An Update - Feb 2021

I'm aware that this blog is very rarely updated, so I've decided to make an effort to improve that.  First up is an update on what was happening with Diplomatist Books in February.

Due to the pandemic, most of our* usual sources for secondhand books have dried-up, but we've still been able to source new and remaindered books.  

In February we added 115 new titles to our stock.  We have at least as many waiting to be added in March.  Unlike secondhand books, these tend to come in multiples, so that figure represents some 500-600 actual books.  They cover all subjects: however, a significant number of them come from a German publisher, Kerber Verlag, and has increased our selection of art books - with many more to come over the next few weeks.

As ever, all new titles have featured on our Facebook page when they were listed.

In addition, we had an order with our wholesaler of military books that allowed us to restock a number of titles that had sold out in the last few months.

And it'll soon be time to get a new batch of postcards.  At the moment the bookwhippet is the fore-runner.

* I'm not sure why I use the nosism, Diplomatist Books is actually 'me', but the editorial we always seems more appropriate.

We're Still At It!

Despite all the issues with COVID and the worries caused by BREXIT, I'd like to reasure you that we're still at work.  Hopefully those who have ordered from us in the last couple of months continue to have had a good service (though I am aware that there have been some slight delays).

And just to prove it, here's a delivery we received earlier this week.  I've already begun to list this new stock, but be prepared for almost 250 new titles over the next few weeks as well as a restock of some titles that have sold out.

I'm very conscious that this blog is pretty moribund: but our FaceBook page is active, updated several times a week - do check it out.

New Stock - All the Time

Over the last week I've added over two-dozen new titles to our Napoleonic section.  Most (but not all!) of these were from the ever-popular Napoleonic Library series by Frontline Books*. 

If you follow us on Facebook you might** get a notification of new stock when we add it - as stock is added most days, it's worth signing up if you want to know what's new.

Coming up this week: new books on World War II and I continue to plough through a collection on the History of Exploration.

*Back in March 2015 I wrote about a previous incarnation of the Napoleonic Library.

**Only about 15% of those follow us see each post!

Incoming! RPGs

Just a heads-up to say that I've acquired a batch of RPG publications that I'll be adding to the store in the next few days.  For the sake of somewhere else to put them, they'll be in our Modelling and Wargaming section.

There were also about a dozen unpainted 1980s vintage minis - Grenadier Model's Lord of the Rings and Nightmares ranges.  I've forgotten to photograph these.  These'll go up on eBay, so I'll probably do a separate post once that's done.

Feel free to send a message if you can't wait for the listings.

Books for Trafalgar Day (And Other Times Too!)

The time has come for me to send my annual message that the best way to celebrate Trafalgar Day is to pour out a pink gin and consider what books to buy and read as the nights lengthen.*

*With apologies to our Southern Hemisphere readers.

Sadly, due to an outbreak of lurgy among the Diplomatist family, the anniversary has crept up on us and I've not been able to prepare anything by way of a special offer or interesting post. 

The best thing I could come up with was to rummage through our 'to-do' piles and clear the back-log of naval items.  Accordingly, I've added 18 new titles covering naval history from the Armada to the Soviet Navy.  What to see them and other goodies?  Go and look at our Naval Section!

New Stock

As those that follow us on Facebook already know,* we were lucky enough to buy a nice collection  of military history books this week.  I'm starting to get them online today and hope to finish within the week, so keep an eye out, particularly in our Napoleonic, Naval and World War I sections...

I hope there's something there for you!

*They know most things first - why not join them!

Who Is The Mystery Man On the New Fiver?

 

This morning I received the first of the new £5.00 notes - and a jolly good design it is too!

Now, in case anyone asks you the question at the top of this post, I thought it worthwhile pointing out that we have a whole section devoted to books about and by Churchill.  As a bonus, the majority of them can be bought with change from said fiver!

Sadly the volumes of his collected wartime speeches which have proved so popular have almost all gone now (snap them up while they're still here!) - but we always have our eye out for new titles to add to the list.  The ones below were added earlier this week (as those of you who follow us on Facebook will already know).

        

 

If HG Wells Had Been a Child in the '70s...

