# What book are you reading ??



## ccheese (Aug 11, 2007)

I just started "Shinano". Every one knows about Japan's "super" battleships,
Yamato and Musashi, but there was a third hull laid down for another
battleship. After Japan's losses at Midway, the third hull was converted
to a "super aircraft carrier".... at 77,000 tons !! This was "Shinano"....

Charles


----------



## ToughOmbre (Aug 11, 2007)

Just finished _A Glorious Way To Die_, the story of the Yamato's suicide mission to Okinawa. Book also included alot about the Kamikazi attacks on the ships supporting the invasion.

Now reading _Citizen Soldiers_ by Stephen Ambrose, one of my favorite authors. Book covers the War in the ETO from June 7, 1944 to May 7, 1945. 

TO


----------



## Njaco (Aug 11, 2007)

Going back and forth between 2 books (when I get a break from packing)
"The German Army: 1933-1945" by Matthew Cooper and "Hitler's Greatest Defeat:The collapse of Army Group Center, June 1944" by Paul Adair. Gives alot of insight into the behind the scenes decisions.


----------



## Heinz (Aug 11, 2007)

Various at the moment
The Lake in the woods - Tim O'brien about a Vietnam Vet

Is History Fiction - Two Australian Doctors talking about historians slanting history to fit their own beliefs

A walk in the woods - Bill Bryson humourous account of his travels

Crimes against humanity - Documenting just that


----------



## Wildcat (Aug 11, 2007)

"The RAAF in Russia" about 455 sqn's deployment to Russia with HP Hampden a/c to guard against a possible attack on a Russian bound convoy from the Tirpitz.


----------



## Cota1992 (Aug 11, 2007)

Lee's Miserables: Life in the Army of Northern Virginia from the Wilderness to Appomattox
By J. Tracy Power


----------



## Cota1992 (Aug 11, 2007)

Heinz said:


> A walk in the woods - Bill Bryson humourous account of his travels



Anything by Bill Bryson is awesome!
Just finished "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" a few months ago..I spent the night reading it in one setting..I got hooked the first page.
Art


----------



## Heinz (Aug 11, 2007)

Yes I love Bryson.

Finished notes from a small country recently and loved it. Being half english it really hit home.

I also have his account about Australia once I finish a Walk in the woods.


----------



## trackend (Aug 12, 2007)

Just pick this book up from a charity shop for £6.50 Fighters by W Green and G Swanborough it gives details of 1700 fighter aircraft over the last 80 odd years.


----------



## Screaming Eagle (Aug 12, 2007)

Well I just recently finished Hell Island by Matthew Reilly, one of my favourite authors, another being James Patterson.


----------



## Maharg (Aug 12, 2007)

I read a lot of WWI history, mainly ANZAC topics but I have a knowledge of most aspects of this war.
Apart from reference material, I have just finished '18 Hours' by Sandra Lee. It's about the Aussie SAS in Afghanistan, in particular Signalman Jock Wallace of the 152 Signal Squadron SASR and how he won the Medal of Gallantry. Correct me if I am wrong. But, I believe this is our equivalent to the VC.

At the moment I'm reading 'Little Big Man' by Thomas Berger. I love this book, it's a great story. 

Another of my favorites is 'The Silmarillion' by J.R.Tolkien.I have read this many times over the years, and whenever I want a bit of escapism fantasy I'll reach for this.


----------



## Konigstiger205 (Aug 12, 2007)

Just finished Sven Hassel's books and now I have no idea what to read....I'll find something around here


----------



## Graeme (Aug 12, 2007)

trackend said:


> Just pick this book up from a charity shop for £6.50 Fighters by W Green and G Swanborough it gives details of 1700 fighter aircraft over the last 80 odd years.



Great book..Great price! I bought that tome in 1994 and for $A125.00!


----------



## Heinz (Aug 12, 2007)

Screaming Eagle said:


> Well I just recently finished Hell Island by Matthew Reilly, one of my favourite authors, another being James Patterson.




I have one I'm about to start myself, I think its Called Seven Wonders.

My mother is an avid reader of his.


----------



## Clave (Aug 12, 2007)

The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan [Book 2 in the Wheel of Time]


----------



## ccheese (Aug 12, 2007)

Njaco said:


> Going back and forth between 2 books (when I get a break from packing)
> "The German Army: 1933-1945" by Matthew Cooper and "Hitler's Greatest Defeat:The collapse of Army Group Center, June 1944" by Paul Adair. Gives alot of insight into the behind the scenes decisions.



Njaco will have some new reading material soon......

Charles


----------



## mkloby (Aug 12, 2007)

Helicopter Tactics... what a fun read!


----------



## Njaco (Aug 12, 2007)

Charles! This new place gonna have me a den, finally with bookcases and modelcases and bookcases and modelcases and an Eagles banner and bookcases....


----------



## plan_D (Aug 13, 2007)

Command of the Ocean: British Navy 1649 - 1815.


----------



## Lucky13 (Aug 13, 2007)

Ghosts of Great Britain and Ireland.....

Can't beat a good ghost story fellas.


----------



## SoD Stitch (Aug 13, 2007)

If anybody cares . . .

Commander In Chief: How Truman, Johnson and Bush Turned A Presidential Power into A Threat to America's Future, by Geoffrey Perret


----------



## comiso90 (Aug 13, 2007)

Perret also wrote "A Country Made by War"

Great read!

GIVE WAR ITS DUE - New York Times


----------



## Becca (Aug 13, 2007)

I am currently between 2 books. 'Art of War' by Sun Tzu and 'The Lakehouse' by James Patterson. Intresting balance, me thinks.


