What are you reading? (Non-WWII)

World War Z is fantastic, I read it a couple of weeks back and loved it. Also read the Zombie Survival guide, it's so well written that after a day or so I was sitting with my housemate (who also read it) discussing where we were going to hide.

I'm reading 'The First Crusade' by Peters, very good book full of sources. Useful for anyone with an interest in the subject.

Also reading 'Flashman at the Charge,' most recent installment in the Flashman papers and fantastic. For those of you who don't know the Flashman series follow the character from 'Tom Brown's school days' as he grows into a bounder, cad and military hero (against his will). Well worth reading, I highely recommend them.

 

Sounds interesting, Otto!
The First Crusade is a great book, Stefan.
Currently reading Charlemagne by Roger Collins.This describes in great detail the life and career of Charles, king of the Franks, later "Great" and then first Holy Roman Emperor of the West in AD800.
Also covers his campaigns in Arab Spain and Lombard Italy, and his various wars against European 'barbarian' tribes.

 

World War Z is a great book for real! I even put down the herb to read this one, which is saying a lot!

 

Peppy, I'm not surprised, I read about 3 pages of it when I was 3 sheets to the wind and couldn't read any more, got far too jumpy!

I love the Japanese guy, Robert Decker was interesting too. I want to write a story about zombies sometime, once I finish the Ostfront story I am working on.

 

I just started, believe it or not, "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac. My daughter just finished it for her high school English literature class and it was laying on the dining room table. Interesting thing that struck me about this whole scenario is that this book would probably have been banned in public schools through the 1970's at least. Only about 10 pages in so I don't have much else to say about it. Off for more now.

Later

 

Coastal Living and Fine Home building mags......hey, that's what I do. Everything else is WWII.

 

funny was looking through many a mountaineering mag, yes I was involved pretty heavily in guiding some years ago and this is taken from my military service which I still perform, so let you mind wander just exactly what I do

re-reading one of the Nafziger classics " Lutzen und Bautzen" typically the great push of the French out of Germany during 1813. the OOB's presented by George in the 3 volumes associated with the one mention are incredible. You do get the feel even after the Leipzig battle of fall of 1813, the contempt and hatred of the French as the German/Prussians do there best to rebuild a raped land.........something carried on through WW 2 and for some Germans even today, my familie included

Emperor's Press, 1992, 352 pages, hardback, blue cover as the other two volumes

 

Love reading soccer memoirs and next it´s Patrick Vieira´s book. Hope to get Robbie Fowler´s as we know the "sneezing" he did.

A year ago I read Steve Strange´s book and you would not believe who all he woke next to in the morning. Actually I was rather disappointed...

 

Told ya so Otto. What you reckon to his spiel about Israel?

 

Sci-Fi/War
Just finished John Ringo's series on the war against the "Posleen" hordes, and of course inter-galactic politics (which resemble our own).
Starting some old Sci-Fi (recomended by a friend) by David Weber & Steve White. I have two on hand...In Death Ground, and The Shiva Option.
Huge space navies against bigger & better "Alien" space navies.
A desperate "Slug Fest" for all the marbles!

 

Of the old Sci-fi books my definite faves are

Burroughs Mars books

Isamov The Foundation I-III (?)

But my most favourite book must be Alfred Bester´s "The Stars My Destination"

Anyone read that?

 

I read the Foundation series some years ago and I found them deep but good. Kai, your (?) I think you picked up on the fact two of the books are set before Foundation and were written well after the Foundation series.

 

Richard,

must admit that it was such along way back in time that I read them I cannot say anything except that I liked them....

The weakest link was actually the strongest one in Asimov´s ( not isamov ha-haa my mistake ) books here , and in the Bester´s book revenge turns the nobody into a "killing machine"...

 

1776 by David McCullough.

About the events of 1776 during the American Revolution. Just started it so there isn't much to say yet.

 

Harold Nicolson diaries 1st volume. Fascinating take on personaliies involved in run up to ww2. Political and social with a really good section where he was involved with Mosely.

Name dropping in this book would rival anything from Hello magazine etc.

Shows how the author, changed in the 10 years preceading the war, and comments on most areas of politcal strife and shenanagins before it. A lot of history books would do well to quote for its oringinal scource. I see the diaries mentioned in many writers bibliographies but not many coments pulled from it. Gave me a whole NEW insight on some of the characters involved and certainly changed my views on certain matters.

 

The Eastern Front
By Norman Stone

About the German, Russian conflict of WW1.

Not bad so far.

 

The Winter King by Bernard Cornwall

The first book in his trillogy about the Arthurian Legends, I'm not really getting into it which is odd but then I've got a lot on my mind at the mo.