What are you reading right now?

[tmccarthy]

Poilu: The World War I Notebooks of Corporal Louis Barthas, Barrelmaker, 1914-1918 by Louis Barthas

https://imageshack.com/a/img924/3332/AdDHpA.jpg

[Subnuts]

I recently wrote a review of Haynes' new "workshop manual" for the A-1 Skyraider, but it isn't posting for some reason. Thought I'd post it here instead.

2017 was kind of an odd year for Haynes. Although they published a number of fine books, many of their newer "manuals" were novelty books, lacking the in-depth technical details that were a highlight of their earlier titles. This book, for the most part, is a refreshing return to form for Haynes, and much closer in tone to their "classic" aircraft manuals, such as the ones on the de Havilland Tiger Moth and Avro Lancaster.

As usual, there are brief introductions focusing on the design of the aircraft, the different variants, and the type's combat record. Where this book really impresses are in the two chapters dedicated to the anatomy of the aircraft and the inner workings of its massive Wright R3350 engine. The author is currently an engineer with Kennet Aviation, which currently has the AD-4NA G-RADR in its collection, and he certainly knows his stuff. The descriptions of individual systems - hydraulics, oil, flying controls, undercarriage, etc. - are surprisingly in-depth, and there are dozens of "guts of the airplane" type photographs accompanying them. There's also a large number of diagrams sourced from original Technical Orders and maintenance manuals, ranging from views of the wing pin-pulling cylinder and hydraulic reservoir to overviews of the landing gear hydraulic system and propeller controls. If you're an airplane geek, you're going to find a lot to love here. Along with the technical material, there are quite a few personal recollections from former Skyraider pilots and armorers, and some modern-day accounts from those tasked with keeping surviving aircraft flying and maintained for the airshow circuit.

Unfortunately, the writing in the non-technical is rather clumsy in places (too many exclamation points!), as in the translation of an account from a French mercenary pilot. The diagrams are large and clear, but unfortunately quite a few of them lack keys. One major disappointment is actually the binding. Since mid-2016 Haynes has been using proper stitched bindings, rather than the poor-quality glued bindings used previously, which split way too easily and wouldn't stay open. This book seems to use a combination of both techniques. I'm not sure how it'll hold up in the long run, but hopefully, this is just a minor hiccup and Haynes will use stitched bindings in the future. That aside, this is still a pretty solid reference, and more detailed than I'd expected it to be.

[Subnuts]

Amazon is being a real PITA lately about posting my reviews, and since I've been on a bit of a reading rampage lately, here's my review of Osprey's new(ish) book on the Bell X-2.

The X-2 was one of my best-loved airplanes as a child, and I remember drawing a two-foot-long profile of the plane for my mom's cubicle when I was six. As an adult, I've been disappointed by the lack of a serious book devoted to the plane. I've usually considering Osprey's books rather trifling things, and this is actually the first I've ever bought.

Thankfully, it's a more substantial work than its 80-page length and small format would suggest. There's a healthy level of detail throughout, including descriptions of the plane's major systems, the painful development period, the captive flight phase, all 20 flights, the fatal accidents that destroyed both aircraft, as well as pilot biographies. There are about 80 illustrations (about half in color), including color plans and profiles, a cockpit instrument layout, a cross-section, and an impressive two-page digital painting. Many of the photographs were new to me, especially those of the "Tempilaq" paint stripes which were used to measure the effects of heat erosion at high speeds.

Although I haven't been converted to an Osprey fanatic overnight, I'm pretty pleased by this book. My only real complaint is the lack of diagrams besides the two provided. A few more would have given a better understanding of the plane's inner workings. That aside, I might have to check out some of the other books in the X-Planes series in the near future.

[Subnuts]

A couple more reviews I've written recently. Hopefully no one minds if I toot my horn a little bit! :03:

Allied Torpedo Boats (ShipCraft Special) (https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/R3BMHNS4OHEOZB?ref_=glimp_1rv_cl)
T-34 Tank "Owners' Workshop Manual" (https://www.amazon.com/review/R2LVBBMMGD5ZOR/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8)

Only gave three stars to both, because not everything can be an epic masterpiece.

[Jimbuna]

Well I certainly find them interesting enough to read :up:

[Sailor Steve]

Testament, by John Rohmer, an investigation into the history of the writing of the Bible.

[Subnuts]

Just finished reading V2: The A4 Rocket from Pennemunde to Redstone last night. Now, I'm not really prone to hyperbole, but it's among the best single volume technical/operational histories I've read in the last few years. The production values are excellent, and it's extremely well illustrated, balanced, and readable. Doesn't just cover the use of the rocket, but also how the allies learned about it and attempted to develop countermeasures against it, the experience of being on the receiving end, and post-war development.

It's not cheap (Amazon currently wants $59), but I haven't seen a better book on the V2 out there.

[Subnuts]

Meant to say that I wrote a review of V2 with some pictures to go along with it: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1L4H6WY99AMXV/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1906537534 (https://www.amazon.com/V2-A4-Rocket-Peenemunde-Redstone/dp/1906537534/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8)

[Jimbuna]

Great review and I ticked the supportive link :cool:

[STEED]

With Paulus at Stalingrad

Colonel Wilhelm Adam, senior ADC to General Paulus, commander of the German 6th Army at Stalingrad, wrote a compelling and controversial memoir describing the German defeat, his time as a prisoner of war with Paulus, and his conversion to communism. Now, for the first time, his German text has been translated into English.https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_6/259-9559779-1689059?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=with+paulus+at+stalingrad&sprefix=with+P%2Caps%2C140&crid=552W015IWZO7

Only bought it a few days ago and I am already half away though this book. Another interesting point of view, German Generals were fearing the war was heading for defeat after their victory outside Kharkov 1942. The price was too high and this was all before Case Blue.

[Subnuts]

Spent the last few days poring over Seaforth's new book on HMS Warspite. The book consists mainly of original admiralty draughts, which have been scanned at high resolution and published for the first time in full color. They plan on publishing companion volumes on the cruiser Birmingham and aircraft carrier Victorious later this year. There goes my bank account again...:haha:

A few preview pics to give an idea of the level of detail:

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[Subnuts]

I finished reading Richard Rhodes' Dark Sun: The Making of the Hydrogen Bomb a few days ago. I first read it back in 2005 and didn't really care for it. My opinion hasn't really changed that much since then. It's decent, but nowhere near as deep or satisfying as The Making of the Atomic Bomb.

My full-length review:
https://www.amazon.com/review/R22VGG1OS8KVB7/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8

[Gunnyhwy]

Father's Love by Paul Contier. Amazing story of a father and a son smuggling drug underwater in a midget submarine from Mexico to California in the 80's. Gripping pursuits underwater with the USN ASW helicopters, SDV, SEALS, USCG cutters. A lot of suspense so far.

[Aktungbby]

Gunnyhwy!:Kaleun_Salute:

[Jimbuna]

Welcome to SubSim Gunny :Kaleun_Salute:

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4407452/fathers-love

[Subnuts]

http://i63.tinypic.com/34opoiw.jpg

This one is definitely a bit of a change of pace for me. It focuses mainly on the small (usually between 300 and 1000 grt) cargo ships which have been a mainstay of the British isles and Western European ports since the mid 1850s. Lots of excellent historic photos.

I haven't posted to this thread in a while, so here are reviews of the last two books I've read:
Junkers Ju 87 Stuka Owners' Workshop Manual (https://www.amazon.com/review/RQG3R06K6WWTI/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1785211412)
Naval Anti-Aircraft Guns and Gunnery (https://www.amazon.com/review/R2MW0QST7ANGJL/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8)

[Jimbuna]

Daryl, is there much emphasis on the role these vessels played during the two great wars?

[Pearce]

Father's Love by Paul Contier. Amazing story of a father and a son smuggling drug underwater in a midget submarine from Mexico to California in the 80's. Gripping pursuits underwater with the USN ASW helicopters, SDV, SEALS, USCG cutters. A lot of suspense so far.

Great story indeed.

This is an unusual story with a refreshing insider look at the world of submariners smuggling drugs between Mexico and the US in the mid 80's.
The fabric of the relationship between the father and the son is well textured.
The technical details of the midget submarine and its operation appear real.
The amount of of ASW systems deployed in action are plentiful, from a trained dolphin used by SEALs, SDV, Kaman SH2 Seasprite, USS Dolphin, USCG Cutters Hamilton Class, and USCG Island Class patrol boats.
Plenty of submarine pursuit in the San Diego area canyons and sea valleys, plenty of suspense and couple of unexpected twist.

I greatly enjoyed that time spent, I recommend that read.

[Subnuts]

Daryl, is there much emphasis on the role these vessels played during the two great wars?

The book focuses mainly on ships built from 1850 to 1950, so quite a few of them were active during WWI and WWII. It doesn't really go into much detail about their careers beyond who built them, their owners, homeport, typical routes and cargo, and final fate.

That said, the book is quite fascinating simply for the huge variety of ships covered, from 19th century cargo coasters, to steam colliers, coastal tankers, motor ships, small container ships, and modern livestock carriers.

[Jimbuna]

The book focuses mainly on ships built from 1850 to 1950, so quite a few of them were active during WWI and WWII. It doesn't really go into much detail about their careers beyond who built them, their owners, homeport, typical routes and cargo, and final fate.

That said, the book is quite fascinating simply for the huge variety of ships covered, from 19th century cargo coasters, to steam colliers, coastal tankers, motor ships, small container ships, and modern livestock carriers.

Cheers Matey :salute:

[Subnuts]

I'm just about finished with the revised edition of Tupolev Tu-95 & Tu-142 in the "Famous Russian Aircraft" series. It's an absolute beast - 560 pages long, with more than 1,300 illustrations. Every single variant of the Bear and every upgrade program is described, along with many unbuilt projects, the design and development phase, and the operational record of both types. It's not exactly a beach read, but I can't imagine there being a more comprehensive English-language book on either type out there.

I enjoyed this book so much I went on a bit of a book buying binge, purchasing the "Famous Russian Aircraft" books on the MiG-17, Mig-19, and Su-24. I also preordered the revised an expanded volume on the Flanker series, due out sometime around Christmas. I'm hoping the books on the MiGs 15, 21, 29, and 31 get reprinted and expanded, too. They've been out of print for years, and demand prices of $400 and more!

[Catfish]

Now reading "Declarations of war" by Len Deighton, not finished but the first short stories are already very good. Short stories about war, but more declarations on war, though they all have to do with it.

After Roald Dahls "Over to You: Ten Stories of Flyers and Flying" and then Len Deightons's "Fighter" and "Bomber" i thought Deighton's "Declaration.." and "Blood, tears and folly" were some worthy successors.

Also a lot of german war reports of the time, novels, historical stuff, like e.g. Galland's autobiography a.s.o..

I also remember having read one or the other of Deighton's and Dahl's stories in my teen years, back then from a public library. I must say the Internet is phantastic when it comes to finding and re-discovering those special older books :up:

[ET2SN]

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51PM5vG-JGL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

:up:

For those who remember the old Squadron/Signal books Lou Drendel created, B-52 Stratofortress Illustrated will feel like familiar ground. Partly a re-hash of the older S/S "Walk Around" and "In Action" B-52 titles, this "version" combines those old books while adding a ton of new photos while also updating the narrative to the present day. :D A new chapter includes NASA's two BUFFs plus their cargos- the X-15 and the lifting bodies.

Lou's illustrations are good but limited, this book features mostly good quality color photographs :D A lot of photgraphs..
While its explained that "nose art" was actually rare for most of the B-52's history (SAC believed in uniformity over individuality), there are many examples of "nose art" that have appeared on certain aircraft.
For the historian, it should be noted that the B-52 can be a tough subject to work on. The aircraft were built between 1953 to 1962 and many of the darned things are still flying. :o Questions have a habit of not centering on "who" or "what", but "when" and several misconceptions have taken root over the years.

The book itself is well printed on quality paper. Color photos look accurate, what's gray is the right shade of gray, what's green is the right shade of green, etc. The cover, however, feels slightly thin for a table top paper backed book and collector's may want to store their copy in a zip lock bag.
I bought my copy from Amazon. There is also a Kindle edition but there isn't an option for a hard-cover book.

Highly recommended if you're a "BUFF buf" or a fan of Lou Drendel's artwork and photo collections. :up:

Update: Well, I started skimming the pages and if this book interests you, you may want to cross your fingers and hope it gets a second printing. :timeout:

The main package is good BUT there are some sloppy mistakes in page and text formatting. The book really needs another pass past an editor or two. What's written is fine, it just might get repeated on another page (whole paragraphs will re-appear for no reason) or a caption for a photo might not have a photo or its obviously the wrong photo. :o This may not be an issue in the Kindle edition but its definitely worth noting if you plan to buy the printed edition.

[tmccarthy]

Berlin Embassy by William Russell

https://imageshack.com/a/img924/39/GwWzno.jpg

[Subnuts]

I'm currently reading Tu-160: Soviet Strike Force Spearhead by Yefim Gordon and Dmitriy Komissarov. You could say I've been on a bit of a Russian aircraft kick lately, as I've also read the book on the Su-24 Fencer by the same authors recently, and I'm still working my way through their history of the Il-28 Beagle.

I also recently read Saturn V: America's Rocket to the Moon, which I recommend avoiding. It's riddled with techical errors, and basically rehashes everything already said in books such as Stages to Saturn and the Haynes "manual" on the rocket. You can read my review here: https://www.amazon.com/review/R2QOUGNIPY5H7J/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0764354825

[R_Becker]

I'm reading 50 Battles that Changed the World by William Weir, its a nice book about the importance of the battles along the human history.