----------



## SoD Stitch (Aug 14, 2007)

comiso90 said:


> Perret also wrote "A Country Made by War"
> 
> Great read!
> 
> GIVE WAR ITS DUE - New York Times



Wow! Do you know I've had that book on my shelf for 15 years now, and I didn't even know it was the same author? Shows you how observant I am!


----------



## Cota1992 (Aug 14, 2007)

Taking a break from the Army of Norther Virginia..It's nice to see I am not the only one who reads more than one book at a time!

I'm also reading
My Serengeti Years: The Memiors of a African Game Warden by Myles Turner.
I picked it up at the Library sale table for fifty cents. I always find the coolest things there if I look enough.
Art


----------



## Cota1992 (Aug 14, 2007)

Heinz said:


> Yes I love Bryson.
> I also have his account about Australia once I finish a Walk in the woods.



That's a great book too.

My favorite Aussie travel type book is Tony Horowitz's *One for the Road*
I lost my copy and need to get another one, I've read it at least 7 or 8 times over the years.
Art


----------



## ccheese (Aug 14, 2007)

I finished "Shinano", last night. I just went to my bookcase and pulled out
"A Bodyguard of Lies" by Anthony Cave Brown. The title comes from 
something Winston Churchill said, "Truth is so precious, she must have a
bodyguard of lies". It's all about the clandestine war of intricate deceptions
that hid the secrets of D-Day from Hitler. It's also two volumes, over 1,000
pages.

Charles


----------



## Erich (Aug 14, 2007)

have acquired the very very rare self-published history of the 364th fg by Joiner. An interesting combat~war diary work which will help me with cross checking on my cousins LW outfit. Bummer the personal pilot pics are quite small. should be a good read for about 2 weeks .......... yes I'm slow but there is quite alot to absorb. it better be good for over $ 100.00 US


----------



## rogthedodge (Aug 14, 2007)

Two on the go.

'The War The Infantry Knew 1914-1918' - Cpt JC Dunn. 
A remarkable book, the daily experiences of 2nd Bttn Royal Welch Fusiliers complied by their medical officer who was there for most of the war and much-decorated. 2 RWF were an elite battalion and were often in the heart of the action. This must be the 3rd or 4th reading but it's a great 'toilet book' as it's in small daily sections.

Call-to-Arms The British Army 1914-1918 - Charles Messenger. 
Took time to get into and it's a bit 'dry' as it's all about the recruitment, training and expansion of the army during WW1 but it's interesting


----------



## Screaming Eagle (Aug 15, 2007)

Heinz said:


> I have one I'm about to start myself, I think its Called Seven Wonders.
> 
> My mother is an avid reader of his.



Heinz, that book is one of his best ones. It should be a good read,I know it is


----------



## Eco-81 (Aug 15, 2007)

Battles Lost and Won: Great Campaigns of World War 2 by Hanson Baldwin


----------



## timshatz (Aug 15, 2007)

Just finished two books that I'd recommend to the board. 

1. The Wrong Stuff- Memoirs of a B17 pilot who flew 35 missions from April to July of 1944. 


2. First Light- Memoirs of a Spitfire pilot from joining the RAF in 1939, flying a Spitfire through the Battle of Britian, sweeps over France and to Malta. 

Both are excellent reads. High recommended.


----------



## Negative Creep (Aug 15, 2007)

Just finished Agincourt by Juliet Barker. Not bad, interesting insight into a world very different from our own, but the actual description of the battle was a bit short and anti-climatical


----------



## Njaco (Aug 24, 2007)

Just finished KG 200: The True Story by P.W. Stahl. One of the better first hand accounts of Luftwaffe units that I've read. Thanks Charles!


----------



## lucanus (Aug 24, 2007)

The Last Kaiser, Armoured units of the Russian Civil War - Reds and Whites, and Hitler's Pirates


----------



## Screaming Eagle (Aug 25, 2007)

I am curently reading 2 books at the moment, them being:

The art of Welding: The practical guide for farm and workshop
B-17 Flying Fortress


----------



## Heinz (Aug 25, 2007)

Downunder - Bill Bryson


----------



## Cota1992 (Aug 26, 2007)

I'm reading two right now as well,

Thud Ridge by Colonel Jack Broughton 

Pickett's Charge: Eyewitness accounts of the battle of Gettysburg, Edited by Richard Rollins

Art


----------



## Konigstiger205 (Aug 26, 2007)

David Brin -"The Postman"...interesting book....its the probably the fourth time I'm reading it...saw the movie too


----------



## mosquitoman (Aug 26, 2007)

Just finished Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett.


----------



## Clave (Aug 31, 2007)

Damn! I need to read that! Pratchett is my hero. 8)


----------



## mosquitoman (Aug 31, 2007)

Heh, same.
Will be reading the Science of Discworld 2 tomorrow when a mate lends it to me.


----------



## Erich (Aug 31, 2007)

went back to Ron Pütz/John Manhros excellent Bodenplatte book, probably the best reference on the subject


----------



## Cota1992 (Aug 31, 2007)

Long Way Round:Chasing Shadows Around the World By Ewan McGregor Charley Boorman

Pretty neat fun book for a change of pace, from London to New York Via Europe, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia,Russia and Canada.
About halfway into it, nice light reading so far.
Art


----------



## Aussie1001 (Aug 31, 2007)

i just finished The sum of all fears-not a bad book by Tom Clancy
and will be reading for what seems to be the tenth time Magician by Raymond Feist...


----------



## Clave (Aug 31, 2007)

> Magician by Raymond Feist..



Ah, I lost count too.. what a great read, just epic... 8)


----------



## Aussie1001 (Aug 31, 2007)

unfortunatly i cant get his latest one....
Another one that hasn't been finished is the "wheel of time" series by robert Jordan i am finished the most current one and cant go any futhur......


