What are you reading now...? - Page 63

Rye · 03-07-2012, 23:44

Behind Enemy Lines by Terry O'Farrell.

Over 40 missions as an Australian Special Air Service soldier behind enemy lines in Vietnam. Signaller, Scout and eventually Patrol Commander. Excellent read, amazing and yet touching life story.

akv · 03-25-2012, 22:38

What it is like to go to war - by Karl Marlantes

Mr. Marlantes is a Yale grad and Rhodes Scholar who won the Navy Cross as an USMC Infantry Officer in Vietnam, he writes of his experiences during and since with great eloquence and candor. While I don't agree with Mr. Marlantes politics, my $.02 there is a great deal to take away from this book, especially for the friends or family of combat veterans.

Dusty · 03-28-2012, 19:39

SOG, by John Plaster. Never knew about what happened to Larry Thorne til I read this book. He's got another good one out called Secret Commandos, also about SOG.

Just ordered The Five Fingers for 2 bucks. Outstanding book.

tom kelly · 03-28-2012, 20:12

1: AFTERSHOCK: by,David Wiedemer,PhD. Robert A. Wiedemer and Cindy Spitzer. The authors who predicted the first Financial Meltdown of the conjoined real estate, stock and private debt bubbles that led to the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009.

2. Finished reading "FIASCO" by Thomas E. Ricks a definitive account of of America's military tragic experience in Iraq.

Regard's, TK

Sigaba · 03-30-2012, 17:30

Peter Longerich, Heinrich Himmler, trans. Jeremy Noakes and Lesley Sharpe (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012).

Meticulously researched and exhaustively documented (approximately 740 pages of text, and 200 pages of end notes), this biography takes one through Germany during Himmler's lifetime largely from the subject's viewpoint. Consequently, readers without a working knowledge of modern German history may need to do some backtracking from time to time.

Readers who have no qualms with Americans using the symbols of the Nazi dictatorship as well as those who insist upon facile comparisons between modern American politics and Nazi Germany will be disappointed--if not outright embarrassed.

Having read a few works translated from German into English, I appreciate Noakes's and Sharpe's appreciation for English-speaking readers. There are relatively few WTF is he saying sentences that one often finds in works of German history.

**The Reaper** · 03-30-2012, 20:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigaba

Peter Longerich, Heinrich Himmler, trans. Jeremy Noakes and Lesley Sharpe (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012).

Meticulously researched and exhaustively documented (approximately 740 pages of text, and 200 pages of end notes), this biography takes one through Germany during Himmler's lifetime largely from the subject's viewpoint. Consequently, readers without a working knowledge of modern German history may need to do some backtracking from time to time.

Readers who have no qualms with Americans using the symbols of the Nazi dictatorship as well as those who insist upon facile comparisons between modern American politics and Nazi Germany will be disappointed--if not outright embarrassed.

Having read a few works translated from German into English, I appreciate Noakes's and Sharpe's appreciation for English-speaking readers. There are relatively few WTF is he saying sentences that one often finds in works of German history.

Schadenfreude?

TR

blue02hd · 03-31-2012, 07:10

"Getting More" by Stuart Diamond. Nonfiction.

Possibly one of the most rewarding self improvement reads outside of history books I have laid my paws on.

In addition, USSOCOM hired this guy to teach at the latest Academics Week in Orlando to about 700 within our community. It was rated as the highest ranked class all week. Excellent seminar by any standard.

Highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to improve their understanding of how to get your kid to brush his teeth up to High Risk Negotiations.

Angry Mike · 03-31-2012, 07:11

jean edward smith

reminds me of how much i dislike macarthur and all the revisionist history.

**Richard** · 03-31-2012, 07:28

Voices Of A People's History Of The United States - Zinn and Arnove, Seven Stories Press, 2004.

Richard

Dusty · 03-31-2012, 07:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Schadenfreude?

TR

lol No, that's outright envy.

Sigaba · 03-31-2012, 14:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Schadenfreude?

TR

Exasperation.

Scholarly interpretations of modern history are getting increasingly complex. Yet, the popular discussion of that past continues to go in the opposite direction.

For example, post #939, above, broadly condemns "all revisionist history." However, all history is revisionist. If it weren't for this dynamic, Eisenhower would still be held in low esteem as a person, a professional soldier, and a statesmen.

tcb09d · 04-03-2012, 18:08

A revision of the Defence of Duffer's Drift for the Iraq War, The Defense of Jisr Al- Doreaa, by two young Captains.

The book goes on exactly how the original does but only this time the young Captain's battle plan revolves around counterinsurgency. A small book, no more than 70 pages but to me at least, vastly insightful. It gets my recommendation.

snowwolf · 04-04-2012, 16:21

Get Selected for Special Forces by Major Joe Martin

I've almost finished with it, but it has become my bible for training.

The Quiet Professional by Alan Hoe

Just bought this at the bookstore yesterday and can't put it down.

ReefBlue · 04-07-2012, 12:01

Just picked up Shake Hands with the Devil (600 pages) and A long way gone.

Shake hands with the Devil is about Rwanda and A long way gone is about a boy soldier in Sierra Leone.

Not sure how long it will take to tackle both of these, but we'll see.

chester · 04-09-2012, 20:45

I really scored about 6 weeks ago at my local library and picked up a backpack full of military history and strategy books for free.

Read so far:

A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918 by G. J. Meyer

I never knew anything about WW I. This book was suprisingly hard to put down for a history book and did a great job of explaining the war for a guy like me with almost no knowledge of the world before the great depression.

Volume 1 of Winston Churchills 6 volume set on WW II. It was so good I ordered the rest of the set but it will be a while before I get through it.

Working my way through On War by Clausewitz. It is thought provoking but I suspect I did not get the most readable translation.

Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare: Theory and Practice by William H. McRaven

This book was excellent. His 6 fundamentals of a successful "special op" (simplicity, security, repetition, surprise, speed and purpose), made a lot of sense and seem like a good mental checklist to review when planning a mission.

Also read The War of the Flea. It was a good read and one I will probably read again once I have some formal training in UW.

On deck: Modern Times: The World from the Twenties to the Nineties by Paul Johnson.

I've got a whole stack I would like to get through but I suspect once I start the Q course I won't have a whole lot of time for extra-curricular reading. Making the best of my free time while I've got it.