http://www.amazon.com/11-101-Points-Everyone-Consider/d...f=si3_rdr_bb_product

If you're into SF, almost anything by S.M. Sterling. He's been a very busy boy of late, with two major series ongoing. Check out The Sunrise Lands and The Courts of the Crimson Kings. You'll enjoy both.

As for politics, you'll be alternately amused and alarmed by Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism.

cheers

horseback

I just finished reading The Android's Dream by John Scalzi. A fun and funny Sci-Fi novel, in fact I don't think I've ever laughed that hard reading Sci-Fi before.

Before that, I read Neuromancer by William Gibson. 30 years reading Sci-Fi and I've never read this book until now, and I'm glad I finally did. A masterpiece.

I'm also reading The Black Sheep by Bruce Gamble, a great book on USMC squadron VMF-214. The author really appears to have done his homework on this one, citing numorous sources, including the squadron war diary and Japanese sources. A must for aviation nuts.

quote:

Originally posted by dirkpit7:
A book I finished recently:

Vasily Emelianenko: Red Star Against the Swastika (I read the Finnish translation)

A memoir of a Soviet Sturmovik-pilot. Very good in my opinion. Very atmospheric and personal account of his experiences in the front 1942-44.
He tells a lot about the people he flew with and were his friends in his unit, which makes the story very human and warm. But it also becomes clear how deadly job the Sturmovik-pilots had.

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Red-Star...astern/dp/1853676497

Excellent read. How this man survived (or any Il-2 pilot) is beyond my understanding.

Currently reading Operation Drumbeat. About U-boat attacks on the US eastern seaboard in 1942. Fortress Against the Sun (not sure on exact title) was also excellent. B-17 units in PTO early in the war. One of the birds mentioned (The Swoose) has just been given a new lease on life. The nerve these crews showed when faced by such overwhelming odds is staggering.

Just finished A Time For Trumpets & The Bitter Woods, both about the Ardennes offensive. The second was written by Ike's son, David.
I would recommend Trumpets for small unit history & Woods for more Big Picture views.

quote:

Originally posted by dirkpit7:
A book I finished recently:

Vasily Emelianenko: Red Star Against the Swastika (I read the Finnish translation)

A memoir of a Soviet Sturmovik-pilot. Very good in my opinion. Very atmospheric and personal account of his experiences in the front 1942-44.
He tells a lot about the people he flew with and were his friends in his unit, which makes the story very human and warm. But it also becomes clear how deadly job the Sturmovik-pilots had.

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Red-Star...astern/dp/1853676497

Got this from my library, and I've just finished it. Wow. Excellent book, thanks for the recommendation. One of the best books I've read of an individual's experience.

Since I'm posting, I'd better make a recommendation of my own; On a Wing and a Prayer, by Joshua Levine. It doesn't have detailed analysis of the WW1 air war, but has some fascinating pilot accounts.

Just finished "Last Stand in Singapore" by Graham Clayton. The story of 488 Squadron RNZAF.
Gripping..

One of my favorites, a book I bought while traveling through New Zealand a few years ago:
"Ghostrider One" by Gerry Carol
The story of an A-4 pilot during the 'Nam conflict. Very authentic and fun to read too.

I recently finished "Attack on Yamamoto" by Carroll V. Glines. I found the 1991 paperback in a used book store for $2.00, so I jumped on it. It's a short book, but a lot of controversy on who actually shot down Yamamoto's bomber. The book is 18 years old and ends stating that they controversy still rages, though it was finally settled in 2003, offically. Still, it's a good book.

Wolfpack Warriors: The Story of World War II's Most Successful Fighter Outfit

its about the American 56th Fighter group flying P47's from England from being one of the first groups to arrive till the end of the war
the group that had the highest kills in ETO and the group that stayed loyal to the P47 Thunderbolt when all the other outfits changed to P51's the outfit where the top scoring american ace "Gabby" Gabriesky served.

very good book.

Another one:
"Fighter: The True Story of the Battle of Britain" by Len Deighton.
In my opinion the best story on BOB and covers what really happened.

finish to read already a few months ago, Nakajima Ki-27 Nate, from Kagero publications, the autours are: Leszek Wieliczlko and Zygmunt Szeremeta. it's a 100 page book about all the history of the Ki-27 figther. cover many things that I was searching from long time and didn't manage to find good publications of it, like the aerial warfare in the battle of khalkhin gol. now I've buy a publication from the same series about the Ki-84 Hayate. the autor is Leszek A. Wieliczko. it's a 96 book about the history of the Ki-84. I don't have time to start read it, but with sure must be a magnific publication like the other ones I already read about the Ki-27 and the B6N.

really recommended the Kagero series. many rare images and excellent informations, they also incluid decals for aircraft kits.

This past week, I have been reading "A Dawn Like Thunder, The True Story Of Torpedo Squadron Eight" by Robert J. Mrazek

It is a very good read about what the squadron did leading up to Midway and what they did after Midway. And yes, this is the squadron that George "Tex" Gay flew with but wasn't the only survivor. A detatchment was actually on Midway.

3/4 way through "The Burning Mountain" by Alfred Coppel. A fictional work about the invasion of Japan in 1946 after an accident testing Fat Boy.

425 pages of spellbounding writing.

Highly recommended.

A while ago, someone was asking about books on the ground war in the Pacific. Well, I am currently reading a book called Shadows in the Jungle, The Alamo Scouts Behind Japanese Lines in World War II by Larry Alexander.

Pretty good read so far and interesting too. Seems that the distrustful MacArthur did at least one thing right.

Currently reading "The white Tiger" by Aravind Adiga.Fairly brutal take on life in India,very good read though.