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Thread: Books We Read/Listen To

  1. #271
    Quote Originally Posted by USS Utah View Post
    Books I have read in the last seven months:

    13 Hours: The Inside Account of what Really Happened in Benghazi by Mitchell Zuckoff with the Annex Security Team.

    The Centennial History of the American Civil War: Vol. I, The Coming Fury by Bruce Catton.
    I just bought these two books based on your analysis. Thanks for those great reviews, I always know I can find some good history / military history books in this thread because of you!

  2. #272
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Books We Read/Listen To

    Quote Originally Posted by OrangeUte View Post
    I just bought these two books based on your analysis. Thanks for those great reviews, I always know I can find some good history / military history books in this thread because of you!
    Bruce Catton's Centennial History of the Civil War trilogy is terrific. The subject has always fascinated me -- Americans at war with other Americans.
    Last edited by LA Ute; 04-23-2016 at 04:14 PM.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  3. #273
    Quote Originally Posted by OrangeUte View Post
    In case anyone is interested. These are the books we have read and discussed.

    1. Gilead by Marilyn Robinson http://www.amazon.com/Gilead-Novel-M...eywords=gilead
    2. The River of Doubt by Candace Millard http://www.amazon.com/River-Doubt-Th...river+of+doubt
    3. East of Eden by John Steinbeck http://www.amazon.com/East-Penguin-T...s=east+of+eden
    4. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay http://www.amazon.com/Power-One-Nove...s=power+of+one
    5. The Razor's Edge by M. Somerset Maugham http://www.amazon.com/Razors-Edge-W-...razor%27s+edge
    6. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl http://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Me...ch+for+meaning
    7. Tenth of December by George Saunders http://www.amazon.com/Tenth-December...th+of+December
    8. Angle of Repose (link above)
    9. ???

    Number 9 is pending. It is more difficult that one would ever expect to choose a book that you have to lead a meaningful discussion on.
    We are reading A River Runs Through It And Other Stories by Norman MacLean for the 9th book. http://www.amazon.com/River-Through-...uns+through+it

    Fantastic and a quick read. Beautiful and poetic and philosophical. I have never read it but am going through it a second time. The other stories in the book are great also, but obviously not as well-known.

  4. #274
    Quote Originally Posted by OrangeUte View Post
    We are reading A River Runs Through It And Other Stories by Norman MacLean for the 9th book. http://www.amazon.com/River-Through-...uns+through+it

    Fantastic and a quick read. Beautiful and poetic and philosophical. I have never read it but am going through it a second time. The other stories in the book are great also, but obviously not as well-known.
    It's been so long since I last read it, but there are a lot of gems in there. Especially if one has a family member that has been challenging to trust due to a history of poor decisions.

    If you've never read MacLean's Young Men and Fire, I would recommend that one, as well.

  5. #275
    Quote Originally Posted by Dwight Schr-Ute View Post
    It's been so long since I last read it, but there are a lot of gems in there. Especially if one has a family member that has been challenging to trust due to a history of poor decisions.

    If you've never read MacLean's Young Men and Fire, I would recommend that one, as well.
    The discussion on River Runs Through it was great. Norman Maclean wrote one for the ages in only 105 pages. I have ordered Young Men and Fire at your recommendation and am looking forward to reading it.

    As for the book club, we are now moving on to book #10.

    10. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, http://www.amazon.com/Fahrenheit-451...fahrenheit+451

  6. #276
    I don't know if it's been recommended by a couple of the more informed posters about WWII and Civil War literature but Target Tokyo by James M. Scott. is a terrific read. Just finished it. I've read shorter accounts of the Doolittle raid. This one is terrific. It's just short of 500 pages with an additional 100+ pages dedicated to sources. High recommendation.

  7. #277
    Fahrenheit 451 is pretty awesome. It is over 50 years old and some of the technology he envisioned has come and gone. Science Fiction is always fun to read/watch and see how much it gets right about technological advancement.

    The book's tone on the dumbing down of society is amazing and relevant, as is the idea of governmental control. It still resonates.

    11. The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor, https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Stor...ery+o%27connor

  8. #278
    Quote Originally Posted by OrangeUte View Post
    11. The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor, https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Stor...ery+o%27connor
    I once got singled out by a professor for my essay on "Good Country People." Something about not always being good and sometimes being just plain salty. Enjoy!

