Parachute Rifle Company by Todd Ross

[Sabrejet]

Should be something of interest here for most forum members?

 

http://www.schifferbooks.com/newschiffer/b...n=9780764335112

 

 

Sabrejet

[willysmb44]

I can’t understand how I missed this thread when I posted another similar question afterward. As for me, I’m not sure if I’d buy it or not. It looks like a guide to re-enacting airborne (as if the hobby needed ANY more people with that impression). If that’s the case, I can’t imagine a basic guide would tell me anything I didn’t already know, the same for anyone who’s been in the hobby and done a fair amount of research on their own. It almost seems like it’s best value would be for a re-enacting group to have on hand to show the public or to loan to newer members.

For me, this book is about 20 years too late. Anyone in the hobby that long ago can tell you how tough it was to get information like this and how few good books were out at that time. In the early 90s, I’d have paid almost any price for such a book. But now? Maybe not. Still, I am a sucker for reference books on US WW2 stuff. I doubt there’s nothing in it I could learn. I just want to see it first. RZM does have a few sample pages listed and it look interesting from what I can see: http://www.rzm.com/books/schiffer/sch5112.cfm

[jgawne]

I'm kind of amazed he went back to Schiffer. One would think that more and more companies would be taking advantage of cheaper color technologies to expand into this kind of book, but it does not seem to be the case.

[willysmb44]

Okay, it's been out a while now, but I'll be darned if I can find any reference to anyone actually reading it online yet... :think:

Haven't seen it in store but you can find plenty of them online for sale.

[ChrisNZ]

I purchased a copy, for the price its a waste of time, most of the info can be found on the net, there is quite a few errors which is a shame because anyone without the knowledge will take it as fact, there is also lots of filler pages to make the book thicker than it should be, most of the pictures show gear thats come from What Price Glory, i'm yet to read it in full but over all i'm disappointed, money could have been better spent elsewhere.

 

A bit more fact checking would have gone a long way, the attempt to make a guide for reenactors is admirable but this book will most likely do more harm than good.

 

The main reason for my purchase of this book was because i had hoped it would have decent info on pre jump kit but it had little other than one page that look like some kind of poster showing basic kit.

 

One of the statements it makes is that the M2 knife was issued to Airborne and Ranger units, i can't find any reference to them being issued to Ranger units, i'm not sure where they got info like this from.

 

Over all a very disappointing purchase.

[willysmb44]

Over all a very disappointing purchase.

Darn. I'm sorry to hear that.

[J_Andrews]

Long ago, I adopted my New Book Defensive Requirement (NBDR): do not pay any money for any book that I have not held in my hand and examined the interior pages of!

 

I have passed on shrink-wrapped books at shows and stores because no "vieiwng copy" was available.

 

Many times, when I have eventually examined such books they have proven NOT worth their price. Sadly, Schiffer books seem ALL to be poorly edited (if at all) and teeming with errors.

[willysmb44]

Long ago, I adopted my New Book Defensive Requirement (NBDR): do not pay any money for any book that I have not held in my hand and examined the interior pages of!

I have passed on shrink-wrapped books at shows and stores because no "vieiwng copy" was available.

Good policy, I pretty much do the same. The second “ETO collectors guide” was the only book I’ve bought sight-unseen in many years, but having seen the previous book, I had an idea what this one would be like and I wasn’t disappointed. But I’d never order a book with no idea at all.

At a show a few months ago, I ran across the inevitable book dealer with all the books in plastic. Of course, opening any of them up was out of the question. I walked off in disgust, found the same book at another vendor and liked it. I then went to the “shrink wrap” dealer, showed him that I’d bought from his competition and said, “I’d have paid you full price if you’d just let me look at it,” and walked away. I know the vendor counter this with lots of people looking at books with NO intention to ever buy (or buy elsewhere), but I wonder how many actually sell books people cannot look at until they’ve bought them.

[ChrisNZ]

I wish i could use that policy the problem is being in New Zealand there is no book dealers or shops that sell these types of books, we pretty much have to resort to amazon and hope that its a good one, that the burden with use seeming to be out side of the civilised world, this can be proven buy the banner in your sig willysmb44, i would love a deck of cards and the farb book, unfortunately NZ isn't in the US or UK :crybaby:

 

The hunt goes on for a decent book with pre jump info.

