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Another option for the 2018 theme reads is a possible chronological monthly theme (every second month) for each year of the war:

1939-1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945

Each theme year a group member can read any book, be it on a land, air, naval campaign that occurred in that theme year.

What do members think of that idea?

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Another option for the 2018 theme reads is a possible chronological monthly theme (every second month) for each year of the war:

1939-1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945

Each theme year a group member ..."

Good idea, AR. A different approach.

Thanks MR9, if enough folks like the idea we might try it, get us through WW2 in a year :)

I might also mark November 2018 as a dual theme month so we can cover the end of the Great War.

I like the yearly theme read idea. Really gives everyone lots of options.

Marc wrote: "I like the yearly theme read idea. Really gives everyone lots of options."

Perfect, thanks Marc :)

I agree with anything. And my reading time return sooner rather than later :-)

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Another option for the 2018 theme reads is a possible chronological monthly theme (every second month) for each year of the war:.."

Hear, hear !

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Another option for the 2018 theme reads is a possible chronological monthly theme (every second month) for each year of the war:

1939-1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945

Each theme year a group member ..."

Are you planning on doing this in chronological order, or mixing up the years? I like the idea of mixing them up.

Marc wrote: "'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Another option for the 2018 theme reads is a possible chronological monthly theme (every second month) for each year of the war:

1939-1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945

Each them..."

Doesn't chronological order provide steady fluidity and consistency to the historical narrative?

Manray9 wrote: "Marc wrote: "'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Another option for the 2018 theme reads is a possible chronological monthly theme (every second month) for each year of the war:

1939-1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
19..."

I would rather do it chronological order.

Amanda wrote: "Manray9 wrote: "Marc wrote: "'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Another option for the 2018 theme reads is a possible chronological monthly theme (every second month) for each year of the war:

1939-1940
1941
1..."

I'm fine either way, but I thought going in a non-linear fashion might appeal to some.

I'm afraid I like order so it will have to be chronological :)

Sounds good AR. I’d prefer chronological too - need some order!

Have you considered (perhaps quarterly, bi-annual or even annual) themes/choices that focus on individuals, i.e. specific biographies?

We have done biographies before Haaze and happy to try a theme read along those lines.

Haaze wrote: "Have you considered (perhaps quarterly, bi-annual or even annual) themes/choices that focus on individuals, i.e. specific biographies?"

I have several WW II era biographies staring to me from the shelf...unread.

I can run two themes for one or two months so we can run with the yearly theme but add a duel theme for a biography if people are interested or can run the years themes like this:

Feb 2018 - Battle theme (the winner of the group poll)
April 2018 - 1939-1940 (inclusive)
June 2018 - 1941-1942 (inclusive)
August 2018 -Biography theme
October 2018 - 1943-1944 (inclusive)
November will be a theme on the Great War
December 2018 - 1945

What do folks think?

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I can run two themes for one or two months so we can run with the yearly theme but add a duel theme for a biography if people are interested or can run the years themes like this:

Feb 2018 - Battl..."

Good for me. Perhaps I'll finally read John Connell's bio of Auchinleck. I've had it for many years.

Auchinleck: A Critical Biography

Anything to help the backlog MR9. I have a few books on Wavell and many other luminaries of WW2 that I need to read as well :)

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I can run two themes for one or two months so we can run with the yearly theme but add a duel theme for a biography if people are interested or can run the years themes like this:

Feb 2018 - Battl..."

Looks okay to me. Might need to alter my current plans for 2018 if I'm going to participate in a biography read, but I have plenty of time.

Good to hear Marc :)

The next group theme read (December) is a WW2 aviation theme. I have been checking out which book I should read and this one is at the top of the list (at the moment):

Stopped at Stalingrad: The Luftwaffe and Hitler's Defeat in the East, 1942-1943 by Joel S.A. Hayward

What are other folks thinking of reading for the aviation theme?

I've been saving this Martin Middlebrook volume for the year's final group read:

The Schweinfurt Regensburg Mission: The American Raids on 17 August 1943

Excellent choice Marc!

So many to choose from...but I may start with A Torch to the Enemy

That's sounds like an interesting book for the theme read Mike.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "What are other folks thinking of reading for the aviation theme? "

Right now I'm planning on rereading since I think its the only book I have on an aviation battle/campaign. But I'm also going to try and get , , and from the library.

Mike wrote: "So many to choose from...but I may start with A Torch to the Enemy"

Martin Caidin was one of my favorite authors when I was younger. Come to find out he wasn't a really nice guy and claimed the work(s) of others as his own. But I remember reading this book back in the 80's and enjoying it. For a more modern take, read Robert Dorr's book on the massive Tokyo fire-bombing raid.

Amanda wrote: "'Aussie Rick' wrote: "What are other folks thinking of reading for the aviation theme? "

Right now I'm planning on rereading [bookcover:The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s Over Germ..."

Ambrose's book was good, although focused primarily on George McGovern and his crew. Target Tokyo and Forgotten Fifteenth are both excellent reads.

I'm thinking of either THE AIRMEN AND THE HEADHUNTERS or ENEMY COAST AHEAD by Guy Gibson.

