Friday, July 31, 2015

Encyclopedia of Military History

I've had this book for several years now.  I've referred to it a few times but I've never really tried to read it. I'm going to now.  It's over 1,300 pages long but I'm going to take my time.  I begin tonight (7/31/2015).
Finished Chapter 1 - The Dawn of Military History; to 600 BC; on August 2, 2015.
Finished Chapter 2 - War becomes an Art, 600 BC to 400 BC; on August 16, 2015.
Finished Chapter 3 - The Era of the Giants, 400 BC to 200 BC; on September 11, 2015.
Finished Chapter 4 - The Rise of the Great Empires-East and West, 200 BC to 1; on October 10, 2015.
Finished Chapter 5 - The Pax Romana, 1 AD to 200; on October 15, 2015.
Finished Chapter 6 - The Decline of Rome and the Rise of Cavalry, 200-400; on November 13, 2015.
Finished Chapter 7 - The Opening of the Middle Ages; 400-600; on December 17, 2015.
Finished Chapter 8 - The Rise and Containment of Islam: 600-800; on January 6, 2016.
Finished Chapter 9 - The Dark Ages; Battle-Axe and Mace:  800-1000; on January 22, 2016.
Finished Chapter 10 - The Return of Sill to Warfare: 1000-1200; on February 11,2016.
Finished Chapter 11 - The Age of the Mongols  1200-1400; on April 1, 2016.
Finished Chapter 12 - The End of the Middle Ages 1400-1500; on April 28, 2016.

Saturday, May 9, 2015

The Guns of Gettysburg

I'm reading a book called "Summer Thunder" which is about the artillery used during the battle of Gettysburg.    It's also a tour guide of the various sites where artillery played a key role.  Yesterday I paid a visit down there and had a little time to kill so I decided to try to figure out how many canon are CURRENTLY on the battlefield.  I did not cover the entire battlefield so this will be a work in process:
6  In the Peach Orchard area enclosed by Birney Ave and the Wheatfield Road.
2  Along Sickles Road after turning from the Wheatfield Road
6  Along Wheatfield road, prior to reaching the Wheatfield
2  In the Wheatfield.
2  Near the intersection of Wheatfield Road and Crawford Ave.
2  Along Crawford Avenue prior to Devil's Den
4  Near Devil's Den
17  Along Sedgwick Rd, between Wheatfield Road and PA Monument
8  Near the PA monument
8 From PA monument to Copse of Trees
2  Near "book" monument
10 From the copse of trees to the Bairn farm, including 2 set back on walkway
6 after Bairn farm, including 2 set further back (may be same 2 as above)
24 on East Cemetery Hill
16 In Soldiers' cemetery
2  in Evergreen Cemetery
4  on Little Round top
64 on W. confederate avenue until Lee memorial (including 4 at end of walk)
13 From Lee memorial to Millerstown Road
15 From Millerstown Road to Emmitsburg Road
10 until far right of Confederate  line.
1 on the college campus.
4 on Jones Avenue
2 near Meade's HQ
8 along Emittsburg Road
1 Near the 3rd NY Monument
2 Near General Lee's HQ
4 Near the Reynolds/Buford monuments
4 Along Reynolds Avenue
7 on Oak Hill
2 along Seminary Ridge prior to W. Confederate avenue
12 on Benner Hill
10 along Howard avenue, including Barlow's knoll.
1 at George Spangler Farm
2 on Baltimore across from National Cemetery
1 on Middle Avenue

