What are you currently reading?

[Psycho]

Got a new book in that jumps to the head of the line. Here's the new one:

The author could be described as a 'veteran' in every sense of the word, even though he was only aged 21 when the war ended. Armin Scheiderbauer served as an infantry officer with the 252nd Infantry Division, German Army, and saw four years of bitter combat on the Eastern Front, being wounded six times. This is an outstanding personal memoir, written with great thoughtfulness and honesty.

Scheiderbauer joined his unit during the winter of 1941/42, and during the following years saw fierce combat in many of the largest battles on the Eastern Front. His experiences of the 1943-45 period are particularly noteworthy, including his recollections of the massive Soviet offensives of summer 1944 and January 1945. Participating in the bitter battles in East Prussia, he was captured by the Soviets and not released until 1947.

Adventures in my Youth is a unique memoir - the author originally wrote it only for his daughter. It has never been published in any language, until now.

Well I finally sat down and finished off the last couple chapters of this one. It sat for a couple months waiting on me to finish it but I been kinda busy.

Next up... gotta figure it out. Too much for me left to read and so little time to do it.

[halloween jack]

Just finished Colby Buzzell's printed blog, called My War - Killing Time in Iraq. I caught some of this online when he was out in Iraq. It wasn't a bad read to be honest.

'Once we passed the checkpoint at the border, it hit me. I was like, Holy ****, this is it, I'm entering a combat zone. Cool!' At twenty-six Colby Buzzell, unemployed and living at home, decided to join the US Army. Within months he was in Iraq, a machine gunner in the controversial Stryker Brigade Combat Team, an army unit on the cutting edge of combat technology and the first of its kind. Trapped amid 'guerrilla warfare, urban-style' in Mosul, Iraq, Buzzell was struck by the bizarre and often frightening world surrounding him. He began writing a blog describing the war - not as being reported by CNN or official briefings - but as experienced by the soldier on the ground. His story is a brutally honest and hard-hitting account of the absurdities of modern war. These are the real stories of the war: a firefight where the resistance came from 'men in black'; a night spent chain-smoking in the guard tower counting the tracer bullets being fired over the city; and the hesitation of a young soldier who had been passed around from platoon to platoon because he was too afraid to fight. "My War" is a powerful story of a young man and a war, unlike any you have read before.

[halloween jack]

Just started reading "The Interrogators: Inside the Secret War Against Al Qaeda" by Greg Miller & Chris Mackey.

Its about how the interrogators worked in Afghanistan incl some background information on the two authors and how they got to be there. So far its quite good, nothing suprising. Its enlightening how rigid the us interrogation techniques were during the cold war, especially in comparison with the british.

[17poundr]

I'm reading John Keegan's 'The Iraq war'. A very consise and no frills history of the 2003 coalition invasion of Saddam's Iraq.

Although the story telling is very compact, he goes very deeply into the history of how the cituation got to where it got to.

He begins with the ancient civilizations, and dwells deeply in the creation of modern Iraq by the allies in the Versailles treaty by the victorious Entente nations, and the hundreds of thousands of Brit troops who went there during those years... Then the history from the Baath party, to Saddams career, and the Tyrant years, Iran war, nuclear station bombed by Israel, the kurd atrocities & usage of nerve gas, falling out with America and other EU nations...

Yep, it's all covered in a snappy sort of way.

So, if you are looking for a no nonsence (no padding, if you know what I mean) book on the Iraqi war, and the reasons, and very much background to explain what and why Iraq is what it is.

Then this is a good book for you! Also Keegan writes beautifully, as usual.

[Trooper Cooper]

"Rules of Engagement" by Col. Tim Collins. A funny and insightful look into operations over the past 5 years from Africa to the Middle East, as well as working the Green Goddesses during the fireman's strike and his time under the kosh following the charges of war crimes (which were eventually dropped). I've really enjoyed it so far, and further increases my respect for the man.

[Cherper]

Currently reading Robert's Ridge by Malcolm MacPherson. It is a minute by minute retelling of the fight on Takur Ghar Mountain in Afghanistan, where Navy SEAL Neil Roberts fell from a crippled chopper. Very good read, and shows that even if the Hollywood myth of SEALs is one of unstoppable warriors, the real guys are human who bleed and die.

