My photo
Being a modeller for quite a few years now, I decided to explore the endless possibilities that the world (through internet) offers, and come up with a series of ways of building, modelling and painting fast (but not hastily), to create the worlds I was seeing in history books since I was little. . .If you care to join me. . . This is the place to be! And, I promise you to find the way (or ways)!!

Thursday 12 January 2012

Thanos Book Review #1: In the Garden Of Beasts

Good day everyone.
 
Now that we got into 2012 for good, and with every new year most of us are trying to follow the infamous ''year's resolutions'', I decided that I should start something new in my life as well, like communicating more with people I consider interesting, and share my thoughts, likes and dislikes with them. 

As you' ve probably understood already, I mean you guys, that helped me realize the power of communication, beyond human (scattered with land mines) borders! 

And what best way to start communicating more with you, by sharing my thoughts about a thing I adore: Books!! Last year I managed to read 39 books (it was one of my 2011 resolutions - one book per week - and yes I keep a record - O.C.D is on its way... ), of various types: fiction, non fiction, biographies etc...

Through this blog, I will share my thoughts for books related to our hobby in a way (mostly historical books, or fictional  that are ''into'' historical periods).
I think that they can help us get a broader picture of human history, with their diverse aspects and stories - so as to understand in a way...about our nature.

After this infinite prologue, I think I should start talking to you about the book I finished a few days ago, and I am sure that most of you have heard of it.

The book is written from Eric Larson and is called:



The story of this book, written by Eric Larson (a journalist, historian and author) who has visited Berlin, unfolds the journals of William Dodd, an American historian who served as the United States Ambassador to Germany from 1933 to 1937, during the Nazi era, and the story of his daughter Martha.

In these journal the Ambassador recorded the events day by day the critical first year, from July 1933 (when Hitler was appointed chancellor) until August 1934. Where all seemed very ''normal'' in a first glance, many dark things were happening ''behind the curtains''. That was one of the most impressive things during the first years of the Nazi era. 
For visitors it was easy to travel to Berlin, stay in a nice hotel, make sightseeing walks and go with the feeling that everything was going  by the clock. There was no evidence of violence and signs that Hitler was preparing for war, and Jews were isolated from society.

Through the memoirs of Martha, his daughter, which they did not give the feel of this growing darkness, Larson succeeds in showing the characters of the various senior Nazi officials met with the Dodds, in the parties and banquets which attended.

Appointed by F. D. Roosevelt himself, Dodd was expected to serve as a model of liberal American values​​, and Dodd fulfilled that role in the end. After his return / succession by H.R Wilson, he started the whole campaign in the U.S. against Hitler at a time when the American public did not want even to think of the prospect of engaging in war.  

With this book, Larson achieves mixed results (as the Seattle Times conclude): As a suspense narrative, "In the Garden of Beasts" achieves mixed results: It's hard to warm up to the well-meaning but outmanned Dodd and his feckless, flirtatious daughter. But as a work of popular history, "In the Garden of Beasts" is gripping, a nightmare narrative of a terrible time. It raises again the question never fully answered about the Nazi era — what evil humans are capable of, and what means are necessary to cage the beast.

In my opinion, it was a book that travelled me back in some gloomy times of human history... and I would recommend it without hesitation (regardless of your origin). After all, we can become better if we learn from our mistakes...

( * * * * / in 5 )

T.




















Tuesday 10 January 2012

Pizza, figures and a modelling knife....[Italeri US Paratroopers (101st Screaming Eagles)]

Good day everyone!

As I told you in my previous post, some days ago I bought a kit of US Paratroopers from Italeri (ex Esci). I am very pleased with the quality of these figures, and for this reason these past few days I've been painting figs from this kit only (at least when sth else catches my eye... - you know how it goes...) :-)

For this post, I did a little bit of everything. I ate pizza (and kept the plastic round thing for the box protection), I made a small conversion (a fig's torso (carrying a bazooka) from Italeri's (ex Esci) American Infantry (#6046), placed on a paratroopers' rifleman lower end and, of course I painted some supporting weapons for my new force (a bazooka and a .30 calibre mg).



Now, I have to paint some mortars..... :-)

I hope you like 'em!

T.

Monday 9 January 2012

Italeri US Paratroopers (101st Screaming Eagles)

Good day and good week everyone!

Some days ago, I bought Italeri's (ex Esci) US Paratroopers (#6063), which is one of my favourite sets, mainly because it has so many firing poses....what's there not to love? :-) 

Last weekend I painted some of them, in order to decide what colour I should use for their uniforms. In the Normandy campaign US Airborne troops wore desert coloured uniforms (same colouring as in N. Africa and Italy).  After some experimentation with colours I decided to use Vallejo's MC 70.879 Green Brown, which is a bit brown, and I think it should do the job properly. The webbing is painted with Vallejo's MC 70.924 Russian Uniform.

I also tried to paint the details on their shoulder patches (right shoulder - American Flag, left shoulder - 101'st Screaming Egles). The result was not very...dissapointing.

More painted figs to follow in the following days! :)





I hope you like 'em!

T.


Wednesday 4 January 2012

WW2 American Infantry

Good day everyone!!!

As the celebrations for the new year have ceased (at least until when the new chance arises for drinking some extra pints of beer....) and we all got sober enough to grab our brushes, I wish to all of you a happy New Year!!!

These past few days, I've been painting figures mostly. I got some boxes of American Infantry, Paratroopers and Russian Infantry, most commonly known as cannon fodder....

Today I present to thee: American GI's.



I hope you like 'em!

T.