"Napoleons' Apogee" Topic

Since this book was introduced at Historicon is there any idea when pre-ordered copies will be mailed?

I received my per-ordered copy a week ago.

Don't know, but I picked up my preordered copy at Historicon. Absolutely wonderful!

Will "Napoleon's Apology" be forthcoming?

Sorry Steven, I don't get it.

I know, Matt. I know.

will this be available in the UK or will we have to order direct to the US.

The books came out later from the bindery than we realized. If I knew how to bind them myself, I would work 24/7 to do it myself. If I could captain the ship to make it arrive faster, I would do that.
If I could help unload, I would do that. If I could drive the truck all night to my warehouse, I would do that…

Pragmatically, however, these things are out of my control, particularly since the books were produced in a land far far away.

I had a discussion with my production person prior to making the decision to bring in 150 copies early. Some paraphrasing for clarity, but it went like this:

"Well, Matt, we may be able to ship as many as 100-150 books from the bindery via air freight in time for Historicon. But it's going to be expensive."

Matt: "Well, that sucks. But if I can get the books to Historicon I'll pay for everyone of them."

"That's crazy."

Matt: "Why shouldn't we get as many books to the customers as we can, and we can show off the book at the show, so people there can make an informed decision. We can talk until we are blue in the face about this book, but there's nothing like holding a 7.5 pound book and seeing the quality of the thing itself."

"No, don't do it. Ship 25 to the show. You should make the others wait."

Matt "Why?"

"Fairness. Because if you ship to some and not others, those that didn't get them will whine and bitch on the internet. It's going to be a PR disaster. It's going to cause incalculable damage"

Matt: "Our fans are seem kind and mature. I don't think they'll have a problem with this. Why would our customers whine on the internet and such, or try to put egg on us? They're invested in what we do, they don't want us to fail. I don't get it. So, rather than service the customers I can, I should make everyone wait for their books for fear of internet complaints? That sounds like pre-school. Make sure you bring enough for everybody or don't bring anything at all. Rubbish (except I didn't exactly say rubbish)."

"Of course. You can trust me on this one. They'll be making lame jokes about Napoleon's Apology, you'll see."

Matt: "Ha ha. Never thought of that one. What extraordinary wit!"

"However, I'd like to think that my customers are better than that, they certainly have better senses of humor, by and large. The cynical side of me tells me you're right, but I can't in good faith hold the shipment and cater to the lowest common denominator. Get the books on the soonest available airplane. Hopefully the rest of the books will be right behind them, and we will have a smooth transition."

Famous last words. But I made the best decision.

Certainly, at this moment, I am even more appreciative of the hundreds of great customers who we do have. I am not second guessing my decision, nor apologizing for doing the best that we can to make available fine books.

You can be assured that we have no solution except to work harder, and perform better.

Best Regards,

Matt

Dear Matt
Thank you for the explanation and please calm down a little. We are patient and need to wait then that is what we do. Humour is elusive among publishers and authors at times. The internet is a poor method of communicating.

Take care
Stephen

I am no better at waiting than anyone else.

Thanks for the advice. You're right about the internet.

Matt

I am also having trouble figuring out a way to get the books to the UK and have someone handle them.

Other than that, I think Ken Trotman may carry them, or Caliver.

You can get them directly from us, best via our website. militaryhistorypress.com

Regards,

Matt

<;^}

Hang in there, Matt, you're doing great. Ignore the word games from the cheap seats. ;-)

Sincerely,
K

And it's an absolutely wonderful tome!!

<:o}

Hi Matt
I am waiting and in no hurry I will get the book when it gets here.

From all I have heard and read it will be well worth the wait.

William Keyser

Hi Matt

who cares about the wait,you know it will arrive and be

a perfect rendition of what we all have come to expect

from your company………..i have the three previous tomes

and rate them as some of my favorite Napolenic boooks old

and new

so chill…….have a puff of the cohiba no 5 ,a sip ofKrug

and await the deluge of praise

best regards

Ged

gjm.figurines.co.uk/

ps mine is en route from the USA…..thank god

No, thank Matt! <;^}

Thanks for the explanation Matt. I have the Davout book and if this is in the same league, it is well worth the wait.

Cheers

Tom

I appreciate the irony, that my customers are calming ME down because their books are late.

You guys are all much appreciated.

Matt

No sweat, Matt.

look like you have a small fan club Matt!!

you must know lots of hot chicks!!

Ged,

Have you ever seen Matt's entourage of Serbian babes?

Hot enough to melt lead!!!!