----------



## Konigstiger205 (Sep 1, 2007)

"The Scourge of the Swastika" by Lord Russel of Liverpool


----------



## Clave (Sep 1, 2007)

Aussie1001 said:


> unfortunatly i cant get his latest one....
> Another one that hasn't been finished is the "wheel of time" series by robert Jordan i am finished the most current one and cant go any futhur......



I am only on Book 2 - Guess I have some catching up to do...


----------



## Pisis (Sep 5, 2007)

Bohumil Hrabal - Postřižiny
Vanished Old Prague
James Joyce - The Dublinians


----------



## renrich (Sep 5, 2007)

"Roughneck Nine-One" by SFC(ret) Frank Antenori. Way to go Njaco, I am a proponent of bookshelves also!


----------



## Heinz (Sep 6, 2007)

Down Under - Bryson ( may have mentioned that already im not sure )

Anywho have 5 more of his to read........


----------



## Wildcat (Sep 6, 2007)

Two steps to Tokyo - Gordon Powell. Fascinating account of the RAAF in the Trobriand and Admiralty Islands. Written by the author (an Air Force Chaplain) whilst in the Admiralties - great stuff.


----------



## Negative Creep (Sep 6, 2007)

Hugh Ferguson - the War of the World. Really interesting stuff, a history of the 20th century, but presented from an alternate view and explanations. I've already learnt of a lot of events I never even knew happened. Halfway through the section on how appeasement failed atm


----------



## Matt308 (Sep 7, 2007)

The Hobbit to my 7yr old. He loves it. Tolkien is wonderful.


----------



## Aussie1001 (Sep 7, 2007)

Citizen of the Galaxy dont rightly know who wrote it though.....


----------



## trackend (Sep 9, 2007)

Achtung Swordfish. by Stanley Brand
A Stringbag pilots view of working on the Woolworths (MAC) carriers during the battle of the Atlantic.


----------



## Aussie1001 (Sep 9, 2007)

Shards of a broken crown- Raymond E Feist...


----------



## Aggie08 (Sep 10, 2007)

The Sum of All Fears, Tom Clancy. Great author with an intimate understanding of miltary technology.


----------



## plan_D (Sep 10, 2007)

Iron Kingdom: Rise and Downfall of Prussia (1600 - 1947)


----------



## SoD Stitch (Sep 10, 2007)

_Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10_, by Marcus Luttrell Patrick Robinson

BTW, Matt308, keep reading; IMHO, Tolkein (LOTR in particular) is the greatest book ever written. I've read The Hobbit about 10 times, and LOTR about five times (I'm on my sixth reading now).


----------



## Matt308 (Sep 10, 2007)

Aggie08 said:


> The Sum of All Fears, Tom Clancy. Great author with an intimate understanding of miltary technology.



Don't trust all Clancy novels. Many of them are ghost authored by some bloke who barely passed Freshman college language arts.


----------



## Aggie08 (Sep 11, 2007)

If that's true, he's doing remarkably well. They're plenty enjoyable.


----------



## Pisis (Sep 12, 2007)

Just finished another Hrabal - Closely Watched Trains, going onto his Advertisement for a House...


----------



## rochie (Sep 12, 2007)

i've just finished wings on my sleeve by eric 'winkle' brown and the big show by pierre closterman.
amazing how many aircraft eric brown tested and flew especialy late war luftwaffe aircraft


----------



## Pisis (Sep 14, 2007)

Considering spelling of his name - Eric Brown - he tested _captured_ Lufwaffe planes?


----------



## Clave (Sep 16, 2007)

Still on the Wheel of Time - Book 4 now...


----------



## trackend (Sep 16, 2007)

Agent Zig Zag by Ben Macintyre 
_The Eddie Chapman WW2 double agent story_


----------



## Njaco (Oct 11, 2007)

"The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles" translatted by Anne Savage. (Waiting for the guffaws)


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Oct 11, 2007)

Colonization: Second Contact by Harry Turtledove


----------



## Negative Creep (Oct 13, 2007)

Anzio: The Friction of War - Lloyd Clark


----------



## Wildcat (Oct 14, 2007)

Desert Scorpions. The history of 459 sqn RAAF in the MTO (flying Hudson's, Ventura's and finally Baltimore's) 1942-45.


----------



## Heinz (Oct 14, 2007)

the lost continent - bill bryson


----------



## v2 (Oct 14, 2007)

I just started "The ship- busters"- the story of the RAF torpedo- bombers by Ralph Barker.


----------



## ccheese (Nov 2, 2007)

"Bodyguard of Lies" by Anthony C. Brown. Just started Vol II. Also just
started "Fortress Without a Roof" about the bombing of Germany in WW-II.
Going to try this two-books-at-a-time thing.

Charles


----------



## Cota1992 (Nov 2, 2007)

Just reread the Maneaters of Kumaon by Jim Corbett for about the 100th time. I first read it as a kid and the book scared me to death. It's a autobiography of a hunter who goes after man eating tigers in prewar India.
I still get goosebumps reading the section about stalking the wounded lepoerd in the brush and tres.
Right up there with Capstick in excitement and good reading.
Art


----------



## Marcel (Nov 2, 2007)

Flyboys, although quite a horrible story, the info on the war in the pacific is quite interesting


----------



## ccheese (Nov 2, 2007)

Marcel said:


> Flyboys, although quite a horrible story.....



Until I read that book, Marcel, I was not aware that the Japanese ate the

liver (and other parts) of captured americans. I have since found out 
that this was "the norm" with high ranking Japanese officers. 

Charles


----------



## Marcel (Nov 2, 2007)

You're sure? The book seems to suggest that this is an isolated incident (apart from the human eating of the abandoned Japanese in New Guinea)


----------



## b17sam (Nov 2, 2007)

A Real Good War is a Real Good Book ab out the 8th Air Force in WWII. Click on 
B-17* B24 - A Real Good War* to read a full SAMPLE CHAPTER.


