What are you reading right now? - Page 36

sharkbit · 11-12-09, 10:14 AM

Just finished "Blood Red Snow: The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front" by Gunther K. Koschorrek.
Good book. Details the horror that was the Eastern Front.

If that wasn't enough for me, I just started:
"Through the Maelstrom: A Red Army Soldier's War on the Eastern Front 1942-1945" by Boris Gorbachevsky.

After those two books, I think I'm going to need a little lighter reading.

11-13-09, 09:58 AM

Just finished Inferno - The Fiery Destruction of Hamburg 1943 by Keith Lowe, ISBN 13; 978-0-7432-6900-1.

In spite of the melodramatic sub-title, this new telling of Operation Gomorrah and the resulting firestorms is worth a read by anybody interested in the strategic bombing campaigns of World War 2. Inferno is a very balanced and readable account of one of the more horrific man-made disasters of the 20th Century, taken from Allied and German viewpoints and full of a wealth of information without being trivial or superficial.

Sailor Steve · 11-22-09, 08:24 PM

I haven't posted here in awhile. The last time I did I was reading Jean Edward Smith's biography of John Marshall. I never did finish it. I got sidetracked when I decided to watch the Horatio Hornblower TV shows again, and then had to compare them to the books, which led me to reread the entire series.

After that I got distracted again by Reasonable Doubts, Alan Dershowitz's book explaining the O.J. Simpson verdict. Now I'm reading the other side of the story - Marcia Clark's Without A Doubt.

VonHesse · 11-22-09, 09:21 PM

Recently finished: "Royals and the Reich - The Princes von Hessen in Nazi Germany" 2006 by Johnathan Petropoulos.

Basically tells the story of what happened to the European royalty after WW1 and the fall of the Kaiser, and how the way that they were all inter-related, and the effect of just the German royalty being stripped of their power set the stage for German royals to support Hitler in the hopes of a return to power, and how that support gave credibility to the Nazi party in its early years and led directly to WW2. (run-on sentence, I know, but thats how he writes

)

Fascinating. Dry and tecnical, but fascinating.

Castout · 11-23-09, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I haven't posted here in awhile. The last time I did I was reading Jean Edward Smith's biography of John Marshall. I never did finish it. I got sidetracked when I decided to watch the Horatio Hornblower TV shows again, and then had to compare them to the books, which led me to reread the entire series.

After that I got distracted again by Reasonable Doubts, Alan Dershowitz's book explaining the O.J. Simpson verdict. Now I'm reading the other side of the story - Marcia Clark's Without A Doubt.

I love Horatio Hornblower series

As for books I'm reading World of the dead according to the bible, a reflection. If anyone is curious about death PM me your email I'll send a doc which is my little [simple] study on death. I know what death is

Kazuaki Shimazaki II · 12-01-09, 07:03 AM

Just finished the new Charlie-class by David Meadows. The technical accuracy fell off somewhat from his earlier book Echo-class (yeah, what imaginative naming) - or at least he made more obvious mistakes like the crappy idea of re-equipping a Permit with bow/aft torpedo configuration (kiss the spherical sonar goodbye, not to mention the problems of adding a aft torpedo room to a design that never meant for it), not realizing the Charlie already HAD an aft torpedo room ... etc.

If anything, given that the book is all about ASW warfare, why isn't it Victor-class rather than Charlie. The Victor has a better sonar, if nothing else.

But no matter. The guy made the American team superior (and of course they won), which is probably historically correct. But he managed to insert the superiorities with a subtlety the likes of Tom Clancy can't begin to lick the heels of. The Americans subtly see more and farther, giving their ship the edge, without any TC type stupidities like the kamikazeing Chinese subs in SSN or a murderous overwhelming technical advantage so beloved by the likes of Dale Brown (and TC of course). The subtlety is beyond any technothriller I've read, and is perhaps the most realistic display of the kind of edges a superior team gets over a less experienced one in technothriller fiction.

Oberon · 12-01-09, 02:35 PM

Sherman Firefly vs Tiger: Normandy 1944
Stephen A. Hart

A short read but with some good pictures (including one of the underside of a Tiger) although a bit bias towards the Firefly. Saw it on the shelf at the library and decided to have a read.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sherman-Fire.../dp/1846031508

Sailor Steve · 12-07-09, 03:08 PM

Just finished Losing A Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA and the Mormon Church, by Simon G. Southerton. It's a good primer on all of those subjects, and how they interrelate.

I'm now about to start Learning To Philosophize, by E. R. Emmet.

frau kaleun · 12-07-09, 03:40 PM

Just finished "The Road To Arnhem: A Screaming Eagle in Holland" by Don Burgett. Just getting into the next one, which I think is called "Seven Roads to Hell" about his time with the 101st Airborne in and around Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. Entire series is a good read so far.

HMS Astute · 12-14-09, 10:07 PM

U-Boats Under The Swastika, second edition, by Jak Showell.

Morts · 12-25-09, 05:05 PM

Jæger -- i krig med eliten / Hunter -- at war with the elite (best translation of the books name i could find)

d@rk51d3 · 12-25-09, 06:51 PM

"Mud and Dust - Australian army vehicles and artillery in Vietnam"

Schöneboom · 12-25-09, 11:06 PM

"Seven Pillars of Wisdom" by T.E. Lawrence (the unabridged edition).

