History is Not Boring discussion

Hello Fellow History Book lovers
My name is dk Levick and I've lived in Canton, Michigan for the past 7 years. I was born and raised in Western New York (Go Sabres!) and lived in Niagara Falls for over 40 years. I love the Niagara River - both upper and lower.
I've written a novel titled: "Bridges - a Tale of Niagara" which is listed with Goodreads.
It is a story of 5 young men who venture out onto the ice bridge of Niagara Falls in the winter of 1962 and their journey to get back out. Along the way there are four historical stories of the river that you will find interesting and entertaining.
Look forward to reading your selections on the Great Lakes and discussing them with you.

Hi, everybody! I'm Doug, and I live in southwest Missouri. I've been an infantryman, history teacher, correctional officer, and now I teach in a federal prison. I live in the country with my lovely wife and enjoy many things like living history, black powder shooting, primitive bowmaking, playing and writing music, and writing.

It's good to meet you!

Hello! I'm Denise, and I'm a bookseller who lives in southern Illinois, the Metro St. Louis area. I like fiction, history and historical fiction. My primary interest over the past three years has been WW II (European stage) fiction and non-fiction. I can't get enough of it!

Hello Fellow History Book lovers,

I'm a history buff and realized that there is an elephant in the room in histories of WW2 and that an insight into this blind spot is needed to truly understand WW2 – to prevent history from repeating itself.

I went outside of the box and searched beyond the conventional wisdom concerning WW2 and present the results of my quest in my upcoming book.

For more info, see -- http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...

Hello Nicole,

If you're reffering to my posting of August 19, 2011 --

http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...
(2 webpages -- use the link at the bottom of Page 1 to go to Page 2)

That is an upcoming book tentativley scheduled to be published in December 2011 and maybe pre-ordered now.

Hope that helps!

Best regards,

Nicole,

I have to confess I'm equally puzzled!

Hi everyone!

I'm Karey I live out in the desert southwest and am a rather obsessed historical fiction and non-fiction reader. Are there any new group reads? Currently I am reading Warlords by Simon by Simon Berthon and Joanna Potts. and Born to Bark by Stanley Coren (i won it from goodreads.)

Hi Karey,

My upcoming book may be previewed at --
http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...
(2 webpages -- use the link at the bottom of Page 1 to go to Page 2)

Why this book is necessary made clear at -- http://numistamp.com/Why-these-WW2-pa...

I went outside of the box and searched beyond the conventional wisdom concerning WW2 and present the results of my quest in this book. For more information, see -- http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...


Questions and comments are welcome.

Best regards,

Thanks lance I will look your book up!

You are most welcome!

Hi everyone. I am a musician and music professor, living in Texas, Southern California born and raised. Being an avid reader from youth, I often have two or three books going. I just finished Doris Kearn Goodwin's
"Team of Rivals" about the Lincoln presidency, which has taken me almost three years to finish, reading on and off. Living in these rancorous political times when America can't seem to find its way forward, it was so comforting to read about Lincoln's presidency during a time in our country that was even more divided than our own.

Hi Vicki,

You are welcome to Preview my upcoming book about a blind spot in the histories of WW2 and how the US cannot afford a blind spot now.

Preview at -- http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...
(2 webpages -- use the link at the bottom of Page 1 to go to Page 2)

The reason for it -- http://numistamp.com/Why-these-WW2-pa...


All comments are welcome.

Best regards,

Hi Vicki - I also enjoyed Team of Rivals very much. What other areas of history interest you?

I am looking for two things in particular about American history. I would like to read a decent biography about Mary Todd Lincoln and I would like to read a good account of the Great Depression.