----------



## ccheese (Dec 30, 2007)

It's been a couple of months since this thread was visited, so I'm going to
tell you about the book I just started. "The Thousand Mile War", by Brian
Garfield. It's about 402 pages...... oh, you mean the topic ! It's about 
WW-II in Alaska and the Aleutians. Lots of blow-by-blow action.

I finally finished "Bodyguard of Lies" (Two volumes). Excellent reading.

Charles


----------



## Erich (Dec 30, 2007)

2nd TAC A/F July 44 till Bodenplatte, Classic Pubs, volume 2 by Shores and Thomas

a blow by blow daily/nightly log book though some of the entries are a bit frustrating comparing the actual losses listing to what is written in the text. Think the RAF profiles of the Spits/Tempests are a bit dark on the grey side, think it should be much lighter than shown in the colour


----------



## SoD Stitch (Dec 30, 2007)

Njaco said:


> "The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles" translatted by Anne Savage. (Waiting for the guffaws)



I'm not laughing; I have perused the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, but nobody I know has ever actually tried to read the entire extant Chronicles. If that interests you (I think you may be joking), then try The Mabinogion, a collection of poems of pre-Christian Celtic mythology. To add insult to injury (?), I actually have an Anglo-Saxon/English dictionary. Very interesting. A lot of the words don't need translating, per se, we use them everyday anyway.

But getting back to the original subject matter . . . . .

I am (currently) reading _The Utility Of Force: The Art Of War In The Modern World_, by Rupert Smith.


----------



## Wildcat (Dec 30, 2007)

"Hatching an Air Force" by Peter Ilbery. A history of training under the EATS in Australia and where some of its trainees ended up fighting in WWII.


----------



## Njaco (Dec 30, 2007)

Just started " If Football is a Religion Why Don't We have a Prayer" about the Philadelphia Eagles drive to the Super Bowl in 2004.

And SoD I wasn't joking. I have several books on early Anglo-Saxon and mythologies including the Prose Edda and Grendel among others. Comes from my Tolkien fixation. And don't ask me how to corollate that with the book I'm currently reading. I have no answer. 

You ought to try some Word Origin Dictonaries. I have three and its wild where some of our words came from.


----------



## SoD Stitch (Dec 31, 2007)

Njaco said:


> And SoD I wasn't joking. I have several books on early Anglo-Saxon and mythologies including the Prose Edda and Grendel among others. Comes from my Tolkien fixation. And don't ask me how to corollate that with the book I'm currently reading. I have no answer.
> 
> You ought to try some Word Origin Dictonaries. I have three and its wild where some of our words came from.



Sweet! Which translation of the _Edda_ do you have? The Sturluson one?

Yeah, I have a Tolkein fixation, also; I have the complete series of _The History Of Middle-Earth, Volumes I-IV_, by Christopher Tolkein, but I haven't managed to wade my way through it yet. Haven't read the Prose Edda yet either, but I have read _Beowulf_ and _The Battle Of Maldon _(translated, of course) several times.


----------



## magnocain (Dec 31, 2007)

Robert Jordan! I can't belive that he died! How rude! And I read all 11 (and New Spring) books to.

Temeraire (series) by Naomi Novik
Inheritance (trilogy) by Christopher Paoilni
The Saga of the Seven Suns (series) by Kevin J. Anderson
the Ender series by Orson Scott Card
and more...


----------



## plan_D (Dec 31, 2007)

I think the work on the 2nd TAF is excellent, Erich. I'm sure it'll help you greatly with the RAF night fighter claims. 


I'm reading 3 Para at the moment, it's about the Para Battle Group in Afghanistan 2006


----------



## Gnomey (Dec 31, 2007)

I saw that book was on Special Offer with Sniper One on Amazon (although I got Sniper One from the local bookshop).

Currently reading Sniper One, just finished the chapter on Operation Waterloo. Really good so far.


----------



## Heinz (Jan 1, 2008)

Made in America - Bill Bryson

Flak - Michael Vietch ( My 2nd time through )


----------



## wilbur1 (Jan 1, 2008)

Just started sisterhood of spys, all about the beginning of the oss and the women and men that ran it.


----------



## plan_D (Jan 2, 2008)

Op. _Waterloo_ was quite immense and really did some damage, Gnomey, but you never hear of it anywhere. Of course they'd be no mention of such a large scale operation in the media.


----------



## Wayne Little (Jan 2, 2008)

Treasure of Khan...Clive Cussler.


----------



## Aussie1001 (Jan 2, 2008)

I, cyborg an auto biography its about a guy who gets implanted with chips and the like and becomes the first human cyborg.....
a bit creepy tho.....


----------



## Heinz (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh forgot one..

Matthew Reiley - 7 Ancient Wonders

( Need to get back into reading and writing considering I should be starting a course on it in a few months )


----------



## Gnomey (Jan 2, 2008)

plan_D said:


> Op. _Waterloo_ was quite immense and really did some damage, Gnomey, but you never hear of it anywhere. Of course they'd be no mention of such a large scale operation in the media.



Yeah, pretty much all the events covered in the book weren't covered in the media. To get the full idea of what is going on you have to read on the first hand accounts...


----------



## Thorlifter (Jan 2, 2008)

Hitler's Scientists


----------



## Pisis (Jan 3, 2008)

Ten Italian Novelas - neorealistic short stories of ten Italian authors from the 50's


----------



## ccheese (Jan 18, 2008)

Just finished "The 1000 Mile War", and have started "Silent Victory".
This is two volumes of the submarine war against Japan. Written by
Clay Blair, Jr.

