What we all reading at the moment

[Mark Hone]

Go on Paul, have a go (says Hone, waving you on from the safety of the trenches). I have read parts of Mosier's book and came away with the no doubt mistaken assumption that he is stark staring bonkers. Is his next book about how Hitler won the Second World War?

[paul guthrie]

Mark the book so so bad it's embarassing some of our members actually asked to have him speak. He's an after dinner speaker too so in addtion to my usual dislike for this very bad joke of a book I will have beer on board! I just will not listen. To go into specifics I would have to at least skim it again and I will not do it. God it's so bad, the man is completely unqualified and it shows.

[Guest Hill 60]

On the other hand, I've just finished a great book.

'Men of 18 in 1918', by Frederick James Hodges was a wonderful read. I just spent 2 hours finishing it off, whilst sitting in the backgarden in the sun .

The way Fred conjures up the scene, without going into drawn-out dialogue is superb. When I can afford it, I will get my own copy...or I might lose the library copy I've got

[paul guthrie]

What makes this thread so elongated and hard to read? I dont know nothing about machinery!

[mordac]

Hi Paul:

Egbert's original scan of the book's dust jacket is larger than 600 pixels in width. This causes the complete page for this thread to comply with the width of the attachment. This is why the request has come from Terry and others to keep attachments at 600 pixels or less.

Garth

[Frank_East]

I thought I recognised the theme.

"How the Germans won the battles and the Americans saved the Allies"

John Mosier's book is available in the UK published by Profile Books Ltd.

As newspapers you don't have to believe what you read in books although scientific and technology publications give us some reassurance with validity.

Nial Ferguson criticises the book but gives it false praise in my opinion when he states, "I do fundamentally disagree with Mosier's conclusion that the American contribution to the defeat of Germany was decisive, but there is much else in the book that I really admire,not least its brilliant recasting of the traditional military narrative"

Something similar to after a job interview."I'm sorry to say you have not got the post but you have done awfully well".

For an intriguing book,is it fact or opinion?, have a look at Double Standards.The Rudolf Hess Cover Up,an account of the appeasement era by the British establishment during the 1930s spilling over to the "years alone" of WW2.There is the added spice of the involvement of a few Great War players featured from time to time on this forum.

Regards

Frank East

[egbert]

As I said, I am only 2/3 through! But now Paul makes me so damn curious - I will continue reading it Sunday on my way transatlantic to WWI sites in the Alps – until the US comes to the rescue? I am still smiling about Paul's outcry and vivid condemn of this author. Either the author is truly bad, or - Paul is one of the guys who really doesn't like to touch myths. Let's wait and see. But a few of you folks probably got appetite upon such harsh "critics" and will get the book to judge yourself

P.S. I just turned from silent smiling to laughter

[Staffsyeoman]

Mosier's book reminds me of a quote from either Groucho Marx or Mark Twain.... (?)

"This is not a book which should be put down lightly. No. It should be picked up and thrown with great force."

Denis Winter's 'Haig's Command' is a model of debate by comparison.

I find it... chucklesome.. that Niall Ferguson is the dustjacket rentaquote. I have two history degrees. I bought 'Pity of War' and gave up after 150 laborious pages. Ferguson is not an historian, he's an 'economic historian'. Stick to the history of economics, professor.

[Guest JoyLFC]

On the subject of Denis Winter and Haig. I always wanted to see Denis Winter and John Terrain together on the same stage debating this subject. There would I think have been a waiting list for tickets.