Hi All, this is a Perfect group for me! It took me till I was well into adulthood to discover that History is Not Boring. Now almost all I read are histories and biographies. My focus seems to be British and American women of the 17th-20th centuries. So much good stuff there! My own books, MISS ALCOTT'S E-MAIL and DOT TO DOT are my way of giving back to this wonderful treasure of great lives out there, and to try to pull some of the models (dare I say lessons?) of interesting living from those days into the minds of 21st century readers. Check out my website http://www.kitbakke.com for more. Cheers and thanks, Kit Bakke

Hi, I don't introduce myself to groups; in fact, this is the first time I've done so, and furthermore I don't participate in group discussions. However, after reading the excessive number of rules over at the "History Book Club" group I just had to come over here and show my appreciation to a group that allows me to be a member without bothering me and expecting me to follow a gazillion Gestapo rules. Having said this, I do welcome friend requests from fellow history readers, particularly those interested in the history of warfare and specifically WWII. I just ask that you have substantially more books than friends on your profile (and at least have some kind of profile, period), since my idea is not to add serial friend adders, but people who are genuinely interested in reading. For anyone interested I try to provide constant, fulsome and entertaining reviews. I am also prompted to write this because I am quite tired of my newsfeeds being full of reading updates from people who are reading the latest braindead vampire romance novel. I need people whose reading indicates at least a modicum of cerebral effort. Thank you for your time. -Evan G

I feel the same as you do about the "History Book Club" and quickly cancelled my membership there some time ago.

You are welcome to read my articles on the blind spot in the histories of WW2 and Pre-View my upcoming book on it --

http://numistamp.com/Why-these-WW2-pa...

Information on the upcoming book is available at --
http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...
(2 webpages -- use the link at the bottom of Page 1 to go to Page 2)

Comments are welcome even in the event that we disagree.

Best regards,

Welcome, Evan!

We're a pretty laissez-faire group over here.

What are your favorite books on World War II?

After reading so many books on WW2 over the years I became aware that most of these books were either about the War in Europe outside the Eastern (Russian) Front or about the war in the Far East and Pacific outside China.

However, most of the Axis military fought either in China or Russia -- but the info available on these fronts of WW2 is only a fraction of that available on the other areas. So my favorites are the books on WW2 in China and Russia.

I also decided to fill in the blanks in the histories of WW2 by writing a book which may be Pre-viewed at


http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...
(2 webpages -- use the link at the bottom of Page 1 to go to Page 2)

Evan wrote: "Hi, I don't introduce myself to groups; in fact, this is the first time I've done so, and furthermore I don't participate in group discussions. However, after reading the excessive number of rules ..."

LOL, Evan...you made me curious, so I had to check out the rules of the HBC. Wow, pretty strict, I have to admit.

Welcome to this group. I do not participate much unfortunately (because of lack of time, not interest), but I try to read the daily updates and get great book recommendations from this group's members.

I'm issuing a serial reply, but want to specifically thank Ioana, Lance, and Susanna, as well as Pete who friended me as a result of this posting.
Lance, I briefly stopped over at your site and don't disagree with any of the statements you've made about the neglected and very important theaters of WWII and the impacts of those.
Susanna, so far I feel I haven't read enough about WWII to issue any definitive proclamation about which are the best books, but so far my favorites have been The 900 Days by Harrison Salisbury about the siege of Leningrad and Enemy at the Gates by Wm Craig about the battle of Stalingrad. I like John Toland's bio of Hitler (and anything written by Toland for that matter) and finally read Liddell-Hart's History of the Second World War this summer, which I found a provocative overview. I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot of great ones. I have a big WWII shelf which you can access if you like.
Ioana, I was almost tempted to join the History Book Club for the express purpose of flouting their rules, since I doubt they'll send SS officers after me to arrest me for doing so. :)
Thanks everyone for the welcomes. -Evan

Evan,

You are most welcome. Glad to know a kindred spirit.

If you haven't already read these articles and Previewed my upcoming book -- I invite you to do so

World War 2 – Did it begin at Pearl Harbor?
http://numistamp.com/World-War-2-%E2%...

The "Greater East Asia War" & World War 2
http://numistamp.com/The-%22Greater-E...


Why I wrote my upcoming book --

http://numistamp.com/Why-these-WW2-pa...

http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...


Book Preview --
http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...
(2 webpages -- use the link at the bottom of Page 1 to go to Page 2)


Comments are welcom even in the event we disagree.

