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[Tionne]

Homage to Catalonia was one if Orwell's best nonfiction books, of his fighting in the Spanish Civil War.

[Manray9]

Tionne wrote: "Orwell is my go to guy. He was awesome. I have read lots of Steinbeck as well. I liked Bleak House."

All I mentioned dealt with depressing subjects. Have you read:

The Road to Wigan Pier?

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

A fine, fine author, along with Steinbeck. I also think Waugh is excellent too.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Geevee wrote: "I have this to read too Charles Dickens: A Life by Claire Tomalin"

My wife loves Dickens and I bought this book for her Geevee and she loved it!

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

It has had really good reviews but it's a case of time Rick, as we keep filling up our schedules with theme reads!!

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I know how you feel Geevee :)

[Dj]

Of those I have only read Orwell. 1984 and Animal Farm. And I can't really say that they were enjoyable, so much as educational. Well written and thought provoking.


Manray9 wrote: "Dj wrote: "Wow, that was a can of worms I opened by making an off hand comment about Dickens. So I think I should clear a little bit of the air. I don't hate Dickens, nor do I think that his works ..."

[Manray9]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Geevee wrote: "I have this to read too Charles Dickens: A Life by Claire Tomalin"

My wife loves Dickens and I bought thi..."

I consciously swore off reading bios of artists whose work I admire after reading --

George Orwell by Gordon Bowker.

Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance by Kenneth Silverman

I found Orwell and Poe to be such unlikeable and disagreeable people as to undermine my high regard for their work. I decided to take artists' work on its own merit without consideration of the background of their lives.

[J.W.]

Dj wrote: "Of those I have only read Orwell. 1984 and Animal Farm. And I can't really say that they were enjoyable, so much as educational. Well written and thought provoking.


Manray9 wrote: "Dj wrote: "Wo..."

Orwell's HOMAGE TO CATALONIA (on his participation in the Spanish Civil War) is an outstanding book. It is, politically, the most intelligent military memoir I know of. It is an education in itself. I think there is a lot more insight here than in his 1984.

[Dj]

Well I will certainly have to take a look of that one.

J.W. wrote: "Dj wrote: "Of those I have only read Orwell. 1984 and Animal Farm. And I can't really say that they were enjoyable, so much as educational. Well written and thought provoking.


Manray9 wrote: "Dj..."

[happy]

I thougt this was interesting - from Slate - various British slang terms for German Arty in WW I

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/...

[Manray9]

Here is a book review about a brief stay aboard USS GEORGE H. W. BUSH (CVN-77) in the Persian Gulf. I don't care what John McAlley writes, only an aviator would call it a boat. In the navy, a boat is a submarine or small craft.

http://www.npr.org/2014/05/20/3121907...

[Dj]

I thought it was a target? A large target, but a target.
Sorry, I was never in the Navy, but was a fan of Rickover.


Manray9 wrote: "Here is a book review about a brief stay aboard USS GEORGE H. W. BUSH (CVN-77) in the Persian Gulf. I don't care what John McAlley writes, only an aviator would call it a boat. In the navy, a boa..."

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Manray9 wrote: "Here is a book review about a brief stay aboard USS GEORGE H. W. BUSH (CVN-77) in the Persian Gulf. I don't care what John McAlley writes, only an aviator would call it a boat. In the navy, a boa..."

It seems aviators have a habit of calling it a "boat", possibly to cause trouble? From The Twilight Warriors: The Deadliest Naval Battle of World War II and the Men Who Fought It

Even in normal times, the two groups maintained a cordial distance. Black shoes made no secret of their belief that they were the only real Navy men aboard the ship. They alone understood the crafts of ship handling, gunnery, navigation, damage control. Without them, the carrier was nothing more than an immobile barge.

The brown shoes, for their part, couldn’t care less about arcane nautical lore. Most of them, especially the Tail End Charlies, kept saying things like ‘left” instead of “port,” “floor” for “deck,” “wall” when they meant “bulkhead.” Mainly to annoy the black shoes, they insisted on calling the 27,000-ton aircraft carrier a “boat.”

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Nice story Mike and a good book.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

In my current book when coming into Tobruk harbour delivering British troops to relieve the Australians the RN captain of HMS Havock announced "now will our soldier passengers please face the bow - that's the sharp end - and prepare to disembark. Good luck, God bless".

Personally I agree with Manray9 on the boat classification but more important why does the navy insist on going ashore even when it is already on land and raising the gangplank (the bloody barrier across the road into the shore establishment). And as Mike's excerpt it was always fun to wind the RN up with kitchen (galley), toilets (heads), floor (deck). My favourite RN speak is adrift for being late or missing (AWOL).

[Manray9]

Geevee wrote: "In my current book when coming into Tobruk harbour delivering British troops to relieve the Australians the RN captain of HMS Havock announced "now will our soldier passengers please face the bow -..."

At least the USN doesn't name its shore facilities as if they were ships, but heaven help you if you call the scuttlebutt a water fountain.

The old saying: "The US Navy is over 200 years of tradition, unimpeded by progress."

Although, the navy today doesn't look like it did in my day. There were no women aboard aircraft carriers then and today's senior petty officers and officers are far more ethnically diverse. That is all probably for the best.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I'm going to be off-line for today and most of tomorrow as I am taking my new car for a drive down to the coast and to visit my dad. I will see what damage you guys have done when I get back Sunday lunch time :)

I will be spending some time at my favourite sea-side café:

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Have a great time Rick - have corkscrew will enjoy!

