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What are you reading - Part II

jrlx

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Bullbasket Blabber Mouth

Bullbasket

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I'm reading Frederick Forsyth's "The Kill List". Very interesting read, but he does get his facts wrong sometimes. According to Mr. Forsyth, the British used Challenger ll's in Desert Storm, and that American forces used Abrams. He seems to have overlooked the fact that the USMC were using M60s.

 

John.

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Tzulscha Very Obsessed Member

Tzulscha

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I pulled a book out of the collection that I haven't read in many years.

The War against the Rull by A.E. van Vogt.

 

Good storyline although the future seems a little dated now.

I guess we'd call the style  'Atom-punk' these days

Implacable alien enemies and atomic blasters, starships and hyperdrives

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FalkeEins Very Obsessed Member

FalkeEins

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On 10/16/2020 at 11:22 AM, EwenS said:

Latest acquisition for the library - Harrier 809

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1787631583/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&colid=I38YUH7DZNUG&coliid=I1OCRLE5LTKH9Y&me=

 

But, here is the best bit. £10 from my local ASDA. To good an offer to turn down!

 

 

thanks for the heads-up! Looks great but I'm a bit worried by one less-than-enthusiastic review. Still at £10 who could resist...even though I hate doing 'real' book-sellers out of a sale...

In the meantime, this is my latest acquisition - fantastic coverage of the WWII Luftwaffe in France, over 600 photos and chapters on everything from training to flak to airborne units..

 

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Pete in Lincs Blabber Mouth

Pete in Lincs

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The Good War by Studs Terkel. An oral history of WW2.

Fascinating words from the American people who were there.

Either on the home front, or the front line. Over 500 pages!

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-War-Oral-History-World/dp/1565843436/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19Z0ZSMIOWQ25&dchild=1&keywords=the+good+war+an+oral+history+of+world+war+two&qid=1603997236&s=books&sprefix=the+good+war%2Caps%2C164&sr=1-1

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Whofan Very Obsessed Member

Whofan

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Jonathan Dimbleby's Battle of the Atlantic.

 

A brisk and readable history of the battle for the the Atlantic during WW2 encompassing the Arctic convoys, Meditterranean ops, the big ships on both sides, the U Boat rampage of the East Coast of America, and some interesting accounts of the political machinations between Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin.

 

Next up when I finish this will be Courtney's War by Wilbur Smith, a bit of derring do and passion in Wilbur Smith's inimitable style.

 

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Paul Alan Bardell New Member

Paul Alan Bardell

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Morning

 

I have two on the go at the moment:

 

1) The First Team by John B Lundstrom -  a very detailed look at the Pacific Naval air war from Pearl Harbor to Midway published by the Naval Institute Press

 

and

 

2) Warlord by Angus Donald - King Richard I , Robin Hood Etc Etc.

 

I'm enjoying both of these very different books.

 

:poppy:

 

 

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Ed Russell Very Obsessed Member

Ed Russell

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On 10/29/2020 at 9:05 PM, stevehnz said:

Escort Carrier, HMS Vindex at war by Kenneth Poolman. A recent purchase & a title I've been after for ages. Just begun.

Steve.

Yes, I have that - I agree, an excellent read and perhaps inspiration for some models.

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Mr T Very Obsessed Member

Mr T

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On 10/25/2020 at 1:33 PM, Tzulscha said:

I pulled a book out of the collection that I haven't read in many years.

The War against the Rull by A.E. van Vogt.

 

Good storyline although the future seems a little dated now.

I guess we'd call the style  'Atom-punk' these days

Implacable alien enemies and atomic blasters, starships and hyperdrives

Thank you for reminding me about this book, that I must have first read about fifty odd years ago. My dad was, a great science fiction reader and had a lot of books around and I started picking them up to read when I was about 12 in the mid sixties. Still reading them now. 

Currently re reading Michael Crichton 'The Andromeda Strain that was first published in 1969 and Adrian Goldsworthys' 'Vindolanda' at least he knows a lot about the Roman Army. I have found I can read for longer on my phone as I don't have to cope with as much text at anyone time. 

I have also come across an interesting couple of short stories by Rudyard Kipling 'With the Night Mail' and 'As easy as ABC'. They are on the Internet and available for free as out of copyright and my copy came complete with illustrations from about 1909

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Whofan Very Obsessed Member

Whofan

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1 hour ago, Mr T said:

Currently re reading Michael Crichton 'The Andromeda Strain that was first published in 1969

 

Was it that long ago?

 

It's one of about 50 or so books bought while at school and University that I read now and again. Soon to read again!

 

Thanks for the memory jog.

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Mr T Very Obsessed Member

Mr T

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I find that in the current circumstances we find ourselves in that I am re-reading (and listening as it is easier) some books that have had not read for a long time as well as some stuff that is less demanding like the Discworld series that I have grown to like. 'Footfall' and 'The Mote in God's Eye' are also on the list for listening soon. 

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Whofan Very Obsessed Member

Whofan

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12 hours ago, Mr T said:

'Footfall' and 'The Mote in God's Eye' are also on the list for listening soon. 

I wonder if there was something else in those tubes of glue you used to get in kits, because it never fails to amaze me how similar tastes among modellers are in books, films and music!

 

Those Niven/Pournelle books with Lucifer's Hammer are among my favourite sci fi, too, along with Alan Dean Foster's Icerigger trilogy Hal Clement's Needle and Through the eye of a needle. I ought to mention that Fade Out by Patrick Tilley is also a firm favourite of mine, as is the  Difference Engine.

