books there Rick! Have you received this yet?:

by Philip Matyszak

No not yet :(

Ah, I know the feeling! I'm still waiting for my biography of Mozart to come through the post.

I'm waiting for this book to be released (in the USA anyway):

by Ian Kershaw

one of the very best books I've ever read on the air war in the Pacific during WWII:

The Big E: The Story of the USS Enterprise - by Edward P. Stafford, ISBN 1-55750-998-0

...reads like a great war novel, but based entirely on fact...

(no info in GoodReads database)

I've been keeping an eye on Ian Kershaw's new book, still undecided if I should get a copy as I have just ordered a copy of; "Ostkrieg" by Stephen G. Fritz.

by Ian Kershaw

by Stephen G. Fritz

John wrote: "one of the very best books I've ever read on the air war in the Pacific during WWII:

The Big E: The Story of the USS Enterprise - by Edward P. Stafford, ISBN 1-55750-998-0

...reads like a great w..."

John, I found the book you referred to, here are the links:


Edward P. Stafford

sometimes i think you have to search a couple of different ways before it comes up properly.

Good find Alisa

I just found:
by Gordon Brook-Shepherd (no photo).
It was hiding in a stack of books at an estate sale and I grabbed it for $1.00. I glanced through it quickly and the style seems quite readable.....so it goes on my TBR shelf.

Good find Jill!

I read
by Margaret MacMillan (no photo)
a wonderful book which pretty much covered the same subject but this book is probably less about the Treaty and more about the events leading up to the Armistice. I am looking forward to it.
Gordon Brook-Shepherd

Stumbled across this in a hotel library and after thumbing through it decided to buy a copy for future reading.
by Daniel Stashower

I deleted my earlier comment because I was only borrowing the book at the time but my actual copy of by Leslie Carroll came into the store today and I went to go pick it up and started reading it. My mom started making jokes about it saying I spent $20 on this nonsense and I'm like mom its not nonsense i don't like ebooks and to my surprise its a paperback. Then my mom was like Im only kidding. It was a birthday gift. (July 16 was my birthday)

Krystal wrote: "I deleted my earlier comment because I was only borrowing the book at the time but my actual copy of you should!

Tina, please use the add book/author feature to always show the book cover, author photo and author link when citing books and authors in accordance with our guidelines. Doing it in this way allows the goodreads software to populate the exact book reference and allow others who are interested in the book to see where it is being discussed.

Let any of the moderators know if you need help or consult our guidelines if you are having trouble with the feature. Thanks so much!


Leslie Carroll

Karl Shaw

It does not always appear properly when using reply, that may have been your issue. Use the preview feature to check, that helps.

I visited a little market town whilst down the coast and picked up two second hand books, one being "The Persian Expedition" by Xenophon and the other a 1934 edition of; "Prince Rupert The Cavalier" by Clennell Wilkinson (not listed at Goodreads).

by Xenophon

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I visited a little market town whilst down the coast and picked up two second hand books, one being "The Persian Expedition" by Xenophon and the other a 1934 edition of; "Prince Rupert The Cavalier..."

I picked up another version of "The Persian Expedition" a few months ago. Sounds like a good tale, looking forward to reading it.
by Xenophon

Just got by . Gone far too soonl. Really looking forward to the laughter and tears every book of hers contains.

Tina, you are getting better at the citation. It is all three elements when the author photo is available:

Judith Merkle Riley

Thanks for the effort. You will get the hang of it and then it will be like second nature. Thanks!

I'm sorry. I'm not very good at this, obviously.

You are doing great and almost there, don't despair! :-) The preview button helps, the guidelines in our mechanics of the board thread helps, you can ask any of the moderators. We like your suggestions and participation so keep at it!

Don't be discouraged, Tina, you are doing great :-)

Keep at it Tina, your doing great! It took all of us sometime to master the workings of adding books and authors but once you get use to it it's a lot of fun and very helpful to other readers :)

I feel like a vulture, but last weekend I took advantage of the Border's liquidation sale. Not the greatest savings, but they were (almost) all books on my wish list (showing my preference for European History). Between these and the Masters of Rome series, I'm done for a while!

by Adrienne Mayor Thanks to Aussie Rick for the tip on this one - I'm looking forward to this one the most to supplement my reading of the Masters of Rome books.


by Nancy Goldstone

by Alison Weir


by Marcus Aurelius

And the juicy collection:
by Michael Farquhar

and Eleanor Herman

and by Leslie Carroll

Cheryl I just got by Leslie Carroll for my birthday it will be read as soon as I finish books from the library. Do you wanna do a buddy read on this one? I'd love to try to do a buddy read if your willing?

Some great purchases there Cheryl, some good books to read :)

Found this at the bottom of a bargain bin at my store...it was chucked in with kiddie and cook books.

H.W. Brands
$6.00. Sold

Oooh, Tina Michelle....I saw that book in one of my catalogues and thought of buying it. Let me know how you like it. Thanks.

H.W. Brands

Just got delivered


by Iris Chang
byRichard Rhodes

Krystal wrote: "Cheryl I just got by Leslie Carroll for my birthday it will be read as soon as I finish books from the library. Do you wanna do a buddy read on this one? I'd love to try to do a buddy read if your willing?



Sounds great! I'm in. (Maybe Tina Michelle would like to pop in on us, too.) Can you contact Bentley about setting it up, and let him know when you would like to start? I can start whenever. :)

I love that book, and her others. Just let me know when as well! ;)

by Julia P. Gelardi (no photo)

Just got this book which traces the lives of four women of the Russian ruling family who lived prior and during the Revolution.

I read another of this author's books:
Julia P. Gelardi and enjoyed it very much. This one, I hope, will be equally informative.

Jill I remember reading a little of by Julia P. Gelardi. I didnt get very far into it. I was enjoying it but my problem was that I wasn't that into English consorts and found it boring but now that I read everything on English history I just might pick it up again.

I just picked up:

by Erik Larsen;

by Adam Hochschild; and

by Walter Isaacson.

I have high hopes for all as I loved and by Erik Larsen and by Adam Hochschild.

Has anyone read he Einstein bio? It was recommended by in an article I read but, beyond that, I know nothing about the book or the author.

First try with adding the book and author info. Did I get it right?