Best regards,

Hi, everybody. My name is Joyce Shaughnessy. I write historical fiction, but I read history by the tons to prepare for each book. I am currently reading about Joseph Stillwell. I write so far, at least, about WWII. A Healing Place and Blessed Are the Merciful are my two published books. The first also deals with the American Depression. I love history. I hope it's okay to just jump in. Joyce

www.blessedarethemerciful.net

Hi all,
This is a great page and the posts are highlighting people's interests which makes the discussion worth spending time on.

I'm from the UK and love history: military, political and social history especially British including monarchy especially Victorian and Stuarts; Commonwealth/Empire and American plus London. The era/area I've read most on is World War Two but I'm happy on anything with a history angle and keep meaninmg to explore more on India and Africa.

Hello, D.K.! I am so jealous! I have always wanted to go to Niagra Falls, and we probably will never get there. I would love to see it. I bet it is beautiful. Joyce shaughnessy

Hi Geevee,

Since WW2 is your interest my articles & book should be on interest to you --

Why the book is necessary is explained at -- http://numistamp.com/Why-these-WW2-pa...

A Pre-View is available at --
http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...
(2 webpages -- use the link at the bottom of Page 1 to go to Page 2)

Questions/comments are welcome even in the event you disagree.

Best regards,

Thanks Lance I'll check them out. The China angle is interesting and sadly my own reading stems to nothing more than the a book or two mainly on the Chindits mentioning the Ledo and Burma roads.

You are welcome Geevee!

"my own reading stems to nothing more than the a book or two mainly on the Chindits mentioning the Ledo and Burma roads" -- You have got lots of company! In the US knowledge of WW2 is very often limited to Pearl Harbor, the war in Europe and the Pacific and this is a great obstacle in understanding WW2 -- the danger of this is that history may repeat itself because of it.

You may be interested to know that in Burma, besides the Chindits a British force numbering initially 3,000 and growing at one stage to 20,000, there was also Merrill's Marauders a US force which never numbered more than 3,000. The 100,000 Chinese troops in Burma is usually in the blind spot! Did they make a difference?

"On 16 April, almost 7,000 British soldiers, and 500 prisoners and civilians were encircled by an equal number of Japanese soldiers ... The 1st Burma Division was hampered by large numbers of wounded men and short of water. Major General Bruce Scott, commanding the 1st Burma Division, telephoned General Sun Li Jen, commanding the Chinese 38th Division, asking for rescue soon after the 38th Division entered the area...On 17 April, General Sun...led his 113th Regiment with only 1121 men, of which only 800 were combat personnel, in the rescue mission...For the next three days the Chinese attacked southwards...a resounding success" -- Battle of Yenangyaung (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_o...)

Americans may know of Merrill's Marauders at Myitkyina but not of the Chinese division that arrived just in time to turn the tables for the US and make that victory possible. What would have happened to Merrill's Marauders if the Chinese division had not arrived or arrived later?

"In the battles of Walawbum and Shadzup, only the timely arrival of the Chinese saved the Marauders from disaster. Merrill himslef collapsed wirh another heart attack." pages 230-231, A war to be won: fighting the Second World War By Williamson Murray, Allan R. Millett, ISBN 9780674006805

I was unable to mention that in my articles because of space constraints but I may have space for it in my book --
http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...
(2 webpages -- use the link at the bottom of Page 1 to go to Page 2)

All comments, even criticism is welcome.

Best regards,

Hi, All -
I'm a recently retired clinical psychologist who has always had a passion for history. Now I get to really indulge. A present to myself was to join this group: I look forward to good discussions!!

For the past year I've been fascinated with WWI and the cultural events that followed from that horrible war. I've been reading both fiction & non-fiction to fill in the picture.

What fascinates me (predictably) is the human side of history: the individual and their culture. I'm now reading Dark Century - Europe between the wars. Isn't it amazing how clear hindsight can be - what are we obviously missing right now!?!?!

Lance wrote: "You are welcome Geevee!..."