 

More modern sci fi I've read more than once is the testimony of Daniel Pagels, by Vickery Turner.

 

Quantum physics and a murder mystery. Sort of Baldacci meets Schrodinger.....

 

 

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Mr T Very Obsessed Member

Mr T

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Forgotten about the Ice Rigger series and the Difference Engine is one of my favourites, would make a fantastic TV series, but it would likely to be messed up. 

It must be the glue used to have I reckon, the old tube stuff smell was pretty powerful as I remember. When I lived on my own in the eighties I used to read a lot as nursing shifts completely messed the body clock up. When I was a lecturer spent a lot of time reading for work, trouble is some of it was some fairly awful essays. 

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stevehnz Blabber Mouth

stevehnz

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John of the Sirius by Doris Chadwick, a fictionalised account through the eyes of a child of a |Marine officer on the Sirius, the fleet flagship of the 1st fleet that settled Australia in 1788, having departed the UK in 1787. It is a book we had as kids & was instrumental in introducing me to different parts of the world as the Fleet made its way to Botany bay. First read about 60 years ago & frequently in the next 7-8 years, recent attempts to find another copy have foundered on the big prices original editions have been fetching. A paper back reprint changed all of that & one turned up from an Aussie seller on ebay a few weeks back. It is a pleasantly gentle read & I'm enjoying it.

Steve.

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Whofan Very Obsessed Member

Whofan

Posted
Posted (edited)

 

 

Finished Courtney's war, not bad, then read The Dream Factory, Dominic Sandbrook's run through British post war culture - very intetesting, and an about to start Art. Sex. Music, Cosey fan Tutti's bio.

 

She was a member of Throbbing Gristle, a band who fit into no preconceptions whatsoever!

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stevehnz Blabber Mouth

stevehnz

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Read 2nd RAF Spitfire, the story of ML407, by Hugh Smallwood last week, wow, what a beaut read, there is an Irish TR.9 in my future now, as well as ML407 in her wartime guise & current day guise as the Grace Spitfire. ;)

Now reading Bernard Ferguson's Beyond the Chindwin, read it years ago when I was at school & shortly after Ferguson had been our Guvner General. I've been in two kinds as to whether I want to read it or not. Other books I've read about the Burma campaigns have left me doubting the usefulness of the 1st Chindit campaign & wondering if Wingate wasn't an eccentric menace. I guess I need to finish this & perhaps do some other reading on the subject. :unsure:

Steve.

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Pete in Lincs Blabber Mouth

Pete in Lincs

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On 11/27/2020 at 11:21 AM, stevehnz said:

wondering if Wingate wasn't an eccentric menace

I've recently read something along the same lines.

 

I've just started a July 1954 print of, Above us the waves. The story of the Royal navy and the Human Torpedo (Chariot) and the X craft Mini Submarines.

It's very interesting stuff. Life was far from easy for these chaps.

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Corsairfoxfouruncle Blabber Mouth

Corsairfoxfouruncle

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Currently in the middle of this. “Cary Grant:A brilliant Disguise”

 

https://www.amazon.com/Cary-Grant-Brilliant-Scott-Eyman/dp/1501192116

 

So far its quite interesting as we've just hit 1922 and he’s struck out on his own  vaudeville career. 

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Billy54 Established Member

Billy54

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Amazon just delivered these two books

 

The Quiet Americans - Four CIA spies at the dawn of the Cold War - A Tragedy in Three Acts by Scott Anderson

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385540450/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Lockheed-Martin C-130 Hercules by Duke Hawkins

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/2960248880/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Haven't read anything by Scott Anderson but I am anxious to start the book.

 

The C-130 book is very nice, 194 pages all in colour detailing the aircraft. I got it because I just received the Zvezda kit and it seems to be a excellent piece of reference material.  

 

I am getting so behind with my reading. 

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Pete in Lincs Blabber Mouth

Pete in Lincs

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I just dusted down and started rereading Slow Boats to China by Gavin Young. This is a 1981 edition that I've had from new. 

I guess I read it every ten years or so, along with the follow up, Slow Boats Home. Gavin was a correspondent for the Observer Newspaper.

He'd traveled all over the world for his job, He even covered Vietnam during it's noisiest period.

One day he  wondered if it were still possible to do the trip to China. In days of old it was common, as Merchantmen usually had a spare cabin or two.

In these days of mobiles and the net, it's easy to forget that only forty years ago you had to go to shipping agents to book trips and get tickets, Visas etc.

Also, it was rather luck of the draw if you got somewhere decent to sleep at the port between ships. 

Anyway, It's a great read even if you only have a wisp of wanderlust in you. The big river is sold out, but it's worth looking for elsewhere.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Slow-Boats-China-Gavin-Young/dp/0140062394/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3ILJ004PMUHQ7&dchild=1&keywords=slow+boat+to+china&qid=1608405715&s=books&sprefix=slow+boat+%2Caps%2C173&sr=1-1

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Ray S Very Obsessed Member

Ray S

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Being a sad sort of chap and having time on my hands, the other week I listed all the books I have read since the UK entered its first lockdown. I am now currently on number 80!

 

Mainly Science Fiction, but some Fantasy and real Science.

 

Cheers, Ray

 

PS. The Mote in God's Eye, Lucifer's Hammer and Footfall have just gone to the top of the 'to read' list since catching up on this thread.

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