SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

Read any good books lately?

59340 views
639 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: West of the rock and east of the hard place!
Posted by murph on Wednesday, February 28, 2018 8:35 AM

Rogue Heroes by Ben Macintyre - the authorized formation and wartime history of the British SAS.  Information taken from the wartime records of the SAS from inception by Sterling and Lewes to the end of WWII.  A great overview with some personal anecdotes from the records along with information about many of the raids they performed.  A very interesting read.

Retired and living the dream!

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: North Pole, Alaska
Posted by richs26 on Monday, February 12, 2018 8:46 PM

Can I make an addition using documentaries?  I stumbled on an excellent documentary on Amazon Prime this past week that fits into a Korean War theme.  It is "Task Force Faith:  The Story Of The 31st Regimental Combat Team".  It is an excellent tale of the USA and ROK troops being left to swing in the wind and face utter destruction which enabled the Marines to "attack in a different direction" to reach Hungnam.  It provides more details than the PBS American Experience "Chosin" film does. 

WIP:  Monogram 1/72 B-26 (Snaptite) as 73rd BS B-26, 40-1408, torpedo bomber attempt on Ryujo

Monogram 1/72 B-26 (Snaptite) as 22nd BG B-26, 7-Mile Drome, New Guinea

Minicraft 1/72 B-24D as LB-30, AL-613, "Tough Boy", 28th Composite Group

  • Member since
    September 2016
  • From: Albany, New York
Posted by ManCityFan on Monday, February 12, 2018 1:36 PM

Recently finished "The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War" by David Halberstam.  I knew very little about the Korean War, and this is an incredibly well written book that incorporates the experience on the ground with the politics driving the war.

Halberstam's contempt for MacArthur is well evident, but seems based on thorough research.

I have read several series, including Hornblower and Jack Aubrey (Master and Commander), but the one I think I enjoyed the most based on my inability to stop reading even when exhausted was the Sharpe's Rifles series.   Just couldn't put those books down.  Big Smile  A very close second is the Saxon tales series.  Couldn't put those down either.

Dwayne or Dman or just D.  All comments are welcome on my builds. 

  • Member since
    March 2013
  • From: Brantford, Ontario, Canada
Posted by over47 on Monday, February 12, 2018 7:59 AM

Just finished the whole Horatio Hornblower series by C. S. Forester. Have been reading it my whole life every few years and have never tired of it and still keeps me glued to the pages.

Starting now on "The Sea Hawk" by Rapheal Sabatini (author of Scaramouche and Captain Blood).  Lets see wher eit takes us.

Peter

On the bench;

Converting a 74 gun Heller kit into HMS Sutherland; 1/200

Converting Bomb Ketch into HMS Harvey; 1/200

Cleaning up an Aifix lot of 54mm figures, for converting.

  • Member since
    September 2013
  • From: San Antonio, Texas
Posted by Marcus McBean on Monday, February 12, 2018 7:39 AM

Just finished reading "Panzer Leader" by Heinz Guderian.  It was very interesting to learn his side of the fights he had with Hitler, OKW and OKH on how to conduct the fighting in Russia. 

Just started reading "Ceasar".  I didn't know this until now but Ceasar was not Rome's first dictator, nor it second.

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: New Braunfels , Texas
Posted by Tanker - Builder on Monday, February 12, 2018 7:14 AM

I Just finished the book " Swimsuit " By James Patterson . This guy truly has a strange mind . Also finished another Jake Grafton Novel . This time about the Chinese planting a nuke in Norfolk and engineering a group of Hi Vis assasinations here .

 Lately I have gone back to Coonts and others . If I am just relaxing I still like a good action novel such as "  Flight of the Old Dog " and others . I still follow Patrick O'brian when I can find one and of course any of the newer " Destroyermen  "I can find 

  • Member since
    January 2013
Posted by BlackSheepTwoOneFour on Sunday, February 11, 2018 10:01 PM

Just finished reading Conversations with Major *** Winters: Life Lessons from the Commander of the Band of Brothers. A must-read for Band of Brothers fans.

  • Member since
    May 2015
Posted by Griffin25 on Sunday, February 11, 2018 5:09 PM

Galipolli by Peter Hart. It was excellent. Here's my review on Kindle.

