Tag Archives: The Great War

Falling into Battle

Posted on April 12, 2023 by smellincoffee

The War to End All Wars: Falling Into Battle© 2020 Andrew Wareham243 pages Christopher Sturton and Richard Baker are two young midshipmen who have come to the end of their day as mids: Christopher is moving on greater things as … Continue reading →

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Silent Night: The Christmas Truce

Posted on December 8, 2020 by smellincoffee

Silent Night: The Remarkable Story of the Christmas Truce© 2002 Stanley Weintraub240 pages One of the most extraordinary stories to come out of the Great War is that of the Christmas Truce, a spontaneous outbreak of caritas in which English, … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , | 5 Comments

COVID Reviews #6 Cleaning Up with gangsters, Navajo, politicians, and so many Germans

Posted on October 20, 2020 by smellincoffee

Back in September and early October when I was under quarantine, I didn’t have computer access, so I couldn’t take many notes or write reviews when things were fresh on my mind. I tried to post comments intermittently, but some … Continue reading →

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The Lion at Sea

Posted on May 30, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Lion at Sea © 1977  Max Hennessy/John Harris 368 pages The atmosphere was electric and exultant. They were sailing into history at thirty knots. But what history? Defeat or victory? Kelly McGuire never consciously intended to follow his old … Continue reading →

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The Mustering of the Hawks

Posted on May 21, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Mustering of the Hawks © 1972 John Harris/Max Hennessy 272 pagws “When you consider that practically every aviator in the world’s been mustered together in France in a strip of territory some three hundred miles long by ten miles … Continue reading →

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The Bright Blue Sky

Posted on April 27, 2020 by smellincoffee

© 1983 Max Hennessy 250 pages High above was a layer of stratus, ice-white so that the sky seemed full of light, and Dicken knew against it they were silhouetted perfectly, a wonderful target for the ground gunners. Dicken Quinney … Continue reading →

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Armistice Day – Never Forget

Posted on November 11, 2019 by smellincoffee

As well as it is to honor veterans, let us never forget the original meaning of this date, November 11th. 101 years ago the guns fell silent in Europe, and the great horror of the First World War ended. Twenty … Continue reading →

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A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and a Great War

Posted on April 12, 2018 by smellincoffee

A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and a Great War © 2014 Joseph Loconte 256 pages When some future Gibbon writes of the Decline and Fall of Western Civilization, he will have to devote a great deal of attention to the Great … Continue reading →

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Aces over Ypres

Posted on May 6, 2016 by smellincoffee

Aces over Ypres© 2016 John Stack286 pages Charlie Sexton didn’t choose the RFC life, the RFC life chose him. Literally.  As the Great War opened in Europe, Charlie was a member of the 119th Artillery, the same unit his father … Continue reading →

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Engines of War

Posted on July 17, 2015 by smellincoffee

Engines of War: How Wars Were Won and Lost on the Railways368 pages© 2010 Christian Wolmar An army marches on its stomach, but for a hundred years it rode to victory only on the rails.  It was Napoleon who observed … Continue reading →

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