Article about: I always enjoy stumbling on good books that I haven't read or noticed before. Please share the book or books that you are currently reading . I'm sorry if a thread of this sort has already b
Must be the biggest book I ever read.
Nothing I didn't know, but it reads well.
It is about the naughty part of the story of the Belgian King's and Queens, but there is a lot to tell about....
In short (according to Tweedehands boeken online kopen en verkopen - Books in Belgium) ;
German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck scornfully called the members of the House of Saxe-Coburg "the breeding stallions of Europe." The journalist Louis de Lentdecker found 'the house of Sexen-Coburg' a more adequate description. Albert II, sixth king of the Belgians, indeed counts among his forebears many people whose erotic misadventures make his own amorous feats of arms pale. The 'discovery' of Delphine Boël, the king's illegitimate daughter, caused a stir in the press, but had little or no impact on the popularity of the head of state. Bastard children, royal escapades and court scandals have been a deeply ingrained tradition in Laeken since the creation of Belgium. Is the Crown an irresistible aphrodisiac or does it isolate the wearers? What do monarchs look for in 'shadow consorts'? How much power do the royal mistresses have? What happens to the bastard children and how do the lawful spouses react to the sidesteps? These are just a few questions that are addressed in The Shadow of the Crown. Jan Van den Berghe describes the Belgian Coburgs with verve in their public life and behind the palace walls. In doing so, he illustrates with tasty anecdotes and spicy details that some kings and princes emerge at certain moments as key figures in Dutch history. Others, on the other hand, he outlines in their mediocrity, backstabbing and hypocrisy.
I read all six of Allan W. Eckert's "Winning of America" series years ago. I liked them so well that I am rereading "The Conquerors" (about Pontiac's War) now. These books are what Eckert calls historical narratives. That means that all characters really lived, and all events actually happened, but the author adds details of his own to make the story flow smoothly. For example, it is a matter of historical record that somebody warned Major Gladwin that Pontiac would attack Detroit, but we don't know who it was or exactly what was said. In the book, Eckert writes that Jacques Bâby warned Gladwin and composes the dialog between them. At the end of that passage is a superscript number referencing a note in the back of the book. The note tells other theories of who gave the warning, and why Eckert thinks the Jacques Bâby theory is most plausible.
I like this style because it is holds attention as well as a good novel, yet is basically true in all but some minor details. The books of the series are about the wars of the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region; they are: "The Frontiersmen" (about Simon Kenton), "Wilderness Empire" (French and Indian War), "The Conquerors" (Pontiac's War), "The Wilderness War" (Iroquois Campaign of the American Revolution), "Gateway to Empire" (War of 1812), and "Twilight of Empire" (Black Hawk's War).
I would highly reccommend all of these books as both entertaining and educational, but I have two criticisms. First, although the author is careful to cite original sources and give notes for the historical events, he is less careful with the details he adds. For example, Eckert calls all guns "rifles", including smoothbores. Second, if the historical record has more than one version of an event, Eckert may choose the more interesting rather than the most probable. For example, Eckert writes that Chief Blue Jacket was a White man originally named Marmaduke Van Swearingen. It's true that race was fluid at the time; the "Indian" Apekonit, principal assistant of Chief Little Turtle, was actually a full blood White originally called William Wells. The "White" army officer and war hero Captain J. Logan was actually a full blood Indian originally called Spemica Lawba. So it is possible that Blue Jacket was Van Swearingen, but the evidence is against it.
Apparently supernatural events are recorded in these books. In "The Conquerors" it is said that a rain of ink-black water fell on Detroit after Pontiac convinced the tribes to attack the fort. I wish there was a note giving the source for this story. Even more peculiar things commonly happen in this series of books. Tecumseh said many times, years in advance, that the earth would tremble as a sign that it was time for the Indians to unite against the Americans. Finally he chose the date of 16 December 1811 for the Indians to unite. Sure enough, there was an earthquake that day. The characters in these books are indeed real people, but many are more fantastic than comic book heroes. Simon Kenton, Tecumseh, Nonhelema (my 5th great grandfather met her) and others were real; no good writer of fiction would create characters so implausible.
And this must have been the briefest book I ever read.
About a young Flemish guy (°1922) who voluntered in april 1941 for the Freiwilligen-Standarte Nordwest.
Got wounded twice on the Eastern front.
Hide him self during his last home leave in March 1944.
And after Brussels was liberated, surrended on the 28th of October.
He was emprisonned and sentenced to death. He died before a firing squad on 14th July 1945.
The book relates mostly what was found in his criminal file.
And a few testimonies.
The author complains (in the book) about the law on the privacy in vigor here, not helping to do proper research or to get more testimonies of related persons, to this former soldier. RIMG9587 (2).jpg
An additional remark the the ones interested in this book;
I finished it and must say I am impressed after all. My earlier opinion about the subjective tendency hasn’t changed but the immense research for the book and the result should give the author more credits from my side than I gave him in my post. In other words; it feels unfair not to mention this.
After all a must read for all wanting to know more about Jochen Peiper.
Fliegerhorst Deurne
From the war diary of the airfield Deurne by Antwerp.
By Jean Dillen. RIMG9604 (2).jpg
It is written, both, in Flemish and in English (in the same book!).
So if you are intrested in the Battle of Britain and Kampfgeschwader 3, you might like it.
The author had contacted most of the original Kämpfers back in the seventies and wrote down theyr story's.
Biggest intrigue to me was the headquarters of the kampfgeschwader 3.
It was settled in a old building near the airport.
The building that became the only French speaking school in Flanders in 1944.
And where I was send too on a very irregular base and for short periods, every time me and my parents came home from Africa, during school time.
Knowing the building and reading about every detail about the housing of the officers, and so on, gave it a extra dimenssion to me.
Theyr breefing room, became a study, when I was there.
The place where the flagpole stood was our playground.
And so on...
Der Wehrwolf. About a group of farmers in the 30-year war in Germany turned into guerrilla fighters to protect their families against marauding armies and thugs, and to avenge their lost loved ones.
The combination of ‘Wehr’ (meaning to protect) and wolf, making it a variation to Werwolf (werewolf) but translated into English as ‘the Warwolf’.
It is a German classic from 1910 by Hermann Löns who later died in WW1 France in 1914.
The book was mandatory reading for the HJ and influenced the Werwolf stay-behind guerrilla army that would keep on fighting after the 3rd Reich’s surrender concept.
It was on my reading wishlist for a long time. I must admit I was afraid it could be unreadable due to old use of language and writing style but none of it all…
It is an easy, relaxed read and a good story that I highly recommend to all interested in German history, literature, guerrilla warfare etcetera.
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by Seafox
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