What are the Forum members reading (2 Viewers)

[Rob]

It has to be one of the best war series ever made.From the statements of combatants to the music and voiceovers it was so good i had to get the dvd set.For me it ranks alongside 'The World at War' and its forerunner 'The Great War'.

Rob

 

[theBaron]

Was he the guy that featured in Ken Burns series and did he pass away sometime back?.Wonderful series that was.

Rob

Ken Burns established a new standard for history programming with "The Civil War". Previous series had used good narration (Sir Lawrence in "The World at War", for example), and stock photos or movie footage, and interviews with historians or people who lived through the events. But Burns' use of actors to provide the voices of the various historical characters really was effective, and it was copied by other series (A&E's American Revolution series, for example). It really was a great series, and in my opinion, it's Burns' best series.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Rob]

It sure had me hooked,i didn't have much interest in ACW before this series,but that soon changed.

Rob

 

[jazzeum]

I agree that it's Burns best series. Ranking them in order: Civil War, Baseball, Jazz and World War II.

 

[Rob]

I'd love to see the one on Baseball,is it on dvd?.And would you say its worth getting the WW2 series as well?.

Rob

 

[UKReb]

My absolute favorites are Shelby Foote's Civil War Trilogy. He's a master storyteller (you just have to have some time to get through the thick volumes!).

I'd be curious to hear UKReb's thoughts on Foote. I know Foote definitely has his opinions...


Pete

I was introduced to Foote by an American friend of mine back in the late70's, he also being a ACW fan told me that I must purchase this author's trilogy of the war. I did and am glad that I did well before over 20 million Americans discovered him from Burns TV series- as up to then he was little known outside of us ACW nerds.

Like all of those viewers I too was mesmerized by his narration as much as his pen, I had expected an author from Mississippi to write with a bias towards the South but this was not the case, he brought a unique poignancy to the Southern cause but tempered it by recognising that Grant was one of the greatest generals in the history of the United States and Lincoln a pure genius and truly a man of his time. He had a number of critics of his trilogy stating that he completely ignored the causes of the war, very sparse info of the politics or the economics and absolutely devoid of any foot-notes to back up his comments. All true but I don't believe he intended to write a concise history he used personal accounts of the war and on each page extolled the incredible heroism on both sides by primarily two American citizen armies

I know no other civil war historian who summed up the war so eloquently as Foote when he wrote what I consider to be the perfect epilogue of a war that has fascinated me for most of my life.

"It was the last great romantic war and the first horrendous modern war"

And I still remain amazed and astonished that so few Americans find it as important and interesting as this dumb Brit does.

Brad
Like Peter I too would recommend Foote's books to you but they are written for readers with some pre-knowledge of the causes and politics of the war.
Your reading of "Team of Rivals" has given you a good grounding of the politics but I would recommend another authors books before you read Foote's-That author is Bruce Catton
His books are:-
Coming Fury
Never Call Retreat
Terrible Swift Sword
Stillness at Appomattox
This Hallowed Ground
Although written in the late 50's and 60's with a slight Union bias they still remain today the definitive with very easy reading for the novice the best overall set of books on the historical ACW.

Read these first and then Foote's trilogy-You would have no need to read any other books on the overall history but then you can just pick and choose "specific battle books" such as other posters have recommended that would give you more detailed information on some of the decisive fights.

Reb

 

[debrito]

I agree that it's Burns best series. Ranking them in order: Civil War, Baseball, Jazz and World War II.

The jazz series is awesome...

 

[Combat]

Just a couple of non-fiction recommendations:

Robert Caro's books on Lyndon Johnson. I thought LBJ would be a boring subject, but have read nothing better regarding american politics and power. There are three books so far with at least one final book pending.

Edmund Morris' two books on Teddy Roosevelt. "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" and "Theodore Rex." They don't make them like old Teddy anymore swimming nude in the Potomac. Another strange tidbit, his wife and mother died on the same night in the same house from unrelated natural causes.

Livy's "The War with Hannibal" - I can't believe how few read these classics. Some perception that their purpose is to torture college students, but actually a rousing account of the Punic War.

"The Conquest of Mexico and Peru" by William Prescott. Another masterpiece. He went blind writing this lengthy history, but pressed on like a true artist.

"The Johnstown Flood" by David McCullough. I found it difficult to believe that I had never even heard of this tragedy before reading the book. After reading it I visited Johnstown, the site of the lake - now empty, the cemetery for the unknowns who died including many children under terrible circumstances. While I was reading the memorial my four year old walked out amongst the headstones. Quite a contrast between past and present.

