Too many book cases and shelves to photograph, but a second shelf started falling off the wall today and needed repair! They don't make walls like they used to. Chris
Adam, that's why most of my books reside on my nook. Between my wife and myself we were running out of space.
I wonder if this display of book collections is really a good idea or if it might lead to a knock on the door ? The bookcase of the murderer of M.P. Jo Cox has been used as evidence in court (I trust that sharing one of the photos here will not be in breach of copyright as it is taken from Police evidence ?) The Guardian didn't hestitate to imply that he was guilty as charged.... "The man accused of the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox stored books about German military history" Although the contents of my shelves relate predominantly to British, French and Belgian forces, I shall certainly have to consider hiding Frieser's 'Blitzkrieg Legend' if we have visitors...::-(
I laughed at that listening to the radio earlier, Rich. Books on the SS! Maybe a smattering of German militaria! Many of us are, apparently, halfway to murder... Perhaps a returning market for bookcase facades. Hide the Panzer books behind some nice Enid Blyton & Agatha Christie spines. Asking out of the corner of your mouth for 'The special stuff' when visiting military history bookshops, and not meaning rare regimental histories... Osprey books, about... flags, maybe a copy of Hohne's Order of the Death's Head in a brown paper bag.
The way things are looking, it would have been better if Dad had thrown the eagle badges in the channel and brought back the Mauser. It's pretty poor journalism from a national newspaper, isn't it ? Still, at least the tabloids managed to avoid mentioning that the victim was English and the killer was an immigrant.
Never mind all those books on Germans...he has a book on who shot Jfk, obviously he is a conspiracy theorist and not a murdering lunatic!
It's hopefully just the way of 'the news cycle', isn't it. Easy detail hook: Sensationalise, use to make a point, maybe getting ignored by more nuanced assessments of 'some stuff', maybe firing up those who like to be fired up, or would have been fired up anyway. Had a politics lecturer who was definitely 'interested in extremism'. Could even be termed an extremist in his interest in extremists. His office shelves were chokka with an eye-watering selection of history's genuinely alarming books, some of which you really did wonder at the source. Doubtless the authorities are preparing a raid as we speak. File photo of a news cycle:
I hope there's going to be an amnesty to give us a chance before they come and take us away. Though it would be rather ironic if they burned the books...
I have books in foreign languages. I don't think there will be an amnesty for those. Burnit means burnit !
The books were used as supporting evidence to demonstrate the murder was motivated by far-right extremism. Obviously, just because you have a book about the SS on your shelf does not make you a right-wing extremist. But if you kill someone while shouting "Britain first", then the books can be used to demonstrate a political motive. I really don't see a problem with what has been reported.
Supporting evidence to the case. Front & centre in much media coverage being what caused my amusement (along with the better half telling me she's got her eye on me...). So many books with swastikas on the cover just to the left of where I'm sitting. Mein Kampf, Goebbels' diaries, Seemen's Ritterkreuztrager, even Marx, Mao & a couple of Irvings...The potential implications are multiplicitous. Do they still put Swastika's on book covers? Or has the strange superstition that they'll somehow leap off and fill a mass grave become more ingrained at publishers? Hadn't thought about it, but not sure I've noticed them for a while. More an indicator of something 70s/80s that might be worth a shufti in a charity shop.
They've been replaced with price stickers. I remember going into Ian Kershaw's office when I was a student at Sheffield University. He had a whole wall full of books, many probably with swatstikas on the cover. But then again he was (is) one of the world's leading academics on Nazi Germany. Or perhaps he was just pretending to be to disguise the fact he's a far-right sympathiser with a bookshelf full of literature about the Nazis. Hmmm...
Found this thread today whilst fl icking through pages, noticed I posted way back in 2010, have moved house since then and had to do a bit of a rebuild in terms of book storage etc.
Some crackers there, James. Anyone might think you're interested in binoculars and the German military... And I do like to see full sets of books, even when not on a subject I'm that into - full sets are pleasing.
My good lady is very tolerant of what she calls my " dung" , sad to say there is as much again in the lower cupboards, such is the anorak nature of my existance. Like most folks I have become very "picky" when it comes to buying books, I know having seen the contents of other folks bc's a number of identical items to be seen also a number which I would like to have at some stage. Until 2-3 years ago buying from Us was posible now it is seriously expensive air mail prices have doubled.(so it seems).
James, has to be said your far to tidy and have to agree with Adam those sets of books are book porn at its finest! Now can you have a word with my Wife and tell her that's how bookshelves should look....lots of them filled with lovely books.