June 2016 - Current reading

Wow. Looks like I'm first in for June.

I'm reading and very much enjoying The Guns of Cedar Creek by Thomas A. Lewis, an American Civil War history.

Besides the Osprey booklets Fw 200 Condor vs Atlantic Convoy: 1941-43 (B+) and The Fall of the Philippines 1941-42 (B) the most substantive book I've read was Guard Wars: The 28th Infantry Division in World War II (A), which gives one a really excellent understanding of the process by which U.S Regular Army and the National Guard became a total force.

Krieg und Krieger in chinesischen Mittelalter - a small collection of papers on various aspects of Chinese military history during the 12th to 14th centuries.

I've started Rebel Yell: The Violence, Passion and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson by S. C. Gwynne.

A Mad Catastrophe: The Outbreak of World War I and the Collapse of the Habsburg Empire by Geoffrey Wawro ... a revealing (scathing) look at the Austro-Hungarian war effort.

Finished Gas! Gas! Quick Boys: How Chemistry Changed the First World War by Michael Freemantle. In spite of the title, this is an overview of the effect chemistry had on WW1, from the dye in the uniforms to the metal that made the shell casings. With a main text of only two hundred pages, it really skims the surface of the subjects, but is good as an introduction.

#2, reading Guard Wars myself right now. Pretty impressive.

The Late Roman Army by Gabriele Esposito

Buy it now (Amazon info)

Using the most recent research and studies as well as important primary sources like the Notitia Dignitatum, this book outlines a complete picture of the Late Roman Army, from the accession of Diocletian in AD 284 to the fall of the western Empire in 476. Contents include the organization, structure, equipment, weapons, combat history and tactics of the late Roman military forces. Through the pages and magnificent colour plates of this book you will find limitanei, comitatenses, foederati, bucellarii, scholae palatinae, protectores and much more. The origins and causes for the military decline of the Empire are discussed in detail, as well as the influence of the “barbarian” peoples over the Roman Army. The text includes also a very detailed order of battle, based on the Notitia Dignitatum and listing all the military forces of the Roman Empire between 395-410 AD. Combined with the original art work by well-known military artist Giuseppe Rava, this book will be a must for students of military history, re-enactors, modellers, wargamers and people interested in military dress or organization.

Just finished Dilemmas of the Desert War: A New Look at the Libyan Campaign, 1940-1942 by Michael Carver .

Reading Rome Spreads Her Wings: Territorial Expansion Between the Punic Wars
and just read
The Vandals: Conquerors of the Roman Empire (Battleground I) . I always like Simon MacDowall's work.
Battleground I, is this a new series??

The final book of last month was Henschel Hs 123 (B+), your basic Stratus Publication on the plane in question.

>10 Ammianus:

On p27, MacDowall says that book two of "this series" will deal with the Goths, so yes, a new series it seems.

12, Yay! Thanks AJ, I'll be watching for it.