Airborne Posted October 13, 2000 Share Posted October 13, 2000 A Dark and Bloody Ground is by Edward Miller. Very good. Some other favorites: Company commander Closing with the Enemy There's a War to be Won by Geoffrey Perrot. Currahee! by Donald Burgett -just finished it, very good. I'm not biased though. Eisenhower's Lieutenants by Russell Weigley Brute Force by John Ellis Stalingrad by Antony Beevor Brazen Chariots by Robert Crisp Operation Drumbeat by Michael Gannon Fly for Your Life by Larry Forrester ------------------ Land Soft--Kill Quiet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Callmeyer Posted October 14, 2000 Share Posted October 14, 2000 Well first I have to agree that Keegan, Shelby Foote and Barbara Tuchman bring something very special to the topic of military history, even though Tuchman is not specifically a military historian. One of my favorite single battle accounts however, is Prange's Miracle at Midway, a real detailed and authoritative account of that pivotal battle, that reads as easily as a novel. And let's not forget Shirer's classic, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jagdwyrm Posted October 14, 2000 Share Posted October 14, 2000 "Russia at War" by Alexander Werth....."JG26: Top Guns of the Luftwaffe" by Donald Caldwell....Also "The Encylopedia of Weapons of World War 2" ...pretty good encyclopedia except that it is missing some things that definitley should be in such a book, but other than that its a nice quick reference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted October 14, 2000 Share Posted October 14, 2000 I have a lot of favorites for WWII but recently I read a book about a soldier in Vietnam. The book is called "The Killing Zone". -Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyrano01 Posted October 14, 2000 Share Posted October 14, 2000 Try: 18 Platoon - Sydney Jary(sp?) Tank - Ken Tout Both a good match for the CM time frame and scale. Also: The Sharp End - John Ellis (I believe this is called On The Front Lines in the US). Firing Line - Richard Holmes (not sure of the US title for this one). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzie Posted October 14, 2000 Share Posted October 14, 2000 I have to second The Forgotten Soldier by Sajer. Very brutal and haunting. Also agree with Seven Roads to Hell by Burkett. One of the best first person accounts I've read. A Blood Dimmed Tide by Astor is a great account of the bulge. Filled with multiple first person stories. I just bought Astors newest The Bloody Forest which covers Huertgen. Haven't had a chance to read it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Dog Posted October 14, 2000 Share Posted October 14, 2000 Been a while since I read it, but the Len Deighton book "Blitzkreig" was a great mix of TO&E info and narrative as I recall. And Caputo's "A Rumor of War" on 'Nam was excellent. - Old Dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark IV Posted October 14, 2000 Share Posted October 14, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by flyingcursor: "In War's Dark Shadows". About pre-wwI Russia with a great description of the Sino-Soviet war of 1905.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I have and like that book, but I think you mean the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5. One of the most interesting of the overlooked wars... "The Boer War" someone referred to was probably Thomas Pakenham's (he was also present at the Russo-Japanese War, and specifically at the sinking of the Russian fleet at Tsushima, as an observer on the Japanese flagship). Both Prange and Shirer were good reads, but both have axes to grind and both accept a lot of hearsay as fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibucephalus Posted October 16, 2000 Author Share Posted October 16, 2000 Has anyone read anything by Byron Farwell? I finished Queen Victoria's Little Wars and thought it was fantastic. He's an excellent writer and finds a good mix of comedy and horror to illustrate the time.He describes many little known wars and actions. Makes me want to read his other books. My friends say Mr Kipling's Army is a classic but I can't find it anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USGrant Posted October 16, 2000 Share Posted October 16, 2000 If I had to have just one it would be Esposito's "West Point Atlas of American Wars" His newly reprinted "A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars" is on my wish list at Amazon.com. I borrowed it and Chandler's "Campaigns of Napoleon" from a wargaming buddy once and loved both. I never should have returned them... Old Persian Proverb that I learned from a not-so-old Iranian: If you loan out a book, cut off your hand; If you borrow a book and return it, cut off both hands. I'm sure it is more poetic in Farsi. ------------------ USGrant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old_Airman Posted October 19, 2000 Share Posted October 19, 2000 Choices for best book are numerous. Probably could not name "the best book", however here are some titles that would be good reading: "The Fall of Fortresses" by Elmer Bendiner. Navigator on B-17 crew. Talks about Schweinfurt-Regensburg Raids. Very personal and up close. If you want to learn about how modern armies modeled themselves read: "The Making of the Roman Army" by Lawrence Keppie OR "The Roman Soldier" by