That's 284.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

My 80 Book Challenge for 2015

1.  Cockroaches, by Jo Nesbo.  Finished January 1, 2015
2.  Disgrace, by J.M. Coetzee.  Finished January 2, 2015 (1001 books to read list!!!).
3.  The Rebreast, by Jo Nesbo.  Finished January 5, 2015 (once I find a new author I like I get rather obsessive).
4.  Slow Man, by J.M. Coetzee.  Finished January 7,2015 (1001 books to read)
5.  Time's Arrow, by Martin Amis.  Finished January 9, 2015 (1001 to books)
6.  The 39 Steps, by John Buchan.  Finished January 12, 2015
7.  Nemesis, by Jo Nesbo.  Finished January 13, 2015
8.  The Redeemer, by Jo Nesbo.  Finished January 14, 2015
9.  The Importance of being Ernest, by Oscar Wilde.  Finished January 16, 2015 (Play).
10.  Hallowed Ground; A Walk at Gettysburg, by James McPherson.  Finished January 21, 2015.
11.  The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins.  Finished January 23, 2015  (1001 books to read).
12.  Manhunt; The 12 Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer.  Finished January 28, 2015.
13. The Devil's Star, by Jo Nesbo.  Finished January 31, 2015.
14. The Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown.  Finished February 4, 2015.
15.  The Leopard, by Jo Nesbo.  Finished February 10, 2015.
16.  Phantom, by Jo Nesbo.  Finished February 13, 2015.
17.  Deadline, by John Sandford.  Finished February 16, 2015.
18.  Police, by Jo Nesbo.  Finished February 19, 2015.
19.  The Complete Gettysburg Guide, by J. David Petruzzi.  Finished February 20, 2015.  (Owned).
20.  Collision of Empires, The War on the Eastern Front in 1914, by Prit Buttar.  Finished February 22, 2015 (owned).
21.  Cousin Henry, by Anthony Trollope.  Finished February 23, 2015.
22.  Operation Typhoon; Hitler's March on Moscow, October, 1941, by David Stahel.  Finished March 3, 2014 (owned).
23.  The Ice Princess, by Camilla Lackberg.  Finished March 4, 2015.  Not recommended.
24.  Money, by Martin Amis.  Finished March 5, 2015. (1001 books to read).
25.  Theresa Raquin, by Emile Zola.  Finished March 9, 2015 (1001 books to read).
26.  The Life of a Useless Man, by Maxim Gorky.  Finished March 12, 2015
27.  The Battle for Moscow, by David Stahel.  Finished March 13, 2015. Owned book.
28.  Green on Blue, by Elliot Ackerman.  Finished March 18, 2015.  Book group read.
29.  The Battle for Moscow, by Col. Albert Seaton.  Finished March 20, 2015.  Owned book.
30.  Personal, by Lee Child. Finished April 3, 2015.
31.  Revival, by Stephen King. Finished April 5, 2015.
32.  Mr. Mercedes, by Stephen King.  Finished April 10, 2015.
33.  Motive, by Jonathan Kellerman.  Finished April 13, 2015.
34.  The Harder they Come, by T.C. Boyle.  Finished April 16, 2015.
35.  Hitler Moves East, by Paul Carell.  Finished April 17, 2015. Owned book.
36.  The Road to Stalingrad, by the editors of Time-Life.  Finished April 18, 2015.  Owned book.
37.  The Stranger, by Harlan Coben.  Finished April 21, 2015.
38.  He Knew he was Right, by Anthony Trollope.  Finished April 24, 2015.  (1001 books to read)
39.  The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins.  Finished April 26, 2015.
40.  The Life and Times of Michael K., by J.M. Coetzee.  Finished April 29, 2015. (1001 books).
41.  Youth, by J.M. Coetzee. Finished May 1, 2015. (1001 books).
42.  Moonlight Mile, by Dennis Lehane.  Finished May 2, 2015.
43.  Norway 1940, by Francois Kersaudy.  Finished May 6, 2015.
44.  Barbarossa, by the editors of Time-Life.  Finished May 6, 2015.  Owned book.
45.  A Room with a View, by E.M. Forster.  Finished May 8, 2015.  1001 books.
46.  Knuckleball; The History of the Unhittable Pitch, by Lew Freedman.  Finished May 12, 2015.
47.  Summer Thunder; A Battlefield Guide to the Artillery at Gettysburg, by Matt Spruill.  Finished May 13, 2015. Owned.
48.  Dark Places; by Gillian Flynn.  Finished May 15, 2015.
49.  Battles for Scandinavia; by John R. Elting.  Finished May 16,2015.  (Owned).
50.  Dead Wake; The Last Crossing of the Lusitania.  Finished May 19, 2015.
51.  In the Heart of the Country, by J.M. Coetzee.  Finished May 20, 2015.  (1001 books).
52.  Gathering Prey, by John Sandford.  Finished May 22, 2015.
53.  Dusklands, by J.M. Coetzee.  Finished May 28, 2015.  (1001 books).
54.  1942; The Year that Tried Men's Souls, by Winston Groom.  Finished May 30, 2015.
55.  Empire of the Sun, by J.G. Ballard.  Finished June 7.  (1001 books)
56.  Robert B. Parker's Kickback, by Ace Atkins.  Finished June 8.
57.  Just after Sunset, by Stephen King. Finished June 11.
58. Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton.  Finished June 12.  (1001 books)
