What are the Forum members reading (1 Viewer)

Terp152 said:
Recommend Gordon Prange's At Dawn We Slept, been at for a while but quite good. This was the expanded book of his earlier Tora, Tora, Tora, that was made into the movie. Prange was a highly regarded historian. I did not have the honor of attending his history classes while a student at University of Maryland, but I believe Lancer/Al may have. Chris
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lancer said:
That is correct, Chris. Had the privilege of being in his classes on WW1 and WW2 for 4 semesters back in the early 70's. Pearl Harbor was an almost 4 decade long study of his, but a study he was unable to bring to print before his death in 1980. His manuscripts on Pearl Harbor (and other subjects, Midway and Sorge) were published after death. There are 3 titles involving Pearl Harbor: "At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor"; "December 7, 1941: The Day the Japanese Attacked Pearl Harbor"; "Pearl Harbor: The Verdict of History". Prange had formatted his study to be in four volumes, but the edited version is the 3 mentioned books. I believe the 4th volume was to have been about the whole question about whether FDR might have had knowledge of the impending attack, but this volume was severely edited down and now is included in the Verdict of History volume. At any rate, the 3 books by Prange cover the subject quite well and are unlikely to be surpassed due to the unique sources Prange had access to and the years of investigative study Prange put into them. -- Al
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Oh, Al and I are way ahead o'ya, Chris! He and I discussed Prange's books earlier in this thread. "At Dawn We Slept" is one of the books that I re-read once a year, as well as "Miracle at Midway." The only criticism I can think of is that he was a little too trusting of Fuchida as a source. The "fatal five minutes", for example, have been refuted pretty well by Parshall and Tully, and his own countrymen very quietly disregarded his accounts over a generation ago.

Willmott's book is entertaining, but not really new, just that he places the events in the broader context of Japanese history. I haven't started the Pearl Harbor "truther's" book yet.

In the meantime, I've also picked up and started re-reading Frederick Forsyth's "Day of the Jackal".

Prost!
Brad
 
theBaron said:
Oh, Al and I are way ahead o'ya, Chris! He and I discussed Prange's books earlier in this thread. "At Dawn We Slept" is one of the books that I re-read once a year, as well as "Miracle at Midway." The only criticism I can think of is that he was a little too trusting of Fuchida as a source. The "fatal five minutes", for example, have been refuted pretty well by Parshall and Tully, and his own countrymen very quietly disregarded his accounts over a generation ago.

Willmott's book is entertaining, but not really new, just that he places the events in the broader context of Japanese history. I haven't started the Pearl Harbor "truther's" book yet.

In the meantime, I've also picked up and started re-reading Frederick Forsyth's "Day of the Jackal".

Prost!
Brad
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"Shattered Sword" sure put the lie to Fuchida's account. Prange considered Fuchida a friend and entertained him at his home for stretches at a time while picking Fuchida's brain on Pearl Harbor, Midway, etc. Possibly the friendship caused a blindspot to other's criticism's and the accounts in question. There is no doubt the Prange placed great store in Fuchida. -- Al
 
I think Fuchida was as human, and therefore, as flawed, as any of us. He became a Christian missionary, but never recanted his accounts. But he was "firstest with the mostest" after the occupation ban on writing about the war was lifted, and got his story out first. He really painted Nagumo and Kusaka in a less-than-favorable light. So few Western scholars could read the original Japanese materials that were released later, that "Midway-The Battle That Doomed Japan" became canon for us. His account certainly appealed to the American tastes--a plucky bunch of underdog heroes takes on an overwhelming force and by guts and sheer luck, they pull through. Heck, I even think that that account made its way into our fiction. I've always maintained that the rebel attack on the Death Star in "Star Wars" is a retelling of the attack on Kido Butai. The Y-wings are the torpedo squadrons, and Luke is Dick Best, scoring that one-in-a-million hit.

Prost!
Brad
 
theBaron said:
I think Fuchida was as human, and therefore, as flawed, as any of us. He became a Christian missionary, but never recanted his accounts. But he was "firstest with the mostest" after the occupation ban on writing about the war was lifted, and got his story out first. He really painted Nagumo and Kusaka in a less-than-favorable light. So few Western scholars could read the original Japanese materials that were released later, that "Midway-The Battle That Doomed Japan" became canon for us. His account certainly appealed to the American tastes--a plucky bunch of underdog heroes takes on an overwhelming force and by guts and sheer luck, they pull through. Heck, I even think that that account made its way into our fiction. I've always maintained that the rebel attack on the Death Star in "Star Wars" is a retelling of the attack on Kido Butai. The Y-wings are the torpedo squadrons, and Luke is Dick Best, scoring that one-in-a-million hit.

Prost!
Brad
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That's pretty good. I like that. One thing in regard to accepted history and Fuchida's account, IMO, 'Shattered Sword' is a game changer for me and my understanding of Midway. It is simply the most interesting and educational study of the battle that I have ever read. I believe that anyone who has an interest in Midway needs to read it. It just changes perception. I'm not saying it is the be all and end all to Midway but it sure clears a lot up. -- Al
 
lancer said:
That's pretty good. I like that. One thing in regard to accepted history and Fuchida's account, IMO, 'Shattered Sword' is a game changer for me and my understanding of Midway. It is simply the most interesting and educational study of the battle that I have ever read. I believe that anyone who has an interest in Midway needs to read it. It just changes perception. I'm not saying it is the be all and end all to Midway but it sure clears a lot up. -- Al
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I think the key is the info about how the Japanese conducted operations on their carriers, which was influenced by their design and their naval doctrine, especially after Genda promoted the notion of the carrier strike force. It was a revelation to me, when I first read the book, to learn how they did things, where before, I figured that they did things the same way we did.

