A Changing of the Guard

Review and Outlook

by Jim Purky


I am sure that by now many of the readers have heard that this will be my last issue as Editor of the Seven Years War Association Journal. While I still enjoy the Journal and the study of 18th Century military history, a lot of lifestyle changes have made it increasingly difficult to write articles, handle the administrative paperwork, and produce the Journal on a timely basis. I want to thank all the members for their patience and understanding over the last couple of years as publication of the Journal became more irregular.

When I commenced my tenure as editor back in June 1992, 1 had a lot more free time than I do now, and this enabled me to publish the Journal on a regular schedule on a quarterly basis. Over the ensuing seven years, I got married, pursued a more difficult career in the business world, and last but not least, became a father. Somewhere along the way, painting miniatures, wargarning and producing the Journal fell lower and lower on my priority list. It got to the point where I felt that I was not living up to my obligation to the members of the SYW Association to produce the Journal on time.

I think, too, that there is also a "burnout" factor involved. I just realized that I have been publishing the Journal for seven years, or about as much time as it took for Frederick the Great to defend Silesia from the Austrians. Like Frederick, I think that a little time away from the publication will re-energize me and enable me to continue my relationship with the SYW Association as a member, a convention judge and an occaisional contributor of articles.

I am currently working on an article about the Battle of Rossbach, based on my visit to that site in 1998, and I would like to provide a similar treatment for Kunersdorf, Zorndorf and Leuthen. I would also like to work with some German translation software and see what I can do in the way of translating some of the many German text publications that are available on the Seven Years War. And finally, I might find the time to host a few more "Leuthen Day" style of historical re-enactments in the Midwest.

So you can see that I expect to continue to write in this Journal, but in the role of a contributing member, rather than as editor.

More Review and Outlook

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© Copyright 1999 by James E. Purky

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