Well heck. That ain't right!

[Chris_B]

Perusing a book in my small library today. A gift, from a deceased uncle so I can't bear to part with it.

 

"The Illustrated Catalog of Rifles and Shotguns". A picture-type book with short descriptions and "facts". Good for reading while you sit on the deck with a beer on a bright warm early Fall day.

 

Or, is it? Wow. The publisher is quite clear that I cannot reproduce any part of the book without written permission. Pages 89-91 illustrate why. They are the pages in which the M1 rifle is mentioned. It's like the jackpot of bad info on the M1 rifle, and the M1 carbine to boot as a bonus.

 

Not only do they make a connection between the M1 rifle and the M1 carbine as being the same rifle, the carbine being the "carbine version of the Garand" , and not only do they claim that an M1A is a post-war Garand, and not only do they list the ammunition for the carbine as being 30-06...well you get the idea.

 

The book is from 2009. I'm tempted to write to the publisher and ask if the editor was perhaps on holiday. Anyway. A poor addition to my shelves, but it has intrinsic value to me.

[Sully]

Was this book written/published in England? When I worked at a book store we would get in these weapon books and all were from an English publishing group. So many errors all over the book.

 

It showed an image of a M1903A4 and described it as an M1 Garand.

Where it described the M1A1 Thompson the image was a Reising.

 

So on and So on throughout the book.

[The Meatcan]

As you say, at least the book retains sentimental value thanks to your uncle. Silver lining in every black cloud!

Really astonishing though at the "stuff" that makes it through the editing and proofing stages of publishing.

Thanks for sharing.

Terry

[Chris_B]

Sully, you are 100% on target. Pepperbox Press, and Colin Gower Enterprises LTD.

 

Meatcan, you are right on too. Glad you got a kick out of it, it's at least interesting to read and spot the errors. This same uncle was 82nd Airborne and a decorated Policeman. Miss him. He also gave me one of the best books I have, on Steve McQueen's cars and motorcycles.

[El Bibliotecario]

This book was obviously written for movie and TV producers to use as a reference source.

[TheMariner]

i saw a similar book at a local antique shop it is amazing how much bad info has actually been published over the years.

[coastie56]

I can tell after just have a book published on Fort Hood (Camp Hood) in WW2 that the publisher relies entirely on the author for accuracy. The publisher does not do fact checking on grammer checking and word counts.