[Sailor Steve]

Several months ago I started reading Herodotus' The Histories. I had to set it aside for some other books that needed my attention, and last night I picked it up again. Huge amounts of fun by the world's first real historian. Not too accurate, as many will point out, but well worth the time spent.

[ChrisTayeb]

Very nice thread btw, gives many titles, helps out figuring what to read next

The War Below: The Story of Three Submarines That Battled Japan
By James Scott
---

Mémoires de guerre
Book by Charles de Gaulle
---

The Great Philosophers
By Stephen Law
---

The Failure of Political Islam
By Olivier Roy

[Subnuts]

I bit the bullet and bought a copy of Oscar Parkes' British Battleships 1860-1950 for $65. A lot of money, but I'm never going to find a copy of for less, or in as nice a condition as the one I found. Norman Friedman is coming out with a book on British battleships of the Victorian era next month, and I'd love to do a side-by-side comparison of both books.

[Sailor Steve]

I have Parkes' book. It's good, but I like R.A. Burt's three volumes better. Then again, I use them for research rather than just reading. Friedman, on the other hand, is highly readable. I have his first Destroyers and Cruisers books, and the Destroyers volume is downright fun. He talks about Jacky Fisher's tenure as commander of destroyers in the Mediterranean and what he accomplished in that position. He also not only talks about the River class destroyers but unlike any other book I've read on the subject - and I have a few - he tells the story of the experiences testing the new class against the older ships.

Parkes is perfect. Burt is better. Friedman is fun.

[STEED]

Re-reading probably the first account written the unabridged version of..


The Last Days of Hitler

By Hugh Trevor Roper

[Jeffg]

I am reading Battle Surface:

Lawson P. Ramage and the War Patrols of the USS Parche


Jeffg

[Subnuts]

I've been reading Haynes "workshop manual" on the M1 Abrams (yep, another one!) and stumbled across a funny "easter egg" which I'm amazed got past the editors. On page 124 there's a distant photograph of one of the authors standing out of uniform in front of his tank during the Gulf War. And I mean totally out of uniform. You can't actually see anything, but it's pretty obvious the guy is a bit "scruffy" in well..."certain places." You get the picture. :haha:

[tmccarthy]

Red Tobruk: Memoirs of a World War II Destroyer Commander by Gregory Smith

https://imageshack.com/a/img923/6503/8NTFFV.jpg

[Subnuts]

After two years of delays, Haynes finally published their "workshop manual" for the Astute class. I'm surprised at how good it turned out. Obviously, it's lacking in "hard" details, and the descriptions of sensors and weapons are kind of lacking, but there's still quite a bit of detail in other areas. The sections on communications equipment, the fresh water and ventilation systems, reactor operation, and signature reduction were more in-depth than I'd anticipated. It's also very heavily illustrated with color photographs and diagrams.


My full review, if you're curious:
https://www.amazon.com/review/R3Q5UUMWPSLP6I/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1785210718

[Subnuts]

Another book I finished reading recently was The Design and Engineering of Curiosity: How the Mars Rover Performs Its Job by Emily Lakdawalla. It's an excellent book overall, very detailed and in-depth, which does a great job explaining how the rover and all of the scientific and chemistry instruments work. As always, I've written a review: https://www.amazon.com/review/ROAL9JON5EQAB/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8

[tmccarthy]

Destroyer Captain by Roger Hill

https://imageshack.com/a/img924/7577/7tOHCW.jpg

[STEED]

Just starting reading..

Karl Doenitz And The Last Days Of The Third Reich

By Barry Turner

Hitler is dead and Doenitz is now President of the Reich, that's how near the end it's set.

[Subnuts]

I've been chipping my way through ****e-Wulf Fw 200: The Condor at War 1939-1945. It's fairly interesting if extremely densely written. Seems like there aren't many books out there on the aerial aspect of the Battle of the Atlantic, so it's good to have. I also recently purchased a copy of River Gunboats: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, I'm just waiting for it to come via the slow boat from the UK. It was originally supposed to be published two years ago and is finally out. Hope it was worth the wait!


Here's a couple more reviews I've written recently:
Project Azorian: The CIA and the Raising of the K-129 (https://www.amazon.com/review/R6PQOIFCV09SZ/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8)
Tupolev Tu-160: Soviet Strike Force Spearhead (https://www.amazon.com/review/RR37G73S6ZZXD/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8)
Ilyushin Il-28 (Famous Russian Aircraft) (https://www.amazon.com/review/R3QR2MHLVOD4I1/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8)
Grumman F-14 Tomcat (Owners' Workshop Manual) (https://www.amazon.com/review/R7E7D9X2Z8NYP/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8)


(Seriously, the forum software censors Foc*e? :doh:)

[Subnuts]

Bought a copy of this awesome (although I'll never have any actual use for it) book at a used bookstore in Massachusetts today for $9.
http://i68.tinypic.com/9766v9.jpg

[Subnuts]

Been reading Hitler's 'Wonder' U-Boats: The Birth of the Cold War's Hunter Killer Submarines. Pretty disappointing so far. It's a sketchy account of the design of the Type XXI and XXIII and the few successes the XXIII had at the end of the war. The chapters are fragmented, the technical details are skimpy, and the author is an obvious apologist for the Nazis (constantly reminding us that the Allies bombed civilians and that Soviet armies committed atrocities in the East while handwaving away the entire slave labor issue).


Avoid this one.

[STEED]

Just started a new book..



Berlin Soldier: An Eyewitness Account of the Fall of Berlin

by Helmut Altner

This book is an explosive memoir of a 17 year old German boy called up to fight in the last weeks of the Second World War. This is a teenager's vivid account of his experiences as a conscript during the final desperate weeks of the Third Reich, during which he experienced training immediately behind the front line east of Berlin, was caught up in the massive Soviet assault on Berlin from the Oder, retreated successfully and then took part in the fight for the western suburb of Spandau, where he became one of the only two survivors of his company of seventeen year-olds.

[Subnuts]

Posted my review of Hitler's Wonder U-boats yesterday. It's easily one of the worst submarine books I've read in the last few years. If you're interested in the design and development of the elektroboots, skip it and hunt down a copy of Eberhard Rossler's The U-boat instead.



https://www.amazon.com/review/R3IYYBJT17LHJ3/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8

[Mussalo]

Finished Iron Coffins by Herbert Werner a couple weeks ago. At first the book seemed great: full of kind of action I hungered for and a true story even! After finishing it I questioned everything I just read...

Now starting Hirschfeld - The Story of a U-boat NCO. Hopefully this one is non-fiction.

[Subnuts]

Finished reading Norman Friedman's latest and greatest tome last night. Enjoyed it a great deal, even if it isn't a totally flawless masterpiece. You can read my (rather long) review here if you're interested:

British Battleships of the Victorian Era (https://www.amazon.com/review/R269NACDZR7S9M/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8)

[jtsjc1]

Just going to start The U-Boat War In The Caribbean.

[Subnuts]

I've been working on this one for about a week now. It's a pretty in-depth, warts-and-all technical/operational history of an airplane which tends to be eclipsed by the B-52. Can't believe how many entered service without a proper bombing/navigation system, tail gun, or ecm gear, how much time they spent undergoing extensive modifications, the severity of the fatigue problems, and the atrocious cockpit ergonomics and division of crew workload. I know the B-47 was 10 years ahead of its time and they were pumping them out to deter the Soviets (I wonder if they knew what a troubled aircraft it was?) but it's still shocking to read about it for the first time.


https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51j0YgwjuSL._SX367_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

[Fifi]

I just bought my second book about submarine (first was obviously the iconic « Das Boat » one that i readed 3 times now :) )
It’s the incredible history of Peter « Ali » Cremer, captain of U 333, wich should have sunk 10 times but survived the war…

https://goo.gl/images/3Rhztb

[ET2SN]

Bought a copy of this awesome (although I'll never have any actual use for it) book at a used bookstore in Massachusetts today for $9.
http://i68.tinypic.com/9766v9.jpg


Never say never. :D

I wanted to try flying the old Virtavia/Alphasim B-52's in Flight Sim 2002, only flying them as accurately as possible. :03:

That idea led me down many paths. Two books I found were a great resource when it came to decoding how the aircraft were actually operated:

Flying From The Black Hole by Robert O. Harder (available on Amazon). Mainly related to the B-52D models that flew Arclight missions, Harder also does a great job explaining some of the more basic nuts and bolts about who the crews were and what they all had to do.

When Penguins Flew And Water Burned by Jim Clonts (available at Lulu.com). Written during a later time period, Clonts flew in B-52G and H models during the post Cold War and Desert Storm period. While "Black Hole" gives a very good idea of why the crews had to be real crews, Clonts updates the story to the era when I was wearing my fish and we were all facing the "build down" period for the US military.

An eye opener and give-away is that both books were written by Navigator/Bombardiers and not Pilots (although Clonts did get to fly the beast at least once). It takes the whole crew to fly a B-52 and you quickly understand why those crews need to be tight.

My look into that rabbit hole wound up taking several years of research and effort and it was well worth it. :up:

[Sailor Steve]

Terror of the Autumn Skies, by Blaine Pardoe.

Since the 100th anniversary of Frank Luke's epic 10-day 18-victory run begins Wednesday I decided it was time to read the newest work on the life of a figure from the Old West who won glory and met his fate in the modern world. Frank Luke, Jr. was the first pilot to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

[Subnuts]

Just finished reading Boeing B-47 Stratojet: Strategic Air Command's Transitional Bomber. It's an exceptionally in-depth technical and operational history, and probably the most detailed book on the Stratojet currently available, though to be fair, there aren't many out there. I've written a review for anyone curious.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R5ZJN0U8LKWDF/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=191080908X

I should be getting my copy of Haynes' new book on the Blackburn Buccaneer today. In the meantime, I need to stop buying so many damned books and finished reading the ones I already have! :doh:

[Sailor Steve]

I need to stop buying so many damned books and finished reading the ones I already have! :doh: [/SIZE]
It's been twenty years since I worked in the warehouse of a book distributor. One of the perks was free books. Most were damaged enough that we couldn't sell them to bookstores or universities, the only restriction being that employees couldn't take more than three per day. I only took ones I really wanted to read, and I still haven't read ten percent of them. Too many new ones to buy.

[tmccarthy]

Bloody Sixteen: The USS Oriskany and Air Wing 16 during the Vietnam War by Peter Fey

https://imageshack.com/a/img922/4615/9xz6V5.jpg

[Subnuts]

I haven't exactly been "reading" it (not a lot of text...) but I've spent the last week going totally googly-eyed over the new "Anatomy of the Ship" on the Bismarck. I'm not a card-carrying member of The Cult of Bismarck, but the level of detail is absolutely incredible. I'm going to include a couple preview pics, but I'm sure they don't do it justice.


https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1967/30997867268_f964ee9fdc_c.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1945/30997866208_cb17116f8d_b.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1947/44870770071_d24ab6bca9_b.jpg


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[Gunnyhwy]

I am re-reading "Father's Love". They re-edited it and it is so much better now, the book was upgraded automatically on my Amazon-kindle.

This is a submariner story of the widower that wishes to rekindle the relationship with his only son. The son does not want to rekindle the relationship with his father. During the mother's burial ceremony, the father offers the son to join him for a test with an Air-Independent propulsion midget submarine.

Underway, the young man discovers his father's hidden agenda: Using the midget submarine to smuggle drugs in the United States, by taking advantage of a little-known vulnerability in the country's maritime security apparatus and making his son an unwitting accomplice.

A series of underwater pursuits ensue as they try to evade detection from the US Navy, ASW Helicopters, the US Coast Guards, the Navy Seals SDV and their trained dolphin through the underwater canyons of the San Diego approaches, punctuated by recall of childhood stories, families memories during which they try to understand and solve old family issues. It is an "in camera" situation with conflict within the conflict.

Can they outwit the government's most elite naval forces? Deliver the goods in time to impatient cartel gunmen? And if they survive, can the son accept his father's gift?...I won't tell you the end that comes as a total surprise, and I won't spoil it for you. Great read.

[Christopher Snow]

..."The Search for Schroedingers Cat--John Gribben (a laymans intro to quantum physics).

[Christopher Snow]

I haven't exactly been "reading" it (not a lot of text...) but I've spent the last week going totally googly-eyed over the new "Anatomy of the Ship" on the Bismarck. I'm not a card-carrying member of The Cult of Bismarck, but the level of detail is absolutely incredible. I'm going to include a couple preview pics, but I'm sure they don't do it justice.


https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1967/30997867268_f964ee9fdc_c.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1945/30997866208_cb17116f8d_b.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1947/44870770071_d24ab6bca9_b.jpg


https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1910/44870768551_7324f72638_b.jpg


https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1912/30997865988_2e8d88b261_b.jpg




Reminds me of a similar treatment given (in at least two volumes) to the Apollo Capsule, Support module and (v2) the Lunar Lander. Very interesting stuff, and as I AM something of a "Bismarcker" I might look this up too, thanks.


This cover looks like the one I'm thinking of, btw, with regard to the LM: https://www.librarything.com/work/230121

[Pearce]

I am re-reading "Father's Love". They re-edited it and it is so much better now, the book was upgraded automatically on my Amazon-kindle.

This is a submariner story of the widower that wishes to rekindle the relationship with his only son. The son does not want to rekindle the relationship with his father. During the mother's burial ceremony, the father offers the son to join him for a test with an Air-Independent propulsion midget submarine.

Underway, the young man discovers his father's hidden agenda: Using the midget submarine to smuggle drugs in the United States, by taking advantage of a little-known vulnerability in the country's maritime security apparatus and making his son an unwitting accomplice.

