What Are You Reading?

I stopped in a local museum today...



This museum is focused on military events and people from Lewis & Clarks up to current affairs. It's a small musem, located at Ft Harrison, Montana. As you probably know, Ft Harrison is the site where the First Special Services Force was formed and trained, there is a nice section of the museum dedicated to the 1st Special Service Force.

I picked up a couple of new (to me books):





The Force by Saul David is well reviewed and looks like a fun read.

From Poplar to Papua by Martin Kidston covers the history of Montana's 163rds IR during WWII. The 163rd was activated in September of 1940 and served throughout the war.

I'm looking forward to reading both of these!

 

U.S. Naval Institute "Proceedings". Various issues. Definitely get the idea that a showdown with China is a "when", not an "if".

 

Well that's a bit of a grim reality.....

 

My recommendations:
Bookcase for legendary war books

These were amazing stories:
Otto Skorzeny - Most dangerous man in Europe
Witold Pilecki The Auschwitz Volunteer

 

I just started on Second Front, by Alexander M. Grace, Sr. It's an alternate take on the Allies first land offensive in Europe. It's sure starts out "softly." I'll let you know when I'm done.

 

The Day of Battle, the war in Sicily and Italy, 1943–1944. By Rick Atkinson, one of my favorite authors. This is Volume Two in the Liberation Trilogy, copyright 2007. I am reading the trilogy last to first. Doesn’t make sense, ya think? His, The Guns at Last Light was fabulous, hard to put down. A lesson in human suffering.

 

Atkinson's trilogy is on my list! -

 

Just started Quartered Safe Out Here.

 

I hear ya. I'm reading the first volume of James Holland's trilogy (which seems to have only two volumes so far). He does a good job of bringing some detail into the history by focusing on a few individuals. But general histories always seem a bit 'thin' to me and tend to leave me with more questions than answers.

 

Just started this...




Looks to be an interesting perspective.

 

Soldiers of the waffen-ss. Many nations, one motto. By Marc Rikmenspoel.

I also have next to read a book of Berija. I recall it is By his son.

 

I've finished up Attack On Pearl Harbor by Alan Zimm. (see cover art above)

I have to say, this was an excellent book.

Cmdr Zimm presents an analysis of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in a way that lays out the available historic information in a clear and cogent way. More importantly, he has slapped me into a very different perspective on the attack. In some ways, his work raises as many questions as it addresses.

'Slapped' may not be the correct word. It might be better to say 'bludgeoned'. While Cmdr Zimm is a good writer and quite articulate, he does tend to belabor some points. He is clearly a military man: he says what he will say, he says it, he repeats it, and the he sums it up. His message is unambiguous.

Despite being a bit heavy handed, Zimm seems to me to conduct an outstanding analysis of the Japanese side of events. And he finds the Japanese severely wanting.

"Historians have depicted Yamamoto's plan as "bold and original." A more accurate assessment would be "foolhardy and wrongheaded."
​

Well, there is me corrected of one misunderstanding.

I'm not being facetious. Cmdr Zimm presents a quite coherent argument that does convince (me anyway). He takes several authors to task, notably Gordon Prange with his book, At Dawn We Slept.

I'm not the scholar or historian that some here are, but I find Zimm's analysis to be sound and convincing. (The outcome of the war remains the same, but my perspective has changed.) I'd love to hear someone refute Zimm. His analysis, belabored at times, would seem to be spot on.

I'll close by saying if you are interested in the PTO, this is a book worth reading, more for it's content than its literary merits, but still worth reading.

 

I am presently reading bits and pieces out of several books, mostly revisiting "old friends" in connection with various discussions as I don't trust my memory to be 100%, mostly I am okay but it is interesting, refreshing and is not time wasted to check.
Presently reading a political book not WW2 related and am hoping that a book from Canada will arrive tomorrow, written by a Catalina pilot who was at Castle Archdale on Lower Lough Erne between 1941-42, so looking forward to this very much. ( This will be the third book written by a Canadian aircrew who was on this base in WW2 that I have come across). Ye Gods 00:30 hrs.(Bedtime).

 

Started reading this yesterday:




Toll came recommended from a few people. So far I like his style very much.

 

Normandy 44 - James Holland

Halfway through and I have really enjoyed so far. Holland has brought out some new information and I also enjoy his style. There is a mix of technical information and first hand account

 

I enjoy Holland's writing very much.

 

Also see British historian Peter Caddick- Adams, (a colleague and friend of James Holland.) I have just finished a book he wrote about Rommel and Montgomery "Parallel Lives", PCA has a book out on D-Day / Normandy which I have but as yet have to read, he style is similar.
Attached his Amazon page. Amazon.co.uk: peter caddickadams: Books

 

The longest night- the bombing of London on May 10, 1941

Free France's lion- Philippe Lecclerc,de Gaulle's greatest general