What History Book are you reading?

ionapaul

I am currently reading 'Rising '44' by Norman Davies (he also wrote some general histories of Europe and the British Isles - nice to have around), an in-depth account of the Warsaw Rising in 1944. This was the rising of the Polish Underground or Home Army when the Soviets reached the outskirts of Warsaw...and stalled their advance. This rising often gets confused with the rising in the Warsaw Ghetto in 1943, which featured in 'The Pianist'.

Even after reading literally hundreds of history books over the course of my life, I can still find myself moved by a few (most recently, Antony Beevor's account of the Spanish Civil War) - this is one of those books. Davies is particularly harsh towards the Western Powers and their 'kid-gloves' approach with Stalin and the Soviets.

Anyhow, what is everyone else reading?

F Fiesta

Got one over the Christmas period, just a general overview of Irish history - early and recent, which is pretty good as my knowledge of the troubles in the north is embarassing to say the least.

I forget the author though so that information is pretty useless!

On War, Carl Von Clauswitz (can't remember spelling off hand)

military theory from around Vismarks time, in Prussia. Bit heavy, but there's loads of gems.

ionapaul

I just bought 'In the Court of the Red Tsar' on Stalin, which received widespread praise last year. Can't wait to get stuck in.

magpie

Antony Beevor's account of the Spanish Civil War

A great book. As are 'Stalingrad' and 'Berlin', both of which are very emotive.

I've just finished 'Panzer Leader' by Heinz Guderian, which has amazing insight into the utter stupidity and unworkable bureaucracy of the German High Command which lead to mistake after mistake, especially on the Eastern Front. It's a tribute to the spirit of the troops that they managed to last as long as they did in the face of such obstinate idiocy.

I've just started a history of WW1, I want to get an in-depth understanding as I only really know the reasons for it starting, and it's aftermath, and then vague stuff about trench warfare etc.

We should form a history book club!

Dinner

Right now I'm reading Garbo: The spy who saved D-Day. I got it mainly because thats what I'm going to do for my Leaving history task thingy. So far its very interesting.

Keano_sli

Yes "Stalingrad" and "Berlin" are fantastic a real broard insight. I wasn't as pleased with "the Spanish civil War" lots of info but not as readable as teh Other two. I am shortly going to start reading "Dresden" A book about the destruction of the city by Allied bombing towards the end of WWII.
I'll let ye know how I get on.

leandroaliaj

I'm kinda new to reading history books but hey im trying! :-P

The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present by Edwin E. Jacques

Also Enigma by Robert D'Angely is a good study on prehistoric civilizations and particularly the native Pelazgs based on language. It's mostly a linguistic comparison between Albanian and Greek.

These are the most interesting ones.

ionapaul

Battle Cry of Freedom: James McPherson. The definitive (in my view) account of the American Civil War, a war in which over 40,000 Irish-born soldiers fought. I have read this about half a dozen times and am never bored! Should state that I did a Masters on American Civil War issues (and Irish involvement), so I wasn't reading strictly for pleasure

PHB

Gibbons, The rise and fall of the Roman Empire

Its big!

F Fiesta

PHB - How exactly did the Roman Empire collapse? Was it on the downhill for a long period of time anyways?

BOULD THADY

" A Distant Mirror" by Barbara Tuchman is IMO, one of the best history books that has ever been written. It is based on the life of a French nobleman who lived at the time of the Black Death. If you want to understand what Europe was like at that time this is the book to read. It covers everything from his domestic life to the development of nation states and the conflict between Christianity and the Ottoman Empire. She has a very readable style while avoiding any "dumbing down" of her subject. She has written numerous books on different periods of history. "August 1914" is perhaps one of her best known books, based on the German plan to invade France. I would reccomend any of her books.

Winning Hand

Empire: How Britian made the modern world.

Manach

On Blondes by Joanna Pitman - an amusing stroll through the planets ruling class (both natural and peroxide varities.) Covers Greco-Roman times to the modern day ad agencies. Though some of the ways women dyed their curls during the medieval ages were hair-raising.

TerrorFirmer

Last things I read were Stalingrad, Berlin and The Spanish Civil War, all Anthony Beevors. I also read "Famous British Battles" and "Military Blunders of the 20th Century"

Good books, Spanish civil war one not as readable as the other two Beevor books but still good.

