spike10764 Posted 27 February , 2004 Share Posted 27 February , 2004 My wife throws out anything that is not nailed down(or hers). As a boy I had a collection of fiction, that had to go. I've hidden the very few books I want to keep, and make use of the local library. I have them searching far and wide for Great War books and pester them to order new ones also. Motto-The Local Library, use it or lose it....... (oh and don't marry for a tidiness freak-unless it's true love) Spike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gem22 Posted 27 February , 2004 Share Posted 27 February , 2004 I guess I must be really lucky. My wife doesn't care how many books I buy. Reading is my hobby and she appreciates; just as I appreciate her need to have a hobby. If I run out of shelf space I get a new bookcase; my children have grown up and left home; we have a three bedroom house with a converted loft (including extra joists) and so no problem with storage. So a few hundred books doesn't look too bad. About 260 of them are strictly ww1; about 12 of them are Battleground Europe; about 150 are personal accounts ranging from Marshals Foche and French to Privates Fraser and Richards; and about 70 are waiting to be read and 10 or so are dipped into for reference purposes. I do read the personal accounts from cover to cover because I'm still trying to understand why the troops fought on under such appalling conditions ( as was discussed in another thread). To not read them thoroughly would do the authors a disservice in my eyes. Even though I spent rather a long time in the RAF I still find it hard to believe people put up with the conditions those young men had to contend with. But until I truly understand I guess I'll have to keep reading more books; anyway it's an inheritance for my lads. By the way if any one has a copy of Sassoon's "Memoirs of a fox-hunting man" that needs a good home I can offer it one. I recently started Memoirs of an Infantry officer but I had to put it down until I've read 'fox-hunting ' because it doesn' make sense when read in isolation. Garth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 27 February , 2004 Share Posted 27 February , 2004 I counted, 283 WW1 books, wish I had room for more shelves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger Posted 27 February , 2004 Share Posted 27 February , 2004 I’ve got 20 Great War titles + 13 Osprey’s 64 Napoleonic + 69 Osprey’s 7 War of 1812 + 3 Osprey’s And 30 various military history subjects the majority being WW2 Oh my word thats 206 plus an army of miniature soldiers, no wonder the kids are sick of jam and bread. Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gem22 Posted 27 February , 2004 Share Posted 27 February , 2004 Roger et al Surely having all those Osprey's around plays havoc with the local fish population. Do none of your neighbours mind? Garth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger Posted 27 February , 2004 Share Posted 27 February , 2004 Roger et al Surely having all those Osprey's around plays havoc with the local fish population. Playing havoc with the bookshelf space. but they don't make as much mess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biplane pilot Posted 27 February , 2004 Share Posted 27 February , 2004 Only 46 here in "winter quarters" but probably 20+ more "at home." Most of the at-hand volumes are reference for a couple of my own projects but a few are old friends with particular passages that I enjoy reading periodically. Speaking of Osprey: the aircraft series editor says that more Great War titles are pending. They include the Storks and N.124; Vol. 2 of the D.VII, and the Schustas. The latter is especially a much-needed study. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 27 February , 2004 Share Posted 27 February , 2004 Roger et al Surely having all those Osprey's around plays havoc with the local fish population. Do none of your neighbours mind? : Garth Better the soprey than the evil kitty hawk! What bad birds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolas G. Posted 27 February , 2004 Share Posted 27 February , 2004 Hello, I am just at the beginning of an "accumulation" ! With around 40 books... Here is the list, of course many in French : http://www.chez.com/hamel1418/livresguerre.htm Nicolas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somme1916 Posted 27 February , 2004 Author Share Posted 27 February , 2004 It's not how many books you have that matters, it's how many you have either read, learnt and inwardly digested or have used as reference I could not agree with you more Martin, I can say I've read every one of my books, well except for the 9 OH, I only dip into them for references, I think my brain would explod if I sat down to read one from start to finish Annette I too have either read all or part of each of the books in question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 27 February , 2004 Share Posted 27 February , 2004 I read the good ones multiple times. Have read 1 volume OH through, Somme after July 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Burgoyne Posted 27 February , 2004 Share Posted 27 February , 2004 Paul & Jon you've read a OH from start to finish, wow that some heavy reading. I guess I've read about 3/4 of each one but not in order, by that I mean I'll read twenty or so pages covering a date that I am looking into, then I'll read ten covering another date in a different vol. depending on what battle and Battalion I am working on (this as been over a five or six year span). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 27 February , 2004 Share Posted 27 February , 2004 If you can stand to do it, the OHs can make compelling reading from cover-to-cover. I found that the two editions that predominantly deal with the German Spring offensives of 1918 were particularly powerful. The constant retreats, forming up, units coming together, decision-making on the move - riveting stuff. By reading them all the way through, you get a real sense of the drama. The second OH of the Somme battles is also a favourite. You get a real sense of the dramatic moments, such as the attack on Bazentin Ridge, interspersed with the slow grind against High Wood, Delville Wood, Pozieres Ridge, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen White Posted 28 February , 2004 Share Posted 28 February , 2004 I only bought my first WW1 related title at the begining of December,but my total stands at 15,i'm averaging 1 book a week at the moment. (this weeks purchase was "The Donkey's" by Alan Clarke). Steven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 28 February , 2004 Share Posted 28 February , 2004 112 here on the shelves, probably about another 50 in storage. I didn't realize I was a collector until a few months ago. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 16 October , 2004 Share Posted 16 October , 2004 I claim the T-Shirt (if there is one.) As of lunchtime today, I own 4,328 books about the Great War Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 16 October , 2004 Share Posted 16 October , 2004 Tom, Owning a bookshop doesna' count Man. Aye Malcolm ps. any old ones you want to give away............................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larneman Posted 16 October , 2004 Share Posted 16 October , 2004 There must be a lot of books to be had after viewing all the posting on this thread. Does anyone know of a website or a database that contains the names of WW1 books. I would like to buy cheap secondhand copies but then I need to know their names. Liam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salientpoints Posted 17 October , 2004 Share Posted 17 October , 2004 There must be a lot of books to be had after viewing all the posting on this thread. Does anyone know of a website or a database that contains the names of WW1 books. I would like to buy cheap secondhand copies but then I need to know their names. Liam There are bibliographies published on ww1 & ww2 titles. Not up to date unfortunately as there are hundres and thousands of books published every year... But may be worth getting a copy of "A Subject Bibliography Of The First World War: Books In English 1914 To 1978." by Enser., A.G. Then check out the net for various websites for military titles since, for example on my website you will find a lot of title lists for the last year. Cheers Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 17 October , 2004 Share Posted 17 October , 2004 I'm afraid you're all beaten into a cocked hat by an American friend of mine who has a staggering collection of Great War books, including first editions, signed copies etc. He's not a millionare by any means, he just has an amazing knack of finding them at second-hand book fairs and junk shops. Every time I visit him I become bright green with envy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AthollHighlander Posted 17 October , 2004 Share Posted 17 October , 2004 I have a relatively modest 34 books on various Great War topics and a number for WW2 also. Recently my "collecting" has accelerated. My good lady just looks to the heavens as more and more parcels are delivered. I enjoy searching S/H bookshops and charity shops for little gems tucked away. Bought a 6 vol collection for £25 called A Popular History of the Great War/The Fleetway House London Edited by Sir J A Hammerton and is in the editors words "to be regarded as an original narrative of the most astounding events in the history of the modern world" Can anyone pinpoint when printed? appears to be a fairly contempory account. so think probably early 1920s. Well worth having anyway. Atholl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayne w Posted 17 October , 2004 Share Posted 17 October , 2004 My Goodness! As a newcomer to the forum I'm amazed at all that knowledge you have all gleaned from those books. I have about 20 or so and feel I'm just beginning. At the risk of sounding stupid could someone enlighten me as to what Ospreys are (apart from the feathered variety of course) and also is an OH an offical history? I have been glued to this site as soon as I discovered it - you are all so helpful!! And I'm truly impressed at the vast amount of expertise that is out there. Any suggestions for my Christmas list? Thanks to Chris & Doug who responded to my first post. Thanks Jayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salientpoints Posted 17 October , 2004 Share Posted 17 October , 2004 My Goodness! As a newcomer to the forum I'm amazed at all that knowledge you have all gleaned from those books. I have about 20 or so and feel I'm just beginning. At the risk of sounding stupid could someone enlighten me as to what Ospreys are (apart from the feathered variety of course) and also is an OH an offical history? I have been glued to this site as soon as I discovered it - you are all so helpful!! And I'm truly impressed at the vast amount of expertise that is out there. Any suggestions for my Christmas list? Thanks to Chris & Doug who responded to my first post. Thanks Jayne I hope this is what you are referring to: http://www.osprey-publishing.co.uk/ Cheers Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hambo Posted 20 October , 2004 Share Posted 20 October , 2004 About 400 Great War books and a couple of dozen copies of old magazines. New bookcase under constuction as I type. Problem is finding the one you want! Hambo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 24 October , 2004 Share Posted 24 October , 2004 I knew I had a few but didn't dare count in case the Missus realised how many I actually have!! But now I've bitten the bullet and counted (secretly) and found I have 120 in my collection. 100 of these specifically relate to Australia's involvement. Tim L. P.S. Please keep this a secret from my wife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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