[dogfacedsoldier]

Back when I began reenacting such a book might of been helpful, but most of us were doing the G.I. impression of a dogface. Airborne was different. Reenacting was different. Phyllis Rose was the name in Airborne till others came along. We all used original equipment because it was plentiful, and cheap. People were into elite units then, especially the Germans and Brits, Canadians, and of course the US. Russian Front battles were fun and cold. The only reference book I had was Sylvia and O'donell. Having worked in VA, then everyone knew them out there. Yes I was a Federal then. I had a lot of fun reenacting (HRS and TSG), but eventually the fun went out of it, and went back to Union Blue. Now my health and a house fie put an end to most of it. Did I mention we had our fair share of WWII vets who reenacted, those days are gone. I don't think my heart would allow me to do much either way. Books on elite units are of no help to average reenactor, what is needed is a good general source of various American impressions, the Brit, Canadian, Italian, Russian and German impressions with good sources on equipment and a general price guide. There was of course thew Reenactors magazine back in the 80's, but it was bad, and tried to cover too much, still it was better than nothing. How many people remember that magazine. I had all of the issues. I loved the later mag with full color done in the 90's, the english translation of the French mag, but we couldn't keep it alive either. You live and learn, and hopefully someone will write a good book soon of real use to many. Instead of a book for a niche group. Somehow I don't think Pacific reenacting is going to take off anytime soon. Even in the old days we tried it, with varrying success.

 

Jon

[m14msgt]

Just finished this last night. It was okay. Topics sort of jump around.

[willysmb44]

I finally saw a copy at a book store today. Chris, you were dead on (not that I doubted you anyway) with your opinion. I would have loved such a book when I was trying to get into the hobby and finding very little info to go on. But the hobby with the references as they are today has long since eclipsed what this book accomplishes. I'm so glad I didn't buy this (and equally sorry you did, Chris, but I too have bought books and found they weren't good, I guess we all have at one point).

Back when I began reenacting such a book might of been helpful, but most of us were doing the G.I. impression of a dogface. Airborne was different. Reenacting was different.

I agree 100% with the above. It's funny how people don't know that AB wasn't a common impression in, say, the 80s and 90s. Certainly not like today.

[jgawne]

It's funny how people don't know that AB wasn't a common impression in, say, the 80s and 90s. Certainly not like today.

 

Huh? Maybe not like today, but I can recall times when massive percentages of Allies at events were AB. Of course maybe that was back when people actually wore the original uniforms in the field (yes folks, we did). Possibly as they dried up the impression dropped off until decent reproductions were available.

 

reenacting has always been elite heavy. I can remember a time when there was really only one generic infantry unit at Indiantown gap- the rest all SS, Para, GD mountain or something else "really cool."

 

I am sad to hear about this book as I am sad to hear about ANY book that is not as good as it should be. However all too often people judge a book by what THEY want in it, not by what is in it. So if it is a beginners book then you really can't jump on it if you wanted something advanced. I only say this as I see people jump all over abook because it did not contain the one bit of info they wanted, (and probably no one else). I'll end up buying ti someday as I like to see what other people have in their books- even if they are bad.

 

Schiffer is really more like a vanity press. They do put a lot of work into layouts (sometimes) but next to nothing in editorial work. But there is a move on inthe industry for publishers ot move away from illustrated books to more text based ones as they can be easily turned into E-books and those crank out far more profit that a print book. So the number of people publishing decent illustrated (color) books may be shrinking soon.

[ChrisNZ]

However all too often people judge a book by what THEY want in it, not by what is in it.

 

Yes that is true in away, i would have been happy if the book was a clear and correct guide, the main issue i have is with incorrect information and pictures being used, in this day and age it's not hard to do a bit of research, now its down in print others will use it for reference and the incorrect information will grow, the problem with this book is it's aimed at new reenactors, being a guide its very important that its info is correct, unfortunately it has errors that will end up creating more farb down the track.

[17thairborne]

It's funny how people don't know that AB wasn't a common impression in, say, the 80s and 90s. Certainly not like today.

 

Huh? Maybe not like today, but I can recall times when massive percentages of Allies at events were AB. Of course maybe that was back when people actually wore the original uniforms in the field (yes folks, we did). Possibly as they dried up the impression dropped off until decent reproductions were available.

 

reenacting has always been elite heavy. I can remember a time when there was really only one generic infantry unit at Indiantown gap- the rest all SS, Para, GD mountain or something else "really cool."

 

I am sad to hear about this book as I am sad to hear about ANY book that is not as good as it should be. However all too often people judge a book by what THEY want in it, not by what is in it. So if it is a beginners book then you really can't jump on it if you wanted something advanced. I only say this as I see people jump all over abook because it did not contain the one bit of info they wanted, (and probably no one else). I'll end up buying ti someday as I like to see what other people have in their books- even if they are bad.

 

Schiffer is really more like a vanity press. They do put a lot of work into layouts (sometimes) but next to nothing in editorial work. But there is a move on inthe industry for publishers ot move away from illustrated books to more text based ones as they can be easily turned into E-books and those crank out far more profit that a print book. So the number of people publishing decent illustrated (color) books may be shrinking soon.

 

Jon,

What do you see in the future for self-published books in both hard-copy and e-format? Particularly in the military history format with lots of color illustrations of actual equipment and original photos as well.

 

I agree with you from the perspective on the editorial side and especially with regards to a lack of documentation. I always like to see where someone got their information, not so much to check up on their validity, but to research and read further.

 

Oz