What are we reading?

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

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Old TImer

Just started "Who Can Hold the Sea: The U.S. Navy in the Cold War 1945-1960" by the late
James D. Hornfischer.   A fascinating study of the political, diplomatic and naval situation
during the early Cold War.  Excellent book so far.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09BTPF1PN/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title

Sir Slash

About half-way through, "Fire and Fortitude: The US Army in the Pacific War, 1941-1943" by John C. Mc Manus. Learning a lot I never knew plus, great maps.   O0
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

nelmsm

Quote from: Sir Slash on July 26, 2022, 09:30:49 AM
About half-way through, "Fire and Fortitude: The US Army in the Pacific War, 1941-1943" by John C. Mc Manus. Learning a lot I never knew plus, great maps.   O0

Sounds interesting.  Added to my evergrowing wish list.

Sir Slash

There's a second book out now, I can't think of the name, that covers the remainder of the war in the Pacific. Next on my list.
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

greengiant

Finally getting around to read the Hyperion Cantos.

ArizonaTank

finished Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution by Eric Jay Dolan

Very good book on the often overlooked Rebel campaign to harass British shipping with privateers during the American Revolution. While the American Navy was relatively small, there were over 1600 Rebel privateers that sailed the East Coast waters, and later in the war, even hunted in European waters. A contemporary report by Lloyd's of London estimated that Rebel privateers were responsible for cutting off a painful amount of British shipping. The book is comprehensive, even covering the large number of loyalist privateers that hunted the Rebel ships. Plenty of first hand accounts and thoughtful analysis. I enjoyed it and learned a great deal.

https://www.amazon.com/Rebels-Sea-Privateering-American-Revolution/dp/1631498258/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1659412268&sr=1-1
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

ArizonaTank

#5661
starting to re-read Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany by Donald L. Miller

If you have an interest in the US 8th Air Force and bomber war, this is a must read book IMHO.

Very comprehensive. Chock full of tactics, strategy, first hand accounts and biographies of key personalities. Covers the German side as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Masters-Air-Americas-Against-Germany/dp/0743235444/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1659458571&sr=8-1

As a side note, Masters of the Air is the inspiration for Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks' third TV series about the US in WWII. This time covering the bomber war. I understand that filming has finished and it is now in post-production. Should be released next year on Apple TV.   
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

ArizonaTank

Quote from: Sir Slash on July 26, 2022, 09:30:49 AM
About half-way through, "Fire and Fortitude: The US Army in the Pacific War, 1941-1943" by John C. Mc Manus. Learning a lot I never knew plus, great maps.   O0

Thanks for pointing this one out. It is now in my queue.
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

Just started 'Rome in Africa' by Susan Raven - archaelogical study of 600 years of Roman history in North Africa.


слава Україна!

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

-JudgeDredd

Sir Slash

I'm really enjoying, "Fire and Fortitude". The author never misses an opportunity to point-out the failings of 1940's society regarding minorities and prejudices but the level of detail is incredible in every aspect of the Army's WWII Pacific story. A great read.  O0
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

ArizonaTank

#5665
Quote from: Sir Slash on August 02, 2022, 10:35:58 AM
I'm really enjoying, "Fire and Fortitude". The author never misses an opportunity to point-out the failings of 1940's society regarding minorities and prejudices but the level of detail is incredible in every aspect of the Army's WWII Pacific story. A great read.  O0

Reading it now thanks to your recommendation...:) 

The USMC often gets most of the print in the history books. This book points out that it was actually the Army that had a much larger involvement than the Marines. The Army even conducted more amphibious landings than the Marines.

What's the old saying? "The Navy gets the gravy and the Army gets the beans."  and don't forget...  "Join the Navy and see the world. Join the Army and see the Navy."
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

ArizonaTank

#5666
Also re-reading The Gipper: George Gipp, Knute Rockne, and the Dramatic Rise of Notre Dame Football by Jack Cavanaugh. 

https://www.amazon.com/Gipper-George-Rockne-Dramatic-Football/dp/1616081104/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1660326231&sr=1-1

This is a pretty light read, about George Gipp. Gipp was probably the greatest college American football player of the early 20th century. An excellent kicker, passer and running back, he held many records (that have since been eclipsed). Gipp played for Notre Dame from 1917 through 1920.

The Gipper was played by Ronald Reagan in the 1940 movie Knute Rockne All American. Gipp died young from pneumonia and strep throat in his senior year. In the movie, from his deathbed, Gipp tells his coach Knute Rockne to go out and tell the team to "win one for the Gipper." Historians disagree about if this actually happened in real life, but it didn't stop Ronald Reagan from using it in his presidential campaign.

The book captures the flavor of college football in its early days. At the time, Notre Dame was going from a small unknown Catholic college team, in what was then a fairly rural part of Indiana, to one of the best football teams in the country.

It was a pretty wild game by today's standards. For example, the best players would double dip...playing four years and graduating from one school, then going on to a different school and playing four more years (professional teams were just starting, so there was no strong economic reason to go pro yet). Army was particularly known for picking up these top players for a second round and had a very strong team as a result. The forward pass was a new animal, and one of Notre Dame's trademarks (in the movie Rockne 'invents' the forward pass. In reality, he did not, but Rockne is probably the first coach to build his offense around it). Also there did not seem to be any strong moral outrage when players gambled on their own games. Gipp apparently made some money this way. He also made quite a bit of money playing billiards and cards.

Anyway, it is a nice easy read if you have interest in American football history.
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

JasonPratt

Don't know when I'll get to it, but just picked up (the Kindle edition of) Gangsters vs Nazis!

https://smile.amazon.com/Gangsters-vs-Nazis-Mobsters-Battled-ebook/dp/B09BKDB8Y5

Specifically, Jewish gangsters (like Bugsy Siegel) vs the Nazi gangs of the 30s and 40s.
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!

Gusington

Now reading 'The Last Great War of Antiquity' by James Howard-Johnston.


слава Україна!

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

-JudgeDredd

ArizonaTank

#5669
Reading "The Blue Max" by Jack D. Hunter.

This is the book that the movie with George Peppard is based on. For those who haven't seen it, the movie is probably the best WWI air combat story that Hollywood ever produced (IMHO). The story takes place from the German perspective, during the end of WWI. There are some great aerial combat scenes, all done before CGI.

The movie follows the same general story arc as the book, but diverges quite a bit in the details. Hollywood changed the story quite a bit to emphasize Ursula Andres' character and her...ummm...attributes. 

A big change between the book and movie is that in the book the protagonist, Bruno Stachel does not die. In fact, he goes on to star in two other books. In the first, "The Blood Order" he follows the Nazis in post-WWI Germany hoping to get to fly again...but gradually grows to despise them. In the third book, "The Tin Cravat," he defects to the US and returns to Germany to start a resistance movement.

Hunter is a good writer and is mostly known for his spy novels. Apparently he worked in US intelligence during WWII, and has some insight into WWI and post-WWI Germany. I will definitely be picking up the other two books.


I am about half-way through the Blue Max and enjoying it.

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Max-Cassell-Military-Paperbacks/dp/0304366803/ref=sr_1_1?crid=24V8069P161Y&keywords=the+blue+max&qid=1661541763&rnid=2941120011&s=books&sprefix=%2Caps%2C6538&sr=1-1

Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.