If everyone else is doing it, then I'd better join in! (I can hear my mother saying "If Billy jumped off a cliff then would you do it too?") Everyone else? Well Conrad Kinch, Steve the Wargamer and Millsy just to name a few.
How can I not join in? I'm a librarian and so are several other people in my immediate family. Both my kids look like they're well on the way to become librarians, too. You can't get their noses out of books (except if the telly's on or if they've got a new app on the ipad! *sighs*)
So what is this survey, I hear you ask? Well, have a look at what the others have posted and stop asking silly questions! ;-)
Without further ado, on with the survey!
- Author you've read the most books from:
- Best sequel ever:
followed by Sahib, the history of the British soldier in India,
ending with Tommy, the history of the British soldier in the Great War 1914-1918.
- Currently reading:
All in Scarlet Uniform by Adrian Goldsworthy.
Goldsworthy is better known as an academic and author of non-fiction history of the ancient era. His other historical interest, though, is in the Napoleonic era. He has written a series of novels set during the Peninsular War following the exploits of the junior officers of a fictional regiment, the 106th Foot.
While not on a par with authors like Mallinson or O'Brien, his novels are definitely much more interesting and engaging than Cornwell's Sharpe series (cue howls of outrage!). Goldsworthy's characters aren't the one-dimensional cardboard cutouts of the Sharpe series, but there is a little too much exposition of the plot in general and grand strategy in particular in the characters' conversation. One character in particular is turning out to enjoy espionage and through him the grand strategy of the campaign is explained. I find this the weakest element to what is otherwise an enjoyable, but not entirely satisfying series.
This one is based around the first siege of Ciudad Rodrigo and the Combat on the Coa.
Incomparable: Napoleon's 9th Light Infantry Regiment by Terry Crowdy
I bought this to read via my Kindle app on my phone. It's probably not the best format to read it in as I find it difficult to find the time to read it. It's not the sort of thing you can dip in and out of like you can with a novel.
- Drink of choice whilst reading:
- E-reader or physical book:
The picks of my Zombie lit on my Kindle app are:
Stretching the term e-reader to include audio books, I've enjoyed listening to the last couple of the Matthew Hervey series by Alan Mallinson while doing mundane and boring tasks like washing the dishes and other household chores. Listening to the fortunes of Hervey's career has made housework a pleasure!
- Fictional character you would probably have dated in high school:
I remember feeling great empathy towards Tess of the Durbervilles after first reading it for Year 12 English Lit. But after another couple of readings and analysing the text for a term, I was thoroughly sick of her passivity and was glad to be shot of her. A lot like many teenage romances I suspect!
- Glad you gave this book a chance:
The Great Duke by Arthur Bryant
This was one of the books I inherited from my grandfather's library after his death in the mid-nineties and was probably one of the books that switched me on to the Napoleonic period more than any other. It was my first introduction to The Beau's career in India, the Peninsular War and gave me a sense of context for Waterloo which I previously had no knowledge of except that it was Boney's last hurrah. What his first hurrah was I had no clue!
It was one of those books that you read which then sets you off to find more about other important personalities and events, which I am still doing to this day!
- Hidden book gem:
My in-laws gave this to me for my birthday the first year I was going out with my wife before we were married. I was a bit non-plussed, but gave it a go because I thought I'd better be able to talk about it next time I saw them (I'm a good son-in-law!). I surprised myself by thoroughly enjoying it. He makes a really good argument as to why the West came out on top when there were so many other cultures more advanced a lot earlier. It's just that the West was dealt the winning hand in terms of what Diamond determines as the essentials for success.
- Important moment in your book life:
I got this book when I was 9. It still holds pride of place in my collection along with Connolly's other books on the Roman Army, Hannibal and the Enemies of Rome, and Pompeii. My sister made me a complete hoplite panoply from cardboard and papier mache for my 10th birthday based on one of the illustrations in the book. It was a total surprise and one of the best birthday presents of my childhood!
Needless to say, this was one of the books that sparked a life long interest in military history!
Other seminal books in my youth were the Eagle of the Ninth and the sequels by Rosemary Sutcliffe, The Viking Trilogy by Henry Treece, including The Road to Miklagard.
- Just finished:
Send Me Safely Back Again by Adrian Goldsworthy
- Kind of book you won't read:
- Longest book you've read:
Technically not a single book, but it has to be the Song of Fire and Ice series by George RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Martin (see, even his name is long!)
I finished the 3rd book suffering a little burnout and made the mistake of looking up the plotline on the web and saw that it just kept going on and On AND ON! I may come back to it at a later stage, or just wait to watch it on telly.
- Major book hangover because of disappointing endings:
- Number of bookcases you own:
- One book you've read multiple times:
I loved the whole cyber-punk oeuvre of William Gibson, but this was the one that really grabbed me. His whole dark and morally ambivalent future really struck a chord with me in my early adult years and coming back to it was a strangely comforting experience!
- Preferred place to read:
- Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you've read:
Flashman, MacDonald Fraser, G., The Book Club, London 1969, p.11
- Reading regret:
- Series you started and need to finish:
- Three of your all-time favorite books:
- Unapologetic fanboy for:
- Very excited for this release:
I read the first 4 in this series earlier this year. They are aimed at younger teenagers, but I loved them! In a Britain where everyone over the age of 14 has turned into crazed cannibalistic, lurching monsters, a group of kids try to survive in an apocalyptic London. The murderous adults aren't the only problem though!
This is the latest in the series and I suspect that it is also the last, as things seemed to be coming to a head in the last book.
- Worst bookish habit:
- X marks the spot - Start at the top left of your bookshelf and pick the 27th book:
- Your latest book purchase:
Does it count as a purchase if you rescued it from the library discard pile?
- Zzz snatcher book (the last book that kept you up waaay too late:)
I reckon it probably was The Enemy series by Charlie Higson of which The Fallen (see above) is latest installment.
-----------------------------------------
So there you have it, folks; looking back at this list it seems the overriding themes in Rosbif's literary life are military history and the Zombie apocalypse!
Funnily enough, I've started writing a story set in Spain during the Peninsular War which is best described as Goya's Disasters of War with with human-flesh eating monsters!
Funnily enough, I've started writing a story set in Spain during the Peninsular War which is best described as Goya's Disasters of War with with human-flesh eating monsters!