Now, I want to get into reading into something a little more medieval....

dubhthach

I'm currently reading "Machiavelli: A Man Misunderstood" by Michael White good stuff. I've also recently bought "Atilla the Hun" by John Man, only have had a brief look through it though.

cousin_borat

Modern Ireland : 1600-1972 by RF Foster

Europe: A history by Norman Davies, I haven't read The Isles but this is excellent without being too heavyweight.

Recently finished Rubicon by Tom Holland which was fantastic.

RagShagBill

ionapaul wrote:

I am currently reading 'Rising '44' by Norman Davies (he also wrote some general histories of Europe and the British Isles - nice to have around), an in-depth account of the Warsaw Rising in 1944. This was the rising of the Polish Underground or Home Army when the Soviets reached the outskirts of Warsaw...and stalled their advance. This rising often gets confused with the rising in the Warsaw Ghetto in 1943, which featured in 'The Pianist'.

Even after reading literally hundreds of history books over the course of my life, I can still find myself moved by a few (most recently, Antony Beevor's account of the Spanish Civil War) - this is one of those books. Davies is particularly harsh towards the Western Powers and their 'kid-gloves' approach with Stalin and the Soviets.

Anyhow, what is everyone else reading?

Haha - that Rising Book is bloody long! My friend just finished it. I'm in the middle of a book on Mussolini, but it's becoming a bit of a chore, I begin a new book and come back to it later. I finished the Parnell book by Lyons recently.

HENRICUS

Picked up a copy of 'Montaillou' which is a wonderful read about the Cathars who were a weird pack of heretics in the early medieval period. Very bloody persecution by the Roman Catholic church (some things never change!!)

smileygal

'Lady Icarus' - about the life of Ireland's history-making female aviator that most people have never heard of and never gets a mention in school.
Amazing woman.

ionapaul

RagShagBill wrote:

Haha - that Rising Book is bloody long! My friend just finished it. I'm in the middle of a book on Mussolini, but it's becoming a bit of a chore, I begin a new book and come back to it later. I finished the Parnell book by Lyons recently.

Rising '44 is long but worthwhile Onto Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar now. Received much praise on publication a year or two ago. Interesting look at how the inner circle of Stalin's regime interacted and the literally cut-throat battles between his favourites. I will have to invest in a proper narrative history of Stalin and the early Soviet Union at some stage, as this book does not pretend to offer that.

magpie

This week I am mainly reading Armageddon by Max Hastings. I just can't get enough of that 1944-1945 period.

annR

Just finished reading Henry VIII's 6 wives by Antonia Fraser - an interesting look at each wife and what happened to them plus gives you an idea of the way royal marraiges were arranged.

I read a fantastic book called "Eleanor: Countess of Desmond" last year but forget the name of the author - she also wrote a book about Grainne Mhaol the Pirate Queen.

magpie

IonaPaul. Any interest in swapping Heinz Guderian: Panzer Leader and Armageddon by Max Hastings for Rising '44 and Stalin: Court of the Red Star? MY books are pretty much mint and I doubt I'll be reading them again... those history books are expensive so a swapsy might be a good idea?

tim3115

Willing to sell Heinz Guderian : Panzer Leader?

ionapaul

magpie, still reading Stalin: Court of the Red Tsar (it's about 800 pages and I'm reading two or three other books at the mo) and unfortunately for you lent out Rising '44 to a friend last week, he'll be months getting through it! If you are interested in Stalin I should be finished by the end of the month.

magpie

If you are interested in Stalin I should be finished by the end of the month.

Sure, sounds good. Are you interested in either Armageddon or Panzer Leader?

Willing to sell Heinz Guderian : Panzer Leader?

Would prefer to swap it for something.

tim3115

Sadly, I've nothing to swap it with.

Griffon

I read the Rubicon finished it yesterday can not remember who it was by but it was about Caesar life and his accomplishments during it.

bobbyss

Has the last contribution to this thread been a number of years ago? Can't believe that.

Just started Dan Jones The Plantagenets. There was a prog on TV recently about them that stirred my interest and so far would recommend it. It is a narrative history. It tells us what happened next and it tells it well. At school we would have a passing reference to maybe Henry 11 but nothing at all really about any of the others eg Richard. They were so important for the history of England and it is great so far.