A series of underwater pursuits ensue as they try to evade detection from the US Navy, ASW Helicopters, the US Coast Guards, the Navy Seals SDV and their trained dolphin through the underwater canyons of the San Diego approaches, punctuated by recall of childhood stories, families memories during which they try to understand and solve old family issues. It is an "in camera" situation with conflict within the conflict.

Can they outwit the government's most elite naval forces? Deliver the goods in time to impatient cartel gunmen? And if they survive, can the son accept his father's gift?...I won't tell you the end that comes as a total surprise, and I won't spoil it for you. Great read.

Such a great idea to re-visit "Father's Love".
It was re-edited as you said.
It was a great story before, but now It has a better plot development, a stronger characterization and a better level of technical detail. It feels more authentic. It is a much better genuine story.

[Subnuts]

Not really "reading" it per se (it's an encyclopedia!) but I've been slowly working my way through River Gunboats: An Illustrated Encyclopedia by Roger Branfill-Cook. It covers a very broad scope, and features a lot of fascinating obscure craft, but it's let down by a lack of hard details and terrible photo quality.

My review:
https://www.amazon.com/review/R2Q9UDCLD0FUE4/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8

[Jimbuna]

https://i.imgur.com/n1om218.jpg

[ouPhrontis]

Probably mentioned a thousand and one times here by others, but I am reading Das Boot, the original 1973 copy in German, the translation into English seems to miss or obfuscate some details.

[STEED]

Started reading..



Until the Final Hour: Hitler's Last Secretary

By Traudl Junge


Already 50 pages in and finding it interesting.

[tmccarthy]

Reluctant Witness: Memoirs from the Last Year of the European Air War 1944-45 by James J. Mahoney

https://imageshack.com/a/img923/6448/4KyjEr.jpg

[Naftis]

Finished reading :

2671

and currently reading :

2672

Amazing books both of them!

[Subnuts]

Just finished reading the revised edition of Norman Friedman's "US Submarines Since 1945: An Illustrated Design History." Still an excellent reference book, I just wish they'd done a better job incorporating the new material in with the original 1994 edition.

My review: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1DDSLD7ANMOHB/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8

[tmccarthy]

The Wrong Stuff: The Adventures and Misadventures of an 8th Air Force Aviator by Truman Smith

https://imageshack.com/a/img921/4608/zXm7MV.jpg

[Subnuts]

Haven't really been "reading" this so much as I've been getting hopelessly lost in it the last few days.
http://i64.tinypic.com/5ouyxk.jpg


I've never seen the interior arrangement of an aircraft carrier depicted in such detail before. The majority of the book is occupied by full-color reproductions of two sets of Admiralty draughts of the ship produced in 1941 and 1958. Each set includes a profile, 10 sections, and plans of each deck. Every compartment, right down to the laundry rooms, pyrotechnic magazines, galleys, workshops, and so on, is depicted, with details as small as individual chairs, kit lockers, ventilating fans, and deck lights all shown on the plans. Really brings home the fact that carriers are really just floating airbases!

[STEED]

Bought myself five cheap osprey campaign books that will keep me going for a few weeks. First one I have started reading is..The Hindenburg Line 1918.

[STEED]

Moved on to my next campaign book...Darwin 1942.

[Jimbuna]

Osprey Publishing Black Friday Sale: https://ospreypublishing.com/store/military-history/period-books/world-war-2

[STEED]

Osprey Publishing Black Friday Sale: https://ospreypublishing.com/store/military-history/period-books/world-war-2I shop else where for their books cheaper than their BFS.

[Jimbuna]

Rgr that.

[STEED]

Rgr that.

I don't know why they charge so much, when they first came out some 10 years ago give and take I bought them for £3 to £5 odd now they are near on £18 for a 96 page book! And when you take out all the pictures and maps the amount of reading comes down to 80 odd pages. I like reading these books as they give you a good over view and in some cases made me buy a more detailed book on the subject matter.

I think Osprey problem is they print so many books which are poor or rubbish apart from the campaign and essential history series. I can wait years before one I got my eye on falls in my price bracket from else where.

[Jimbuna]

I used to have a tidy little library collection years back but gave them away in an effort to maximise storage space in the man cave....I dearly regret that now.

[STEED]

Moved on to my next Campaign book..

The Kuban 1943 - The Wehrmacht's last stand in the Caucasus

[Dirk Gently]

I'm re-reading Nineteen Eighty-four by Orwell.

[Jimbuna]

Returning home from Wales yesterday, stopped at Hartshead Moor Services on the M62 for a short break and come across this twin volume book. A bit of a bargain at £6 me thinks.
https://i.imgur.com/flvtB5v.jpg

[u crank]

http://i64.tinypic.com/2rrp0gj.jpg

Read this when it first was published and during a recent power outage started it again.

"Rule, Britannia!" :salute:

[Kapitan]

So recently i picked up this book by Tom Stefanick, it was written for the institute for defense and disarmament studies, it was published in 1987.

ISBN 0-669-14015-5

I didn't realize but it is quite in depth with graphs figures maps and other technical details not just with the USN but also the then soviet navies .

Just some pages on my flick through so you can get a jist of what i mean

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4846/46369094401_f4cd668f9e_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2dDtJhR)IMG_1843 (https://flic.kr/p/2dDtJhR) by B S (https://www.flickr.com/photos/131313936@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4914/45456491355_314442c35e_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2cfQpcz)IMG_1844 (https://flic.kr/p/2cfQpcz) by B S (https://www.flickr.com/photos/131313936@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4822/46369093651_147be84311_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2dDtJ4V)IMG_1845 (https://flic.kr/p/2dDtJ4V) by B S (https://www.flickr.com/photos/131313936@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4848/45456489775_64b801e388_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2cfQoJk)IMG_1846 (https://flic.kr/p/2cfQoJk) by B S (https://www.flickr.com/photos/131313936@N03/), on Flickr

[STEED]

Soon be reading over Xmas as there is sod all on TV worth bothering with the rest of my last batch of Campaign books..

KURSK The Northern Front 1943

KURSK The Southern Front 1943

THE PHILPPINE SEA 1944 The Last Great Carrier Battle

[ET2SN]

The Wrong Stuff: The Adventures and Misadventures of an 8th Air Force Aviator by Truman Smith

https://imageshack.com/a/img921/4608/zXm7MV.jpg

I saw that on Amazon and was thinking about hitting the "buy" button. :hmmm:
Post a review after you've read it. :up:

You might want to check out
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=100+missions+north+ken+bell

Its a very honest view from a fighter pilot. :o Ken Bell retired as a Brig. Gen. and it took me a while to figure out that he had the book published after he died. The same guy who flew as Maj. Merle Dethlefsen's wingman when he won the CMH and also flew as Col. Jack Broughton's wingman over Hanoi also talks about getting a "Dear John" letter from home and getting rolled in Bangkok. :up: :haha:

This isn't your typical "There I was at 20,000 feet.." book. :yeah:

[tmccarthy]

I saw that on Amazon and was thinking about hitting the "buy" button. :hmmm:
Post a review after you've read it. :up:

Yeah, when I first saw this book on Amazon I passed on it, I think the title threw me off. I'm glad now that I've read it.

I can recommend this book as a good read. The author's definition of what 'The Wrong Stuff" means is not what you would assume and interesting. This book was once required reading at the Air Force Academy. It's a unique account of a B-17 Co-pilot and his crews experiences trying to survive their 25 missions over Europe.

[tmccarthy]

The Schweinfurt Regensburg Mission: The American Raids on 17 August 1943 by Martin Middlebrook

https://imageshack.com/a/img924/9797/MF8e0b.jpg

[Subnuts]

Just got this bad boy in the mail. It's a big 640 page hardcover filled with Russian planes which never made it off the drawing board. A quick browse through revealed plenty of 500 ton flying boats, nuclear powered bombers, and hypersonic spyplanes. Reads like an encyclopedia, but looks like it'll be fun to dip into from time to time.

http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/5d/83/5c/6c60941075054364.jpg (http://www.imagebam.com/image/6c60941075054364)

[Subnuts]

Amazon isn't publishing the review I wrote of the Haynes Challenger 2 MBT "Workshop Manual," so here it is.


In 2017, Haynes published a "workshop manual" for the M1 Abrams. Like many of their books on modern military vehicles, it was fairly well done but somewhat lacking in hard details. Although it still isn't quite as detailed as Haynes' WWII tank manuals, this follow-up on Britain's most powerful modern MBT is a more substantial and more well-rounded work. Lt Col Dick Taylor served in the Royal Armoured Corps and has written three other tank manuals for Haynes, and demonstrates an impressive understanding of the subject.

Although it follows the standard Haynes format, this book is definitely a bit wordier than the average "workshop manual." While there's still plenty of excellent diagrams and photographs, a substantial chunk of the text is devoted to the development of British MBTs in the second half of the Cold War, the introduction of the tank into service, and first-hand accounts from crewmembers who fought in the Iraq War. For once this doesn't feel like potted history; the level of detail in the historical sections is fairly substantial and added to my overall understanding of the tank's design. The technical sections are also fairly well done, with quite a few "how it works" bits (how to start the engine, how to engage an enemy tank, etc.), a photographic "walkthrough" of a tank's interior, and descriptions of each CR2 variant.

As the Challenger 2 is still in active service, the amount of technical detail is limited in certain places. Some elements, such as the ammunition and powerpack, are described in a fair amount of detail. Other areas, such as the armor and fire control system...no so much. Although there are numerous photos and diagrams of the turret interior, the driver's station only gets a single small unlabeled diagram. Thankfully there's very little in the way of jingoism present, and Mr. Taylor explains in evenhanded terms why Britain chose to design and build their own tank, rather than go with a foreign design such as the M1 or Leopard 2. He also avoids the trap of directly comparing it with other modern tanks on a one-on-one basis, and mentions some of the many problems encountered in the first years of service.

Although it lacks the brutal honesty of the author's Chieftain and Challenger 1 manuals, I think modern armor buffs should enjoy this book. It's a fairly substantial reference which manages to avoid reading like a Royal Army recruiting pamphlet.

[Bangoo]

Laughing Cow: The Story of U69.
Jost Metzler was was an extremly lucky guy.

[Red October1984]

One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer
Nathaniel Fick

Been a while since I had time to read a book. Picked this one up and have not been able to put it down.

[Aktungbby]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/RrXoSRWwRpWPdlOCArmoKl_DyXc=/300x0/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/ASI34OEPKQI6RPGVTWIRY6CMHA.jpg LAUGHING SHALL I DIE
explores the adventures and mind-set of these heroes and heroines, many of whom were actual historical figures who flourished during the Viking heyday of roughly A.D. 750 to 1100....They were also utterly dauntless, self-control being honored as the supreme virtue. When Ivan Morris produced his classic study of the Japanese conception of the hero, he titled it “The Nobility of Failure (https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B00JANU9EA&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_zkkwBb8DJJ400&tag=thewaspos09-20).” Vikings and samurai are much alike: A hero, stresses Shippey, “is defined not by victory but by defeat. Only in defeat can you show what you’re really made of. Only in final defeat can you show that you will never give in.” A true Viking goes down fighting while uttering a defiant wisecrack and never showing any emotion except contempt for his enemies. Prestige and “drengskapr” — honorable behavior — matter more than winning.
From this perspective, consider this book’s odd-sounding title. When Ragnar Hairy-Breeches — no one knows why he bears this weird nickname — is dumped into a snake pit, he composes a “death-song” that ends with the line “laejandi skalk deyja,” or “laughing shall I die.” Earlier in this poem he grimly jokes that “the piggies would grunt if they knew of the old boar’s death.” Ragnar, of course, is the old boar and the “piggies” are his sons. There in the pit, this fierce Viking — neither hoping for nor expecting rescue — uses this farmyard metaphor to tell his enemies that their days are numbered. ALL OUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED; IF WE ARE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD.....GOD MUST BE A COMEDIAN!

[Catfish]

"Flying the old planes" by Jack Tallman. :up:

[Kapitan]

Found this one on line peeked my interest and for $2 with $3 shipping from the USA i thought bargain.

some of you may recall this book some may even have it still but it seems good from flicking through the pages maybe even good for SH5 drivers :D

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7801/39740153253_c7cc97d1fe.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23xGF36)51wmJXwHyeL._SX344_BO1,204,203,200_ (https://flic.kr/p/23xGF36) by B S (https://www.flickr.com/photos/131313936@N03/), on Flickr

[STEED]

LORENZ - BREAKING HITLER'S TOP SECRET CODE AT BLETCHLEY PARK

By Captain Jerry Roberts

One of the original code breakers who worked on this from 42-45.

[Jimbuna]

An interesting read and not even two years of age yet.

[Sailor Steve]

...peeked my interest...
Did your interest peek back?

It's "piqued". :O:

[Subnuts]

Amazon US has a number of Seaforth Kindle books on sale for $1.30 each, so I "grabbed" the following titles:

Fighting the Great War at Sea
Rebuilding the Royal Navy
Jutland: The Unfinished Battle
Schnellboote: A Complete Operational History

[tmccarthy]

In Hostile Skies: An American B-24 Pilot in World War II by James M. Davis

https://imageshack.com/a/img921/3676/UfU3Yl.jpg

[Subnuts]

Finished reading Nicholas Jellicoe's Jutland: The Unfinished Battle. You can read my review HERE (https://www.amazon.com/review/RQASDD4ZPNPTK/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8). Now I'm going to start John Campbell's Jutland: An Analysis of the Fighting, which has been sitting on my shelf for five years, intimidating the hell out of me.

[Sailor Steve]

No need to be intimidated. It's a fun read.

Or maybe I'm just crazy. :dead:

[STEED]

Picked up a couple of cheap campaign books to start reading today..

