What are the Forum members reading (2 Viewers)

I finished "Where men win Glory" by John Krakauer. My wife got it for me over the quarantine. It is the FINEST book I have ever read. The detailed, dramatic narrative around the last few moments of Pat Tillman's life is utterly gut wrenching, the couple hundred pages reading about the aftermath filled me with utter rage, contempt and a broken sense of respect for the leadership of the Rangers.

At the end of the day, this book is something more than a story about Pat Tillman and his life and legacy. It is a story about truth. Unfortunately, all my friends and family who served in Iraq and, to a surprisingly lesser extent, in Afghanistan, seem to be quite correct in their assessment that the leadership in these fields of fire were just piss poor.

I was just left with the feeling that the Tillman parents would give anything to have their son back with them and deserved the truth about what happened to their son. With my 16-year-old talking about enlisting, this book has definitely given me reason to pause before I get gung-ho with him and sell the Army as an institution. It is still an Institution I love and cherish, it's just that I need to remember it is still run and administered by human beings- with all the good and bad that entails.

Moving on from that work, my daughter bought me "Powers and Thrones" by Dan Jones. The book is a tome but an easy page turner. I finished his book on the Templars earlier this year. This one is a much easier read, and he is easily my favorite historian at the moment. His books and narration style are very easy to digest- especially to those of us who aren't intimately familiar with the topics or lands he is discussing.
 
Currahee Chris said:
I finished "Where men win Glory" by John Krakauer. My wife got it for me over the quarantine. It is the FINEST book I have ever read. The detailed, dramatic narrative around the last few moments of Pat Tillman's life is utterly gut wrenching, the couple hundred pages reading about the aftermath filled me with utter rage, contempt and a broken sense of respect for the leadership of the Rangers.

At the end of the day, this book is something more than a story about Pat Tillman and his life and legacy. It is a story about truth. Unfortunately, all my friends and family who served in Iraq and, to a surprisingly lesser extent, in Afghanistan, seem to be quite correct in their assessment that the leadership in these fields of fire were just piss poor.

I was just left with the feeling that the Tillman parents would give anything to have their son back with them and deserved the truth about what happened to their son. With my 16-year-old talking about enlisting, this book has definitely given me reason to pause before I get gung-ho with him and sell the Army as an institution. It is still an Institution I love and cherish, it's just that I need to remember it is still run and administered by human beings- with all the good and bad that entails.

Moving on from that work, my daughter bought me "Powers and Thrones" by Dan Jones. The book is a tome but an easy page turner. I finished his book on the Templars earlier this year. This one is a much easier read, and he is easily my favorite historian at the moment. His books and narration style are very easy to digest- especially to those of us who aren't intimately familiar with the topics or lands he is discussing.
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Virtually all of Krakauer’s books are first-rate. I read his Tillman book years ago and it was one of the main influences in changing my mind about the Bush Administration and politics in general. So many, including Washington, Eisenhower, et al., have warned about foreign intervention, and the military-industrial complex, and yet here we are sending billions to Ukraine as part of a proxy war with Russia.
 
The Savage Wars of Peace: Small Wars and the Rise of American Power by Max Boot. Lots of material that I never knew before, and it's well written. It reminds me of Queen Victoria's Little Wars!
 
Brothers at arms : American independence and the men of France & Spain who saved it by Larrie D. Ferreiro. It explains why France and eventually Spain aided the 13 colonies during the fight for independence. It wasn't altruism or love of liberty, but more the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Also a lot of detail on how important the French Navy was to the cause by tying up British resources around the world, not just at the Battle of the Capes.
 
I am reading Bruce Ware Allen’s “The Great Siege of Malta.”

It’s a riveting overview covering the loss of Rhodes all the way through the aftermath of the siege. Enjoyable, exciting, and informative!
 
Combat said:
The Folio Society has a new edition of Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian." A great, violent story of the old West.


Blood Meridian | The Folio Society
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Nice to see a fine print job of this title done (outside of the Suntup version, which is over $1200+). I must admit that while I love No Country for Old Men and The Road, I found Blood Meridian a real grind to read. It's a great action story with plenty of blood spilled, but the prose all but defeated me. Still, I will be getting this affordable Folio version. -- Al
 
Currahee Chris said:
I finished "Where men win Glory" by John Krakauer. My wife got it for me over the quarantine. It is the FINEST book I have ever read. The detailed, dramatic narrative around the last few moments of Pat Tillman's life is utterly gut wrenching, the couple hundred pages reading about the aftermath filled me with utter rage, contempt and a broken sense of respect for the leadership of the Rangers.