59.  The Mediterranean, by A.B.C. Whipple.  Finished June 13.  (owned books)
60.  Glimpses of the Moon, by Edith Wharton.  Finished June 18 (1001 books).
61.  Moscow to Stalingrad; Decision in the East, by Earl F. Ziemke and Magna Bauer.  Finished June 22, 2015 (owned books).
62.  The Big Short; Inside the Doomsday Machine, by Michael Lewis. Finished June 23, 2015.
63.  Moonwalking with Einstein; The Art and Science of Remembering Everything, by Joshua Foer.  Finished June 25, 2015.
64.  Before Stalingrad; Barbarossa, Hitler's Invasion of Russia, by David Glantz.  Finished July 1, 2015. (owned).
65.  The Civil War; Day by Day: An Almanac, 1861-1865, by E.B. Long.  Finished July 1, 2015. (owned)
66.  The Civil War Almanac.  Finished July 2, 2015.  (Owned).
67.  Radiant Angel, by Nelson DeMille.  Finished July 2, 2015.
68.  The House of Mirth, by Edith Wharton. Finished July 9, 2015 (1001 books).
69.  The Renaissance and Mannerism in Northern Europe and Spain, by Alastair Smart.  July 10, 2015.
70.  Finders Keepers, by Stephen King.  July 13, 2015.
71.  A Lost Lady, by Willa Cather. July 16, 2015.
72.  Grierson's Raid; by Tom Lalicki.  July 22, 2015.  (Owned)
73.  V is for Vengeance; by Sue Grafton.  July 23, 2015.
74.  Connie Mack and the Early Years of Baseball; by Norman Macht.
75.  The Politics of Glory; How Baseball's Hall of Fame Really Works, by Bill James
76.  The New American Bible.
77.  Deliver us From Evil; David Baldacci.  Finished August 6, 2015.
78.  Sea Change; by Robert Parker.  Finished August 8, 2015.
79.  Cards on the Table, by Agatha Christie.  Finished August 10, 2015.
80.  Buzz Cut, by James W. Hall.  Finished August 13, 2015.
81.  The Kill Room, by Jeffrey Deaver.  Finished August 22, 2015.
82.  Ring of Steel; Germany and Austria Hungary in World War 1; by Alexander Watson. Finished 8/28.
83.  The Twelve Caesars; by Suetonius.  Finished 8/28.  (Owned)
84.  City of God, by E.L.Doctorow.  Finished 8/30.  (1001 books).
85.  Blue Labyrinth; by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.  Finished September 3, 2015.
86.  Burr; by Gore Vidal.  Finished September 3, 2015.
87.  The Big Finish; by James W. Hall.  Finished September 5,2015 (book group)
88.  Alexander of Macedon, 356-323 BC; A Historical Biography; by Peter Green.  Finished 9/17/2015.
89.  The War of the Austrian Succession; by Reed Browning (owned).  Finished 9/19/2015.
90.  Two Graves; by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.  Finished 9/21/2015.
91.  Fever Dream; by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.  Finished 9/28/2015.
92.  A Battlefield Atlas of the American Revolution; by Craig Symonds. Finished 9/28/2015. (Owned).
93.  Ty Cobb; A Terrible Beauty; by Charles Leerhsen.  Finished 9/30/2015.
94.  Where the Iron Crosses Grow;  The Crimea 1941-1944, by Robert Forczyk.  Finished 10/1/2015.
95.  Make Me; by Lee Child.  Finished 10/7/2015.
96.  Relic; by Douglas Preston and Lee Child.  Finished 10/9/2015.
97.  X; by Sue Grafton.  Finished 10.13.2015.
98.  Own your Future; Paul Brown;  Finished 10/21/2015
99.  The Landmark Arrian.  Campaigns of Alexander; by Arrian.  Finished 10/22/2015.
100.  Cold Vengeance; by Douglas Preston and Lee Child.  Finished 10/28/2015.
101.  Black Mass:  Whitey Bulger, the FBI and a Devil's Deal; by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill.  Finished 11/3/2015 (bookgroup).
102. The Rule of Four; by Ian Caldwell and Dusting Thomason.  Finshed 11/6/2015.
103.  The Fifth Gospel; by Ian Caldwell.  Finished 11/13/2015.
104. The Great Beanie Baby Bubble; by Zac Bissonnette; Finished 11/13/2015.
105.  The Pitch That Killed; Carl Mays, Ray Chapman and the Pennant Race of 1920; by Mike Sowell.  Finished 11/17/2015.
106.  Clockwork Orange; by Anthony Burgess. Finished 11/19/2015.  (1001 books)
107.  Between Giants; The Battle for the Baltics in World War Two; by Prit Buttar.  Finished 11/30/2015.
108.  Going Long; History of American Football League.  Finished 12/1/2015.
109.  Depraved Heart;  by Patricia Cornwell. Finished 12/5/2015.
110.  Where you Go is Not Who You'll Be; An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania; by Frank Bruin. Finished 12/6/2015.
111.  The Crossing, by Michael Connelly. Finished 12/8/2015.
112.  Rising Sun, Falling Skies; The Disastrous Java Sea Campaign of World War 2; by Jeffrey Cox.  Finished 12/11/2015.
113.  Spy Secrets that Can Save Your Life; by Jason Hanson.  Finished 12/12/2015.
114. Rites of Passage; by William Golding (1001 books).  Finished 12/18/2015.
115.  Babbitt; by Sinclair Lewis (1001 books).  Finished 12/25/2015.
116.  Age of Innocence; by Edith Wharton (1001 books).  Finshed 12/31/2015.