Thanks Lance I will look to read more on the Chinese involvement. I had two great-uncles who served with the British and Commonwealth 14th Army and know a few surviving old Burma Star Veterans (the campaign medal awarded to them for this theatre), and they were calling themselves the Forgotten Army even as the campaign was being fought.

Skip wrote: "Hi, All -
I'm a recently retired clinical psychologist who has always had a passion for history. Now I get to really indulge. A present to myself was to join this group: I look forward to good di..."

Hi Skip,
I have this on my TBR and wondered if it might appeal to you based on your post

by Richard Overy

Thanks, Geevee -
Yes - it sounds wonderful. I'm putting it on my TBR list also. I have a feeling finding it will be a challenge (but a fun one). Thanks, again!

Hi Geevee,


I had the impression that you were American but since your great-uncles were British -- are you British or American?

Reading books by British and American authors -- one sees the difference between the British and American viewpoints.

In Quarter-2 of WW2, Americans fought in the Pacific while the British fought outside the Pacific -- Burma was the exception where Americans fought outside the
Pacific in WW2 in Quarter-2. The Quarters of WW2 are explained at --
http://numistamp.com/Why-these-WW2-pa...

Comments are welcome.

Best regards

Hi Skip,


"what are we obviously missing right now!?!?!" -- see -- http://numistamp.com/Why-these-WW2-pa...

You are welcome to the Pre-View at --
http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...
(2 webpages -- use the link at the bottom of Page 1 to go to Page 2)

For more information, see -- http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...


Comments are welcome.


Best regards,

I LOVE, LOVE history books. Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides is wonderful. So is The Burma Road. I didn't start reading history books until I started writing historical fiction, and since my books are WWII, that is the history I have primarily read. I noticed a comment about Burma during WW2. That is the subject of my next book. I have written A Healing Place and Blessed Are the Merciful, Our Forgotten Soldiers. www.blessedarethemerciful.net The soldiers who fought in the Pacific were basically ignored for almost two years in the beginning of the war, including CBI Theatre. Mine are about the Philippines. The U.S. didn't feel they could supply two fronts at the same time, so they chose European theatre first. The soldiers in the Pacific and CBI (British and American) were horribly under-supplied. They had a terrible time against the violent and cruel japanese army. Joyce Shaughnessy

Lance wrote: "Hi Skip,


"what are we obviously missing right now!?!?!" -- see -- http://numistamp.com/Why-these-WW2-pa...

You are welcome to the Pre-View at --
http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938..."

Hi, Lance -
Thanks for the references to your sites. I've started reading and look forward to learning lots more from you - and having, hearing some very vigorous ongoing discussions. Thanks!!

Hi Skip,

I welcome both comments and criticism of my articles and book -- feel free to do either or both!

My book is available (Pre-Orders) from Fishpond New Zealand, Fishpond Australia, Fishpond Worldwide, Numistamp.com, Barnes & Noble (in the US), Waterstones (in the UK) and The Book Depository (worldwide). If you have any difficulty there -- let me know.

Please let me know if you have any difficulty accessing the webpages Numistamp put up for me.

I don't expect everyone of my readers to agree with me -- but I hope it sets them thinking beyond the conventional wisdom concerning WW2 and penetrating the fog of deception that has resulted in bewilderment in the post-911 world.

When the lessons of history are forgotten -- history repeats itself.


