Tag: Book Reviews

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Book Reviews Military History

Open another front in support your local bookshop day

Today is another one of those event days – actually I guess there are more than 365 event days celebrated so every day is probably an event day these days. Wow that a lot of days in one sentence!

I am currently reading Desperate Venture by Norman Gelb. It is a book about the WW2 North African Invasion by allied forces in 1942. Invasion is a moot point given the Allies aimed to meet no material resistance from the Vichy French holding this colonial part of the French Empire.

Of course everyone knows what happened – or do they? The Normandy landings 18 months or so later tend to crowd out other WW2 stories: It’s not just the forgotten 14th army and everyone else fighting the Japanese in Asia who get less coverage.

Which is unfortunate because Operation Torch enabled the Normandy landings to be an outstanding success. Well that’s my untutored view. Norman Gelb is in the “Torch delayed the Normandy landings and that the war with Germany ran two years more than necessary” camp.

Yet his book is an excellent read – pacey but full of content – he makes every word count. Although I have yet to finish the book, I can recommend it. If you buy just one book from a war and politics perspective on the North African campaign then this is spot on.

I have written about other Operation Torch books in previous posts as well as books on the high street and other book event days. All grist to the mill as they say.

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/2021/12/06/the-politician-the-general-with-the-secret-agent-take-three-books/

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/2023/02/22/on-the-high-street-23b-2/

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/2021/03/04/tfls-sharp-practice-on-world-book-day/

Yes I did buy desperate venture from a bookshop but not my local one and it was a charity shop so I guess they might not really count. But then again if you’re reading printed material that’s good: If you’re reading printed material bought in a bricks and mortar shop then thats great!

Categories
Book Reviews Military History

National book day

It’s ironic that a book about US naval activity in the Mediterranean at the end of the Napoleonic era helps you understand that US policies in its early years were most concerned about defining its own sphere of influence in the Americas.

Beyond that small matter the book is a great read and provides a superb counterpoint to the European aspects of the Napoleonic wars.

Given the US/British wars in North America at the time the story of the US naval fleet actions in the Mediterranean is studded with political and military risk.

The author takes us along at a good pace yet not without plenty of detail.

Given its trans national terrorism theme this is not a dusty old story to be consigned to a historical backwater.

Categories
Book Reviews

The Restless Republic

My spread and speed of reading books has declined in recent years. I have been more selective in reading around my interests.

A good example are the various books I have discovered covering the European wars of 1848/49 and 1859/60.

Out of the blue when I was in Fowey in the local bookshop I noticed a book about the english civil wars. Or rather it was a book about the British Isles – Ireland, Scotland and England.

This is not just another book about the wars of the mid seventeenth century, that afflicted the whole archipelago.

It starts with Charles I losing his head and ends with the restoration. Thats the eleven years which military history tends to skip along with the fifteen leading up to the Monmouth rebellion in 1685 – soon followed by the Glorious Revolution.

The book in question is not the usual chronological journey. It does get you from 1649 to 1660. Time jumps about in the process.

The main structure is aimed squarely at a series of characters who have their own individual stories, contribute to the timeline and in a very neat way interweave their stories. That last achievement is the author’s. The background effort to realise this construction must be significant.

Now the important bit. This book is steeped in knowledge and detail yet the author has stripped that all down so you have an easy read.

I read this book in about five chunks over a month. Which is saying something for me – extensive reading sessions have not been my style.

I got into this book easily and it kept me page turning in a way I have not for a long time.

I read about a period that had not previously attracted me, I was thoroughly involved in the author’s chosen journey and I really enjoyed it.

Categories
Book Reviews Military History

Between the Land and the Sea

Published by Chatham Publishing in association with the National Maritime Museum this hard back book of 250 plus pages takes a highly selective trip through the Royal Naval presence in land war.

13 chapters – 3 about the Napoleonic era, 4 from mid 19th Century then 3 concerning the period 1896 – 1919 . Finally two from World War Two and one from 1999.

My interest was caught by two chapters. One about the 1840 Syrian campaign and then one about the 1855 action at Sweaborg in the Baltic. The Chapter on Walcheren 1944 then popped up.

£2 paid so worth a look.

A well produced well illustrated hardback complete with relevant maps
One theme is the technology used in land actions by the Royal Navy – image National Maritime Museum

Each chapter covers a specific event so this is not a history as such.

Also there is a limited bibliography – but clear use of archive documents instead.

And the episodes provide some political context as well. Not least why the Navy did not have this or that when set a task. Also you get some perspective in government “interference”.

In a way this book has served two purposes.

  • providing insight on land oriented coastal naval actions.
  • giving ideas about potential for “counterfactual” events – something that interests me for my mid 19th century wargaming.

The book has a decent selection of images most of which are new to me.

But none quite like this one from my copy of a Times Illustrated commemoration of the coronation of King Edward VII in August 1902.

Categories
Book Reviews Military History wargaming

Reinforcements 2

Yet more reading matter has arrived for my current flavour – the Anglo Saxons. I should say Anglo-Saxons here is deemed to cover Northumbrians, Mercians, East Anglians, West, East, South Saxons and the men of Kent. And of course their top adversaries – the vikings.

Tom Holland authored Athelstan in penguins monarchs series; Harriet Harvey Wood has chosen Edward the Elder as the focus of “the making of England”; “The age of Athelstan” by Paul Hill is one of his 4 books that look at the world of the anglo saxons; “Cometh the Hour” by Annie Whitehead is a novel about the Mercians.

So currently I have just finished Paul Hills “The Anglo Saxons at War 800 – 1066” and Gareth Willams Osprey No27 Combat series book – “Viking Warrior versus Anglo-Saxon Warrior”.

And there are yet more books for me to read

On impulse I bought this book having read about anglo saxon fortifications in Paul Harris’ anglo saxon warfare 800-1066 – one thing leads to another……
I already had part 1 and my currently parked Normans in the South project must include some stone castles surely?
stretching the boundaries of my self imposed dark age end date of 1100 but again there are some books that I find I cant resist – Medieval Italian warfare being one theme.
At the other end of the period we have the romans. I have enjoyed both authors through their other publications. They seem happy to go out on a limb and it does not hurt to read about contrary thinking when it comes to history or archeaology for that matter.
I like Francis Pryor and this is a book that I have meant to read many times – now I have no excuse.
And wargames rules – well I can’t resist. Another Neil Shuck recommendation. I have read through it and will hopefully give it a go maybe using my dark age armies when they are ready.
strelets 1/72 anglo saxons gathering…..