I was going to start with A Wing And A Prayer: The 'Bloody 100th' Bomb Group Of The Us Eight Air Force In Action Over Europe In World War Ii, then Fortress Ploesti: The Campaign to Destroy Hitler's Oil Supply; but then a recent discussion reminded me I'd rescued The Other Battle from the loft... and I was going to wrap up with The Ploesti Raid Through The Lens over holiday week... it's a long month, right?

Some excellent titles being nominated for the theme read in December, it should make for some interesting discussions during the month.

Jonny wrote: "I was going to start with [book:A Wing And A Prayer: The 'Bloo..."

Well, looks like I now need to add the book on the Bloody 100th to my TBR pile...

I've read the Fortress Ploesti book and The Other Battle as well--both are excellent. I have the Through the Lens book, but that's still sitting in the TBR pile.

Marc wrote: "Jonny wrote: "I was going to start with [book:A Wing And A Pra..."

My interest in the Bloody Hundredth goes back to the 90's - they were the "playable" bomber unit in Lucasarts Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe and Microprose's B-17 simulator. You'll be reading about them soon enough I'd guess Marc

Jonny wrote: "Marc wrote: "Jonny wrote: "I was going to start with [book:A W..."

Hmmm...must have missed that part of SWotL!

Marc wrote: "Jonny wrote: "Marc wrote: "Jonny wrote: "I was going to start with [bookcover:A Wing And A Prayer: The 'Bloody 100th' Bomb Group Of The Us Eight Air Force In Action Over Europe In World War Ii|7955..."

Cause the bombers were unplayable!

Jonny wrote: "Marc wrote: "Jonny wrote: "Marc wrote: "Jonny wrote: "I was going to start with [bookcover:A Wing And A Prayer: The 'Bloody 100th' Bomb Group Of The Us Eight Air Force In Action Over Europe In Worl..."

I think I remember them now--you were a ball turret gunner on a B-17 for one of the missions, right?

Just checked my new favorite online bookstore, Wordery, and they have a copy of this book in stock. They have great shipping prices (even to the U.S.), so I just might be making another order from them soon!

Marc wrote: "Jonny wrote: "Marc wrote: "Jonny wrote: "Marc wrote: "Jonny wrote: "I was going to start with [bookcover:A Wing And A Prayer: The 'Bloody 100th' Bomb Group Of The Us Eight Air Force In Action Over ..."

I dunno... I'm thinking of the original 1992(ish) pc release.. awful blocky graphics, but awesome for the time! Good luck with the book, I'm a Book Depository man myself...

The Right of the Line: The Royal Air Force 1939-45 &
The Wild Blue: 741 Squadron -- On a Wing and a Prayer over Occupied Europe have both been on the shelf waiting to be read for years so it looks like this is the time to get to them.

Two good books there John, perfect titles for the theme!

John wrote: " The Right of the Line: The Royal Air Force 1939-45 &
[bookcover:The Wild Blue: 741 Squadron -- On a Wing and a ..."

I thought The Wild Blue was pretty good as it shed some light on the 15th AF and the operations out of Italy. However, since it was written by Stephen Ambrose, there are probably several out there who won't touch it at all.

I'd forgotten about the controversy with his books. I've added Wings Of Morning: The Story Of The Last American Bomber Shot Down Over Germany In World War II to my reading list to compare to The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s Over Germany 1944-45.

The December 2017 theme read page is open for comment/discussion. The theme for the month is any book or books of your choice that covers a WW2 aviation campaign or battle:

/topic/show/...

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I can run two themes for one or two months so we can run with the yearly theme but add a duel theme for a biography if people are interested or can run the years themes like this:

Feb 2018 - Battl..."

AR: Was your Msg 818 the final take on theme reads for 2018?

It's still open for suggestions as I can tweak it a bit.

I am going to cancel the November theme (Great War) and have an open-ended year theme just titled 1918 so it will run for the whole of 2018 and folks can read and comment on any book they are reading during 2018 that covers a Great War subject that occurred during 1918.

Is there something you want to add or suggest?

These are the theme's so far for 2018:

Jan-Dec - 1918 The Great War

Feb 2018 - Battle theme (the winner of the group poll)
April 2018 - 1939-1940 (inclusive)
June 2018 - 1941-1942 (inclusive)
August 2018 -Biography theme
October 2018 - 1943-1944 (inclusive)
December 2018 - 1945

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "It's still open for suggestions as I can tweak it a bit.

I am going to cancel the November theme (Great War) and have an open-ended year theme just titled 1918 so it will run for the whole of 201..."

Looks good to me.

Cool, well I will set up the 1918 Great War theme today so folks can start whenever they feel like it.

I will have to start thinking about which battle I want to read about for the February theme :)

The 1918 year long theme page is up and running for those interested in reading and discussing a book covering events in 1918:

/topic/show/...

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Cool, well I will set up the 1918 Great War theme today so folks can start whenever they feel like it.

I will have to start thinking about which battle I want to read about for the February theme :)"

When are you going to drop the other shoe and let us know what the winner of the group poll was?

I would consider adding the Lake Victoria, N. Rhodesia/Zambia, Uganda and East African 1918 campaigns in Africa. Most people ignore Africa in WW I, but it set the standard for colonial rule until after 1945.