What are we reading?

Started by Martok, March 05, 2012, 01:13:59 PM

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ArizonaTank

I finished "Omdurman" by Philip Ziegler.  A relatively short, but very competent military history of the 1898 British campaign to take back Sudan from the Dervishes.

The battle of Omdurman was a classic colonial contest; firepower vs. will. British firepower...Lee-Metford rifles and Maxim machine guns won the day.

The battle is probably best known today because of the charge of the 21st Lancers, the last major charge of British cavalry. Winston Churchill, a lieutenant, was attached to the 21st Lancers and participated in the charge.

Here is the link to Ziegler's book...     

https://www.amazon.com/Omdurman-Pen-Sword-Military-Classics-ebook/dp/B00KYVDR9Q/ref=sr_1_2?crid=263OE0FHJM4SE&dchild=1&keywords=omdurman+by+ziegler&qid=1627617757&s=books&sprefix=omdurman%2Cstripbooks%2C229&sr=1-2

Next up in the queue

"When Chicago Ruled Baseball", the 1906 World Series...the Chicago Cubs vs. the Chicago White Sox. Book by Bernard Weisberger.

Some baseball history buffs think the 1906 Cubs were the best baseball team ever...maybe this book will convince me. Despite the Cub's dominance, and the fact that they were heavily favored, the White Sox managed to walk away with the series four games to two. 

I am about one chapter in...and the most striking thing about the book is how little the game of baseball has changed in 115 years.

https://www.amazon.com/When-Chicago-Ruled-Baseball-Cubs-White/dp/0060592273/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=when+chicago+ruled+baseball&qid=1627619058&s=books&sr=1-2
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

Gusington

I think I read that Omdurman book and enjoyed it a lot a while back.

The 2nd book sounds excellent.


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Gusington

About to start Into Neon - A Cyberpunk Saga by Matthew A. Goodwin.


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We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

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Sir Slash

I just started, 'Meade and Lee at Rappahannock Station', the third book by Jeffery Hunt about the Lee vs Meade period of the ACW prior to Grant's taking command. The first 2 were excellent, 'Meade and Lee after Gettysburg' and, 'Meade and Lee at Bristoe Station'. Hoping this one's as great.  O0
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

nelmsm

Quote from: Sir Slash on August 03, 2021, 09:44:41 PM
I just started, 'Meade and Lee at Rappahannock Station', the third book by Jeffery Hunt about the Lee vs Meade period of the ACW prior to Grant's taking command. The first 2 were excellent, 'Meade and Lee after Gettysburg' and, 'Meade and Lee at Bristoe Station'. Hoping this one's as great.  O0

Looking at these on Kindle and I was surprised to find the second and third books on sale for $2.99. Not sure why the first incessant on sale. Did see David Powell's Tullahoma Campaign on sale for $2.99 and grabbed it too.

Sir Slash

The third one's only been out for a few months now. All 3 are very well written using lots of letters from soldiers writing home with details of the armies and their thoughts and opinions of action unfolding around them. Great maps and very detailed descriptions of the battles fought though, most were pretty small affairs. I've enjoyed the series because I know next to nothing about this part of the ACW. But there was a lot going on.
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

Hot lead and dirty talk!

I just started reading Battle of Midway by Symonds and I am hooked. It's supposed to be the definitive book about the battle. It also talks about the Japanese battle plans and why they did what they did during the battle.

I'm only 60pg in, but I like what I've read so far.
Jesus saves! But Gretzky scores on the rebound!

Gusington

Started In the Shadow of the Sword - The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire by Tom Holland.


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We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

JasonPratt

Quote from: Gusington on August 15, 2021, 12:33:43 PM
Started In the Shadow of the Sword - The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire by Tom Holland.

Ooh! -- I'll make a note, really liked some other works by Holland.  O0
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

Gusington

^Me too. And I am happy to report that this is my favorite, even at only about 125 pages in. Holland has really become a great writer...he makes complex subjects fascinating. I daresay this book is a page-turner, like a novel.

The title is slightly misleading because there is a huge wealth of info on the remains of the Roman Empire, the Persian Empire and the state the world was in in the 7th century. But I love that era so it is kind of like a bonus for me.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

nelmsm

Getting started on The Tullahoma Campaign by David Palmer and Eric Wittenberg. Got it cheap for the Kindle. Always thought Direct and didn't get enough credit for maneuvering Bragg out of Tennessee.

Tripoli

Quote from: JasonPratt on August 17, 2021, 05:44:42 PM
Quote from: Gusington on August 15, 2021, 12:33:43 PM
Started In the Shadow of the Sword - The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire by Tom Holland.

Ooh! -- I'll make a note, really liked some other works by Holland.  O0

I'll have to stop coming to this page, as I keep on adding books to my Amazon wishlist faster than I read them...
"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?" -Abraham Lincoln

Gusington



слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

ArizonaTank

#5503
Just finished "Musashi" by Eiji Yoshikawa. This is an epic, semi-fictionalized historical novel on the early life of Musashi Miyamoto, Japan's greatest swordsman and the author of, "The Book of Five Rings."

The book covers the early life of Musashi. It starts with the end of the battle of Sekigahara, where a very young Musashi was a spear carrier on the losing side. He was wounded and left for dead on the battlefield. The story then covers the period where Musashi struggled to develop himself and his sword technique. The tale is full of sword duels, battles with bandits, and numerous fights, including Musashi's feud with the Yoshioka Sword School of Kyoto. The book culminates in Musashi's most famous deadly sword duel where he bested Kojiro Sasaki in 1612.

There are easily thirty major and minor characters in the book, and many of them are historical. In fact, the book follows Musashi's rival, Kojiro Sasaki, almost as much as it covers Musashi. The parallel stories of Musashi and Kojiro, men of different temperament and values, finally meeting in a death duel at the end, makes for great reading.

If you are interested in the Japanese culture of the 1600s, or Japanese samurai movies / books, Musashi is an easy recommendation. The book is full of period color, and Yoshikawa brings 1600 Japan alive with his story telling. This period of Japanese history saw many "student warriors" roaming the country, joining swordsmanship schools, and testing their fighting skills in deadly duels. It was also a period of banditry and some instability as the Tokugawa Shogun, fresh off victory at Sekigahara began to establish its rule over the country. The roads and hills of rural Japan were full of masterless warriors and thieves, and Musashi has many deadly run-ins with these types...a few of them are even minor characters in the story.

While the book is certainly good IMHO, I would not call it "great". The book was written in the 1930s in Japan, and was originally serialized in a magazine. The book has numerous side-stories following the many minor characters. Current western readers may find that the side stories are a little over-long. Sometimes Musashi is so long out of the story-line that the reader might forget that Musashi is the main character of the book. Also there is a 'magazine-like' cliff-hanger style to many of side stories that gets a little tiring after a while.

Still, these complaints are minor, and I thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone interested in the period.

Here is the Amazon link to the book:

https://www.amazon.com/Musashi-Epic-Novel-Samurai-Era/dp/156836427X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1629303277&sr=8-1
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

Gusington

Thanks AT, been wanting to read Musashi for a long time.


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We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd