What Are You Reading?

Just finished up William Tuohy's "The Bravest Man", about Richard O'Kane and his war patrols on the USS Tang. So reads the cover. It was an interesting book, but I wish it had gone more in-depth on the actual subject. It starts out with Mr. O'Kane as XO on the Wahoo under "Mush" Morton, does a couple of war patrols there, then O'Kane gets his own new-construction and heads over to take that on. While its being constructed, the book goes into a chapter on the final patrols of the Wahoo. Then back to O'Kane. Then on to various other subs, then back to O'Kane. This is pretty much the pace of the book, and while all of the information is interesting, I kept thinking that it was a lot of "padding" to add volume to the volume. I started wondering if this was a general (and spotty) history of submarine operations in the Pacific during WW2, a general (and spotty) history of Naval Submarine politics in the Pacific during WW2, or a biography (still spotty) of a rather intriguing man. It was a good book, but seemed to lack cohesion. I was left wanting to know more. Unfortunately, my standards for biographies have been set rather high (Carlos D'Este's "Patton: A Genius For War" is about as high as the bar can go and remain within the comprehension of mortal man)...I'm gonna have to go looking for more on those three subjects.

Currently reading "Strong Men Armed" by Robert Leckie. Not a minute-by-minute study of any one particular battle, but still a really good read. I like his writing style!

 

Can anyone recommend a book in the Nuremberg war trials. Also a movie on the topic.

 

'Politics or War' by David Day about Australia in WW2. It is hard to tell what was bigger, British deception of Australia or Australian self-deception about Britain.

 

One I'll have to get hold of Markus...Thanks for mentioning it. A must for my bookcase.

 

In this case amazon.de is of help:

Politics of War: Amazon.de: David Day: Englische Bücher

 

Ken Wakefield: Luftwaffe Pathfinder Operations Over Britain 1940-44
Tempus Publishing Ltd 1999

Hans-Otto Behrendt:Rommel's Intelligence in the Desert Campaign
William Kimber 1985

 

Kai...is there anything in the index for 1940 September...Malvern area operations at all?

 

Have to check on that, I´ll put a copy of your question in my wallet.

 

Sorry about that, just mainly about the campaign turning into the London Blitz...

 

Can't say I'm a fan of Steve Ewing's books on Flatley and Thach. Drier than toast in the desert, not to mention a distinct anti-USAF bias in the Thach book. Also a certain lack of research, and conclusions without any support I could find. An example, when talking about the start of the Korean War in "Thach Weave," he talks about what the USAF "thought" about things, and I couldn't find ANYTHING in the bibliography that would confirm his assumptions. Every reference is a USN focused book, so that's not really going to be accurate IMHO concerning USAF policies or thoughts. Then he talks about how the "B-26" was the wrong aircraft for Korea, being a medium bomber. Serious lack of research there. He's obviously confusing the Martin B-26 (never used in Korea) with the Douglas B/A-26 Invader, which was hugely successful in Korea.

Unfortunately, "Reaper Leader" and "Thach Weave" are the only two books written about Jimmy Flatley and John Thach.

 

The Last Pheonix, by Richard Herman, 2003

A political-military thriller in the mold of Clancy. Fairly decent summertime pageturner. Basicly involves a US and Allies in a two front war just after 9-11, one in the mid-east and the other in Malaysia. A little dated now as the politics of the region have changed a good deal lately. The only connection to WWII, the protagonist's father was a pilot shot down over france during the war and had a 'missing year' with the resistance.

Hey you gotta read something different once and awhile!

 

I'm reading two books:

The first is "KGB: The Inside Story" by Christopher Andrew and Oleg Gordievsky (a high-level KGB defector). It covers the complete history of the state security bureaus in Russia (from the Tsarist period to 1990), and is packed with information. So far, I'm impressed. I read about 75 pages a night.

The other is Richard Holmes' "World at War" companion book. The book consists of interviews with those features in the documentary series, and is well-organized. I think it has more interviews than the series had but its been a while since I've watched it and I can't be sure. Its easy to read, but you should be familiar with the events before picking it up.

 

Your first book does sound interesting!

 

Teddy Suhren : Ace of aces
Naval Institute Press 2006

Ken Tout: To hell with tanks
Robert Hale 1992

The Berlin Raids - RAF Bomber Command Winter 1943-44 by Martin Middlebrook
Viking 1988

 

nice photo/artwork album from Thierry Dekker.. with some text by a certain FalkeEins of this parish....

Boutique ecommerce par Clicboutic - LANDSCAPE-PUBLICATIONS

 

It is. There's a lot of information information (lots of very long Russian names). The author was a KGB colonel and the head of the KGB station in London in the mid-80s. He was (I think) the first high ranking KGB official to write a book in the west. This book confirmed Cairncross as the '5th man' of the 'Cambridge Five' spy ring in the UK. After I finish this I'll pick up the books written by fellow KGB defector Major Vasilli Mitrokhin.I would pick up a copy. You might have to order it online because it was published in the 1990s.

 

Grazing...literally...through Barnetts The Audit of War...sort of ww2...from ww2...because of ww2....Me and Belasar could just talk about this one all day I think...Dated as written in 80's height of Thatcher and British bashing themselves...The future years though, which although prove author wrong in lots of cases, does not alter the history of economics and industry of ww2 and after that he gives facts and figures for...His views though are like any one else's just views to be cautionary read. The figures though are illuminating.

 

I'm most of the way through "A Dawn Like Thunder." It's by Robert Mrazek. It's the true story of VT-8, the ill-fated torpedo squadron from the Hornet. It's absorbing stuff, talking about the men who were with the group on the carrier, flying the Douglas Devastators, and the detachment that went to Midway Island flying the brand new Grumman Avengers. Where I am now is after Midway, when what part of the squadron that didn't go was posted aboard the Saratoga to support the Guadalcanal operation.