  9. #279
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OrangeUte View Post
    11. The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor, https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Stor...ery+o%27connor
    I downloaded this to my Kindle and am reading it now. She is such an interesting author. I am still getting used to her.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  10. #280
    Summer Read - "The Cartel" by Don Winslow. Quite a read. One of those can't put down summer novels. You do learn quite a bit about how the drug operations ran or are running in Mexico. Winslow used research done over many years. The book was preceded by "The Power of the Dog" which I did not read but the central characters of the book are introduced there. Pretty amazing to think about what happened in Juarez from 2006 to 2012 which is basically the time period the book covers. Definite R rating if books were movies. A helluva read.

  11. #281
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    I so enjoyed the "Poldark" series on Masterpiece that I started reading the books. I'm enjoying them tremendously. Winston Graham is a good storyteller and creator of characters. Highly recommended.

    The second season of "Poldark" begins on PBS Sept. 25. Spouses will enjoy watching it together. I am sure PBS will broadcast the first season again beforehand, if anyone wants to catch up.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  12. #282
    I just finished the book called Red Seas Under Red Skies, a fantasy novel, and am now reading through Chernow's book about Alexander Hamilton.

  13. #283
    Quote Originally Posted by OrangeUte View Post
    Fahrenheit 451 is pretty awesome. It is over 50 years old and some of the technology he envisioned has come and gone. Science Fiction is always fun to read/watch and see how much it gets right about technological advancement.

    The book's tone on the dumbing down of society is amazing and relevant, as is the idea of governmental control. It still resonates.

    11. The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor, https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Stor...ery+o%27connor

    Discussion of Flannery O'Connor was good. I enjoyed her stories quite a bit. Very religious themes, but they are great for discussion and thought.

    12. Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, Ben Fountain. https://www.amazon.com/Billy-Lynns-L...+halftime+walk

    I am about half finished with it and absolutely love it.

    I also just finished this book, which Steelblue describes as Twain meets Tarantino. I was hugely entertained by the book. It has a great cast of characters (including John Brown) and culminates with the Raid on Harper's Ferry. It is a re-telling of Brown and his "army" starting in Kansas during the slave wars and ends with Harper's Ferry. Wonderfully written, clever, laugh out loud funny, and moving. I highly recommend it. https://www.amazon.com/Good-Lord-Bir...good+lord+bird

  14. #284
    Quote Originally Posted by ironman1315 View Post
    I just finished the book called Red Seas Under Red Skies, a fantasy novel, and am now reading through Chernow's book about Alexander Hamilton.
    I read Hamilton years ago and recently picked it back up. It is going to be up next for me after I finish this little doozy, which I am really enjoying. https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Be-Jerk-...%27t+be+a+jerk

  15. #285
    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    I once got singled out by a professor for my essay on "Good Country People." Something about not always being good and sometimes being just plain salty. Enjoy!
    That was probably my favorite story. Well worth a re-reading. I know there was a deeper meaning, but frankly I found the story to be hilarious.

  16. #286
    Has anyone read "American Gods"? Came out in 2001 and the author is set to release a book about Norse Mythology in 2017, so I'm intrigued.
    “It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”

    Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

  17. #287
    Quote Originally Posted by DrumNFeather View Post
    Has anyone read "American Gods"? Came out in 2001 and the author is set to release a book about Norse Mythology in 2017, so I'm intrigued.
    I have. Really liked it. Gaiman is a great author.

  18. #288
    Quote Originally Posted by OrangeUte View Post
    Discussion of Flannery O'Connor was good. I enjoyed her stories quite a bit. Very religious themes, but they are great for discussion and thought.

    12. Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, Ben Fountain. https://www.amazon.com/Billy-Lynns-L...+halftime+walk

    I am about half finished with it and absolutely love it.
    Billy Lynn is a great book. It'll make you think twice about how you show appreciation for our soldiers. It is being made into a movie by Ang Lee. Can't wait.

    13. Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven https://www.amazon.com/dp/0804172447..._zelaybTRXWZ18

    I'm also looking for some advice. I want to read all the king's men. Apparently there is a restored edition which changes willie stark's name back to willie talos, which was the authors original name for him, and combines some chapters etc. supposedly it goes back to what was written before editors made it more suitable for the 1940s reading audience.