TSUSHIMA 1905 - Death of a Russian Fleet

BLANC MONT RIDGE 1918 - America's forgotten victory

[tmccarthy]

FORGIVE US, WOLVES: A German Soldier at the Russian Front by
Klaus Kronenberg

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/936/HHqIAl.jpg

[STEED]

Started to read...

Achtung-Panzer
Major General Heinz Guderian

His first book on the development of armoured forces he wrote a few years before WW2.

[Subnuts]

I haven't been reading, so much as taking in, British Naval Weapons of World War Two: Destroyer Weapons. The book features ~45 sets of plans by the late great John Lambert of guns and mountings of 4.7 inches and below, fire control devices, torpedo tubes, and minesweeping gear. No anti-submarine weapons, but apparently those will be in the companion book on escort weapons coming out in August. The level of detail is frequently insane; for example, there are six sheets of plans of the 4in QF MK V series, with sectional views of the recuperator, elevation and training gear, sights, recoil cylinder, breech, base plate rollers, firing gear, etc.



I also finished reading Dennis R Jenkins' new book on the F-105 Thunderchief. You can read my review here: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1VZV7WPBO8UT/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8

[STEED]

Now reading..

U.S. SUBS DOWN UNDER BRISBANE, 1942-1945

By David Jones and Peter Nunan


Those S-Class subs did a lot in the early part of the war.

[Jimbuna]

https://i.imgur.com/TlPXjPj.jpg

[Jimbuna]

https://i.imgur.com/UfXgHy9.jpg

[Subnuts]

Just to toot my horn a little bit, here's the last two naval books I've reviewed:


German Battleship Helgoland Detailed in the Original Builder's Plans (https://www.amazon.com/review/R3IL7Y66JU1Z82/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1526747596)


British Naval Weapons of World War Two - Volume One - Destroyer Weapons (https://www.amazon.com/review/R3IPYX1I39LED8/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8)

[Mork_417]

I normally listen to music while working, but yesterday I got the idea of searching itunes for submarine documentaries and was surprised.
Not sure if audio books count here but I've been listening to "Submarine Warfare in World War I" written by Charles River Editors.

https://i.imgur.com/edXV0TMh.jpg

[Subnuts]

I've been on a bit of a space book binge lately, and I'm currently about half way through the second book in Boris Chertok's (Sergei Korolev's deputy) four volume Rockets and People series. It's quite fascinating but does require some patience. There's a reason, I suppose, why you never hear about the great Russian editors.

My last three space book reviews:
Picturing Apollo 11 (https://www.amazon.com/review/ROGDD92NDM28T/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8)
The Soviet Space Program: The Lunar Mission Years: 1959–1976 (https://www.amazon.com/review/R6RGEIKXJ8N4P/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8)
Apollo to the Moon: A History in 50 Objects (https://www.amazon.com/review/R2BAKKA0S5CT8J/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8)

[bstanko6]

U-Boat operations of WW2 volume 2.

[Sailor Steve]

I keep complaining to myself that I'm not reading anything. Back when I was homeless I kept posting here about all the books I was reading at our huge downtown library - on average at least one book every day, sometimes more. And when I got to a big book like the seven-volume work Jefferson the Virginian, I might take two or even three for each volume.

Now? Nothing. After almost a year I still haven't finished reading Herodotus, plus the hundred or more books I got when I worked at the book distributor's warehouse, and that's twenty years ago now.

Then I realized what I have been reading. All the details about the World War I u-boats and other naval warfare. All the books about World War I air combat. Currently? Well, in preparation for the '100 Years' thread I've been reading online the complete Secretaries' notes from the Paris Peace Talks of 1919. I've been complaining that the '100 Years' is killing me. I sometimes spend as much as six hours just reading and rereading, compiling and sorting and editing and finally posting, and I've been doing that much work pretty much every day since the anniversary of Bloody April in 2017.

And while I hate that it's taking away from other things I want to be doing, I also realized that I'm still having fun. I'm truly amazed at how much I enjoy reading the daily notes from the most important meetings with the most important people of that time. How they influenced each other and the rest of the world. How they struggled to be civil when sometimes they thought they had the answers and ended up admitting that the one they disagreed with might be right.

So yeah, I've been reading a lot. It's just not what I planned on reading. Sometimes I have to remind myself that it's still good, and it's still enjoyable.

[Subnuts]

Mostly because of the hype surrounding the new HBO/Sky series, I recently read Adam Higginbotham's new book Midnight in Chernobyl. It's not a perfect book, but it's an exceptionally good read, and does and excellent job explaining why instutional rot, Soviet ideology, and denialism turned Chernobyl from a tragic industrial accident to a traumatic nightmare.


You can read my review here:
https://www.amazon.com/review/R3B9L1UPM1VLYI/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B07GNV7PNH

[Sean C]

I just purchased a small library of books about celestial navigation (about 60 titles). So, I will be expanding my knowledge in that area quite a bit in the near future.

[STEED]

Just finished another one from the campaign series, Smolensk 1943. I agree with the author this was the begin of the destruction of AGC as some books say the Soviet summer offensive of 1944 was. Good period covered post Kursk, always refreshing to read about a neglected area.

[Jimbuna]

Looking forward to starting on this in the coming week.

https://i.imgur.com/KlDrarL.jpg

[STEED]

Moving on to a good book I read some years ago and worth re-reading.



Sledgehammers: Strengths and Flaws of Tiger Tank Battalions in World War 2

by Major Christopher W. Wilbeck

[blackswan40]

Just bought Normandy 44 by James Holland got it from my local Tesco £12.50 a real indepth look at the Normandy Campaign.
I had something silmilar in papper back in the 1980's read it many times untill it fell to bits this book is on a par with that jam packed with info maps black and white photos a must for any world war II Nutjob like me


http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=1230&pictureid=10390

[JoeNettles]

I have been reading through the Pacino series by Michael DiMercurio. Current book: Piranha Firing Point

https://kbimages1-a.akamaihd.net/d714bca1-4a70-4937-8a45-236e5a1e19d4/353/569/90/False/piranha-firing-point.jpg

[Jimbuna]

https://i.imgur.com/ELVvq2o.jpg

[iambecomelife]

https://www.amazon.com/Live-Bait-Squadron-graves-September/dp/9461532601

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41WHDIZ5hLL._SX328_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Just came in from Amazon! Britain's greatest submarine disaster of 1914; the death toll was greater than "Lusitania", and almost exactly that of the "Titanic"...over 1400 dead.

Interesting bit of trivia: one sailor, "Kit" Wykeham-Musgrave, survived all three sinkings! He was stationed on the "Aboukir", rescued by the "Hogue" before it sank, and then rescued by the "Cressy" before it too sank - finally a fishing boat took him to shore.

Not only that - he cheated death AGAIN...After his rescue, Kit was assigned to the battleship HMS "Vanguard". In 1917, "Vanguard" blew up, killing 843 men with only 2 survivors - miraculously, he had been assigned shore duty that day. :o He lived a long life well into the 1980's, and in fact was one of the last survivors of the Aboukir/Cressy/Hogue disaster.

[Subnuts]

Just finished reading all 500+ pages Battleship Bismarck: A Design and Operational History yesterday. Okay, I haven't finished reading the appendixes yet, but you can read my review of it here: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1WDYMYLVP9J7N/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1526759748

[Hawk66]

Supreme Commander: MacArthur's Triumph in Japan
(https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18386153-supreme-commander)

With those "masterminds" currently ruling the world, I often think how lucky the world was after the WWII catastrophe to have the "right" man doing the job, being it Adenauer, Churchill, Truman or MacArthur...

[STEED]

Started to read...

Panzer Leader
Heinz Guderian

His second book on his career in WW2.

[Jimbuna]

The Dunkirk Perimeter and Evacuation 1940: France and Flanders Campaign (Battleground Books: WWII)

https://i.imgur.com/5vQrPPx.jpg

[Subnuts]

I've been chipping away at Norman Friedman's The British Submarine in Two World Wars. It's one of his better books from the last decade, although it does require a lot of patience and careful reading. It has a lot of excellent plans from John Lambert and from the archive of the National Maritime Museum, including some foldout color Admiralty draughts. Just be sure to have a magnifying glass!


Moving away from anything maritime related (although you could make a strong case that the Nostromo is a giant tugboat...)I also recently finished J.W. Rinzler's The Making of Alien. It's a big coffee-table style account with stories from seemingly everyone involved in the production, packed with concept art, candid on-set photographs, storyboards, set blueprints, etc. Awesome book if you're a fan of the movie. You can read my review (with photos) of it here: https://www.amazon.com/review/R19VRP7TQKDWHF/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8

[HalfLifeExpert]

Just finished a used copy of the Harpoon II Strategy Guide, an excellent resource for CMANO players

[Subnuts]

Been slowly chipping my way through the new "Famous Russian Aircraft" while wrapping up a few other books. I enjoy Yefim Gordon's books, but this one is a 700-page brick and I'm kind of struggling with it.


I also finished British Submarines in Two World Wars, and you can read my review here: https://www.amazon.com/review/R11IMBMNE47BWA/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1526738163

[Jimbuna]

This arrived yesterday morning.

https://i.postimg.cc/6343kDCP/Untitled.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Bangoo]

https://i.ibb.co/HrLMQty/image.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)
https://www.amazon.com/Neither-Sharks-Nor-Wolves-1939-1945/dp/1591145465
It seemed to be a little boring at the beginning, but then I found out lots of interesting information, statistics data, deep analysis of the U-boat crews service.
Recommend for those who are interested in german U-boat crews history.

[STEED]

Half way though a non military book..true. :03:

BEDLAM London and Its Mad by Catherine Arnold

Little jumpy in places but not too bad for average book.

[Jimbuna]

Hunter Killers: The Dramatic Untold Story of the Royal Navy's Most Secret Service Paperback by Iain Ballantyne.

Reminds me that open warfare is not commonplace in the present time.

[Subnuts]

I recently received my copy of the new "Anatomy of the Ship" series book on the battleship Iowa. Frankly, I'm disappointed. The external views are gorgeous, and depict the ship at several points between commissioning and 1990. The interiors are unfortunately incredibly stingy. No detailed views of the machinery and hull structure, lots of unlabeled illustrations, and only basic General Arrangement plans of each deck. Certainly a step down from the classic "Anatomies" published in the 80s and 90s.


You can read my review here: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1TGGGU8VASY4M/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8

[tmccarthy]

Mortar Gunner on the Eastern Front

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/9306/lmrWYX.jpg

[Jimbuna]

https://i.postimg.cc/bJ91F8zD/51j-Wm-ZKyb-IL-SX328-BO1-204-203-200.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Subnuts]

Been alternating between Norman Friedman's "US aircraft carriers" and "US Submarines through 1945." I'm enjoying the former more, though the latter has a lot of fascinating details I haven't seen elsewhere.

[Jimbuna]

Just started reading a book about anti-gravity. Its impossible to put down.

[fred8615]

Just started reading a book about anti-gravity. Its impossible to put down.

:roll:

[Subnuts]

I've recently finished reading "British Town Class Cruisers: Design, Development, & Performance" and "Going Deep: John Philip Holland and the Invention of the Attack Submarine." You can read my reviews here:



Going Deep (https://www.amazon.com/review/RYO0U4VHJ0FF5/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01MXM82PX)
British Town Class Cruisers (https://www.amazon.com/review/RCOUSVR46ER0H/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8)


I've also just started reading the revised edition of "Scooter! The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Story." Lots of pretty pictures, but I haven't had much of an opportunity to dig in too deeply.

[Subnuts]

Amazon isn't publishing my review of Haynes' Leopard 1 tank manual for some reason, so I'll post it here.

I'm not entirely certain why Haynes no longer publishes their tank "manuals" in association with the Tank Museum, but there's been a noticeable dip in their quality over the last couple of years. Thankfully, this is a pretty solid reference which does a fine job exploring the complex history of the Leopard 1 in its many incarnations.

The author, Michael Shackleton, published a three-volume history of the Leopard 1 in 2003; good luck finding a set for under $200. Although I can't compare it with this book, I imagine all but the most hardcore armor buffs should be content with this book. Starting with a brief look at the Bundeswehr's requirement for a new MBT in the mid-50s and the production and testing of prototypes, we come to the "anatomy" chapter, which describes the tank's main systems, transmission, suspension, armament, etc. Chapter 3 describes all of the main variants and major upgrades of the battle tank variants and some of the engineering attachments they used. Chapter 4 looks at each of the specialized variants of the basic Leopard, including engineering and recovery vehicles, the Biber bridge layer, and the Gepard anti-aircraft vehicle. Chapter 5, the book's largest, covers the tank's service in 16 of the foreign armies that used it, focusing on local modifications and new vehicles derived from the basic Leopard chassis. The final chapter focuses on operating and maintaining the tank, and the appendix includes specification sheets for each main variant.

Although Haynes has a tendency to pad out their books with personal accounts, fluffy asides, and flashy full-page color photos, this is an extremely lean affair. There's not much in the way of operational and development history here, just a straight-up technical study that traces the evolution of the design. Thankfully, we get two color "family tree" graphs to avoid any confusion. For the serious tech heads, there's quite a bit of detail on the functioning of some of the major systems, excellent photographs of the "guts" of the tank, and instructions for starting the tank, preparations for fording rivers, and checklists for First and Last Parades. If you're a modeler, you'll probably be endlessly inspired by all of the foreign modifications. There's even a lengthy schedule for monthly, biannual, and annual servicing. Don't forget to check the oil level in the traverse gearbox once a month!

