Sublime Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 I just read Sands of Sakkara (Glenn Mead) - good read except for a couple unforgivable mistakes/typos.......... on one page he talks of the German '5th' Army surrendering at Stalingrad .. *Gasp* But anyways, was wondering if anyone had any good fiction references on Vietnam/Korea/WW2/WW1? Anything Eastern Front in WW2 is good.. armor novels (Sherman crew book I heard about somewhere... anyone got a name?) for anyone wanting a great infantry book on Vietnam read the 13th Valley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
109 Gustav Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 The Captains, by W.E.B. Griffin, is a halfway good fiction book about Korea. "What would you have us do-go back?" ------------------ Well my skiff's a twenty dollar boat, And I hope to God she stays afloat. But if somehow my skiff goes down, I'll freeze to death before I drown. And pray my body will be found, Alaska salmon fishing, boys, Alaska salmon fishing. -Commercial fishing in Kodiak, Alaska Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
420 Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 The Caine Mutiny, but I forget who wrote it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuka Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 "Mickey and Donald go fishing" by W.Disney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forever Babra Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 WW1: The Bandy Papers (Three Cheers For Me, It's Me Again, & That's Me in the Middle), by Donald Jack. Horse-faced Bartholomew Bandy gets transferred to the RFC (where life expectency is a short six weeks) after capturing his Colonel in a flying raid on his own trench Won several awards for humour & it's a damn good read anyway. Not many comedies can bring a tear to your eye at the end. ------------------ My P-47 is a pretty good ship And she took a round coming 'cross the Channel last trip I was thinking 'bout my baby and letting her rip Always got me through so far... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SS Peiper Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 I'm reading now (Fox on the Rhine) by Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson this is from the jacket of the book July 20,1944 A group of disllusioned officers of Hitler's High command plant a bomb that succeeds in killing the Fuhrer, bringing forth an option for surrender, peace, and survival for all of Germany... but Himmler has other plans. Backed by a fanatical cadre of SS officers, Himmler sezes control from the conspirators and instigates plans to change the course of the war and correct the faults of Hitler's plans with solutions of his own. First an armistice with Russia, and then the mass production of jet fighters, making an offensive against the West not just a chance for victory, but a sure thing. New plans are made... and the campaign is on, leading to a very different Battle of the Bulge, where the legendary "Desert Fox" Rommel meets "Blood 'n'Guts" Patton in a confrontation that will determine the fate of Europe and quite possibly the entire free world. I think its one of the best WW2 novels I have ever read. SS Peiper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Panic Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 Herman Wouk wrote 'The Caine Mutiny' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armdchair Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 Novels from WWII worth reading: the trilogy by James Jones- "From Here To Eternity"," The Thin Red Line", & "Whistle"; Joseph Heller's "Catch-22"; Norman Mailer's "The Naked & the Dead"; Derek Robinson's "Piece of Cake" (of which the BBC made an excellent mini-series); novels from Vietnam worth reading: Tim O'Brien's "Going After Cacciato", "The Things They Carried"(a collection of short stories);Gustav Hasford's "The Short-Timers", Larry Heinemann's "Close Quarters". There are, of course, many first-person WWII combat accounts often cited here and worth mentioning again: "Roll Me Over"by Raymond Gantter, "Company Commander" by Charles MacDonald, "The Men of Company K" by Leinbaugh and Campbell, "If You Survive" by George Wilson, "And No Birds Sang" by Farley Mowatt, "Goodbye, Darkness" by William Manchester, and "With the Old Breed" by E.B. Sledge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Offwhite Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 "KG 200," forgot the author "Dust on the Sea," Edward L. Beach "The Master Sniper," Stephen Hunter Also anything by Robb White, but you might get some odd looks from the librarian/bookseller (they're classified as kids' books!) - heck, just send your kid in your place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Bates Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 For Eastern Front novels, I would buy Sven Hassel, and also Leo Kessler. I think Willi Heinrich also wrote a number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Porta Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 I would DEFINITELY recommend Sven Hassel ( aka Hazel). Also Willie Heinrich, Heinz G. Konsalik and Wolfgang Ott. All of these write from the german point of view, though. Ott writes about the U-boat war, the others about