Charles


----------



## Eco-81 (Jan 18, 2008)

Just started Biggest Brother: The life of Major Dick Winters


----------



## Screaming Eagle (Jan 18, 2008)

Heinz said:


> Oh forgot one..
> 
> Matthew Reiley - 7 Ancient Wonders
> 
> ( Need to get back into reading and writing considering I should be starting a course on it in a few months )



I'm a big fan of his heinz, you will like that book, I did!. Hes actually got a sequel to sevin ancient wonders out called six sacred stone me thinks. Oh and I just finished motley crue's autiobiography 'the dirt'. I finished it in 4 days I couldn't put it down it was so interesting.


----------



## Marcel (Jan 19, 2008)

Dresden - 13 February 1945 by Frederick Taylor.

Great book. I think he makes a very good objective story about the bombing of Dresden. It's not for the faint hearted, as it the story is of course harsh. But the writer shows the reader all sides of the subject, allied and german alike and let the reader judge for himself.


----------



## v2 (Jan 19, 2008)

Adolf Galland- "The First and the Last "


----------



## Wildcat (Jan 20, 2008)

Jungle dive-bombers at war by Peter C. Smith


----------



## Heinz (Jan 20, 2008)

Made In America - Billy Bryson

starting:

Notes from a big country - Bill Bryson


----------



## Scrapyard Ape (Jan 20, 2008)

Not the best astronaut biography I've read, but better than most.


----------



## Cota1992 (Jan 22, 2008)

Interview with a Vampire By Anne Rice...
I have never read it and am taking a short break from non-fiction and I must say that it's much better than I thought it would be.


----------



## Clave (Jan 24, 2008)

I only read fiction... 

Right now its Earth, Air, Fire and Custard by Tom Holt


----------



## plan_D (Jan 24, 2008)

The Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan.

It's amazing - mankind hasn't changed a bit from those days.


----------



## twoeagles (Jan 24, 2008)

"Dangerous Game Rifles".
Before I die, I will own a fine English double rifle...


----------



## v2 (Feb 8, 2008)

Ernest Gann- "Fate is the Hunter"


----------



## DOUGRD (Feb 8, 2008)

v2 said:


> Ernest Gann- "Fate is the Hunter"



I read it a couple of years ago. Great book! It really gives you some idea of what the early airline pilots went through. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I'm reading "The Command Of The Air" by Douhet (The 1942 English translation version)


----------



## Njaco (Feb 8, 2008)

Ohhh, Doug, read some excerpts from that and its amazing that no one really listened to him much back then until history forced them to.


----------



## Wildcat (Feb 9, 2008)

Beaufighters over Burma by David Innes


----------



## Clave (Feb 9, 2008)

Just finished 'Incompetnce' by Rob Grant - pretty good.

Half way through 'The First King of Shannara' by Terry Brooks - awesome so far...


----------



## Marcel (Feb 9, 2008)

"De mei vliegers" (The May pilots), book about the dutch pilot Jan Linzel who was born not very far from my place of birth. He flew D.XXI's in the LVA (the 215 in my siggy) and shot down a Bf109. Later he got involved in the resistance and after that fled to the UK where he flew Spitfires and Tempest V's.


----------



## DOUGRD (Feb 10, 2008)

Njaco said:


> Ohhh, Doug, read some excerpts from that and its amazing that no one really listened to him much back then until history forced them to.



Yeah Chris, you're right. It's amazing, almost eerie.


----------



## Eco-81 (Feb 11, 2008)

The Few by Alex Kershaw 
About 8 American pilots during the Battle of Britan


----------



## DOUGRD (Feb 11, 2008)

Eco-81 said:


> The Few by Alex Kershaw
> About 8 American pilots during the Battle of Britan



Eco-81 How do you like the book so far? I've been tempted to buy it but I have other books on the Yanks in the RAF during the BoB so I've been reluctant to buy this one.


----------



## Eco-81 (Feb 12, 2008)

Dougrd, I am about 1/3 the way through it and am really enjoying it. I think it is well researched and written. He has two other books as well, as soon as I get throught the stack beside my bed I think I will pick them up.


----------



## plan_D (Feb 12, 2008)

I have always had an interest in those very few Americans (TBH I thought there were only 7) that fought in the BoB, but I've been put off looking into their RAF career because I get so annoyed by those Americans that have watched Pearl Harbour too many times and take it for gospel. Shame really...

...anywho, I'm reading _Roman Warfare_ then I'll read _Barbarians_ then I've got _3 Para_ to read ('cos I didn't finish it.)


----------



## Eco-81 (Feb 12, 2008)

Plan D, from what it says in the book, Pilot Officer Hugh William Reilley of 66 Squadron has been historicaly recorded as a Canadian though he is American. I am not very far into the book (and I do not have it here with me now) but I do believe he came over with a Canadian unit and thats why he has not been listed as American.


----------



## DOUGRD (Feb 12, 2008)

Eco-81 said:


> Dougrd, I am about 1/3 the way through it and am really enjoying it. I think it is well researched and written. He has two other books as well, as soon as I get throught the stack beside my bed I think I will pick them up.



Great! and I've got a Barnes Noble Booksellers gift card and they're having a 25% off sale this week online........decisions,decisions


----------



## Aussie1001 (Feb 13, 2008)

Founding- Dan Abnett 
Warhammer 40 K very gory, love it.


----------



## plan_D (Feb 13, 2008)

Interesting, Eco. I'll have to read up on them at some point, they certainly deserve Great Britains respect.


----------



## A4K (Feb 15, 2008)

At moment researching aircraft details more than reading as such at the moment, but have been rediscovering Terry Pratchett recently - he's written a heap of books since I last read him in NZ. Love those Discworld books!


----------



## ccheese (Mar 23, 2008)

Just started John Costello's "The Pacific War". The newly revealed 
history of the origins and conduct of World War II, in the Pacific, based
on hitherto secret archives.

