The Haig Diaries: The Diaries of Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig: War D

[Soren]

Hi Pals,

The Haig Diaries: The Diaries of Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig: War Diaries and Letters - 1914-1918

Sir Douglas Haig, Gary Sheffield

Should I get this, it's brand new and in hardback for 7 quid, I thought it looked quite good?

Soren

[Robert Dunlop]

Soren, now that the price has started to tumble, it may come down further. That said, it is a fascinating book. The editors provide a thoughtful overview of Haig, touching on what they believe to be some of the misconceptions promulgated in the past about Haig. To some extent, as you will see from comments posted in the 'Book reviews' forum previously, it depends on what colour spectacles you wear when you read it. Whatever the colour, you will get more from this book if you have a broader understanding of the various things that Haig touches on or is involved in. I read this book in the context of books by Charteris, Fox, Spears and others, as well as various accounts of the major battles. If you have a serious interest in understanding the prosecution of the war, it is a very important book to have. If you have a passing interest in reading what Haig had to say, wait until the price comes down further.

Robert

[ianw]

Well worth £7 , no matter whether you think GS is biased or not. Buy it.

[Greenwoodman]

Second that.

[Jon Haslock]

Hi. Which bookshop is this book in? As I'm in France, I don't get to see current UK stocks and it sounds useful.

[Soren]

Hi. Which bookshop is this book in? As I'm in France, I don't get to see current UK stocks and it sounds useful.

Hi Jon,

My local book/DVD shop (Christchurch), I'm happy to have a look again to see if theres any left should you like one.

Soren

[Jon Haslock]

Hi.

Thanks for the kind offer. I don't want to put you to any inconvenience though. Is the bookshop part of a chain (Waterstones etc) or a local one?

[Soren]

a local one.

[Justin Moretti]

I paid a hell of a lot more for my copy. You are looking a gift horse in the mouth if you don't get it, whether or not it gets cheaper (it may run out, and in the words of an old poem, "I realize now with bitter pain/I'll never see those books again.")

[John Gilinsky]

This Sheffield and Bourned editors edition published in 2005 of Haigs war diaries and letters has just been bought by me in Toronto (Nov 2006) for $9.77 Canadian (I think this is probably about 3.5 pounds equivalent. The book is definitely superbly edited and put together with an excellent introduction and bibliography. The biographical notes are useful and the main body consists of very well edited chronologically arranged excerpts.

HIGHLY recommended book!

John

Sorry they only had this one mint copy!

[Guest AWOL]

Hello

I may be in the minority here, and I am struggling to see what the fuss is about. I read the Introduction during my dinner break in a well-known bookshop in Hull on Thursday, and while clear and well-written, I can't help thinking that the authors/editors would have been better employed in more ground-breaking research [unless they are under pressure from their respective university departments to publish]. From what I understand there are also some serious ommissions, but correcting Haig's spelling mistakes is hardly adding anything new to a body of knowledge. A complete waste of time and effort. Or am I missing something?

Regards

Peter G

[truthergw]

Hi Peter. The previous published diary by Blake, was more politically oriented than this book and was considered somewhat dated. Sheffield and Bourne have produced a military version and used the handwritten diaries rather than the typewritten version. Anyone who is interested in the high command, the running of the war, the controversies of the war or Haig himself needs to read this book. I should add that the Haig papers in the Scottish National Library form an enormous archive which has only been scratched The diaries( 3 versions ) themselves, have never been published in their entirety. There is a lot of stuff which has never been published. This was a very good contribution to that aim. I am intrigued at your idea that they merely corrected a few spelling mistakes. A read of the publisher's blurb would have dispelled that notion.

[Guest AWOL]

Hello Truthergw

Thankyou for your explanation. It would appear that Bourne and Sheffield were attempting to redress the balance perhaps, and I take your point about bringing the previous work up to date with a different slant, but if it's not broke why fix it? I still believe that the pair would have been better employed scratching other surfaces to see what gems the diaries unearthed. I also read the publishers blurb, but I have been misled before. I don't suppose it will be the last time either [smiles]

Peter

[PBI]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_b/026-...he+Haig+Diaries

[Greenwoodman]

Have two spare copies of this for sale, one read once, one unread, for offer to Pals, prior to them progressing to an internet auction site. Priced below those noted for sale in UK on this thread. PM me if interested.

