Reading Lists

Status
Not open for further replies.
The "Prey" series by John Sandford is quite good, and is actually a set of murder mysteries where the gun information is decent. Also, if you enjoy true crime at all, the John Douglas works, "Mindhunter", "Journey into Darkness", etc. are fascinating looks at killers and the investigations that caught them.

And you're taking "Jude the Obscure"? A little classic for light vacation reading, wouldn't you say? If not, then may I suggest "Henry V", "Richard III", and "Titus Andronicus" by William Shakespeare. You may also want to consider "Lord of the Flies" or "The Handmaid's Tale". Forgive me, I was a Lit major in undergrad.
 
CAS: I studied Shakespeare in college. . . so you know, that's how that is. . and yes, my taste in reading is VERY eclectic, except I very rarely read fiction. Reality is much more interesting.

I'm remembering another book I got from a previous go 'round of this:

"With the Old Breed" by EB Sledge, I believe. Very engrossing day-to-day account of Pacific fighting by Marines. Man, that was some tough duty. . . to make an undestatement. Some very nasty, graphic accounts of war "in the trenches". . . Those Japanese were some tough hombres. . . but then so were the Marines. . .


"Radical Son" by David Horowitz. Interesting tale of 60's era commie bastard who saw the light, like Paul in the Bible, and now does his best to expose the left wing pustules in our society.

The late Col. David Hackworth's first book, "About Face". Very good book recounting his Army days in Korea, Vietnam. Seems like a good guy. Famous episode when his men find an AK buried in the ground. He jumps into the hole, racks the bolt, and fires off the entire mag. He wasn't fond of the M16.

That book about the SAS in Iraq in Gulf War I---"Bravo something, something"-cant' remember now. Terrific book about SAS team inserted deep into Iraq to hunt scuds. They get discovered and attempt to escape to Syria. I think one guy made it. One was lost in a storm, two were captured by Iraqis---usual unpleasantness followed.
 
I recently read "Mission and LeMay", the autobiography of General Curtis E. LeMay, (assisted by a professional writer) ,the fierce Cold Warrior who built the Strategic Air Command, and crispy-crittered many Japanese cities toward end of WWII.

VERY INSPIRATIONAL!

While he did express some extreme aggression, he did NOT derserve to tap dance on his head by the pedophile media when he ill-advisedly ran as VP candidate with George Wallace in 1968, or the satire in Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove". LeMay was a dude who backed up his bark with his bite, but remained undercontrol of civilian government.

This book is out of print, but easy to find for about $10 plus shipping in "Advanced Book Exchange", or through book store that will find it for you. May take two weeks to get.

He was both a fearless warrior and a brillian administrator/organizer. LeMay was the right guy at the right time, and certainly saved our butt.
 
Recommended summer reads:

Recommended summer reads:

Fiction: Without Remorse, Tom Clancy
Out Door Humor: Rubber Legs and White Tail Hairs, Patrick McManus
Humor: Age and Guile Beat Youth, Innocence, and a Bad Haircut, P.J. O'Rourke
Political: Liberalism Is A Mental Disorder, Michael Savage
SciFi: Disk World, Terry Pratchett
Autobiographical: Rouge Warrior, Richard Marcinko

That ought to get you started at least,

DarthBubba :D
 
Currently reading and/or just finished and highly recommended.....

Rogue Warrior: Vengeance by Richard Marcinko

Not a Good Day to Die: The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda by Sean Naylor

Hunting al Qaeda: A Take-No-Prisoners Account of Terror, Adventure, and Disillusionment by Anonymous (Forward by Colonel Gerald Schamacher)

Bad News: The Decline of Reporting, the Business of News and the Danger to Us All by Tom Fenton

Joan of Arc: Her Story by Regine Pernoud and Marie-Veronique Clin

The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe by Roger Penrose

* A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

Stalin: A Biography by Robert Service

And starting at midnight tonight: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling :)
 
"Not a Good Day to Die" ! How could I forget that one! I got the CD version of this about 3 months ago. Got the CD from the library by accident---thought I was getting the book. Had to buy an el cheapo CD player so I could listen to it commuting to work on the train.

That was a very interesting book. And depressing! You have to admire the stone cold courage of those SF (I'm using that term as an umbrella: SEALS, Green Berets, Rangers, Delta, etc) types. But the bureaucratic infighting, petty jealousy, and pig-headeness that goes on at the higher levels is unworthy of these fine fighting men. And it also shows that you can have all the hi-tech gizmos in the world, but if you can't get people to cooperate--the high tech stuff doesn't mean that much. I also thought it took WAAAAAYYY too long to get to the action. Had several bouts of MEGO in the car while listening.


Also--I've read every PJ O'Rourke book ever published. He's always great.


. . . and btt. . .
 
Almost finished with C. V. Wedgwood's The Thirty Years War.

An excellent book about a very important time in history.
 