Regards,

Scott

Scott

not yet…….im still dealing with the uber-hot bosnian

batch he passed over too me!!…..that turned me to

mercury!!

regards

Ged

Mr Ged,

Having seen pictures of Matt's Serbian connection (no joke, they ARE smokin'), and since you have the Bosian left-overs, I'm afraid that I am left to fend for myself.

Me ke aloha,

MJ

MJ

Even more worrying as its true………gone a funny

shade of green

a man who can have a fine stable of fillies all under

one roof gets my vote

im sure you have your own batch of polanisian beauties!!

regards

Ged

Well, the most beautiful here, and the ones I'm most fond of are those of Portuguese-Pacific Islander mix…stunning beauties.

can i have two please gift wrapped and sent over in two
perfumed carpets!!

Ceasar /mark 2

Ged,

Why do you think it's called 'paradise?'

SB

Scott

now i know!!……………dare not visit

knowing my lack of willpower to wine women(plural) and
a croacky song!!

best regards

Ged

Anyone in the UK get their book yet?

Dear Steve
Alas not yet, but we a stoical breed. I have plenty to read at present. These are hand bound in leatheret. I got interested in these due to writing the introduction to Adye (1813) Bombardier and Pocket Gunner and William Swabey (1807-15) Campaign Diaries. The latter I was pleased with being supplied by the letter he wrote just after Waterloo by his great great grandson also called William Swabey.

Griffiths, F.A. (1839 rp 2005) Artillerist's Manual and Compendium, 1st Ed., J.M. Boddy, Woolwich. [Reprinted by DP&G, Doncaster in 2005];

Griffiths F.A. (1873 rp 2007) Artillerist's Manual and British Soldier's Compendium, 11th Ed., J.M. Boddy, Woolwich [Edited by his son, Captain Leonard Griffiths Reprinted by DP&G, Doncaster.]

Lefroy, John Henry (1867 rp 2007) The Handbook for Field Service, J.M. Boddy [Reprint by DP&G, Doncaster]

Le Mesurier C.B. (1868 rp 2007) Notes on the Manufacture of the Royal Carriage Department, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. Revised Ed. [DP&G, Doncaster]

Macaulay J.S. (1831), A Treatise on Field Fortifications, 1st Ed. [DP&G, Doncaster reprinted the 3rd Ed. of 1855 in 2007]

Royal Engineers (1850-3 rp 2007) Aide-Memoire to the Military Sciences, Vol. I-III, [Reprinted by DP&G, Doncaster]

Stephen

Confronted with the truth and the legend, gentlemen, print the legend. My comment on the stable of Serbian hotties is simply this…it takes only one of them to rip a mortal man's heart to pieces.

I believe a couple of UK customers have their books. I await their public proclamations.

Matt

Matt,

I think the blonde on the right of the last photo I saw has probably ripped to pieces many mortal mens' hearts.

Scott

Scott

any chance of pictures of them.undrapped is fine!!

I'm in the UK, and my book arrived today :-)

Haven't had a chance to do more than browse through a few chapters, but it is quite simply a superb piece of work. If you are swithering about this one, get it quick so as to let Matt and his team get on with the next one!

still waiting…………..

<;^} <;^} <;^}

I have just received my copy of Napoleon's Apogee and it is an outstanding effort. Scott did an amazing job with this and Matt and the production staff outdid themselves on this one.

As I have said before, Scott is definitely in the first rank of Napoleonic historians.

Sincerely,
K

Isn't the vast majority of this work English translations of formerly published French works?

Sincerely,
S

Dear Steven
What you have written is true that they are translations of French Works but that does not diminish the quality and manner of presentation of this work in an accessible form to the English speaking people.

The new maps and presentations enhance the understanding of the battles.

Stephen

Well said Stephen. And Scott is also the author of at least four other books on the period and the material presented is excellent. Scott knows his business.

Sincerely,
K

Stephen, my friend,

What I said did not "diminish the quality and manner of presentation of this work"!

The work does not, however, showcase Scott as a "Napoleonic historian" but as a Napoleonic translator. Which was my point.

The book is not really in "an accessible form" because of its very high price tag. Especially for those, probably in the majority here on TMP, who have to sit in the "cheap seats" out of economic necessity, . These folks would have greatly benefitted from a paperback edition of the printed text only, perhaps priced in the $25 USD – $50 USD region.

I also doubt the tome will be available at the local library, again because of its very high price.