On my bookshelf is the Cromwell book by A Fraser. Anybody read it? Read the first few pages but have not had time to go on. But I thinkj she is smashing. read her memoir on Pinter. Saint Augustine Confessions- anyone read that? Doesn't look great but never judge a ... cover. I also have enjoyed TP Coogan's book on Dev and he has one on Collins as well I think.

Has anyone detected a sneering attitude towards Coogan and his work? Maybe based on the fact that he is not (as I understand it) a pure historian ? He has not belonged (I think) to any university history dept. That he is not really an academic? If there is this perception it is unfortunate because he he is an outstanding writer who makes you turn the page.

Jawgap

Just finished - Jackson, The Battle for Italy and the first part of Keegan, The Face of Battle

Now reading - Orgill, The Gothic Line (and Urban, The Tank War)

Next up - Orange, Slessor: Bomber Champion followed by Slessor, The Central Blue, then Orange, Conningham, then back to Katz, The Battle for Rome

Coogan, I can take or leave. No doubt he writes well but he does come at things with a very clear agenda, which is fine as long as that can be recognised.

Manach

Britain Against Napoleon: The Organisation of Victory, 1793-1815 Roger Knight
In one sense, one purely for the nerds among us who like the logistics and organisation aspects of how a period operated. On the other hand, it is well written and allows the characters' attributes of the period to be gleamed.

bobbyss

Manach wrote: »

Britain Against Napoleon: The Organisation of Victory, 1793-1815 Roger Knight
In one sense, one purely for the nerds among us who like the logistics and organisation aspects of how a period operated. On the other hand, it is well written and allows the characters' attributes of the period to be gleamed.

Do you know of any modern one volume biography of Napoleon? There is one by a Vincent Cronin but I think it is quite old. Would be interested in a modern one.
What are the best biographies of him I wonder.

dubhthach

Old thread (but a goldie). Lets see recent books I've read or are reading over the last 6 months.

Age of Atrocity: Violence and political conflict in early modern Ireland
http://www.fourcourtspress.ie/product.php?intProductID=932
(great price at the moment)

Early Christian Ireland (The Cambridge History of Ireland) by T. M. Charles-Edwards
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Early-Christian-Ireland-T-Charles-Edwards/dp/0521037166/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405255033&sr=8-1&keywords=Early+Christian+Ireland
Good preview on Google Books:
http://books.google.ie/books?id=g6yq2sKLlFkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

Gaelic and Gaelicized Ireland in the Middle Ages (Nicholls) -- reread it.
http://www.lilliputpress.ie/book/209/k_w_nicholls-gaelic_and_gaelicized_ireland_in_the_middle_ages.html

Ireland in the medieval world, AD400–1000
Landscape, kingship and religion
http://www.fourcourtspress.ie/product.php?intProductID=1058

Gaelic Ireland c.1250-c.1650
Land, lordship & settlement (re-reading various essays)
http://www.fourcourtspress.ie/product.php?intProductID=298

Princes, prelates and poets in medieval Ireland
Essays in honour of Katharine Simms
http://www.fourcourtspress.ie/product.php?intProductID=1007

Brian Boru and the Battle of Clontarf (Hardback)
http://www.bookdepository.com/Brian-Boru-Battle-Clontarf-Sean-Duffy/9780717157785
(paperback now available)

Manach

Napoleon had such a profound impact on the era that seems to be a whole cottage industry of books both on him and the constellation of his friends and foes. In no order, these are some of the more interesting ones on him and the period I've read:

Napoleon by Standeal (who was a contemporary)
Russia Against Napoleon: The Battle for Europe, 1807 to 1814 by Lieven (Describes his decision to invade Russia and how they countered it)
Napoleon & Wellington by Roberts (Comparing and contrasting the respective careers of the two foes)

bobbyss

Manach wrote: »

Napoleon had such a profound impact on the era that seems to be a whole cottage industry of books both on him and the constellation of his friends and foes. In no order, these are some of the more interesting ones on him and the period I've read:

Napoleon by Standeal (who was a contemporary)
Russia Against Napoleon: The Battle for Europe, 1807 to 1814 by Lieven (Describes his decision to invade Russia and how they countered it)
Napoleon & Wellington by Roberts (Comparing and contrasting the respective careers of the two foes)

I may have seen the Roberts one and I have seen recently enough part one of a two part bio of him ( 'Rise to power' or something like that.) I don't like split volumes biographies when I can not source both then and there.