the Eastern Front. Great reads, most of their books, Hassel in particular. He uses a lot of humour, but also 'gritty realism'. There is a fair bit of gore there. He also sets his stories in France, the Kaukasus, Stalingrad, Moscow, Germany, Finland and Italy. Highly Recommended. ------------------ " Mind, Sir, or I shall take off my belt, and by Thunder my trousers will fall down" -Mr. Hardwood, Blackadder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tss Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 Joseph Porta wrote: I would DEFINITELY recommend Sven Hassel (aka Hazel). Yes, Hassel is sometimes quite entertaining to read, but you have to remember that all connections between his books and reality are purely coincidental. In fact, I think that Baron Hieronymus von Münchausen's memoirs are more accurate than Hassel's. In particular, Hassel's practice of ripping entire scenes almost word-to-word from other authors and then claiming that they happened to him personally disgusts me. - Tommi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hiram Sedai Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 I recommend anything by John Keegan. I've read 4 of his books so far and have enjoyed each of them. I received "Citizen Soldiers" by Steven Ambrose as a Christmas gift from a friend, and its turning out to be an intense book too. ------------------ Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction. - Blaise Pascal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Yeide Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 The Sherman tank crew book to which you refer is probably "Barbara," also published as "Hell Has no Heroes," by Wayne Robinson. The author served in the 743rd Tank Battalion, and the novel is a barely fictionalized account of that outfit's experiences. It's great! Cheers You can call me "junior." What the Hell is that, anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Porta Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 "Yes, Hassel is sometimes quite entertaining to read, but you have to remember that all connections between his books and reality are purely coincidental. In fact, I think that Baron Hieronymus von Münchausen's memoirs are more accurate than Hassel's. In particular, Hassel's practice of ripping entire scenes almost word-to-word from other authors and then claiming that they happened to him personally disgusts me. - Tommi " Yes, I'm aware of that. I still find his books entertaining. Take them for what they are - fiction, which is what Sublime asked for. ------------------ " Mind, Sir, or I shall take off my belt, and by Thunder my trousers will fall down" -Mr. Hardwood, Blackadder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Bates Posted January 15, 2001 Share Posted January 15, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>In particular, Hassel's practice of ripping entire scenes almost word-to-word from other authors and then claiming that they happened to him personally disgusts me.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I've never actually seen this myself, and I have read all of the Hassel books, so if anyone can be more specific, I can have a look Just because an author has not experienced everything of what he writes does not make him a bad writer. Indeed, most historians have no front line experience, but they legitimately claim to have an in-depth knowledge of the subject in hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefly Posted January 16, 2001 Share Posted January 16, 2001 For WW1 'All Quiet on the Western Front' is the classic. An excellent recent novel set mainly in the conflict is 'Birdsong' by Sebastian Faulks. Of course if you feel like being a kid all over again quite a few of WE Johns early Biggles books were set in WW1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PzKpfw 1 Posted January 16, 2001 Share Posted January 16, 2001 Oops [This message has been edited by PzKpfw 1 (edited 01-15-2001).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted January 16, 2001 Share Posted January 16, 2001 I can unreservedly recommend THE FOUR SERGEANTS by Zeno. Zeno served in the British paras from 1942-1944, first as a noncom and was later commissioned. Was taken out of the war by severe injuries at Arnhem. The book is brilliant, and Zeno knows war, tactics, and men in battle. The book concerns a high risk op which could've occurred in Sicily. He has written several other books, but I haven't encountered them yet. Regards, John Kettler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holdit Posted January 16, 2001 Share Posted January 16, 2001 "All Quiet on the Western Front" - Erich Maria Remarque "Catch-22" - Joseph Heller "Piece of Cake" - Derek Robinson "Battle Cry" - Leon Uris "The Willing Flesh" (aka "Cross of Iron") - Willi Heinrich* (Read this to appreciate what an arse Sam Peckinpah made of the movie) "The Savage Mountain" (aka "Crack of Doom") - Willi Heinrich In the non-land warfare category... "Holocaust" - Gerald Green "The Boat" - Lothar Gunther Buchheim "The Cruel Sea" - Nicholas Monserrat "HMS Ulysses" - Alistair MacLean (A bit far-fetched in places but a real page-turner). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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