You can self publish as I have 8 times. Getting picked up by a major publisher and distributed is a completely different matter.Originally Posted by Rocky Racoon
You can self publish as I have 8 times. Getting picked up by a major publisher and distributed is a completely different matter.
Insurrection by David Weber and Steve White
I read this when first published back around 1990. Stumbling across a copy at our local used bookstore decided to give it a second go. It still holds up. Early Weber mil S-F, pre-Honorverse. This is a junk food read but sometimes a McDonald's cheeseburger hits the spot. Not a work of literature but a zipless book (to play on Jong).
The Terran Federation falls into civil war as the Fringe Worlds breakaway and declare independence. Fleet on fleet action with a smattering of political intrigue. Unlike the Honor Harrington works it follows an ensemble cast moreso than a focus character. Less Horatio Hornblower in Spaaaace than Red Storm Rising in Spaaaace (if not quite to the caliber of Red Storm).
For pulp grade entertainment: 4 out of 5 stars.
no one sees what's written on the spine of his own autobiography.
Surviving Death by the Thousand Cuts- Wim Wetzel
I just finished reading it. It was outstanding. As a side note I got an autographed copy signed by the author and both divers. I just ordered Pirate Hunters. I’m looking forward to it.
Just a dog chauffeur that used to hold the dumb end of the leash.
It took a while, but I finally finished Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond. I found the first 4/5ths absolutely fascinating. I realize that the book is 25 years old now, and some of the stuff has been disputed, but it was an interesting read. The last 1/5th I skimmed, as he has already explained his ideas/theories, and the was now just giving specific example. Yeah, dude, I got it already. Most likely worth your time.
"The victor is not victorious if the vanquished does not consider himself so."
― Ennius
Read it around the time it came out. Still remember his analysis of the geographic transmissability of agriculture and its impact on civilization to be eye opening. Then again I've done a lot of reading on American cultures since and not sure it entirely squares up. May need to re-read it.
no one sees what's written on the spine of his own autobiography.
Dodge City: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson and the Wickedest Town In the Wild West.
Tom Clavin.
Well written, meandering history of the Sodom of the Plains during its cow town boom days.
Clavin strikes a decent balance between modern scholarship, contemporary news accounts(journalism hasn't changed much in 150 rears), legend and popular culture .
While it focuses on Earp and Masterson, every historical person mentioned gets a thumbnail biography of their life and ultimate fate.
The author does really well at explaining the confluence of economic pressures, geographical locations and social trends that led to the great Texas cattle drives and the resultant creation of Dodge, Abilene, Hays and Wichita.
He also does a good job of illustrating the rise of the "Peace Officer" approach vs the traditional county Sheriffs, Constables and the short lived 'Hired Gunfighter' solution. He maintains that this was pioneered and perfected in Dodge, largely due to the Earps and the Mastersons, who together formed a team of brothers that varied from six to eight strong, plus a handful of very loyal friends(many of them ex-buffalo hunters), a formidable group of tough guys by anyone's definition.
When you consider that during the season, a town of a few hundred would transform into one of tens of thousands of largely anonymous Texas cowboys and the gamblers, con men, thieves, Soiled Doves and business men out to relieve them of 3 months wages...the sheer scale of the problem is staggering.
The Earps of course have been written to death with 95% of it being either flights of fancy or partisan screeds, or both. The author bases his story on Casey Terfertiller's recent magisterial research into Earp's life. Masterson, on the other hand only has a couple of dated bios and his own reminiscences in later life. The author does a good job of pulling together a lot of disparate sources on Masterson and placing them into a more rigorous context. He was far more lethal than Earp, but so charming and friendly that, unlike Earp who inspired respect but resentment, everyone liked and admired him.
I've been to Tombstone, like many others...but have also visited Masterson's grave at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, NY.
I love the stories of these old rogues.
There's nothing civil about this war.
Re-read Beevor's "The Battle for Spain", about the Spanish Civil War.
Excellent, and a bit frightening considering the current divided state of the USA.
"You win 100% of the fights you avoid. If you're not there when it happens, you don't lose." - William Aprill
"I've owned a guitar for 31 years and that sure hasn't made me a musician, let alone an expert. It's made me a guy who owns a guitar."- BBI
My (used) book vendor of choice is https://www.abebooks.com/ If the book was published a year or more ago, Abe Books probably offers it at a friends and family price. For example, a moment ago they had Dodge City (Clavin) available at $6.56, including tax and postage. That particular book is now gone, thanks to Feudist's alert, but Abe remains a recommended source.
Duces
A peaceful man is capable of great violence, but he keeps it under control. If a man is not capable of violence, he is not peaceful. He is just harmless. (Jordan Peterson)
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