New in (just in time for me to take to the Hereward Wargames Show) the newly published wargames ruleset Little Cold Wars.  It will shortly be added to our Wargaming Section, but I don't think I can do better than copying the following from the publisher's page:-

Little Cold Wars: Wargaming the Cold War Using Toy Soldiers by Tim Gow and Bertrand Plastique.  Edited by John Curry.  £12.95.

Possibly the sort of wargame H.G Wells might have developed if he had been a child in the 1970s.  But perhaps not. 

Written by Tim Gow and Bertrand Plastique, the book recreates battles from the era of the Cold War. 

Based on the original ideas of H.G. Wells, this book brings the original toy soldier rules up to date to recreate wars from the time of the Cold War onto the wargamer’s table top or preferably, his lawn. 

The rules grasp the essentials of Cold War combat; movement, close assault, direct fire, artillery and air support. They also include additional rules to cover the complexities of engineering, smoke and the wider air battle. They do so in a style reminiscent of Little Wars, just with tanks and aircraft. 

The book includes a full points system as well as sample army lists from Britain to Yugoslavia. 

For those seeking greater complexity, there are optional rules to cover special forces, large battles, night fighting and hidden movement. 

There are also five sample scenarios to help the new Cold War warrior get started. 

These rules are straightforward, but comprehensive toy soldier rules that allow the wargamer to experience the battles, actual and potential, from those days.  

Just a Snapshot....

Right click and open in new tab to enlarge

I'm trying a new wholesaler.  Here's my first order from them.  What do you think?

They'll be on the website in the next few days (unless you buy them first!)

New Stock

We just had a largish order of remaindered books delivered and in the last few days added the to the website.  These are books in 'as new' condition straight from our wholesaler at what we think are very attractive prices.

There are some old familiar titles that we've had in the past and which had sold out, but the great majority are new to us, and we hope will prove just as popular.  They cover the whole gamut of military history from Alexander the Great to the War on Terrorism - in all there are 40 new titles (including 14 on the Napoleonic Wars alone).  We hope that there will be something for everyone!

But remember, although we only have a restock of warehouse titles like these three or four times a year, second-hand books are coming in all the time and we add stock every week.  Remember to visit often to see what's available or to let us know what your specific wants are.

History of Wargaming Project

As announced last month, we have decided to stock publications of the History of Wargaming Project.  This is something of a leap for us - unlike our other titles, they are not remaindered or second-hand.  Initially we have chosen ten titles: these have now arrived and are listed in the Modelling, Wargaming and Counterfactual section of our inventory.  Those of you who reserved volumes should have received an e-mail from me.

The titles on offer include new editions and reprints of classic works of wargaming literature - Donald Featherstone and Paddy Griffiths - as well as studies on the origins of recreational wargaming.  For those interested in professional wargaming, there is Andrew Wilson's The Bomb and the Computer as well as the scarily topical Dark Guest: Training Games for Cyber Warfare.

Do let me know what you think of the mix of titles!

Auction News

Several people have asked how I got on at the auction I mentioned last week; and in honesty, it's only fair to update you having raised it.

Imagine a 1930s warehouse/workshop in ruralish Norfolk.  Three-quarters of the space is take up by trestle tables on which are piled hundreds of banana boxes (there's a dissertation to be written on the contribution made by Fyfes to the second-hand book trade).  There are about 40 cinema seats and room for the same number to stand.  It's well-lit, but not heated.  I had hoped the bad weather might have kept some  people away, but as Thermos flasks and car blankets appeared I realised that wasn't going to be the case.

Bidding was brisk and there seemed to be a number of telephone bidders (the bulk lots aren't on the internet).  There were very few unsold items and prices were more or less as I'd estimated at the viewing.  A slight surprise were three lots of motorcycling books which took off, but knowing how bike enthusiasts are, it wasn't a great surprise.

The lots I bought were almost exclusively twentieth century history.  Of note was a collection of works on and by Winston Churchill, intended to restock our recently depleted section on him, some interesting WWI titles from the 1920s and '30s, and a number of professional directories, school registers and knightages.

These will appear on the website in due course (though where I know of customers' interests, I have managed to pair some off - why not send me your Wants List?).

New Stock

A small addition of remaindered (ie, never read, from the warehouse) military books today, including restocks of previously sold-out items.  The are some lovely titles there.

They range in period from the Ancient World to the Korean War, stopping off as ever in the Napoleonic and Zulu Wars.

Now I've got to get to work on the backlog of Military Biography...