Have You Any Book Recommendations for the New Year?

 

On the second mug of coffee after breakfast (and a glass of eggnog each) with the Young Master this morning.  Still in robe and pajamas listening to German Christmas music online and mulling over my hobby past, present, and future.

As many of you will agree, reading, research, and the related inspiration are a large part of the wargaming life.  Somehow, the word 'hobby' seems too small and insignificant for such an absorbing, all-encompassing pursuit.  Right?  

While they are a key part of things for many of us, wargaming in its broadest sense includes so much more than just the toy soldiers and miniature scenery.  So, I suggest a not-so-subtle change in nomenclature.  Wargaming 'life' it is!

Yet again, I digress!  Returning to the point at hand, and because I have some Amazon birthday and Christmas money burning holes in my metaphoric pockets, at any rate, I seek suggestions for recent books specific to my own Frederickian, Napoleonic, and mid-19th century interests.  

Besides Henry Hyde's recent trove of advice on running campaigns (and what a joyously useful tome it is), are there any recent titles specific to the 18th century -- history, rules, etc. -- that you might recommend?  Any recent uniform guides. painting, scenery, or diorama handbooks?  Model railway titles are fair game too.  

Forgive the bad pun in there somewhere.  Please don't cane me, Sir!  I was led astray. 

At any rate, and before I dig myself in further, please leave your books suggestions in the comment boxes below.

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On the figure painting front, I am getting very close to calling the 60+ Wied Infantry done and ready for flags plus glossing and permanent basing.  You reach a point where you realize that you could go on and on and on with fixing minute brush errors, touch-ups, and so forth.  But sooner or later, it is time to get 'em done.  You know.  Before decrepitude takes an even firmer grip.  

While we want nicely painted figures, we are also after that mass effect of large units, so a dark brown mustache that strays slightly beneath a 30mm nose, or a tiny speck of another color in an out of the way place on one or two figures is not the end of the world.  I am not a competition painter after all.  So, let's begin the final stages say I and get 'em to the table!

All of that is just my usual long-winded way of saying, stay tuned for further photographic updates.  Now, should I next begin overpainting the flags?  Or prepare the permanent green bases to approximate those of the Wm. Britain's German and British toy soldiers given to me by my maternal grandparents for Christmas 1976?

And yes.  I still have them along with some metal gun and tank models by Solido.  Some Christmas gifts, you keep forever.

-- Stokes