What's your 'Bible'?

Discussion in 'Books, Films, TV, Radio' started by von Poop, Jul 16, 2006.

  1. TriciaF

    TriciaF Junior Member

    My obsession is with the French Resistance in SW France, and the treatment of Jews in France in WW2. The reputation of the French as just giving in under Vichy is so wrong.
    I've bought numerous books, most in french, and recently had a clearout and gave them to the local library. There isn't one that stands out.
     
  2. Staffsyeoman

    Staffsyeoman Member

    Orders of Battle, Second World War by Joslen
    Bomber Command War Diaries by Martin Middlebrook
    Cap Badges of the British Army Vols. 1 & 2 by Kipling and King
    Alanbrooke War Diaries, Danchev and Todman edition
     
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  3. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    That's probably one of mine too. Maybe not a bible, but a significant tract.
    Any serious thought or question relating to the war usually involves at least a brief shufti at what Alanbrooke was doing at the time, or had to say.
     
  4. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

  5. Staffsyeoman

    Staffsyeoman Member

    It is an essential launch pad of a book. Nab it
     
  6. Sapper D.

    Sapper D. Active Member

    Not 1 bible but 3 types of books:
    1) Then & Now
    2) Maj, & mrs. Holts' books
    3) Battleground Europe books.
     
  7. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    The LONDON IRISH AT WAR A History of the Battalions of the L.I.R. In World War 11. Been after this rare has rocking horse whats it for a while. Not my bible, but cheap as chips at $30 US.
     
  8. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    TriciaF, not meaning to be judgemental here. How come you have bought a load of books, & then given them away?
    I once had 700 pieces of 12 inch vinyl & sold them for peanuts. My Old Queen said i would regret that one day.
    If i was to try & buy back that collection, it would cost me quite a few thousand pounds.( My Mother was correct)

    Sorry if I've tread on your toes. Going off topic isnt cricket.
    Regards
    Stu.
     
  9. TriciaF

    TriciaF Junior Member

    It's OK, good point. But we have hundreds of books of different types, I dread to think how we'll manage when it comes to packing up and leaving.
    I found all those I bought interesting and hoped others could enjoy them too, but now only keep those that I know I'll re-read, or reference books.
     
  10. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    A few decent flight cases spring to mind. There not cheap either. I'm sure others will make good use of your kind offer.
     
  11. TriciaF

    TriciaF Junior Member

    I just realised, maybe I should have posted the titles of my books about WW2 on here, to see if anyone wanted them.
    They would have needed to be posted though, and books are heavy.
     
  12. idler

    idler GeneralList

  13. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Mine is Burma, the Longest War by Louis Allen. A great book for basic and often in depth details on the overall campaign.
     
  14. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    A few mainstays:

    Terry Copp, Fields of Fire: The Canadians in Normandy (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2003)

    C.P. Stacey, Arms, Men and Governments: The War Policies of Canada 1939-1945 (Ottawa: Minister of National Defence, 1970)

    George Blackburn, The Guns of Normandy: A Soldier’s Eye View, France 1944 (Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1995)

    Murray Peden, A Thousand Shall Fall (Stittsville: Canada’s Wings, 1979)
     
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  15. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    When Mrs Fortnum and I moved home a few years back we hired a moving firm as I couldn't take the time off work to handle it. For a few weeks prior to the move, I spent my weekends with music playing and the biggest reel of bubble wrap you've ever seen (larger than me--from my factory-managing friend), individually bubble-wrapping every single hardback book (several hundred). By the time I had finished, you could probably have thrown them at the wall and inflicted no damage.

    The moving people were actually very professional, but in my mind they were the cousins of 'the rippers' that deal with your luggage behind the scenes at airports!
     
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  16. kopite

    kopite Member

    Just finished the Alanbrooke diaries and it's the best book I've read on WW2. It gives you a whole new understanding of the overall strategy of the war and some great insights into the character of some of the main players.
     
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  17. kopite

    kopite Member

    I have an online book business and currently have about 20,000 books in my house. When I first acquired the books from a dealer who was selling his business, I rented a 30' truck and it took two full loads to transport them to my house. Originally I had almost 30,000 and they took up an entire two car garage and a couple of rooms. I'm getting ready to build a new house on some property that I own and unless I sell them beforehand I'm dreading having to move them again.
     
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  18. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    That sounds like an epic undertaking.

    I'm curious--do you have a link to your book business? If you sell second-hand military titles, there's a chance I could be one of your customers.
     
  19. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    Agreed.

    As I've said elsewhere it was reading that book that first sparked my interest in the Second World War. It's also what started my collection of generals' memoirs and diaries. I wanted to know about all these once-important figures with improbable nicknames.
     
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  20. kopite

    kopite Member


    Very few, if any, military books, as I tend to keep them for my own private collection. My inventory is listed on Amazon under Sutton Park Books.
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2017

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