The History Book Club discussion

Thank you so much Elizabeth..you are right..there is a lot going on.

Fantastic book selections, and I'm excited to be a part of your group. I am a fan primarily of good fiction and literature, but I am finding that great history writing is as interesting as the most creative fictional plots. I'm not a history expert but hope to learn from your interesting discussions and add something along the way.
Best,
Kristen

Kristen,

You are in the right place; there are no experts here; just folks who want to share ideas in a pleasant atmosphere with other people who just love reading and good books. There are also no huge hurdles for membership.

Hopefully with the life experiences of some of the members and with the discussion of some great books; history will become more alive for most of us.

I am thrilled to have you as a member of the group and look forward to reading your posts.

Thanks for joining us. If I can be of any assistance; please let me know.

Bentley

Welcome to Mark and Kristen. I hope you enjoy the group. The only difficulty I have is it gives me so many interesting possibilities that I don't know where to start sometimes!

Pedro wrote: "Thanks Bentley for the welcome and thanks Andre for the suggestions. I guess I'll start with Antony Beevor. I am going to Iran next month for a business trip and on the way back I am stopping in Pa..."


Hi Pedro

Welcome to the club

I was a few years ago at Normandy - it is not a short drive from Paris by the way.

Very interesting - The American cemetery there also is also - I am looking for a word - about 10,000 Americans are there.

You should find it interesting

Bentley wrote: "Hello Pedro,

Will be going to Verdun myself. Hope to make the trip to Normandy soon.

Enjoy your trip to Iran (stay safe) and enjoy your time in Paris. We look forward to reading your posts.

Be..."

Hi Bentley

Verdun is very interesting - well worth the visit

Alexis and I went there about 20 years ago

Vince

Yes, it was very worthwhile Vince. I can't say that I enjoyed it; it was a very upsetting experience in many ways..but very informative and makes history more real when you actually visit the forts and the battlefield locations, etc. It was quite educational.

Mark wrote: "I'm Mark Roth. I'm a senior staff writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette specializing in health and science writing, but occasionally, I do history pieces with a local angle and I really enjoy histo..."

Hi Mark

It is really more a history of the time with the Roosevelts as an axis around which the activity is explored - only aobut 30 or 40% biographical I think

Welcome Aboard

Vince

Hello, my name is Pamela. I'm 42 years old and work currently as a systems administrator for an advertising company. It's not terribly fulfilling, but it pays the bills. I have a deep interest in history, but very little formal education. Well, that's not precisely true, I have a BA in Classical Studies, which included quite a bit of history of the classical period, but there really is so much more to history than the ancient Greeks and Romans. I'm delighted to see that you are reading A. Lincoln. I have developed a fascination with Lincoln over the years and I've read several biographies, but not that particular one. I shall get started as soon as I can.

Welcome Pamela. We are happy to have you join us here at the History Club.

An interest in history is all that you need. But it sounds like you also have quite a background in Classical Studies with an interest to branch out in other areas.

Well you have come to the site which will allow you to become even more familiar with other historic periods or genres.

I know that Joe and other group members will be happy to have you join them in the Lincoln discussion.

We look forward to reading your posts.

Bentley

Hi Pamela, Welcome to the History Book Club.

I also am a system administrator who is interested in history, and fascinated with Lincoln. I can only wonder what else we have in common.

Glad to have you!

Joe

Hello
My name is Bernie and I live in Keswick, Ontario Canada.
I am a contractor by trade and to wind down I love to read. My favorite history topics are anything that has to do with The War of 1812, The Revolutionary War and the American Civil War. I have also read countless books about the Middle Ages that this time period seems to fascinate me. I look forward to reading some of the books that are listed for your discussion groups and participating when I can.
Thank You

Welcome Bernie,

It is great having you with us. We have members from around the world. We are all interested in some aspect of history so we hope you find what you are looking for here.

We have a military history section where there are threads dedicated to the conflicts that you have mentioned. We are also discussing A. Lincoln by White which should appeal to your Civil War interest.

We look forward to reading your posts...so do not be shy...just jump right into any one of the discussions or threads.

Bentley

Hello to Pamela and Bernie, welcome to the group!

Welcome to the group, Bernie!
We're glad to have you aboard. It looks like I have alot of the same interests as you do, so please jump right in and join in the discussion.

