What are we reading?

[Sir Slash]

I saw that one. It's about a guy starting a Latvian Death Song Band, "Doom Doom Doom". Or was it Estonian? Good show but needs more dialog.  :clap:

[trailrunner]

^Thanks, it's right in my wheelhouse.

Finished Nomonhan last night.  Good book.  He concluded with an interesting idea that the (relatively) small battle there was pivotal in deciding the outcome of WW2.

[Gusington]

Thanks bruh.

[BanzaiCat]

I dunno, but I'm damned tempted to read Tha Holy Bibizzle.

No, I'm not joking.








:DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD :DD

[Gusington]

OMGangsta

[Staggerwing]

Playa...

[mirth]

Pint-sized playa

[Gusington]

Yes?

[mirth]

Favor us with a haiku

[trailrunner]

[Staggerwing]

^ They just found out that the one crewmember on the roster who was never accounted for among either the dead or survivors had not actually shipped out on that mission. He was recorded as boarding but was then immediately transferred to another assignment though never recorded as disembarking.

[trailrunner]

Finished this on my way out to the west coast:



And then I started reading this one the way back:

[Gusington]

Just started Vindolanda by Adrian Goldsworthy.

[JasonPratt]

Recently finished the first volume of Susan Baur's pre-modern history trilogy, History of the Ancient World. Despite the subtitle describing the timeline reaching "to the fall of Rome", it actually transitions at the rise of Constantine. She takes a quick stab at justifying the title anyway, with the idea that what emerged from Constantine's accession was something different from Rome, and greater for better and for worse, but eh. She could have just as easily ended with the founding of Constantinople and the shift of government there as a better argument for "the fall of Rome" (as a seat of government). Either way, everyone everywhere regards the fall of Rome as something rather more dramatically obvious (if more varied about when exactly it happens) than where she ends up. Were the dust-jackets already printed when she decided she had better not go out to something more like the actual fall?? ???

Despite this annoying quibble, I enjoyed the tome as a very readable history of ancient world civilizations up to (verrrrrrrrry arguably) the start of the medieval period (if one takes the so-called Dark Ages as early medieval, and the start of this as the fall of Rome, and the fall of Rome as the rise of ugh.) Grogs should especially appreciate it as, in effect, a military history, since most of the historical 'narrative' up to this point is SO VERY CONCENTRATED on wars. On the other hand, the near-total focus on war-as-history started to seriously depress me after a while. I don't blame anyone for that, except our fallen humanity in general. But still, I didn't rush out and immediately start reading Vol 2 either. I'm sure I'll get to it presently.

[Gusington]

Vindolanda was very good - anyone who likes Harry Sidebottom will enjoy it.

On to Alexander the Great by Philip Freeman now.