    Anyone read both versions? Not sure whether to get the restored or original version or if it even matters.

  19. #289
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Books We Read/Listen To

    "American Ulysses: A Life of U.S. Grant," by Ronald C. White. Just started. Looks great.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  20. #290
    Quote Originally Posted by OrangeUte View Post
    Billy Lynn is a great book. It'll make you think twice about how you show appreciation for our soldiers. It is being made into a movie by Ang Lee. Can't wait.

    13. Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven https://www.amazon.com/dp/0804172447..._zelaybTRXWZ18
    Station Eleven is a really good book. One theme of the book is not "sleepwalking" your way through life. Very good message!

    14. All The Kings Men, Robert Warren Penn. After this election I am really looking forward to reading this book.

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/0156012952..._siviybXMSDYAK

  21. #291
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    Kind of late to this thread, and I didn't want to go through 11 pages of comments, so I don't know if this book has been mentioned, but yesterday I finished Beyond the Call: The True Story of One World War II Pilot's Covert Mission to Rescue POW's on the Eastern Front.

    I read a lot of WW2 and other military history books, and this is one of the most fascinating stories I've ever read. I highly recommend it.

  22. #292
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 401k Ute View Post
    Kind of late to this thread, and I didn't want to go through 11 pages of comments, so I don't know if this book has been mentioned, but yesterday I finished Beyond the Call: The True Story of One World War II Pilot's Covert Mission to Rescue POW's on the Eastern Front.

    I read a lot of WW2 and other military history books, and this is one of the most fascinating stories I've ever read. I highly recommend it.
    It's on my list now, thanks to you!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  23. #293
    Books I have read in the last 8 months:

    The Course of Empire by Bernard DeVoto. The Spanish came for easy treasure to maintain a failing empire. The French came for furs, and the British came to take the fur business away from the French. At the same time, all three nations were searching for a new water route across the continent to the Pacific and to Asia. Myth and fantasy, mistaken interpretations and false hopes put mistaken data on charts and maps. The hopes for the River of the West, the Western Sea, the Passage to India, or the Northwest Passage, were not dashed until Lewis and Clark ascended the Missouri River to find the Rocky Mountains in their way. There was a River of the West, the great Columbia, but there was no easy portage between it and the Missouri. Future generations, first the mountain men, and then the pioneers, would find and take land routes to the west. Meanwhile, while men still searched for the mythical water route, the world turned upside down, first with the British defeat of the French, and then with the American War for Independence.

    This is the third book in a trilogy of the West by DeVoto, which was published in a reverse order. The first book, The Year of Decision, covered a period of two years, following several groups that went west on the Oregon Trail in 1846-47, as well as the War with Mexico. The second book, Across the Wide Missouri, followed fur trappers and mountain men during the 1830s, covering a period of seven years. The Course of Empire covers a period of 278 years, a monumental task. The principle themes of the third book are the geography of North America and the ideas which men had about that geography; the exploration of the U.S. and Canada as it related to the discovery of a route to the Pacific Ocean; and the contention of four empires for what is now the western U.S.

    All three books are fantastic.

    Bismarck: The Final Days of Germany's Greatest Battleship by Niklas Zetterling and Michael Tamelander. Only once during World War I did the Germany fleet leave port to challenge the Royal Navy. While the Germans sank many British ships at the Battle of Jutland, they failed to break the blockade, and they would not make another attempt. In World War II, the Germans were aware that they did not have a surface fleet capable of challenging the Royal Navy, which actions of Norway in April 1940 served to confirm. It has been said that the Battle of Britain was partially won off Norway as the losses suffered by the Kriegsmarine all but eliminated the possibility of a cross channel invasion. In the face of these problems, the commanders of Germany's surface fleet had to find a purpose and a strategy for their ships and they came up with something they called "cruiser warfare." They would send surface ships out into the Atlantic to sink merchant shipping and hopefully bring Britain to its knees.