[Manray9]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I'm going to be off-line for today and most of tomorrow as I am taking my new car for a drive down to the coast and to visit my dad. I will see what damage you guys have done when I get back Sunday..."

Have fun and drive safely.

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Have a great drive and visit with your dad. We'll try to pick up the "empties" before we leave.

[carl]

GV's turn to be bartender, or is that sommelier ?

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Bar-steward Carl !

[carl]

Ahh got it! Set 'em up!

[Jerome]

Thanks for that heads-up, Rick, we'll be sure to take advantage of your absence to cause as much damage as humanly possible :)

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Back already and beat you to my place, all locked up like Fort Knox :)

[Dj]

Ah at last a time to peruse Halder's Diaries, without having to worry about that Cricket Bat.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

You must have made it by the skin of your teeth!

:)

[Dj]

Well there is nothing like a time limit to make you move faster. LOL


'Aussie Rick' wrote: "You must have made it by the skin of your teeth!

:)"

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

A video tribute some may like for our US Memorial Day tomorrow. http://worriersanonymous.org/Share/Ma...

Thanks to all the veterans for their service and a day to remember friends and colleagues GBNF.

[Colin]

Agree and thanks

[Manray9]

Today's The Washington Post included this fine column by Robert Samuelson.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinion...

Perhaps U.S. Grant's finest hour?

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

This article on a former US Marine appeared in the magazine of the UK Sunday newspaper The Observer this weekend and I thought as it is was Memorial Day in the US I would post it here as it is shows the battles still being fought by the ones who come home: http://www.theguardian.com/society/20...

This former British soldier sends his best wishes to his US GR friends who have served their country and on NATO operations cold or hot.

[Erik]

I've wanted to read Halder's Diaries but have yet to find a copy in readable condition. For a reasonable price at least.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Certainly not cheap Erik - just a thought but would the US Inter-library loan service be able to secure a copy for you?

[Dj]

I borrowed them from the library once. My goodness. The full set is two massive volumes. I have an abridged copy that I bought brand new, but since I know there is a great deal missing, I still feel a need to find those others sometime. It isn't a driving compulsion any more though.


Erik wrote: "I've wanted to read Halder's Diaries but have yet to find a copy in readable condition. For a reasonable price at least."

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

On this Memorial Day my thoughts also go out to all our US GR friends who have served and are serving .

[Erik]

Geevee wrote: "Certainly not cheap Erik - just a thought but would the US Inter-library loan service be able to secure a copy for you?"

I'll have to give that a try. I've managed to get some fairly obscure books via that route before (ie. Germany and the Second World War volumes I don't own). Sadly, many of them are highlighted, etc and that just enrages me over the disrespect to the book. Private copy, mark away... public copies should be left alone.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Erik wrote: "Sadly, many of them are highlighted, etc and that just enrages me over the disrespect to the book. Private copy, mark away... public copies should be left alone..."

I am with you there Erik. I don't write in my own books as it feels wrong.

[Kenneth]

Exactly right, chaps! The only person allowed to write in a book should be the author.
Although I must admit to liking a name and date inscribed inside old second hand books. Gets you imagining where the book has been before I found it.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I feel the same way as you Kenneth.

[Erik]

Kenneth wrote: "Exactly right, chaps! The only person allowed to write in a book should be the author.
Although I must admit to liking a name and date inscribed inside old second hand books. Gets you imagining whe..."

I must admit I do as well. I bought a lot of period books from the early 1800's and was astonished at what gems I found inside (newspaper clips on the topics, pictures, handwritten comments on loose paper, and an occasional "To whoever is reading this now" message). I love history, and can even enjoy when someone adds a little of their own to a book...so long as it is not destructive.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

I like inscriptions too - I think of the pleasure and happiness around those brief words often celebrating a birthday or Christmas. I also love finding cuttings, letters and cards/bookmarks that all hint at the book's previous life before entering mine.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

I fancied reading about Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb and saw that he had written a three volume set (published 1926, 1927 and 1933). A quick search and my library has first editions of volumes two and three - oddly volume one is not in the catalogue, but second volume on its way :)

[Mike]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "On this Memorial Day my thoughts also go out to all our US GR friends who have served and are serving ."

I definitely endorse that.

[Dj]

Here is a link to my latest book review. It has, nothing, I repeat nothing to do with WWII. But it is a fun read and might be something that the members would be interested in as a break from the less friendly confines of world conflict.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...



I have to admit that the author is fast becoming my favorite scientist.

[Manray9]

While only indirectly related to WW II, here is a brief interview from the NY Times with spy novelist, Alan Furst. I was pleased to read, like me, as a boy he read "They Were Expendable," "Guadalcanal Diary" and the Hardy Boys. Do young fellows still read the Hardy Boys? I doubt it. Furst also is an admirer of le Carre and MacDonald Fraser's Harry Flashman.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/boo...

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I was a big fan of MacDonald Fraser's Harry Flashman :)

[Kenneth]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I was a big fan of MacDonald Fraser's Harry Flashman :)"

I wanted to name my son Harry after good ole Flashy, but the missus wasn't having it.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

That might have been stretching it :)