Charles


----------



## Clave (Mar 23, 2008)

My parcels came - 11 new fantasy novels, I am a happy bunny...


----------



## plan_D (Mar 23, 2008)

I'm reading 3 Para... at the moment. 'bout 3 Para in Afghanistan 2006.


----------



## rochie (Mar 24, 2008)

plan_D said:


> I'm reading 3 Para... at the moment. 'bout 3 Para in Afghanistan 2006.



reading same book plan d how are you finding it


----------



## pbfoot (Mar 24, 2008)

Canadian Spitfire Piots volume 2


----------



## plan_D (Mar 24, 2008)

Excellent, Rochie. I'm only on chapter 5 at the moment but it's largely backing up what was said in Sniper One about military/civilian "co-operation" and the ability of our troops in the field - top notch. If you haven't read Sniper One, I would recommend it.


----------



## Freebird (Mar 24, 2008)

I finished reading Eisenhower's book "Crusade in Europe" not long ago. I also got De Gaulle's book but it was the wrong one, not about WWII but a bunch of {French} political stuff so I gave up. I found a book of Zhukov's memoirs today at a used book sale so that will be next. {if I can find time!}


----------



## rochie (Mar 25, 2008)

plan_D said:


> Excellent, Rochie. I'm only on chapter 5 at the moment but it's largely backing up what was said in Sniper One about military/civilian "co-operation" and the ability of our troops in the field - top notch. If you haven't read Sniper One, I would recommend it.



will look out for it am on chapter 14 of 3 para


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Mar 25, 2008)

Red Pheonix by Larry Bond


----------



## pbfoot (Mar 25, 2008)

DerAdlerIstGelandet said:


> Red Pheonix by Larry Bond


good book


----------



## Juha (Mar 26, 2008)

I'm rereading Ryan's A Bridge Too Far. I read it first time some 30-35 years ago. While reading it I'm cross-checking its info against Fürbringer's 9.SS-Panzer Division, Tieke's Im Feuersturm letzter Kriegsjahre, Zwarts' German Armoured Units at Arnhem, Delaforce's The Fighting Wessex Wyverns and Altes' Veld's The Forgotten Battle. Because of my system the reading is taking much more time but IMHO I'll get fuller picture on what really happened.

Juha


----------



## Cota1992 (Mar 26, 2008)

How the Irish saved Cilivilization :The untold story of Ireland's Heroic role from the fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe by Thomas Cahill

Just started this last week and so far I'm enjoying it but haven't gotten enough through it to really make a verdict yet.
Art in DC


----------



## A4K (Mar 27, 2008)

Terry Pratchett's 'Going postal' (in the Discworld series). Started well, so should be good.


----------



## timshatz (Mar 27, 2008)

"Retribution" by Max Hastings. About the end of the war in the Pacific. That and his book about Bomber Command in WW2. Hastings is a great writer, definitely enjoying his stuff.

Also, one about technical trading in financial markets and a book by John Keegan on the battle going on in Colleges over the History of the 2nd World War. 

I'm, as always, doing a lot of reading.


----------



## Clave (Mar 28, 2008)

Just finished Runes of the Earth by Stephen Donaldson, and Daughter of the Empire by Raymond E Feist and Janny Wurts.

Abour 1/3 through Servant of the Empire by the same authors, and a little way into (about 150 pages) Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan. 

I love my Fantasy/Scifi novels and could easily read 1,000 pages each week, but they would be gone all too soon, so I kind of 'ration' them out...


----------



## rochie (Mar 30, 2008)

just started white slave autobiography of marco pierre white the chef that made gorden ramsey cry


----------



## Gnomey (Mar 30, 2008)

A Game Ranger Remembers - Bruce Bryden - worked in Kruger for 27 years and then wrote his memoirs.

Just finished, Wilbur Smith - Blue Horizon (love this book and the author) as well as Clive Cussler - The Treasure of Kahn.


----------



## Heinz (Mar 31, 2008)

1984 - George Orwell

The Life and TImes of the Thunderbolt Kid - Bill Bryson

Made in America - Bill Bryson


----------



## Juha (Apr 5, 2008)

I completed the rereading of Ryan's A Bridge Too Far. Definitely worth of a reread, somewhat pro-Allied but surely not pro-Monty with reasonable amount of German material.

Now I'm reading Keskinen's and Stenman's Suomen Ilmavoimat/Finnish Air Force 1943, Volume V of bi-language history of FAF. Finnish/English text and captions, many good-size very well reproduced photos to those who gives much weight to photos. Very good book, much effort is put to try to obtain also the Soviet PoV of the air combats which I appreciate much. I would have liked more text with less pictures but that a question of tastes.

Juha


----------



## pbfoot (Apr 23, 2008)

The Right of the Line story of the RAF in Europe WW2 
its dry but informative 
talls why the RAF used the 303's etc


----------



## Marcel (Apr 23, 2008)

Just finished: "Im Westen nichts Neues" by Remarque. Really a classic, and easy to read as well, even in german.


----------



## C.Reilley (Oct 21, 2010)

Eco-81 said:


> The Few by Alex Kershaw
> About 8 American pilots during the Battle of Britan



Dear Readers,

I am Hugh William Reilley's son and have read the information published on your Web Site regarding him.

I have published a Memoriam to him as a Blog with the Web Address:-

Hugh Reilley

This gives complete and correct information regarding his service and background history.

I hope this will give you any missing information that you may find of interest.

Yours sincerely,


C.H.A.Reilley


----------



## Capt. Vick (Oct 21, 2010)

Just finished "We where soldiers once...and young" by Moore Galloway. Great read of a pivital battle in the Vietnam War. Heroic and yet sad at the same time... Recommended, though I imagine a good deal others have read it already.


