Book reading!

[al_zaine]

Got any good book recommendations, something that's got some war strategy, famous/memorable missions, heroic accomplishments. They can be fiction or non-fiction, preferably non fiction. Maybe something that will teach more than entertain.
I appreciate any response, thank you.

 

[Bitburger]

Berlin The downfall 1945 by Antony Beevor

ISBN 0-140-28696-9
The true story of the battle of Berlin, awesome read

 

[True Blue Jack]

Got any good book recommendations, something that's got some war strategy, famous/memorable missions, heroic accomplishments. They can be fiction or non-fiction, preferably non fiction. Maybe something that will teach more than entertain.
I appreciate any response, thank you.

There are so many to choose from I hardly know where to begin. I'm currently reading 'Masters and Commanders' by Andrew Roberts. It looks at the relationships between wartime politicians and generals, in this case Churchill, Roosevelt, Brooke and Marshall. It amazes me how many of the debates, discussions and arguments that took place 70 years ago have been repeated in various newspaper articles, internal briefing notes and e-goat threads in recent months.

 

[Realist78]

There are so many to choose from I hardly know where to begin. I'm currently reading 'Masters and Commanders' by Andrew Roberts. It looks at the relationships between wartime politicians and generals, in this case Churchill, Roosevelt, Brooke and Marshall. It amazes me how many of the debates, discussions and arguments that took place 70 years ago have been repeated in various newspaper articles, internal briefing notes and e-goat threads in recent months.

How else do we keep wheel component manufacturers in business?

 

[al_zaine]

Has anyone heard of The Password is Courage by John Castle or even the person it's based on Charles Coward.
I went to my local library today to have a nose at some of the war books and this was literally the first one I picked up. As I read through the first couple of pages to get an idea of it I was astonished to find Lower Edmonton, London printed within the text. I was literally in lower Edmonton!!!! I live in Upper Edmonton. Seriously out of probably 50-70 books in front of me this little book stood out and was the first I considered and it was about a guy from where I live.... What are the odds!!!!!
P.S. Thanks for the recommendations, I will certainly get my hands on them.

 

[Dragoon]

Total War 2006, by Simon Pearson.

Good book about what would likely happen if Tommy Taliban got his act in gear and decided to do joint strikes around the globe, with the help of some naughty Russkies, and crippling NATO.

Was written by an ex-Wing Commander IIRC, and he got in some hot water about publishing it.

Has an interesting attack on Brize Norton, which, when you read it, I'm surprised nobody has tried before given it's simplicity.

Havent read it for years, I leant it to a mate who never gave it back.

(Phil, if you're out there, I want my book back!!! DT_Xtremez_14

 

[al_zaine]

I've just come across this thread which also offers some books to read so if anyone else is interested you can find more here...>
http://www.e-goat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=16746
Again, thanks for the selection so far!
DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[Tashy_Man]

Have recently finished "Jungle Soldier": The True Story of Freddy Spencer Chapman by Brian Moynahan.

Really enjoyable read about his life (and what a life !). A true hero.

Crack on..............DT_Xtremez_09:

 

[Little Tronk]

Try "we were soldiers". Just goes to show how Hollywood can make a near disaster into to a heroic victory for uncle sam. It is to be fair a better book than film.

 

[vim_fuego]

Try this:

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/3334122/Wings-on-My-Sleeve/Product.html

He is the only man alive who has flown every major (and most minor) combat aircraft of the Second World War as well as all the early jets. Speaking perfect German, he went to Germany in 1945 to test the Nazi jets, interviewing (among others) Hermann Goering and Hanna Reitsch. He flew the suicidally dangerous Me 163 rocket plane, and tested the first British jets.

And the much publicised recently:

http://www.acampbell.ukfsn.org/bookreviews/r/wellum.html

Still a schoolboy in 1939, he applied to join the Royal Air Force and was accepted. Within a few months he was training to be a pilot, and a year later he was flying a Spitfire in the Battle of Britain. This book is both a brilliant description of aerial combat and a memoir of a youth's forced maturation from boyhood to manhood under the stress of war.

