72 replies to this topic

[Horza]

I'm writing them after I complete Das Silmaril, the final word on the political economy of fantasy.

[Eloisa]

Roose Bolton, on 21 March 2012 - 05:23 PM, said:

(Stalingrad decided the war)

While Anthony Beevor is British, I found his book on Stalingrad a really good read.

[sologdin]

Das Silmaril, the final word on the political economy of fantasy

i'd read that.

[Antonius Pius]

Horza, on 01 April 2012 - 03:15 AM, said:

I'm writing them after I complete Das Silmaril, the final word on the political economy of fantasy.

Interesting. I see you're whetting our appetites with exotic titles. See that you live up to your ambitions, though. We wouldn't want Das Silmaril: the Final Word on the Political Economy of Fantasy to fall short.

[Roose Bolton's Pet Leech]

Horza, on 01 April 2012 - 03:15 AM, said:

I'm writing them after I complete Das Silmaril, the final word on the political economy of fantasy.

"A specter is haunting fantasy: the specter of cheap vampire novels."

"The history of all hitherto existing fantasy is the history of Tolkien ripoffs."

"Reading men of all countries, unite!"

(Yes, I'm paraphrasing the Manifesto, rather than Das Kapital. But who cares).

Edited by Roose Bolton's Pet Leech, 02 April 2012 - 04:01 AM.

[paddington]

Eloisa, on 01 April 2012 - 06:36 AM, said:

While Anthony Beevor is British, I found his book on Stalingrad a really good read.

His book on the fall of Berlin was a good read as well.

[lyvyathan]

There's a book you might like to read - its called 'My Tank is Fight" - its all about the ridiculous inventions in WW2 - including the Nazi Land Battleship which sadly to say wasn't built.

[IheartTesla]

Does it have 'pykrete' (sp?) in it? Because I think that is one of the most ridiculous inventions of WWII. FFS, they wanted to make battleships out of iced water, wood pulp and other such unmentionables.

[paddington]

IheartTesla, on 03 April 2012 - 10:45 AM, said:

Does it have 'pykrete' (sp?) in it? Because I think that is one of the most ridiculous inventions of WWII. FFS, they wanted to make battleships out of iced water, wood pulp and other such unmentionables.

http://en.wikipedia....roject_Habakkuk

Mountbatten and his ice Aircraft carrier

[Nukelavee]

Tesla - It was, technically, an aircraft carrier, but, really, they wanted a floating airfield to cover convoys crossing the North Atlantic.

Not exactly a stupid idea, although, yeah, they put way more effort into making it work than should have been used.

If you look at the ranges, and the numbers of ships, both cargo and escort, lost during the first years of teh war...it makes sense to see if there might be a way add a base.

Remember - this was based on the situation before America got involved, when it was Canada and Britain keeping the North Atlantic open.

[BigFatCoward]

paddington, on 23 March 2012 - 05:38 AM, said:

My Great-grandad was sunk 3 times during WW2, he was a merchant seamen. Although he was sunk 4 times during WW1 where he was in the Norwegien Navy.

Roose Bolton, on 23 March 2012 - 06:20 AM, said:

My Granddad was in the same boat (if you'll excuse the pun). Three different ship sinkings during WWII (including the famous Prince of Wales sinking).

i'd have taken them off the steering wheel (i have no fucking clue how you steer a boat).  or reduced their daily rum rations.

[The Iceman of the North]

paddington, on 23 March 2012 - 05:38 AM, said:

My Great-grandad was sunk 3 times during WW2, he was a merchant seamen. Although he was sunk 4 times during WW1 where he was in the Norwegien Navy.

I assume it was the Norwegian merchant fleet, and not the navy. Norway was neutral during WWI, and as far as I know didn't lose any naval ships. Being neutral our losses were limited to about 2,000 seamen.

[paddington]

The Iceman of the North, on 05 April 2012 - 07:37 AM, said:

I assume it was the Norwegian merchant fleet, and not the navy. Norway was neutral during WWI, and as far as I know didn't lose any naval ships. Being neutral our losses were limited to about 2,000 seamen.

Could well be, he died when I was 4, what I've heard is sort of the family myth.
In all honesty he could have been sailing for the oppostion during WW1, I have distant relatives that are German.  Which my Granmother losted touch with during WW2.

World war one I can somewhat safely say he was on someones boats that got sunk. An they weren't British. He was refused entry into the RN at the outbreak of WW2

He was apparantly present at the scuttling of the Graff Spree (not sure about that one).
He was torpedo 3 times in the NA, an once on the to way to one of the Russian ports, the ship didn't sink  that time though.

Edited by paddington, 05 April 2012 - 08:21 AM.