What are we reading?

Started by Martok, March 05, 2012, 01:13:59 PM

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Anguille

Quote from: Gusington on August 14, 2020, 07:49:25 AM
^I've got that on my to-read sci fi shelf. How is it?
Well...much much better than what we got in the recent movies imho. Not as good as what i would have written though ;)

Gusington



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We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Anguille


Gusington

I've got the first Thrawn waiting to be read on that same shelf along with 'Darth Plagueis.'


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd


Gusington

Reading the Osprey New Vanguard series book Imperial Japanese Navy Aircraft Carriers 1921-1945 by Mark Stille and Tony Bryan. Great color plates in this one.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Gusington

About to start the Osprey Duel book Chinese Battleship vs. Japanese Cruiser - Yalu River 1894 by Benjamin Lai as well as Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1869-1945 by Hansgeorg Jentschura, Diter Jung, and Peter Mickel, for flava.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

ArizonaTank

#5152
Just finishing The Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy by Paul S. Dull.

https://www.amazon.com/Battle-History-Imperial-Japanese-1941-1945/dp/0870210971/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Paul+dull+imperial+japanese+navy&qid=1598293220&s=books&sr=1-2

This is a great, detailed battle history that has a very straightforward "just the facts" approach to telling the history of Pacific War through the experience of the Japanese Navy. You aren't going to learn what Admiral Mikawa had for dinner on the evening of the Battle off Savo Island, but you will get a blow by account of that naval "knifefight" off of Guadalcanal. The book covers orders of battle, the course tracks of the ships, torpedo volleys and gun duels. There is discussion of what the opposing forces knew, and their intent as the battles unfolded. But the text is succinct and to the point; readers looking for "entertaining" writing may think the prose is too terse.

The book is mostly written from the Japanese point of view. I was attracted to it because it was one of the first books in English that extensively used Japanese language sources. This included the 100+ volume Japanese official history that had just been completed only a handful of years before Dull's book was published in 1978. I went to university in Japan and had access to the official history, and was absolutely fascinated by it. I have often wondered why so few English language histories have used it. 

The book is great for covering even the small or often overlooked fights. For example, the four hour Battle of the Komandorski Islands (part of the Aleutians) in March, 1943. Basically a long range gun duel between cruisers with some hits on both sides, but in the end was pretty inconclusive.

A few things I learned from the book:

-There were quite a few collision accidents between Japanese ships during the war. Sometimes in the middle of a battle, and with fatal results. More than a few cases where ships were crippled by a collision, then sunk by Allied air forces while limping back to port.
-US submarines not only took a huge toll on Japanese shipping, but also on the Japanese navy itself. Sometimes these attacks changed the course of entire battles.
-Japanese gunnery did not seem to be any more effective than Allied gunnery. Japanese torpedo volleys were often devastating however, particularly in the early war.
-There were more than a few cases where in battle, one side fired a torpedo volley and missed by such a wide margin (firing at long range), that the other side never even knew it. 

For the armchair historian, this is a great read and reference. For someone interested in a more casual survey, this is probably not the best of books.

One criticism the copy I have is a hardcopy, but the quality of printing while adequate for the text, makes some of the numerous maps hard to read. 
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

Gusington

^Goes well with what I have been reading lately too. While I was reading Tower of Skulls earlier this month I learned that the IJN suffered 100s of casualties just from intense night time drills they were conducting, at high speed, with no radar. I can't even imagine what those were like.

Terrible name for an author, though :)


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

JasonPratt

Quote from: ArizonaTank on August 24, 2020, 02:39:11 PM
-There were more than a few cases where in battle, one side fired a torpedo volley and missed by such a wide margin (firing at long range), that the other side never even knew it.


....World of Warships has realism!! :o
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

solops

#5155
Quote from: ArizonaTank on August 24, 2020, 02:39:11 PM
Just finishing The Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy by Paul S. Dull
I read this years ago after buying it from the U S Naval Institute. I thought it was an exciting read. It still sits in my library and I refer to it from time to time. Recommended!
"I could have conquered Europe, all of it, but I had women in my life." - King Henry II of England
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly. - Winston Churchill
Wine is sure proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. - Benjamin Franklin

Gusington

Reading 'True Path of the Ninja' by Antony Cummins and Yoshie Minami.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

airboy

Tower of Skulls is on my wishlist.

A buddy of mine had joined a tour of Guadalcanal led by the Tower of Skulls author - but it was cancelled due to the plague.

I also got the "official word" that my 3 week WW1 battlefield tour for September was cancelled.

Gusington

^That sucks.

Tower of Skulls is a great book. First of a planned trilogy.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Sir Slash

Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings by Neil Price. This better not be about football!   :pullhair:
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.