Our book problem

Eric, I swear I'll read the book. Honest

Ok, Jen and I have slight problem. We keep getting books and not reading them.

I buy some, really interesting stuff, like a history of the Red Army, Jedburghs in France, the Napoleonic Wars, but then something else comes along. I mean, I have a book on D-Day in the bathroom, a history of 18th century warfare in my bag, and a new history of RAF reconnaisance on my desk.

And that doesn't include the review copies I get. Like Lapdogs.

Why, oh, why do I have this problem?

Oh, and I am not alone. Jen has it, as I think most bloggers.

What's even worse is that I have discovered the Smithsonian History of Warfare, as you can see on my updated Amazon wish list, one Jen made me update over drinks at the secret blogger barbecue I am going to discuss later.

Why? Because unlike the historically challenged right, I like to have facts at hand, and that requires books. Lots of books.

Jen and I look at each other and say "we have too many books to read". But we keep getting books. Is it too much education? A desire for more knowledge? And she doesn't even get review copies. I like review copies, I like reading them, when I can, but I need to understand the Napoleonic Wars first. I just do.

I've been reading about reconnaisance versions of British WWII aircraft. I'm also building a Carpetbagger B-24. They were painted black and flew secret missions during WWII over Europe. I was teaching my niece and nephew to build and paint models, we built a 1997 Dodge Viper, and I got some kits on my own. Which means books and online research.

I've done this since I was six. My father and I used to build models when I was a kid. So I've been researching since childhood. Which is why I remember things like the Marianas Turkey Shoot.

But what has astonished me was the way the right abuses history. They are so desperate for some validation that they just make shit up, like Black confederate soldiers or comparing Iraq to WWII or Greece's wars.

And I haven't read fiction in years. I have a Ken Follett novel to finish, and I can't wait for the next Carl Hiaasen, but for the most part, I read history. Lots of history. I even have authors sending me their books. Keith Nolan was nice enough to send me three of his books on Vietnam, and I thank him for that.

I wish there was some kind of book addiction program, really. That I could ration my desire for books rationally. If I had the option, I'd be drowing in Osprey books, and Jen would be flush with medieval history and the Weinmar Republic books.

But just getting our book problem out in the open means we are on the road to getting help, or learning how to speed read.