----------



## RabidAlien (Oct 21, 2010)

Capt. Vick said:


> Just finished "We where soldiers once...and young" by Moore Galloway. Great read of a pivital battle in the Vietnam War. Heroic and yet sad at the same time... Recommended, though I imagine a good deal others have read it already.



Frikkin EXCELLENT book! Movie stuck to the book pretty well, too...the first half of the book, at any rate.


----------



## A4K (Oct 22, 2010)

The best of Roald Dahl

Alex, I read 'Made in America' once too - -great book!


----------



## Vassili Zaitzev (Dec 13, 2012)

Hope nobody minds I revive this thread. This is what I've read since May. Mind the typos.

"Mighty Fitz"-Michael Schumacher
"Gales of November"-Robert Hemming
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"-Frederick Stonehouse
"Ship Ablaze"- Edward O'Donnel
"Neptunes Inferno"- James D. Hornfischer
"Brotherhood of Heroes"-Bill Sloan
"Ship of Ghosts"- James D. Hornfischer
"Dunkirk: The Patriotic Myth"- Nicholas Harman
"The Death of the USS Thresher"- Norman Palmer
"Silent Steel"- Stephen P. Johnson
"Coronel and the Falklands"-Geoffery Bennett
"Disapperance of Flight 19"-Larry Kusche
"The Night lives on"-Walter Lord
"HMS Thetis: Secrets and Scandals"-David Roberts
"The Sea Shall Embrace Them"-David W. Shaw


----------



## BikerBabe (Dec 13, 2012)

Currently reading "Knud and Vera - A Stasi drama" by Mikael Busch, in danish, about the married couple Knud and Vera Wollenberger.
Knud Wollenberger worked for years as a secret informant for Stasi, the east German secret police, and at the same time betrayed his wife Vera all the time by spying and betraying in order to give Stasi a head start in their fight against Vera and her DDR dissident friends.


----------



## Njaco (Dec 13, 2012)

"The Last Lion: Winston Churchill" by William Manchester.


----------



## vikingBerserker (Dec 13, 2012)

"Fighter Group: The 352nd "Blue-Nosed Bastards" in World War II" by Lt Col Stout


----------



## Airframes (Dec 14, 2012)

Just finished reading Jay's excellent book 'Fighter Group', and currently re-reading part of 'The Most Dangerous Enemy'.


----------



## Capt. Vick (Dec 14, 2012)

Trying to finish-up Chris Shores third book in the "Bloody Shambles" trilogy IIRC "Air War Over Burma" just petered out after reading the first two, plodding along though...


----------



## Vassili Zaitzev (Dec 19, 2012)

Halfway through "Bitter Victory: The Death of HMAS Sydney"- Wesley Olson.


----------



## rochie (Dec 19, 2012)

the war in the air HG wells !


----------



## Airframes (Dec 20, 2012)

Half way through 'Camp Z' - fascinating account of the interrogation 'breakdown' of Rudolf Hess at Mytchett Place, after his flight to Scotland.


----------



## A4K (Dec 20, 2012)

The horse and his boy - C.S Lewis (from 'The Narnia Chronicles')

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Jack_Hill (Dec 20, 2012)

The shadow out of time, by H.P. Lovecraft.
A miscelany including the shadow out of time, the dream in the witch house, the call of Cthulhu and at the mountains of madness.
French translated this time, bit exhausted, but correct translation.
Brrrr, i love it !
Sad, dark, rainy weather : time to read again such perfect terrifying, tortured and imaginative novels.
Next, depending on weather, The colour out of space by H.P. Lovecraft again or The Charlemagne division, by Jean Mabire.


----------



## Njaco (Dec 20, 2012)

I have that book along with several others like "The Lurker at the Threshold". I didn't know anybody else read him anymore. I love Lovecraft! And nobody has been able to do a true movie representation of any of his books.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Dec 20, 2012)

The Vietnam Experience (Thunder From Above) by John Morrocco.


----------



## Jack_Hill (Dec 21, 2012)

Yes Njaco, movie adaptation of Lovecraft's writings is still considered impossible by many directors.
Like was "the Lord of the rings".
Until Peter Jackson proved it feasible.
I guess H.P. Lovecraft's work is still waiting for his own Peter Jackson.


----------



## Njaco (Dec 21, 2012)

I hope they find someone soon!


----------



## Wildcat (Jan 15, 2015)

"They gave me a Seafire" by "Mike" Crosley.


----------



## imalko (Jan 15, 2015)

"Murky Business" by Honore de Balzac.


----------



## Wayne Little (Jan 17, 2016)

No one avoided Danger attack on NAS Kanehoe i got the other day, good reading so far.


----------



## rochie (Jan 17, 2016)

About to start Game of thrones books i got for xmas, also my neighbour has lent me some ww2 stuff.
To the victor the spoils is one


----------



## Capt. Vick (Jan 17, 2016)

"The other Pearl Harbor " - Skip to the end and read the epilogue. Did not care for the way it was written. More historical fiction with made-up dialog, until the end.


----------



## IdahoRenegade (Feb 3, 2016)

I'm working on a couple right now. Re-reading Warren Bodie's book on the P-38, and just started Ben Kelsey's book "The Dragon's Teeth" about the state of the aircraft industry before and during the war.


----------



## GrauGeist (Feb 4, 2016)

Capt. Vick said:


> "The other Pearl Harbor " - Skip to the end and read the epilogue. Did not care for the way it was written. More historical fiction with made-up dialog, until the end.


Basis for the movie, perhaps?


----------



## Capt. Vick (Feb 4, 2016)

Hahahaha! I guess it's a case of been there and done that huh? But I actually liked the recent Pearl Harbor movie.


