KF Kelly Posted 12 September , 2008 Share Posted 12 September , 2008 Saw this book in Border's in Glasgow. Has anyone read it? It looked very good to me but I'm no expert. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 12 September , 2008 Share Posted 12 September , 2008 It has certainly attracted some excellent reviews. Charles M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 12 September , 2008 Share Posted 12 September , 2008 Added to my list! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF Kelly Posted 13 September , 2008 Author Share Posted 13 September , 2008 Charles, thanks for the reply. I think that next time I see it, I'll buy it. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Connolly Posted 13 September , 2008 Share Posted 13 September , 2008 I noticed it today in Waterstones when buying Band of Brigands. Currently only in hardback at IIRC £20. Give it 6 months and the paperback will be out. It plays up it's credentials as the only work in English about the Great War in Italy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swizz Posted 14 September , 2008 Share Posted 14 September , 2008 I will be adding this to my list of things to pick up on my next UK visit. There is certainly very little in English on the Italian front so from that point of view he has a virtually clean slate to work with. I hope the book does it justice! Swizz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 15 September , 2008 Share Posted 15 September , 2008 It plays up it's credentials as the only work in English about the Great War in Italy. Well, there's a factual inexactitude for you - what about The British Army in Italy, 1917-18 by Wilks and Wilks? Unless they're stretching points (as blurb regularly does) to 'books in print'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 15 September , 2008 Share Posted 15 September , 2008 Nothing in English? Isonzo by John Shindler, 2001, quite good but badly mapped, BE series Asiago and Touring the Italian Front, Frances McKay and Sardinian Brigadeis terrific and translated though fiction it's by a participant and on the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Connolly Posted 15 September , 2008 Share Posted 15 September , 2008 Hey, I'm only the ivory-tinkler, don't shoot me! You might have also added 1/3 of Martin M. Evans "Forgotten Battlefields of the First World War". I seem to recall one of our members asking questions about a particular battlefield in WW1 Italy. Perhaps a reference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armistice Posted 16 September , 2008 Share Posted 16 September , 2008 Accounts in English? "Isonzo" immediately sprang to mind, but Paul mentioned that one; so let's not forget (albeit limited to 1917-1918)... "The Forgotten Front: The British Campaign in Italy 1917-18" by George Cassar (Available at Amazon in hardback for $96 - a little out of my budget ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 21 September , 2008 Share Posted 21 September , 2008 It has certainly attracted some excellent reviews. Charles M and here's another quotes: carefully researched and a pleasure to read & A good descriptive writer, Thompson also displays an excellent analytical understanding of how the multi-national character of the Austro-Hungarian forces affected the Habsburg war effort. see http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c5027088-86ac-11...?nclick_check=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 21 September , 2008 Share Posted 21 September , 2008 I have just started to read it and it is certainly living up to its reviews - very lucid and fascinating reading. Charles M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 22 September , 2008 Share Posted 22 September , 2008 it is certainly living up to its reviews - very lucid and fascinating reading. Thanks Charles; its good to have some first-hand in-put Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tongue_tied_danny Posted 25 September , 2008 Share Posted 25 September , 2008 This is a superb book with a lot of detail, definately worth buying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShirlD Posted 25 September , 2008 Share Posted 25 September , 2008 I have just started to read it and it is certainly living up to its reviews - very lucid and fascinating reading. Charles M I would love to know if any Orfanellis are mentioned in it - my mother's 5 uncles fought and all returned safely to Alexandria, Egypt! It has been difficult researching this branch of the family and WW!. Cheers Shirley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 25 September , 2008 Share Posted 25 September , 2008 Shirley Alas, none are metnioned, but I would strongly recommend reading the book if you want to understand what Italy's war was all about. Charles M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkyUK Posted 6 October , 2008 Share Posted 6 October , 2008 This got a favourable review in the Telegraph yesterday. Sadly I can't find a link at present... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 27 February , 2009 Share Posted 27 February , 2009 Got it, by chance, from our local library. I went in to order A Serious Disappointment, and found this on the shelf, so I started reading it last weekend. Certainly very good so far; the political background to the Italian decision to declare war is fascinating. So far the only reservation I have is on the maps. They're not brilliant (and the library service have stuck the cover flaps over the end paper maps), so following the action is a bit difficult. That said, it's certainly looking good, and not a difficult book to read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Thompson Posted 27 February , 2009 Share Posted 27 February , 2009 Well, given the name of the author it has to be one to add to my book list. Sadly, I cannot claim to be the author - I hope that he isn't the DG of the BBC! Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John(txic) Posted 1 March , 2009 Share Posted 1 March , 2009 An interesting read. For Forum members in the Wolverhampton area, there's a copy in the library. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 20 March , 2009 Share Posted 20 March , 2009 An excellent book on a very neglected part of the war. I was fascinated and appalled by the sufferings the men of both sides underwent; appalled indeed by the political machinations of the Italian politicians who fomented war; and utterly disbelieving at the inept management of the war by Cadorna and his generals. The conditions under which the war was fought, and the fortitude displayed by the men of both sides is unbelievable. The Austro-Hungarians - a polyglot army defending to the end an Empire which was collapsing, despite being in rags and starving at the end - deserve immense credit. Above all, some of the sidelights of the book are revealing. For example, of 600,000+ Italian prisoners taken by the Austro-Hungarians, over 100,000 died (550 of them officers). Why? Because the Italian authorities refused to send food parcels, because that would encourage their men to surrender too easily. As the Central Powers could not feed prisoners due to the Blockade 9and had informed the Allies of this), the Italians effectively wrote 100,000 death warrants. They didn't relent until mid-1918, when hard tack was sent - arriving after the Armistice! The political background the the Peace is also outlined - Orlando's poor showing at the Peace Conference, in particular. A book to read - definitely should be on everyone's reading list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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