book suggestions

[curdog]

I figured I'd pole the audience to see what everyone was reading on. I enjoy reading most every night.  I like military books from ww2 to current,  wildland fire books, forestry and nature books. I'm just looking for my next reads. As far as military I've read most of Stephen Ambrose's books , quite a few books on D day and ww2 in europe. Forestry I really liked looking for longleaf, forgotten grasslands  ( tough read but informative ) etc. I've read all of the books from John and Norman Maclean, 30 mile fire ,Esperanza fire, firestorm of peshtigo,  etc.
So what suggestions do Ya'll have on books you have enjoyed.

Thanks

[yukon cornelius]

I recently received popular mechanics encyclopedia series from 1975 through 1990 something. plus some other popular mechanics handy man books. I am currently on "500 home and shop tips". Amazing stuff in there! I highly recommend them.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I read the Forestry Forum until I just about fall asleep. Y A W N.

[North River Energy]

Most anything by John McPhee; though the geologic works are a bit 'dry'.

[curdog]

I read the Forestry Forum until I just about fall asleep. Y A W N.

if you were a fainting goat, then we could just slam a truck door real hard to get you to sleep.  :D

[timberking]

Right now reading "13 Soldiers " co written by John McCain.  13 stories from 13 American wars.  Was on the new shelf at the library.

[curdog]

Those look like pretty good options. I'd never heard of John McPhee before, but his book called pine Barrens looks interesting,  kinda like the northern version of looking for longleaf.
I'm going to have to look into 13 soldiers as well.
I've never read any popular mechanics books, but I'm all in favor of anything that can make me handier.....
I'm currently reading outlaw platoon by Sean Parnell. A book on a Ranger platoon out of the 10th mountain division. It arrived in the mail Saturday, and I've had a hard time putting it down.
I'm sure my reading will slow down once the days get longer and the fish start biting, but until then I'm going to keep on reading. It sure beats most of the junk on tv.

[pineywoods]

If you are an avid reader, check into a gadged called "nook" from barnes and noble. Gives you access to downloads from their web site, thousands of books, lots of them free or very cheap. I got my wife one, she loves it. Personally I like books by Tom Clancy, just about read every one he wrote...

[curdog]

If you are an avid reader, check into a gadged called "nook" from barnes and noble. Gives you access to downloads from their web site, thousands of books, lots of them free or very cheap. I got my wife one, she loves it. Personally I like books by Tom Clancy, just about read every one he wrote...

my girlfriend has a nook and she uses it some, but I don't know if I'm stubborn or set in my ways (yes and yes), but I didn't really like reading on it. It is a pretty handy thing and would save a ton of space on my bookshelf,  but it wasn't the same for me. Maybe I'll see the light on nooks, or maybe I'm setting myself up to be a really stubborn old man ;D. I think it was because I never could figure out how to fold down the corner of the page on there. :D

[Texas Ranger]

WHB Smith

[WDH]

Have your read The Killer Angels?

[dgdrls]

Search the web for Legacy of Fire the Story of The Tillamook Burn
Interesting story,  devastating fire.

I also would suggest  South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition (1914-1917)
amazing!!

Best
DGDrls

[Seaman]

x2   The Killer Angles is a GREAT read

[Raider Bill]

x2   The Killer Angles is a GREAT read

This is about the best civil war book I've ever read. There's a bit of a sad story about the Author Micheal Sharra. He wrote the book but nobody liked it nor did publishers want to get involved. He died broke. Then the book was discovered, a movie made [gettysburg] and the book went on best seller list. I would guess I have read Killer Angels 25 times.

His Son Jeff writes every bit as good if not better and has many books from the Mexican American war up to Korea including Gods and Generals. They are kept pretty realistic as he follows select characters throughout.
I highly recommend The Killer Angels and all Jeff's books.

http://jeffshaara.com/michael_shaara.asp

My office bought me a nook glow light. Didn't like it at first but now it's all I read from. I don't sleep well so I read. The nook has a back light so I can read in bed and not bother what's her name.
The one I have is about $90.

