Just finished Warfare in the Medieval World by Brian Carey, very good read, starts with the fall of the Roman Empire and analyses key battles up to and including the Thirty years War. He discusses the change of battlefield roles of heavy and light infantry and cavalry. Just started reading Poiters 1356 by Pen & Sword Press.

I'm sure he's correct - I was just mentioning the fact that the Russian ambassador to the UK spoke about it publicly, saying Beevor had dishonoured the brave men of the Red Army with his "claims".

Just finished a couple of Osprey Napoleonic infantry tactics books and am now reading the latest Wargames Illustrated.

I'm hoping to get Beevor's D-Day book for my birthday next week. In my experience most of these 'controversies' are a load of old bollocks usually whipped up by the media. In Beevors case I think it was the article in BBC History mag that was the culprit. He points out that what happened at Caen can be technically construed as a war crime in the modern sense (which is correct) and counter-productive from a military point of view (also correct). I don't have much of a problem with people pointing out Allied 'war crimes' as long as they're put in the context of the wider war. How can you write a book about Berlin in 1945 without mentioning the rapine of Soviet troops anyway?

I bought Beevors D-Day from amazon the other day. It was reduced from £25 to £11 and that included delivery. It's a good read despite the mistakes. It's not just about d-day though. The book covers each of the major events in it's own chapter, Utah, omaha, gold & juno,sword, airbourne assault, Caen, Villers-Bocage, Epsom, St lo, Goodwood, Cobra, Falaise and a few others finishing with the liberation of Paris. It's not an in depth look at the campaign, but it gives a good overview of what happened. It's well written and sticks to the same formula as his stalingrad and crete books. So if you likes those you will enjoy D-Day. 600 page Hardback for £11 is very good value.

I saw Beevors book last week and was tempted as I enjoyed his other books. However, I think I've developed a taste for more detailed accounts. May give it a go though. Currently having a fiction phase. Reading Neil Stephenson's Quicksilver and hope to follow on with the rest of the trilogy although I've a feeling I may have a break when my Savory arrives! Andy

Don`t like Beevor's style of writing to be brutally honest (though the second edition of his Spanish Civil War book was far better than the original). Of course hes a professional historian and well published author so what do i know :eh: At the moment I`m dipping into (as reading would be an exaggeration) - Les Troupes de Marine, Quatre siecles d`histoire. 600 pages of French colonial goodness; loads of stuff on the colonial army, its campaigns, deployment, commanders, etc. It may take me a year to syphon out all the relevent information - but it will be worth it :clap: I`ve just finished the relevent sections of "Historia de la Marina de Guerra Espanola" (really only interested in the 1900-1940 period, but the stuff on the Spanish-American war was relevent and interesting. I`ve just got a copy of Blackwood's Magazine from November 1925, with an article by a English newspaperman about his travels in the Rif (during the war) and meeting Abd el Krim. An excellent find, I love these first hand period accounts, un-sanitised by modern morals and opinions.

I just bought Anthony Beevors book but not started it yet, i have only read Stalingrad and Berlin previously but i do like them for all the opinions he puts over :)

inspired by Michael Woods prog on BBC4 last week i have now dug out Beowulf again. Seamus Heaney version of cos

Just started the book on Brig Peter Young called Commando to Captain Generall (with two 'l's' apparently).

"Patriots' by Christian Appy, an oral history of the Vietnam war. Lots of interesting thoughts & it's amazing just how much divergence of thought there still is on the subject. It includes participants from both North & South Vietnam, often overlooked in more conventional histories of the war. Ever wanted to know why the 1965 Playboy Playmate of the Year went to Vietnam? - it's in the book...... http://www.amazon.com/Patriots-Vietnam-War-Remembered-Sides/dp/0142004499

Just finished a biography on Churchill. Inspiring!