G.R. Watson. Things have not changed in 2000 years. "On Strategy: A Critical Analysis of the Vietnam War" by Harry Summers is a real good book about why we lost that war. ------------------ We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. Shakespeare (Henry V) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navare Posted October 19, 2000 Share Posted October 19, 2000 Originally posted by flyingcursor: Yes Company Commander is pretty good. I'm trying to find MacDonald's book on the Huertgen forest. Actually any book on that battle would be nice. I have a copy of it. If you are intrested in it send me an email maybe we could arrange a trade. ------------------ Navare "One death is a tragedy. One million deaths are statistics." Iosef Stalin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCHRD Posted October 19, 2000 Share Posted October 19, 2000 A book everyone ought to read is "365 Days." Found anywhere. Also "The Face of battle" by Keegan, and "Mr Lincolns Army" by Catton. Elementary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortarforker Posted October 21, 2000 Share Posted October 21, 2000 As a guy whose apartment stuffed to the ceiling with books about war I have to say my favorite of all time is the Russian Front memoir "The Forgotton Soldier" by Guy Sajer. I found this book in my school library in sixth grade and checked it out so often the librarian finally gave it to me. 16 years later I still read it every 18 months or so. While most WWII memoirs are full of nostalgia and "war is glorious" B.S (I'm thinking of those bantam paperbacks with the illustrations), Sajer's book is so starkly brutal and human that you just know you're reading truth. The book is so compelling and harrowing that reading it is mental version of a 25 mile forced march. If you really want to get a sense of the absolute horror of the Russian war and it's effect on one man (and whet you're appitite for CM2) you must read this book. Also "Goodbye Darkness," William Manchester's memoir of the Pacific War and "Band of Brothers" a great book by Stephen Ambrose which traces the career of a single company of WWII paratroopers from training through Normandy, Market garden and the Ardennes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Bates Posted October 21, 2000 Share Posted October 21, 2000 My favourite WW2 books so far are Wheels of Terror, Comrades of War, The Bloody Road to Death, O.G.P.U. Prison, and The Commissar, all by Sven Hassel. ------------------ "War is like the cinema. The best seats are at the back... the front is all flicker." - Monte Cassino by Sven Hassel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PershingII Posted October 21, 2000 Share Posted October 21, 2000 My favourite in this moment(Only 2 days in my hands)Spearheading D-Day. Jonathan Gawne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamstersss Posted October 21, 2000 Share Posted October 21, 2000 I have to through my vote for The Civil War by Shelby Foote as well. Enough cannot be said about this man's impartiality, grasp of the subject and excellent writing skills. ------------------ Did someone compare this to the Ealing comedies? I've shot people for less. -David Edelstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathman Posted October 21, 2000 Share Posted October 21, 2000 Carlo D' Este. All of his books are excellent. "The Two Ocean War" by Samuel Eliot Morison is a must read as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoop Posted October 21, 2000 Share Posted October 21, 2000 The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer Best I have ever read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splinty Posted October 21, 2000 Share Posted October 21, 2000 A Bridge Too Far, Platoon Leader by Dale Browm ------------------ Nicht Schiessen!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owl Posted October 21, 2000 Share Posted October 21, 2000 For my two cents, A Bridge Too Far - Cornelius Ryan Citizen Soldier - Stephen Ambrose Non-WWII titles. All Quiet on the Western Front - Remarque A Rumor of War - Phil Caputo The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergei Posted October 21, 2000 Share Posted October 21, 2000 My favourite is Unknown soldier by Väinö Linna. A true classic. I read Alistair McLean's HMS Ulysses when I was a kid and liked it alot. Probably the most thrilling warbook I've read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest barrold713 Posted October 21, 2000 Share Posted October 21, 2000 I am going to submit "The Russo-German War 1941-1945", by Albert Seaton for your perusal. I am reading it again and it is whetting my appetite for CM2 (not that it took much). I would also concur with Shelby Foote's 3-volume epic "The Civil War". I had a chance to ask Ken Burns about his relationship with Mr. Foote during the making of his acclaimed documentary and his praise for the contributions made was quite informative and entertaining. Shelby Foote is an American icon and treasure. "The Forgotten Soldier" by Sajer was slightly beyond awesome. I read a friend's copy so I need to get it for myself. Too many books, not enough time to read them all. BDH ------------------ "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb discussing what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote" - Ben Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts