Articles - Book Reviews by Merc50
Books on Africa (in no particular order):
Osprey Zulu stuff:
I know Ospreys get called the comic books of historical research, but with these books you will have pretty much the whole wars look and uniforms down. Must have stuff for Zulu War fans. The Rorke's Drift book is great reference stuff for terrain builders.
Osprey Boer War stuff:
Boer fans will want these when painting up the conflict in miniature. People interested in reference material for 1st Corps Cape War minis will just want 301.
Osprey Spanish Foreign Legion:
Out of print for no good reason that I can tell. Great source of info on the Legion and has some pictures from the Rif War in it.
Osprey French Foreign Legion (out of print original book on the subject).
Another book that I cant understand why it is no longer made, other than the fact that Osprey is doing small concentrated books on the Legion. For a general overview, this is a good book.
Windrow's "Uniforms of the French Foreign Legion: 1831-1981."
This needs to be reprinted. I have seen copies of this go for really high prices. Great overview of the Legion and its uniforms. I found mine from a library clearance sell for cover price, and it had never been checked out once in the ten years it sat in the library. Covers all aspects of the Legion, and Africa of course.
Porch's "The Conquest of Morocco."
For fans of the classic French Foreign Legion and those interested in Morocco, this is the book.
Parker's "Inside the Foreign Legion."
Personal accounts from the history of the Legion make this a fun fast read. Lots of African stuff.
Whitehouse's "Battles For Africa."
Good picture book for learning general colonial African history and warfare. The book begs to have the illustrations be printed in color though
Pakenham's "The Scramble for Africa" and "The Boer War."
The scramble book is a must have for anyone who want a complete history of the colonization of Africa, and the Boer War book is a good overall history of the war. You can not go wrong with either book.
Bierman's "Dark Safari."
If you really want a good book on Henry Morton Stanley that offers new insight into the man, this is it gang.
Books on the Mexican Adventure and the Old West:
Ryan's "Camerone."
This is the only full text english language account of the Legions most famous battle, and a hard book to get. If you want it, you better get it while you can.
Etherington-Smiths translation of the memoirs of Ernst Pitner in "Maximilian's Lieutenant."
This is a great personal history of a man who served in Mexico during the Mexican Adventure with Austrian army. I can't understand why this book does not get more attention. This is another one you need to get now if you have any interest at all, I can see it brining top dollar in the used market when it is out of print.
Osprey Mexican Adventure.
Pretty much the only book in print with uniforms for this conflict.
Other Books:
Osprey Spanish Civil War Books: Men at Arms :
The Spanish Civil War, Elite 53: International Brigades,
Campaign 60: The Ebro.
The Men at Arms book on the Spanish Civil War is out of print, but if you can find it pick it up. The Elite book is not my favorite, but I do like the new Campaign book. The Campaign book is weak on uniform info, but that is not the purpose of that series. Makes me wonder why they did stop the Men at Arms book when you consider that.
Beevor's "Stalingrad."
Best book on the East Front in years. Perhaps the best on the battle ever.
Bowden's "Black Hawk Down."
Reads like fiction, but is totally true. This one will pump up any gamer who reads it to ask "why are there no 28mm moderns to do this event with?"