----------



## Capt. Vick (Feb 4, 2016)

Kamikaze Attacks of World War II: A Complete History of Japanese Suicide Strikes on American Ships, by Aircraft and Other Means by Robin L. Rielly (Author)

So far it appears comprehensive with a bunch of information that I did not know or realize before. My one possible criticism is that the writing is clunky in a few parts, THOUGH it may actually be me as I tend to read just before bed and I may just be sleepy.


----------



## Marcel (Feb 4, 2016)

The one that got away. About Lt von Werra, one of the few Germans to successfully escape from a prisoner of war camp.


----------



## Wayne Little (Feb 5, 2016)

finnished this one, No one avoided Danger attack on NAS Kanehoe, rather enjoyed, some very interesting info....goes hand in hand with the Kate i am building, which led the bombing attack on NAS Kanehoe.


----------



## Capt. Vick (Feb 5, 2016)

Will have to check that one out Mr. Little. Thanks.


----------



## imalko (Feb 19, 2016)

"The October Horse: A Novel of Caesar and Cleopatra" by Colleen McCullough.


----------



## leons (Mar 25, 2017)

Just finished up The Pacific, by Hugh Ambrose for the 2nd time. I recommend reading the book 1st then watch the mini series, actually
both are very good.
L*S

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## buffnut453 (Mar 26, 2017)

"To The Last Round" by Andrew Salmon. Story of the Brit 29th Brigade, including the "Glorious Glosters" at the Battle of the Imjin, 1951. Only just started but was hooked from the intro. The author has done his homework and it's very well written. Likely to become the definitive history of this incredible, but forgotten, last-stand battle. Wish they'd make a film of it.


----------



## Zippythehog (Mar 26, 2017)

I recently finished George Burling's book, Malta Spitfire. It's an interesting look at the siege of Malta from a firsthand perspective.


----------



## Clave (Apr 8, 2017)

Back on the Wheel of Time series now - for the 3rd time I think...

14 x Lord of the Rings sized novels means that you never remember _everything _that happened...


----------



## Wurger (Apr 8, 2017)

Just found some of spare time for reading "Witold Urbanowicz's memories"

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Gabelschwanz_Teufel (Apr 26, 2017)

Heinz said:


> Various at the moment
> The Lake in the woods - Tim O'brien about a Vietnam Vet
> 
> Is History Fiction - Two Australian Doctors talking about historians slanting history to fit their own beliefs
> ...




Ah...I love Tim O'Brien and have read just about all his stuff. And of course "The Things They Carried" is arguably the best-ever book about Vietnam. "The Lake" is also an awesome book, I felt, and to me was very different for O'Brien. It almost had some horror novel qualities to it, in a very subtle way. I might have to re-read it one of these days, as your post reminded me of how much I enjoyed it. I look forward to discussing it with you when you finish, if you like. As it does have a sort of open ending that is up to personal interpretation. Thanks!


----------



## Gabelschwanz_Teufel (Apr 26, 2017)

I just finished "A Higher Call"--which is the true story of an incredible incident between an American B-17 pilot and a German Me-109 fighter pilot during WWII. Wow! One of the best and most inspirational books I have ever read on WWII. Or, really, in any subject. Highly recommended, and I would almost term it a 'must read' for any WWII Warbird buff.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Bernhart (May 8, 2017)

wounded by Emily Mayhew, about treatment of wounded during ww 1. Goes from battle field all the way to recovery hospitals in England

Reactions: Informative Informative:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## AMCKen (Jan 31, 2018)

Major Piston Engines of World War II by Victor Bingham. Only a few errors found so far.


----------



## Wayne Little (Feb 3, 2018)

Reading this one at the moment....some good reading so far......


----------



## Wayne Little (Apr 3, 2018)

Pacific Air War Vol.1 done, a great read, recommended Guys if you see it around....


----------



## Airframes (Apr 3, 2018)

Reading this at the moment, skipping back and forward.
It's a lot better than some reviews make out, with quite a lot of info on KG3 and KG53, the training and method of release, the aircraft, and the system and equipment fitted for air launching the V1, including detail not normally seen in the photos most widely published, which is useful for modellers.
Interesting, as there are a couple of local connections, where V1s landed not far from where I live, the craters of some still being visible.
And I also learned that some of these missiles contained a cardboard tube, launched from the tail, which held propaganda leaflets and / or copies of 'Signal' magazine. - so learned something.
Worth a read, and as I found it at a bargain price, in hard-back, I'm happy enough with it.


----------



## Jock Tamson (Jan 17, 2019)

Gun Button to Fire by Tom Neil.

Great read so far about the authors experiences flying Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain. 

Cheers Greg


----------



## Wurger (Jan 17, 2019)




----------



## Mustanglimey (May 26, 2021)

Just finished Virginia and the Kidd, blends historical fact with a fictional romance with news correspondent Virginia Irwin.
Loved it, especially as the 4th FG is of particular interest to me and Debden quite local.
His famous dog Duke is with him all the way!


----------



## Capt. Vick (May 26, 2021)

About half way through and it's pretty good, if one can even say that about the retelling of a national tragedy.


----------



## Mustanglimey (May 26, 2021)

One man airforce. Read it...well it’s short, more of a flick through. Loved every bit of it though.
Still want to pickup the paperback.
Just starting another 4th FG book.
Delayed Legacy.


----------



## Mustanglimey (Jun 17, 2021)

Just finished Happy Jack’s Go Buggy.
Nice old feel to it as written in 1946, although not published till 8.
Just starting “The Flying Greek”
Steve Pisanos 4th FG who was based at Debden not far from me.


----------



## space dodo (Jun 17, 2021)

terry pratchetts discworld novels


----------



## DBII (Aug 21, 2021)

Found this one at a used book store and had to get it. Just starting in, not bad so far.


----------



## rob23 (Aug 22, 2021)

Just started Race of Aces about Bong, McGuire and even Lindbergh in the SW Pacific.


----------

