"The Night Stalkers";"Becoming Charlemange..." BookTV(CSpan2) Jan 13/14 weekend

BookTV website ^ | 1-13-07 | BookTV staff

[VOA]

This is a "headsup" for a couple of books being covered on BookTV
(C-Span2 weekends).

I'd say these two books fall in the general category of "fighting
the savages".

The Night Stalkers is written by Michael Durant,
the downed helicopter pilot held captive by Aideed during the
"Blackhawk Done" incident.

The "Becoming Charlemange..." book sounds like it might be
an interesting coverage on how Europe was stictched together.

[VOA]

Links to the summaries and airtimes of the segments are posted below.

[VOA]

The Night Stalkers
Michael Durant
http://www.booktv.org/General/index.asp?segID=7846&schedID=471


Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800
Jeff Sypeck
http://www.booktv.org/History/index.asp?segID=7827&schedID=471


BookTV (C-Span2; weekends) Schedule for the January 13-14, 2007 weekend
http://www.booktv.org/schedule/

[IronJack]

I've read Durant's book. With all due respect to the man and his sacrifice, a writer he's not. The story of his capture and subsequent release takes up only a small portion of the overall book, and even it isn't rendered very colorfully.

I think Durant is a quiet, introspective kind of guy, and this story calls for more ... elan.

It's an informative, but unfortunately dry, read.

[VOA]

While BookTV occassionally drifts into looney-left territory (which
is actually good for "opposition research"), IMHO, this week they've
loaded up on substantive books.

Here are links two threads I've posted for books to be reviewed this
weekend in two categories:

Generals In Bronze; Civil War Books on BookTV (weekend C-Span2; Jan 13/14)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1767021/posts


Ship of Ghosts: The Story of the USS Houston; WWII/Cold War books on
BookTV/C-Span2 Jan13/14
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1767034/posts

[Sparky1776]

I love Book TV and thanks for the updates, is there a Book TV ping list I can join?

[umgud]

Just a little off-topic, I had to laugh when one of my daughters came home from school and told me she was learning about Charlie Mangie.

[Valin]

Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800
Jeff Sypeck

Anyone who is interested in this time period I'd recommend
Early Middle Ages
(24 lectures, 30 minutes/lecture)
Course No. 8267
Taught by Philip Daileader
The College of William and Mary
Ph.D., Harvard University
http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursedesclong2.aspx?cid=8267&id=8267&d=Early+Middle+Ages&pc=History%20-%20Ancient%20and%20Medieval


(snip)
To be sure, the Early Middle Ages were not without figures who still pique our interest today, such as King Arthur and Charlemagne.

As Professor Daileader considers the extent to which the historical realities of Arthur and Charlemagne match up to the legends that have become attached to their names, he repeatedly fascinates with revealing personal insights, such as Charlemagne’s love for simply bobbing around in hot baths, or the window offered into his personality by a contemporary biography penned by a friend and confidante named Einhard.

(note: it's on sale on)

Well worth the time spent
(one man's opinion..freely given..and worth almost that much)

[Valin]

As far as I know there isn't one.
BUT you could start one.
/subtle hint




Ok so maybe not so subtle :-)

[fso301]

I've read Durant's book. With all due respect to the man and his sacrifice, a writer he's not. The story of his capture and subsequent release takes up only a small portion of the overall book, and even it isn't rendered very colorfully.

I'm not sure how the account of one mans brief experience however exciting/harrowing it may have been could fill the pages of a book.

[VOA]

"It's an informative, but unfortunately dry, read."

I feared that might be a possibility.
In his appearance in the "Blackhawk Down" documentary on (IIRC)
The History Channel, he did seem very low-key. (Of course, reflecting
on some trying time would elicit the same sort of tone in a lot of people.)

While this is a good attribute for staying cool while in a tight spot,
(and in a great amount of pain) I thought he might not write an
engaging narrative.

[VOA]

"I love Book TV and thanks for the updates, is there a Book TV ping
list I can join?"

I don't know of one.
Given how BookTV can have some weekends that are dry as dirt
or they take off into lefty-looney land (which is counter-balanced by
the weekends with a few-to-a-lot of good books), I just check their
schedule late on every Thursday or Friday at:
http://www.booktv.org/schedule/
(be forewarned, sometimes the schedule is not always full or operative).

If a BookTV ping list ain't out there, you can just check the keyword thread
to see if anyone has posted a "headsup" on interesting programs:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=booktv

[VOA]

I had to laugh when one of my daughters came home from school and
told me she was learning about Charlie Mangie.

LOL! Everyone has to start somewhere when it comes to education.

I know I'm dating myself, but my otherwise frugal (and beloved) parents
did indulge me when it came to buying "Classic Comics".
It was a good way to introduce a child to the themes/characters
of great novels and histories even when they are just getting the
hang of reading.

"Classic Comics" probably looks like something out of the Stone Age
to the youngsters of the "all I've ever known are DVDs" generation!

[VOA]

bump for publicity

[VOA]

A Sunday bump as the Becoming Charlemange... book will airing again TODAY Sunday, January 14 at 11:15 am (EASTERN).

[VOA]

I'm not sure how the account of one mans brief experience however
exciting/harrowing it may have been could fill the pages of a book.

I felt the same.
But I watched maybe the last half of Durant's presentation.
He acquitted himself pretty well with the presentation.
And it was interesting to hear his motivation for the book was
to give a "rest of the story" after he saw the movie "Blackhawk Down"
as well as cold-calling Ross Perot in order to get help finding a publisher.


The book may be dry, but he had a good presentation and did well
in the Q&A. (well, in my humble civilian's opinion)