What Are You Reading?

I would definetly agree with you Martin that his books lack something of the intensity displayed in Bridge Too Far, Flyboys or even D-day. It is information but seems jumbled and just put together quickly.

 

The Long Range Desert Group, by WB Kennedy-Shaw.
Originally published in the '50s, this is a first-hand account of the group's formation and activities.
Always said the real-life derring-do was more interesting than the fictional stuff.
Would also recommend The Filibusters, a record of the commando operations (forget the author), and These Men are Dangerous by ? Harrison, an account of the SAS in Normandy after D-Day.I need valium handy just reading the latter!

Regards,
Gordon

 

Finished "Ploesti:The Great Ground-Air Battle". It's an excellent read even if you're not into air warfare. B-24s flying at tree top level dueling with flak gunners,flak-trains and Me-109s. Not to mention "haystacks"opening up to revel disguised flak-guns.Good book!

 

Replying a little late to Erich's query - one of the best accounts of bomber gunner-vs- Nachtjagd action is a very long chapter in Tom Bennett's book '617 Squadron - The Dambusters At War' detailing in dramatic fashion the actions of Tom McLean DFM, one of the wars' highest-scoring Lancaster gunners.

Bennett was himself a veteran of 617 ; the book, published by PSL in 1986, is something of a misnomer as it deals with 617's post-Dams operations.

 

I am currently reading a book about the Warshaw uprising in 1944. What a brutal fight! The Dirlewanger and Kaminske guys were extremely bad. It's a small book, badly translated but packed with photographs.

 

A YANK IN BOMBER COMMAND - By Robert S. Raymond, after he volunteered for the Ambulance Corps, he spent some weeks in France during the Blitzkrieg. Made his way to Lisbon together with about 200 other US volunteers. Most went back to the States. Raymond went to England and joined the RAF.

 

"The world crisis 1911-1918" Volume I by Sir Winston S. Churchill. Magnificent read!

"In Stahlgewittern" (Iron Tempests) by Ernst Jünger. Good, detailed WWI reading, but "All quiet in the Western front" is much, much better.

Just finished "La Dame aux Camélias" by Alexandre Dumas, fils. What a tragic book! It's depressing!

 

'The World Crisis' is one of my favourite books ever, Friedrich !

Obviously, it's a very biased account written purely from his point of view, but at all times you feel as if you're in the presence of the 'real' Churchill. No ghost-writers or word-processors...

 

I would say All quiet on the Western Front is the best war novel by far. The way Remarque depicts war and the sounds and feelings is just something relatable and that brings you into the picture. Amazing read, I agree with you Friedrich

 

Still reading the "enormous" Himmler biography...

 

Indeed, Martin! It's awesome. Even if it's one of the most British-biased books I've read... But as you say, you're listening to the real Churchill speaking, his words and rethoric! Not to mention that his writing is indeed, a Nobel-prize-level writing. That helps a lot.

But even if it's biased. His particular points of view are quite realistic and what he writes is accurate to a some extent —and he says it in the preface, "it will not in the essentials be overturned by the historians of the future".

Also, it was impressive to get to know how deep Winston was involved in the Dreadnought competition and in the development of naval design!

But there's one problem... I've got the first volume only... Does any one have an extra-copy? I refuse to read it in Spanish!

 

I forgot...

OTF, I completely agree with you. It might be the greatest novel about war of the XX century. Not of History, because where would you leave Lev Tolstói's "War and Peace"?

Did you know that Erich Maria Remarque was very, very near to winning the Nobel Prize of Literature in 192... something —I don't remember the year right now— after the releasing of "All Quiet in the Western Front"?

But Nobel Prizes are not awarded by just one book, but for a whole outstanding literary career...

 

And Winston Churchill receievd one in the early fifties for his contribution to historical literature.

 

I'm now reading For Those I Loved by Martin Gray. His story on how he survived in the ghetto, killed an SS member, tortured by the Gestapo, worked on cleaning the mass graves, etc. This is an amazing account about a man's life and his stuggle and ignorance of survival. Highly suggested.

 

Just finished Paul Brickhill´s book "Reach for the sky" on Douglas Bader.

Must say the fellow was a true hero as he had artificial legs after losing them both ( one below and the other over the knee )in a flight accident in 1931.

Recommendable reading!

 

hello . im halfway through a book by chris goss . its called the luftwaffe fighters . contains short storys from german pilots during the battle of britain . good read so far , hearing it from the german side .........

 

I have just started Lord Alanbrooke's War Diaries. Very Interesting especially his opinions on those in high command. Recommended.

 

Just started to re-read panzer aces... been reading about Mr. Bix...

 

I just finished reading An Army at Dawn. I reccomend it to anyone who wants to know more about the French trechery and the very interesting process of the US Army actually becomming an army.

 

Recently managed to find a copy of Matthew Cooper's 'The German Air Force 1933-1945 - An Anatomy Of Failure' ( Janes, 1981 ).

The book deals with strategy and the personalities & decisions of the men at the top of the Luftwaffe. I thought it would be a 'dry' read but not so ! The writing style is excellent and I'm finding the book quite fascinating.