What good books have you read

[scrapcan]

I kind of brought up a book that I had read in another thread and thought I would see what books others have read that they liked. These are non-firearm related or not entirely firearm related 9thus the post in off topic).

Here are a couple that I liked, no order of preference just thought they were good reads.

-The Dakota Queen - biography about Sen. McGovern (thanks georgexxx for keeping me straight on his first name)
- Iacocca - book about Lee Iacocca - title is self explanatory
- Rising from the Plains by John Mcphee -this book is about geology and natural history of Wyoming and the Plains
- autobiography of Chuck Yeager
- The Right Stuff - book and movie about the mercury and apollo space program
- Native Roots by Jack Wetherford - discusses the impact that discovery of the new world and the impact it has had on the rest of the world. Talks about food, plants, gold, silver, and other items
- Young Men and Fire - This is the story of Smoke jumpers who perished in the man gulch fire.
- Books by Peter Capstick

Lets here what you liked, may keep some people busy when they cannot shoot and it is too cold to cast.

[scrapcan]

here is another on

GUNPOWDER, alchemy, bombards, & pyrothechnics: the history of the explosive that changed the world by Jack kelly

[Gun-adian]

In no particular order:

America Alone - Mark Steyn (An interesting study in demographics...kinda scary)

Patriots - John Wesley, Rawles (Surviving after society's collapse...an interesting story wrapped up in a how-to manual)

Unintended Consequences - John Ross (Most gun owners know about this one)

Anything written by Harry Turtledove - This guy writes fantastic alternative history.

Mike

[floodgate]

John Biggins, "A Sailor of Austria". You didn't know Austria had a navy? They did in WW I when the Austro-Hungarian empire extended down the Adriatic coast from Trieste into Albania; they even had submarines. This - and another novel by the same author - "Two-Headed Eagle" - are the best I have ever read on World War Once, serious and funny both, and a great look into a little-known bit of history. You can get them from AbeBooks at very reasonable prices.

I can even get us back on-topic: you should hear his comments on the Schwartzlose machine gun and the Steyr-Hahn automatic!

floodgate

[imashooter2]

Red Storm Rising, the best of the Tom Clancy novels by far.

A Rifleman Went to War by H. W. McBride. Tough to find. An interlibrary loan would be your best bet.

Already posted was Unintended Consequences.

One that I've wanted to read for some time now is Sled Driver by Brian Shul. I've heard some rave reviews.

[floodgate]

imashooter2:

I'll also second the Clancy - the best of the WWIII books and even better than "The Hunt for Red October" - and McBride's WW I book is the best non-fiction on that topic I have ever read. (PS: the NRA "Firearms Classics Library" has published this one, and both of Dunlap's, in their deluxe editions, and these turn up now and then on the used book circuit.)

Other great WWIII books are Hans Hellmut Kirst's "The Seventh Day" (that will chill your guts!) and "Red Army" by Ralph Peters, which I happened on by accident at a used book sale, and added to our permanent library.

floodgate

[Ivantherussian03]

These were good, and recently read.

"The Eagle has Landed, by Jack Higgins was a page burner.
"Shooter"
"What if" are great alturnative history books and very interesting.
"The trail of the fox" is about Rommel

lately, I am on Jack Higgins kick:coffee:

[Frank46]

How about "Brown on Resolution" by C.S. Forester. Story about a british sailor who had been taken prisioner by the germans during WW1. He gained his freedom and made it to shore and kept shooting at the german sailors who were trying to repair some serious battle damage to their ship. By delaying their departing past their scheduled time that ship was caught up in a battle and I believe it was sunk. My wife gave me a copy for Christmas and I've read it about 4 times already. Definitely a good read, but kinda hard to find. Frank

[SharpsShooter]

Steven Ambrose' books of WWII, just about anything by clancy is good. Capstic is a fine writer of tales of African hunting as well John A Hunter. Paul Matthews books are a good read too.


SS

[bruce drake]

A recent good book was "Culture Warrior"

I second the opinion that "Red Storm Rising" is an excellent book. Clancy really did his homework on that one. After that he started grinding out the formula books and his quality has gone to crap.

"The Corps Series" by W.E.B. Griffin are good formula books as well.

The best book for me is the Bible. I prefer the King James version but the wife prefers the New International Version.

Bruce

[MT Gianni]

As for "thrillers" I just finished State of Fear by Michael Crichton. It states that most environmental organizations are fund raisers rather than do'ers. Gee who'd a thunk it. Gianni.

[Boz330]

Beyond Band of Brothers was the most recent and I like the Clive Cussler stuff as well. If you like books about Africa all of the Wibur Smith stuff is good.

Bob

[scrapcan]

I would have to agree about alot of the books mentioned so far. I was just interested in seeing what others tastes on the forum is. I think it is pretty fair to say great minds think alike. I guess I should have stated what each of the previous books was about.

I also like the Steven Ambrose books. Band of brothers was a good read.

I read a book about a year ago about William Finaughty but can not seem to find my copy to give the title. It was about an african hunter of yore.

Keep the comments coming.

[carpetman]

"The Cats Revenge" by Claude Balls. "Under the Grandstands" by Seymour Butts.

[scrapcan]

Well I guess the writing is on the wall for this thread based on Carpetman's post. But I am not sure hea read the books, rather just looked at the pictures! Hope they were not the pop up book variety, the center fold could give the poor man a black eye.

[Bret4207]

After hearing about "The Da Vinci Code" for 3 years, I finally read it. Eeennnngghh. It's ok, but there's a lot of leaps. Same with Dan Browns other books. I much prefer Louis L'amour, Tom Clancy, WEB Griffin. I mentioned in another post about being trapped in a hospital room recently. I tried to find the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy to read, no joy. I'm a fast reader, so I tend to look for FAT books. I did pick up Churchills "A History of the English Speaking Peoples" (86 zillion pages in 3 volumes) but ol' Winston is a bit dry. Since I have to go back to the hospital over the weekend I think I'm going to look for something on WW1 or WW2, maybe the War of 1812.

WEB Griffins "The Corps" series is good. For those into the USMC type novels, there's one out now called "O'Briens Choice" or something like that by Leon Uris of "Battle Cry" fame. Avoid it at all costs. It's about feelings, a strong woman, love, etc. It was finished by others after Uris died. I picked it up, mistake.

[klausg]

In addition to some of those already mentioned:

Undaunted Courage & Nothing Like it in the World, both by Ambrose
A Soldier's Story by Omar Bradley
Almost anything by John Keegan, he gets a bit verbose, but his points are extemely well made.

On the fiction side of the house:

Gates of Fire, novel about Themopylae, sorry can't remember the author, he also did another one on the Peloponesian (sp?) War that wasn't as good.

And for total brain candy, Stephen King gets the nod.

-Klaus

[nighthunter]

Carpetman ..... GEEEEZZZ ... those were movies with real low production budgets. I do not think there was ever a book by the same titles. You need to revert to like the second grade (which time ... I don't care) and look at the published words of famous authors. It is real easy to do in your spare time and if you need a refresher course like remedial reading I'm sure someone can post a link. It is no wonder that you were hopeing that the girl in your avaitor accused you of rape. Personally I would plead guilty just as you did to impress the folks in my neighborhood. Sorta like " See what I did " . Carpetman is a riot and I love haveing fun with him. Take care ...............
Nighthunter

[felix]

Frank, I remember seeing that movie back in the 50's. Have no idea the name of the movie, though. Might want to do some searching for the title, if not the same. Very well done. ... felix

[Bullshop]

The Holy Bible. Greatest account of true history ever written.
BIC/BS

[Scrounger]

Frank and Felix, the movie roughly made about "Brown On Resolution" in the 50s was "Sailor of the King", starring Michael Rennie and Jeffery Hunter. The movie version has a different ending. There was another movie made of it in the 30s but I haven't seen that one.

[Scrounger]

Heard about that new movie,"Garfield Meets The CarpetMan"?

[castalott]

The Complete Far Side by Gary Larson
Iron Coffins by Herbert Werner
Fate is the Hunter by Ernest K Gann
Quartered Safe Out Here by George MACDonald Fraser
All the books on WW2 by Winston Churchill


And another for Carpetman....

Screams in the jungle .....again by Claude Balls

[dragonrider]

Anything by Dean Koontz such as, Odd Thomas, Forever Odd, and Brother Odd, Also The Husband by the same author. Anything by Stephen King, a recent one was Cell, a very good read. Sci-Fi and fantasy are also very high on my list. Authors like Anne McCaffrey and her Pern series of novels. Eragon by Christopher Paolini and the second in the series called Eldest, can't wait for the third one.

