Summer Reading

[-ammo-]

ChickenHawk by Robert Mason
     It is about Robert Mason's experiences as a UH-1 pilot during the Vietnam War.  It is extraordinarily well written and reads more like a fiction novel than the biography that it is.

Great book!  Read it 3 years ago

[-ammo-]

I've read most on Brooke's list and concur - good stuff.

I'll add the following:

Thunderbolt!  Robert S. Johnson

Shattered Sword: the untold Story of the Battle of Midway Johnathon Parshall

Wolfpack Warriors, Roger Freeman ( this book has many first hand accounts from pilots, crew, support personnel, etc..)

The Forgotten Soldier Guy Saajer (the best...)

Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds

The Blond Knight of Germany, Erich Hartman

Gabby; A Fighter Pilots Life

Zemke's Wolfpack, Hub Zemke

Lost Victories; Memoirs of Hitler's most Brilliant General, Von Manstein

The Rommel Papers, Liddel-Hart

Stuka Pilot; Hans Erich Rudel

Storm of Steel, Ernst Junger (WWI)

Goodby to all That, Robert Graves

Leningrad; The Epic Seige (1941-1944)

Inferno; the Epic Life and Death Struggle of the USS Franklin in WWII

In Deadly Combat:A German Soldier's Memoir of the Eastern Fron

Black Edelweis; A Memoir of Combat and Conscience by a Soldier of the Waffen-SS

The Killer Angels, Shaara (Civil War)

The German Aces Speak, Colin Heaton

[Gman]

I recommend Mark Berent's 5 novel series on the Vietnam War, starting with Rolling Thunder.  Based on his experiences as a fighter pilot, and as well the Special Forces operations, Berent wrote 5 excellent books that I found before having a license to drive, and I re read them probably every couple of years.  He captures the highs and lows of combat in a way few other authors ever have IMO.  There is a ton of real world history woven into his books, they could almost be called semi fictional I suppose.  

"The best Vietnam air novel I have read. Berent captures the essence of flying men at war, their agony, emotions, courage, and triumph." --- Brigadier General Robin Olds  .

[Brooke]

I tend not to read war fiction.  There is too much great nonfiction out there with stories that are more amazing than fiction.

[Gman]

I would make an exception in this case Brooke, truly.  As I said, some characters have been created, and in some cases just had their names changed, but it is all based on the authors experience.  Give Rolling Thunder a try, in fact, I'll send you one of my copies for free, as I just found a bunch of his hardcovers on ebay in the .10 adds and bought the whole set x2 for under 30$ delivered in excellent shape.  PM me if you wish.  Again, these may be a fiction book, but the actual events are in there, as are many actual historical people, like Yeager, Olds, LBJ, MacNamara, some very famous SF soldiers, etc.  

http://www.markberent.com/  - check out the site, and the about the author tabs.  Berent is a great aviator, and an American hero IMO.  Don't dismiss his work just because it's partially fictionalized.  Check out the comments from other well known military writers, both fiction and non fiction.  Personally I would have hate to have gone through my life without having read his books, not knowing what I missed, and I read several books a week, always have.  If you have even a slight interest in the Vietnam air war, or just aerial warfare in general - I feel you owe it yourself to at least give the first book a once over.  I know you won't need any advice after that regarding books 2 through 5.

[Gman]

Also, if you're into Game of Thrones or the ASOIAF series, a friend of mine is co-writing the new "The World of Ice and Fire" book with George RR Martin, and it should be available fairly soon. 

http://www.westeros.org/ASoWS/News/Entry/World_of_Ice_and_Fire_Cover

[danny76]

Also anything by Derek Robinson, Particularly Goshawk Squadron about WW1, is a fantastic read by a guy who really knows his stuff and can write well.

My old man has just finished his first 90'000 word novel, and although I am biased it's pretty bloody good.

[Saxman]

*Shameless Plug*

 

[MrGeezer]

The Battle of Brices Crossroads (Battle of Tishomingo Creek) by Stewart L Bennett

Hunting With Richthofen  by Gen. Karl Bodenschatz

Anything by Shelby Foote.

[lunatic1]

See Rule #4

where do you get rule#4 from??????nothing in those post's that require a rule 4..unless your just kidding.

[Wildcatdad]

Anyone ever read the Vince Flynn books? I like them a lot, even though they are more James Bondish.

[caldera]

where do you get rule#4 from??????nothing in those post's that require a rule 4..unless your just kidding.

Perhaps my synopsis wasn't PC enough for the times.  We live in a sensitive world now. 
With everyone being so easily "offended", I wonder how any of them survived junior high school.

[Blinder]

I recently finished two excellent books.

A Dawn Like Thunder by Robert J. Mrazek which has already been mentioned but it is such an amazing masterpiece it worth a second notation.

Before that I read Going to War with Japan: 1937-1941 by Jonathan G. Utley. If you have an interest in the geopolitical climate of Pan Pacific relations during those years leading up to December 7th than this is a good book to be enlightened by. The whole ordeal wasn't just a oops where six carriers appeared near Hawaii for no good reason. It makes for an excellent read.

Right now I am 2/3rds of the way through The Battle of Tanks: Kursk 1943 by Lloyd Clark. This covers the backstory to the approach of Zitadelle and does a throughly detailed job of it by interjecting the stories and thoughts of the men who were there on both sides throughout the whole book. If you have any inkling of reading about the greatest tank battle in history then this is a must read.

I'm not sure what I am going to read next so I am glad this thread was posted. Lots and lots of great choices here. 

[artik]

Why are there no Lebanese and Egyptian books on the subject?

First of all Lebanon had never had any serious air force. The Egyptian, Syrian, Jordanian and in some part Iraqi air forces were the threat to IAF.

I think you can take a look on the Phoenix over the Nile: a history of Egyptian air power, 1932-1994 that is written from Egyptian point of view (I hadn't read it). There are probably more but I'm not aware of them.

[mbailey]

*Shameless Plug*

 

Did you write that?