Just finished Biggest Brother, currently writing a review for Doc Sinister.

[No_Nickname]

I just finished Designated Targets and before that Weapons of Choice which were both written by John Birmingham. I can't wait for the third book of the series to come out.

[panzermacher]

Just finished Stuka Pilot by Rudel, and Now have started reading Dresden: the worst pre-Atomic bombing by Mckee

[aysi$]

About half way into Robert Leckie's Strong Men Armed from 1962 i think.A bit dry but gives a nice overview of the Marine battles in WW2,its got me seaching for more detailed books on these battles.I have a few on Guadalcanal and Tarawa but need some tips for the others.Any takers?

[Cherper]

About half way into Robert Leckie's Strong Men Armed from 1962 i think.A bit dry but gives a nice overview of the Marine battles in WW2,its got me seaching for more detailed books on these battles.I have a few on Guadalcanal and Tarawa but need some tips for the others.Any takers?

I enjoyed Brotherhood of Heroes : The Marines at Peleliu, 1944 -- The Bloodiest Battle of the Pacific War by Bill Sloan. Very good read about an often overlooked battle.

[tigersqn]

"The Devil's Disciples" by Anthony Read

[Roadblock]

Civil War

I just finish Detzers(?) DonnyBrook about 1st Manassas. It was an interesting book. I found some of his sentence structure to be a bit torture, but I should talk. I think it would be an excellent book for a high school or freshman history class. The organization is clear and it provides essential details about the character of 19th Century warfare which a professional historian or CW buff would understand offhand but would be important to impart to the general public. I just started O'Reilly's The Fredericksburg Campaign: Winter War on the Rappahanock. So far, so good. I am inpressed with the level of research. It is more of an academic study rather than another narrative retelling of the battle. I am more into the academic history than shoot'em ups anyway.

[Cherper]

I am just finishing Joshua Chamberlain, The Soldier and the Man, by Edward G. Longacre. Very interesting view of the man. Nothing like the guy who appears in the movie. Using his letters and other contemporaries, Longacre paints a picture of a very self-promoting individual rather than the altruistic hero made out in Gettysburg and Gods and Generals.

[Lance Williams]

I am just finishing Joshua Chamberlain, The Soldier and the Man, by Edward G. Longacre. Very interesting view of the man. Nothing like the guy who appears in the movie. Using his letters and other contemporaries, Longacre paints a picture of a very self-promoting individual rather than the altruistic hero made out in Gettysburg and Gods and Generals.

Chamberlain was a very brave man who possessed uncany oratory skills, loved the Union, and was placed by some force in the most important location of the most important battle of the ACW. He undoubtedly used the subsequant fame he garnered for political gain. The thing is why is it such a big deal? His opponent at Little Round Top (Oates) became the governor of his home state (Alabama), just as Chamberlain became the governor of Maine. In fact it would be difficult for any post war political candidate who hadn't served. I don't think Chamberlain was any more self promoting than the average post war political hopeful..........he just spoke better so he was remembered more...............


BTw, I'm currently reading "The Ghurkas", I apologise for forgetting the authors name. The are tough little men..............

[Cherper]

Chamberlain was a very brave man who possessed uncany oratory skills, loved the Union, and was placed by some force in the most important location of the most important battle of the ACW. He undoubtedly used the subsequant fame he garnered for political gain. The thing is why is it such a big deal? His opponent at Little Round Top (Oates) became the governor of his home state (Alabama), just as Chamberlain became the governor of Maine. In fact it would be difficult for any post war political candidate who hadn't served. I don't think Chamberlain was any more self promoting than the average post war political hopeful..........he just spoke better so he was remembered more...............


BTw, I'm currently reading "The Ghurkas", I apologise for forgetting the authors name. The are tough little men..............

The whole Little Round Top battle is brought up, and examinied in a view that looks at it a little differently. I like Chamberlain, but he tended to over-emphasize the accomplishments of the 20th Maine and other units he commanded. Huge discrepancies between the after action reports and how Chamberlain reported them. There is also a lot of the political maneuvering that he used to get command, and once there to get promoted, letters to the governor of Maine, etc. He is all too human, and with that comes the human frailties. It is just interesting to view the man rather than the myth.