What are we reading?

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I started the third book in a 3-part series covering the battles for Rabaul during WWII.  Lots of great info and stories in there and it really helps flesh out my experiences playing the Coral Sea campaign in War in the Pacific and the early war Pacific air battles in Wing Leader.  It also compelled me to start working on a multi-mission campaign for Wing Leader.

The first book in the series, Invasion Rabaul: The Epic Story of Lark Force, the Forgotten Garrison, January - July 1942, was a little slow and somewhat depressing as it basically covered the experiences of a small garrison force of Australians as they were abandoned by their government and overrun by the Japanese.  It took me quite a while to plough through it  and I was a bit worried that the next two books would be more of the same but fortunately that wasn't the case.

The second book, Fortress Rabaul: The Battle for the Southwest Pacific, January 1942-April 1943 covers the battles for the Coral Sea and the early days of the air war around Rabaul and Port Moresby.   Fascinating stuff to read of the limitations of the P-39 and P-40s, the development of skip bombing, and so on.

The third book, Target: Rabaul: The Allied Siege of Japan's Most Infamous Stronghold, March 1943 - August 1945 looks at MacArthur's, Kenney's, and Halsey's battles in the Solomans, the air war over Rabaul, and the attacks on Truk.  I'm only about 100 pages in so far but it's really quite good so far.   

[Greybriar]

That's kinda left field there Greybriar. Are you a big fan?....

I am probably less of a big fan of Hepburn's than I am of other old time movie stars like Bogart, Cagney, Stewart, etc. But she has played some damned fine roles (think of her part in the African Queen, for example). Since I knew absolutely nothing about her, I decided to read her autobiography which also served to get me out of the rut I have been in.

[Staggerwing]

That's kinda left field there Greybriar. Are you a big fan?

BC I don't have a tablet, my laptop is from 2005, and my phone is over 4 years old. Guess I am out of luck.

My gaming rig is damned sweet though :)

I have a tablet I'm not using that you can have. It's not new but it will do fine for an e-reader. PM me if you want it.

[Gusington]

^Thanks for the offer. Is it capable of that new book smell?

Greybriar I just recently watched the African Queen...loved it.

[besilarius]

Beware the Russian Bear.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1908699582?qid=1443952799&ref
Have not picked this up, but sounds very intriguing.  Anyone heard about it?

[Gusington]

Reading the 2nd book in The Scourge series by Roberto Calas - Nostrum. Zombie armageddon in 14th century England.

[undercovergeek]

Love him or hate him I very nearly got junior into the last terry pratchett book - there's a small table in the local bookshop where you can read with the kids - read her a few pages but she wasn't keen - maybe next year

[mirth]

The Accountant's Story: Inside the Violent World of the Medellín Cartel

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

American Heritage History of World War II

$2.99 today on amazon. Note the History of the Civil War is also $2.99 today.

[Gusington]

I always loved those American Heritage histories.

[Ubercat]

The many pictures in the hard copy versions of those book are NOT included. It's just the text.

[Gusington]

That sucks.

[Greybriar]

Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis

[MetalDog]

Read that trilogy many years ago.  Most of it was over my head, but, I gave it a shot.  Will get back to it again some day.

[JasonPratt]

Lewis' Space Trilogy is definitely an acquired taste. It's a fond salute as well as an ideological critique of Wells and Verne (Verne himself cameos once or twice in That Hideous Strength -- inadvertently working for the villains), and the writing style reflects that. Not sure I've ever read the series more than twice, and I'm someone who appreciates his work a lot (theological and otherwise -- I'm one of the few living people who not only own a copy of Oxford's History of English Literature 16th Century Excluding Drama, but enjoyed reading it. {checking} Bleeping bleep, I may have a first edition!!  :o :o :o When people talk about how Lewis mostly gave up writing theology after WW2, I point out that that's because he spent 10 years working on the manuscript of what he testily nicknamed the OHEL during all his free time.)