I'd like to announce the publication of my new book, "A Revolution in Arms: A History of the First Repeating Rifles." For those interested in such things it is, as far as I know, the most comprehensive account of the development and use of the Civil War era Henry and Spencer rifles to date. The book covers the industrial, technical,political, personal and tactical history of both guns.
For more details, see:
http://www.westholmepublishing.com/id32.html
And to think it all started making black gunpowder out of raw materials purchased at Chase's on Orange Street! :-)
Hey Joe,
Congratulations on the publication. I've become addicted to the History Channel and shows like "weapons of war"... is it true that they could have supplied troops with many more repeating rifles in the Civil War, but some general thought that it would encourage "wasted"ammunition? You'd be the guy who would know!
No it isn't really true. That myth is one of several I busted in the book. Been on the History Channel once, a talking head on the subject of the Irish in the Civil War -- if you're an insomniac you may still see it aired at 3 AM. :-) I was also on the Discovery Channel once - a show on the Lincoln assassination. That you might catch at 3 AM as well. :-)
A TV crew is coming over to the Sea Girt National Guard Museum to film us next week. Unfortunately the crew is from Cablevision, not a major network. Alas, fame eludes me still.
:-)
They are sometime things. I've done them at a couple of Barnes & Noble stores and some small bookstores in the past with other books. Sometimes, if they PR it right, especially with Civil War books, you get a nice small group -- 30 or so people. Often, though, you end up sitting there with one guy with book in hand. Also, I don't get my royalty until months later. If I go to give a talk at a Civil War Round Table, I can get books from the publisher and bring them myself to sell to an appreciative audience, and even get an honorarium to boot. So I like those :-)
So I'm ducking signings unless the publisher wants me to do one. :-)
If I were, say Steven King, well, i'd probably like signings. But, I'm not. :-)