This book has a great balance of the tactical plans, battles fought, units involved and commanders mindsets of this terribly destructive campaign that came to nothing. The real brilliance of this book lies with the many first hand accounts, about 1/3 of the read, that are interwoven into the descriptions of the everyday life, tactics, battles and meetings. It really brings it to life and gives the reader an introspective look into the campaign. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys military history especially WW1 and the Dardanelles campaign.

 

 

Griffin

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: West of the rock and east of the hard place!
Posted by murph on Sunday, February 11, 2018 4:11 PM

Fight to the Finish.  Part Two of Tim Cook's history of Canada's contributions in World War II.

Retired and living the dream!

  • Member since
    March 2009
  • From: Yorkville, IL
Posted by wolfhammer1 on Monday, February 5, 2018 8:09 PM

All, I have discovered a wonderfully fun piece of reading, the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne.  The main character is Atticus O'Sullivan, a 2100 year old Druid who lives with his Irish wolfhound, Oberon and runs a new age book store in Phoenix, AZ.  Among the other characters are his lawyers, a werewolf and a vampire(how appropriate, right? Stick out tongue), and of course all of the Irish pantheon.  The style is fast paced, fairly light, and irreverant enough to make you laugh.  Without giving anything away, in one of the books, Atticus is explaining that the essence of being a Druid is to be able to take contradictory inputs and create contradictory outputs.  To this, Oberon responds that that does not make one a Druid, it makes one a politician. I about fell out of my chair for that one.  Anyway, I hope if you are interested you enjoy them as much as I have.

John

 

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: providence ,r.i.
Posted by templar1099 on Friday, January 19, 2018 1:50 PM

Just finished Grant,by Ron Chernow. Consider:  April 1860, he ( Grant ) "... had been a failure, battered by life at every turn. Everything indicated he would someday die a forgotten and thoroughly forgettable American, leaving no trace in historical annals." 

"le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile"

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: West of the rock and east of the hard place!
Posted by murph on Friday, January 19, 2018 12:11 PM

No Place To Run byTim Cook about the Canadian Corps and gas warfare in World War I.

Retired and living the dream!

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Wednesday, January 17, 2018 5:18 AM

Praying for slack is a rare account of a tanker in Viet Nam by Robert Peavey

 

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    June 2017
Posted by Chemteacher on Tuesday, January 16, 2018 11:09 PM

Yes. I enjoyed Jack Kleiss’ book. A great read. 

On the bench: Revell-USS Arizona; Airfix P-51D in 1/72

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Sunday, January 14, 2018 9:27 PM

Still working on ”Log from the Sea of Cortez” by John Steinbeck. It actually is model research.

Christmas haul:

”Troublemakers” about technology in the location and era where I went to High School.

”Robert Kennedy” 

“Leonardo Da Vinci”

”Cattle Kingdom” recommended by my friend Leon Panetta.

”What Happened”

Three books by Brian Kilmead

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    May 2016
Posted by B-36Andy on Sunday, January 14, 2018 9:12 PM

Just finished "Never Call Me a Hero", autobio of Dusty Kleiss who was a SBD pilot at Midway.

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Sunday, November 12, 2017 10:27 PM

I was in a book store on Friday and saw a book by Mr Lit’s on Dunkirk. I now want to pick that up for my library. “Incredible Victory” is still one of my favorite books. 

I finished up ” The Forgotten Soldier” several weeks ago. That was quite a powerful tale to read.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Sunday, November 12, 2017 9:49 PM

I just finished "A Night to Remember" by Walter Lord. I guess I should see the movie of that name. James Cameron certainly drew quite a few scenes from the book as well.

It was a pretty quick read, and built around verbal histories so it was pretty detailed.

One of many factoids: White Star "clocked out" the surviving crew on their pay sheets the minute that the Titanic foundered, even though most of them spent the next several hours saving the lives of the paying cutomers.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    March 2009
  • From: Yorkville, IL
Posted by wolfhammer1 on Sunday, November 5, 2017 8:46 PM

Just finished "Hell Hawks" by Dorr and Jones, about the 365 FG flying P-47s in a ground support role from D-Day through the end of WWII.  Interesting and informative read about a subject I knew little about.  

