Weekly Wishlist (May 11th, 2008)

I've got a problem with wanting more books than I could possibly read in any short period and as a result my browser has an overabundance of links to wishlisted books. Here are three...

1. Pyrrhic Victory: French Strategy and Operations in the Great War by Robert A. Doughty

I've always been a rather avid reader when it comes to the First World War - but little to none of this has been on the French role in that conflict though they were arguably the most important of the Allied nations when it came to land forces. Over the last two years I've only read two books on the French contribution in the First World War - Verdun 1916 by Malcolm Brown, which was merely okay, and the very good Paths of Glory: The French Army 1914-1918 by Anthony Clayton. Picking up this book, along with Alistair Horne's The Price of Glory: Verdun 1916 should do much to round out my knowledge.

2. Beyond Baghdad: Postmodern War and Peace by Ralph Peters

It still occasionally surprises me that the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan interest me on a level other than just regular old wanting to keep in touch with current military news, etc. I've devoured a few books on the Iraq war - most notably Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq by Michael Gordon and Bernard Trainor and House to House by David Bellavia. The latter being an absolutely engrossing memoir which includes perhaps the most gut wrenching and arresting testament of close-quarters combat I've seen written down. This, and my readings as a result of a poly. sci. class on foreign relations where great emphasis was placed on the transitions since the collapse of the Soviet Union has got me wanting this book.

3. Military Innovation in the Interwar Period by Williamson R. Murray (Editor) and Allan R. Millett (Editor)

As noted above I highly enjoy devouring a good First World War book, and do enjoy the occassional book on the Second World War - as evidenced by my current love of Winston Churchill's series on that war. As I'm still on the early volumes of that series this book would fit in well as it seems it has nice essays on the development of radar, armour theory, strategic and tactical bombing, and aircraft carriers (though I'd really like a full volume on that particular subject).