Best regards,

I love your post. Since i write and read about WW2 I know some of the answers to some of the questions. Japan attacked China (although they didn't seem important to Germany) because they needed their natural resources because they had none. In reading about China, Burma, India theatre, I've found out that China was really important to England and the U.S. because of their manpower. England and the U.S. knew they would never get Burma back without the men to help against the Japanese. The Japanese needed resources, but their manpower was enormous. They eventually lost the war though because they 1)ran out of resources and 2)finally ran out of manpower. They would have continued to fight to the last woman and child though if not for the atomic bomb. I think Hitler was just stupid for the fact that he discounted both China and Russia. When his troops landed in a winter storm in Russia, they couldn't go on. they couldn't fight without tanks they couldn't move and people they couldn't even clothe properly for the bitter winter. Also, they spent a lot of money, resources, and men on the elimation of the Jews. What a horrible thing to do as well as stupid. Hitler was under medication in his last days, was suffering from Parkinsons and not thinking properly. I could talk and talk and talk about the war but it would probably be boring.
I've just read six books on the CBI theatre because my characters are headed there next and I want to be prepared. Chaing-Kai-Shek hated Stilwell to such a degree that he refused to send troops unless Roosevelt fired him. Roosevelt bluffed and sent Chiang a telegram telling him that he would have nothing to do with Chiang if he didn't make up with Stilwell. Chiang said okay, he would not. Roosevelt finally was forced to fire one of the greatest generals of our time (Stilwell) because of Chiang (at least in my opinion). The problem with Stilwell was that he was not a politician, and was "Vinegar Joe" to the end. I think MacArthur was mostly a fool.
I would argue about the war for hours, but I won't. Most of it is my opinion or the opinion of the people whose books I have read. Joyce Shaughnessy

Hello Joyce,


I don't know whether you were referring to one of my posts or to the post of another member of Goodreads.

I strongly recommend punctuation, especially paragraphing!

Anyway, you are welcome to read my articles and upcoming book which is available for Pre-Orders at Barnes & Noble (in the US) and worldwide from Numistamp, The Book Depository, Fishpond (NZ, Australia, Worldwide), Waterstones (UK) and other book retailers.

A German artillery commander who fought in the Battle of Stalingrad and has written several books on it, been interviewed by PDS, SearchBeat and others, was moved to comment on my book. His interview with SearchBeat is on Numistamp and SearchBeat. His comments on my book are on Numistamp.


Best regards,

Thanks, Lance. Yes, I was talking about your blog. I don't think my punctuation was so bad, but I agree that I needed paragraphs and it was entirely too much information for one comment.

I got caught up in it because I have been reading so many wonderful history books and have learned a lot.

Thanks for reminding me!
Joyce

Hi Joyce,


No hard feelings!

I don't have a blog but I do have webpages on Numistamp for my articles and book.

Happy reading.


Best regards,

Hello, Evan. I would like to introduce myself to you. I am Joyce Shaughnessy and wrote two WWII books, A Healing Place and Merciful are the Blessed, Our Forgotten Soldiers. I appreciate, like you do, that there is a place to discuss historical fiction, especially WWII instead of romance or vampires. Not that there's anything wrong with either, it just happens to be something I'm not interested in. I have a blog on Joyce Shaughnessy'sPosterous.com and a website at www.blessedarethemerciful.net I love to talk about WWII.
I am now trying to learn all I can about CBI and it is not an easy subject at all. If it were just Stilwell or just Burma Road or just Chiang-kai-shek, it would be easier, but it is those three things plus a lot more.
I don't see how anyone like Herman Wouk could have written War and Remembrance and Winds of War. My God, he must have had a staff or a mind like a trap.
Not me. I just have me and my computer.
What do you write?
Nice to talk to you and will see you often on this site I hope.
And no offense taken, Lance. I get carried away sometimes.
Joyce Shaughnessy

Lance wrote: "Hi Geevee,


I had the impression that you were American but since your great-uncles were British -- are you British or American?..."

Hi lance,
Sorry for the delay in replying - I am British and so the war in Burma is of interest, but equally so is the US - and indeed Australian - aspects in terms of involvement, scope and vastness of the theatre and how that challenged both operations and logistics and determined strategy. I heartily recommend the three countries official histories for the three arms if you've not exlored them _ I can let you have authors and titles.

I had never considered the quarters approach but it does enable one to size the coverage, and you are correct too in respect of Q3 and that the Eastern theatre was the German's main deployment and focus. I'd be interested in your views on adding Western Allied production and supply to Russia, and the strategic bombing of Germany to that equation too?