I have many on the go at the same time and lots and lots of unread books which one day please God I will get around to. W Shirer's book on the Third Reich beckons. I think he was actually there at the time so you can almost smell Germany. Alistar Campbell is much maligned but from what I have dipped into his diaries so far he sparkles, is lively and a great read.

Why are some books so bad? Any candidates?

I tried Anne Chambers' Grace O'Malley more than once but could not get past page 2. She is a great story I would imagine. All that is needed is someone who is able to tell it.

Obama himself wrote one or two books about his upbringing but again I found it hard going. I can't recall if I finished it.

Trevor Royle's Civil War is not a bad book. I think it is well written. It certainly is long and I read part of it but gave up. I felt I was not getting the big picture and I was lost in detail. It seemed to dwell quite a lot on Scotland. I am pretty sure it is essential reading for students of the period but I will pass on it.

dubhthach

bobbyss wrote: »

I tried Anne Chambers' Grace O'Malley more than once but could not get past page 2. She is a great story I would imagine. All that is needed is someone who is able to tell it.

Granuaile is heavily romantisced, in reality her main goals were the protection of the inheritance of her son Tiobóid na Long Bourke(Tibbot of the boats) from the depredations of Sir Richard Bingham.

Tiobóid was in sense the last "Mac William Íochtar" elected in the traditional manner.

In the end you could say she succeeded Tiobóid was made Viscount Mayo in 1626.

Some good posts here by Bannasidhe to put it in context:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056521805&page=4

Jawgap

To go slightly off topic for a minute.....

@dubhthach based on your reading list I thought you might find this amusing......

bobbyss

dubhthach wrote: »

Granuaile is heavily romantisced, in reality her main goals were the protection of the inheritance of her son Tiobóid na Long Bourke(Tibbot of the boats) from the depredations of Sir Richard Bingham.

Tiobóid was in sense the last "Mac William Íochtar" elected in the traditional manner.

In the end you could say she succeeded Tiobóid was made Viscount Mayo in 1626.

Some good posts here by Bannasidhe to put it in context:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056521805&page=4

Thank you dubhthach. It looks heavy going.

Just finished Senan Molony's Phoenix Park Murders. The last two or three chapters-the killing of James Carey- was fantastic. I thought I was reading the Day of the Jackal.

dubhthach

Jawgap wrote: »

To go slightly off topic for a minute.....

@dubhthach based on your reading list I thought you might find this amusing......

Just as well most of those don't hold any relevance when it comes to reading about "Gaelic Ireland"

dubhthach

bobbyss wrote: »

Thank you dubhthach. It looks heavy going.

Well part of reason for that is that by and large most people have next to no clue of Ireland pre-17th century. As the expression goes "the past is a different country", in case of Ireland pre 1603 it's even worse as "Gaelic Ireland" is in some ways extremely foreign to modern Irish view of world. (One only has to look at the prevalence of Divorce and general sexual permissiveness of society in contrast to what developed in post 1800 period).

The best introduction to period remains Nicholls "Gaelic and Gaelicized Ireland during the middle ages". It's a paperback originally published in 1976 and republished in 2003.
http://www.lilliputpress.ie/book/209/k_w_nicholls-gaelic_and_gaelicized_ireland_in_the_middle_ages.html