[Nueces]

For carpetman, "Over the Edge", by Eileen Dover.

Tpr. Bret (hope that little girl is happy now) - Lord of the Rings is my favorite 'invented world' work. Magnificent. Different in style, but also wonderful, is the Foundation Trilogy, by Asimov.

Son of the Morning Star, Connell. The best I've read on Custer, from West Point to long after the last stand. Fine development of all characters, including the Indians.

Cache Lake Country, Rowlands. Long out of print (got mine on abebooks.com), a personal account of nearly solitary cabin life in the far North Woods, just after WW2. Lots of how-to-do-it stuff, too, like a Guy Lautard book (Guy recommends it, too).

Tim Murphy - Rifleman, Chandler, from Precision Shooting. Wow. Historical novel on the famous revolutionary war rifleman. I've been practicing my scalping cry for months.

Great idea for a thread.

Mark

[waksupi]

Son of the Morning Star, Connell. The best I've read on Custer, from West Point to long after the last stand. Fine development of all characters, including the Indians.


Mark

Mark, for a point of interest, I made some of the props for the movie years back.

I'll have to look through my books, to see which ones I consider the best.

[Bret4207]

"Left for dead" ,author forgotten, an account of the Wake Island debacle at the start of WW2. Great story and it lets you in on just what a "hero" Commander Winfield Scott Cunningham was.

[CT Kid]

Went to Amazon to get the book Unintended Consequences by John Ross.
It must be a very good book, they want $155.00 for it!

[Newtire]

If you are interested in great book prices, try out "Half.com". It's one of the links on the left on the main Ebay page. No, this is not intended to be an ad..Just a good link.

[scrapcan]

Thanks for keeping the post alive and active. Keep the reviews coming.

I have had a hard time of watching TV lately and this is what has kept the topic in my mind. Instead of siting life a lifeless mass watching something that is not fit to watch, why not read a book.

At least when you read a book you are keeping the mind sharp.

Two places I could not work
1) gunshop
2) book store

I would just be working to pay off the tab at both.

[Nueces]

waksupi, I had no idea there had been a movie. Googled it and found it to have been made for TV in 91, when, at age 43, I was just getting qualified in the F-16, ie, too busy and G-sore to watch TV. What do you think of the movie? Is it worth getting the video? What sort of props did you make?

"Gee, Mr K, you sure ask a lotta questions for a guy from Texas" - Roseanne Rosannadanna.

[waksupi]

Nueces, did some of the Indian clothes, weapons mainly. The thing that always stuck in my mind that I saw in the movie, was a quick glimpse of a horse running right over a Sioux courting blanket, with a fine blanket strip on it that I had made. I considered that a bunch of wasted hours, but appreciated the money. Did considerable damage.
Look for a pair of beaded matching holsters, with beaded belt, and cartridge pouch. I made two of those for it, that the scouts wore, I believe. Actually only wore one on set, someone wanted a set for thier personal collection. Good thing about that particular film, they rented much of the stuff, for more than it's value, and insured it to the hilt. So, i got rental, a couple out right purchases of things some of them wanted to keep, and the insurance money. Since I did my own repair work, that was a freebee deal. Also, after all was said and done, I still had the goods, that sold as a premium, advertised as "Used in the filming of...". That has worked out well over the years, on various movie projects.

[mozark]

The River of Doubt, by Candice Millard. This is a true account of Theodore Rooseveldt's descent of an unexplored tributary of the Amazon in 1918. Who knew? He almost died on this expedition, and the river is now named for him. His co-leader was a brazillan, Colonel Rondon, who was half amazonian indian, had a branch of the Brazilian military named for him, and was responsible for much of the exploration of the Amazon highlands during that time period. One of the great explorers of the 19th/20th century that no one knows about.

MM

[Urny]

I like to read personal narratives from our wars. Some recent ones I have enjoyed

Over the Top, Arthur Guy Empey, an account of his experiences in WW1
The Battle for Pusan, Addison Terry, by an artillery FO in Korea
Tank Sergeant, Ralph Zumbro, M48's and the 69th Armor in Vietnam

Other recent reads I enjoyed
Night, Elie Wiesel, a memoir of his survival of Hitlers' death camps, a bit stark. Wiesels' writings tend to darkness.
The Western Canon, Harold Bloom, kind of an examination of the writings he considers the foundations of western culture.

