| Tango01 | 19 Dec 2017 12:35 p.m. PST |
Of possible interest?
See here
link Amicalement
Armand |
 deadhead  | 19 Dec 2017 1:27 p.m. PST |
Interesting but clever typo error in your title. "New" is what is lacking. It is very much about Ney at QB and totally ignores the preceding days. The snag is that this gives no idea of the problems Ney suddenly faced, summoned to an unfamiliar command and officers, while armed with only a vague idea of Napoleon's plans. He was placed in a very tricky situation and that simply is not explained. OK, equally it was not his finest hour. The book is better written than the Grouchy and Napoleon tome that accompanied it and does at least have one map (a very small indistinct reproduction from Siborne.) The title of the book is accurate. This is solely Ney and QB. The subtitle I would dispute. I see nothing new and Mike Robinson's account of the battle is far more comprehensive in describing events. |
marmont1814  | 19 Dec 2017 1:52 p.m. PST |
I enjoyed the Grouchy book, although very little new and a little more on grouchy would have been good and the first half is interesting but more about Napoleon, I liked the Aide decamp and the row in the house between Grouchy and Gerard |
| Dave Jackson | 19 Dec 2017 2:51 p.m. PST |
Am on the fence about these books. I have so much on the campaign now. Agree on Mike Robinson's book. I may just not bother. |
| deadhead | 19 Dec 2017 3:37 p.m. PST |
The Grouchy book did much to convince me that the die was cast well before the morning of 18th, in that no decision of Grouchy's would have got him to Mt St Jean, or at least to stop Blucher doing so. It is also good in avoiding hindsight and stressing the information that was likely to have been available to Grouchy at any particular time. Or rather how lacking that was, emphasising that it was all the fault of an over confident Napoleon. The Grouchy book actually had the greater novelty, perhaps because literary coverage of the left wing of the French has always exceeded that of their right. But, however valuable its content, it is such hard reading. The total lack of a single map is a disaster. The translations are bizarre and, if I ever read the verb "debouche" again, I will scream. |
| Dave Jackson | 19 Dec 2017 4:35 p.m. PST |
LOL…..have you ever read the analysis of Grouchy's orders on the Napoleon Series? |
| Brechtel198 | 19 Dec 2017 8:28 p.m. PST |
The best new ones on the campaign that I have read are those by Andrew Field and there are now four in print-all from the French perspective. |
| deadhead | 20 Dec 2017 8:48 a.m. PST |
Agreed. Authoritative and readable…a rare combination. I only have two out of four. Too late for Christmas (actually having typed that…I now wonder what was on my list to Santa bookwise) Grouchy and Napoleon Series…good suggestion thanks. I do have greatly increased sympathy for him after reading G and N |
| Dave Jackson | 21 Dec 2017 8:17 a.m. PST |
Deadhead: link also, wrt translations, I speak French and I couldn't agree more with you…….I just roll my eyes now. The map issue, tho, is completely unconscionable…..for all historical renderings, good maps are a necessity, but for this one…..a good map is so critical. |
| deadhead | 25 Dec 2017 2:58 p.m. PST |
Now, they have cheated at TMP. You know how we get 60 minutes to change the text…? But God help you if the title is wrong. This, for days, read "Marshal New at Quatre Bras" and I thought that was far better than the recently corrected version. Plus Field's book on the Rout was on my list and…as I have been good all year, it is now here in front of me. |
| deadhead | 16 Jan 2018 4:26 a.m. PST |
and I have sat in bed over the last 48 hours aching and shivering despite the vaccine (but suddenly improved) reading the Rout by Field. It is really well done. It has maps, it has personal accounts as well as the usual reproduction of official correspondence. It explains something that is usually an afterthought to an account of the Big Day, or just a list of one village after an another, as French units seem to wander aimlessly and disintegrate. Very thought provoking and fascinating as to how the Guard behaved once Boney had abdicated. It is well written, highly readable, and I have only found one typo error in the whole text |
| britishbulldog | 19 Jan 2018 2:01 p.m. PST |
It's nice to see the the 'slashers', the 28th North Gloucestershire Regiment have made the cover. |
| deadhead | 20 Jan 2018 9:07 a.m. PST |
It was Lady Butler was it not? She showed them in the Belgic Shako alas. Whilst I admit that may well have been right for all British foot units by then, it spoils all our illusions to show 28th, 95th or 71/51/52 thus turned out. Oh, and the aching and shivering was a kidney stone. Some diagnostician me…physician heal thyself |
| Brechtel198 | 20 Jan 2018 10:17 a.m. PST |
|
's motivation to paint Napoleonic ships returns!
