seaforths Posted 27 April , 2014 Share Posted 27 April , 2014 I once came across a book in a second hand book shop it had literally been printed or photocopied from an electronic version and source such as Gutenberg and beautifully bound in red leather. Many of the pages were barely readable due to the poor copying and some were totally unreadable. The seller was asking for a hefty £50 or £60 for it on the grounds of the binding alone even though I pointed out the text was not in a good condition - they refused to budge. Needless to say, I didn't make the purchase but it did leave me wondering (and still does) why they would spend a lot of money having a book bound in such a beautiful cover with gold lettering on red leather and pay so little attention to the quality of the text - bizarre! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 27 April , 2014 Share Posted 27 April , 2014 I once came across a book in a second hand book shop it had literally been printed or photocopied from an electronic version and source such as Gutenberg and beautifully bound in red leather. Many of the pages were barely readable due to the poor copying and some were totally unreadable. The seller was asking for a hefty £50 or £60 for it on the grounds of the binding alone even though I pointed out the text was not in a good condition - they refused to budge. Needless to say, I didn't make the purchase but it did leave me wondering (and still does) why they would spend a lot of money having a book bound in such a beautiful cover with gold lettering on red leather and pay so little attention to the quality of the text - bizarre! Binding a book in leather costs about 400 quid, it sounds bonkers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 27 April , 2014 Share Posted 27 April , 2014 I will wait until it is remaindered and ends up in The Works for £2.99. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 27 April , 2014 Share Posted 27 April , 2014 I will wait until it is remaindered and ends up in The Works for £2.99. Unfortunately, The Works will probably be the only bookshop left on the high street once all the proper ones have closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 27 April , 2014 Share Posted 27 April , 2014 Unfortunately, The Works will probably be the only bookshop left on the high street once all the proper ones have closed. At £50-£60 you can't blame people for waiting. They're cutting their own throats? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 27 April , 2014 Share Posted 27 April , 2014 Binding a book in leather costs about 400 quid, it sounds bonkers. It was a huge book too. The pages were printed at A4 and it was in excess of 700 pages! They told me they would be charging a lot more for it if it wasn't for some of it being so poor and unreadable in parts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 27 April , 2014 Share Posted 27 April , 2014 At £50-£60 you can't blame people for waiting. They're cutting their own throats? Mike It's a dilemma we all face these days faced with so many sources of cheap books. I fear the net result will be fewer and fewer books being made available while publishers will only publish books with a large guaranteed market. The days when you might get an advance to write a book like this one are quickly vanishing. I do believe we should try where possible to pay a decent price for a good book otherwise the shelves holding the WW1 books will be cleared to make way for 'Ant & Dec's Favourite Curries' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 27 April , 2014 Share Posted 27 April , 2014 It was a huge book too. The pages were printed at A4 and it was in excess of 700 pages! They told me they would be charging a lot more for it if it wasn't for some of it being so poor and unreadable in parts! Sounds double bonkers knowing the cost of leather. I am lucky my fathers hobby in retirement is as a bookbinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 30 May , 2014 Share Posted 30 May , 2014 Book arrived a hour ago. Already falling in price. I have just been refunded the grand sum of £0.04. Looks very promising. 305 pp. Substantial bibliography, plenty of footnotes (I prefer these to end notes). Rather thin paper which I assume is an attempt to keep the costs down, Not a single picture. Full report next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 30 May , 2014 Author Share Posted 30 May , 2014 I have been informed by Amazon that mine was delivered to a neighbour this morning. Sadly I omitted to mention this to Mrs Broomfield. If I am not around for a few days there may well be sense in a search party. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 30 May , 2014 Share Posted 30 May , 2014 I have been informed by Amazon that mine was delivered to a neighbour this morning. Sadly I omitted to mention this to Mrs Broomfield. If I am not around for a few days there may well be sense in a search party. Steve have you thought about the delivery to the Amazon pickup place near you? Last sighting of Mrs B was with an old bath tube, large rubber gloves and some buckets with foaming chemicals and some quick lime. How many books have you bought this year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulgranger Posted 30 May , 2014 Share Posted 30 May , 2014 E-books of any sort are the answer. 'What are you looking at?' 