 

[252]

Try this:




And the much publicised recently:

http://www.acampbell.ukfsn.org/bookreviews/r/wellum.html

I am a bit of a WW2 anorak with about 1500 titles of which about 600 are autobiography and i have to say the above is up there with the very best.
Most are out of print now but if anybody is looking for anything in particular feel free to ask me,if ive got it i will post it to you(for a loan)

They used to take pride of place on 8 very large shelves that ran the entire lenth of both sides of my living room,but Mrs 252 has now relegated them to the loft in our new house.

Its not an unexhaustive collection but it is nearly 3 times the size of Dundees Main LibraryDT_Xtremez_19:

 

[Dragoon]

I've been reading 'Flights of Passage' by Samuel Hynes recently, and it's a very descriptive account of his training, his subsequent deployment, and thoughts and fears as he was becoming a very young Marine Officer Reservist in WW2's Pacific theatre.

He talks about how he never really feels a military man, as he, and the others with him were so young, all very early twenties. All they wanted to do was go out and party when they could, but they also had a strong passion for wanting to get involved in the War before it was over.

He also goes on to show that is seems military women 'put themselves out' a lot more than current WRAF's seem to do, one story he gives is a WREN took a weeks leave to stay in a hotel and sell her body!

 

[gemarriott]

Killer Angels by Michael Shaarah terrific fictional account of the Gettysburg campaign written through the eyes of the participants. Pretty true to history too. Excellent read

 

[John Lloyd]

Commando War Comics, All you ever need to know

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Commando-High-Explosive-Limited-Box/dp/1847327036/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310292295&sr=1-9

A snip at £33.00

 

[icarus]

Summertime is for light reading, nothing to heavy. Give 'Meltdown' by Ben Elton a try, its his latest fiction encompassing a tale on a group of friends two of which are an MP and a banking CEO who both meet their come uppance over expenses and the financial crisis. On these long hot summer days its just the ticket to bring a a smile to your chops.

 

[ninjarabbi]

Try 'Ghormenghast' by Mervyn Peake. Incredibly hard to get into but once you do it is well worth it and very hard to put down. For an excellent read about the stupidity of Americans and their overseas adventures try 'Imperial Life in the Emerald City' by Rajiv Chandrarasekaran. A fascinating insight into how the Yanks completely failed to sort out post-war Iraq.

 

[spike7451]

I'm currently reading 'Hidden Soldier' by Padraig O'Keeffe.Excellent read & follows him from a 17 year old cook in a Eire hotel to the Legion & then onto Iraq & Afghan as a security contractor.

Highly recommend it! Bargain Books has it in at £5.

http://www.obrien.ie/book712.cfm

 

[Jim_P_Pulfrew]

Vulcan 607 is a cracking read about the Black Buck Raids on Port Stanley. Then read Phoenix Sqn by the same author (Rowland White) which covers a Buccaneer 'Show of Force' off Ark Royal over Belize.

I am told that his latest offering, about the Battle at Mirbat - Storm Front, is his best offering yet. It is on my to read list as I thoroughly enjoyed his first two.

Jimps

 

[justintime129]

Vulcan 607 is a cracking read about the Black Buck Raids on Port Stanley. Then read Phoenix Sqn by the same author (Rowland White) which covers a Buccaneer 'Show of Force' off Ark Royal over Belize

I am told that his latest offering, about the Battle at Mirbat - Storm Front, is his best offering yet. It is on my to read list as I thoroughly enjoyed his first two.

Jimps

Reading storm front at the moment it's as good as the last two. I wonder if he has any other stories in the pipeline.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[chief remf]

Depending upon what period of history you fancy try these:

Hell Riders by Terry Brighton covers the charge of the Light Brigade and how successful it could have been. Personal accounts that defy belief 'A lancer asked if he could pull up from the charge as he had his arm blown off. I agreed' or something like that.

Tail End Charlies - Accounts of Bomber crews in the end of the second world war.

Zulu by Saul David. Excellent account of the Zulu wars. Including the invention of the concentration camp!