    During 1939-40, a handful of ships already at see when the war broke out, such as Graf Spee, sank a few ships, but the real test of cruiser warfare came when Scharnhorst and Gneisenau broke out into the Atlantic in early 1941. The results were disappointing, but it was hoped that lessons learned could be applied when Germany's greatest ship broke out into the Atlantic. Instead, the battleship Bismarck ran into Hood and Prince of Wales in the Denmark Strait. While he (the Bismarck's captain insisted that his mighty ship be referred to as he instead of she) sank Hood, a few hits from Prince of Wales caused just enough damage to send Bismarck running for port in France. The chase was on.

    Excellent.

    The Race by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott. In 1909, newspaper magnate Preston Whiteway sponsors an air race across the United States from New York to San Fransisco; he is also sponsoring the aviatrix he hopes will win the race, Josephine Josephs, America's Sweetheart of the Air. But there are a few problems. First of all, Josephine's husband, Harry Frost has killed the inventor of her airplane, and is out to kill her as well. Whiteway hires the Van Dorn detective agency and its chief investigator Isaac Bell to protect Josephine and to find Harry Frost. Along the way, Bell finds that there is more going on than meets the eye.

    Excellent.

    A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam by Lewis Sorely. I have been saying in recent years that we did not do counterinsurgency in Vietnam -- outside of the Marine Corps' Combined Action Platoons -- but it turns out that I was wrong. Under the command of General Creighton Abrams from 1968 to 1972, U.S. forces put an enormous effort into what was then called Pacification, and achieved significant results. After early 1969, the Viet Cong ceased to be a major factor in the war, and by 1972-75 were almost a complete non-factor, something the North Vietnamese acknowledged -- and possibly even trumpeted after the fall of Saigon.

    Four years ago I read a book about the Battle of Midway which completely changed the way the battle was viewed. Ever since I have been using Shattered Sword as an example of why history is never done. I can add another example with Lewis Sorley's A Better War about General Creighton Abram's years in command in Vietnam. The predominant view of the Vietnam War today appears to be based largely on the years during which Westmoreland was in command. The Four years under Abrams have been all but ignored by historians, journalists and others.

    The US did just about everything wrong while Westmoreland was in command. But under the leadership of Abrams we did things differently and achieved different results. The US defeated the VC, which was no longer a factor in the war after mid-1969, something the North Vietnamese made clear themselves. Next, The US forced the North to change its strategy from relying on popular uprisings in response to Tet-like offensives to a more conventional attack as exhibited in both 1972 and 1975. Next, The US forced the North to the peace table where it agreed to a war ending treaty. By any definition, this is called victory. But that victory was squandered by decisions made in Paris and Washington.

    Sorely's book is fantastic, very readable and makes a very strong case.

    The Coming of the Third Reich by Richard J. Evans. This British historian examines the the history of Germany starting with Otto Bismarck down to the appointment of Hitler as Reich Chancellor and the creation over the next few months of a one party state under Nazi control. This is the first of three volumes on the Third Reich by Evans, with the next two being The Third Reich in Power and The Third Reich at war. One thing that made Hitler's rise to power possible was the desire of many Germans during the years of the Weimar Republic for a return to a strong leader such as Bismarck or the Kaiser. The next thing that made it possible was the Great Depression. Finally, Hitler's predecessors made mistakes which the Nazis would capitalize on.

    Excellent.

    The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class 228 by Dick Couch. The author, a former SEAL, graduate of BUD/S Class 45 in 1969, was allowed to follow Class 228 through Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training which started on October 4, 1999 and completed on April 21, 2000. Ninety-eight men started the training, 20 men finished, but a few of those 20 had started with earlier classes and had their training interrupted for medical reasons. From indoctrination, through Hell Week, diving and demolitions training to field exercises, BUD/S pushes every man to their limit, some push through it, more ring the bell and fall by the wayside. Those who graduate, then, are among the best, but they are not yet SEALs. The SEAL Trident must still be earned after continued training in the SEAL Teams.

    Very good.

    The Black Sheep: The Definitive Account of Marine Fighting Squadron 214 in World War II by Bruce Gamble. Thanks to a highly inaccurate television series, VMF-214 might be the most famous fighter squadron of the Second World War -- certainly the most famous American squadron. But Greg Boyington's Black Sheep are only part of the real story of the squadron which was first stood up on July 1, 1942 at Ewa Field on Oahu, Hawaii. The squadron flew two tours in the southern Solomons from Guadalcanal and then Banika in the Russell Islands -- on that second tour they were known as the Swashbucklers, having just transitioned from the F4F Wildcat to the new F4U Corsair. After that second tour, while the pilots were enjoying a week in Australia, their squadron number was given to a new group of replacement pool pilots put together by Boyington, who would become the famed Black Sheep as they ran up a high score of enemy aircraft destroyed. The Black Sheep would be scattered after Boyington was shot down over Rabaul. The third incarnation of VMF-214 was organized in Southern California and sent to war aboard the carrier USS Franklin (CV-13) for what would prove to be a very short combat tour.

