Bridgehead Kurland by Franz Kurowski

Al Carter · Post by **Al Carter** » Fri Apr 25, 2003 8:58 am

Has anyone read this book? Any recommendations?

Al Carter

Wiking5th · Post by **Wiking5th** » Fri Apr 25, 2003 7:39 pm

I have it and must say I was very disappointed with it. To me it has no flow to it. Short, choppy sentences, in short paragrahs. It was like you were getting a very brief overview. No real feel to the book for the drama of the situtation. On the flip side I could not get a very clear picture of the battles and their relations to the overall situtation. Just seemed to be a disjointed collection of barebones related items. Decent selection of pictures.

Like I said, it just could be me. I had been waiting for a good book devoted to Kurland and thought this was going to be the one. I just did not feel it was worth the cost. Unfornatuley this is not the first time I have felt this way about a Kurowski book.

Regards,
Wiking5th

Commissar D, the Evil · Sat Apr 26, 2003 4:17 pm

I agree with Wiking5th. This is the worst Kurowski effort I've read. Poorly written and really gives the reader no idea of the overall Kurland struggle.
I was very, very disappointed in this book and can't recommend that anyone purchase it.

Cheers,
~D

Al Carter · Post by **Al Carter** » Mon Apr 28, 2003 8:54 am

I will take your advice fellas. You saved me a few bucks. Thanks for the information Wiking and David.

Al Carter

Jason Pipes · Post by **Jason Pipes** » Mon Apr 28, 2003 3:59 pm

Haven't read it through, but might the problems with the book be more from a translation problem versus an author problem? I've been reading that JJF has been putting out some shoddy quality translations and the like as of late...

Wiking5th · Post by **Wiking5th** » Mon Apr 28, 2003 6:56 pm

"Haven't read it through, but might the problems with the book be more from a translation problem versus an author problem? I've been reading that JJF has been putting out some shoddy quality translations and the like as of late..."

Jason, this could very well be the case. I must say the last couple of books from JJF that I have got have been something of a disappointment, especially in relation to the cost. Unfornatuely, English is my only language so I may defintely be missing something in the translation.
Wiking5th

Erich · Post by **Erich** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 10:05 am

As my friend David Clarke posted......blllllllllltttttttttt !

some interesting escapades by otherwise unknown small Kriegsmarine units, seems nothing is really mentioned of Prinz Eugens involvment with off shore bombardments.
Also nothing on the German night fighter force as the Ju 88G-6 units provided succesful sorties at night against Soviet MT and armor intrusions and soviet bomber harrassments.........
the book is broken up into rather odd segments and I found it tedious reading

bummer !

~E

Commissar D, the Evil · Tue Apr 29, 2003 8:36 pm

Yes, my good friend Erich put it better than I did. The problem with the book isn't the translation. The book appears to be several different stories spliced together by a very, very weak narrative and having in common only the fact that they all occurred in Kurland over the course of the very brave German defense. The book doesn't have detailed OOBs for either side and the photo section is terrible. Especially annoying was one instance where the narative discusses the award of a high decoration to a German officer and promises-- "As we shall see..."--to tell the reader the circumstances of the award later. But the book NEVER DOES!! It was that kind of book and replaces Hinze's "East Front Drama 1944" as the worst German Military book on my shelves.

Best Regards,
David

Erich · Post by **Erich** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 9:35 pm

yes my friend it is all so true ! If indeed JJF is not translating properly then what will happen to the future volume by Georg Maier ? Drama between Budapest and Vienna, a book I have been looking forward to since 1985 since the Munin title went OOP almost immediately.....man I would hate to toss in 85.00 to 100.00 US for text that reads like garbage !

~E

Uncle Joe · Post by **Uncle Joe** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 9:57 pm

First, none of you have PROVED that the translation is the reason for the poor readability of the Bridgehead Kurland.
Second, there seems to be a growing number of brown tonguing here. Brown tonguing in order to please a certain author who feels that JJF is responsible for every possible misery in the world. Grow up.

Jukka

Commissar D, the Evil · Wed Apr 30, 2003 7:31 am

Jukka, you're off-base here. My problem with the book, as I stated in my last post, had nothing to do with the translation. It's simply a poorly written book that lacks narrative flow.

Also, I am a regular customer of JJF and, although I've been disappointed by one or two titles, I think they are excellent publishers who have brought some real gems to the English speaking world.

I've never participated in any of the discussions about JJF's alleged lack of quality.

Regards,
~D

Wiking5th · Post by **Wiking5th** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 5:26 pm

Jukka, I'll have to jump in here with David. I never said anything bad about JJF. I too have bought many books from them and have had very good dealings with them.

My problem was I did not find this book a very easy book to read for whatever reason be it writers style, translation or just me. Al asked if anyone had read the book and for opinions. That is what has been given. Personel opinions, not attacks on publisher or authors. I don't think it was one of Kurowski's better efforts. My opinion, nothing more.

As for brown tonguing someone that is an author in the forum - I don't have a clue as to what you mean. Maybe you have to have been a member longer than me to catch the inside on that one.

Grow up? I am a 49 year old man that is exchanging views with other that have a similar interest in military history to mine. Seems pretty grown up to me.
Wiking5th

Uncle Joe · Post by **Uncle Joe** » Thu May 01, 2003 12:52 am

David, Wiking, my apologies for attacking you collectively instead of singling out the real culprit!

Wiking, my reference to brown tonguing is evident in a recent discussion initiated by an author whose reviews are sometimes no longer reviews but personal diatribes. Check it to get the hint...

One more thing. I have not read the Kurowski book in question as I try to avoid his books like I avoid Ambrose. But basically you should have the original at hand to examine if it is a translation, editing or writing problem.

Jukka

Commissar D, the Evil · Thu May 01, 2003 9:25 am

No problem Jukka. I've found that with just about any publisher, a book is a hit or miss thing with a particular reader.

I was struck by the similarities between Wiking5th's review and mine. Like him, I do not read German. I will say though that recently one of the partners at JJF translated privately for me a section of a WWII Divisional History. The translation was lucid and, IMHO, very well done. So, I would have no reason to personally suspect a translation problem with Kuroski's works. I have read other JJF Kurowski products and they have been characterized by a strong and interesting narrative flow, something this book lacked.

I am aware of some of the criticism leveled at JJF. My two cent's worth is that anyone who was disappointed by "The Combat History of sJgd. Pz. Abt. 564", for instance, should remember the earlier publication by JJF of "The Combat History of sJgd. Pz, 563", which I regard as one of the finest Armor Books ever published about a unit of the Heer. As I said, an individual book is very much a hit or miss thing to any particular reader.

Best Regards, David

Uncle Joe · Post by **Uncle Joe** » Thu May 01, 2003 11:08 am

David, it may be worth repeating the folowing sad story. Once upon a time there was a wealthy enthusiast interested in the Eastern Front. So interested that he had many books privately translated to him since he didn´t speak German (neither do I

). He offered these translations to publisher at a very low cost (translation costs). Unfortunately these translation were crude and needed good editor. Sometimes this didn´t happen and it resulted in such books "Army Group Centre" (Haupt) etc.

There is also a sad sideline to this story. When this enthusiast died some time ago, he was survived by his wife. This wife got greedy and suddenly charged far higher price for those translations. However, it seems that many publishers found it cheaper to have the material retranslated: After all, "sehän kaikille kai ihan tuttua on mikä ahnetta odottaa".

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