At the end of the day, this book is something more than a story about Pat Tillman and his life and legacy. It is a story about truth. Unfortunately, all my friends and family who served in Iraq and, to a surprisingly lesser extent, in Afghanistan, seem to be quite correct in their assessment that the leadership in these fields of fire were just piss poor.

I was just left with the feeling that the Tillman parents would give anything to have their son back with them and deserved the truth about what happened to their son. With my 16-year-old talking about enlisting, this book has definitely given me reason to pause before I get gung-ho with him and sell the Army as an institution. It is still an Institution I love and cherish, it's just that I need to remember it is still run and administered by human beings- with all the good and bad that entails.

Moving on from that work, my daughter bought me "Powers and Thrones" by Dan Jones. The book is a tome but an easy page turner. I finished his book on the Templars earlier this year. This one is a much easier read, and he is easily my favorite historian at the moment. His books and narration style are very easy to digest- especially to those of us who aren't intimately familiar with the topics or lands he is discussing.
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I'm not familiar with Pat Tillman but the book sounds very interesting and worth reading about. Have read much about the Iraq & Afghan conflicts from a variety of authors and historians and seriously question the need to have invaded them in the first place. While hindsight is a wonderful thing, the political interference is at times staggering. The likes of Bush and Blair and their administrations have much to answer for, especially considering the losses and the mess left behind. Its the troops on the ground I feel sorry for, both used and abused and often poorly lead, all under the guise of making the world a better place.
 
lancer said:
Nice to see a fine print job of this title done (outside of the Suntup version, which is over $1200+). I must admit that while I love No Country for Old Men and The Road, I found Blood Meridian a real grind to read. It's a great action story with plenty of blood spilled, but the prose all but defeated me. Still, I will be getting this affordable Folio version. -- Al
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"Blood Meridian" is a book that needs to be read more than once to appreciate.
 
Combat said:
"Blood Meridian" is a book that needs to be read more than once to appreciate.
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That is what I concluded, as well. I am steeling myself for the re-read sometime in the future, perhaps when I purchase the Folio version. :wink2: -- Al
 
lancer said:
That is what I concluded, as well. I am steeling myself for the re-read sometime in the future, perhaps when I purchase the Folio version. :wink2: -- Al
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McCarthy has not one but two new books coming out in the next couple months. That is the good news. The bad news is that the plot involves "math" and "physics" according to the NY Times. That gives me some pause, but for some authors I will read most anything. Murakami is another.
 
lancer said:
That is what I concluded, as well. I am steeling myself for the re-read sometime in the future, perhaps when I purchase the Folio version. :wink2: -- Al
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I received my Folio copy of "Blood Meridan" and started re-reading. What a great, epic Western movie this would make with the right cast.
 
Combat said:
I received my Folio copy of "Blood Meridan" and started re-reading. What a great, epic Western movie this would make with the right cast.
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Nice get. Still haven't ordered mine as Folio continues to publish stuff I want and I fall further behind. They have about a half-dozen books I currently want, but funds are short.:rolleyes2: -- Al
 
Just finished rereading "Straight Man" by Richard Russo after learning that AMC and Bob Odenkirk are making it into a series. It's absolutely hilarious. Russo has written some outstanding books like "Empire Falls" and "Nobody's Fool." Paul Newman and Bruce Willis were great in the film adaptation of the latter.
 
I always look up what you chaps read and have had some good reads because of it.
Please keep posting.
Paddy
 
I just finished "The Candy Bombers" by Andrei Cherny, about the Berlin Airlift. As a history, it's told through the individual stories of key figures in the event, from General Clay, General Tunner, and Lt. Halvorsen (the original "Candy Bomber"), to James Forrestal. Before I got that on Friday night (book giveaway at our model club's November meeting), I finished re-reading Jonah Goldberg's "Liberal Fascism".

I have queued up three of Thomas Sowell's books, starting with "Economic Facts and Fallacies."

Prost!
Brad
 
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