Mega Thread The book thread.

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I don't know if anyone else does this - they absolutely fixate on a period in history and read everything and anything available on it then move on to something else. For me, it was Tudor England in 2011, Freud in 2012 (not historical), Qing Dynasty in 2013 and now Kennedy Family in 2014/15.

I have read way, way too many books on JFK/Kennedys' but surprisingly none on his assassination. One of my absolute - absolute favourites is Ted Kennedy's 'True Compass', and Clint Hill's 'Mrs. Kennedy and Me.' Blaine's 'The Kennedy Detail' was also very interesting.

As for the books more removed from the immediate family - I liked Matthew's 'Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero.' Conversely, I hated anything by Dallek because I find he has a hard time keeping his own personal opinions in check. Way too many presumption and opinions presented as facts.
 
CLUBMEDhurst said:
Thanks for the response John. Kinda reinforces what I believed about the etymolgy of the Cornish. The PoBI study's bloody amazing.
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medusala said:
As per John, I think there is quite a bit of evidence to suggest that they remained outside the anglo saxon sphere as an independent kingdom for quite a while.
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You peeps read this in the Telegraph? Very interesting.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/sci...-tribal-kingdoms-Oxford-University-finds.html
 

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If there is one thing I cannot stand when reading a biography of any sort is when the author's own personal opinion shapes their language, evidence and intent. You cannot ever remove bias as an author because it subtly permeates the writing, but that shouldn't detract from presenting historical facts as facts and assumptions as opinions.

Writer 'Kitty Kelley' - and I use that term very loosely, is responsible for some of the biggest garbage I've ever come across. Don't ever pick up any book of hers. I use that term 'book' very loosely too, it's more fitting as toilet paper.
 
medusala said:
Yes I did. Odd/surprising the clear differences between Cornwall / Devon etc

Also (apologies if I asked before but I forget) have you seen/ heard of this? Sounds interesting.

http://www.amazon.com/Why-Germany-Nearly-Won-History/dp/1442236868
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Elmet was the one that got me intrigued. Love to do this DNA thing. My mothers father is Irish Scots and her mother can trace her ancestry to the West Sussex / Hampshire border. My father mother were from Reading and his father was the illegitimate son of a Jewish east ender. makes a heady mix.


I have not read it but was aware of the discussions around it. I suspect that I will not read it considering 1) how much I have on the shelves, and 2) based on the discussions I read about the reasoning I think it may not be that new a theory. As much as these type of theories are interesting IMO they dont hold up. Once Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union it was all over. The Soviets had plenty in reserve past the Urals. Also the industrial might of the US was not to be sneezed at. Plenty discussed elsewhere on this and in the end alternative history is not my idea of history discussion anyway. May as well read Sci fi but thats just me. If you do read it though I am interested in your conclusions.

What I am reading and think you may have read or at least know of is Tooze's Wages of Destruction. Only about 70 pages in and will be slow going as it is a fill in at the moment but so far fascinating.
 
vonn said:
If there is one thing I cannot stand when reading a biography of any sort is when the author's own personal opinion shapes their language, evidence and intent. You cannot ever remove bias as an author because it subtly permeates the writing, but that shouldn't detract from presenting historical facts as facts and assumptions as opinions.

Writer 'Kitty Kelley' - and I use that term very loosely, is responsible for some of the biggest garbage I've ever come across. Don't ever pick up any book of hers. I use that term 'book' very loosely too, it's more fitting as toilet paper.
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I have to admit to never having heard of Kitty Kelley. I will steer clear as it looks more like celebrity bio to me.
 
John said:
What I am reading and think you may have read or at least know of is Tooze's Wages of Destruction. Only about 70 pages in and will be slow going as it is a fill in at the moment but so far fascinating.
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I have heard of it but not read it. Just got in on Amazon, thanks for the tip.
 