    Excellent.

    Cain at Gettysburg by Ralph Peters. This is a historical novel of the Battle of Gettysburg that takes a very different approach from Michael Shaara's classic The Killer Angels. "Shaara's skillful writing, mythic portraits, and romantic view of the battle make it incomparable," write Peters. Cain at Gettysburg is anything but romantic, exhibiting a bloodier battlefield. Here General Lee makes the classic mistake of underestimating his opponent, General Meade, and overestimating his own army. (Lee appears to have suffered from what the Japanese would later call Victory Disease.) But the true villain of Gettysburg is a politician turned general, Dan Sickles, who very nearly cost the Union the victory on the second day of battle. Wounded in that fight, Sickles is hurried to Washington; beating all other reports from the field he is able to poison the well against the true victor, George Gordon Meade, with his version of the fight. Thus, Lincoln brings in Grant to command all Union armies because he couldn't fully believe in Meade -- fortunately, Grant knew that he could not do without Meade.

    Excellent.

    Whirlwind: The American Revolution and the War that Won It by John Ferling. A excellent history of the revolution and the war. Ferling is clearly a master of the subject as he demonstrates how the politics changed the war, and how the war changed the politics. What started out as a conflict with hopes for reconciliation became a war for Independence. But the revolution did not end with victory in war, but continued as a Republic was created with freedom and liberty for more than just a favored few, for an aristocracy. Ferling concludes his history with the Treaty of Paris and the reactions to it, but it is clear from his narrative that the new nation was moving into just another phase of the revolution. The accounts of the politics from the Stamp Act, to the Intolerable Acts, to the Tea Act, to London's decision to use force, to the decision of the Second Continental Congress to declare independence are very well done, as are the accounts of the military campaigns, from Boston, to New York, Saratoga, and Britain's southern campaign which would lead to surrender at Yorktown. Every American should stood study the revolution.

    Fantastic.

    The Terrible Hours by Peter Maas. In May 1939, the submarine USS Squalus sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic during a test dive. Thirty members of her crew survived, but were trapped in the forward part of the her hull. The U.S. Navy called on Commander Charles "Swede" Momsen to lead the rescue and salvage attempt, thus beginning a race against time. Momsen, a qualified submarine and diver had invented a diving bell and breathing apparatus after previous submarine accidents in which there were no survivors.

    Fantastic.

    Hell's Angels: The True Story of the 303rd Bomb Group in World War II by Jay A. Stout. It is remembered today that a B-17 Flying Fortress named the Memphis Belle was the first bomber in the U.S. Eight Air Force to complete 25 missions, this is so largely because William Wyler made a documentary featuring the Memphis Belle. In fact, a B-17 with the 303rd Heavy Bombardment Group name Hell's Angels, though unheralded, was the first bomber to complete 25 missions. That airplane inspired the name given to the 303rd during the war. Stout, a combat aviator in his own right, follows the 303rd from inception to VE-Day.

    Great.

    The Gray Man by Mark Greaney. Before co-authoring Jack Ryan novels with Tom Clancy, and subsequently taking over the series, Greaney was already an accomplished author. His creation is the Gray Man, an assassin for hire. Courtland Gentry is a good man, but one who lurks in the shadows. He worked for the CIA until the agency burned him, now he works as a private contractor. Having just completed a job, there are powerful people who want revenge, and Court Gentry's head on a platter.

    Excellent.

    The Astronaut Wives Club by Lilly Koppel. I am a sucker for anything to do with the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo projects, and this book provides a unique look at the space race, as seen through the eyes of those married to the men sent into space. Starting with the Mercury Seven and following through the Apollo 17 mission, the author follows the wives through triumph and tragedy.

    Very Good.

