4 comments about The Last Fighting General: The Biography of Robert Tryon Frederick.

1. For a man whose character and accomplishments were monumental his story should have been handled by a writer with experience for well written prose and narrative. I struggled reading this book with its stilted, cumbersome and sometimes difficult and unbelievable phrasing. I've rarely encountered words such as humongous or pertinacious among others used in historical narrative. Nobody talks like this.
   The author should have used, or at least someone from Schiffer should have suggested an editor to clean this up. I was suspect of the author's background where the inside jacket reads "...After attending university," What university? Any prior contributions to journals, magazines or other publications? A noble effort by Hicks but certainly not the paean Frederick deserves. Perhaps his story will be rewritten by an author with credentials and a knack for writing clear, succinct and cogent narrative.



2. A rich and rewarding look at the founder and commander of the First Special Service Force, and perhaps the most decorated senior ground commander of ww2.General Fredericks early life is well recorded and his combat history is covered well. This is a must have for FSSF and SF historians and recomended for the serious reader of ww2 military history.



3. An outstanding biography on a true American hero. This is one of the best biographies (possibly THE best) that I have ever read. Not only is the story of General Frederick extremely compelling, but Ms. Hicks does an excellent job in conveying both the professional and personal sides of this great man. I highly, highly recommend this book for any fan of military history, or for that matter, anyone interested in reading about a man who lived life with honor, and who was committed to helping their fellow man.



4. Excellent book.I have most of the books on the Devil's Brigade.
   This is truly a book worth 5 stars!

4 comments about Big Book of Pocket Knives: Identification & Values (Big Book of Pocket Knives).

1. This was an Xmas gift for my husband who collects knifes, he really likes it.



2. This book is almost useless to me. Its listings of various cutlery companies is wanting. The cutlery companies that are included in this book only list only very old or vintage knives and are not in any particular order. I cannot find but only a few knive values when searching for a specific knife. For me, it is a waste of money and paper.



3. I bought this book based on another customer review. About the only pictures are on the front cover. This book is NOTHING more than various knive ads and catalogs from long past. There is no related history or collector insights. Indeed there is very little original writing in this book at all. Major modern manufacturers are not covered (Buck for instance) and like I said, there is very little additional information other than the catalog reprints. Knife values are kind of strange. My recent sales are as much as 4 times what is listed. Most are 2-3 times what is listed. I have noticed that other knife books are a little low also. There is no real help with identification in this book either. The only thing I liked about this book was the cover.



4. Ron Stewart and Roy Ritchie's Big Book Of Pocket Knives provides an excellent reference for any who would collect pocket knives, with close-up black and white photos of the knives accompanied by written descriptions and values. A "must' for avid collectors.

5 comments about The Luger Handbook.

1. Very complete listing of all Luger variations with enough detail to distinguish between similar models. With no background I was able to use the Handbook to identify my two Lugers by year and producer.



2. I bouhgt this book because I am very new to Lugers. I should have read the reviews first. How can a book be rated at such extremes? Either great or terrible. Who do you believe?



3. 
   Excellent. Just Excellent. A must in every guns related bookshelf.



4. Este libro tiene una buena cantidad de informacion, pero le falta apoyo fotografico o dibujos.



5. Very inaccurate in descriptions of various models, proofmarks, manufacturers, etc. The author does not even properly describe the basic operation of this type of weapon, he calls it a blowback when it is a recoil operated weapon. Such a basic error gives you some idea of the rest of the book. In defense of the book it is after all a handbook but it should be accurate.

5 comments about Bayonets: An Illustrated History.

1. It's a wonderful work. More information you will ever see anywhere. Beautiful and detailed photos that help a lot in identification. I'm enjoying so much reading it.



2. Photography in this book is excellent and sometimes the visuals are better than the text in aiding identification. The author points out some nuances in transitions that I had not encountered before. I felt it was worth the price and very handy as a quick reference.



3. Like a few other military books Bayonets: An Illustrated History by great author Martin J. Brayley gives us an accurate descritpion and amazing, extensive photographic material to illustrate each and every example.
   For collectors and simpatizers alike this is a book worth having in any military collection.