Right now I am 4 books into Hitler.

[Southside]

I always look for my monthly "Stockman Grassfarmer"  and can't wait for it to arrive.  I have a number of books by Joel Salatin, Greg Judy and the likes.  Watching grass grow excites me, what else can I say? 

[CHARLIE]

I read a lot of books about WWII so I can understand exactly what my Uncles went through. I concentrate mostly on the Pacific Theater. Here are some I've enjoyed.

With the Old Breed - E.B. Sledge   Note: Best description of what war is like. Its about Peleliu and Okinawa. E.B. Sledge was a Mortar man in those battles.

Iwo Jima - Richard F. Newcomb  Note: Author interviewed both U.S. Soldiers and Japanese Soldiers to write this book. You get a view from both sides, but mostly about the U.S. Marines.

Line of Departure Tarawa - Martin Russ  Note: One of the bloodiest island battles in the Pacific. It was before the Commanding Officers understood what it takes to have a successful Beach invasion.

The Mighty Eighth - Gerald Astor     Note: About the 8th Airforce during WWII.  Author interviewed soldiers from the 8th Airforce.  Will give you a good understanding of the B17 and what a crew went through.  Pilots in charge were usually between 22 and 25 years old and gunners 18 or 19.

D-Day - Stephen Ambrose   Note: Best book I've found about D-Day.  Stephen Ambrose wrote his books from the foot soldier's perspective and not from a General's. He interviewed a lot of soldiers that were there to get his information.

Civilian Soldier - Stephen Ambrose   Note: This book takes you from D-Day to Berlin from the foot soldier's point of view. Excellent.

The Last Stand of Fox Company - Bob Drury & Tom Clavin   Note: If you want to know what our boys endured in Korea, this book will give you a darn good idea.  Excellent and descriptive and from the foot soldier's point of view.

[Raider Bill]

I read a lot of books about WWII so I can understand exactly what my Uncles went through. I concentrate mostly on the Pacific Theater. Here are some I've enjoyed.

With the Old Breed - E.B. Sledge   Note: Best description of what war is like. Its about Peleliu and Okinawa. E.B. Sledge was a Mortar man in those battles.

Iwo Jima - Richard F. Newcomb  Note: Author interviewed both U.S. Soldiers and Japanese Soldiers to write this book. You get a view from both sides, but mostly about the U.S. Marines.

Line of Departure Tarawa - Martin Russ  Note: One of the bloodiest island battles in the Pacific. It was before the Commanding Officers understood what it takes to have a successful Beach invasion.

The Mighty Eighth - Gerald Astor     Note: About the 8th Airforce during WWII.  Author interviewed soldiers from the 8th Airforce.  Will give you a good understanding of the B17 and what a crew went through.  Pilots in charge were usually between 22 and 25 years old and gunners 18 or 19.

D-Day - Stephen Ambrose   Note: Best book I've found about D-Day.  Stephen Ambrose wrote his books from the foot soldier's perspective and not from a General's. He interviewed a lot of soldiers that were there to get his information.

Civilian Soldier - Stephen Ambrose   Note: This book takes you from D-Day to Berlin from the foot soldier's point of view. Excellent.

The Last Stand of Fox Company - Bob Drury & Tom Clavin   Note: If you want to know what our boys endured in Korea, this book will give you a darn good idea.  Excellent and descriptive and from the foot soldier's point of view.

All excellent books!

[curdog]

I read a lot of books about WWII so I can understand exactly what my Uncles went through. I concentrate mostly on the Pacific Theater. Here are some I've enjoyed.

With the Old Breed - E.B. Sledge   Note: Best description of what war is like. Its about Peleliu and Okinawa. E.B. Sledge was a Mortar man in those battles.

Iwo Jima - Richard F. Newcomb  Note: Author interviewed both U.S. Soldiers and Japanese Soldiers to write this book. You get a view from both sides, but mostly about the U.S. Marines.