Stealth Hunter · 12-29-09, 08:41 PM

The German Army on the Somme: 1914-1916
Jack Sheldon

12-30-09, 03:12 PM

At the Sharp End - Canadians Fighting in the Great War
Volume 1 1914-16

By Tim Cook

11-12-09, 10:14 AM	#526
sharkbit The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 1,529 Downloads: 334 Uploads: 0	Just finished "Blood Red Snow: The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front" by Gunther K. Koschorrek. Good book. Details the horror that was the Eastern Front. If that wasn't enough for me, I just started: "Through the Maelstrom: A Red Army Soldier's War on the Eastern Front 1942-1945" by Boris Gorbachevsky. After those two books, I think I'm going to need a little lighter reading. __________________ “Prejudice is blind. There will always be someone who says you aren’t welcome at the table. Stop apologizing for who you are and using all your energy trying to change their minds. Yes, you will lose friends, maybe even family. But you will gain your self-respect. You will know your worth. Once you have that, nothing can stop you.”

11-22-09, 08:24 PM	#528
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	I haven't posted here in awhile. The last time I did I was reading Jean Edward Smith's biography of John Marshall. I never did finish it. I got sidetracked when I decided to watch the Horatio Hornblower TV shows again, and then had to compare them to the books, which led me to reread the entire series. After that I got distracted again by Reasonable Doubts, Alan Dershowitz's book explaining the O.J. Simpson verdict. Now I'm reading the other side of the story - Marcia Clark's Without A Doubt. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

11-22-09, 09:21 PM	#529
VonHesse Sailor Man Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Dieser verdammte Platz Posts: 239 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Recently finished: "Royals and the Reich - The Princes von Hessen in Nazi Germany" 2006 by Johnathan Petropoulos. Basically tells the story of what happened to the European royalty after WW1 and the fall of the Kaiser, and how the way that they were all inter-related, and the effect of just the German royalty being stripped of their power set the stage for German royals to support Hitler in the hopes of a return to power, and how that support gave credibility to the Nazi party in its early years and led directly to WW2. (run-on sentence, I know, but thats how he writes) Fascinating. Dry and tecnical, but fascinating.

12-07-09, 03:08 PM	#533
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Just finished Losing A Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA and the Mormon Church, by Simon G. Southerton. It's a good primer on all of those subjects, and how they interrelate. I'm now about to start Learning To Philosophize, by E. R. Emmet. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

12-14-09, 10:07 PM	#535
HMS Astute Swabbie Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 12 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	U-Boats Under The Swastika, second edition, by Jak Showell. __________________

11-13-09, 09:58 AM	#527
Randomizer Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Just finished Inferno - The Fiery Destruction of Hamburg 1943 by Keith Lowe, ISBN 13; 978-0-7432-6900-1. In spite of the melodramatic sub-title, this new telling of Operation Gomorrah and the resulting firestorms is worth a read by anybody interested in the strategic bombing campaigns of World War 2. Inferno is a very balanced and readable account of one of the more horrific man-made disasters of the 20th Century, taken from Allied and German viewpoints and full of a wealth of information without being trivial or superficial.

12-01-09, 07:03 AM	#531
Kazuaki Shimazaki II Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,140 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Just finished the new Charlie-class by David Meadows. The technical accuracy fell off somewhat from his earlier book Echo-class (yeah, what imaginative naming) - or at least he made more obvious mistakes like the crappy idea of re-equipping a Permit with bow/aft torpedo configuration (kiss the spherical sonar goodbye, not to mention the problems of adding a aft torpedo room to a design that never meant for it), not realizing the Charlie already HAD an aft torpedo room ... etc. If anything, given that the book is all about ASW warfare, why isn't it Victor-class rather than Charlie. The Victor has a better sonar, if nothing else. But no matter. The guy made the American team superior (and of course they won), which is probably historically correct. But he managed to insert the superiorities with a subtlety the likes of Tom Clancy can't begin to lick the heels of. The Americans subtly see more and farther, giving their ship the edge, without any TC type stupidities like the kamikazeing Chinese subs in SSN or a murderous overwhelming technical advantage so beloved by the likes of Dale Brown (and TC of course). The subtlety is beyond any technothriller I've read, and is perhaps the most realistic display of the kind of edges a superior team gets over a less experienced one in technothriller fiction.

12-01-09, 02:35 PM	#532
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Sherman Firefly vs Tiger: Normandy 1944 Stephen A. Hart A short read but with some good pictures (including one of the underside of a Tiger) although a bit bias towards the Firefly. Saw it on the shelf at the library and decided to have a read. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sherman-Fire.../dp/1846031508

12-07-09, 03:40 PM	#534
frau kaleun Rear Admiral Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Skyri--oh who are we kidding, I'm probably at Lowe's. Again. Posts: 12,706 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	Just finished "The Road To Arnhem: A Screaming Eagle in Holland" by Don Burgett. Just getting into the next one, which I think is called "Seven Roads to Hell" about his time with the 101st Airborne in and around Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. Entire series is a good read so far.

12-25-09, 05:05 PM	#536
Morts Admiral Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denmark Posts: 2,395 Downloads: 23 Uploads: 0	Jæger -- i krig med eliten / Hunter -- at war with the elite (best translation of the books name i could find)

12-25-09, 06:51 PM	#537
d@rk51d3 Sea Lord Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 1,921 Downloads: 193 Uploads: 0	"Mud and Dust - Australian army vehicles and artillery in Vietnam"

12-25-09, 11:06 PM	#538
Schöneboom Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 651 Downloads: 36 Uploads: 0	"Seven Pillars of Wisdom" by T.E. Lawrence (the unabridged edition). __________________ Dietrich Schöneboom, U-431 "Es wird klappen, Herr Kaleun. Ganz sicher."

12-29-09, 08:41 PM	#539
Stealth Hunter Silent Hunter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Y'ha-Nthlei Posts: 4,262 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	The German Army on the Somme: 1914-1916 Jack Sheldon

12-30-09, 03:12 PM	#540
Randomizer Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	At the Sharp End - Canadians Fighting in the Great War Volume 1 1914-16 By Tim Cook