What Are You Reading?

The smell is due to paper mould - depending upon the paper, type of ink and age of book, this can result in foxing (spots on paper), paper darkening or just a musty smell.

Getting rid of the smell can be tricky - dependent upon the book and binding.

If the books have been stitched (rather than glued - you can tell by looking down the spine from above, standing the book upright) and the photos printed directly on to the page (rather than glossy inserts), then what I do is brush each page with a paint brush, making sure to get into the edges, and then place them in an oven (set at the lowest heat and a heavy cassarole dish placed on top to stop warping), and wrapped in foil to stop the edges darkening, for about 30 to 40 minutes.And then another brush through. Don't laugh - I was told this method by a book-binder who said that using professional defoxing agents for cheap books wasn't economical. Don't forget to keep the weight on the book whilst it cools to stop warping.

If they've been glued etc, then a brush will have to suffice, and then just time.

But I'm also "lucky" that being a smoker, all my books stink of cigs (and as I never sell my books, I don't care)!!

 

Thanks Dude. I had another "Colliers" book that smelled the same way for awhile, but that's been years and it went away.
They are glued re-prints of USAAF magizine type war-time publications like "Signal" was for the Wehrmacht ( I have 43-44 of that).
I'll try brushing.
Thanx again

 

Vivien Spitz,

DOCTORS FROM HELL - The Horrific Account of Nazi Experiments on Humans

Sentient Publications, USA 2005.

--------

We´ll see if this is as good as the critics at Amazon pages say...

 

Hello gentlemen,

Guy Sajer, Forgotten Soldier.

Regards,
I-16 Rata

 

well gents I am going through a 5 inch high thick file on Jg 301 and will probably start re-writing the materials I have on JG 301 when they pounced on the US 445th and 491st bomb groups shooting down 26 B-24's but it was a very bad day for JG 301's Fw 190A's with over 40 shot down including a cousin of mine ( 26 November 1944 ) .........with strong verbal prodding from friends and familie I am going ahead to be looking into a joint adventure with a leading aviation publisher and if it works out will post more

Moskito-jagd will also take on a new look in June 07

 

looooove Band of Brothers.

 

Speaking of Band of Brothers, I saw Maj. Dick Winters book (memoirs?) in the bookstore today. I opted instead for an Osprey book entitled, Wolf Pack: The Story of the U-Boat in World War II. I just couldn't pass a 270 page Osprey book up for the low price of $18.25 USD. It looks like its going to be a very good read. Has anyone else read this one? I also saw another Osprey book (one of the THIN ones) about Fortifications on Pearl Harbor. I can't understand for the life of me just why these thin, little, 1/8" books cost so much ($17.95 for that one) when other Osprey publications as equally illustrated, albeit much thicker, with color and B/W photos/drawings cost comparably less. Nonetheless, I've collected a small fortune in them over the years but, wish they weren't so damn expensive. I'd buy more of them if they were a little cheaper.

 

Hello gentlemen,

I just finished Company Commander, by Charles B. Macdonald, which I found a good read but somewhat uneven.
Now I'm reading Hitler's Commander ( Walther Model ) by Steven H. Newton.

Regards,
I-16 Rata

 

Just finished Wolf Pack. Apart from the grammatical errors (I hate the word "decimate" since it is nearly always used wrong - and I do not accept the "new" definition that some dictionaries give it) the author goes on a rant about how the victories of U-Boats were higher than those attained by submariners of any other nation during WWII. Well du-ah! Like, just how many naval vessels does he think the allies had to shoot at as compared with the U-Boats' number of target options? Anyway, it got me to break out Das Boot for the umpteenth time...

 

Hello gentlemen,

'A Dark and Bloody Ground', The Huertgen Forest and the Roer River Dams, 1944-1945, by Edward G. Miller. So far, it's an impressive book.