Line of Departure Tarawa - Martin Russ  Note: One of the bloodiest island battles in the Pacific. It was before the Commanding Officers understood what it takes to have a successful Beach invasion.

The Mighty Eighth - Gerald Astor     Note: About the 8th Airforce during WWII.  Author interviewed soldiers from the 8th Airforce.  Will give you a good understanding of the B17 and what a crew went through.  Pilots in charge were usually between 22 and 25 years old and gunners 18 or 19.

D-Day - Stephen Ambrose   Note: Best book I've found about D-Day.  Stephen Ambrose wrote his books from the foot soldier's perspective and not from a General's. He interviewed a lot of soldiers that were there to get his information.

Civilian Soldier - Stephen Ambrose   Note: This book takes you from D-Day to Berlin from the foot soldier's point of view. Excellent.

The Last Stand of Fox Company - Bob Drury & Tom Clavin   Note: If you want to know what our boys endured in Korea, this book will give you a darn good idea.  Excellent and descriptive and from the foot soldier's point of view.

I agree I really like the books write by Stephen Ambrose and have citizen soldiers waiting on the bookshelf right now. But I am about 20 or so pages into with the old breed, and seems to be pretty good from the little bit I've read.

I haven't read much on the civil war, but after the multiple good reviews killer angels may have to be looked at here coming up.
I'll throw in one I liked: dog company,  the boys of Pointe du hoc by Patrick O'Donnell.
Thanks for the suggestions,  I've gotta lot of reading to get done now..

[curdog]

Search the web for Legacy of Fire the Story of The Tillamook Burn
Interesting story,  devastating fire.

I also would suggest  South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition (1914-1917)
amazing!!
is that available on book as well? I looked it up online for some info on the Tillamook Burn and all I could find was a DVD.

Best
DGDrls

[brianb88]

If you enjoy books about WWII, "Killing Patton" is a must read.  Very interesting book.

I also read "Unbroken" a few months ago.  Hard to put this one down.  Truly a great story about a true American hero.  I have not seen the movie and not sure if I will.  I read all I need to know about this story. 

[misfities]

I think you and I like similar books. I will give you a few different styles that might give you a change of pace and texture to what you're currently reading.

Nonfiction:
The Illustrious Dead

Fiction (Set against historical/war backdrops)
Short stories of Ernest Hemingway Vol I and II. (Volume 3 is a waste).

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Farewell to Arms

Goodnight Moon (This was written by John Steinbeck and hundreds of thousands of them were parachuted into occupied Europe as propaganda to encourage revolt against the Nazis).

The short stories of William Faulkner (I hated Faulkner forever. A friend forced me to read the short stories. Amazing. Skip the novels though).

Child 44

Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty
If you've never read For whom the Bell Tolls, I highly recommended it. I read it many years ago. Then, gradually, I started reading it again and again seeing it in whole new ways. I now read it about once a year and I also re-read Farewell once a year as it is shorter.

[pineywoods]

I agree with Brianb88.  Killing Patton is a good read. I just finished Unbroken. I have the same feelings..don't think I would watch the movie.Two young men from the community where I grew up went through the same thing, from the descriptions in the book, very likely the same prison  camp. One of them came home, but his health was wrecked for the rest of his life. The other didn't make it his body was never recovewred. One of the many reasons why I have the greatest respect for that generation.

[ozarkgem]

Alone in the Wilderness by Dick Pronneke. I only read non fiction.

[John.Howard]

'The Wheelwright's Shop' by George Sturt and 'The Village Carpenter' by Walter Rose for anyone interested in the old ways of working wood or processing timber. Both written by old boys after a career in woodwork at the end of the 19th century/beginning of the 20th century, they describe how the trees were chosen, how the Oaks spent a season without their bark as it was stripped whilst standing for the tanning industry, how pairs of sawyers roamed from pit to pit, how things were done and how people lived before electricity and the combustion engine became common place. These men saw the change, and these books are genuine voices from the good old days.