Anthony Beevor published by RAO

[horia]

I know is off topic but i whant to present you 2 new books from Rao esiture about Berlin and Stalingrad more about here:
http://www.librariilehumanitas.ro/sitesearch.php

and also an enciclopedia about WWI apear at the same editure.

[horia]

infact here:
http://www.librariilehumanitas.ro/product....talingrad/4358/

[Victor]

Thanks for drawing the attention to the subject, horia.

I have split the two posts to a new topic, because the publication of Beevor's Stalingrad is big news and it is easier to spot it here.

[Victor]

I had some bills to pay in the center and passed by the Humanitas Bookstore near Cretzulescu Church. I only bought Stalingrad, because I didn't have enough money on me, but by the looks of it Berlin is less popular with the customurs. There were only Stalingrad as opposed to ten Berlin. At a first glance, the book seems to be worth the money (50 RON). Excellent print quality on par with Westrn publishing houses and the translation of military terms looks correct, unlike in Manstein's memoirs or Halder's diary. Great job by RAO and I am looking forward to reading the book.

[D13-th_Mytzu]

Is it more like a novell or is it a historical book ?

[Victor]

It's a historical work obviously. I wouldn't have paid 50 RON on a novel.

[D13-th_Mytzu]

I ask because in its description it says it sounds more like a novell.

[Victor]

It is written in a less synthethic style than you might be accustomed to in Romanian military history books, if that is what you are interested in.

[D13-th_Mytzu]

Ahh, no it is ok - I was afraid it is more of a novell then a historical book Maybe I will buy it tomorrow.

[D13-th_Mytzu]

I got the book first I went to Humanits near Muzica store but they didn't have it anymore, then I went near Eminescu library (str. Edgar Quinet nr 10) and I found it there. I also bought some other interesting books: "Procesul Maresalului Ioan Antonescu" by Ioan Dan (20 RON); "Istoria Romanilor" by Nicolae Iorga (vol.V "Vitejii" 5 RON and vol.VI "Monarhii" 11 RON); "Familiile boieresti romane" by Octav-George Lecca (16 RON); "Documente privind deportarea tiganilor in transnistria" vol 1&2 by Viorel Achim (54 RON).

[Victor]

Well, well, someone had a lot of money to spend with him. I have the first edition Iorga's history of Romanians (from the 30s). I never had the patience to read them. They aren't too reader-friendly.

[sid guttridge]

Hi Guys,

Beevor's "Stalingrad" is a very big seller internationally and offers a simple overview of the battle written in an easy-to-read style.

However, the author is largely building on the work of more serious minded historians. He does not reproduce a particularly good technical history of the battle, which has been better documented by others. However, the book is much better as a sociological military history as it uses a lot of new anecdotes, especially from Soviet archives. It is not strong on the Romanian participation.

The most important impact of this book is that it has given military history a much higher profile in the publishing world because it got very high on the non-fiction best seller lists. As a result it is now easier to publish military history.

Despite what I see as some limitations, I would recommend the book as a good basic popular history of the Battle of Stalingrad.

Cheers,

Sid.

[Victor]

It is also one of the few books published outside Romania that offers a more balanced view on Romanian exploits during those fateful days in November 1942, besides the usual "running away" description.

[sid guttridge]

Hi Victor,

There is a sort of schizophrenia in German writing about Romanian performances.

If you read the memoirs of Rudel, the German Stuka pilot, it is clear that he utterly despises Romanians, even expressing the passing desire to bomb Romanian troops retreating at Stalingrad. He is also, if I remember correctly, less than complimentary about the pilots of the new Romanian 6th Dive Bomber Group that served under his command in 1944.

However, if you read the memoirs of Field Marshal Paulus, who was married to a Romanian, he is quite complimentary about the performance of the Romanian Army at Stalingrad under difficult circumstances.

Manstein is contradictory about the Romanians. On the whole he is quite appreciative of their efforts (as he should be given their vital contribution to many of his operations), but he is not averse to blaming them for events that might otherwise reflect badly on his own leadership.

Cheers,

Sid.

[D13-th_Mytzu]

heh.. during all those years of comunism we were forbidden to talk about how the romanian army fought side by side with the germans, also during all this time the germans were able to defend their interests while blaming the romanians for their failure, romanians were not able to defend themselves against such acusations because according to comunist history we started the war on 23rd august '44 And now there are too few people who actually care about it - life's a bi**ch