This month I have mostly been reading... Anzio, by Lloyd Clark - About... err... Anzio. Pretty good. I see he's got a new one out on Arnhem too if anyone's stuck for a birthday present for me :) Memoires of Napoleon's Egyptian Expedition, by Captain Joseph-Marie Moiret - Short and not very illuminating I'm afraid, but I got it cheap so I don't mind. The Discovery of Egypt: Vivant Denon's Travels with Napoleon's Army, by Terence Russell - Short like the previous book, but unlike the previous book it's fascinating. A Dragon Apparent, by Norman Lewis - A travelogue of Vietnam, the really interesting bit being that it was written in 1950. Avoids Hanoi and Tonkin unfortunately, but there's some really good stuff here by way of compensation. This is the same Norman Lewis that wrote Naples '44 by the way. Vietnam: A Political History, by Joseph Buttinger - An abridged version of his A Dragon Embattled 2 volume set (still comes in at over 500 pages though!). Lovely. Three Victories and a Defeat, by Brendan Simms - A reappraisal of Europes role in British Imperial strategy during the c18th. Also rather lovely. And also the obligatory shitload of Ospreys...

I used up my last bit of outstanding credit with Caliver books to obtain: The Blood Red Sand – superb Sudan book Michael Asher's Khartoum which is brilliant and Osprey Vanguard British Napoleonic Ship of the Line

I second Timmo on Asher's Khartoum book. It's not half bad.

I am currently reading Michael Asher's new one, its the first in a series about a WW2 commando, I forgot the name of it. I have also read his autobiograph of his time in the army, good stuff.

A Biography of von Ribbentrop. Called "von Ribbentrop", aren't we Germans SOOO imaginative in titling our books?

Tru. But ALSO typical of German books before....1980 or so, there is only a "Personregister". That is an index of people. So you can not look up, say who farted in the ball room unless you already know who the bean eater WAS. Which kind of defeats the object. It also explains the difference between the British and German university systems. Here you have to have READ the book. There you just have to know whats in the index of which books.

The history of the 36t (Ulster) Division in the Great War. And at moments of stress Big Jugs Monthly.

Don't know the title of the book I'm reading, but the piccies are pretty.

That is NOT very helpful Gungnir.

I've got through a whole host of books recently , which I really must review for SOTCW but I just finished 'Last Thoughts on Vietnam' by Bernard Fall, being a collection of his last magazine articles etc written just before his death. He was most realistic in his writing & packed an amazing amount of life into his 40 years. It includes the transcript of his last tape dictation just before his death in combat. It doesn't quite end 'kaboom' (he stepped on a mine) but in '...looks like an amb...'.

Are they suitable for a "13 +" web site?

Well, ummmm...

For the first time in ages I've been reading FICTION. After a slew of AWI related books I felt like I needed a break so... Matter by Iain M Banks I've read all his other SF and I think all but the latest of his 'conventional' novels and he is one of my favourite authors. And having met him once or twice he's a nice guy. Although it was a long long time ago so he may have changed! I've enjoyed all his SF and especially the Culture based ones. He's one of the few SF authors I've read who can actually make me laugh out loud when reading. There are always one or two genuinely funny moments/lines in his books and they catch you by surprise for what most would see as straight SF. He also wrote a book about Whiskey which I can recommend as well although it is sprinkled throughout with his politics. Hoping to finish it today or tomorrow so I can then go through the trauma of deciding which book to take on holiday with the kids next week knowing full well I'll never get chance to read it! Andy