Add "Crucible of War" to that NM.

Great book about the French and Indian War in the Colonies and how its aftereffects led directly to the Revolution.

Remember the head chopping horror story that Mel Gibson regretted in "The Patriot"? Based on a true attack.

Also talks about how the founding fathers got their spurs.
 
"15 Months In Sog: A Warrior's Tour" by Thom Nicholson

Vietnam War, a LOT of funny stories. Including a great one about some drunken SF soldiers swiping a 18 ton tracked artillery piece from the Marines, without leaving a trace.

"Starship Trooper" by Robert Heinlein

Excellent book on military theory.

"Go Rin No Sho" (Book of Five Rings) by Miyamoto Musashi

Excellent book on small arms combat. Written about swords, spears, etc, but can very much apply to modern small arms with some thought.

"Dark Rivers of the Heart" by Dean Koontz

If written today, Mr Koontz would be in Gitmo. That good.

Any book by Andrew Vachss.

"Sleeping With the Devil: How Washington Sold Our Soul for Saudi Crude" and "See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA's War on Terrorism" by Robert Baer. He was nearly sent to prison for allegedly trying to assassinate Saddam.

"Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001" by Steve Coll Excellent work on modern history of Afghanistan.

"The Price of Loyalty: George W. Bush, the White House, and the Education of Paul O'Neill" by Ron Suskind. Paul O'Neill was Sec of Treasury under Bush after being a CEO at Alco. Rather educational.
 
My reccomendations:
The Colt .45 Automatic , by Jerry Kuhnhausen
For pulp fiction/detective/mystery - anything by James Lee Burke, Robert Crais, Dennis Lehane, Joe Landsdale, Thomas Perry or Michael Connelly.
For just plain fun - Terry Pratchett's Disc World series. They're kind of like The Hitchhiker's Guide filtered through Monty Python.
 
Just finished Olympos by Dan Simmons, currently reading Accelerando by Charles Stross.

Should be picking up Potter 6 today or tomorrow.

Temporarily stalled about half way through Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader by Bradley Martin. Started on Collapse by Jared Diamond.

Another whole other pile I will get to eventually...
 
so i take it i am the only one who pre-ordered harry potter 6?
Click to expand...

Nope. I don't read 'em but my wife got her copy in the mail this AM.

Recently finished Fred Bear - The Biography of an Outdoorsman by Charles Kroll, and Shotgunning - The Art And The Science by Bob Brister (on sm's recommendation).
I need to get back to the book store for some new reading matreial.
 
RE: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Seems Ms. J.K. Rowling doesn't like President Bush and lets it be known in the 2nd sentence of her long awaited book. Guess she is entitled to her opinion like everyone else. :)

It was nearing midnight and the Prime Minister was sitting alone in his office, reading a long memo that was slipping through his brain without leaving the slightest trace of meaning behind. He was waiting for a call from the President of a far distant county, and between wondering when the wretched man would telephone, and trying to suppress unpleasant memories of what had been a very long, tiring, and difficult week, there was not much space in his head for anything else.
Click to expand...
 
If you haven't read them before

the books/series by Stephen Hunter....Books are interrelated, but you don't have to read them in order, really.

+1 on the "Prey" Series by Sanford as well
 
After I finished my third reading of UC, I started on my third time through the Wheel of Time series. I don't need to start thinking of what to read next, since I'm only on book 4 at the moment...after this, 6 more to go. And Knife of Dreams should be out in October!

Other than that, my usual perusal of Tao Te Ching, Book of Five Rings, and the Brownell's, Midway, and Natchez catalogues :scrutiny:
 
I started on my third time through the Wheel of Time series.
Click to expand...
FYI, it doens't end with book 10. You are left hanging, waiting for another book someday. After about book 7, it gets real repetitious and slow.
 
Another one

Lot's of people quote Kipling around here. Try "The Jungle Books" if you ahven't already read it. Then there's "Freddy's Book" by John Gardner. I recall it being considered his idea of a suicide note.
 
"Starship Troopers" by Robert Heinlein.

Great storytelling whilst describing the optimal government.


I also finished my last two Micahel Crichton books.
"Prey" and "Timeline"
Excellent reading!
 
Lightning - Dean Koontz
Watchers - Dean Koontz

These two, imo, are by far his best work.


AV1611 out...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

N
  • Locked
Gun Books....What Are You Reading or Recommend?
2
Replies
33
Views
1K
renegade1alpha
R
F
  • Locked
Updated Reading List
Replies
0
Views
445
Fudgie Ghost
F
P
  • Locked
Catching up on my reading
Replies
6
Views
634
Dorrin79
D
C
  • Locked
What do you read? (Here's my recent list.)
2
Replies
37
Views
2K
cool45auto
C
S
  • Locked
a reading list...
Replies
0
Views
404
SoonerBJJ
S
Back
Top