The only reason I'm giving this four stars instead of five is that it runs into the same problem that most books on modern weapons run into. Even if it's technically obsolete, the Leopard 1 is still being used by five countries, so details on armor, fire control gear, and electronics are sketchy at best. Although it's more tightly written than many Haynes books, it's also somewhat drier in tone. Putting that aside, I recommend this one for armor buffs. It looks like the only other book on the Leopard 1 that's currently in print is an Osprey title from the mid-90s, so this definitely fills a gap in the currently available literature.

I really need to stop buying books before I'm done reading the last one. I keep a list of what I'm either reading or haven't started yet, and there's about 15 on it right now! :k_confused:

[Aktungbby]

https://images3.penguinrandomhouse.com/cover/9781524744151 this just out and required reading imho: history's first successful sub attack....and a Confederate one at that! How a determined scientist cracked the case of the first successful—and disastrous—submarine attack

On the night of February 17, 1864, the tiny Confederate submarine HL Hunley made its way toward the USS Housatonic just outside Charleston harbor. Within a matter of hours, the Union ship’s stern was blown open in a spray of wood planks. The explosion sank the ship, killing many of its crew. And the submarine, the first ever to be successful in combat, disappeared without a trace.

For 131 years the eight-man crew of the HL Hunley lay in their watery graves, undiscovered. When finally raised, the narrow metal vessel revealed a puzzling sight. There was no indication the blast had breached the hull, and all eight men were still seated at their stations—frozen in time after more than a century. Why did it sink? Why did the men die? Archaeologists and conservationists have been studying the boat and the remains for years, and now one woman has the answers.

In the Waves is much more than just a military perspective or a technical account. It’s also the story of Rachel Lance’s single-minded obsession spanning three years, the story of the extreme highs and lows in her quest to find all the puzzle pieces of the Hunley. Balancing a gripping historical tale and original research with a personal story of professional and private obstacles, In the Waves is an enthralling look at a unique part of the Civil War and the lengths one scientist will go to uncover its secrets. As a black powder shooter and civil war re-enactor myself and :subsim:
CSS Hunley poster myself https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2284625&postcount=1059 (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2284625&postcount=1059)::yeah:
From today's W.S.J.: Most people don’t understand explosions. In action movies, we see heroes, propelled by fireballs, get back up, then brush themselves off before jumping back into the fray. But in the real world, the pressure wave from a nearby explosion can kill you without even knocking you over. “Our action hero, thrown across the room by the winds of an explosion,” writes Rachel Lance in her book “In the Waves,” “is not standing up and dashing off after a mild back injury.” Instead, the blunt trauma to his lungs will kill him “100 percent of the time.”
Ms. Lance would know. She’s a biomedical engineer who studies blast trauma and pulmonary physiology. Her book, which centers on the research at the heart of her Ph.D. dissertation, unravels the mystery surrounding the death of a Civil War submarine crew.
In the Waves

By Rachel Lance
Dutton, 352 pages, $28


In 1864, H.L. Hunley became the first submarine to sink an enemy ship. But the Confederate submersible never returned home. When the 40-by-4-foot tube was recovered in 2000, the remains of all eight crew members were still seated at their stations, showing little sign of struggle or trauma (aside from 100-plus years of decomposition). How did they die?
One popular theory suggests that they asphyxiated from either too little oxygen or too much carbon dioxide. CO 2 poisoning would have been the quicker of the two killers, but there still would have been several minutes between the first painful symptoms and the crew’s ultimate demise—yet there were no signs the crew even attempted to open the bilge pumps to surface for fresh air. “Nobody sinks their teeth into their own tongue in agony”—as sufferers of CO 2 poisoning have done—“yet sits still, one hatch door away from freedom, without taking action,” Ms. Lance writes. So asphyxiation is ruled out.

Then there is the lucky-shot theory. A hole in the sub looks to have appeared around the time of the sinking. Perhaps a Union bullet hit and sank the Hunley. But again, the crew made no moves to avoid drowning in the several minutes they would have had before death.
Ms. Lance prefers another theory: that the crew was killed by a blast wave. Central to this idea—first proposed in 1877 but without enough supporting evidence at the time to keep it beyond dispute—is the thin spar, 16 feet long, which was attached to the front of the hand-cranked sub and used to hold a bomb: 135 to 200 pounds of black powder encased in a copper canister the size of a beer keg. Contact between the bomb and the underside of a ship would trigger the device.




On the night of Feb. 17, 1864, the Hunley set out to destroy the USS Housatonic, one of several Union warships enforcing a blockade around Charleston, S.C. When the bomb on the spar hit the ship, it blew a hole in the Housatonic’s hull and sank it in about five minutes, killing five of its hundred-plus crew. But the spar was angled slightly downward from the Hunley, so the pressure wave traveled through the water to the submarine’s underside—mere feet away—causing its wrought-iron belly to flex like a trampoline and transmit the wave to the air inside the sub. There, according to Ms. Lance’s scaled-down re-creation of the event, the pressure wave bounced around like a ripple in a bathtub, amplifying itself where the peaks overlapped and hitting the confined men from all sides. As Ms. Lance writes, “The Hunley was inadvertently designed to kill her own crew.”
“In the Waves” is one part science book, one part historical narrative, one part memoir. The author vividly describes the physics and physiology of explosions, shock waves and asphyxiation, often addressing morbid topics with bemused detachment. Pressure waves destroy lungs and intestines because they travel through fluid faster than air, decelerating and destructively dissipating their energy when they hit air pockets such as lung alveoli. “The phenomenon of this extreme slowdown in the water-air maze is called ‘the hot chocolate effect,’ ” we are told, “after the delightful frothy bubbles of the delicious beverage.”
We learn of the Hunley’s construction and testing by privateers, led by Horace Lawson Hunley, who died in one of the two training accidents that gave the vessel its nickname “the peripatetic coffin.” We learn the history of black powder, submarines, trans-Atlantic cables, the Civil War and characters such as George Washington Rains and Gabriel Rains—“the Bomb Brothers”—who manufactured munitions for the South.
The author paints for us a portrait of herself as a sleep-deprived, motorcycle-riding, cake-baking, scuba-diving pursuer of truth at any cost. We follow her in novelistic detail (“My forkful of eggs froze on its way to my mouth”) as she befriends a Civil War re-enactor willing to shoot at metal plates with his musket to help shatter the lucky-shot theory. She commissions a metalworking artist to build a scale model of the Hunley (dubbed CSS Tiny), meets an ATF agent to fill her trunk with sacks of black powder, uses homemade baked goods to entice a farmer to let her blow stuff up in his pond, and spends hot days in the sun and cold nights in the lab blasting and measuring. We also learn a bit of technical jargon, like SWAG, for “scientific wild-ass guess.”
Some of Ms. Lance’s struggles are common among graduate students. One epigraph quotes another former Ph.D. student: “My adviser had a saying: You have to believe that Sisyphus was happy.” Describing her need to collect clean data on deadline, the author writes: “Perhaps this was a small taste of the desperation that the [Charleston-defending] crew of the Hunley felt. They knew how dangerous their boat was, but they were starving, and they were being bombed nightly.”




Some blockades were unique to her pursuit. On departing the Hunley museum, where its archaeologists denied Ms. Lance basic information about the displayed submarine, “I looked back up at the sign urging me to help ‘solve the mystery.’ ” Apparently they weren’t that curious. Eventually they offered to share their guarded knowledge, on condition that she sign a nondisclosure agreement—a death knell for hopes of scientific publication. She declined, but has the final word with a tight jab in the book’s epilogue: “When I last toured the museum I was unable to find, even in the sections dedicated to general Civil War history, a single mention of slavery.”
In the end, Ms. Lance concludes that, with a 200-pound charge—given its unfortunate placement—each man on the Hunley would have had a 99.9% chance of “serious injury” and a 92% chance of immediate death, plus a 46% chance of traumatic brain injury. Just as harrowing, and inspiring, is the depiction of the scientific process and its bracing danger of death by a thousand cuts.

[Texas Red]

Well wait, I was watching a NatGeo show called "Drain the Oceans" and it said that they (The crew of the CSS Hunley) died from Carbon Monoxide Poising?

If it said that in your review you posted, my bad.

This is what I am reading right now:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/414BnEnohIL.jpg

Yes, I am really reading this.

[Aktungbby]

Well wait, I was watching a NatGeo show called "Drain the Oceans" and it said that they (The crew of the CSS Hunley) died from Carbon Monoxide Poising?

If it said that in your review you posted, my bad.

look (click)under the 'spoiler'; the CO2 issue is discussed, and rejected. The crew died instantly, not under the agonistic throes of CO2 asphixiation.

[Hartroff]

U-Boat: The Secret Menace by David Mason

Translated into Turkish.

https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1422550859l/24749002.jpg

[tmccarthy]

Moscow Tram Stop: A Doctor's Experiences with the German Spearhead in Russia by Heinrich Haape

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/5908/KTTLXi.jpg

[Subnuts]

I've been slowly chipping my way through Jean Boudriot's massive four-volume set The Seventy-Four Gun Ship the last month or so. I'm currently about a quarter through the third book. They're undoubtedly excellent books, some of the most detailed naval reference books I've ever seen...but they're so expensive I'm afraid to even touch them! :o

[Subnuts]

Recently finished Zeppelin Hindenburg: An Illustrated History of LZ-129. Quite a fascinating book, with lots of photographs and illustrations I haven't seen elsewhere. Refreshing to see a book that doesn't just treat the Hindenburg as a giant symbol of Nazi hubris that exploded, but rather as a technical marvel and a passenger vessel which had a successful, if brief, career.



You can read my review here: https://www.amazon.com/review/R3F2A2C1C1QTR6/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0750989912

[Macgregor the Hammer]

Just finished 'Sink 'em all' by VADM Charles Lockwood :yeah:. Great read! It's a behind the scenes look at our submarine fleet after Pearl Harbor.

Just started 'Clear the Bridge!' by Dick O'Kane. A must for any submariner! :yeah:

[Macgregor the Hammer]

I recently finished reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Incredible book, I'm delighted.

I had to grind through this book in 12th grade literature :wah:

Never fully understood "Objectivism". A little too cosmic for me. :hmmm:

[Captain Hammer]

Recently finished "Silent Running" by James Calvert and started "The War Below" by James Scott. Before those, I plowed through "The Depths of Courage" by Flint Whitlock and John R. Smith.


That's for non-fiction. For fiction, I periodically leaf through the works of Ned Beach, Harry Homewood, and P.T. Deutermann ("The Iceman" was one hell of a page turner if you haven't caught it yet). Now I'm working on my own! :yeah:

[Furia]

I have just finished this one and I have enjoyed it a lot :Kaleun_Applaud:

Very immersive and well written.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51C2BvPUtML.jpg

The Enemy: Life Aboard a U.S. Navy Destroyer (https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Wirt-Williams-ebook/dp/B0854D4VK5/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_es_US=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=The+Enemy%3A+Life+Aboard+a+U.S.+Navy+Dest royer&qid=1596917213&sr=8-1)

I highly recommend it for people interested in destroyer operations.

[Jimbuna]

On loan from a friend and not long into it but it looks very promising.

The Naval Siege of Japan 1945: War Plan Orange Triumphant (Campaign)

https://i.postimg.cc/Qx5Pnb2n/51-5g-Y4i7w-L-SX369-BO1-204-203-200.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Furia]

I have just finished one and I have really enjoyed it a lot.
The history of USS England, the most decorated Antisubmarine Escor in the US Navy related by his XO and later CO.

6 Japanese submarines in 12 days :Kaleun_Salute:

Nice reading. I highly recommend if you like Tin Cans

Antisubmarine Warrior in the Pacific: Six Subs Sunk in Twelve Days (https://www.amazon.com/Antisubmarine-Warrior-Pacific-Subs-Twelve/dp/0817314156)

https://submarinebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/AntiSubmarineWarriorHB.jpg

[Subnuts]

Just finished reading United States Navy Submarines 1900-2019 which was $1.99 on Kindle. It was okay for an introduction to the subject (which means none of us here really need it...) but the writing was repetitive and there were some odd mistakes (the Skipjacks had pumpjet propulsors and the Ohios had 16 missile tubes...really?).



My review here: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1B9LDN6YI7G12/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8

[Vox165]

I been reading WWI submarine warfare this summer. I had sketchy knowledge on the subject. I did find some good general history , but now I'm looking for more first person accounts.

"The Journal of Submarine Commander von Forstner" by Georg-Gunther von Forstner. in public domain https://uboat.net/wwi/men/commanders/76.html

"To the Last Salute: Memories: of an Austrian U-boat Commander" by Georg von Trapp. This was a surprise. I found this a fascinating personal narrative of the Adriatic / Mediterranean front, and his everyday experiences and tactics on early Austrian U-boats.

[tmccarthy]

The Eastern Front: Memoirs of a Waffen SS Volunteer, 1941–1945

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/9982/xJ3uRh.jpg

[Texas Red]

Currently, I am reading this:

https://i.postimg.cc/qvVGx0SW/51-K1-S0-S0-Z6-L-SX321-BO1-204-203-200.jpg


Excellent read so far, I am loving it. I read almost 50% of it on a vacation in the last week of July, now I am 70% through it.
I picked it up on Kindle here:
https://www.amazon.com/Hitlers-U-Boat-War-Hunters-1939-1942-ebook/dp/B003F3PLQW/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

I'm gonna read the second book next.

[Jimbuna]

^ An excellent read. I have both volumes (hardback versions) stored for safe keeping but could never understand why volume two, The Hunted is always so much more expensive.

