Book Club Corner

[joey45]

So what do you guys [and gurls] read on the train or the bus to work then, or maybe somewhere else, and what would to recomend for those long trips.

 

As ever the thread starter goes first....

 

Books I have read that are of interests are

 

Sniper One -Sgt Dan Mills - About the PWRR in Al Amarah in 2004 and how they fought to stay alive while being surrounded in the back yard of the enemy. It shows that snipers just don't hide in bushes and that they are normal soldiers with a talent to shoot a long ranges.

 

Guns For Hire -Tony Geraghty - Its about the history of the mercanary / Private Contractor from the early years to the present day and how it has changed. You will be surprised about this book and what you don't know..

 

Apache - Ed Macy - British Army apache pilot in Afgan and a very, very, very, very, very fantastic read. This should be read by everyone here and his next book Hellfire should be fantastic too.

 

Phoenix squadron - Rowland White - By the same person as 'Vulcan 607' . About the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm and Britains Last propa Aircraft Carrier HMS Ark Royal and the untold story in British history in South America. Not only does it talk about it but also the back story and the lead up and to the pilots who flew in the FAA. I'm only on chapter two but I would recomend this book as much as 'Apache', in fact after you read Apache read this, including the yanks cos it has you in it aswel....

If you have an interest in [british] Naval Air Warfare this is a great book to read.

 

NO SPOILERS PLEASE!!! even if everyone knows the ending.

 

p.s. the DCS manual does not count as a book....

 

EDIT: This means any book you have read, it doesn't have to be military.

Edited August 23, 2009 by joey45

[51GRIZZLY]

WWII:

 

With the old Breed by E.B. Sledge an absolute must read unvarnished, brutal without a shred of sentimentality or false patriotisme.

 

YEAGER by Chuck Yeager & Leo Janos A biography about the first man to break the sound barrier

 

Das Boot by Lothar Gunther Buchheim the book is much better then the movie IMO

 

 

Vietnam Conflict:

 

PAK SIX by G.I. Basel Flying the F-105 on bombing raids over N.Vietnam

 

On yankee Station Naval air warfare in Vietnam

 

Phantom over Vietnam by John Trotti allso an absolute must read that puts you right inside an F-4 flying Day and night combat missions over Vietnam

 

The sorrow of war by Bao Ninh the tale of a 17 year old North Vietnamese boy fighting French and later American troops one of only a handfull survivors of the 27th batallion.

 

 

Iraq and Afghanistan:

 

One bullet away by Nathaniel Fick becoming a Recon Marine Lieutenant and fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq

 

Generation Kill by Ewan Wright follow a recon marine battallion (including Lt.Fick) during the second invasion of Iraq.

 

House to House by David Bellavia & John Bruning Alpha Company engaged in terrifying fights in the streets and houses of Fallujah.

 

Strike Eagle by by William L. Smallwood Flying the F-15E in the Gulf War

 

Hornets over Kuwait by Jay A. Stout Flying the F-18 During Desert Storm.

 

And as mentionned before Apache by Ed Macy i read it in one sweep .... couldn't put it down.

[Acedy]

I posted this little review some time ago:

 

"The Ravens - Pilots of the Secret War of Laos" - by C. Robbins

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=42185

[EagleEye]

Vietnam/UH-1 (Slicks)

Robert Mason "Chickenhawks" (I think many here(the heloheads like me) read this book)

 

Vietnam/AH-1

Randy R. Zahn: "Snake Pilot"

 

Vietnam/OH-6A

Hugh L. Mills: "Low Level Hell"

 

Ed Macys "Apache"...of course.

 

Gulf War /A-10

William L. Smallwood "Warthog: Flying the A-10 in the Gulf War"

[Lobrau]

If you enjoyed Ed Macy's Apache, I would suggest taking a look at Apache Dawn. It's written by a journalist so it doesn't have quite the same punch but it's still a good read. Follows the Ugly flights that were there around the same time(just after?) as WO Macy.

 

I'm currently reading Ian Irvine's Destiny of the Dead. it's not aviation but it's a hoot :)

[Boberro]

I read Robert Ludlum's Bourne's trylogy, ultimatum and ect series. Really cool, I am going to read Ed Macy book.

[vrv]

Steve Coll Ghost Wars

 

Steve Davies Eagle Engaged

 

Dalton Fury Kill Bin Laden

 

Andrew McCarthy Willful Blindness

 

I have a few others I have read in the past few months but there are too many to list :(

[Ivonq]

I just read Apache from Ed Macy....quite the book....I would have liked to see more technical details covered inside, it fell somewhat short on 2/3 of the book, I don't know how, but it did. A good read nevertheless. I hope Hellfire will surpass Apache. Any eta on that?

 

I now ordered Apache Dawn and I'll update my thread here with a small review once I've read it.

[Ivonq]

Gulf War /A-10

William L. Smallwood "Warthog: Flying the A-10 in the Gulf War"

 

Thought about ordering that book, is it worth the read? How would you rate it?

[Acedy]

It's a good book, especially for simmers, since he describes quite detailed how the pilots developed and adopted their tactics and standard procedures according to battlefield conditions.

 

Can anybody recommend a certain book about A-1 Skyraider missions in Vietnam?