You're right, though, it doesn't make the earlier books obsolete, it just clarifies a heck of a lot and explodes some myths.

Along with Professor Prange's book, I always enjoy reading Walter Lord's "Incredible Victory", for the personal stories he relates. And another book that helps shed light on the Hornet's poor performance during the battle is "A Dawn Like Thunder". Stanhope Ring was the Lt. Dike of Air Group 8. His conduct is still unexplicable today, as is Mitscher's covering up for him. It's worth noting that Admiral Spruance wrote a note on the action report from the Hornet to indicate, politely, and not in so many words, that it was false.

Prost!
Brad
 
Just picked up a copy of Jager and Schutzen dress and distinctions 1910-14. I've been after it since 1977. :)

Martin
 
Picked up a book in a thrift store. "Don't know much about the Civil War" (ACW) It kind of goes in depth about the causes of the ACW. That is as far as I have gotten. It is fascinating that the problems began way before 1861. I will put more down when I finish.
 
Acting on Al and Brad's recommendations, finishing up Shattered Sword (Midway). Excellent book and, like Gettysburg, can never have enough accounts of that battle.

Next up, The Battle of Suriago Strait by A Tully, co-author of Shattered Sword. Chris
 
Terp152 said:
Acting on Al and Brad's recommendations, finishing up Shattered Sword (Midway). Excellent book and, like Gettysburg, can never have enough accounts of that battle.

Next up, The Battle of Suriago Strait by A Tully, co-author of Shattered Sword. Chris
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Chris, let me know how the book on the Surigao Strait is. I haven't got it and I want to know if I should pick it up. On a side note, my father was in Naval Intel during the war and was based in different areas of the Pacific. He was on duty when the battle took place and was monitoring the radio traffic involving the battle. He said his whole unit was on pins and needles regarding the outcome as they tracked it. Glad you are enjoying Shattered Sword. -- Al
 
lancer said:
Chris, let me know how the book on the Surigao Strait is. I haven't got it and I want to know if I should pick it up. On a side note, my father was in Naval Intel during the war and was based in different areas of the Pacific. He was on duty when the battle took place and was monitoring the radio traffic involving the battle. He said his whole unit was on pins and needles regarding the outcome as they tracked it. Glad you are enjoying Shattered Sword. -- Al
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Al, will do, Chris
 
Gents,

The Post Office Girl by Stephan Zweig

Highly recommended by Jazzieum. This is my third read by Zweig and his stories don't disappoint. Will let you know the outcome very soon, as I can't put the book down.

John from Texas
 
I just finished The Girl on the Train. This has been highly hyped, much like Gone Girl was. I put this in the same category of decent story, but not worthy of the hype. Knowing what i know now, I wouldn't not recommend it. I have no idea how some books get hyped up and others fall by the wayside
 
Before this, i read The Empty Throne by Bernard Cronwell. For anyone reading the Saxon tales, this does not disappoint. For anyone who likes "vikings", I highly recommend this series
 
Terp152 said:
Acting on Al and Brad's recommendations, finishing up Shattered Sword (Midway). Excellent book and, like Gettysburg, can never have enough accounts of that battle.

Next up, The Battle of Suriago Strait by A Tully, co-author of Shattered Sword. Chris
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lancer said:
Chris, let me know how the book on the Surigao Strait is. I haven't got it and I want to know if I should pick it up. On a side note, my father was in Naval Intel during the war and was based in different areas of the Pacific. He was on duty when the battle took place and was monitoring the radio traffic involving the battle. He said his whole unit was on pins and needles regarding the outcome as they tracked it. Glad you are enjoying Shattered Sword. -- Al
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I enjoy reading the chapters on Surigao, in "The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors". The radiomen of Taffy 3 heard the radio signals, and they could see flashes from the battle on the horizon, not realizing it was a prelude to the battle that was about to overtake them the next morning.

I always felt bad for my favorite ship, the Keystone Battleship, the Pennsylvania, because she alone of the other battlewagons couldn't generate a firing solution and didn't get her licks in.

Prost!
Brad
 
theBaron said:
I enjoy reading the chapters on Surigao, in "The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors". The radiomen of Taffy 3 heard the radio signals, and they could see flashes from the battle on the horizon, not realizing it was a prelude to the battle that was about to overtake them the next morning.

I always felt bad for my favorite ship, the Keystone Battleship, the Pennsylvania, because she alone of the other battlewagons couldn't generate a firing solution and didn't get her licks in.

Prost!
Brad
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"Last Stand..." is a great read. One of the books in my permanent library. Really incredible action. -- Al
 
Currently re-reading John Toland's 'The Rising Sun', again. I really enjoy this book. So well written it just doesn't seem like a 1072 page book. Will be re-reading a couple of Willi Heinrich's classics next, 'The Cross of Iron' and the 'Crack of Doom'. All good reads. -- Al
 
"The Death of Caesar" by Barry Strauss. Not a great book but some interesting details. I always thought this event would make a great set of toy soldiers given the set of characters.
 
Re-reading William L. Shirer's "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich". That's one that I pull out every so often and re-read.

Prost!
Brad
 
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