'Oh, just browsing the internet, darling' *Tap ,tap, tap, electronic wizardry, instant arrival of reading matter, no bulky parcels* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 30 May , 2014 Author Share Posted 30 May , 2014 Steve ... How many books have you bought this year? Errrrm ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tharkin56 Posted 6 June , 2014 Share Posted 6 June , 2014 as another aside I will be covering the wounded indian soldiers in a forth coming book Brighton and the Great War, 20000 treated 1914 to April 1916 fatality rate 0.5%. Chris-Baker copy to you when completed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 18 June , 2014 Author Share Posted 18 June , 2014 I finished reading this book last night; as I know Mr Filsell is undertaking a full review I will leave it to him, but I will content myself by saying I found it excellent. The beginning of the book looks at the combat experience of the IA in the late 19th- and early 20th Centuries and leads naturally into the GW period. Commanders and staff are examined, as is the relationship (sometimes difficult) with the Home Army. SIWs are discussed, and the deterrent actions taken to prevent them. Morale, wounds, desertion and recruitment are also discussed. The final analysis of the success or otherwise of the Indian Corps is controversial and is at odds with much received opinion, but the author makes a strong, supportable case for his conclusions. The depth of knowledge is first class and, as Martin mentions, the bibliography is pretty immense. It is not a quick read, but it is extremely satisfying and thought-provoking and no-one who reads it will consider it time ill-spent. Whether it is worth the cost I will not speculate: all I would say is that I consider it money invested as I suspect this is a book which should become a stndard work and will be turned to frequently. For anyone with a more than passing interest in the IA (or the Army in India as the authors describes it), this is a book to be read; possibly a book to be owned. I will await the opinion of others, but for me it is a book of great value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 18 June , 2014 Share Posted 18 June , 2014 I will content myself by saying I found it excellent. I will await the opinion of others, but for me it is a book of great value. I would concur. The level of detail is very impressive. Every point is meticulously referenced. The 26 page introduction has 118 footnotes alone. The introduction carefully lays out all the prejudices and misconceptions that surround the IEFA and have been perpetuated in a number of books. Views on the IEFA were (and continue to be) very polarized. It has quite an academic feel. He tackles all the contentious issues with a great degree of balance. The author (Morton-Jack) tackles everything head on and lays out very detailed and carefully constructed arguments to turn over many of the received 'facts' about the Indian Army on the Western Front. He does a remarkable job tracking down primary material. . My only criticism is the index could be a lot more detailed. Trying to relocate interesting parts is quite difficult. It has filled an enormous gap. For anyone with an interest in the Indian Army in the Great War it is an absolute must. MG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 18 June , 2014 Share Posted 18 June , 2014 Still awaiting my review copy. It is promised although the publisher claims copies from the US are still in a container and the book is not yet officially published. Most odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 19 June , 2014 Author Share Posted 19 June , 2014 It was rather odd: I pre=ordered and received a delivery date. That date was then amended to later in June, and the book arrived anyway. From memory the latter delivery date has still not actually arrived. Buy a copy, you tight-wad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 19 June , 2014 Share Posted 19 June , 2014 A fair point question, but as a matter of policy I very rarely review books that I buy. There are some exceptions, but I figure I've paid my dues by buying the book (and sometimes writing something small for the Forum). Equally, since for most of my career, I earned my living through writing - it was my profession - and I do not give away the s hard earned skills which I have earned lightly. Many of the review copies are of only passing, for review interview, interest and are passed on. Equally now I am retired funds are not so freely available, so yes I can be a tight wad (But I always buy my round.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 19 June , 2014 Share Posted 19 June , 2014 But I always buy my round.. Thanks David, I'll have a large glass of Pomerol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 19 June , 2014 Share Posted 19 June , 2014 Actually damnned rude of me not to offer. Is it Pommerol all round are any Crème de Menthe frappes required at the back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 19 June , 2014 Share Posted 19 June , 2014 Actually damnned rude of me not to offer. Is it Pommerol all round are any Crème de Menthe frappes required at the back? Well if you insist on Chateau Petrus there may not be much left over behind the bar for the Creme de Menthes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 19 June , 2014 Share Posted 19 June , 2014 In the Great War what is the plural of Creme de Menthe? A. Crèmes de Menthe B. Crèmes de Menthes C. Crème des Menthes D. None of the above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 19 June , 2014 Share Posted 19 June , 2014 The plural of Creme de Menthe is a very bad headache. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 19 June , 2014 Share Posted 19 June , 2014 The plural of Creme de Menthe is a very bad headache. I thought that was Absinthe (45% ABV) v C de M (25% ABV). Billy Connolly tells a very funny joke aboot a Scotsman in Rome. He goes into a bar and asks what the Pope drinks. the answer is Creme de Menthe. "Aye, I'll ha'e a pint 'o that pal" On Topic. Glad to see the author dispels myths about Gurkhas decapitating people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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