 

[jazzeum]

Regarding the LBJ books, the first two are incredible compelling books. I recall that in the first one, he painted vivid pictures of the Hill Country that LBJ grew up in and of LBJ's father, a respected legislator. Book 2 is compelling about LBJ stole the Senatorial election in '48.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Brad,

Chief Judge Joe J. Fisher, the first of 2 Federal judges I clerked for, was a close friend of LBJ. There were photos of LBJ visiting the Judge in our courtroom in the Jack Brooks Federal Courthouse, hung in my office in chambers. I may have to grab copies of these books and study up on him.

 

[lancer]

hello again. would agree with Combat recommending Livy. would also add anything by J.F. Lazenby on ancient warfare such as "Hannibal's War" and "The Spartan Army". both are excellent works. - lancer

 

[nasirkasmani]

I'm currently reading - God, Honor, Fatherland. The History of the Grossdeutschland by Remy Spezzano.

great infos and gives a clear indication that not all germans are aryan fanatics.

some are just patriotic.

as a proof, many of the surviving officers were absorbed into the post war Bundeswehr, and some even took high command in NATO.

 

[Louis Badolato]

I'm currently reading - God, Honor, Fatherland. The History of the Grossdeutschland by Remy Spezzano.

great infos and gives a clear indication that not all germans are aryan fanatics.

some are just patriotic.

as a proof, many of the surviving officers were absorbed into the post war Bundeswehr, and some even took high command in NATO.

Nasir,

I read a similar history of the Greyhound Division by Guderian's son, who served in the Division throughout the war. It was a fascinating read. I have read first hand accounts of the experiences of everything from a German sergeant ("A Soldiers Story") to Heinz Guderian's memoir "Panzer Leader", and it is certainly interesting to get the other side's view of the war.

 

[nasirkasmani]

Nasir,

I read a similar history of the Greyhound Division by Guderian's son, who served in the Division throughout the war. It was a fascinating read. I have read first hand accounts of the experiences of everything from a German sergeant ("A Soldiers Story") to Heinz Guderian's memoir "Panzer Leader", and it is certainly interesting to get the other side's view of the war.

Looks like we have similar taste Louis.

my interest lies in getting to know the other side of the war, and hopefully some where will unearthed a credible Soviet source, clean from the massive Cold War era Soviet Propaganda.

Its frightening behind the demonized Nazis, Japs or Russkis, lies a very human face under that war helmet.

 

[Njja]

Just finished "Brothers In Battle Best Of Friends" a great "blue collar" version

of WWII by two of the "Band of Brothers" William "Wild Bill" Guarnere &

Edward "Babe" Heffron. Its not for the faint hearted, its not a (sanitized for

your protection) version of WWII. They tell it like it really was, and give an

interesting insight not normally seen.

I'm about to start "Young Stalin" my 3rd book on Uncle Joe one of the most

ruthless men that ever lived. A very interesting subject concerning the

psyche of man.

 

[uksubs]

Reading Remember Arnhem by John Fairley witch is about the "coup de main force " -1'st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron & it a great read to

 

[nasirkasmani]

If anyone wants to read about the 3rd reich, i recommend the book by William L Shirer " Rise and Fall of the 3rd Reich "

Shirer was an American reporter attached to Berlin DURING the 1930s during the Weimar republic, and left before Hitler's Germany declared war on America. He returned to Berlin after the war and wrote the book in the 1950s.

His book captures the accurate feelings and atmosphere of Europe at that time.

Magnificient, helps me to understand how the Germans initially see Adolf as a saviour and how deftly the Nazis manipulated the German nation and brought destruction upon the rest of Europe and ultimately, Germany herself.

 

[Louis Badolato]

I just got the newest novel by Frank Barnard, "To Play the Fox". This is the third novel by Barnard (following "Blue Man Falling" and "Band of Eagles"), himself an RAF veteran, about RAF pilots Kit Curtis (a well to do Brit) and Ossie Wolf (an American Volunteer), this one (as is obvious from the title) set in North Africa, fighting Rommel's forces. I really enjoyed the first two, and plan on dropping everything to start reading this one tonight.

 

[6th Wisconsin]

Recently finished "Ghost Soldiers" by Hampton Sides, which is about the Army Rangers surprise attack on the POW camp of Cabanatuan that freed the remaining guys from the Bataan Death March. Intersperses this account with the story of the March and prisoner life. Often a gripping read.

 

[Deitz]

I enjoy reading Harry Turtledove's alternative history novels. I have read his series (9 books) which starts with the Civil War and ends in 1945. During World War I the North allies with Germany and the South with Great Britain. These are just some of the twists of history. During the 30's the Freedom Party rules the south and they are very similar to the Nazis.

I have his Pearl Harbor novels but I have not had time to read them as of yet.