John

  • Member since
    August 2017
Posted by Doc Ward on Tuesday, October 31, 2017 10:41 PM

ridleusmc

Just got in the mail today:

Neptune's Inferno, The US Navy at Guadalcanal

by James Hornfischer.

I'm looking forward to it, but first, some work on the Zero.

If it is near as good as Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, it will be an awesome read.

My book collection is getting to be like my models. I see one and buy it, and add it to the stack of ones I haven't read yet. The most recent additions were matched paperbacks of The Longest Day and A Bridge Too Far. I'm currently reading something a bit different, Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.

Gotta say, doctor, your talent for alienatin' folk is near miraculous.

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Saturday, October 28, 2017 6:41 PM
Yes,just started Death in the Baltic,by C.Prince,about the sinking of the Gustloff with the loss of almost 10000,mostly women and children. Also The Joy of Hate by Greg Gutfeld,hilarious

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Saturday, October 28, 2017 6:38 PM

castelnuovo

Just finished "Wartime" by Milovan Djilas. He was one of the top communist leaders in ww2 in Yugoslavia. Very good perspective about war, politics, interactions between different waring parties in Yugoslavia and the locals motivation to fight for or against one of the parties and his work with Josip Broz Tito. 

 

I slept in Tito's villa in Bled. The Chetniks were certainly a pretty vicious group.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • From: Vancouver, the "wet coast"
Posted by castelnuovo on Saturday, October 28, 2017 1:41 PM

Just finished "Wartime" by Milovan Djilas. He was one of the top communist leaders in ww2 in Yugoslavia. Very good perspective about war, politics, interactions between different waring parties in Yugoslavia and the locals motivation to fight for or against one of the parties and his work with Josip Broz Tito. The interesting thing is how he writes about mass executions of German and Italian POW with guns, knives etc all the while in schools we were thought how nobel the partisan soldiers were. 

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Saturday, October 28, 2017 12:18 PM

I'd like to read that one. 

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: providence ,r.i.
Posted by templar1099 on Saturday, October 28, 2017 11:29 AM

Just finished " The Wright Brothers " by David McCullough, never had an idea about the depth of the brothers genius.

"le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile"

  • Member since
    September 2016
  • From: Albany, New York
Posted by ManCityFan on Monday, September 25, 2017 10:51 AM

Recently finished "Never Call Me a Hero" by Jack "Dusty" Kleiss based on comments in this thread.  Great book, and a quick read.

At some point I would like to do the SBD he flew at Midway, VS-6, Scouting 7.  Some preliminary research indicates home printed decals would be needed for the plane identification.  I am leaning towards the Trumpeter 1/32 scale SBD 3/4/A-24A kit.  Gonna have to save some $$ up for that one.  My only concern is that Scouting SBD's carried 500 lb. main bombs, and I think the kit only includes a 1,000 lb main bomb carried by the bombing squadrons.  It does appear to include the 100 lb incindiaries.

D

Dwayne or Dman or just D.  All comments are welcome on my builds. 

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: New Braunfels , Texas
Posted by Tanker - Builder on Monday, September 25, 2017 8:53 AM

Dre !

 You have to read  " John Carter - Warlord of Mars " Start there and believe me , You'll read them all . Edgar Rice Burroughs was and is one of my all time favorite " Older " authors .  T.B.

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: New Braunfels , Texas
Posted by Tanker - Builder on Monday, September 25, 2017 8:43 AM

HI , Mississippivol !

 Listen , did they mention at any point in the book , that specific behavior is now referred to as " The Birkenhead Drill " ? They probably didn't , more than likely . All " Good " Ships officers used to be taught this . It was a standard on British Flagged ships .  T.B.

  • Member since
    August 2015
  • From: the redlands Fl
Posted by crown r n7 on Saturday, September 23, 2017 9:48 AM

Make your bed  by Admiral William H.McRaven

 

 

 Nick.

  • Member since
    August 2015
  • From: the redlands Fl
Posted by crown r n7 on Saturday, September 23, 2017 9:46 AM

Make your bed  by Admiral William H.Mcraven.

 

 

 Nick.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.