Sincerely,
S

Will "Napoleon's Apostacy" be far behind? <;^}

Dear Steve
I agree that an edition of the text at a paperback price would be a useful edition to the library. I bought the book for the information that it contained and was a great stretch of my finances as currently without paid work. This has given me time to send 4 reprints and 3 new books to the publishers in the last 6 months. Currently finishing the Saxon Artillery 1733-1827 2nd Edition.

Alas the French Artillery to 1824: Gribeauval, AnXI and Drill Manual that I co-authored with Paul L. Dawson has been considered by many as overpriced at £50.00 GBP and only 12 have been sold. The royalties upon this were not enough to buy a book.

It is hoped that Dupin's British Napoleonic Ordnance will do a little better showing the only contemporary plans of Royal Artillery Ordnance that we know about but it is priced at £45.00 GBP Both books are leatherette bound with gold leaf decoration.

Both a paperback versions [Partizan Press] and hardback [DP&G of Doncaster] version of Adye (1813) Bombardier and Pocket Gunner are being produced just for the reasons you have described above.

Depending upon my employment situation there will be other books forthcoming. Alas having a Doctorate in Chemistry does not make you very attractive in the current job market.

Stephen
link

"The work does not, however, showcase Scott as a "Napoleonic historian" but as a Napoleonic translator. Which was my point."---Steven H. Smith

LOL!!!

Only on TMP, folks.

Me ke aloha,

MJ

Akamai? LOL!

Big Al

Come now, troon golfer, that's no slight of Scott. Steve, like most of us, values a good translation of primary sources far more than the usual 4th retelling of the same anecdotes from memoires docudramas.

It is a slap at Kiley, and you do see it on a free forum like TMP, because Kiley's incessent broad-brush pronouncements of his dislikes and enthusiasms are restrained only by the rest of us pointing out when his bricoles are showing…

Actually I think Steven is waaay off base here. Napoleon's Apology indeed! And Napoleon's Apostacy? Give me a break.

It's obvious that the next title should be Napoleon's Pedigree and the conclusion of the trilogy would be Napoleon's Perigree, and upon saying all three titles in succession you would turn into a rabbit. Or Napoleon would turn into a rabbit. Or Scott and Matt would turn into rabbits …

[warning, understanding the above probably requires having a child under the age of 12 in the house and/or a very good memory for old Disney movies]

But seriously, I agree with the suggestion of producing a plain paperback edition of these translations at some point – of course after all of the uber-sexy deluxe editions have been sold. I love these MHP books, but a book you can't read in a coffee shop or in bed, or especially on the can – sorry, unfortunate truth with young kids around – is more for collectors that readers. Is there any hope?

Gentlemen,

Most of you know that I am sensitive to this issue of price, in that I want people who want the book to get them.
The idea that these books are only for collectors simply isn't true. But I don't take offense to that profound misunderstanding of what we are about….

Here is part one of my response that explains why I think we are doing everything we can on this score.

One, we widely broadcast that we were selling the books for a pre-pub special at $145.00 USD plus $40 USD shipping to GB. This was during the time that the pound was incredibly strong. Some people took advantage of this -- some even waited for the dollar to reach its low point. Somebody please remind me what the apogee was of the pound to dollar and you can figure out the bargain these guys got.

Then, after realizing that we were adding 100 pages to the project, we raised the price to $165. USD That price stood until July. At this point, we felt good that we could still offer a steal.

Now, I thought these prices represented an incredible value, and a good investment for the purchaser. When these things sell out, consider what they will be worth.

Similarly, the pre-pub price for Napoleon's Last Grande Armee was $100, now selling for $345. USD Napoleon's Finest was $90 USD (now $175), and On Campaign I believe was $100 USD when first offered,(now $185).

I am quite certain that a customer could have ordered two books and then sell one set and make a pretty big dent in their costs (always one of my goals). I have a handful of American customers who do that. In essence, they've gotten the 4 volumes we've produced at $145, $90, $100, $100. USD That's $435 USD plus shipping.

Currently, they sell for $345, $225, $185, and $175 USD on our website. That's $900. USD Thus, you could have had one free set of books and paid for a portion of the shipping if you invested in two sets instead of one. Heck, early purchasers got a Rocco Napoleonic Print.

I specifically market this kind of information to wargamers on forums, because wargamers particularly should have information like that contained in Apogee. Guess what? If enough wargamers got in on the pre-order price (or even bought two), the book would sell out faster, enhancing the value of their books immediately.

Now, this should answer the question about why we don't sell cheap versions of our books. We can't afford to cheapen the value of the books until all the books have been sold. We are responsible for protecting our customer's investment. I would require wide consent of our customer base before I would consider that option.

Next is Part Two