[Nueces]

waksupi, thanks for the answer, interesting story. I'll get the movie and watch it with the dog when we've got the house to 'us guys.'

Second the motion to Undaunted Courage, Ambrose - wonderful account of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery, from the beginning of the planning to life's end of the principals.

Also, African Game Trails, T. Roosevelt. Right after leaving the presidency, Teddy took son Kermit to Africa for a many-months expedition. His own words.

You guys keep reminding me of great books. Thanks to all for the ideas.

Mark

[pumpguy]

I have been flying for work a lot lately. I have read Bradley's Fly Boys and Flags of Our Fathers on the planes. Both are true accounts of what happened on Iwo Jima and Chechi Jima. Not exactly Pulitzer material, but, good reads.

[Junior1942]

Here's my favorites:

Undaunted Courage
Rising Tide
The Great Gatsby
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
To Kill a Mockingbird
Writings & Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr
Conan the Barbarian books
Robert E. Heinline books
You Owe Yourself a Drunk
Collected Speeches & Letters of Abe Lincoln

[carpetman]

The Yellow Stream by I.P. Freely.

[Scrounger]

The Yellow Stream by I.P. Freely.

The CarpetMan laughs,
and jokes his way through the day,
but when Mama catches him with that sheep,
there'll be Hell to pay...

[Ricochet]

Right now I'm reading a fascinating one: Cocaine, An Unauthorized Biography by Dominic Streatfield.

[Bigjohn]

Fat, Forty and Fired! by Nigel Marsh.
Hell, I was there! by Elmer Keith
Sixguns by Keith
Books by Paul Mathews
Cast Bullets (Boolits) by Harrison
The Art of Bullet Casting by Wolf
The Dangerous Book for Boys
Wyatt Earp; The Life behind the Legend by Tefertiller

Hell, there isn't enough room left in this thread to list all the books I have and is trying to read,:coffee:

John

Oops!, I forgot; 101 Uses for a dead cat! Yep, you read it right Carpetmans favourite book. (Sorry Ray, and I don't really know you; nice avatar tho!)

[Lightning Ross]

Stephen Hunter Point of Impact Most of all his other books

[fatnhappy]

Marley and me.

How can you not chuckle about the most destructive dog ever owned by man? We can all relate.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Sixguns by Elmer Keith, Cast Bullets by CE Harrison

Eastern Approaches by Fitzroy McLean,

this is a must read by an incredible man. diplomat in Russia before the war, travelled extensively in the east of russia, samarkaland, etc, told he couldn't join the army because he was a diplomat, found a loophole in English law, stood for parliment, got elected, stood down immediately to go and represent his constituants (old fuedal law still in place), part of the original Long Range Desert Patrol, later to become the SAS, when the krauts were kicked out of africa, he was paracuted into Yugoslavia to be a mentor to Tito. Out of print, you can pick these up occasionally on ebay. I lost my original one, so this is not a loaner!

The forgotten soldier by Guy Sajer, an insight into the german/russian punch up in WW2, another must read. A reprint now available in bookstores

Das Boot The german movie was great, I have high hopes for the book.

Stalingrad, a recent book I'll get the author's name when I go home in a day or so, staggering account of this battle.

The reason why, Cecil Woodham-Smith (a lady). A book about the Charge of the Light Brigade, must read.

The Looking Glass War, scary/sad book about English espionage and how old boys who are past it, and work for a virtually drefunct department, try and get back into the limelight with disasterous results.

The Politics of Heroin by Mc Coy (I think). If you have an open mind, this will open your eyes, if not, don't bother.

Mick.

[Wayne Smith]

Doris Kearns Goodwin's "A Team Of Rivals" - Every member of Lincoln's cabinet were Presidential opponents of his in the previous election. How he managed the egos and personalities in Pulitzer Prize quality writing.

I read the Bible every day, but have only read it through once.

Any of Shelby Foote's Civil War history books.

"Farewell Summer" by Ray Bradbury, a sequel to his "Dandelion Wine", IMHO not as good as the original.

[Slowpoke]

The Life and Times of Ollie Barney an Autobiography, He was a highly decorated soldier in the South Pacific he survived three years of combat where only 69 came back from an original deployment of 3500. He Tell's all. He also became one of the best Lion hunter's and big Game guide's in the SW. The whole book is mainly about his combat and big game hunting memories, good stuff.

