What book are you reading?

[Joe Shearer]

No takers it seems

The book could only be read (even though Cornelius Ryan did a very good job with it):

View attachment 34675

But then again, I only read the book a lot later in life compared to watching the movie (several times) with my papa.

Fond are the memories of my dad explaining so many things through the whole movie, and getting frustrated i didn't quite grasp the importance of each bit...then get swept up in his catatonic way emotionally at various parts...."you will understand when you are older my boy"

More than any other episode of ww2, it is this one that my dad to this day tests my knowledge on the most (the bridges of market garden).

But who was the Angel I mention? It was only much later in life, I was told the opening narration was by "the" real life "Angel of Arnhem", (Kate ter Horst). I had never known it till then, neither had my dad.

Even knowing the whole movie pretty much like the back of my hand, the intro still sends chills up my spine when she says "...and bring the boys back home" with the great memorable musical theme ramping up.

Can't be done in a book!

Heck you couldn't even do this in a movie these days for a number of reasons:

Iguess from time to time ill pair things with a "what movie you're watching?" sense in this thread too, where relevant.

I had no idea about this.

Truth to tell, I hate reading about Arnhem, because it was such a dog's dinner; reading it (I read it once, and realised I didn't want to read it a second time) was painful, picking a path through the tangled mess of over-optimism, brutal bad luck, dogged German resistance to the road column and the inexorable attrition of the paratroopers.

Interesting that Kate ter Horst figured in the film narration; no idea about it, as I mentioned, and, like the book, the film was one that I squirmed my way through.

 

[Fatman17]

I had no idea about this.

Truth to tell, I hate reading about Arnhem, because it was such a dog's dinner; reading it (I read it once, and realised I didn't want to read it a second time) was painful, picking a path through the tangled mess of over-optimism, brutal bad luck, dogged German resistance to the road column and the inexorable attrition of the paratroopers.

Interesting that Kate ter Horst figured in the film narration; no idea about it, as I mentioned, and, like the book, the film was one that I squirmed my way through.

One of my all time favourite war movies. Of course the real version of the events were more brutal than depicted in the movie. It was one of General Montgomery's biggest failures. Gen Eisenhower wasn't keen on this daring operation but "politics " overruled his objections. Montgomery wanted to snatch the limelight from his rival Gen Patton.

 

[Nilgiri]

I had no idea about this.

Truth to tell, I hate reading about Arnhem, because it was such a dog's dinner; reading it (I read it once, and realised I didn't want to read it a second time) was painful, picking a path through the tangled mess of over-optimism, brutal bad luck, dogged German resistance to the road column and the inexorable attrition of the paratroopers.

Interesting that Kate ter Horst figured in the film narration; no idea about it, as I mentioned, and, like the book, the film was one that I squirmed my way through.

Bit like convincing yourself you can roll double 6's on demand. Double 6's happen just enough (with sequential benefits awarded that are often attractive) that you can sometimes convince yourself it will happen when you need it.

When really say board games with double dice roll element have to use the E(X) = 7 as a basic operating principle to project the overall core possibility trees in advance....and form the best tactics and strategy around that.

This operation should never have progressed (its success lay on the fringes of possibilities, if that), it relied on too many things going perfect. Lives and resources were squandered needlessly.

But against the doomed odds, there is the story of bravery and tenacity that comes to light in its unique way....this is what has greatly appealed to my dad.

Forgot to tag @Panzerkiel to this convo chain if he would like to chime in regd op. market garden.

 

[Fatman17]

 

[gangsta_rap]

When really say board games with double dice roll element have to use the E(X) = 7 as a basic operating principle to project the overall core possibility trees in advance....and form the best tactics and strategy around that.

 

[Nilgiri]

Yep the 7's are all "natural" in craps for a reason. no such thing as a hard 7...in any case since its odd number and no 3.5 exists on a face.

The specific doubles (4,6,8,10) are all "hard" versions of their generic names (two 4's is a hard 8 for example)...many of the uneven combos are "easy" likewise (say a 5 and 3 is an easy eight).

Boxcars (12) and snake eyes (2) are the special rarities as they exist only as doubles.

There are more elaborate games (board or otherwise) that use the underlying probabilities of craps, that make things lot more interesting and complicated to map out in the head for say possibility tree strategy.

