Read any good books lately?

I finished "Stay The Rising Sun", a biography of CV-2 USS Lexington.

I liked it, plus as a bonus there's an appended chapter about CV-16, and also summary bios of the main characters.

Since finishing All The Fine Young Eagles, I've read Capturing Hill 70; an account of one of Canada's forgotten significant battles of WWI that occurred between the offensive at Vimy Ridge and the Third Battle of Ypres (Paaschendaele) in 1917.  The battles for Hill 70 and Lens were a semi-diversionary attack for an upcoming major offensive in the Flanders regions of Belgium.  They successfully captured Hill 70, on the outskirts of the town of Lens.  What the leaders and planners underestimated was the resolve of the German forces.  Planners presumed that once Hill 70 was captured, the Germans would fold up their tents and retire from Lens.  They were wrong.  The German defenders put up a good fight and held Lens and the Canadians and other Empire tropps were denied their walk into Lens.  Lens did eventually come under control of the British and Canadians but not until later in the war.

ManCityFan

Bernard Cornwell's "Saxon Tales" series of books. That man can write!! Now working on Bruce Catton's series of Civil War books written for the Centennial. A little old, but great reading.

 

I'll 2nd the Saxon Tales!

stikpusher

 

 

GMorrison

Yes and its hard to mention Guadalcanal as anything other than it's own key battle.

Have you read "Battle Cry"?

 

 

 

 

I vaguely recall reading that, along with another one of his novels, Mitla Pass. Leon Uris, right?

 

Battle Cry is his personal account of his service in the 6th Marine Regiment, San Diego, New Zealand, Guadalcanal, Tarawa and Saipan.

I think you'd like it.

I'm reading Dan Barry's "Bottom of the 33rd", about the longest baseball game in history, the April 18th, 1981 game between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings, of the Triple-A International League.  The game was started on a cold Saturday night, was tied after nine innings, and eventuall lasted over 8 hours before someone was able to reach the league president, who ordered the game suspended.  Apparently, the game should have been suspended after midnight, according to the league's curfew rule, but the umpire calling the game had an older rule book that did not contain that rule.  There were a number of records set by that game, and Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken, Jr both played in that game.

I'm up to Vol V of Samuel Eliot Morison's 15 Volume History of the United States Naval Operations in World War II. A great Canvas to view the USA's War at Sea.  It has many personel entries from the actual participants. A perfect stating point for developing future modeling interests in the USN.

Jim.

Just ordered "The Battle for Hell Island".

GMorrison

Yes and its hard to mention Guadalcanal as anything other than it's own key battle.

Have you read "Battle Cry"?

 

I vaguely recall reading that, along with another one of his novels, Mitla Pass. Leon Uris, right?

Bill,

Sorry, the brain turned left at Alberquerque when I typed Greg. 

John

A large section in this book I'm reading is about the various "Fleet Problems" in the interwar period. If anyone has a link to the publication of these, please share.

Yes and its hard to mention Guadalcanal as anything other than it's own key battle.

Have you read "Battle Cry"?

Coral Sea is a very interesting battle in that it was the culmination of a series of moves and countermoves between the US and Japan in that area. Actions as part of that campaign would lead to both Guadalcanal and Kokoda Trail/Buna. 

wolfhammer1

Greg, have you ever read "Queen of the Flattops" by Stanley Johnston?  It was written in 1942, soon after the Battle of the Coral Sea.  Just curious how it compares if you have.  Later.

John

 

No, I haven't but Stanley Johnston is quoted quite a bit in the book I'm reading and plays a big part in the subplot of the story. Which is that while being "imbedded" on the Lexington for that last mission, he became very good friends with the XO Morton Seligman, was made privy to intercepted coded messages from the Japanese, and divulged that information in a story for his paper the Tribune. In the event, no fault of his to do so, the end of Seligman's career, and the Japanese apparently didn't catch on.

But see this is what I love about this forum.

CheckmateK launches a GB about the Battle of the Coral Sea. I know just about nil of that except that it was after Pearl Harbor and before Midway. Search of the stash reveals the Trumpeter Lexington. Post on the GB gets suggestion of book. Book leads  this.

I am currently reading "Killing the Rising Sun" by Bill O'Reilly.  So far a good read, not terribly detailed so it should be a pretty quick read.

Greg, have you ever read "Queen of the Flattops" by Stanley Johnston?  It was written in 1942, soon after the Battle of the Coral Sea.  Just curious how it compares if you have.  Later.

John

Yesterday I picked up "Stay The rising Sun", an account of the life and death of the USS Lexington, CV-2.

It's not bad, a little repetitious, but I've learned quite a bit that I didn't know, in particular May 8, 1942.

i just finished reading  "All the Gallant Men An Arizona Sailor's Account of Pearl Harbor" by Donald Stratton and Ken Gire who helped Stratton write it..  This is the first memoir written by a sailor aboard the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The book is the type you cannot put down once you start reading it. Stratton was severely burned and after recovering was given a medical discharge. He tells in detail about the attack and how he was rescued and taken to a hospital then transferred to the U.S. where he was given his discharge. Shortly after returning home he rejoined the Navy and was aboard a dsstroyer during  battles which led to the defeat of Japan. It is an excellent book. He also talks about visiting the Arizona memorial.

