New X-Mas Reading Book?

[John 3rd]

We almost always have a Book Thread start about this time of year so I shall kick it off. Does anyone have a good Military History recommendation for something just out or due out before the holiday?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

We almost always have a Book Thread start about this time of year so I shall kick it off. Does anyone have a good Military History recommendation for something just out or due out before the holiday?

warspite1

Torch: North Africa and the Allied Path to Victory

Just read this. I gave this 4-stars. Like all O'Hara's books, it is a good read, and covers (largely) naval engagements that perhaps don't get the attention that others do. There is a decent OOB at the back too.

This is one of those books where I am reading despite the author and not because of. I do not agree with O'Hara's views on many aspects of the Mediterranean War - and this book is no exception.

Nonetheless it is a good book - especially for someone like me who, until now, has concentrated more on the political side of the Campaign, than on the fighting itself.

This is a one stop volume on the background to the landings, the landings themselves, the limited naval engagements that took place and the political toing and froing.

[metsfan72575]

Ian Toll's Conquering Tide

[oaltinyay]

ORIGINAL: metsfan72575

Ian Toll's Conquering Tide

+1

[John 3rd]

What is Conquering Tide?

[dr.hal]

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2495 ... ering-tide

[atheory]

If you're looking for a biography type book. I recommend

Patton: A Genius for War, by Carlo D'este

[Jellicoe]

These days I buy my own Xmas pressies( just easier that way[;)]. Really looking forward to

The Silent Deep by Jinks and Hennessy, RN post war submarine ops
The British Battleship by Friedman
Japanese Battleships 1897 - 1945 by RA Burt (to add to his fabulous trilogy on British battleships
Nelson to Vanguard by DK Brown

And best of all finally scored a copy of 'Yarns of a Kentucky Admiral' the memoirs of Hugh Rodman onetime commander of 6th battle squadron grand fleet!

[Canoerebel]

http://www.davidtdixon.com/the-lost-gettysburg-address/

I recommend most highly David T. Dixon's "The Lost Gettysburg Address." The book is fresh off the press (published this month) and is an exceptionally interesting true story.

The book is about Charles Anderson, who presented the "third Gettysburg Address" following those of Lincoln and Everett. Anderson's address was pretty much lost to history until a transcript was found about ten years ago in a trunk of belongings at a remote ranch in Wyoming. Anderson's address was given a the Gettysburg Presbyterian Church on the evening following the addresses by Lincoln and Everett.

But the most fascinating part of this book is the story of Anderson. He was born in the South, was a slave owner, but he stayed with the Union during the war. He was imprisoned in Texas at war's start, escaped through Mexico, returned to the north, served as colonel commanding on Ohio regiment, wounded twice during the Battle of Stones River, elected lieutenant governor of Ohio, and then selected to make the momentous address at Gettysburg. (Nearly all of you know of Anderson's brother, Major Robert Anderson, who surrendered Fort Sumter at the start of the war.)

I know the author well, having worked with him for about six years on various projects. I think most highly of him. He's the most gifted historian/writer I've worked with. I think he's on a par with Stephen Ambrose as far as his combined ability as writer and historian (good writers are rare, good historians are fairly common, but the two abilities only rarely combine).

If you order the book through the author's website, Dave says he'll be glad to personally sign the book and include a "sentiment" if you so desire. Just mention my name (Dan Roper, not Canoerebel).

I hope you'll enjoy!

[JohnDillworth]

+2

[crsutton]

Found "The Admirals" in my favorite beach book shop in Buxton NC. I was not disappointed. Cream does rise to the top.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Admirals-Nimi ... B007ME5GYC

[Trugrit]

This is a good list:

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/12/0 ... about-war/

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Jellicoe

These days I buy my own Xmas pressies( just easier that way[;)]. Really looking forward to

The British Battleship by Friedman
Japanese Battleships 1897 - 1945 by RA Burt (to add to his fabulous trilogy on British battleships
Nelson to Vanguard by DK Brown

warspite1

The feedback I've seen is that if you have the Burt books, you probably don't need Friedman - and visa-versa.

Japanese Battleships by Burt was something I was really looked forward to (expecting a similar quality offering to his British Battleships tomes). However, it has not got great reviews.

Nelson to Vanguard? One word.... Quality [&o] You will enjoy this book [:)]

[geofflambert]

Just finished "Pacific Crucible" but I'm not willing to pay the pirate's full ransom for the hardback cover version of the next volume of the trilogy. I'll wait for the paperback. I would like to read something one of my friends has (in paperback) which is an account of someone on Napoleon's staff of what he witnessed. I don't think that'll last long, so I need a backup ready in hand. There's a lot of things I've already been and done that, but something good on cryptanalysis might interest me. Also, anything about Fred the Great or his opponents may suffice. I'm through (for now) with the American Civil War and need something else. Something on the development of heavy artillery covering early 19th Century to WWII might do. Another subject would be (as difficult as it might be to read) anything about the slave trade from the beginning (to the New World) to the Civil War. Something about Gustavus Adolphus could be fun. Something about the development of carbines and semi-automatic small arms might fill the bill. Oh and Peter the Great, Catherine the Great or Empress Marie-Louise of Austria; anything covering that might do.