Better you are at mapping these (especially if there is some resource allocation/decision making involved with each turn), the better you generally do.

Of course past this part, there is also often tremendous chance that plays its role in specific parts of such things too (especially sensitivity at the start that often shapes any contours later).

As Napoleon said of an officer coming up for promotion
"yes i know he's good.....but is he lucky?"

The first (supposed/anecdotal) Napoleon quote I ever knew, long before I knew who Napoleon was even, cause it was in another movie, yet another favourite of my dad's.

As another aside, one of my teachers in 8th grade was literal doppelganger of Ike haha. I still remember one keen eyed kid in class pointing out photo of Ike in our book, and it spread like wildfire among the class and in a few minutes the teacher was chuckling about it too.

 

[Fatman17]

Help me to get this book please

 

[Fatman17]

And this one please

 

[Joe Shearer]

Can be done, but the difficulty I faced getting Lt. Gen. Mahmud Ahmed's magisterial book on 1965 will face us in getting the books to you. They can be bought; where should they be despatched? I believe that there is no way to send books direct to a Pakistani address (if it was not possible to send them from Pakistan to India, I presume that the reverse applies).

I ask because Saiyan0321 now has three of the Ahmed book, of which one is earmarked for me and has not managed to find its way to me for a year or more.

Three because he got a copy from a bookseller, got a second copy a little later, and one from the author himself, who was intrigued by his enquiries, and drove down to Sheikhupura, interviewed Saiyan0321 and then handed over a copy with his compliments.

Once you suggest a way to get the books to you, they can be bought and the transaction undertaken.

 

[Joe Shearer]

View attachment 35353
Help me to get this book please

Both volumes available on Amazon at ₹1783 and 1800 respectively.
They are offered for delivery within a week or so (Saturday for one, 7th May for another).

 

[Joe Shearer]

View attachment 35354
And this one please

This may be more difficult.

It is listed hardback for ₹13,000 +; besides, it does not appear to be in print. All other things being sorted out, we can try further to get a copy.

Right now, it does not seem to be worth the effort, not immediately.

 

[Fatman17]

Both volumes available on Amazon at ₹1783 and 1800 respectively.
They are offered for delivery within a week or so (Saturday for one, 7th May for another).

I'll check amazon too

 

[Fatman17]

Can be done, but the difficulty I faced getting Lt. Gen. Mahmud Ahmed's magisterial book on 1965 will face us in getting the books to you. They can be bought; where should they be despatched? I believe that there is no way to send books direct to a Pakistani address (if it was not possible to send them from Pakistan to India, I presume that the reverse applies).

I ask because Saiyan0321 now has three of the Ahmed book, of which one is earmarked for me and has not managed to find its way to me for a year or more.

Three because he got a copy from a bookseller, got a second copy a little later, and one from the author himself, who was intrigued by his enquiries, and drove down to Sheikhupura, interviewed Saiyan0321 and then handed over a copy with his compliments.

Once you suggest a way to get the books to you, they can be bought and the transaction undertaken.

I have a dubai address which can be used as a transit facility.

 

[Joe Shearer]

I have a dubai address which can be used as a transit facility.

Then we can do the first two volumes of Ravi Rikhye.

Should I go ahead, and, in a couple of weeks, order those two volumes? Once received - as an Amazon Prime member, it is probable that they will be delivered free of delivery costs - I can send it by courier or by parcel post to your Dubai address.

Would that do?

You may have to allow me a little time to do all this, and perhaps do one volume at a time.

 

[Surya2023]

Then we can do the first two volumes of Ravi Rikhye.

Should I go ahead, and, in a couple of weeks, order those two volumes? Once received - as an Amazon Prime member, it is probable that they will be delivered free of delivery costs - I can send it by courier or by parcel post to your Dubai address.

Would that do?

You may have to allow me a little time to do all this, and perhaps do one volume at a time.

May be use a service like Garuda Vega to send these books to Dubai. Many of us use these service to USA and UK regularly. They are very safe and reach very fast. As these are weight basis you can send both the books together. On the lighter note too many people travel to Dubai from Hyderabad so u can send these with them and ask them to mail in Dubai itself.