Good books

[Raider Bill]

I do that too.
Riding down the Leon Uris rabbit hole currently.

[GRANITEstateMP]

I know I am getting one of the new-er Tom Clancy / Jack Ryan books for Christmas, and I know I ordered the next book in the On Second After series (William Forstchen). That'll keep me happy for a bit

[Old Greenhorn]

I just finished a pretty good book called "the Mysterious case of Rudolf Diesel". I have read dozens of biography's over the decades and find these the most interesting. To read about significant people who were game changers in their time and how they got there. T. Roosevelt, Sam Colt, John Browning, Remington, Winchester, Tesla, Alexander Hamilton, Benedict Arnold, and even Edison (whom I still despise).
This one was a pretty good read and the author explores that various possible explanations for Diesel's disappearance and proposes one which he seems to like best. I don't know if I buy it, but I won't ruin it for anybody either. In the process though I learned what I already generally knew about Diesel's impact on the world. What I didn't know was how he got there and where he came from. Seeing him in his time with the contemporaries he had (Ford, Edison, Linde, Rockefeller and many others) gives me a better perspective on where he stood in the grand scheme. Interesting to note that he didn't like Edison much and thought him a bit of a stumbling boob (my words) which was always my take on the man also.

Anyway, it's not a bad book and I enjoyed the read. YMMV

[Don P]

Sounds interesting and in the time period I'm in right now.
I just finished "Mornings on Horseback" David McCullough, about Teddy Roosevelt's early years. 

I'm reading Timothy Egan's "Short Night's of the Shadow Catcher" about Edward Curtis now. He was a photographer of the western Indians, and TR's family during that period. Travelled with Pinchot, Muir, Grinell, TR and many other naturalists of the period. Slow but interesting with some of his striking photography.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Recently watched the Pacific.
Finished E H Sledge's  book "With the Old Breed" last evening, a good read from a Marine grunts standpoint.
Next is Helmet for My Pillow by Robert Leckie, another enlisted Marine.
Another favorite that I just re read is Coffee and Hardtack about the food, equipment, etc of the Union Army.

[Old Greenhorn]

TR was a tough dude, had some rough edges and normal human faults, but I always thought of him as one of the 'good guys' and pretty dang smart.

Given your slant, there is a historical novel called "Tesla: A novel" by a fella named Ted Wise that I enjoyed a great deal. I bought and read it back in 1994 when it was first released and have loaned it out several times, not sure if I got it back the last time. Just last year I finally met and spoke with the author (at a funeral) and enjoyed discussing the book, he was a bit shocked I remembered many of the details after more than 20 years and asked detailed questions about his sources and opinions. Then I told him about my Grandfather's connection to Tesla and he had a lot of questions for me. Anyway it was a good book but it helps to know a bit about Tesla before getting into it too deep so you can thread between the biography and the novel parts.

Edit to add: I just checked fleabay and found some copies for as low as 4 bucks.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Lots of good reading posted here thanks to all for posting their favorites and some not so favorite.
Time life series on WWII is a good read too.
When I was a pup I devoured science fiction, my tastes are much more eclectic now, read a lot of different stuff.
Bill, I'm on my second Kindle, the old one didn't die they just gave a good deal on the new one as an upgrade.
My only issue is with my fat thumb I keep advancing pages inadvertently.

[Raider Bill]

Pete, Normally I out read the batteries but this last time about a year ago I upgraded to get the new 11 model with amber screen and a bit bigger.
I gave the old one to one of my daughters with 300 or so books on it. I just looked and I have 450 on the new one.


 

First thing I do is put a ring on the back and a cover.


 

Read a TR book "The Old Lion" a few months ago. Quite a guy.

[moosehunter]

Reading Jim Shockey's first book, HUNTER. I am enjoying it.
mh

[mike_belben]

This present darkness and piercing the darkness by frank peretti

Screwtape letters by C. S. Lewis

[GRANITEstateMP]

Ok, I didn't "read" this one, it was the audio version that keeps me sane while driving...Nelson Demiles - Plum Island.  It was enjoyable and book 2 is in my queue at the NH Library free downloadable site. I'm onto a book about a cop in VT now

[Raider Bill]

Nelson Demille is a great writer!
Generals Daughter, Plum Island the John Corey series are just a few. I used to listen to them on my ride the Tenn.

[aigheadish]

I've moved on to Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Collection. I think it's like 20000 pages or something crazy, for .99 cents. Not bad, the language of the late 1800's England throws me here and there but I'm enjoying reading it and not having to find something else. 

I've also been listening to the podcast Founders. I can't say for sure if I'd recommend the podcast but the host reads many biographies or autobiographies of famous founders of all kinds of stuff, like the folks Old Greenhorn mentions above. His goal is to get you interested in the books so you'll read them yourself, or at least find some interesting things about these folks that our world now runs on. It's worth trying out to see if you can deal with the host but I like the idea of the show and it is giving me some ideas of books I'd like to look into. 

[GRANITEstateMP]

aigsheadish,

20,000 pages for $.99 is a lot of pages for your $ !!!

raider bill,

I enjoyed Plum Island, and the characters. Corey was a sassy wisecracker from NY, a nice change of pace.  I'm waiting for book 2 of the series to become available