The Day of Battle

[Jim von Krieg]

It was pure wild happenstance that I came across the new book. I was shopping at Barnes and Nobel as my back from Iraq present to myself. Of course, I was armed by my oldest daughter's present, a gift card she sent for my birthday.

I went straight to the History section of Barnes and Nobel and revelled in the selection they had. I picked several Stackpole books on WW2: The German Defeat in the East 1944-45, Retreat to the Reich, and The Battle of Sicily. I also picked a couple of Osprey books: The Siegfried Line 1944-45 and US Armored Divisions in the North Africa and Italian Campaigns, 1944-45.

I had already made my purchases, stopped for a mocha at the Starbucks, and was waiting on my youngest daughter to buy a book for her grandmother in law's upcoming birthday.

As I was bouncing around, I saw the pile of the latest history books on the table. Like a moth to the flame, I was pulled over and immediately picked up the book.

I was waiting for my daughter to finish shopping and we'd go over to use my discount card together. Of course, she saw the new book in my hand and queried me on it. Since she had already bought Matrix CS for my birthday, she seized it as an opportunity to shop for Christmas.

I'm stopped until Christmas from reading it, but I've already started the US Army in WWII green book on Sicily and the Surrender of Italy with accompanying maps. Next the Stackpole book on Sicily and then The Day of Battle. I may even have time to read Volume I of the series before Christmas.

I have a lot of reading to enjoy. I've not read for myself over the past two years due to preparation for and deployment to Iraq, but I'll have plenty of time to get some history in between now and January.