My book-buying "problem"

Discussion in 'Books, Films, TV, Radio' started by Chris C, Jul 6, 2018.

  1. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Very pleasing.
    And have seen new reprints go for more.

    (Full text is on Internet Archive in assorted formats if anyone fancies reading it without the satisfying physical form.)
     
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  2. idler

    idler GeneralList

    And a proper antique, too.
     
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  3. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    I think I'm technically 'too young' for this (ditto Blake's 7, but I love that). It falls somewhere between my and my father's generation, but it has just been republished in an affordable edition.

    This is the first of four parts that will cover the whole saga. I've just ordered a copy, though--obviously--it might be a while coming with the whole situation going on at present.

    Available at Amazon, The Book Depository & elsewhere:

    Trigan.jpg
     
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  4. Vintage Wargaming

    Vintage Wargaming Well-Known Member

    I have a similar earlier edition from maybe 10-15 years ago. I remember it from Look and Learn where it was always my favourite thing. We also got something called World of Wonder but I can’t remember much about it. Both were sort of Arthur Mee but not as unintentionally funny.
     
  5. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    I can remember the Wonder Books that my Dad had kept from his childhood. Published in the early 20s they included The Wonder Book of the Army which included all sorts of things a growing boy needed to know such as how to construct a shell proof dug out, the dimensions (imperial of course) of an effective anti tank ditch and how to position your Vickers to enfilade an attacking force.
    The Great War was billed as the war to end all wars but the authors of the Wonder Books didn't seem to believe this.
     
  6. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

    Some collatoral damage from the recent lockdown ... since it probably will last a while, I've ordered the whole set - from NW Africa, over Sicily, Salerno, Cassino right up to the Alps:

    md30491648000.jpg
     
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  7. Orwell1984

    Orwell1984 Senior Member

    Reading a fair bit with the time. But Canada Post is still making it hard to catch up.
    Kudos to all the letter carriers at this time.
    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG][​IMG]
     
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  8. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Absolutely huge like for this one, excellent. Thank you for bringing back some great memories.
     
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  9. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    I have tried not to buy any books lately as things have been a bit tight... although I slipped and ordered a 1st edition of Unarmed Into Battle (about the AOPs) which looks like it will be quite nice as an object and I will share a picture when it arrives. However, my first paycheck at my new job should come through soon.

    Since I have been keeping myself from buying books my mania has gone in a slightly different direction: I not only have been building a list of books to buy, I have also been tracking price changes in a spreadsheet so as to know what they each normally go for, so that if a copy is selling for less than what it has been, I'll know to snap it up!
     
  10. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    Please let me know about the content of that one and whether there's much personal/biographical narrative from the author.

    I have had this on the possible list for my 'Generals' collection.
     
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  11. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    I have referred to a reference copy in the public library and I don't think so, but I will have a look when it arrives.
     
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  12. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

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  13. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    Gosh Adam! That one's close to being in the "Gas Lamplighters of the 21st Century" category.

    If you go for it please "Micro Book Review" on here dear chap.

    Kind regards, always,

    Jim.
     
  14. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Likely an interesting book coming up for the aviatonists:

    The Secret Horsepower Race: Western Fighter Engine Development

    Screenshot_20200331-185630.png

    The author is on Twatter, and I can only describe him as a fascinating & dyed-in-the-wool proper engineering nerd. Much sharing of original sources & research:
    Calum Douglas (@CalumDouglas1) | Twitter

    (With apologies for deviating from the show & tell nature of the thread, but it's the central place for book chatter now, and I dunno about anyone else but I've definitely slowed down on buying anything during this oddness.)
     
  15. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    My "sins" of the past month:
    "The Zulu Wars- Now and Then"- not a new book but nine years on weakened to buy a copy.
    "High Commanders of the RAF" Again not a new book, found it on eBay for £3.50, biographies of the RAF senior officers (Air Marshalls).
    "The Wartime Journals of a Prairie Kid" wartime recollections of RCAF officer Gaynor Williams, he was on one of the two RAF Catalinas which found Bismarck.
    "The Battle for Hong Kong December 1941".
    "Hitler's Great Gamble."
    "The Bomber Command War Diaries" ( Middlebrook & Everrit). A repeat buy, this one signed by some twenty ex bomber crew.
    "British Town Class Cruisers".
     
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  16. Jonathan Ball

    Jonathan Ball It's a way of life.

    My latest buy and current reading. The usual high publishing quality from Helion and a fascinating read so far.

    IMG_1283.jpg
     
  17. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    For many of us (I guess) the current worldwide virus situation has prompted some sorting out/looking for stuff/life laundry time.

    So in the loft this morning, and looking beyond the boxes to the carrier bags, came across this well read (by me, many, many, many times) classic. Finding it took me back to the day it was purchased (new!) as the "reader" so that the hardback could be kept in best condition, which is symptomatic of my book buying problem (why have one particular edition when there's two, three, of four out there?)

    Today's problem has having re-discovered the paperback, where the heck is the hardback? In a box in the loft of course, but which bleedin' box?

    Laughable part is that I wasn't looking for this, or the hardback edition, but another book that's up there somewhere (then again, The Phantom Major was always somewhat elusive).

    Keep well folks, stay safe, stay healthy, and a big thank you to all for putting up with the ramblings of an old chap's dotage. Right, on with the hunt!

    Kind regards, always,

    Jim.

    Prisoners of Hope FRONT.jpg

    Prisoners of Hope BACK.jpg
     
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  18. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    Adjunct to above, and just part of the reason for the "mad" in "Mad" Mike Calvert.

    From "Anything But A Soldier" by John Hislop (and yes, found just during The Phantom Major hunt, must be getting closer!)

    Kind regards, always,

    Jim.

    The mad in Mad Mike Calvert.jpg
     
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  19. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    Who was Calvert's predecessor as commander of the 'S.A.S. Brigade'?

    This chap?
    Roderick McLeod - Wikipedia

    I only ask as having listened to his marathon IWM interview from beginning to end, I found that Calvert came across as highly intelligent.
     
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  20. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    Absolutely CF! The IWM interview series is a treasure.

    I think the "Mad" sobriquet led many to look upon Mr Calvert as a basher, a fighter, and Mr McLeod was thought to be a more "staff" type, more a thinking man. I think much post war writing, in alluding to giving the public what the writers thought they wanted, led to nigh on pigeon-holing the likes of Brigadier Calvert and Colonel Mayne as fighters pure and simple.

    My thoughts mind, and many would disagree.

    Kind regards, always,

    Jim.
     
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