Good luck

[Ricochet]

Cocaine, an Unauthorized Biography by Dominic Streatman (I think I spelled that right.) Definitely worth reading.

[Bent Ramrod]

"Into the Wild" by John Krakauer. True story of headstrong idealistic kid who decided against all sensible advice to live on his own in the Alaskan wilderness. He didn't make it. Interesting material for "survivalists" to meditate on.

"Life at the Bottom," can't remember the author's name but he is a shrink in England who divides his time between counseling at a prison and counseling at a womens' crisis center. He is therefore in a great position to observe what happens to people in a welfare state who are assured that they won't starve and probably won't die of medical neglect and who have assimilated, for their own purposes, the social-engineering philosophy of the left-wing intellectual upper classes. Short on sympathy, medium on concern and long on understanding. Thoroughly scary.

"The Trilogy of Denys Reitz." Reitz started his career as a Boer commando, fifteen years later he was fighting alongside his erstwhile enemies the English in the trenches of France, and after the war was a South African government minister who was instrumental in setting up Kruger National Park. Even the third memoir is fascinating. Favorite quote from the first, on the Battle of Spion Kop: "...the men grew restive under the galling fire, a thing not to be wondered at, for the moral effect of Lee-Metford volleys at twenty yards has to be experienced to be appreciated."

[scrapcan]

Bent Ramrod,

I saw that book at the book store the other day and thought I should buy it. Now I may have too.

I like his book "into Thin air" about climbing Mt Everest.

[Bent Ramrod]

Haven't seen that one, Manley, but I'll keep it in mind as I endlessly scrounge through used-book stores. Was it about the Mallory expedition?

[MT Gianni]

Endurance by Alfred Lansing the classic story of the Shackleton expedition. IMHO no better adventure story with clues on how to motivate and lead others.
Most Dick Francis novels
The Red Fox Anthony Hyde a twist filled adventure
Keith's Classics Sixguns and Hell, I was there
5 Seasons by Roger Angell must reading for baseball nuts
Huckleberry Finn remains a timeless classic
Chuck Logan, Randy Wayne White, John Standford, Earl W Emerson, Steven Hunter write good contempory thrillers but trail John D McDonald's Travis McGee by a mile. Gianni.

[Nardoo]

Jungleman by Major P J Pretorius (an account of the search for the German cruiser The Konigsburg)
The Green Hills of Africa by Ernest Hemingway
The Unnatural Enemy by Vance Bourjaily
The Log from the Sea of Cortez by John Steinbeck
Man-Eaters of Kumaon by Jim Corbett
Use Enough Gun by Robert Ruark
Shotgunning, the Art and the Science by Bob Brister
The Hunting Rifle by Jack O'Connor
Trout Quest by David Scholes
The Long Boats by ?

Nardoo

[scrapcan]

Bent Ramrod,

Into Thin Air is about climbing Mt. Everest. Actually recounts a climb to the top of the world and also of the history of climbing everest. It was a good read.

Also read a book by a local University of Wyoming Professor, Jeffery Lockwood, about the Locust swarms. It was a good read also.

[Ivantherussian03]

Into the Bermeuda Triangle is good
The tradgey of the whaling ship: Essex is an awesome story.
Spike Walker writes about crab fishing in AK; they are incredible books.

[Gun Junkie]

Lot's of my favorite reads have already been mentioned, but here are a few I really liked.

'Shots Fired in Anger' by John George (WWII Pacific by a High Power Competitor)
'They Fought Alone' by John Keats (WWII Phillipines and CAST BOOLITS)
'Last of the Breed' by Louis La'mour (not a western!)
'Marine Sniper' by Henderson
'Lewis Wetzel' by Allman

[Hunter]

Understanding Firearm Ballistics by Robert Rinker.
I am almost finished with the Bible and that my friends is time well spent.

[Newtire]

I kind of brought up a book that I had read in another thread and thought I would see what books others have read that they liked. These are non-firearm related or not entirely firearm related 9thus the post in off topic).



The Silence of The North:

A true story about the life and times of a woman living up in the Northwest Territory. Written by The Senior Field Editor of Outdoor Life Magazine. Alot like Jack London only real people.

[Ivantherussian03]

"Burning Daylight" is a great book on the North country written by jack london. It was a page burner.

But he wrote some really great books: Marten Eden and the Sea Wolf, to name a few.

I still reread the Sea Wolf once a year.