4. Written by a military photographer of 24 years' experience, Bayonets: An Illustrated History offers an in-depth examination of the role of the bayonet in military conflicts worldwide from 1650 to present. More than 500 photographs enhance Bayonets: An Illustrated History. 300 different types of bayonets are closely scrutinized; almost every photograph features a capsule of notes specific to its topic. The text, while intended more for serious military historian than the lay reader, is highly accessible as it traces the design evolutions and purposes of bayonets as history passed. A welcome contribution to military and weapon history shelves.



5. Written by a military photographer of 24 years' experience, Bayonets: An Illustrated History offers an in-depth examination of the role of the bayonet in military conflicts worldwide from 1650 to present. More than 500 photographs enhance Bayonets: An Illustrated History. 300 different types of bayonets are closely scrutinized; almost every photograph features a capsule of notes specific to its topic. The text, while intended more for serious military historian than the lay reader, is highly accessible as it traces the design evolutions and purposes of bayonets as history passed. A welcome contribution to military and weapon history shelves.

No comments about The Great Collections (Modern Custom Knives).

1 comments about Automatic Pistols Assembly/Disassembly.

1. happy with my purchase. even had the Coonan Model B . I was really impressed with all of the guns, and full breakdowns explained. Thank you

5 comments about Guns of the New West.

1. Great book for the CAS crowd. Only problem I can find with it is that it is a bit outdated. Lots of new stuff out there now. I know the new stuff gets reviewed in monthly magazines etc. It is nice to have it all in one place though. Other than that the book is excellent. Authors usual good work.



2. If you are involved in collecting replica firearms then this book is a must.Detailed analysis of each Old West gun and rifle. I enjoyed the report on the Colt.45 SAA and Winchester type lever action. Entire book is in black and white except for four pages in color. Wish they had published more color photos. A must have for replica collectors.



3. Looking for a new gun for SASS or just to have fun in the style of the old west? This is the book you need before you run out and put down the bucks. Doesn't cover all the guns of choice but does present a good selection (It should include the new Henry Repeating Arms Big Boy but doesn't).
   This will also make a good addition to your old west library.



4. The book arrive promptly and in excellent condition. It will be very helpful when I start looking for a SA pistol.



5. For those contemplating entering the popular ever growing COWBOY ACTION SHOOTING sport, Chicoine's new book is the best I've seen too date. This reknowned gunsmith/writer gives you a wealth of facts on the popular firearms of that period and moves right into the modern offerings and clones of those original firearms with outstanding details and thoughts on each.
   
   He covers the most popular handguns, percussion & cartridge,Colts,S&W's,Remington, Starr and others,the popular and most used rifles in the same thorough style, and shotgun too. I doubt you'll have many questions left to answer if you read this one, about making personal choices.
   
   The book reeks with QUALITY,the book is filled with absolutely wonderful photographs of original firearms, clones,new offerings,leather goods for them,a color photo section that is breathtaking.
   
   He then combines all this with a bit of history on the CAS sport, ammunition available for these, tests with the new guns & ammo,lovely photos of CAS shooters right up to the latest items just coming onto the market like the Colt Lightning slide action rifle.
   
   If this great book doesn't "fire you up" to get into this wonderful sport or for your own at "home" shooting ,nothing will.
   
   Daves books always seem to "come out" of the box being "classics" before they get around, This one is no different. The best I've seen on this topic to date.

4 comments about Blade's Guide To Knives & Their Values.

1. As a neophyte to knife collecting I thought a book with the sub-title "The Complete Handbook of Knife Collecting" would be a great start. NOT. There are bits and pieces in the book that are interesting. It lists the different materials used for knife handles, but fails to give even a basic idea of how to identify them. In the listing of American Knife Makers, the list isn't alphabetical. For a resource book this is insane. While this book appears to have logical sections, nothing in the sections appears in a logical order, and they seem to be merely touching the surface of each topic. There is a suggestion to be sure not to confuse two companies with similar names, and not even a hint how to do that. It appears to be more of a compilation of unrelated articles than a guide. There is more history about companies than information about the knives they made. This is a book for the "immediately useless reference book" shelf.