Joe

Welcome Bernie,

In the last two years I've developed an interest in the Founding Fathers so I've been reading bios and books on the Revolutionary War and the Constitutional Convention. I just got two books on the War of 1812 that I'm looking forward to reading. I am new to the group, too.

Don

Dhenning1950 wrote: "Welcome Bernie,

In the last two years I've developed an interest in the Founding Fathers so I've been reading bios and books on the Revolutionary War and the Constitutional Convention. I just got ..."
Hello
thanks for the greeting. What are the names of the books about "1812" that you have purchased if you don't mind me asking.

John Paul Jones, a bio by Samuel E Morison, and
The Battle of New Orleans by Robert Remini.

My wish list includes a James Monroe bio, The Naval War of 1812 by Teddy Roosevelt, Union 1812 by A J Langguth, The War of 1812 by Henry Adams, and The War of 1812 by Wesley Turner.

Which titles have you read that you might recommend?

Don..these sound like great books..have you tried the add book/author feature of goodreads...you can add both the book cover and even a link to the author's page.

Samuel Eliot Morison

Robert V. Remini





A.J. Langguth



[image error] Wesley B. Turner

Bernie and Don...I think it would be great to take this extended conversation to the Military History folder because there is a thread that is dedicated to the War of 1812 and both of you might get a conversation going with other group members which may be pretty exciting and interesting. I will also try to add these books to that thread as well.

These are great selections by the way Don...the links and author's url or photos help all of the members look the books up easily and obtain them if they like as well as read about the specific authors; finding out what other publications they might have. It is a great goodreads feature. You will see me encouraging everyone to use it.

Bentley

Thanks for the feedback Bentley. I am really enjoying this club.

That is great..we are glad to have you.

Books and authors mentioned in this thread and not cited:

Hello, my name is Erick and I am interested in history although I do not have any formal schooling. I am especially interested in biographies. It seems I get a better sense of the history through the story of the leaders of the time. I have not found anyone in my area that is interested in discussing history, so I am looking forward to the discussions in this group.

Erick, welcome to the History Book Club. We are glad to have you with us.

There are a lot of discussions on going right now; so get ahold of any of these books (some are available on line free)..and just jump right in to any of the threads. Everyone's comments are appreciated and welcome.

What part of the United States are you from? We have folks from around the world and from every continent...(still waiting for somebody from Antartica (lol).

So you will find many diverse backgrounds and viewpoints.

Bentley

Hi folks, I think I jumped into your reading group without introducing first myself so I must apologise. I would now like to introduce myself properly. My name is Rick, I’m 50 years old and live in Canberra, Australia. I love books and reading and I love general history and military history. I have a soft spot for the Napoleonic Wars but love all periods of history, from the ancient times to the current conflicts. I love nothing better than sitting in my library with a glass of red wine, nice music and a good book. I hope to join in a number of your discussions and look forward to enjoying a number of good books with you all.

Rick, we are delighted to have you as a member of The History Book Club and welcome you from down under. I noticed that you have a library dog too and you have a similar collection of books like mine taking up a lot of wall space.

What was there about the Napoleonic Wars that you found most interesting? We have a number of threads that we know that you will find engrossing and we are delighted to have you with us.

Don't ever feel that you are just "jumping into the reading group"...we are delighted to have you do just that. But I have to say that at first I thought it was the other Rick we have in the group who was posting (lol)...we have more than one.

I think you will find a lot of like minded folks who also enjoy history here.

We look forward to reading your posts.

Bentley

Hello Rick, If you have any ideas about good fiction on the Napoleonic wars, seen from both sides, please let me know. Although I like Bernard Cornwell's writing very much I'm not that fond of the Sharpe series.
Patrick Rambaud's La Bataille, L'Absent, Il Neigeait and Le Chat Botté are less adventurous and closer to the horrors of war I think.
Best,
André

And Rick....I have opened up a thread dedicated to the Napoleonic Wars in the Military History folder as you requested.

Glad to have you.

Bentley

André wrote: "Hello Rick, If you have any ideas about good fiction on the Napoleonic wars, seen from both sides, please let me know. Although I like Bernard Cornwell's writing very much I'm not that fond of the ..."

Hi Andre, I'm sorry to say I can't offer any good suggestions in regards to some decent fiction titles covering the Napoleonic Wars other than those authors you have already mentioned. I will keep my eye out and if I come across anything worthwhile I will let you know.

Bentley wrote: "Rick, we are delighted to have you as a member of The History Book Club and welcome you from down under. I noticed that you have a library dog too and you have a similar collection of books like m..."

