Book recomendatioms...

In the last year I finished (finally!) Shelby Foote's Civil War trilogy, Wolf of the Deep & Sea of Grey (hist. of Confederate commerce raiders), and Washington's Spies (the book behind/associated with the AMC series TURN). All were great reads, though SF's was a multi-year effort.

Currently starting another Harry Turtledove alt history series to give the brain a break.

Other history-oriented favorites have been Undaunted Courage (Stephen Ambrose re: the Lewis & Clarke exp), Hew Strachan's The First World War, and Dang it! I can't Remember the Title about the Boxer Rebellion in China. (It's still in storage so I can't report on the title at the moment).
 
I was introduced to David Baldacci’s stuff last year...

I think I read ~20 of his books from October to the end of the year.

Camel Club series
King & Maxwell series
A. Shaw series
Will Robie series
Amos Decker series
 
Tim said:
The CFF Privateer thread inspired me...I started on Conrad's Heart of Darkness last night.
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Had to read that like twice in college and write a annotated research paper with source references. The horror, the horror...
 
BigWaylon said:
I was introduced to David Baldacci’s stuff last year...

I think I read ~20 of his books from October to the end of the year.

Camel Club series
King & Maxwell series
A. Shaw series
Will Robie series
Amos Decker series
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The John Puller series is a hit too.
Army CID officer but doesn't really have to do with military.
 
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Tim said:
The CFF Privateer thread inspired me...I started on Conrad's Heart of Darkness last night.
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I need to read that, I know the approximate story, as I had to read a book titled Exterminate the Brutes and it was a historical look at the book. I really enjoyed that book and had forgotten about HOD until today, so thank you for the heads up
 
Frozen Hell: The Russo-Finnish Winter War of 1939-1940
William Trotter

Probably the definitive English language book on the conflict. Will really infuriate you to see how the international community left Finland out to dry.

Will also have you searching the BST for a Sako Mosin.
 
I re-read Larry McMurtry’s “Lonesome Dove”, “Streets of Laredo”, and “Anything for Billy” last year and loved it. I’d forgotten how good those books were. I’m also a John Irving fan when I read fiction.
“Tiger” by John Vaillant is a good non fiction recount of a Russian game warden and a rogue Siberian tiger.
 
I’ve read most of the Travis McGee series by John D Mcdonald, and I’ve yet to find one I didn’t like. Excellent storytelling, incredible writing, and it’s amazing how many well known authors credit him as early inspiration. I’m currently reading Ken Follet’s “Eye of the Needle” and I’m hooked so far. It’s not big on action, but for a classic that’s introspective, timeless, and just downright good I’ve been back to “All the King’s Men” (RP Warren) a couple times.
 
Tim said:
Which translation is the most "readable"? I'll confess that I hated this when forced to read it 30 years ago for a high school class. Sister Agnes Patrice could make any book seem like torture.
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I like the Longfellow and the Musa versions. Be sure to find a version with the Dore illustrations, if you can. Or research the illustrations separately.
Also, read Dante in Love by Harriet Rubin. It's truly a great overview of all three books and explains a lot of the background as well as the politics of the time. It made me look at the Comedy in a new light. I’ve read it several times and still pick up something new each time.
 
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For pure escapist entertainment reading I enjoy the reprints of the 1930s pulps. My favorites are The Shadow, Doc Savage, The Avenger, The Spider and G8 & His Battle Aces.

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Terry
 
J R Green said:
The John Puller series is a hit too.
Army CID officer but doesn't really have to do with military.
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Had those on the shelf...started the first one a couple days ago. Really enjoying it so far.
 
BigWaylon said:
Had those on the shelf...started the first one a couple days ago. Really enjoying it so far.
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Finished the first one, and the second one. Great series.
 
Columbus Day (Expeditionary Force series) by Craig Alanson

Fun military sci-fi series, light read with hilarious characters.
 
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J R Green said:
The John Puller series is a hit too.
Army CID officer but doesn't really have to do with military.
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Just saw online where Fox picked this up for a series late last year. Not sure when it comes out.

