Steven Broomfield Posted 28 June , 2009 Share Posted 28 June , 2009 How odd. In our local Waterstone's this morning, I noticed this has been republished ny Pen and sword, at £19.99 (or thereabouts). Why? It's not very good, contains huge inaccuracies (such as Piper McKenzie, VC - sic), and has been supreseded by at least two books (by Nick Lloyd and Nial Cherry) based on primary research and newly-released documents. What justification is there for reprinting a 30 year-old book, with no apparent update (even the photos are the same)? I bought my copy for 50p many years ago, and I've always wished I'd spent the money on booze or birds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 28 June , 2009 Share Posted 28 June , 2009 Does that mean you would not recommend it? As you have said, there are much better books and I am suprised P&S have bothered. sn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 28 June , 2009 Admin Share Posted 28 June , 2009 Not one I would rush out and buy either. Have an old hardback copy, can't remember how much it cost. Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 28 June , 2009 Share Posted 28 June , 2009 Are we seeing the beginning of the filling of shelves with anything that might sell to capitalise on the growing interest in the G.W. as we near the 100th Anniversaries? Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 28 June , 2009 Share Posted 28 June , 2009 I think Steven's summed that up pretty well and in fact, I think I nominated that book on an old thread here which went along the lines of, "What's the worst WW1 book you've read?" I see that I paid eleven pounds for my copy back in 1981 so Steven, don't feel too downhearted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 28 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 28 June , 2009 I remember that thread, Paul (I think I contributed), but I've never managed to master the arcanities of the Forum serach function. And, Mr Smithson, I think you are the most appalling cynic. And the answer for Mr Morse is probably contained in Mr Smithson's answer. Lots of people who don't know better will see it and leap in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 28 June , 2009 Share Posted 28 June , 2009 "And, Mr Smithson, I think you are the most appalling cynic." It comes of spending all your working life with teenagers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 28 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 28 June , 2009 I live with two. I see what you mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 28 June , 2009 Share Posted 28 June , 2009 I'm not being nasty but did Philip Warner actually write any good books? I've flogged off all the ones I ever bought because in my view they were pretty hopeless. I seem to recall that the only ones I thought were half decent were his paperback series on British battlefields, but I've even got rid of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 28 June , 2009 Share Posted 28 June , 2009 I bought Warner's Loos book at the same time as MacDonalds, 1915. Along with Donkeys, I think they were the only readily available books covering the period. There have been a few much better ones since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 28 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 28 June , 2009 Mark, it's interesting you say that. The reprint has a biog of PW, and a long list of his many books, which seem to cover an extremely wide spread of subjects. In itself that might not be a bad thing, but it seems he was not an historian; he turned to history after a career elsewhere (I didn't bother to read too much - life's relatively short). A quick Google suggests P&S might be rolling out a few of his books as reprints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 29 June , 2009 Share Posted 29 June , 2009 Warner had a very varied career: wartime soldier, civil servant in the Treasury and lecturer at RMA Sandhurst. He certainly churned them out. His biography of Auchinleck, 'The Lonely Soldier' used to be considered his major work. However I think it is now regarded as fatally flawed by the rather significant aspects of the Auk's life it chooses to omit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David B Posted 29 June , 2009 Share Posted 29 June , 2009 Can anyone give me a better book on Loos - I had a rel KIA there. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 29 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 29 June , 2009 Niall Cherry's book (IIRC, Most Unfortunate Ground) is a good history of the battle, whereas Nick Lloyd's book (IIRC, The Battle of Loos) is a very good history with more of the 'politics' behind it. Both recommended; the Lloyd probably being the better. I also believe both are available: I bought Lloyd's book in paper back a month or so ago (though my wife doesn't know). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 29 June , 2009 Share Posted 29 June , 2009 P&S have recently reprinted lots of ... ahem... "classics". Some very good ones among them, too. I presume that Warner's Loos, which I agree has been overtaken by more recent scholarly work, falls into this same category. Why reprint these things, I do not know. I don't think any of the ones I have seen reprinted were originally Leo Cooper or P&S titles so perhaps they have acquired some rights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 29 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 29 June , 2009 Just remembered: Niall Cherry's book is Most Unfavourable Ground Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David B Posted 29 June , 2009 Share Posted 29 June , 2009 Thanks guys, I'll have a look around, should be in Oz, if not can try Amazon David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 29 June , 2009 Share Posted 29 June , 2009 Can anyone give me a better book on Loos - I had a rel KIA there. David Gordon Corrigan," Loos 1915: Unwanted Battle". Nick Lloyd, " Loos: 1915". Niall's book as mentioned and a tiny little book in the " Forgotten Battles" series, which I cannot lay my hand on at the moment but I think is simply called " Loos". The appropriate book for 1915 from the Official History is really the best by far. All the facts and background with notes on the German battle etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 I was browsing through the Pen & Sword catalogue this morning and, yes, the Warner book is advertised there. What struck me more forcibly was a book due out this month: it is a groundbreaking piece of research which is sure to challenge the preconceptions of many researchers into the Great War. I give you the title, as advertised, in full - "Tank Action in the Great War. B Battalion's Experiences 1914" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n cherry Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 Gordon Corrigan," Loos 1915: Unwanted Battle". Nick Lloyd, " Loos: 1915". Niall's book as mentioned and a tiny little book in the " Forgotten Battles" series, which I cannot lay my hand on at the moment but I think is simply called " Loos". The appropriate book for 1915 from the Official History is really the best by far. All the facts and background with notes on the German battle etc. Tom, Perhaps on the tip of your tongue.....Michael Gavaghan's pocket book on Loos.....also the two Battleground Europe efforts...... Thanks guys, I'll have a look around, should be in Oz, if not can try Amazon David David, Helion ought to ship MuG down under......they are the publlisher and have a web site etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremym Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 On Loos, Niall Cherry's Most Unfavourable Ground is outstanding. I found Corrigan's book on Loos unreadable - very muddled and not well written. I agree with all the criticisms of Philip Warner's book. However, it does have one virtue. He was just in time to harvest the recollections of many of those who took part in the Battle of Loos. Of course, they were recollections through the prism of some 60 years or so, but they do provide a vivid set of memories. jeremym (Jeremy Mitchell) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddell Posted 30 June , 2009 Share Posted 30 June , 2009 Oops, My mum gave me a copy of Warner's "Passchendale" recently, again a Pen & Sword reprint. Does this book stack up better than the "Loos" book? Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 1 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 1 July , 2009 Dunno, Scott - Loos was bad enough to deter me from anything else by him, I'm afraid. There are so many good books about Passchendaele that I really don't see why Warner's would be worth having. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddell Posted 1 July , 2009 Share Posted 1 July , 2009 Sounds bad Steve. Might move it to the bottom of the pile. Is Warner's writing that bad? Scott. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxy Posted 1 July , 2009 Share Posted 1 July , 2009 Scott, I'm not sure that the issue is with Warner's writing; it is just the words and the order that he uses them. Roxy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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