2. I'm a history buff and enjoy the history behind different patterns. There is a fair amount in the book. Unfortunately, my expectations were set based on the local library having Levine's 4th edition. As an example, compare the jack knife sections and the descriptions on patterns. I assumed this book would be an update on values, but leave content intact. Instead, big chunks are missing. Blade is a fine magazine, but this book is a big disappointment.



3. This book covers everything from old factory made folders to custom knives and their makers. It is a very useful book for finding old knives in one place.



4. This is the latest effort from the same folks who destroyed "Levines Guide to Knives and Their Values" by publishing the emasculated 5th edition. This effort is a step up, albeit a small one and from a position pretty low on the ladder. The format of the book has been improved, with clear page numbers and reformatted data tables, but most of the photos are the same and the text is still the same as that in Levines 4th edition.The listing of knife markings and manufacturers is pretty good with lots of additions, but still missing the quality ratings of the manufacturers. Pricing examples for individual examples of knives have been updated. Some sections are unchanged from data displayed in Levine's 4th edition. The process for valuing a a pocket knife has been improved? to one taking 4 pages to explain and it is hidden in the middle of the volume and not listed in the Table of Contents. MY guess is that somebody wasn't too proud of the effort or process. In Levine's 4th edition the process is explained using 1/2 a page inside the back cover. I bought it because I thought it was a real update to Levine's 4th edition, but I'm disappointed to find in most areas it is not and definitely not worth the expense if your copy of Levine's 4th edition is still in one piece. Just one man's opinion.

No comments about The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rifles and Machine Guns: An illustrated historical reference to over 500 military, law enforcement and antique firearms ... a comprehensi (Illustrated Encyclopedia of).

5 comments about The Gun Digest Book Of .22 Rimfire: Rifles, Pistols, Ammunition.

1. This book has almost the same title as one written by John Lachuk and published in 1978. Since I consider John Lachuk's book to be the best written on this subject, it makes for a good reference and source to compare to. In my opinion James House has done a very good job writing this book. It is sort of an updated version of the 1978 book. Very informative with lots of information on past and current 22's with test firing results. There isn't an area that James House doesn't touch on. Even though he has written other articles and books on weapons, I did not know of Mr. House before this book. Don't let that fool you. This book is well researched, well thought out, well laid out and well written. It might not overtake John Lachuk's book as the best on the subject, but I'd hate to have to live on the difference. Highly recomended.



2. An excellent all round review of what modern rimfire sport shooting is all about if you are interested in getting aquinted with that, and I would have given it 4 stars if it gave a more comprehensive review of past rifles and handguns manufactured since the cartridge evolved. But it succeeds 100% as an introduction for laymen starting out.



3. For background, I am a rifleman of sorts as well as a ballistician.I also have a Ph. D. James E. House has a Ph. D in Chemistry and his extensive technical background is evident all through this work. This book is encyclopedic in scope and I have found no significant errors in it. I would observe that he does not discuss nor explicate ballistics tables from which ballistic coefficients are derived. I would have preferred that at least some of his more accurate rifles were tested using ten round groups at 50 yards but his use of five round groups is reasonable (multiply five round group size by 1.414 to estimate ten round group size.) I also wish he had devoted (more) attention to rimfire bench rest competition. This may be a bit more detail than the beginner will wish but for anyone with a serious interest in rimfire cartridges and shooting, this book is a must-have. Doc D.



4. I am an avid .22 rimfire fan. I've bought books on the .22 rimfire years ago and have been waiting for something more current. Good book covering some of the .22's out there and ammo testing along with info on the new .17HMR and .17M2 calibers. The author repeated himself over and over across several chapters the same information. A lot of the photos were reprinted across several chapters. This book could have been about half the size if the author had not repeated information throughout the book. Most of the guns covered in the book were from the author's own collection and did not really cover the various manufacturers offerings. Several good chapters on sighting in and ammo ballistics but overall I was disappointed in this book. If you are looking for a "little new" information on the .22 rimfire there is some here. If you are looking for more in depth information you will have to wait until someone else comes along and writes a better book.



5. I found this book to be lacking in details for the advanced shooter who is looking for information on individual rifles and pistols .the author did not go into much detail ,this book would be ok for a beginner who knows nothing about firearms.It was not what I was looking for.