Thursday Afternoon Cigar

Rocky Patel Edge Sumatra.

There is only one thing better than lighting up a Rocky Patel and reading a good book after a morning of shooting on the rifle range. 

I recently started the 2012 book, Mannerheim: President, Soldier, Spy by Jonathan Clements. 

I bought this book after reading A Frozen Hell, the amazing story of how Finland beat the living s**t out of Stalin's invading forces in 1940.  Here are my book notes from the book.

Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was a stud of a man who participated in major historical events.  I'm still early in the book (1905/Russo-Japanese War time frame), but his story reminds me of George Washington:  Integrity.  Married into money.  No fear.  Big risk taker.  Driven.  A military man who was focused on a successful military career with the big power at the time.  His loyalties challenged. 

Here is a picture of Mannerheim at Tsar Nicholas II's coronation.  He's the Cheviot guard on the right.