Book Recommendations

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Dated: July 29, 2005.

From the webmaster. "For this sweltering Summer night, a slightly different type of update, several book recommendations."

1) The Exploits of Baron de Marbot
By Jean-Baptist de Marbot
Published by Carroll and Graf, ISBN 0-7867-0801-8
Some readers may be familiar with Arthur Conan Doyle's Adventures of Gerard, but it was completely unknown to this reviewer until this week that ACD's Brigadier Gerard was loosely based on the real life memoirs of Baron de Marbot. De Marbot appeared to have participated in most if not all of Napoleon's campaigns from the siege of Genoa all the way to Waterloo, including the Peninsular and Moscow. His memoires are factual and insightful and only share a little of the light heartedness of Gerard, instead we get de Marbot's analysis of many of Napoleon's famous generals and marshals in a way that only an observer could have seen them. Those who have read neither ACD's Gerard nor de Marbot should go down to your local bookstore and immediately get all 3 books.

2) The Liberation of Pointe du Hoc: The 2nd Rangers
By JoAnna M. McDonald
Published by Rank and File, ISBN 1-888967-06-4
Many of you will have read many D-Day books. For those who want to read more on the Rangers and Pointe du Hoc, this is it. A small book of about 150 pages describes the action at PdH in some detail. For those who've read all the other D-Day books.

3) Operation Sea Lion - The German Plan to Invade Britain, 1940.
By Egbert Kieser
Published by Cassell, ISBN 0-304-35208-X
The title is actually not a good description of what's inside the book, nor the reason for it's recommendation. The reason for it's recommendation is because the book was originally written in German by a German author and translated into English. It is a rarity (for this reviewer at least) to read histories written by the "other" side. The German POV is interesting to say the least and starts from before the beginning of WWII and ends at the Battle of Britain. There is a minor section on the occupation of the Channel Islands and referenced as a scenario of what the occupation of Britain might have been like. This last scenario was a popular one some decades ago for writers. This reviewer recommends two: SS GB by Len Deighton, one of the few works worth reading by this author, but very well written. And a short story written by C.S. Forester in his book Gold From Crete from before his Hornblower days. Both books are out of print but may be bought used, or pre-owned as they now say.

4) TINTIN - The Complete Companion
By Michael Farr
Published by Last Gasp, ISBN 0-86719-901-6
Quite heavy reading, actually. Much more information than can be obtained from fan websites. For those who have all 18 color books, and the two b/w Tintin in the Land of the Soviets and Tintin in the Congo, this is the closest thing to a new Tintin book.

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