Mike
An often ignored liberation force - does it deserve an Elite book?
June 11, 2009 12:00 AM
Over the last 40 years we have tried our utmost to cover as many forces, armies, soldiers and conflicts as we possibly can, but whilst I was reading a new Shire book I stumbled across a liberation force which we have never even thought about covering. I was stunned by this fact, especially when I discovered that this liberation movement had developed secretive arms in the United States, Italy, France and the UK. How could such a widespread organization have slipped under our radar?
And, what is more astonishing is that this is a modern group - not a liberation movement lost in the mists of time and history. In fact, as recently as 2008, a central figure in the liberation force was arrested by French Police having rescued and freed over 170 of his small comrades.
Quite often the spokesman for the 'underdog' subjects we cover, I decided enough was enough. It was time for me to advocate for a title on these brave men and women in one of our publishing meetings. So I stepped up and proposed a title. Elite: Gnome Liberation Movements 1999-2009. With the subtitle - A decade of resistance to Gnome enslavement.
As I proposed the title I was hit by a wall of bemused silence. And then by raucous derision. No-one seemed to take me seriously. Perhaps they were unaware of the fact that France and Italy both have websites dedicated to the liberation of gnomes (the Front de Liberation des Nains de Jardins and the MALAG respectively), or that the American Garden Gnome Liberation Front is currently calling for 'an end to oppressive gardening and freedom for garden gnomes everywhere'.
Unfortunately my proposal was rejected, and instead it was decided to commission a book on Pike and Shot Tactics in the Elite series instead (in a bookstore near you in 2010!). I was heartbroken - especially as I had even had a cover put together for the book, but I live to fight another day. The cover is shown below...sigh...it would have made a great book!
Of course, if you do want a bit more information on Garden Gnomes, and the Garden Gnome Liberation Movement you can always pick up Garden Gnomes: A History - published by our sister company Shire.
And speaking of 'underdog' subjects - check out our book vote this month. A number of the titles up for the vote (Like the Rhodesian Light Infantry and the Mujahadeen Fighter 1979-1989) have been requested time and again in the Suggest a Title section of our website. This is one of the best ways to let us know what you want to read - so don't forget to vote!
COMMENTS
You had me going for a while. I was worried that you were going to follow up the recent interest in animal subjects with a volume on animal rights activiest raiding parties.
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