Cheers
Geevee

Hi Geevee,


My exploration of WW2 began in the English language with the official histories of WW2. All the accounts I read told me WW2 began in Europe in early September 1939. I firmly believed WW2 turned on the Battle of Britain, D-Day, the Normandy Landings and Operation Overlord -- all else (for example Coral Sea, Midway, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Okinawa) being secondary. I knew about the Chindits, then Merrill's Marauders but these were peripherals. Russia figured less than the Pacific in these histories. China was peripheral even to the peripherals of Burma. Western Allied production and supply to Russia, and the strategic bombing of Germany were all in these official histories of WW2. I believed the western allies saved the world in WW2.

Later on, it was disconcerting to find out that 60% to 80% (depending on who makes the estimate) of Germany's military was consumed in the Eastern Front! Chinese histories recording the start of full-scale war in July 1937 and the fact that most of Japan's military was consumed in China simply didn't fit into the official histories of WW2.

For example, I think it is necessary to consider not only Tarawa but also Shanghai in perspective to understand WW2. The problem is -- Tarawa is in the official US history of WW2 but Shanghai is not. There are dozens of books on the 3-day Battle of Tarawa between 35,000 US troops and less than 5,000 Japanese (half were merely laborers) in late 1943, but it's hard to find even one single book on the 3.5-month Battle of Shanghai between 600,000 Chinese and 300,000 Japanese troops in late 1937!

Western Allied production and supply to Russia, and the strategic bombing of Germany are well known aspects of WW2 -- there are already copious and excellent accounts of this aspect of WW2 history and any effort I may make to add this to the equation on the Eastern Front would be superfluous.

My book is intended to provide an insight into WW2 in China and its impact on the rest of WW2 -- the blind spot in the official histories of WW2. We all cannot afford this blind spot because history may repeat itself.

Recently, I updated one of my articles and you may want to revisit it -- http://numistamp.com/Why-these-WW2-pa...


Best regards,

you have passion!

Hello Donna,

Welcome to the group!

Joyce Shaughnessy, a member of the group has written some novels on WW2 which you may want to look into.

I hope you read my articles and preview my book, a good place to start is --
http://numistamp.com/Why-these-WW2-pa...

Comments, even criticism are welome.

Best regards,

Yes I will look into reading one of your books. My father -in-law passed away in 2000 and he fought in WW2
and my husband and I should both be reading to learn the things he went through as he didn't talk about time served in the NAVY.

Hi Donna,


If you're referring to my book I should clarify that the is another Lance Olsen who is a novelist and has written many fiction books -- he's a novelist but I'm a history buff and my book points out facts in a blind spot in the histories of WW2.

And you'll see in my articles and book that fact may be stranger than fiction. Those who have read only the official histories of WW2 will be shocked that just after the Battle of Britain, the USSR and Germany went into detailed negotiations on the terms of the USSR becoming the fourth Axis Power!

When Germany launched a surprise attack on the USSR inspite of those negotiations -- the USSR had either to fight or surrender (joining the Axis had become impossible!).

After the US, too, was attacked by the Axis 6 months later, the US and the British joined with China and the USSR in the "Allied Powers" alliance and my book points out that it required the COMBINED effforts of all the principal Allied Powers to win WW2.

There are copious accounts of the efforts of the US and the British in WW2 -- I do not attempt to outdo the books that have already detailed this aspect of WW2. My book provides an insight into what is outside the scope of those books. There's a preview at --

http://numistamp.com/Taierzhuang-1938...
(2 webpages -- use the link at the bottom of Page 1 to go to Page 2)


Best regards,

Hello everyone - I don't usually formally introduce myself to a group (more of a lurker, ha), but am so glad this group is here. Huge history fan here (majored in Early European History in college). So anything in between 1066-1485 I absolutely devour. Oddly, I have a similar voracious appetite for anything that pertains to WWI. Go figure....

While I don't limit myself to non-fiction, I'm usually reading at least one history book at any given time. Right now I'm reading "George, Nicholas and Wilhelm: Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I" by Miranda Carter.

I enjoy good history books from any era, though, and always love to hear good recommendations!

I've heard good things about that one, Michele. How are you enjoying it?