. Given the fact that my entire adult life has been spent immersed in the world of firearms, both as a business and as a hobby, and that I have more books on firearms than most people have books, period, I was prepared to be disappointed.I am not.
Chivers did his homework; it's like James Burke
decided to do a tome on the history of the Avtomat Kalashnikov... (Interesting that Firefox's spellchecker knows "Kalashnikov"...)Now I want to do a book on the Smith & Wesson Hand Ejector entitled The Other Gun...
Srsly, if you're a gun nut, you owe it to yourself to read this book.
"Avtomat Kalishnikova" in genitive case, or you'll make Oleg sad.
ReplyDeleteShootin' Buddy
Tam,
ReplyDeleteYou should write that book. I would read it!
s
As a fan of "Hand Ejectors", if you write a book on the subject, I WILL buy a copy or three. I know at least one other person who probably would as well.
ReplyDeleteGet to work! ;)
Chris
You had me at "James Burke." Genius.
ReplyDeleteOh, great.
ReplyDeleteI've seen the book around, and heard a fair amount about it. Chivers is the guy who wrote "The School", which I also thought was a good sign.
But I wanted to wait until one of the gun bloggers I respected read and reviewed, or at least commented on it, before spending the money to pick up a copy.
Thanks, Tam. Another book for the ever growing stack, I guess.
I'll jump on board with this one. If you actually decide to sit down and bang out said book, I'll definitely buy a copy. A battered old police M&P made in 1951 is one of the few handguns I own, and my wife's favorite firearm ever. We have "better" guns in the house, but that old workhorse feels "rightest".
ReplyDeleteTam; Funny you mentioned that title as it is next on my reading list after I finish the present one about the air war in the South Pacific during the years 1942 to 1944 I'm working through.
ReplyDeleteLike you I was prepared to find fault with it, but now you have me curious.
And Oh Yeah, the world can always use another book on S&W hand ejectors. I'll even loan you a few for photos if need be...
All The Best,
Frank W. James
There's a TSA joke in there.
ReplyDeleteFrank,
ReplyDeleteThere have been three or four times so far in the book (I'm currently on page 320) where I've thought "Pshaw! This guy doesn't know what he's talking about! Why didn't he mention..." And then he'd go and mention what I was thinking about in the next dozen pages.
Do I think I could've done it better? Sure.
Am I very pleasantly surprised thus far? Heck yeah.
:)
Have just placed on hold at library.
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing title to my attention.
"Funny you mentioned that title as it is next on my reading list after I finish the present one about the air war in the South Pacific during the years 1942 to 1944 I'm working through."
ReplyDeleteFrank, that wouldn't happen to be "Fire In The Sky", would it?
I, too am reading The Gun.
ReplyDeleteSo far I'm not pleased that the first 142 pages have had only one footnote reference to the AK-47 pattern rifles.
Almost 1/3 of the book has not been about The Gun at all.
I've been tempted to pick a copy up. Now I think I will give in.
ReplyDeleteRead The Gun, and enjoyed it. Surprisingly thorough, with a long section in the intro to the M16 and it's many teething problems. Not something I'd probably read twice, but well worth any gunnie's time.
ReplyDeleteSaw the question about Fire In The Sky; I own that one (found used somewhere). Another exhaustive telling of many neglected fights, and maybe a better example of someone carving off just enough and knowing when their subject matter can get too broad. A zillion stories left to tell in the SWPOA, but that's a good start. I'd love to see a PT boat book about the area, or another one about the Coastwatchers (I have the old Bantam paperback and have read the fictionalized versions found in WEB Griffin's tales).
Matt
St Paul
John W. and Matt: Yeah, it's FIRE IN THE SKY. I'll review it over at my place when I finish, but it is so thorough. A lot of information to absorb...
ReplyDeleteAll The Best,
Frank W. James
Thanks for the reference to James Burke. That alone is worth the read this week.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a lead on a good book...
ReplyDeleteDitto on the James Burke reference, if it's that good, I'd read it if it were about semprini.
ReplyDeleteJust finished the latest edition of MHQ, and it had an excerpt(?) from this book on the AK... I will have to find it on your recommendation, as I thought the article very thought-provoking!
ReplyDeleteAdd me to that list of people who'd buy "The Other Gun" S&W Hand Ejectors are still one of the greatest gun designs of all time
ReplyDelete