Regards,
I-16 Rata

 

Currently reading a rare book called "The Isue of the German Colonies by Dr Schnee, former Governor of German East Africa. It's a 1928 print (french version) .It's a brilliant somewhat propaganda, but still nicely written about the seizure of the Former German colonies by French and British troops and the bitterness about Versailles.

There are some rare Dobbertin pictures in it too.



Dar Es Sallam (German East Africa)



Windhuck (German South West Africa)



Lomé , Togo

 

Just bought a new book

At Leningrad's Gates: The Story of a Soldier with Army Group North
by Wehrmacht Captain William Lubbeck

http://www.amazon.ca/At-Leningrads-Gates-Story-Soldier/dp/1932033556

 

Short of the overview issues, what do you think of the book? I am just finishing Holding Juno: Canada's Heroic Defense of the D-Day Beaches: June 7-12, 1944 by Mark Zuehlkeing.

Read Juno Beach : also by Zuehlkeing : last month and am finding that I really like his stuff. Am on a Normandy Canadian kick as a result of putting together our stop notes for Juno and designing some Combat Commander scenarios for Sword, Gold, Juno and the 6th Airborne drop zone.

 

Hello gentlemen,

Finally I've got it !!

'Leavenworth Papers No. 12, Seek, Strike, and Destroy: U.S. Army Tank Destroyer Doctrine in World War II', by Dr. Christopher R. Gabel, 1985.

I know it's downloadable from the net and it's an ugly little book, but it's content is very interesting for Tank Destroyer afficionados and I prefer the real booklet to a bunch of prints.

Regards,

Happy Rata

 

as I was just helping out a US 31st fg veteran recently and another US AF - 355th fg historian thought I would go dig back into JG 300 volume 1. Volume 2 is due soon as well as EE's volume 1 on the Fw190 Dora variants.

much excited about new US/Luftwaffe air titles coming out this year, yes it is time before all of the WW2 veterans from both sides leave this planet......

and I might just be part of another new exciting venture later this fall, but will say no-more about that at present

 

"The Unknown Battle of Midway"
Kernan

Interesting though more than a little shocking so far and only on p55.
Written by a veteran USN carrier crew support(not pilot) fellow in regards to equipment and weapons etc.

There are some new American revisionist authors now claiming we weren't lucky at Midway at all, nor was it a miracle and the Japanese didn't really have a chance at almost anything.

But this fellow's book seems to indicate that the USN was in more danger and covering up more things than I realized before, and I've been a ww2 fan for decades. Some interesting facts about ships, planes and their 'achilles heel's I've never read in other naval history books. So far so good.

 

I am currently reading "The Copper Scroll" by Joel C Rosenburg. Fiction based on biblical prophecies coming true. Almost mirroring what is happening today in the middle east.

 

I am currently reading Jochen Peiper: Commander Panzerregiment Leibstandarte by Patrick Agte.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand I find it repulsive that the author defends Germany's attack on Russia. Also, he works very hard to distance Peiper from the Nazi party. That's rather hard to do considering his close association with Himmler. There are so many photos of Peiper with Himmler, Hitler and Borman it's difficult to conceive that he wasn't involved in some of the highest political circles.

On the other hand it is a great wartime journal with many firsthand accounts. The photos give a feel of a personal photo journal.

I haven't gotten to the end of the war yet. I'm sure there will be more disappointing political claptrap when I get into the war-crimes portion of the book. We'll see.

So far I give it a B-

Later!

 

Just started Panzer General, the Memoirs of Colonel Hans von Luck. Enjoying it so far...

 

Over the weekend I picked up a copy (first edition and signed no less...although I didn't know it when I bought it in the shop!) of The Dutch Naval Air Force Against Japan The Defense of the Netherlands East Indies 1941- 1942 by Tom Womack.
One thing I found interesting right off was that the Doriner 24 seaplane was largely developed for Dutch use, not German, and that Germany's use was largely based on examples that were originally intended to go to the Dutch.