Thanks–I appreciate the support. I think you guys are correct, and I think that it’s probably going to be okay.
Eric
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t recall anyone chastising them for “pumping it out!†:-)
Paul]]>I wouldn’t worry about the release of one book hurting sales of another. The avid Civil War student as well as libraries with significant Civil War collections will simply by both. General readers who must choose will probably go for the Stuart book because of the Gettysburg connection. Like Dave Kelly pointed out, the Monroe book is just too obscure for many casual readers. For others like me however, that obscurity is what generates the initial appeal! As for the “critics,†well, they are what they are. Any work should stand or fall on its own merits, and not on the prolificacy of its creator. Remember that the Beatles released 8 albums in their last 3 1/2 years. I don’t recall anyone chastising them for “pumping it out!†🙂
Paul
]]>Drew, I genuinely have no idea. Sorry, bro.
Eric
]]>what software do the book cartographers use (at least the ones that make the kind of maps we like)?
Drew
]]>I agree with Dave and Brian. I know the delay is tremendously frustrating, but the important thing is for you to be happy with the finished product. The Monroe Crossroads book will fill a yawning gap in definitive fashion and shouldn’t step on the Stuart book at all in my view. As for the close release dates, I don’t see any harm there–like Brian, I buy ’em one at a time, based on their merit, and I don’t assume that anyone is cranking them out in Grisham-like fashion.
Best of luck,
Russ
Excellent point. I hope you’re right. 🙂
I got three more maps from the cartographer this morning. Two were fine, and have been sent on to Ted Savas. The other had a typo. So, we’re making some progress, slowly but surely.
Eric
]]>“masterwork covering logistics”??? Nah. Lots of good bits and pieces. Wish he’d hammered home a few of his assertions with some cumulative argument I didn’t see.
Would have been nice to remind the avarage reader that an army of 80,000 with 30,000 horses needed 200,000 Ilbs of human food and 600,000 Ilbs of animal fodder EVERY DAY. His quotes of what was being foraged look puny compared to the requirement. (Of course that is one of his points; the struggle to eat every day was as persistent as the tactical mandate to fight. Both armies were cheating; operating on short rations and starving men and animals in the name of mission.)
I rantgress…. ;).
]]>Thanks. That helps. 🙂
As for Kent’s book, I saw and read your review on Amazon. The book obviously has flaws, as you have pointed out, but it’s a masterwork in covering the logistics. It left a lot to be desired regarding the tactics, and that’s where we hope our book fills gaps.
Eric
]]>As a book reader I tend to buy based on interest in subject matter first; and author second. A Jeb Stuart book sells itself. You can market that any olde time ;). The Monroe Crossroads book is just tough to attract an audience, as the action is unfamiliar to the vast majority of readers. This book will subsist and gain readership as a masterwork of military history, assuming that you and your publisher are being so fastidious in including all the things which make such a work a statement of craft.
I finally picked up Kent Browns book on Lee retreat from Gettysburg. Frankly I think it is not all that well written. However, it is otherwise structured, researched, and illustrated wonderfully. The craft compensates for its weaknesses. An offpoint analogy. Just a perspective on the critical consumer side of receptivity issues.
Don’t worry. Be Happy….
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