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Post by nangwaya on May 26, 2022 3:04:16 GMT
One of the books I am reading at the moment is "The Old World Kitchen - The Rich Tradition of European Peasant Cooking" by Elisabeth Luard.
In one of the passages she writes "Sea routes make good highways: the Phoenicians, trading oranges for tin with the Cornish coastal dwellers, left a trail of recipes for fish soup from the straits of the Bosporus to the North Sea".
I had no idea that those two groups were trading with each other... so much to learn and so little time!
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Post by Ken Gordon on May 26, 2022 9:29:56 GMT
Totally off topic but it happens to be one of my all time favourite cookery books - check out the Romanian mushroom rice!
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Post by macbeth on Jun 1, 2022 0:40:53 GMT
Last week I finished off 'Ottomans' and found it an excellent read. A weekend away gave me plenty of reading time where I read
"The Emperor's Feast" by Jonathan Clements - a History of China through its food - really good "The Macedonian Warrior: Alexander's Elite Infanrtyman" - by Waldemar Heckel - from the Osprey Warrior Series
I am now about a quarter through "Hired Swords: The Rise of Private Warrior Power in Early Japan" by Karl Friday
Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Jun 6, 2022 5:42:48 GMT
I finished off "Hired Swords" on Saturday morning - loved it
Now I am almost through the latest in Timothy Marshall's "Politics of Place" series "The Power of Geography" another compelling work by Marshall.
Cheers
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Post by paulisper on Jun 6, 2022 7:14:11 GMT
Coming towards the end of Highland Battles by Chris Peers… it’s been an ok read, but was hoping for more flesh on the bones of the actual battles themselves…
P
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Post by macbeth on Jun 10, 2022 11:16:24 GMT
After finishing 'The Power of Geography' I moved into more books in the same theme
Alistair Bonnet produced two "Beyond the Map" and "Off the Map" both very good
I am now reading "Islands of Abanonment" by Cal Flynn - a series of vingettes about abandoned areas re-wilding
Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Jun 19, 2022 12:01:13 GMT
After Islands of Abandonment I pushed on to 'The Atlas of Unusual Borders' - short vignettes about strange enclaves and other weird borders.
I then pushed on with "L'art De La Guerre" by Herve Caille - not a bad set of rules. I may have to give them a try soonish.
I finished that one on Saturday morning and then started 'Vengance' by Anthony Riches - the twelfth book in his Empire series - This has been an exciting read and I am already 3/4 of the way through. Given that the main characters are supporting Pertinax in his bid for the throne we can assume it will end in tears.
cheers
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Post by paulisper on Jun 21, 2022 20:39:15 GMT
Made a start on The White Ship by Charles Spencer and The Red Prince: John of Gaunt by Helen Carr and, so far, I’m impressed 👍
P
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Post by gregorius on Jun 21, 2022 23:39:16 GMT
Made a start on The White Ship by Charles Spencer and The Red Prince: John of Gaunt by Helen Carr and, so far, I’m impressed 👍 P Historical fiction or factual Paul? Cheers,
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Post by macbeth on Jun 22, 2022 0:15:24 GMT
I powered through 'Vengance' over the weekend - a really good read
After that I picked up 'The Long War for Brittania' by Edwin Paice. I think this was recommended here on this thread. I'm just under 100 pages in, and finding it really good as the author carefully tries to sift the fact from all of the traditional Sub Roman British sources.
Cheers
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Post by paulisper on Jun 22, 2022 6:39:33 GMT
Made a start on The White Ship by Charles Spencer and The Red Prince: John of Gaunt by Helen Carr and, so far, I’m impressed 👍 P Historical fiction or factual Paul? Cheers, Both factual 😁 P
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Post by timurilank on Jun 23, 2022 7:45:59 GMT
Reading again The Art of Warfare in Western Europe During the Middle Ages by JF Verbruggen.
Choice and Exploitation of Terrain is excellent.
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Post by macbeth on Jul 1, 2022 8:12:13 GMT
Today I finished 'The Long War for Brittania' - the narrative parts were very good, and the parts where he justified his theories were interesting and maybe even compelling in certain parts.
For a change of pace I am now over 1/3 of the way through 'The Dry' by Jane Harper an Australian modern crime novel that was recently made into a film.
I am finding it very absorbing, and will probably jump straight into its sequel 'Forces of Nature'
Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Jul 3, 2022 3:45:38 GMT
I powered through 'The Dry' in a single day and followed through the next morning by starting 'Force of Nature' a direct sequel and likewise spent a quiet Saturday getting lost in that. Australian crime novels with a touch of the Australian Country but anchored to Melbourne by the main character. Outside my usual sphere of influence but really enjoyable. I laughed to myself when the main character displays the ability to cook and states to his workmate that cooking is like playing piano - you only need to play five pieces and you are considered skilled by the masses, its similar to a line I have spun to friends for years now With Aussie crime now in the finished pile I've started on 'The Year of the Dog' by Henry Chang gritty noir New York crime - book 2 in a series of 5. As I'm about to embark on a short holiday to the Gold Coast, having 3 small books (mass market paperback, 250 odd pages) is a good thing to put in the case for the break. Cheers
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Post by nangwaya on Jul 3, 2022 11:20:27 GMT
Just about to start "Caporetto and the Isonzo Campaign" by John Macdonald and Zeljko Cimpric.
In addition to minis I play a ton of hex and counter, and in preparation for doing a scenario on the First Battle of the Isonzo, picked this book up.
Just looking at pictures of barbed wire fences on top of mountains, just reinforces for me what a nightmare it must have been to fight at that front.
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