Various Items

[kalquessa]

1. Have returned from camping trip. Failed to be eaten by zombie bears. A full report, complete with amusing anecdotes and pictures, may be on the way.

2. Read The Killer Angels while on vacation. I may be in love with Gen. James Longstreet

Comments

[kalquessa]

Yeah, I've been eyeing Turtledove's work for years. I think I want to read more non-fiction and fact-based fiction before I dive into alternate history, though. My brain will only get confused and have trouble remembering who won the war and how. *laughs*

[orominuialwen]

My little brother also became obsessed with the civil war a few years ago. He's currently reading through Harry Turtledove's books, and I think he likes them. I can get other book recommendations if you're intersted, too.

[kalquessa]

Book recs are always welcome! There seem to be several standard classics of civil war fiction, and I'll probably be eating those up for the next few months, but recs for less well-known stuff would be cool, too!

[katiem00]

Rodents of Unusual Size:
http://uglyoverload.blogspot.com/2007/08/rare-cuban.html

[kalquessa]

Duuuuude!

[jd3000]

3. In related news, I'm am now obsessed with the American Civil War. This is by way of warning, because my obsessions, while usually brief in duration, tend to be intense. So if everything makes me think of the Civil War for a while, and if I become a bit tiresome on the subject, feel free to roll your eyes at me and just know that it will probably be over soon, and I'll go back to being obsessed with normal things like J.R.R. Tolkien and Stargate.

Don't worry, we'll grant you a lot of leeway with your new interest, in order to preserve the union of our friendship. I tell ya, though, sometimes I get off on some long street of a crazy interest and I spout off enough to make a bull run. I can often manage to link in almost any topic of conversation to my new interest, even if I didn't pick it. Makes my friends want to put something through their monitor. Eventually I calm down, though, maybe take an early walk through the forest by the stone wall, and I move on. Shiloh Antietam Chickamauga.

-JD

[amberdulen]

I don't know if I want to shoot you or marry you.

[kalquessa]

This is frequently my reaction to JD. And to my husband, who shares JD's proclivity toward punnage. Obviously I chose the "marry him" route with Mr. Bill, which leaves poor JD very few options...

[jd3000]

This is how I live dangerously, by punning freely at people who can handle firearms.

-JD

[feliciakw]

Re: Civil War -- I've not done a lot of historical reading (which would probably have come in handing, now that I live in northern Virginia), but what I have, I recommend.

Reflections on the Civil War, by Bruce Catton. I read this in college because I was taking a class called "History and Film," and I really enjoyed the miniseries The Blue and the Gray, which Catton co-wrote and which is based on the above book. The 1980s miniseries is somewhat cheesy in retrospect, as one might expect of a 1980s miniseries, but overall I find it far preferrable to the all-out soap opera of John Jakes' North and South. Catton, as you might know, was a Pulitzer Prize winning historian. I seem to recall that though I like the miniseries, I liked the book better (as is often the case). It might be worth a look-see for you. The book, I mean. Not the miniseries. Though you might like the miniseries, too.

[kalquessa]

Cool, will add that to the list. I saw the TV series listed somewhere and I think that was the one with Patrick Swayze in. The sight of him in uniform make me choke. Hee.

[feliciakw]

The Blue & the Gray: Gregory Peck, Stacy Keach, Julia Duffy, Geraldine Page, Robert Vaughn, many other '80s names. Based on book by historian Bruce Catton. Good stuff, particularly the book.

North & South: Patrick Swayze, Lesley-Ann Down, Kirstie Alley, David Carradine. 1980s Soap Opera set in the Civil War. Book written by John Jakes. Overall, not a favorite, though I've never read the book itself.

Because, ya know, I'd hate for you to pick up the wrong one. :-)

[kalquessa]

Okay, I had them mixed up. Still. Swayze in the Civil War. Heeee!

Ooo, Gregory Peck. He's on my "Dear Santa, for Christmas I'd like these men to read me a bedtime story, please" list. His voice. Guh. I melt.