"Flintknapping: Making and Understanding Stone Tools," by John C. Whittaker, is a rich resource for those who want to make stone tools or just underst"Flintknapping: Making and Understanding Stone Tools," by John C. Whittaker, is a rich resource for those who want to make stone tools or just understand their place in pre-history. ...more
"Mr. Gatling's Terrible Marvel: The Gun That Changed Everything and the Misunderstood Genius Who Invented It" is a social history about the man and hi"Mr. Gatling's Terrible Marvel: The Gun That Changed Everything and the Misunderstood Genius Who Invented It" is a social history about the man and his times, the application of patent law, the rise of industrialization, the internecine machinations of weapons procurement by the American military establishment, and the role of military technology applied to the acquisition and defense of empire. Regrettably this book contains very little about the innovative gun itself, its evolutions, or its use in modernized form in the jet age. Not what I expected....more
Another fine SF novel by Neal Stephenson and the most fun I've had reading him since Cryptonomicon. Highly recommended!Another fine SF novel by Neal Stephenson and the most fun I've had reading him since Cryptonomicon. Highly recommended!...more
This book was at it's strongest dealing with sniping WWI through Vietnam. The last 110 pages of opinionated essays by splice and military snipers feltThis book was at it's strongest dealing with sniping WWI through Vietnam. The last 110 pages of opinionated essays by splice and military snipers felt like padding....more
Useful text supplemented by high quality - if too small - b&w photos. English and continental bias throughout, but that's alright, as I have plenty ofUseful text supplemented by high quality - if too small - b&w photos. English and continental bias throughout, but that's alright, as I have plenty of American-oriented references....more
Very accessible discussion of the rise of Soviet airpower from Hitler's surprise in 1941 to Hitler's demise in 1945. Interesting that Soviets chose taVery accessible discussion of the rise of Soviet airpower from Hitler's surprise in 1941 to Hitler's demise in 1945. Interesting that Soviets chose tactical air power as part of a combined arms approach over strategic bombing. good read....more
The details of Stoner's ArmaLite internal gas piston being distinctly different from direct gas impingement had never been clear to me before. The details of Stoner's ArmaLite internal gas piston being distinctly different from direct gas impingement had never been clear to me before. ...more
A gift from my undergrad college chum Tim, "Magnesium Overcast" by Dennis Jenkins celebrates our visit to the Pima Air Museum in November of 2014. TheA gift from my undergrad college chum Tim, "Magnesium Overcast" by Dennis Jenkins celebrates our visit to the Pima Air Museum in November of 2014. The B-36 was an awesome bird!...more
John Scalzi's "Old Man's War" and its sequel "The Ghost Brigades" are among the most fully realized and utterly entertaining science fiction novels I'John Scalzi's "Old Man's War" and its sequel "The Ghost Brigades" are among the most fully realized and utterly entertaining science fiction novels I've read in a very long time. I'm off to buy Scalzi's "The Last Colony" his next book in the series....more
This was a goodreads giveaway. Lebow's assessment of first order effects were pretty good but as with all such alternative histories the second order This was a goodreads giveaway. Lebow's assessment of first order effects were pretty good but as with all such alternative histories the second order impacts of small changes are anyone's guess. It would benefit from a different style of presentation that made more clear when the author was moving from historical to alternative futures. ...more