Graham Stewart Posted 12 May , 2006 Share Posted 12 May , 2006 Just finished not a WWI title, but again a superb book "Sahib - the British Soldier in India" by Richard Holmes. Without a doubt one of the best books regarding the British Army in recent years. Richards style of writing is like his TV documentary's and you're always wanting to know more. His use of archive material is outstanding and he really brings this book to life and it's as though he narrating to you in person, at least that how I felt when reading it. Since my interest in the British Army lies beyond the battlefields of France and Flanders, I place this volume in high regard and highly recommend it to those with similar interests. If there's one continent in this world where British bones lie as thick as those France & Flanders, then that place is India and yet battle casualties there paled compared to those who died of disease. As quoted;- In 1853, H.M.'s 70th, which marchrd to a cholera camp near Cawnpore, lost two officers, 344 men, 37 wives and 99 children." A fascinating and sadly, almost forgotten period of British military history. Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrynee Posted 13 May , 2006 Share Posted 13 May , 2006 Have just re-read Birdsong and have found myself really moved (again) by Sebastian Faulk's treatment of the war and the psychological impact it had on this who fought in it. Like many (if not all) of us, he recognises the first day on the Somme as a real fracture point in history, but goes further in that he suggests it was a fructure point in the natural order, even in humanity itself. It's not military history, there's no talk of regiments and batallions, just of a man, his experiences and the lives, deaths and experiences of those around him. It's a fascinating insight, and one for your suitcase this summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 13 May , 2006 Share Posted 13 May , 2006 and it's a damn site more interesting than "Fiscal framework for social inclusion and health within local government 2004-5" which is what I am supposed to reading!) Really I couldn't put it down,real edge of the seat stuff!!! Just picked up this morning on the local Cats Protection stall{see I do have a heart..........}:~ "Jihad" by Tom Carew,basically his life story & joining 7RHA Parachute Brigade,so far,but will move on to UK involvement in Afghanistan against the Soviets{we were never there.........Oh yes we were }So far so good,Only read first three chapters waiting for the Bus home! Not WW1 but seemingly a good read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 13 May , 2006 Share Posted 13 May , 2006 ,Only read first three chapters waiting for the Bus home! Blimey, rural travel really is a problem up in the Fens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 13 May , 2006 Share Posted 13 May , 2006 John Jackson I think it's a bit harsh to say the book was unsurprisingly unpublished for years Fair go, Spike. It didn't do it for me, I'm afraid, but I accept it is a valuable addition to the library for the shop floor viewpoint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 17 May , 2006 Share Posted 17 May , 2006 Bought a second hand hard back copy of Covenant With Death by Harris at the shop at Delville Wood - no dust jacket and a bit of damage on the covers but not bad for £6.50. Giving it a read through and still hard to put down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrieduncan Posted 17 May , 2006 Share Posted 17 May , 2006 One went on ebay recently for about £30 if I remember right. Nice bargain! I just got a delivery of 5 books in yesterday, looking forward to getting started on them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 18 May , 2006 Share Posted 18 May , 2006 I'm almost ashamed to say this, but I'm reading a book whose title I can't even remember! It's a Falklands-based actioner by Chris Ryan; my daughter has got it out of the library and thought I might enjoy it. As I was re-reading Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde), I felt a bit of a pleb, but gave it a go. Read about half of it at bedtime last night - can't wait for bedtime tonight...most fun I've had in bed for about 20 years ( )........certainly a bit more butch than Oscar Wilde. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Seyns Posted 18 May , 2006 Share Posted 18 May , 2006 Excursion to hell, Vincent Bramley. Not abou WWI or II but the Falklands. Nice book. Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxy Posted 18 May , 2006 Share Posted 18 May , 2006 I've just finished proofing a Pals book on the 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers which was harder work than I'd expected. Back to 'The Pity of War' which I'm finding a bit hard going. Maybe I'm not cut out for this reading lark. Roxy PS Good luck, Ciaran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audax Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 I', currently reading Philip Warner's 'Passchendaele' published by Pen & Sword Military Classics in 2005. I' m up to page 70. I would be interested to hear members views on this book; does it deserve to be regarded as a classic? Thanks A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkalotloudly Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 "salute of guns" by Boyd and "The Paris gun" by Wilson both very worthwhile and interesting in different ways regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 i am half way through Cheerful Sacrifice by Jonathan Nicholls which tells the story of the battle of arras 1917 which i have found very informative and then will be going onto Hot Blood and Cold Steel by Andy Simpson which also tells the story of life in the trenchesof the first world war, then i hope to read the numourus books about my former regiment 1 King's Regiment, this will keep me very busy and hope to learn alot more about this research i am doing. Please let meknow if you think i should be reading other books about researching arras and the trenchs i would be very greatful keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 Just finished 'A Soldier's Life' (John Lee's biog of Gen Sir Ian Hamilton) and now dipping into Admiral Bacon's autobiographical 'From 1900 Onward' while waiting for Amazon to deliver Peter Barton's book of Somme panoramas, to read alongside Christopher Duffy's 'Through German Eyes: the British and the Somme 1916'. Could Barkalotloudly please post more details of Wilson's 'The Paris Gun'. I have Henry W Miller's 'The Paris Gun' (Harrap, 1930) and wonder whether I now need to read Wilson as well. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 Currently about 100 pages through David Stevenson's 1914-1918. Very well researched and written so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 I', currently reading Philip Warner's 'Passchendaele' published by Pen & Swrod Military Classics in 2005. I' m up to page 70. I would be interested to hear members views on this book; does it deserve to be regarded as a classic? Thanks A Your post made me pluck my copy (Sidgwick and Jackson softback edition of 1988 ) off my bookshelf and thumb through it again. I seem to remember thinking it was good at the time, now I'll reread it. I've just started Graves again, after reading Richards and Sassoon, before winding up with Dunn, jsut to get the RWF over with for a few years. Which gives the best picture, or are they all complementary? cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxy Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 Just started Correlli Barnett's 'the great war'. Thoroughly enjoyable and easy to read so far. Roxy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 Having a rest from reading about the Great War: Dombey and Son. Can't beat a bit of Dickens. Incidentally, the positive comments about Warner's Passchendaele book surprise me - there has been a thread running, on and off, about his book on Loos. Personally, one of the worst books I've seen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 General Jack's diary - fascinating read I would be most interested to read the chunks which John Terraine removed in the editing Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 Thiepval Battle ground Somme by Michael Stedman... just genning up should I get over to check on a grave or two of family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 30 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 October , 2006 I am actually starting With a Machine Gun to Cambrai. It was a toss up between this and Death's Men. I'll finish both, I think I am just in the mood for a personal account. Having a rest from reading about the Great Wa! Actually been away from most things Great War recently as well, including my books. Although a slight foray into the Napoleonic era was very interesting. I', currently reading Philip Warner's 'Passchendaele' published by Pen & Sword Military Classics in 2005. I' m up to page 70. I would be interested to hear members views on this book; does it deserve to be regarded as a classic? Not sure about a classic, but a very good book indeed. I think the modern edition may have some interesting updates that are not in the early 80s edition. I have heard similarly poor reviews on their Loos book as well though which seems interesting. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 30 October , 2006 Share Posted 30 October , 2006 New bio of HL Mencken, quite good, last week Ivan's War about ordinary Red Army men WW2 good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 30 October , 2006 Share Posted 30 October , 2006 I', currently reading Philip Warner's 'Passchendaele' published by Pen & Sword Military Classics in 2005. I' m up to page 70. I would be interested to hear members views on this book; does it deserve to be regarded as a classic? Thanks A To pick this up again, if you're looking for a classic on this subject, go no further than Leon Wolff's 'In Flanders Fields', getting on for 50 years old now, which first reminded the post WW2 generation what WW1 was like. cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paullaw1155 Posted 30 October , 2006 Share Posted 30 October , 2006 Just received "The Somme" ninety years on.Looks like it will be another BEST BOOK of mine. Very impressed with the presentation of the book. Same size of book as John Giles "Then and Now books. Only read a few pages and browsed through it. Added bonus is the DVD Wished my wife had spotted it before me and got it for me as a suprise christmas present I would have been very pleased with it. I keep promising to myself to stop buying books on the Great War (Western Front) but when books of this quality appear I can not resist purchasing. This is my fourth war book purchase this year. Finished reading Battlefields of the First world war (with the two panaromic Dvd's) A big book to read and a little hard going in places but still a favorite. A rest from Great war books after this, Going to read Peter Kay's biography a very funny book I am told. Cheers Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter-t Posted 31 October , 2006 Share Posted 31 October , 2006 Bought "Gallipoli - The Fatal Shore" by Harvey Broadbent some weeks ago and have finally made a start on it. Read the first 100 pages at one go, didn't want to put it down! I know the bare bones of the campaign, but have never read a book on it before. It is really well written and grips the reader. I didn't fall asleep once, though I normally do nod off when reading! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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