I consider this the daddy of them all. A bit technical in places and not cheap. In fact back in the day I remember sending a copy to Kpt Lehmann as a xmas present.

https://i.postimg.cc/4xycCDzH/51l-Zx5u-Co-PL.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/U-boat-evolution-technical-Submarines-Military/dp/0304361208/ref=sr_1_66?dchild=1&keywords=u-boat+books&qid=1601809465&sr=8-66

[Subnuts]

I haven't been reading this so much as I've been soaking it in.


https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51tPAtNtffL._SX422_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


I own the other two volumes in this series and I'm utterly blown away at what an amazing draftsman John Lambert was. I've spent hours studying his "Anatomy of the Ship" books on the submarine Alliance and the Fairmile D MGBs, but this series just takes the detail to another level.


My review, with some pictures:
https://www.amazon.com/review/R312A7UYVWDLMT/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=152677710X

[Jimbuna]

Have this on order and expect it any day soon.

https://i.postimg.cc/3xh2RVFw/hhhhh.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[tmccarthy]

Marching from Defeat: Surviving the Collapse of the German Army in the Soviet Union, 1944 by Claus Neuber
(Operation Bagration)

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/2632/yPYnbv.jpg

[Subnuts]

I've been browsing through the new Scharnhorst "Anatomy of the Ship" the last two weeks. It's fairly decent but nowhere as detailed on a structural or mechanical level as the "Anatomies" published in the 80s and 90s.

My review here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/1472840232/R3R7NHVBDRBL1C?ref=pf_vv_at_pdctrvw_srp

[mapuc]

I'm not exactly reading I'm listerning to this audiobook

https://www.audiobooksnow.com/audiobook/the-civil-war-a-narrative-vol-1/1288365/

While building the HMS Hood 1/200.

When finish reading first part-part two will be bought and so will part three.

Markus

[Jimbuna]

This arrived yesterday so I'll probably make a start at the weekend.

https://i.ibb.co/j4LJ2yN/111.jpg

[Sean C]

Of Clocks and Time by Lutz Hüwel. Part of a "Humble Bundle (https://www.humblebundle.com/books/astronomy-black-holes-universe-morgan-claypool-books?linkID=&mcID=102:6026db8f127257424f044eea:ot:5ab9bba4ec70a 72c03803d4b:1&utm_source=Humble+Bundle+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2021_02_15_astronomyblackholesunivers emorganclaypool_bookbundle&linkID=&utm_content=cta_button&mcID=102%3A6026db8f127257424f044eea%3Aot%3A5ab9bba 4ec70a72c03803d4b%3A1)" of 16 astronomy books for US$18. Available for the next 15 days.






https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51lNNWPyq9L._SX348_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

[tmccarthy]

[QUOTE=Sean C;2731565]Of Clocks and Time by Lutz Hüwel. Part of a "Humble Bundle (https://www.humblebundle.com/books/astronomy-black-holes-universe-morgan-claypool-books?linkID=&mcID=102:6026db8f127257424f044eea:ot:5ab9bba4ec70a 72c03803d4b:1&utm_source=Humble+Bundle+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2021_02_15_astronomyblackholesunivers emorganclaypool_bookbundle&linkID=&utm_content=cta_button&mcID=102%3A6026db8f127257424f044eea%3Aot%3A5ab9bba 4ec70a72c03803d4b%Int3A1)" of 16 astronomy books for US$18. Available for the next 15 days.

That book looks interesting and it's US$54 on amazon/kindle. Going to look into it.

[Sean C]

Going to look into it.


That site has some incredible deals. I've bought a lot from them and have never been disappointed.

[tmccarthy]

That site has some incredible deals. I've bought a lot from them and have never been disappointed.

Sounds good. Thanks!
-Tim

[Subnuts]

I'm currently reading The Silent Deep: The Royal Navy Submarine Service to whittle away the time after the publication of Norman Friedman's British Submarines in the Cold War Era got delayed for the 37th time. My copy of Liberty Factory: The Untold Story of Henry Kaiser's Oregon Shipyards should be coming in today. It certainly wouldn't be the first time I was reading two or more books at one time!

[Otto Harkaman]

Enjoying reading Lothar-Günther Buchheim's novel "Das Boot", saw the movie when it first came out to the theater.

[Subnuts]

Been reading Norman Friedman's "US Submarines Since 1945: An Illustrated Design History" for the third time because I'm a glutton for punishment. Actually, I really do enjoy it, it's just EXTREMELY detailed and dense.

I also recently finished reading Bill Yenne's "Building the B-17 Flying Fortress." Kind of dry, but the selection of photographs is incredible. You can read my review here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/1580072712/R2YH20ZKEJ7MRT?ref=pf_vv_at_pdctrvw_srp

[Randomizer]

Not at all naval but a fascinating read so far is Sean McMeekin's July 1914; Countdown to War.

July 1914 (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1848316577/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_image_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

-C

[Otto Harkaman]

Been reading some Tom Clancy

https://covers.zlibcdn2.com/covers299/books/d6/af/ba/d6afbab76b9b36439c073ec04ebf3bd1.jpg

https://covers.zlibcdn2.com/covers/books/2f/b8/b6/2fb8b651ffbca6013c4cb70390bfd983.jpg

[Subnuts]

Finished reading "USS Albacore: Forerunner of the Future" a couple days ago. A good fast read which can be purchased for $10. My review is here: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1XMLW72E6GHD5/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0915819252


Lately, I've been chipping away at a few Specialty Press aviation books, including "US Naval Air Superiority," "Magnesium Overcast," and "Vigilante!" I certainly never have a shortage of books to read! :D

[Otto Harkaman]

Really enjoying this book, however it could be a bit better organized.

Oceans Ventured: Winning the Cold War at Sea
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51lEbeEsUZL.jpg
"John Lehman has given us another naval classic in Oceans Ventured - the incredible story of the Navy's central role in winning the Cold War. Based upon meticulous research and newly declassified documents, Lehman's fresh account has the grip of a well-crafted adventure novel. His perspective is uniquely authoritative: he was a key architect of American strategy, a crucial figure in its execution, and an active participant as a qualified naval aviator. A must-read."
-- "Senator John McCain"https://www.amazon.com/Oceans-Ventured-Winning-Cold-War-ebook/dp/B073VXJL99

[Subnuts]

I just finished reading Battleship Duke of York: An Anatomy from Building to Breaking, although I'll certainly be coming back to it again in the future. One of the best naval references I've read in a while.



Here's my review:
https://www.amazon.com/review/R2T4PBJL0KEOMN/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1526777290

[Kpt. Weyprecht]

I read a bunch of submarine books lately. Right now I'm in John Coote's "Submariner", just getting to the chapter on his time in command of the HMS Totem, which is pretty much why I bought the book.

Some time ago I also read "Red star under the Baltic" - and it is frankly awe-inspiring. I picked this book just after some of the well-known here American testimonials and the contrast is imressive. Obviously, the Russians were not nearly as goog sailors as the Americans and their (WWII) subs were way less advanced. But the amount of effort and danger theslightest thing required is just insane. Starting with the initial anecdote where three sailors are sent to repair an excavator in a cemetery, in the middle of winter in besieged Leningrad, and try to hitch a ride, then yell at a truck driver who wouldn't stop, only to see that the lorry was full of corpses... There is also the maintenance on screws done by divers who descend through a hole cut in the ice because they don't have drydocks and plenty of times where they have to invent a way to perform a complex task with near to no ressources... And then they do to patrol the desperately shallow Baltic sea where they take shelter from German ASW vessels in the middle of minefields....


Speaking of that, could anybody recommend some good reads on Soviet/Red side of underwater Cold War? I know they wrote less testimonials and I dont't read Russian but I still feel that perspective lacks.

[Subnuts]

Just got my copy of Norman Friedman's British Submarines in the Cold War Era. Haven't really had a chance to read it yet, but I've browsed through it, and I'm thrilled, actually tickled-pink-rubbing-my-hands-together-like-an-idiot thrilled that it has some exquisitely detailed plans of the Swiftsure, Resolution, Valiant, and Upholder classes, including multiple sectional views, even showing every piece of equipment in the machinery spaces. I seriously never thought I'd see a detailed, unclassified diagram of a nuclear submarine's engine room...but now I have! :yeah:

[Subnuts]

My review of Friedman's "British Submarines in the Cold War Era" is up now.
https://www.amazon.com/review/R2R3OOX4Y0MGX4/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1526771225


Don't know why it's not showing up as a Verified Purchase...I think Amazon likes to be a d&%k from time to time...:doh:

[Subnuts]

Amazon just decided to randomly delete my review of Hitler's U-boat Strike Force, so I'll just post it here instead. Millions of people on Amazon have posted more malicious reviews than this, and they never got theirs deleted in less than four hours. :nope:


Writing serious military history, especially that focused on Nazi Germany, requires a level of clinical detachment from the subject matter that many readers might find distasteful. I've owned and read a number of books on the military on the subject over the years, mostly on the Kriegsmarine and the U-boats in particular. For the most part, they've mercifully taken a "just the facts, here's what happened and when, this unit was organized like that, this weapon or equipment worked like such..." approach. "The Nazis were bad and did horrible things" isn't exactly a controversial statement. Any intelligent reader should recognize that and move on.

And then there's Jak P. Mallmann Showell. I read his "Hitler's Wonder U-boats" three years ago, and I have no idea what compelled me to purchase another one of his books. How this guy got to be a respected U-boat historian is a wonder; I've been reading Geirr Harr's "No Room for Mistakes" and the difference in quality is staggering. Once again, most of the text is frequently unfocused and written at a vaguely introductory level, German terms and titles have tildes inserted between syllables, and no attempt is made to disguise the fact that the author is a bitter nationalist crank. Here's a couple of choice quotes in which he describes the aftermath of World War I and the Allied occupation of Germany:

"The victorious Allies cowered in the shadows and did very little or nothing to stem the increase of ethnic violence throughout the new states which they had created."

'What we are left with are piles of one-sided and somewhat misleading propaganda, generated by those who won the majority of battles..."

"They did not shy away from using their guns against starving Germans who could only watch when the food and goods they had produced were taken away. In view of this cruelty, it was thought highly likely that this army of occupation would return, to confiscate any military violations of the Versailles "Treaty," the peace 'treaty' that the Germans were forced to sign at the end of the First World War."

Boy, for someone upset about "propaganda," Mr. Showell certainly has no problem repeating a lot of pre-war Nazi grievances! Why the editors at Frontline Books thought anyone would want to read the author's bitter ramblings in a book advertised (perhaps disguised) as a technical and operational study is incomprehensible to me. Then again, this book currently has a 4.5-star rating, so what do I know? I'm giving it two stars, simply because it has some nice pictures and diagrams, and the Kindle edition was only $2.99. I certainly wouldn't want to spend any more on it.

[PIC]

Been reading Submarine by Tom Clancy and John Gresham. It's the 2002 updated version (original was from 1993) and takes you inside the USS Miami HMS Triumph. Some good, but not highly detailed, technical info as well as lots of photos.

[KaleunMarco]

Been reading Submarine by Tom Clancy and John Gresham. It's the 2002 updated version (original was from 1993) and takes you inside the USS Miami HMS Triumph. Some good, but not highly detailed, technical info as well as lots of photos.

Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling.

however i just pre-ordered an Oxford University book by Craig Symonds titled Nimitz at War. It is due out in the late spring of '22.

[Silent Otto]

Tried to search for the titles and didn't find them, so if repeats, my apologies.

1) The Destruction of Convoy PQ.17 by David Irving.
True story set in June 1942. 35 ships leaving Iceland heading to the Russian port of Archangel. 11 finally make it. "An hour by hour, blow by blow account of this catastrophic encounter" and the political repercussions that followed. It's actually called out in the game play "nightclub" at one point. Highly recommended!

2) U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars by Paul Kemp.

More of a reference book than "good reading" but provides details on each U-boat sunk since 1914, by hull number and year sunk. Lists U-boat info, Commanders, place and cause of sinking, survivors, etc. Great little reference!

Tim

[Andreas86]

I am currently in the last half of Herbert Werners "Iron Coffins". Rarely have I read such a well written, accessible, exciting and informative book. The many aspects of Werners life, the travels, family matters, long and exhausting patrols and the dramatic events involved, his path to becoming XO and then captain, the increasing difficulty of operations to the point of the uboat force being basically a suicide squad (especially around the D-day invasion), the terror of being hunted under the sea, his thoughts and fears.. Everything is written in a way that drags you in, a way that makes you visualize and experience the war from his view. I can hardly put it down. Many people write in a fashion that can be tiring and exhaustive, but Werner has a great sense of storytelling, the rhythm, and depth is just right. I won't spoil too much, but I must recommend this book to everyone interested in the war in the atlantic.

What really strikes me is a feeling that Wolfgang Petersen must have read this book quite well before making Das Boot, because so many elements from Iron Coffins are present in that cinematic masterpiece. I have read the book Das Boot, and seen the movie and full series many times since I was a kid and I honestly don't see how they made that cinematic masterpiece from the book by Buchheim. That book, apart from the character descriptions, is very different from the movie and not very well written in my view. Too drawn out and wasting alot of pages on descriptions of the sky and such. I love a good sunset but damn.. The book was a hard read for me, and quite a disappointment after being exposed to the movie first. The movie really did improve the story hugely, also in the character department. Funny thing is that the crescendo of being stuck on the ocean floor with great damages in Das Boot, happened to Werner early on his first uboat practice, as well as later in the war. The way Werner and his crew got loose both times was incredible and gut wrenching. Also the depiction of being in the middle of the atlantic in heavy storms, the huge swells, the cold, the battering weather, everything is told better in Werner's book.

And him nagging his commander for a Schnorkel, even going to the lengths of trying to arrange a lorry himself to go find one elswhere in France.. Very telling of the situation they faced in 44, with the shortages and the sinking morale. One really gets a sense of how the war gradually turned against the germans. I look forward to the last part!

