I liked this book as well, great photography. However, the lack of the volunteer insignia was very odd considering they were such a large part of the Waffen SS. Also about halfway thru it sort of went off the rails with war stories which were pretty much unrelated to a book on insignia. The war stories probably would have been better as a seperate book with the volunteer insignia filling the spot. Still a very valuable contribution and definitely worth having in your library in conjunction with the Angola book.
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The dedication to a project, like this book, is exemplified by the end product. Excellent, would be an understatement. Considering that Mr. Beaver was no longer alive to assist in the plotting out the book puts the entire scope of the project on Mr. Bando. It ain't easy folks. If I did not already have a copy-I would buy another. gjd.Comment
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re: negative reviews and insulting remarks
I happen to own one of Mr Scapini's books (Soldbuch reference) and am just curious to know if anybody ever snipes at him about his work, or makes insulting comments about him, personally?Comment
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re: not in the book selling business
Years ago, I was asked to be the moderator of the SS discussion page on German Daggers.com., so anybody could be a moderator. Of course I know the moderators are not here 'to sell books', but I know if a book of the same relevance and caliber as mine came out and I was moderating a forum on that subject, I'd have surely made an Announcement, just to let everybody know that a large, quality tome had just been published on our favorite subject. A comparable work on SS insignia has not been published in our lifetime. I would also probably have said a few positive things about it. But you guys act as if it's taking money out of your pockets, to give credit where it is relevant and due. Sorry, but I don't understand that, and I'm not stingy with praise, when others make significant contributions. It just feels right, to give credit where it is due.
I make no apologies for self-promoting my book, because it could have received a lot more recognition here. Five years after publication, I've come to realize that if I don't bring some attention to my book, nobody else will.
At the end of the day, the book continues to sell, and there IS life outside the WAF discussion pages.
Is that self aggrandizement, or simply stating the facts?Comment
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No one has insulted you, they have merely made mild critiques of your work and the self-possessed hyperbole you have used to promote it which has stimulated these responses.Originally posted by M Bando View Post
I have a copy which I am happy enough to give shelf space to. I enjoy the superb colour plates featuring some rare insignia from elite collections but it includes insignia from the VT,TV and other branches whilst omitting much WSS insignia as previously mentioned and has some fairly random inclusions.
The definitive book would incorporate all the elements of the Ulric, Williamson and Angolia books and this does not. Perhaps the second edition will.
TomComment
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I have bought the book and I like it.
Books are like friends, if you eat them they die.
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I have written three books about the second world war in my local area. I am proud of these three books but although I spend years on these books there is not one book that I, in hindsight, would not like to slightly change, adjust or modify if I would have the chance..
As a writer you must accept that a book is connected to your personal and profession point of view and knowledge at the point in your life when you let these books go and publish them. After this point, reactions, new viewpoints, new information, new archives become available and you just have to deal with this... There is no definitive, 110% correct book about any of these WW2 related subjects possible!
Be proud of your book, take in all the comments and new information and.... make an even better book in the future!
Just my 2 cents!Last edited by rexmundi; 01-09-2018, 05:25 AM.Comment
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I'm looking to buy a copy of this book. Anyone know where I can find one, or is anyone selling theirs?Comment
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Amazon or directly from Mark Bando.Comment
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Mark,Originally posted by M Bando View Post
Antonio has taken a fair share of throttlings in this forum. He did cut an originally sewn sniper patch off of a tunic. That said, I own several of Antonio’s books and find them to be well laid out. You book, I found to be ok, but agree with the others on its weak points/short comings.
That all said, I have contributed to several books over the years and have had zero interest in wanting to write one. I simply do not have the time or desire and appreciate the amount of time and effort it takes. I’ve always purchased books that are written by members of this forum as it helps keep people doing it.
It’s disappointing to see you lashing out at the community. It can be frustrating and a difficult bunch to deal with but throwing a thread up like this doesn’t help. Instead of bringing attention in a possitive light Your simply bringing negative light on yourself. I try and live by the 10-80-10 rule and it’s severed me well. 10% will love what you do, 10% will hate you regardless of what you do and 80% don’t give a shxt either way what you do. Take the criticism and make a better product.
MattComment
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thin-skinned?
I don't consider myself particularly thin skinned when it comes to criticism, but when a online 'reviewer' calls your book 'a hot mess' and says it is disorganized, which is totally untrue, it goes beyond the pale of a mere 'review', to the category of a dishonest hatchet job, not predicated on reality.
Yes, my book on W-SS Insignia is still selling and still available, and all Amazon orders are filled by me personally, so if you order there, you'll get a signed copy, dedicated any way you request.Last edited by M Bando; 01-09-2018, 03:02 PM.Comment
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re: The definitive book
Such a book as TomH describes would not fit between 2 covers.
Look at Benders series in the 70s, which merely covered the Waffen SS divisions-how many volumes was it" Five? There will never be a single book which covers in good detail the entire topic of SS collecting in one volume.
Ullrich's latest book attempted to do that, but due to 'space limitations', he could not delve into insignia in as much detail as I did, nor could he use large illustrations-this is all due to a reality called space limitations. Having to go with small photos is a definite drawback, when presenting your materials in a book. This is not said to denounce Ullrich's book, but I'm sure he would've loved to have his photos displayed in larger format. Given the amount of material he covered in a single volume, this was just not possible. Those are realities of publishing.Last edited by M Bando; 01-09-2018, 03:05 PM.Comment
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re: foreign volunteer insignia
If there is a revised edition of my W-SS Insignia book, perhaps I'll add one chapter on Freiwillige units, but it would be far from inclusive, and as I've often said, that subject deserves a Separate Volume. Others could do a better job on that subject, than I. Also, the entire spectrum of Allgemeines insignia deserves attention.
I have suggested that some author could do a book incorporating both of those subjects in a single volume, but it's not a project which interests me.
Speaking of separate volumes, look at how many volumes Andrew Mollo put out on SS insignia. I'm not enough of a magician to accomplish all of it in a single volume, but then I never tried to. Huge, heavy books have numerous drawbacks, even when handling and looking at them, let alone the difficulty of shipping them in the mail and the terrible expense of sending any quantity of them overseas.Comment
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mark's book stands as a remarkable accomplishment - a work of scholarship, enduring friendship, and a testament to persistence, patience and sheer grit in the face of major obstacles, not the least being the death of his partner in this enterprise.
he could've thrown in the towel any number of times, but to his great credit and our reward stayed the course. is every single jot and tittle dead-on? maybe not; I don't know enough to judge. is the work taken as a whole highly rewarding and beneficial to us all? unquestionably!Comment
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