    Aces High: The Heroic Saga of the Two Top-Scoring American Aces of World War II by Bill Yenne. Dick Bong and Tommy McGuire were skilled fighter pilots who got caught up in a Race of Aces promoted by the USAAF, the commander of the Fifth Air Force and the media. Bong was allowed to freelance in order to run up his score, but after reaching the round number of 40 aerial victories he was sent home, for good. McGuire was just two victories behind Bong when he took off on his last mission, never to return.

    Excellent.
    "It'd be nice to please everyone but I thought it would be more interesting to have a point of view." -- Oscar Levant

  24. #294
    Quote Originally Posted by OrangeUte View Post
    Station Eleven is a really good book. One theme of the book is not "sleepwalking" your way through life. Very good message!

    14. All The Kings Men, Robert Warren Penn. After this election I am really looking forward to reading this book.

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/0156012952..._siviybXMSDYAK
    I loved all the kings men. Brilliant.

    15. The Old Man And The Sea. Ernest Hemingway.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/06848...vdL&ref=plSrch

  25. #295
    man, you are prolific! I just bought whirlwind on your recommendation, USS Utah.

    I just started in on an old history of the frontier series by Aaron Eckert. First book is the Frontiersmen and it is awesome. https://www.amazon.com/Frontiersmen-...e+frontiersman

    Also am finishing a very interesting book on the Oregon trail by a guy who recently travelled it with his brother in a covered wagon. Rinker Buck is the author/pioneer/re-enactor. it was a very fun and also informative book. He blends in a lot of history to his narrative. history on the trail but also on mules, covered wagons - it is all very very interesting. https://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Trail-...ds=rinker+buck

  26. #296
    I just started Stephen Ambrose' book on Crazy Horse and Custer. Not that far into it, but already very interesting.
    “It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”

    Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

  27. #297
    that is one that I haven't read, but have sitting on a shelf. I am going through a bit of a "frontier" phase in my reading right now, and will get to the last 1800s soon, so please let me know how you like it.

  28. #298
    OrangeUte,
    I can add a personal recommendation on Whirlwind. I've read a lot on the American Revolution and haven't read a better book.

    Question for the board: Has anyone read "Andersonville?" It's a historical fiction on a southern POW camp. I'd love some thoughts on it if anyone's read it.
    Last edited by Utebiquitous; 01-18-2017 at 04:16 PM.

  29. #299
    A couple recommendations

    Herman the German: Enemy Alien U.S. Army Master Sergeant This is a really good autobiography. His life span was amazing.

    "Gerhard Neumann (October 8, 1917 - November 2, 1997) was a German-American aviation engineer and executive for General Electric's aircraft engine division (which today is called GE Aviation). Born and raised in Germany, he went to China shortly before World War II and ended up being an aircraft mechanic for the United States Army Air Forces there. He became an American citizen by an Act of Congress and went on to a career in the aerospace manufacturing industry."

    Wild Bill Donovan: The Spymaster Who Created the OSS and Modern American Espionage Also fascinating, reads like a novel. He is a WWII un-sung hero.
    "(Donovan) was one of America’s most exciting and secretive generals—the man Franklin Roosevelt made his top spy in World War II. A mythic figure whose legacy is still intensely debated, “Wild Bill” Donovan was director of the Office of Strategic Services (the country’s first national intelligence agency) and the father of today’s CIA." One of my professors at the U, Dr. Jim Gardner, was in the OSS in China during the war. I've been fascinated in the history of the OSS ever since.

    Wine and War: The French, the Nazis, and the Battle for France's Greatest Treasure Another off-the-wall WWII book, and really good

    "It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so"
    - Will Rogers

    "Cyberspace is - or can be - a good, friendly and egalitarian place to meet. "

    - Douglas Adams

  30. #300
    Quote Originally Posted by OrangeUte View Post
    that is one that I haven't read, but have sitting on a shelf. I am going through a bit of a "frontier" phase in my reading right now, and will get to the last 1800s soon, so please let me know how you like it.
    If you haven't read them yet, I highly recommend the three books by DeVoto, The Year of Decision: 1846, Across the Wide Missouri and The Course of Empire.

    I bought a book last week about western history, Men to Match My Mountains by Irving Stone. Looks really good.
    "It'd be nice to please everyone but I thought it would be more interesting to have a point of view." -- Oscar Levant

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