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#1
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Hull, Hell and Halifax/Blanchett
Is this book any good?
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"No man, no problem." Josef Stalin possibly said...:-) |
#2
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Re: Hull, Hell and Halifax/Blanchett
The key measure of this book is that it was published by Midland Counties Publications. Elsewhere you have raised questions about the quality of British aviation magazines (which are abysmal) and, in my view, the quality of British aviation book publishing died when MCP were bought out by Ian Allan.
I would say that, back in the day, any book published by MCP was worth having. I am not a serious student of Bomber Command activities but I bought the book because I thought it was a very serious and complete study of all aspects of 4 Group. Steve |
#3
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Re: Hull, Hell and Halifax/Blanchett
Jukka: Book was first published in 1992 and then republished in 1997/8. It is now a bit dated but I have never seen it and never used it for my history of 102 Sqn.
Steve: All are abysmal? British aviation book publishing died? Bit of a sweeping statement at which some publishers (Red Kite, Wing Leader, Front Line, Grub Street, Crecy, Classic et al) might take offence. Don't forget that MCP were bought up so continued under another name. I would disagree that it has died otherwise I am wasting my time putting pen to paper! |
#4
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Re: Hull, Hell and Halifax/Blanchett
Quote:
Deal?
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Wir greifen schon an! Splinter Live at The Cavern, November 2006: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxOCksQUKbI Danke schön, Dank schön ich bin ganz comfortable! |
#5
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Re: Hull, Hell and Halifax/Blanchett
John I am not sure I fully understand what you are saying but if you are saying that if I have never written a book and had it published I have no right to comment that seems a bit odd…I am the consumer after all? My points were brief and off the cuff but, Chris, they were directed at publishers not at writers. If you have good relationships with publishers I am pleased for you.
For the record I have had fairly substantial contacts/friendships with a number of published authors during the last 40+ years. I have been involved with/on behalf of research friends in discussions about trying to get a book published. In that time:
One my first contacts with an admired author was a discussion with John Rawlings at the time he was bitterly disappointed with MacDonald/Janes over the decisions they had made on the layout of “Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons”. JDR had wanted the layout to be the same as “Fighter Squadrons” but MacDonald segregated all the photos into separate sections and they had only included less than half of the photos he had. I don't think we will ever see books with that kind of ambition again. Why is Roger Lindsay publishing his Cold War Shield series himself…? |
#6
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Re: Hull, Hell and Halifax/Blanchett
SteveB If the only fault you can find with our (Red Kite/Wing Leader) books is that they're perfect bound then I've got some good news for you, they're not perfect bound, they're always thread sewn. Perfect binding is a cheaper alternative which we don't usually entertain unless absolutely necessary!
Mark P co-founder Red Kite/Wing Leader |
#7
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Re: Hull, Hell and Halifax/Blanchett
Steve,
You don't understand what I'm saying? You taking the piss? Intimate knowledge of British aviation book publishing is clear enough English, is it not? This is what you posted: "...in my view, the quality of British aviation book publishing died when MCP were bought out by Ian Allan..." Utter rubbish! And I did say you had no right to comment? Do NOT attribute words to me that I did not say! I wanted to know what your INSIDE KNOWLEDGE was of the British aviation book publishing world was, since you made such a broad, damning, statement. Your three bullet points are just generalisations that have no factual substance presented with them. Another generalisation: "...MCP represented a particular commitment to enthusiast publishing which is now largely long gone..." It is the easiest thing in the world to come up with glib generalisations... Let me give you one example of a book from 2000 which set a brilliant standard in its research and critique of its subject: 'The most dangerous enemy' by Stephen Bungay. This singular example blows away your point about 'British aviation book publishing' dying at a stroke. There are numerous other examples right up to present, but I'll leave what I have written here as enough for the present.
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Wir greifen schon an! Splinter Live at The Cavern, November 2006: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxOCksQUKbI Danke schön, Dank schön ich bin ganz comfortable! Last edited by John Vasco; 18th January 2018 at 00:12. |
#8
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Re: Hull, Hell and Halifax/Blanchett
Aside from the usual plea about overheated arguments, could I recommend all concerned to take a look at Neil Page’s interview with Jean-Yves Lorant: http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk It contains a number of interesting comments about the state of aviation publishing, and I hope we can agree that J-Y L is a serious author.
Last edited by Nick Beale; 18th January 2018 at 14:22. Reason: typo |
#9
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Re: Hull, Hell and Halifax/Blanchett
I am embarrassed to have generated such vitriol by not giving sufficient thought to what I was writing. I will not be adding anything else. I apologise to Mark and Wing Leader for misrepresenting their books...a number of which I am pleased to have purchased...
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