Essential Reads

Essential Reads

For as long as I can remember my mother’s most enduring words to me were “always take your book”! So regardless of the circumstances, from a 10 hour plane trip to a night out with the boys, I carry my book. And this is something that has stood me in good stead. On more than one occasion I’ve found myself sitting and waiting for an extended period of time – in a doctor’s office, in a dentists office, on a recording set, or in a customs line – and my book has kept me sane. . . and, perhaps, agreeable. . . somewhat.

There are, however, two precepts that have governed my love of books: first, I never lend out a book unless I’m perfectly prepared to never see it again; and, secondly, never write a review. I may express a brief opinion; I may offer a short anecdote – but I won’t write a review. Suffice it to say that if I have a book on a list that I call “Essential Reads” then I think its a book worth owning, worth reading, worth holding on to, and never lending to a friend.

So, here is my ever-expanding list of essential reads for anyone with an interest in the First World War that comes close to matching mine.