Try "The Silmarillion", Tolkiens' Old Testament.

the Baron

It's a quick read, but I think it's basically "Tolkien...After Dark". I think I'm going to queue up "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" next.

I just finished reading, "All Cloudless Glory", a 2-volume biography of George Washington.  Then I ripped through Martin's "A Clash of Kings", the second installment in his "Song of Ice and Fire" series, which you folks probably know better as Season 2 of "Game of Thrones".  It's a quick read, but I think it's basically "Tolkien...After Dark".  I think I'm going to queue up "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" next.

I finished the lastest book, The Flame Bearer, in the Bernard Cornwall Saxon Tales series and it was great.

I am also reading Cornwall's Richard Sharpe's series. I am on book 10 of the 25 written. I am learning so much about Napoleonic Era British Army. I really like how he went back and wrote more book to fill in this series.

When Angels Wept; an alternate history of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

What might have happened if some different decisions were made by Kennedy. The bio's of Kennedy and Kruschev are tedious, but the scenario is realistic IMHO.

Hmmm;

   Got tired of reading exploits of the wars and the units involved . Not because they are boring , but I needed a break . So - My landlady's daughter gives me three to read .

   The  "Hunger Games ". Post Modern revolution in which the country is divided into 13 districts .District 13 having been destroyed by the gov't in " Panem " for treachery and revolt . ( The New Capitol  ).Result , each remaining district must send " Tribute "

   . The " Tribute ? Two young people that must fight to the death and in the whole games there can only be , Now , two survivors . Their ages 12 to 18 ! Gees . anyway It's been a page turner !  T.B.

I just finished the second edition of All The Fine Young Eagles by David Bashow.  It's a history of Canada's pilots in WWII serving on RAF squadrons and within dedicated RCAF squadrons.  It includes first hand accounts of many of Canada's (and the RAF's) great WWII fighter pilots, including Stan Turner, Art Sager, 'Johnnie' Johnson, Don Jaubman, 'Duke' Warren, 'Joe' Schultz, Russ Bannock, Douglas Bader and 'Stocky' Edwards to name but a few.  It was a great read.

Movie coming I am sure.

All, just finished a book titled Lucky 666, The Impossible Mission, about the 40 minute dog fight between a modified B-17 and the Japanese over the South Pacific.  Interesting story of the men and how then ended up taking what should have been a suicide mission. 

John

I love this tread and have found quite a few good reads.

I currently read "The Berkut". The plot is that Hitler didn't commit suicide in 1945 but was rescued by his commando unit. Zhukov insist that he has Hitler's body, but it turns out to be a body double. Stalin sends a group of investigators to track Hitler and bring him back to Moscow. A gripping read so far.

The next book will be "The cylist who went out in the cold-adventures along the iron curtain trail". A guy rides his bike from the northern tip of Finnland-USSR border to the Southernmost tip of Bulgaria-Turkey following the Iron curtain border.

Here are some of the best books (in my opinion) that I have come across

The Hunt for Red October - Tom Clancy

A Higher Call - Adam Makos and Larry Alexander

Adolf Hitler - John Tolland

The Wild Blue - Stephen E. Ambrose

Blitzkrieg! In their own words - First-hand accounts from German soldiers 1939-1940

Stalking The Red Bear - Peter Sasgen

The Martian - Andy Weir

Mutiny - David Hagberg and Boris Gindin

Lords Of The Sky - Dan Hampton

Forgotten Fifteenth - Barret Tillman

Another Great Day At Sea - Geoff Dyer

Code Name Ceasar - Jerome Preisler and Kenneth Sewell

The Finest Hours - Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman

Air Force One - Kenneth T. Walsh

The Luftwaffe: a history - John Killen

When Titans Clashed - David M. Glantz and Jonathan M. House

The Man Who Broke Into Auschwitz - Denis Avey with Rob Broomby

Blind Man's Bluff - Sherr Sontag and Christopher Drew with Annette Lawrence Drew

Viper Pilot - Dan Hampton

Frozen In Time - Mitchell Zuckoff

Final Patrol - Don Keith

Great Stories of the Great Lakes - Dwight Boyer

Escape from the Deep - Alex Kershaw

Code Talker - Joseph Bruchac

Out of Captivity - Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell, and Tom Howes

81 Days Below Zero - Brian Murphy with Toula Vlahou

Voices of the Pacific - Adam Makos with Marcus Brotherton

The War Below - James Scott

My War - Andy Rooney

Silent Running - James F. Calvert

well, the list goes on and on... but I'll stop.

Does the instruction sheet for the Trumpeter A-6A count? If not then Keith Lowe's Inferno The fiery Destruction of Hamburg 1943.