[KaleunMarco]

i have two books going, at the moment.

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors
The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour
By James D. Hornfischer;

The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign
Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942
By John B. Lundstrom

[USS CUTTHROAT SS-365]

Other than reading the SH 4 Tutorials to familiarize myself with the Sim, I find this to be quite fascinating to read; Submarine Cuisine! It's a .pdf, BTW...

https://maritime.org/doc/pdf/subcusine.pdf

Alan :salute:

[Subnuts]

Amazon is being annoying and taking forever to publish my review of "Tribals, Battles, and Darings" (must have unwittingly p&^#d in their cornflakes again), so I thought I'd post it here instead.


(TL,DR: It's okay but has issues.)


I genuinely dislike being excessively critical of an author's first book so soon after its publication. Normally I'd see how far they've evolved after three or four books and THEN look back at their first. "Tribals, Battles and Darings" seems like a terribly well-meaning work, attempting to explain the rationale behind these ships, the operations they were involved in, and the lessons the modern Royal Navy could learn from them. Keeping that in mind, this book definitely has some issues which should have been worked out before publication. Considering that the ships described within were often criticized for biting off more than they could chew, it's somewhat ironic that it suffers from the same problem.

What we're left with, mainly, is less a study of these ships' design, development, and operations, and more a somewhat rambling vindication of the "back pocket cruiser" concept. More than half of it consists of blow-by-blow accounts of all the major battles and naval operations the British "Tribals" were involved in. Mildly interesting, but there are no maps (crucial to understanding complex naval engagements), and some bits are questionable, the "Bismarck" being hit by three torpedoes and burning after the destroyer encounter of May 26/27, 1941, and the truly bizarre explanation of "combing" a spread of torpedoes, being two obvious examples. The writing lacks confidence and focus all too often; while several naval battles are mentioned without explanation, Dr. Clarke feels the need to explain what ASDIC was and how depth charges worked. There's also virtually nothing on the Australian and Canadian ships of these classes.

I purchased the Kindle edition, so I'm not sure if the hardcover has the same problem, but there are dozens of typos and editing errors. The picture quality is decent, but except for a couple of diagrams (including perspective deck plans of the "Daring" class), they're all exterior shots. As much as I wanted to love this book, I'm feeling distinctly underwhelmed. Considering how many times this book was delayed over the last year, it STILL feels unfinished, the complete absence of any technical details, or even a basic specifications sheet for each ship, being a glaring example. If you're interested in how these ships came to be, check out Norman Friedman's "British Destroyers and Frigates." If technical details and diagrams are more your thing, "Destroyer Cossack" in the "As Detailed in the Original Builder's Plans" is excellent.

[Sammy-rai]

Just writing to let everyone know that for those who enjoy first-hand accounts about submarining during the opening stages of the Pacific War, "War in the Boats" by William Ruhe is a GOLD MINE !!.


https://unebraskapress-us.imgix.net/covers/9781574887341.jpg?auto=format&w=298

Ruhe's original assignment was to oversee the installation of the first radar units for subs in the Pacific area. However, this task got put on hold when the ship carrying these precious radar units became an early casualty of war.

Already in Australia, he then volunteered to serve on any submarine in need of an officer and got assigned to the WWI era S-boat, the S-37. Known to its crew as 'the rusty old sewer pipe' the S-37 was barely seaworthy and suffered from a host of problems due to its advanced age and outdated technology.

Nonetheless, these were desperate times so the S-37 doggedly put to sea. Ruhe faithfully relates the woes of serving in an old sub - things like hanging nets over tables so the cockroaches constantly crawling on the ceiling don't fall into their food or ruin their card games. Or the crisis when the toilet becomes clogged and the herculean efforts to clear it. Or fans nibbling off the toes of sleeping crew members whose bunks were situated nearest these fans. Or the errors by the attack party due to a lack of training when an enemy ship is finally sighted and an attempt is made to sink it. Or the crew wondering how their shipmates, especially the officers, will tackle their first combat.

This is quite in contrast to James Calvert's "Silent Running" which is a chronicle of his years on a fleet submarine in the Pacific during WWII, which I have just finished reading.

For me the icing on the cake is that I started my first SH4 (FOTRS mod) campaign 10 days before I started reading the book. My sim skipper is running an S-boat just like the type Ruhe served in, and is on his third patrol where he has been cruising around Rabaul and the Solomons - which is exactly the same area that Ruhe's S-37 has now been assigned to patrol in his book. Talk about coincidences !

[mapuc]

Right now I'm reading

The Grand Chessboard by Zbigniew Brzezinski.

Here it is in pdf

https://www.cia.gov/library/abbottabad-compound/36/36669B7894E857AC4F3445EA646BFFE1_Zbigniew_Brzezins ki_-_The_Grand_ChessBoard.doc.pdf

Markus

[Subnuts]

I've been re-reading the first edition of Norman Friedman's US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History this last week. Even though it's his first full-length book, it holds up remarkably well, even if the pre-Fletcher era is kind of rushed.



On a related note, I've been purchasing a lot more of my books off-Amazon because they don't seem to have much respect for their long-time customers any more. I was a Top 5000 reviewer there for a long time, but every time I write a new review for them, it gets buried at the bottom. Between that and having nine of my reviews unceremoniously deleted back in December, I feel like I'm just writing reviews for them out of tradition more than anything else. :down:

[KaleunMarco]

just finishing rereading Blind Man's Bluff by Sherry Sontag. It gets better every time i read it.

started on Humane by Samuel Moyn but it is not very enjoyable. i do not recommend it. :nope:if you want more detail send me a PM.

as i put down Humane i will be starting The Afghanistan Papers by Craig Whitlock. i hope it is better than the previous book. :03:

[Subnuts]

I'm currently reading The Devil's Device by Edwyn Gray, about Robert Whitehead and the early history of the torpedo. Tried reading it about a decade ago, but I'm enjoying it a lot more this time. Very interesting blend of historical, technical, and biographical details. I've also been reading Torpedo: The Complete History of the World's Most Revolutionary Naval Weapon. Has its moments, but more of a coffee table book and nowhere near as focused.



Actually, I'm ALWAYS reading about three or four books at a time, I just keep forgetting this thread exists! :haha:

[Otto Harkaman]

These look interesting to me

https://archive.org/services/img/onwatchmemoir0000zumw/full/pct:200/0/default.jpg
The former Chief of Naval Operations recounts his overhauling of naval practices, dress, and forces his view of America's international role, and his frequently unsatisfactory relationships with Nixon, Kissinger, and other Nixon-administration officials.


https://covers.zlibcdn2.com/covers299/books/fd/ef/51/fdef51354f9f7de27876d8bbfcf99424.jpg
Zumwalt is a compelling portrait of the controversial military man who is widely regarded as the founder of the modern U.S. Navy, Admiral Elmo Russell “Bud” Zumwalt. Chief of Naval Operations during the decades-long Cold War crisis, Zumwalt implemented major strategic innovations that endure to this day, especially in his campaign against racism and sexism throughout the fleet. Larry Berman, the author of Perfect Spy, offers a fascinating, detailed look at an extraordinary man—winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom—an inspiring portrait of leadership that is essential in these troubled times.

[Otto Harkaman]

Adding to my reading list


https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81WZqq5VQyL.jpg
https://www.amazon.com/Who-Can-Hold-Sea-1945-1960/dp/0399178643

[KaleunMarco]

Ian Fleming. Novel #4 of his first six: From Russia With Love.

Fleming had grown tired of his former-SAS assassin and with this novel he intended to end the short series of short stories ala Arthur Conan Doyle and The Final Problem. However, his fans reacted the same as Doyle's short story fans did and he was forced to bring back his popular hero for several more short stories.
:Kaleun_Salute:

[Otto Harkaman]

^ ah interesting


I have several books about Ian Fleming, fascinating man

[Subnuts]

Here's my review of the new "Anatomy of the Ship" book on the aircraft carrier Hiryū:


https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R36Q47BUQT495/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1472840267



I've had quite a few misgivings with the direction the series has taken over the last few years, but I'm pretty happy with how this one came out, and I've never seen an IJN warship depicted at such a high level of detail before.

[Mork_417]

Submarine Warfare in World War I, by Charles River Editors.
In audiobook form.

[KaleunMarco]

i was looking over my library for something that i had not read in a while and came upon Palace Guard by Mike Wallace. it is about the Nixon White House and all of the characters that infested the place from 1969 until 1974.

[ET2SN]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOwmTmoB7QQ

I'm going to order this book. I'm a bit of a B-29 junkie. Those folks were just starting to figure out that there was a "jet stream" over the Pacific. Navigation was mostly limited to star shots and many of the B-29's were, simply, lost somewhere over the ocean.

[ET2SN]

As a follow-up on a rainy day, I'm not sure if I'll order this book:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cYCb32SUTs

It is part of a series and this book is massive. Which is great if you enjoy being flooded with information and you have strong wrists. :doh:

One thing both authors seem to miss, Charles Lindberg had volunteered to teach fighter pilots how to conserve fuel and cruise their aircraft when they weren't dog fighting. Lindberg was a civilian and a celebrity (and its also notable that he wasn't sent to the ETO :O: ) but desperate times call for desperate measures and Lindberg was "embedded" with a P-38 squadron (and possibly an F-4U squadron) in the Pacific. It has been documented (but not proven) that Lindberg shot down one, and possibly two Japanese fighters, while he was training these squadrons.*

The higher-ups in these squadrons went ape when the reports of Lindy shooting down Zeros got to them. Lindberg was very much a civilian with no chance of getting commissioned into military service due to his cozy relationship with the German government prior to the war.

Still, Lindberg's contribution to the war was massive and mostly undocumented. It was a case of the wrong guy being the right guy at the right time. Without his help, it would have been almost impossible to have P-38s and ,later, P-51s escort the bombers over Japan.


*- The book is titled Pacific Sweep by William N. Hess and tends to read like a hot mess. Hess does a very short intro in each chapter and then basically cuts and pastes after action reports (verbatim) by fighter pilots into the bulk of each chapter. This book is tough to find and was mostly sold as a cheap "throw away" paperback during the 1970's. While the background story is great, the delivery is very ham-handed. :06:

[KaleunMarco]

reading a book about Lyndon Johnson's responsibility in Jack Kennedy's assassination. it is early on and the topic du jour is LBJ's childhood.

[mapuc]

I'm going to tell you about a huge book I got from my Uncle after he died.

Author Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Title Earth from above.

Format of the book
High=370 mm
Width=295 mm
Thickness=45 mm
Pages 454.
It is a wonderful book with lots of photos of our beautiful earth.

Markus

[KaleunMarco]

I'm going to tell you about a huge book I got from my Uncle after he died.

Author Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Title Earth from above.

It is a wonderful book with lots of photos of our beautiful earth.

Markus
just finished a book written by one of LBJ's attorneys (barr mcclellen) about his direct involvement with several political murders, including that of Jack Kennedy.


now i am reading a very scholarly book by martin middlebrook (english chap) on the 1943 missions to Schweinfurt and Regensberg.

with his combat record, curtis lemay was lucky to have survived the war.

[mapuc]

Saved me some money today-Was at our local recycling station and beside throwing out old and/or damage things, people can also place things that works in an area called basar and there I found 4 books.

They are not in anyway related to sub, surface and/or air warfare.

Not reading them right now but I can't wait to read them.

Those books I found was:

1. Treasures of Yesterday by Henry Garnett-Book is from 1964 It's a History in archeology.
2. Don Quijote of Mancha book 1 and 2. By Miguel de Cervantes
3. William Shakespeare collected dramatic works.
This is the thickest book I have ever own-Around 1300 pages.
I have wanted to read Shakespeare in a long time.

Markus

[KaleunMarco]

Saved me some money today-Was at our local recycling station and beside throwing out old and/or damage things, people can also place things that works in an area called basar and there I found 4 books.

They are not in anyway related to sub, surface and/or air warfare.

Not reading them right now but I can't wait to read them.

Those books I found was:

1. Treasures of Yesterday by Henry Garnett-Book is from 1964 It's a History in archeology.
2. Don Quijote of Mancha book 1 and 2. By Miguel de Cervantes
3. William Shakespeare collected dramatic works.
This is the thickest book I have ever own-Around 1300 pages.
I have wanted to read Shakespeare in a long time.

Markus

you are welcome to the Shakespeare. as far as i am concerned, he is the ultimate cure for insomnia. don't get mad at me: i learned that in English Lit in high school. nothing put me to sleep faster than Ye Olde Bard. :har:

however, since this is the forum for reading material, i am re-reading Hit the Target by Bill Yenne.
just finished reading James Parton's excellent narrative on Ira Eaker titled Air Force Spoken Here.

[mapuc]

you are welcome to the Shakespeare. as far as i am concerned, he is the ultimate cure for insomnia. don't get mad at me: i learned that in English Lit in high school. nothing put me to sleep faster than Ye Olde Bard. :har:

however, since this is the forum for reading material, i am re-reading Hit the Target by Bill Yenne.
just finished reading James Parton's excellent narrative on Ira Eaker titled Air Force Spoken Here.


Now I'm going to read stuff like:
Hamlet Act 1 scene 5.

Hamlet
- Where wilt thou lead me? Speak. I'll go no further.
Ghost
- Mark me.
Hamlet
I will.
Ghost
My hour is almost come
When I to sulfurous and tormenting flames
Must render up myself.


Hamlet
Alas, poor ghost!
Ghost
Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing
To what I shall unfold.
Hamlet
Speak. I am bound to hear.
Ghost
So art thou to revenge when thou shalt hear
Hamlet
What?
Ghost
I am thy father's spirit,
Doomed for a certain term to walk the night,
And for the day confined to fast in fires....

