Read any good books lately?

Just finished "Battle Stations" by Stephen L. Moore.  He has authored a few other books, most notably a couple on fleet boats in WWII.

Is a first hand account, reports, and recollections of those who were on USS Yorktown at Coral Sea and Midway.

Have just picked up "Dragon's,s Jaw" by Coonts and Tillman.  Story of the efforts to knock out a North Vietnamese bridge.  Have to see how well it's written.  From his other books and his service history, there should be a few kernels of actual events.

I'm reading at the moment, HELL'S ANGELS The True story of the 303rd bomb group in WW II, by Jay A. Stout.

"The Idiot Brain" by Burnett Dean is a funny and very down to earth book about how the brain works and why it does what it does. Easy read. It is written by a neuro scientist who is also a stand up comedian.

Spent the last two days with Dragon's Jaw by Coonts and Tillman.  Written in the style of "Spearhead", by using files and interviews of some of the aircrews.  They go into the failures, and lay blame where it belongs, IMO

Welll!

 I am presently reading Both,  "Ardennes 1944"-Battle of the Bulge and General George S. Patton Jr. " War as I knew it". Trying to understand some of the stuff written by those who have researched The Man and those who followed him. Crusty Old War Dog for sure.

Reading Evader by Denys Teare.  I found the book doing some research on my mothers maiden name - Teare.  We're from the Isle of man so somehow this guy was probably a relative so I purchased the book.  Pretty good read so far.  He spent a year in occupied France after bailing out of his damaged Lancaster with the rest of the crew.  As the title indicates it's about his avoiding capture.

Working my way through Attack on Pearl Harbor - Strategy, Combat,Myths, Deceptions by Alan D. Zimm. For all of the books, good and bad, about the attack on Pearl, This one is by far the best; not for it's story telling but for is eye-opening truth. A good percentage of 'Pearl' books are recitations of the same old drivel, half-truths, and make nice garbage. This one exposes the backstories, but is not a conspiracy theory thing. It is now, honestly speaking, my favorite work on the subject.

Finished Over the Egde of the World, about Magelan's round the world trip.

Reading Captain Cook, about Cook's 3 trips into the pacific.

Vary good read both of them with Magelan's book being more dramatic.

Presently, 3/4 of the way through "Band of Brothers"(2nd reading) and just started "Panzer Aces I" by Franz Kurowski.  It's battles stories of German tank Commanders of WWII.

TJS

I re read Catastrophe 1914:Europe goes to War by Max Hastings,enjoyed it so much that I ordered two others by him

Armageddon:The Battle for Germany

Inferno:The World at War 1939-1945

Enjoying Inferno now,and saving Armageddon for vacation next month

And Quiet Flows The Don.

Written by Sholokhov, in the era of the USSR. I've only read the first one hundred pages. It's a big epic novel that takes place in the Don River Basin (Donbas) starting in about 1918.

It's big and juicy and pretty lurid, won its author the Nobel Prize for literature.

The writing is very good and the descriptions of that part of the world are quite beautiful.

Of course I've been searching for a good resin Cossack figure. Suggestions welcome!

Bill

Almost done with Indianapolis.  The July 31 1945 sinking of the cruiser.  I didn't know much of the aftermath.  Interesting read.

Just read Winston Groom's Forrest Gump. It's a fine entertaining read, but sure not what ended up on the movie screen. 

Finished Joashua Slocum's book. He was the first man to cicumnavigate the earth alone. Easy to read and interesting book, not too much drama.

Next will be Ivo Andric "Bridge on the river Drina". The main character is the bridge. Everything else revolves around it, the lives of people, battles, etc. The author won the Nobel Price for literature for it. I read it in high school eons ago but am curious to re-read it again. 

castelnuovo

Next will be Ivo Andric "Bridge on the river Drina". The main character is the bridge. Everything else revolves around it, the lives of people, battles, etc. The author won the Nobel Price for literature for it. I read it in high school eons ago but am curious to re-read it again. 

 

I remember seeing that bridge during a patrol while I was in Bosnia. One of our interpreters pointed the bridge out and told us of that book. I had had forgotten all about that bridge and moment until you mentioned it here, then I had to go look it up. I'd be interested in reading that book if I could find it.

I'm reading a great book, entitled simply Gunpowder.  It is a history of gunpowder, but it is also a history of the evolution of firearms.

I just finished Blind Mans Bluff. It's older, Clinton was still in office, but really interesting information about the submarine force during the Cold War and  after. 

stikpusher

 

 

castelnuovo

Next will be Ivo Andric "Bridge on the river Drina". The main character is the bridge. Everything else revolves around it, the lives of people, battles, etc. The author won the Nobel Price for literature for it. I read it in high school eons ago but am curious to re-read it again. 

 

 

 

 

I remember seeing that bridge during a patrol while I was in Bosnia. One of our interpreters pointed the bridge out and told us of that book. I had had forgotten all about that bridge and moment until you mentioned it here, then I had to go look it up. I'd be interested in reading that book if I could find it.

 

Well, time allawing, visit the bridge again, now in more peacefull times.  I crossed it several times with school trips befor the war. During the war, the area was off limits to us. Not out of range, just off limits. 

Castel, I'm hoping to go back someday. There is still so much of the world to see...

Currently reading The Bomber Mafia by Gladwell. A very interesting read. 

I'm presently reading Patrick O'Brians' The Nutmeg of Consolation. I can taste the salt in the air, feel the spray on my face, the smell of gunpowder and a real feeling of sea sickness I know so well from the ferry to Wales. He brings it all to life very vivid. Perfect for the lunch break. 

AHA !

         Now, You See why I couldn't put them down. I had to keep tabs on all the Surprises in their adventures! Recently I've been reading on a Kindle because some books are not available in larger print format. I actually compared print fonts with this print here and found it smaller!

       Also I went from the Sea to the Stars and Beyond. Just finished a Boxed set called "Broken Worlds" Didn't like how it ended though!

So true TB, I dread the day I finish them all, but I'll start all over again. I'm in the canteen now with the book under the mobile, break coming to an end. 

Got a couple books for Christmas, which is great because all my books are in storage during our move.  I'm currently reading Spearhead by Adam Makos.  

In the middle of "And quiet flows the Don".

Fascinating description of people in the Don river basin "The Donbas". Do not abide by outside rule from East or West.

Bill

Just out on November 30, 2022, my wife's first little kids book. Suitable for pre K - K age groups and a cute story with a simple, age appropriate life lesson.

Yeah, goodstuff for little kiddos and grandkids.

I'm finishing "Six Frigates" by Ian Toll which is a history of the start of the U.S. Navy.  Then my son got me  "A Guy Called Otto" for Christmas which will be my next book to read.

tjs

Currently reading Unmasked, the memoir by retired homicide cold case investigator (and popular podcast co-host) Paul Holes. I'm a big 'true crime' fan, and this is an informative (and very sobering) look at the inside of a career spent chasing the worst of the worst in terms of what humans can do to one another.

Highly recommended, if you're at all into the topic.

I just finished The Aviators by Winston Groom. Good read. 

"The Spitfire kids". Not about pilots but about the folks, mostly very young men and women who built the legendary machine. How they lived, how they worked in the Spit factories, built and repaired planes. Very good read as there are very few book about , call it, rear echalon people without whom you can not only win a war but not even conduct one.