BTW...finished all the Puller books. And finished the entire Will Robie series as of this morning. (Realized I’d bought them, but not read them when I posted earlier). Ordered all the Amos Decker series a couple days ago.
 
BigWaylon said:
Just saw online where Fox picked this up for a series late last year. Not sure when it comes out.

BTW...finished all the Puller books. And finished the entire Will Robie series as of this morning. (Realized I’d bought them, but not read them when I posted earlier). Ordered all the Amos Decker series a couple days ago.
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I just finished the first Puller book, Zero Day and it held my interest all the way through. My wife is going to read it too. I'll be ordering the 2nd in the series soon.

Terry
 
specops56 said:
I just finished the first Puller book, Zero Day and it held my interest all the way through. My wife is going to read it too. I'll be ordering the 2nd in the series soon.

Terry
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Have you read the Will Robie series? What about the Shaw series?
 
Piss of every liberal, commie, socialist ( being redundant ). Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand , pretty much anything she wrote is golden. Fountainhead, We the living. Like she had a future looking crystal ball of what is America today
 
Tim said:
This is more along the lines of what I'm after. REALLY enjoyed Monte Cristo, but have read it a couple times over the years. Maybe I'll pick up another of his.
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How about A Brave New World? You’ll draw some major parallels between that and now
 
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BigWaylon said:
Just saw online where Fox picked this up for a series late last year. Not sure when it comes out.

BTW...finished all the Puller books. And finished the entire Will Robie series as of this morning. (Realized I’d bought them, but not read them when I posted earlier). Ordered all the Amos Decker series a couple days ago.
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That's awesome.

How do you guys read these books, buy paperbacks, go to the library or like me, on audiobook.

If I had to take time out to read I wouldn't get much done but with audiobooks I can listen while doing work around the house, on the way to work or anytime.
 
J R Green said:
That's awesome.

How do you guys read these books, buy paperbacks, go to the library or like me, on audiobook.

If I had to take time out to read I wouldn't get much done but with audiobooks I can listen while doing work around the house, on the way to work or anytime.
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>95% of what I read is physical books from ThriftBooks. Usually ~$4/book, and free shipping for any order over $10. $23.91 for 6 books earlier this week. All hardbacks.
 
J R Green said:
That's awesome.

How do you guys read these books, buy paperbacks, go to the library or like me, on audiobook.

If I had to take time out to read I wouldn't get much done but with audiobooks I can listen while doing work around the house, on the way to work or anytime.
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There are a couple used book stores 'round here. I use 'em like a library; new ones in with credit for old ones goin' out...

I tried e-readers; nah.
 
J R Green said:
That's awesome.

How do you guys read these books, buy paperbacks, go to the library or like me, on audiobook.

If I had to take time out to read I wouldn't get much done but with audiobooks I can listen while doing work around the house, on the way to work or anytime.
Click to expand...

I listen to audiobooks, the only way to do it with a busy life. I might read 1 or 2 paper books a year.
 
SnowRooster said:
Columbus Day (Expeditionary Force series) by Craig Alanson

Fun military sci-fi series, light read with hilarious characters.
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I was just going to post and recommend this as an audiobook series to listen to. We've been through all of them - they're awesome.

www.audible.com

Expeditionary Force

Listen to Expeditionary Force audiobooks on Audible. Immerse yourself in the series as it was meant to be heard. Free trial available!
www.audible.com www.audible.com

We just finished the last one that came out in June.
 
The Ride of Her Life: the true story of a woman, her horse, and their last-chance journey across America

A 62 year old Maine woman given 2 years to live, facing the loss of her farm and completely broke sets off for California on her horse with her dog in the winter of 1954.

I could not put this book down. who hasn't thought once in their life, 'I could walk out the door, down the road and just keep going'. An amazing true story, very well written.
 
I get my reading and listening material from the county library. If they don't have it and won't get it I will either do without or look for used copies on Amazon. I'm fortunate that I can still access the county library from Los Angeles which has much more material than Wake county.
 
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