Just to bring your attention to this high-quality book review of Michael Alpert's classical must-read work at the IIWW Military Operations Research Group blog (one that I strongly endorsed and you should follow in any case).
This book has an interesting story in itself:
The first edition was published in Spanish in the late 60's but not in Spain; this was the type of topic obvioulsy disliked by the Franco's regime censorship office!! The edition was undertaken by Ruedo Ibérico, a France-based editorial group run by a group of Spanish Republicans exiled in the country after 1939.
Incidentally, my father (who was not exactly a great Franco fan) used to "smuggle" books from this editorial any time he had the opportunity to travel abroad ... and I'm now a proud owner of a first edition copy :-)
A second and greatly updated edition, after the declasification of some of the Civil War archives, was released a few years ago... and yes this time it was publised in Spain.
Nonetheless, I must say that the English edition is surprisingly pricey (GBP 65!!), specially compared to the Spanish edition (€25) and I don't understand why the price differential; although the book is highly recommendable, think twice before commiting to such an investment.
Thanks for that! I agree that the £65 price tag is ridiculous though and it will stop a lot of people from accessing it.
ReplyDeleteJorge M. Reverte's forthcoming military history of the GCE is set at £55 and only 272 pages.
Absurdo...
W-O-W 55 bucks??? Outrageous price for that book
DeleteThis could be a highly interesting book but for the price. Have to look around on ebay and the like.
ReplyDeleteFascinating history, Benito. It's crazy that a book like this is priced at £65. Very sad, as it puts it out of the range of so many of us who would be interested at a lower price. I have absolutely no idea why academic publishers like Cambridge University Press haven't got the idea of PDF only sales. Oh well, I'll enjoy the book through your fine research!
ReplyDeleteOhh man, event with that price I may have to take the plunge. (I love the fact that your dad smuggled in books that the government didn't approve of - a man after my own heart).
ReplyDeleteWell, do not think as a hero or active anti-Franco fighter!!
DeleteJust not aligned with the regime
Another anecdote: My father had a good friend, much older than him and true old falangist ("camisa vieja") who fought in the Civil War; and I still remember (being in my early teens) this guy who was truly affectionate with my father, lecturing him in every visit home about the risk of owning such a library filled with (literally) "red-scum" and "marxist" literature. He begged him every time to get rid of those books (luckily he didn't do it) .
BTW and referring to the first part of your comment, I don not think the value for money relation is any attractive at all at GBP65. Won't recommend buying it at that premium
ReplyDeleteI found a good used copy for $51.00 CDN!
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