1. Introduction: The background of Late Medieval Ireland
   • The Land
   • Ireland a lineage society
   • The expanding clans
   • The Anglo0Norman settlements and their decline
   • The Gaelic reconquest
2. Political Structures and the Forms of Power
   • The Irish lordship
   • Tainistry and inaguguration
   • Public assemblies
   • The Revenues and exactions of the lords
   • The right of the lords regarding land
   • Monopolies and pre-emption
   • Lords' officers
   • "Buyings" and sláinte
3. The Legal System
   • The Irish legal system
   • The judges
   • Brehon law and English Law
   • Legal procedures
   • Compensation and the principle of joint responsibility
   • The law of land: "Irish gravelkind"
   • Forms of partition
   • Customs approaching "gravelkind"
   • The pledge of land
4. Social Life and Social Groupings
   • The people
   • Nomenclature
   • Marriage and sexual life
   • Affiliation: the "naming of children"
   • Fosterage
   • The professional learned classes
   • The poets
   • Military groupings
   • The galloglass
5. The Church and Clergy in Society
   • The Irish Church
   • The clergy
   • Clerical life
   • Papal provisions
   • The monastic orders
   • Coarbs and erenaghs
6. Economic Life
   • Agriculture and pastoralism
   • The townladn system
   • Patterns of settlement
   • Crafstmen and local industries
   • Foreign trade and the coastal towns
7. Ulster
   • The O'Neills of Tyrone
   • "Little Ulster" and Clandeboy
   • Tirconnell
   • Fermanagh and Oriel
8. Connacht
   • The O'Connors down to the Bruce invasion
   • The rise of the Mac Williamships and the wars of faction
   • The later period
   • Brefny
   • The O'Farrells of Annaly
9. Munster
   • The O'Briens of Thomond
   • The Mac Carthys of Demond
   • The earls of Demond and the Anglo-Norman lords of Munster
   • The Powers
   • The Butler territories
10. Leinster and Meath
    • The Mac Murroughs, kings of Leinster
    • The O'Byrnes and O'Tooles
    • Leix and Offaly
    • The Westmeath lordships

bobbyss

dubhthach wrote: »

Well part of reason for that is that by and large most people have next to no clue of Ireland pre-17th century. As the expression goes "the past is a different country", in case of Ireland pre 1603 it's even worse as "Gaelic Ireland" is in some ways extremely foreign to modern Irish view of world. (One only has to look at the prevalence of Divorce and general sexual permissiveness of society in contrast to what developed in post 1800 period).

The best introduction to period remains Nicholls "Gaelic and Gaelicized Ireland during the middle ages". It's a paperback originally published in 1976 and republished in 2003.

[/LIST]

Another reason for lack of interest is what is taught in schools. I would imagine 90% of schools focus on the post 1815 syllabus ie from approx 1815 onwards I believe. Leaving most people finishing school with scant knowledge of anything prior to that. I fact, I don't believe there is a text book for the earlier syllabus at all, but I may be wrong on that.

I know very little about medieval Ireland. And I find it is difficult to warm to. I do remember being bored to death learning about the 12th century Irish church or some such.

Perhaps what is needed is a Dan Jones to liven things up. I don't know of any outstanding books from the period that would draw me in. Are there any stand out books about, I don't know, Silken Thomas? Strongbow? Hugh O'Neill? Whomever? I don't see many in Easons. I don't hear them being discussed on the radio. More's the pity. There are no shortage of terrific books on other periods of history. Academic tracts have no appeal for me.

What is needed are page turners: Outstanding historians like Fraser, Schama, Starkey, Beevor. People like that. people who make you want to read more. The more people reading history the better.

Saddest of all is the looming Junior Cert syllabus change and the impending long goodbye to history.

dubhthach

bobbyss wrote: »

Another reason for lack of interest is what is taught in schools. I would imagine 90% of schools focus on the post 1815 syllabus ie from approx 1815 onwards I believe. Leaving most people finishing school with scant knowledge of anything prior to that. I fact, I don't believe there is a text book for the earlier syllabus at all, but I may be wrong on that.

I know very little about medieval Ireland. And I find it is difficult to warm to. I do remember being bored to death learning about the 12th century Irish church or some such.

Perhaps what is needed is a Dan Jones to liven things up. I don't know of any outstanding books from the period that would draw me in. Are there any stand out books about, I don't know, Silken Thomas? Strongbow? Hugh O'Neill? Whomever? I don't see many in Easons. I don't hear them being discussed on the radio. More's the pity. There are no shortage of terrific books on other periods of history. Academic tracts have no appeal for me.

What is needed are page turners: Outstanding historians like Fraser, Schama, Starkey, Beevor. People like that. people who make you want to read more. The more people reading history the better.

Saddest of all is the looming Junior Cert syllabus change and the impending long goodbye to history.

In general when it comes to "popular history" in Ireland they tend to start with Act of Union and perhaps 1798. For example there's very little even published on the 18th century in Ireland. As to why you won't see a huge amount on earlier period. It's simple the people writing popular histories (such as Diarmuid Ferriter etc.) probably can't read the sources. For all intensive purposes our history is written in what is tantamount to a "foreign language" for most people.