Hi Bentley, many thanks for the warm greetings to the History Book Club. I will try to remember to start off my messages with 'Aussie Rick' to save any confusion with the other Ricks out there. I am unsure what attracts me to the Napoleonic period, maybe the splendour of the uniforms, the great characters involved, the dashing campaigns, the battles against all odds. I will have to think more about it and get back to you.

Hi Everybody, nice to be here among history lovers. My main speciality has been Islamic Art history but I have had a lifelong passion for history in general and at various times a very keen interest in military history, the English Civil War, the Severn Year's War and the Peninsular campaign and the war of 1812 of the Napoleonic period. The above campaigns have been a focus rather than an exhaustive list. I agree with Rick about a good glass of wine being at hand. Prince Mikhail Ilarionovich Kutuzov certainly did not let the battlefield put him off fine dining and some serious drinking! Cheers!

Welcome to the group 'Aussie Rick' and Harvey.

It's always nice to have new talent join the group. Bentley just posted the Napoleonic wars thread, and I'm anxious to learn more about it myself. And I'm sure that, with your guy's input, we can choose a great read in the time period.

And Harvey, I remember Mikhail Ilarionovich Kutuzov's role in War and Peace, fighting in the Russian army against Napoleon. Also, I just saw last night, a new non-fiction book will be coming out in April about the battle told in War and Peace. I'll post a link to it in the Napoleonic War thread.

Thank you Joe! I'm trying my best to remember the title of the last book I read on the 1812 campaign. A friend lent it to me before I left Kuwait, so I more or less read the hefty tome in two sittings! It was however a thundering good read.

One thing strikes me as a parallel to Vietnam as it happens, is that Napoleon gained territory, but did not understand the Russian psychology. They were just content to wear him down (not content maybe and had there been no inter-Russian squabbles.....) and ultimately see him off, whether he occupied the battlefield or not. The other mistake of Napoleon was making his brother King of Poland instead of Prince Józef Antoni Poniatowski, a fact that Napoleon realised later.
The Polish cavalry knew how to keep going in winter!

Harvey wrote: "Hi Everybody, nice to be here among history lovers. My main speciality has been Islamic Art history but I have had a lifelong passion for history in general and at various times a very keen interes..."

Yes, Harvey....Kutozov knew how to eat well. And drinking too,,who can forget the bear story. I have to say that in Tolstoy (though fiction)...the history of that period came alive. His characters and the details that he described could only have been done by somebody who understood deeply the Russian psyche which he did. War and Peace is absolutely one of my favorite books. Also the real Prince Kutozov was instrumental in defeating Napoleon's Army during France's invasion of Russia in 1812, the decisive turning point of the Napoleonic Wars. So as Joe mentioned with you and Rick on board...we have great hopes for the Napoleonic War thread (lol).

We are very happy to have you join the History Book Club and we welcome all interests. Your interest in Islamic Art history sounds like a great idea for a thread and focus discussion as do some of your other interest areas. Some of them we already have.

We look forward to reading your posts. I am always interested in the broad reach of goodreads and the many countries and continents that this site connects. Are you originally from Oman and/or are you living their now. Having that as your home base would be extraordinary; especially with your interest in Islamic art history.

One thing that I have learned from this group is that everyone's diverse interest areas only makes the group stronger and that much more interesting.

Bentley

Thank you Bentley, I will post my previous remark regarding the Napoleonic war on the relevant thread so those following that thread can follow up...

I'm a European cocktail.... Anglo-Welsh from my mother's side and Latvian-Polish from my father's side, married to an Egyptian. I worked twenty years in Kuwait, ten of which for the al-Sabah collection of Islamic Art, a year in Dubai and now in Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman....

You are welcome..Harvey...Yes, it would be good to post it on the Napoleonic thread...the post has some great info.

Now I see the connection to the interest in art and specifically Islamic Art. What an interesting career.

We are glad to have you with us.

Bentley

Welcome to new members Harvey, Aus. Rick and Erick.
Erick, I know what you mean. Although I work in a bookstore and teach at a university, it's hard to find people who want to discuss just what I want to read, so Goodreads is great fun and incentive. Harvey, I will look at what's on the Napoleonic thread, but I've got a vague sense that something pertaining to Napoleon's "adventures" in Egypt and with the British fleet there reminded me of Iraq. I remember thinking of it as I was reading "The White Nile" but can't remember what it was. Will try to look it up. I always say, "I have a mind like a steel sieve." lol

Hi Andrea! Like the sieve remark. I know exactly what you mean! Abu Kir Bay is famous not only for Nelson, but also for some excellent fish restaurants; all open air and one might say, rough and ready but excellent fresh fish. Bring your own Batalsa (Dry Egyptian wine). I ate sea urchins there one time, what a culinary delight while I contemplated the Battle of the Nile!