[brett361975]

Picked up a copy last week for 3.99 in the bookshop "the works".

Regards

Brett

[PhilB]

I can`t help thinking that an unexpurgated edition of the diaries would be far preferable. Surely, with diaries as important as these, it can`t be claimed that editing (ie selective shortening) is necessary on cost grounds?

[Greenwoodman]

Take yourself off to the National Library of Scotland Phil, put in the work, find a publisher and hey presto!

[PhilB]

I think this matter may have been raised previously. Doesn`t the present Earl Haig have control of it?

[George Armstrong Custer]

QUOTE (Phil_B @ Aug 4 2008, 10:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think this matter may have been raised previously. Doesn`t the present Earl Haig have control of it?

No. This is an old calumny. The Haig Papers, including the Diaries, were deposited by Haig's son Dawyck, the current Earl Haig, in March 1961 on permanent loan. The collection was eventually purchased on behalf of the nation from the Earl early in 1983. The Earl retains the copyright, but exercises no restrictions over either access or publishing of material from the collection. The Diaries alone run to 38 volumes for the years 1914-18 - so your biggest problem in getting them published in complete form isn't one of censorship, but of finding a publisher willing to underwrite such a project which would certainly not sell in large enough numbers to repay the production costs. I'd love to see a full set of Haig's Papers (not just the Diaries) published, but short of Lottery funding it ain't going to happen - the days of those kind of ventures by publishing houses are over.

Your use of 'unexpurgated' would seem to imply that you think the edited published editions of the Diaries have been restricted by some form of censorship, and that there's material there that we're being prevented from seeing in the public domain. As already suggested, take yourself off to Edinburgh and you can have free access to all the Haig Papers. If you find any startling revelations which the innumerable historians and biographers who have combed them over the decades have missed or failed to publish, let us know!

ciao,

GAC

[PhilB]

Your use of 'unexpurgated' would seem to imply that you think the edited published editions of the Diaries have been restricted by some form of censorship, ciao,

GAC

Well, yes, in the sense that selective editing is a form of censorship. We have seen that the approach of writers to the good Field Marshal usually involves a degree of bias, not necessarily intentional, one way or another. It would be nice to be able to read verbatim. 38 volumes? That`s an awful lot of selective editing. That`s 9 volumes per year or one every 6 weeks. I assume you`ve seen them, george - how long is a typical day`s entry? Maybe one day they`ll be scanned and online - the kind of job that vacation students could do!

[truthergw]

QUOTE (Phil_B @ Aug 4 2008, 11:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, yes, in the sense that selective editing is a form of censorship. ..............................

So our papers and books and TV news are censored? I don't think I could go along with that. Edit and censor, are not the same thing.

[George Armstrong Custer]

QUOTE (Phil_B @ Aug 4 2008, 11:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, yes, in the sense that selective editing is a form of censorship. We have seen that the approach of writers to the good Field Marshal usually involves a degree of bias, not necessarily intentional, one way or another. It would be nice to be able to read verbatim. 38 volumes? That`s an awful lot of selective editing. That`s 9 volumes per year or one every 6 weeks. I assume you`ve seen them, george - how long is a typical day`s entry? Maybe one day they`ll be scanned and online - the kind of job that vacation students could do!

Yes, I have seen them, Phil. Not only that I've posted a previously unpublished extract from them on the forum in response to a request here:

HaigTypedOrManuscript

I won't patronise you by quoting dictionary definitions as some do, but it's my own understanding that 'expurgated' in reference to published material refers to it having been purified in the eyes of the editor by removing 'objectional' matter which is not convenient for their point of view. Is that really what you're suggesting Sheffield and Bourne are doing in their edition of the Diaries? You are sceptical about the idea that the Diaries needed to be edited (as opposed to censored) due to the influence of the cost factor on any prospective publisher. In my view that's precisely why all that's been published are selections from the vast amount available.

Scanned an online? More likely one day, perhaps, than them ever being published. I doubt if students would be interested in doing it out of altruism, though. But you seem to have plenty of time - and a long established interest in facilitating a balanced view of Haig. Why not volunteer your services?

ciao,

GAC