Monday, January 4, 2010

Fun problem

I have a fun problem, I have a gift card from Barnes and Noble and have no idea what to get. First I visited the store on the off chance they'd have something I couldn't live without, but I didn't see anything there. Then I browsed online and found a few items to consider but right now nothing has jumped to the fore front. In the past I've hardly ever had a problem picking out a new book. This current situation is largely due to my role as a book reviewer for Civil War News.

I might just save the gift card until something comes out that I need, but its hard for me to hold onto gift cards, I want to use them before I forget I have them.

Any advice on a good book that I should buy with my gift card?

7 comments:

Dylan Hyde said...

That's a great problem to have! I won't suggest too many Civil War books, as I'm sure your knowledge on the subject far surpasses mine. Ever read The Union Soldier in Battle, by Earl Hess? That's a personal favorite. Considering your fortunate position as book reviewer, maybe this would be a good opportunity to pick up something non-CW related? Or, perhaps you could browse books on the CW periphery, such as Ambrose Bierce's CW Short Stories. Maybe you could pick up a nicer copy of a book you enjoy. Finally, are you missing any standard? (You know: Catton, Foote, Freeman, etc.) Hope this helps. If you're like me, you'll end up sticking to the usual and finding SOMEthing to add to the CW shelf! **Also, check out the latest post on the TOCWOC blog with upcoming releases.

Dylan Hyde said...

. . . Of course, you can never go wrong with Four Brothers in Blue, by Robert Goldthwaite Carter.

Nick said...

I used to work in a used book store so my collection is pretty well fleshed out. I'll stick to the Civil War, just might have to wait a bit to use it. I think there are some good ones coming in the spring.

Dylan Hyde said...

Can't wait to read your Herdegen review! His last Iron Brigade book steered me towards informal battlefield studies of everything Iron up to G'burg. I'm very eager for this new one to reach the shelves!

Scott Stemler said...

Nick,
This is always a fun problem. I am currently reading Sickles at Gettysburg by James Hessler which has been a very interesting read. I would definitely recommend this title.

Scott

Chris Evans said...

If you have not read them Howard Bahr's trilogy of novels on the Civil War are just excellent. They are available in very affordable paperbacks and are very wonderful to read. I would read them in order of publication: 'The Black Flower', 'The Year of Jubilo', and 'The Judas Field'. They are some of the most accurate and harrowing fiction on the war I have read this side of 'The Killer Angels.'
Chris

Kevin McCann said...

I had the same dilemma after Christmas. One I bought is a biography of TN Governor Isham G. Harris. Of course, I could plug my own book "Hurst's Wurst" too! A gift card is a nice problem to have.