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I am unable to recommend this highly enough to those that enjoy a mix of history and travel. Utterly superb. If I thought that A Time of Gifts was a great book this may be a touch more compelling and deserves all superlative thrown at it by the critics. It is hard not to be envious of Patrick Leigh Fermor, a life that was adventurous beyond anything that the average person could comprehend. It is not the famous events, such as kidnapping German generals on Crete that make me envious though, it is his seeing and his beautiful description of a world that no longer exists. In this book he travels in Hungary and Romania in a world that was disgustingly pounded to non existent pulp by Nazism a few short years later. We can even add at the (bitter) end of this book the eventual submergence of the island of Ada Kelah and all the other places of interest when the Iron Gates dam was built in 1970. He writes a short final appendix at the end lamenting these loss's due to the dam. His prose would not be out of place for anywhere destroyed at any time. Now onto the final chapter of his travels, The Broken Road.
 
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GoldenHodge said:
Does anyone know of/recommend any good books about 18th and 19th Century American History?
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This is so not my area but I have read the very good Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee and have a battered copy of The Penguin History of The US that I have thumbed for specific areas of interest but never really read in its entirety.

Barnes and Noble look to have a good coverage of the subject and have David McCullough on those lists whose 1776 I read nothing but praise for generally.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/?category_id=393412

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/?category_id=831801
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/?category_id=831801
Goodreads has lots of reviews from the general reader so i recommend that if you need to research.
 

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GoldenHodge said:
Does anyone know of/recommend any good books about 18th and 19th Century American History?
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I recommend you go on a site like goodreads who group and show you recommendations of books from people who have read them
 
The_Reaper said:
I have a sudden urge* to read books about Manchus.

Can't really find any unfortunately

*Mostly related to a game of EUIV
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What is it exactly you want to know? Your best bet is to go look for documentaries. If you be more specific I can link you. I personally find it impossible to read Chinese history in English (not that I can read it in Chinese.) There are words, ideas and positions that cannot fully be translated. Mostly though, it's remembering the Names e.g. Aisin-Gioro Qianlong who used to be Hongli who was a First Class Prince or something. It doesn't make any sense in English, can you imagine reading that over and over again? Especially when they change their names. Don't even get me started on the brothers and how similar they are too :p If it wasn't for the fact I translate those names to Chinese in my head I would not make it past the second page.
 
Finished The Broken Road, the final of the trilogy of Patrick Leigh Fermors wonderful tales of history and travel through Europe prewar. The Broken Road actually finishes mid sentence as he passed on prior to finishing. Artemis Cooper his biographer was able to secure excerpts from his diary's to finish the book. Surprisingly not in Constantinople but Mount Athos.

I have enjoyed these 3 books so much that I have grabbed PLF's other travel tomes of his time in Greece, Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese and Roumeli: Travels in Northern Greece. I have also added his Bio to the reading list as well. PLF is a highly recommended author.

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medusala said:
Re Afghanistan, have you read the below? I thought it was excellent. Most enjoyable reading.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Great-Game-Secret-Service/dp/0719564476
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Riveting, utterly riveting!. Half way though and unputdownable. And with that in mind have taken CLUBMEDhurst recommendation and today purchased the Dalprymple tome on the same subject.


CLUBMEDhurst said:
Best I've read for a long time is:

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Dalrymple is an engaging master storyteller. He breathes life into the multitude of characters in the book.......... absolute page-turner.


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Prior to starting The Great Game I read From The Holy Mountain by Dalrymple. Also riveting and will not only read Return of A King but also The Last Mughal. In fact I think I will read his entire oeuvre. On one book alone you summed him up beautifully. Splendid writer if From The Holy Mountain is hardly rated as one of his better books.


Also reading The Marsh Arabs by Wilfred Thesiger and A Short History of Byzantine by John Julius Norwich and I also highly recommend these as well. Splendid readings.

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"A Short History of Byzantine by John Julius Norwich"

I have read that and thought it excellent. They don't mind a blinding or two!
 
PANZER COMMANDER the memoirs of Colonel Hans Von Luck is a good read. I love reading about the German pov. He spends a lot of his career under Erwin Rommel. Fights in the push for Poland and France during the blitzkrieg years, moves to the Eastern Front against the Russians, then is called by Rommel to North Africa to join the Africa Korps. Then onto the Western Front to take on the Normandy landing. Great book and good insights on Rommel, arguably one of the greatest generals of all time.
 
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