Alan Moorehead

Harvey..I never had Batalsa wine? How would you describe it? I am assuming it is a white wine because you are eating it with fish?

Thank you for the link, Bentley. Both of Alan Moorehead's "Nile" books are excellent introductions to African history (if one can remember what one has read).

You are welcome...we try to make it easy for group members to read up on or research further all of the books we mention and the authors too.

Also, don't worry I hope to get to developing the World History folder soon...it is in progress. And there will be a History of Africa thread.

One thing that I noticed is that you are planning a home in Kenya at some time in your future. How exciting. How did that all come about. I noticed your photo which one of the goodreads' members asked about.

Bentley

How did all that come about? Goodness! To make a long story short, my husband of 25 years is Kenyan, and it's always been our dream/plan to live in Kenya. Finally, over the last 2 years, the plans have started to come together. We are planning to build a private high school for girls near his rural hometown on the edge of the Rift Valley. In December, my husband will be in Kenya meeting with the building contractor and negotiating the purchase and transport of building stone (substantial buildings in Kenya are still built of stone block as the cheapest and most durable choice). So if all goes as planned (haha) the school could be up and running in about two years. Or maybe not. When a person dreams big, I think it's only reasonable to be flexible about the longterm:). But thanks for your interest, hope that wasn't more than everyone wanted to hear.

No not at all..what a great dream. Does that mean that you will teach and help run the school. Such a daunting but great goal and it looks like you and your husband are working to make everything a reality.

Wow, Andrea. That sounds exciting. Definitely not too much information! What a dream, to build a school. I'm as curious as Bentley about how involved you will be with running it and teaching, etc. Just physically building a school is a big enough project!

I'll be teaching English and possibly social studies, at least at first. We'll have part time business manager for most of the accounting and also a headmistress, since I won't be up to speed on the Kenyan educational culture. My husband will help with supervising maintenance and grounds, as he's got other projects (family farm etc.) and is not a teacher by either training or inclination.

Harvey wrote: "Hi Everybody, nice to be here among history lovers. My main speciality has been Islamic Art history but I have had a lifelong passion for history in general and at various times a very keen interes..."

Hi Harvey,

'Aussie Rick' here, I think we may enjoy some long and fruitful discussions over red wine covering those great battles and campaigns from the English Civil War, the Seven Year's War and the Napoleonic Wars and hopefully drag a few people into the chats. I have added a few titles over at the Napoleonic Wars thread if your interested.

Hi, this is my first post here. It's nice to see so much interest and activity about history. I enjoy reading most non-fiction subjects and biographies.

I have been reading some WWII books since last winter so the timeliness of the next book is great for me.

I'm 48, married with children and pets. I also started learning the violin a few years ago and am in my second semester of music history at a local fine arts college. I have one more semester to complete the series and it has been fascinating. I have quite a list of further reading I want to do once I am done writing research papers and studying for exams. If I wasn't still raising my family, I would pursue a degree in musicology.

Harvey..I never had Batalsa wine? How would you describe it? I am assuming it is a white wine because you are eating it with fish?

Yes.... a dry white. The label says 'Vin de Ptolomeys' but is known generally as Batalsa. Very nice it is too. Also a hello to Aussie Rick... yes, lets get some discussions going!

Tess wrote: "Hi, this is my first post here. It's nice to see so much interest and activity about history. I enjoy reading most non-fiction subjects and biographies.

I have been reading some WWII books since..."

Hello Tess,

Welcome to the History Book Club. We are happy to have you join the group. You are correct..you could not have joined at a better time.

What a wonderful program that you are in and what a wonderful goal that you have set for yourself. I hope that you find the time to continue for that musicology degree...it is obvious that music is your passion.

We are currently reading the FDR book and have a discussion on going. There is a discussion on the Federalist Papers which you can jump into at any time and a discussion on The Agony and the Ecstasy if you like historical fiction. Also, we have the presidential series and our featured book which we are discussing is A. Lincoln. So there is a lot going on right now.

We look forward to reading your posts when you are ready.

Bentley