OT: More Books

[Symon]

Only a bit OT. The book is The Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown. It tells the story of the University of Washington’s 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, they defeated elite rivals first from the Eastern Ivy League establishment and then from British power elite: universities that ruled the sport. Finally they defeated the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin.

Several of the “Boys” went on to command USN warships, in the PacTheater. An excellent book for its premise. A great book for understanding the background, dedication, and competence of the junior leaders of the USN.

Recommended. JWE

[ed] Just now got my copy of Corps Commanders of the Bulge, by Harold Winton. Got black bread, salmon, caviar, and iced vodka, to read it by. I'll let ya'll know what I think when I'm done with it.

[geofflambert]

Will you please stop it? I'm in receipt of the Liberation Trilogy (which looks good) but I still have to finish Foote first (which is better than headfirst). You know we gorn are slow readers. Slow down!

[witpqs]

Here's an oldie that I finished the week before last, although I saw the movie adaptation many years ago: The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat. Written just a few years after WWII, it's a fictional account of convoy escorts in the Atlantic. Most highly recommended. The movie is quite good too, although predictably compressed from the book.

Warning: It's been (or still is?) on the US Naval Academy reading list, which means I've seen it list priced at more than $100 per copy - even paperback - on the theory that it's a text book for Pete's sake!!!. I finally got a (new) paperback at a normal price, but I had to check periodically over the last couple of years. Not sure if the price-gouging situation has permanently ceased, so just watch out.

[warspite1]

Here are three books, the first two of which I have been shamelessly plugging for about three years now and the third I bought this year. At no time has my plugging got any response whatsoever so I will simply continue until I do get one. These books, if you are a fan of naval warfare, are quite simply the mutts nutts. Any devotee of naval warfare will have these in their library. FACT.

The Battle for Norway
The German Invasion of Norway
The Gathering Storm: The naval War in Northern Europe Sept 39 - Apr 40

All three by Geirr H. Haarr

[bush]

JWE,

The Corp/Bulge book is excellent. Lots of good analysis in there. See Taafe's book for more info on Corp/Army commanders for the entire army. Title is Marshall and his Generals. I just finished Kennedy's Engineers of Victory - sort of a tribute to the middle mgt. of certain war-winning systems (Amph Warfare, B-29, P-51, Battle of Atlantic,) Not bad. Not great, but worth the time.

Mike

[Mikawa]

Just started reading gathering storm. Very well done and researched. Sure the other two books by Haarr are just as good

[Skyros]

I like your style.

Recently finished The Admirals, Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy and King - The Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea. By Walter R. Borneman.

Good read and provided behind the scenes look into the politics and military decisions that snapped the war.

ORIGINAL: Symon

[ed] Just now got my copy of Corps Commanders of the Bulge, by Harold Winton. Got black bread, salmon, caviar, and iced vodka, to read it by. I'll let ya'll know what I think when I'm done with it.

[Symon]

ORIGINAL: bushpsu
JWE,

The Corp/Bulge book is excellent. Lots of good analysis in there. See Taafe's book for more info on Corp/Army commanders for the entire army. Title is Marshall and his Generals. I just finished Kennedy's Engineers of Victory - sort of a tribute to the middle mgt. of certain war-winning systems (Amph Warfare, B-29, P-51, Battle of Atlantic,) Not bad. Not great, but worth the time.

Mike

Thanks Mike. I'm maybe half way into Corps/Bulge, and have already had to adjust my thoughts on certain aspects of generalship. Great book.

[ed] Not to ignore or disparage other recommendations, some of which are exceeding excellent. Am just working a specific agenda at the moment.

[ed2] To keep Warspite 1 from getting all tangled up in his shorts, I got a copy of Geirr H Haarr's 'German Invasion of Norway' from Nav Inst Press a few years ago.

[ed3] You too, Skyros, I've read a lot of stuff from here to there. Don't recall Bonemann, but I always remember a face, even though I can't always get at the name.

Ciao. JWE

[bush]

I received Invasion of Norway from Santa. It is patiently waiting by my bedside.

[Mac Linehan]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Here are three books, the first two of which I have been shamelessly plugging for about three years now and the third I bought this year. At no time has my plugging got any response whatsoever so I will simply continue until I do get one. These books, if you are a fan of naval warfare, are quite simply the mutts nutts. Any devotee of naval warfare will have these in their library. FACT.

The Battle for Norway
The German Invasion of Norway
The Gathering Storm: The naval War in Northern Europe Sept 39 - Apr 40

All three by Geirr H. Haarr

warspite1 -

They are on my must read list. Will finish the "Army at Dawn" first (am 75 percent into the book) then the two sequels.

Mac

[bush]

I really enjoyed Atkinson's books. The last one I liked the least - not saying it isn't good, just enjoyed it the least. Might have something to do with the fact I had just finished another general history (Brothers, Rivals, Victors - the relationships of Ike, Bradley and Patton) of the NW Europe campaign.

Mike