If you want to write a text about Aodh Ó Néill for example most of people writing "popular history" would end up relying on either
1. the English accounts of 16th/17th centuries
2. Publications in english by "nationalist writers" in the late 19th/early 20th century.

Eason's has a very poor section on Irish history, it basically consists of O'Connell onwards, Easter rising, Dev etc with some minor smatterings about "Saints and Scholars etc."

Anyways I can't imagine church reform in the 12th century is hugely interesting, though I will say that the diocesan boundaries which are still used today by the Catholic church actually have usefull purpose. They are the fossilised remains of the pre-Norman kingdoms/principle lordships. For example look at the "Diocese of Meath" reflects the core of the "Kingdom of Midhe".


Ironically what we call "Meath" today is actually the sub-kingdom of Brega, wheras "Westmeath" is the area that was called Midhe/Mí. So the counties should really be Meath and Eastmeath

nuac

Yes Coogan is very readable. That may be because of his journalist's training

I think there is a kind of elitism, dare I say snobbery, amongst historians. Some seem to fight like cats with each other.

I have just an amateur interest in history, but do find it fascinating.

Irish history of all periods, WW1, WW2, American history, naval and landbattle of Napeolonic area.

Gradually, very gradually, trying to reorganise a library of about 3000 books bought over the years.

I don't read in an organised matter. May follow a particular topic thru several books to see how it is viewed by different authors

bobbyss

nuac wrote: »

Yes Coogan is very readable. That may be because of his journalist's training

I think there is a kind of elitism, dare I say snobbery, amongst historians. Some seem to fight like cats with each other.

I have just an amateur interest in history, but do find it fascinating.

Irish history of all periods, WW1, WW2, American history, naval and landbattle of Napeolonic area.

Gradually, very gradually, trying to reorganise a library of about 3000 books bought over the years.

I don't read in an organised matter. May follow a particular topic thru several books to see how it is viewed by different authors

And that is why Shirer's book is so readable also, he was a journalist too I think. I will read almost anything historical. if it is well written and carries you along. Myles Dungan's book on Parnell for example. I find myself buying (second hand) books by the dozen and all put away for the rainy day.

Elitism and snobbery. Yes, I think I know what you mean.

tac foley

'Mink River'by Brian Boyle.

It is a kind of a modern fairy-tale based on a pastiche of a few places we know well on the Oregon coast. Lots and lots of Irish in it, in Irish, too.

And a great, if sometimes puzzling/baffling yarn.

My favourite character is Moses.

He is a crow. That alone should tell you something. About us both.

tac

Dr.Nightdub

For the centenary that's in it, "The Sleepwalkers" by Christopher Clarke is well worth reading, takes you through the events of July 1914 in a detailed but understandable way.

In the same vein, before the World Cup started, I'd begun Margaret MacMillan's "The War That Ended Peace", mainly on foot of seeing her speak - without notes - for 45 minutes on the outbreak of WW1 at the recent History Festival down in Carlow. A jaw-dropping performance and the book's not half bad either.

Three more on the same theme, but with a more local slant - my particular interest is the north in the War of Independence / Civil War, so these only involved backing up a decade or so:
- "Belfast Boys" by Richard Grayson
- "The Road to the Somme" by Phillip Orr
- "The 6th Connaught Rangers - Belfast Nationalists and the Great War", a pamphlet put together by a local history group from Belfast who have done great work uncovering a hitherto-hidden aspect of the history of west Belfast

superelliptic

Judging Dev - Diarmuid Ferreter.

A well researched book on De'Valera that gives a good insight into his thoughts, correspondence's, and career/personal life.

A hard read because its hard not to.

AliBaba2010

I'm currently reading Dark Times Decent Men, Stories of Irishmen in World War II - Neil Richards.
It's very good and my four year old likes me to read it aloud.

Owryan

I ve 2 books on the go at the moment, "The Last Invasion" by Allen C Guelzo about the Gettysburg campaign and "Catastrophe, Europe goes to War by Max Hastings, it covers the first couple of months of WWI.

Both books are well worth reading

chughes

Ambiguous Republic - Ireland in the 1970s by Diarmaid Ferriter.


I was a teenager during the 1970s so its a bit odd reading a history book about things that happens during my teenage years. Makes me feel a bit old