Going to be some heavy reading.

Markus

[Sean C]

Coincidentally, my wife also recently bought the collected works of Shakespeare. Small world.

[Subnuts]

Amazon won't let me publish my review of Arado Ar 234 Blitz: The World's First Jet Bomber for some reason, so I'll just post it here.


Although I don't have a copy of the Monogram Monarch book published by the same authors in 1992, detailed information on the Arado Ar 234 has always been difficult to come across. Despite being the first operational jet bomber, I've only been able to find a handful on the "Blitz," mostly small monographs, Osprey titles, and books for modelers, compared with hundreds (perhaps even thousands!) of titles on the Me 262 and unbuilt Luftwaffe jet fighters. Needless to say, any serious, in-depth look at the plane is more than welcome at this point.

Like any good Classic title, there's an enormous amount of "good stuff" crammed into this book's 320 pages. Starting with a couple of brief introductory chapters on Arado's history through 1942 and the development of jet engines in Nazi Germany through that year, it proceeds to describe each major variant of the "Blitz" in great depth, with a large number of first-hand accounts and mini-biographies of many of the important figures in the Blitz's development and service. The operational histories of the aircraft in its bomber and reconnaissance guises are quite detailed, as are the chapters on development and flight testing. There's also quite a bit of material on night fighter conversions, testing of captured aircraft, new engines and wings, and unrealized plans to employ the "Blitz" as a guided missile carrier. The appendixes also include a wealth of information, including a list of all known Ar 234s and their Werknummern, call sign, unit code, and final fate, information on camouflage and markings, unit commanders, and excerpts from the pilot's operating instructions.

It's also quite strong on a visual level. There are more than 600 illustrations in total, including rare photos from the flight test program and of the aircraft in action, assembly shots, candid moments with officers, pilots, and ground crews, images of captured aircraft, original technical diagrams, and a few detailed sketches of proposed and unbuilt future variants. We also get quite a few beautiful color plan and profile views by Janusz Swiatlon and a few exterior schematics by Arthur Bentley. Many of the photographs are rather dark and grainy (I suspect the Nazis had bigger priorities than producing high-quality propaganda by the time the Ar 234 entered service!) but are nonetheless priceless historically.

Unfortunately, it also shares some of the same negative qualities of other Classic Publications titles, mostly that it's aimed mostly at Luftwaffe grognards who don't require the same level of hand-holding as we merely very interested folks do. There are no maps, the glossary is woefully incomplete, and thank goodness the internet exists to explain to me the difference between a "Geschwader" and a "Gruppen!" It also feels a little rough around the edges in spots; I understand that J Richard Smith intends for this to be his final book before retiring, so that might explain why.

Although it does expect a greater-than-average familiarity in some areas, this is almost certainly the definitive single-volume "Blitz" book. If you can deal with the expected quirkiness of the format, it's well worth owning.

[ET2SN]

So, a couple of books showed up today in a Prime delivery van. :)

The first is BLACK TUESDAY OVER NAMSI written by Earl J. McGill. This is the story of B-29's flying out of Japan and meeting Mig-15's for the first time. Its an odd chunk of history I'm really looking forward to understanding. More about this book after I finish wading through..

The second book is the main reason for this post. Its my latest dive into "alternate history" and I'm still on the fence. :hmmm:

THE GREAT NUCLEAR WAR OF 1975 by William Stroock tells the story of a three day war between the US and the Soviet Union. Well, it tries to which is why I'm not sure if I'll read the rest of the series (Yes, its book 1 in a series).

Stroock uses the keystones of the Alternate History genre to mostly deliver a hot mess. Part of this I can understand, its a post-nuclear war world and there aren't many people to tell the story. Things are mostly confused as the new President (Nelson Rockefeller) tries to keep the government and nation running from a high school in Wyoming. Stroock makes some tactical errors, its as if he wrote down the names of famous people and events from the 1970's and 1980's on cards and threw them into a hat, to be retrieved at random. Plot lines (and there are a ton of them) pop up at random and go no where. The famous names tend to stick to their foibles from the 1980's, no one has a moment of catharsis and rises (or falls) to the new challenges. :timeout:

Part of the plot involves the Battle Staff from the Looking Glass EC-135. They all survive and two of the higher rank officers are tasked with figuring out what the #### just happened. The good news is that it looks like "we won", the bad news is that we fired the first shot. :o

The minor characters tend to fall into one category, they may have already gotten a lethal dose of radioactivity but now they just want to get back to normal. Normal people in this book tend to be very fatalistic, I would argue they are overly fatalistic. A case in point, a woman is carrying the body of her husband out of a hospital and a stranger hands her a shovel, The stranger then offers to dig her husband's grave in exchange for all of her money. The woman gets angry but gives in. The stranger then says, "You aren't looking so good. Tell you what, I'll dig your grave as a freebie".
(Ba Dum Sha..)

Just once, I'd like to see one of the minor characters get told to do something and say "I've had a really bad day, how about if you go #### yourself?". Instead, you are presented with "I used to be a business man but I've been living in my basement for the last two weeks..". OK, then. :yeah:
What happens next? Its too bad we'll never know. :yep:

To be brutally honest, this book needed an editor or two and several re-writes.:06: It really reads like a first draft of notes which were sent to the printer. When you see a famous name you recognize, you already know what's going to happen. So, what's the point of investing your time?

Which is a shame, this book (and, I'm guessing, the rest of the series) has a lot of potential as a concept. TGNWO'75 is, well, not recommended unless you enjoy a true challenge and have a bottle of Aspirin on the shelf. You'll need both of them. :O:
This isn't the original novel of World War Z by Max Brooks. It isn't even close. :nope:

[KaleunMarco]

So, a couple of books showed up today in a Prime delivery van. :)

The first is BLACK TUESDAY OVER NAMSI written by Earl J. McGill. This is the story of B-29's flying out of Japan and meeting Mig-15's for the first time. Its an odd chunk of history I'm really looking forward to understanding. More about this book after I finish wading through..

The second book is the main reason for this post. Its my latest dive into "alternate history" and I'm still on the fence. :hmmm:

THE GREAT NUCLEAR WAR OF 1975 by William Stroock tells the story of a three day war between the US and the Soviet Union. Well, it tries to which is why I'm not sure if I'll read the rest of the series (Yes, its book 1 in a series).

no novels here. :-)

re-reading Morison Volume 5 - The Struggle for Guadalcanal.
it is reminding me of the first effective use of submarines by Japan.

[ET2SN]

no novels here. :-)




When did I say it was a novel? :O:

I mean, it might hope it was a novel but its more like published word salad.


:Kaleun_Goofy:

[KaleunMarco]

When did I say it was a novel? :O:

I mean, it might hope it was a novel but its more like published word salad.


:Kaleun_Goofy:

word salad.
that's a new adjective.
:salute:

[TopTorp '92]

by Ayn Rand
Woke me up.

[Kingkat54]

Just picked up a copy of the old Time Life Series on WW2. The Battle of The Atlantic.

Magazine "Bringing History to Life" series. Titled U Boat Hunters in The Atlantic. Lots of articles and illustrations about the Uboats, destroyers and actions.

Hardcover: "A Game of Birds and Wolves".. The story about how the Royal Navy used war games to simulate action in the Atlantic to counter the Uboat threat. And the young women of the service, WRENs were instrumental in helping to develop strategies.

[Otto Harkaman]

Audio Book: Slowly listening to John Toland's "The Rising Sun, The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire 1936-1945

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51GJObuXGcL._SL500_.jpg

[KaleunMarco]

Audio Book: Slowly listening to John Toland's "The Rising Sun, The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire 1936-1945

re-reading Downfall by Richard E. Frank. Very scholarly work with many firsthand citations and many previously confidential documents from both US and Japanese governments, including Ultra and Magic.

the final year of the war is discussed from both Japanese and US governments' POV and should be required reading in HS and College History courses.

"Downfall replaces the myths that now surround the end of the war and the use of the bomb with the stark realities of this great historical controversy."
https://i.ibb.co/Nyxsvmd/Picture0121.jpg

[Otto Harkaman]

^ Thanks for the recommendation

[Darthlucky]

Currently reading
The last year of the Kriegsmarine by V. E. Tarrant

I-boat Captain by Zenji Orita

Rising '44 by Norman Davies

[Wolfgang Heller]

Seamonsters by Tony Matthews
https://www.booktopia.com.au/covers/600/9781922488732/4918/sea-monsters.jpg

Tjis one is an interesting read. It looks at the most infamous submarine commanders in WW2, what war crimes they comitted and how the investigation into those War Crimes went and the subsequent legal ramifications and sentencing.

Some of it can make your stomach turn.

and

probably for the 8th time now

Iron Coffins by Herbert Werner
https://www.katesbooks.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/p-1716-resizedscan0463.jpg

In my opinion the best but I'm biased because its the first book I ever truly read soon as I was old enough to read beyond Dr Seuess and whatnot. The accounts in this book are visceral and really put you into a claustrophobic inducing tin can at the bottom of the ocean, waiting anxiously for the depth charges to finish.

[ChristopherTarana]

The Hunt For Red October by Tom Clancy! :arrgh!: He is one of my favorite authors!



Christopher Tarana

[Jimbuna]

The Hunt For Red October by Tom Clancy! :arrgh!: He is one of my favorite authors!



Christopher Tarana

Most definitely :yep:

[KaleunMarco]

The Hunt For Red October by Tom Clancy! :arrgh!: He is one of my favorite authors!



Christopher Tarana

The Second World Wars by Victor Davis Hanson.

Examines all major combatants from several POV. Some very interesting facts and unique conclusions.
very scholarly work.

[Oubaas]

"The Master and Margarita" in Russian.

:Kaleun_Cheers:

[Vox165]

Brushed up my neglected school German by reading a WWI U-boat personal account by:

Ernst Hashagen. U–Boote Westwärts! Meine Fahrten um England 1914 — 1918.

Even though this was published in Berlin 1931 it seems authentic.

[KaleunMarco]

Brushed up my neglected school German by reading a WWI U-boat personal account by:

Ernst Hashagen. U–Boote Westwärts! Meine Fahrten um England 1914 — 1918.

Even though this was published in Berlin 1941 it seems authentic.

i'm reading two books, at the moment:

Marching Orders by Bruce Lee (the author not the martial artist)
Excellent Book on the WWII decisions made by all sides due to the code-breaking and cryptoanalysis by each each side. Clearly, the Allies got the better of it, but this book delves into what was known by the Allied Leadership at the critical junctions of the war, based on recently re-classified WWII messages that were not available when Ike and Bradley, etc wrote their biographies.

Armada by Colin Martin.
20th century book updated in 2022.
Tells the story of the demise of the Spanish Empire in the 16th century and the rise of the English Navy, which would become the pre-eminent naval force for nearly four hundred years.

[ReallyDedPoet]

Catching up on some reg work from our home office :oops:

[Otto Harkaman]

Beirut Rules: The Murder of a CIA Station Chief and Hezbollah's War Against America
Beirut Rules is the pulse-by-pulse account of Buckley's abduction, torture, and murder at the hands of Hezbollah terrorists.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506540995i/31019046.jpg

[Dammit_Carl!]

HumbleBundle just ran a Eerie compilation sale and is currently running a Creepy compilation sale, so I'm set for horror comics for a bit. :yeah:

[ChristopherTarana]

The Hunley: Submarines, Sacrifice, And Success In The Civil War By Mark R. Ragen! :arrgh!: I found it at the Public Library Bookstore!

Christopher Tarana


A 5-Star Rating for the book!

[Raf1394]

I had the Das Boot novel for a while now, i'm starting to read it now :)
i did watch the movie, but the novel seems better.

[fred8615]

The Great War at Sea 1914-1918 by Richard Hough, Kindle edition.

[Vox165]

I was wondering what you thought of this? . This was one of my first readings about WWI naval history, and I thought the book good on tactical aspects and dilemmas but lacked policy and strategic insights into “ why” events unfolded the way they did.

I think the two Massie books: “Dreadnought” and “Castles of Steel” together, gave me the strategic thinking and policy decisions of the naval war I was looking for.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81V4f7RpX4L.png

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71388hI6wUL._SY466_.jpg

[fred8615]

I was wondering what you thought of this? . This was one of my first readings about WWI naval history, and I thought the book good on tactical aspects and dilemmas but lacked policy and strategic insights into “ why” events unfolded the way they did.

I think the two Massie books: “Dreadnought” and “Castles of Steel” together, gave me the strategic thinking and policy decisions of the naval war I was looking for.

Haven't finished it yet.

[Jeff-Groves]

Just recieved U.S.S. Cyclops, Volume II, by Marvin W. Barrash.
I've had Volume I since it came out. That is a Hardback costing $150+.
Volume II was just under $50 and is not hardback.

[Otto Harkaman]

Reading some 90s military fiction

The North Korean navy has captured a US intelligence ship in international waters, and has begun to execute the crew, one by one. The US response is a megaforce of the battle group led by supercarrier "Thomas Jefferson". A Soviet ship is in the line of fire; World War III is a pilot's error away.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51FR0C010ZL.SX316.SY480._SL500_.jpg

[KaleunMarco]

Reading some 90s military fiction

The North Korean navy has captured a US intelligence ship in international waters, and has begun to execute the crew, one by one. The US response is a megaforce of the battle group led by supercarrier "Thomas Jefferson". A Soviet ship is in the line of fire; World War III is a pilot's error away.

re-reading Caine Mutiny.

[SwissSubCommander]

"Die Wölfe und der Admiral"
The history of the U-Bootwaffe told by Wolfgang Frank, one of Dönitz's staff officers and a friend of Günther Prien.