Edited August 22, 2009 by Acedy

[Vekkinho]

I just finished James Barrington: Foxbat, cool read, the author has a general knowledge of how things work, was a former Harrier pilot but expect no realism, I mean main character is probably Ubermensch!

 

But that's exactly why I liked it, it doesn't feed too many detail on a reader! I covered most of it in a toilet!

[159th_Viper]

Entire Wilbur Smith Colllection.

[Ivonq]

It's a good book, especially for simmers, since he describes quite detailed how the pilots developed and adopted their tactics and standard procedures according to battlefield conditions.

 

Can anybody recommend a certain book about A-1 Skyraider missions in Vietnam?

 

Thanks

[51GRIZZLY]

It's a good book, especially for simmers, since he describes quite detailed how the pilots developed and adopted their tactics and standard procedures according to battlefield conditions.

 

Can anybody recommend a certain book about A-1 Skyraider missions in Vietnam?

 

 

Wayne Mutza : The A-1 Skyraider in Vietnam: The Spad's Last War

 

ISBN: 0764317911

[Acedy]

Thanks, this sounds interesting indeed. Will take a look! :thumbup:

[vrv]

I always liked the F-15 but after reading Eagle Engaged I have a new respect and new love for her. I picked up Apache today and I am looking forward to reading it.

[Brit_Radar_Dude]

Strike Eagle by by William L. Smallwood Flying the F-15E in the Gulf War (already recommended by Country CowFreak)

 

Sniper One - Sgt Dan Mills (already recommended by joey45)

 

William L. Smallwood "Warthog: Flying the A-10 in the Gulf War" (already recommended by Eagle Eye)

I think it is even better than Strke Eagle, I must've read it a dozen times.

 

Apache Dawn by Damien Lewis (already recommended by Lobrau)

 

 

Additions to the list,

 

Eight Lives Down by Chris Hunter.

The story of bomb disposal in Iraq.

 

Vietnam

A Lonely Kind of War: Forward Air Controller, Vietnam by Marshall Harrison.

The story of FAC in an OV-10 Bronco.

 

 

WW2

War In the Boats: My WWII submarine battles by Capt William J Ruhe.

 

The story of one officer during the successful US Pacific submarine campaign. One of the best combat books I've ever read. But maybe that's just me.....

 

 

Science

The invention that changed the World: the story of Radar from War to Peace by Robert Buderi.

 

Obviously I'm a little biased as radar is my thing, but a well written book that brings to life the story of the people behind the WW2 development of radar in the UK and the US. Maybe one to borrow from the library rather than buying it.

[leafer]

Scream of Eagles:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Scream-Eagles-Dramatic-Account-Fighter/dp/0743497244

 

Swan Song

 

R McCammon

[L4key]

Ed Rasimus, pilot in F105 & f4's in Vietnam: 'When Thunder Rolled' & 'Palace Cobra'

 

Best WW2 book for me is 'Duel of Eagles' by Pete Townsend. Old now and has a lot of history but the definitive story of the Battle of Britain.

 

Reading a really good cold war book about the overflights of the USSR in the 50's & 60's - It's called 'By any means Necessary'.

 

Already mentioned but 'Chickenhawk' the best chopper book ever by some distance I reckon. Yes better than Apache.

 

If you can look em'up do so, I certainly will look at some of the others on here. Good idea!

[Griffin]

The War Diary of Hauptmann Helmut Lipfert - 203 victories in the legendary Jagdgeschwader 52.

By Helmut Lipfert and Werner Girbig

 

Red Star Against the Swastika: The Story of a Soviet Pilot over the Eastern Front - Great story of a Soviet IL-2 pilot. (If you can read in Russian, you should get the Russian version. It has over 100 pages more than the English.)

By Vasily B. Emelianenko

 

Arab MiG-19 & MiG-21 Units in Combat - The stories of Arab pilots from the unseen perspective that has been shadowed for long by Israeli point of view. I haven't yet started reading it but it has some great photos and material.

By David Nicolle, Tom Cooper and Mark Styling - Osprey Publishing

[Endoplasmic Reticulum]

Is a military relevance important for the book or do you accept suggestions from every corner of literature?

[joey45]

If you read my first post you would know....

 

the answer is 'Any book'

[JG14_Smil]

Guy Sajer, "The Forgotten Soldier".

 

absolute must-read WW2 book.

[Endoplasmic Reticulum]

If you read my first post you would know....

 

the answer is 'Any book'

 

I did, but you gave examples with military content, so I counted 1 and 3 together and unfortunately the result was 433 ;).

 

I'm a big fan of Sir Peter Ustinov in any aspect. I've recently finished his book "The Old Man and Mr. Smith". I love the way he writes and tells stories. Very funny (with style). The beginning is like this: An old man, who spells his name "G.O.D." and his fella, a short, fat guy get arrested in New York as they give out false money as they check into a hotel. They get chased all around the World by the FBI since they break out.

 

It really is a great book. You'll enjoy it at least as much as I did (and will again).

Don't ask, just buy it.

[Groove]

Titan II:

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/reader/1557286019?_encoding=UTF8&ref_=sib_dp_pt#reader-link