What Are You Reading Now?

[SoCalCoug]

I am now reading Robert Jordan's Knife of Dreams, because I just bought the latest volume (The Gathering Storm - by Brandon Sanderson), and I always read the previous one when the newest one comes out (in this case, it's been like 5 years since Knife of Dreams came out, and I've forgotten a lot of it).

[Slim]

I am now reading Robert Jordan's Knife of Dreams, because I just bought the latest volume (The Gathering Storm - by Brandon Sanderson), and I always read the previous one when the newest one comes out (in this case, it's been like 5 years since Knife of Dreams came out, and I've forgotten a lot of it).

I want to read The Gathering Storm while I'm on break but I don't want to pay $20.00 for a book. I tried to find it in paperback and as an ebook but no luck. I started reading this series in high school and I can't believe it is still going.

[SoCalCoug]

I want to read The Gathering Storm while I'm on break but I don't want to pay $20.00 for a book. I tried to find it in paperback and as an ebook but no luck. I started reading this series in high school and I can't believe it is still going.

You won't find it in paperback until shortly before the next volume comes out. The Gathering Storm is the first of three concluding volumes.

[thesaint258]

I'm looking for something new to read, and I thought some of you might have good ideas. Specifically I'm looking for good books about WWII or Vietnam. I think I'd like books that focus on what happened with small units (rather than looking at the big picture) or biographies about people who aren't as well-known, but at the same time, I'd like recommendations for any good book.

[SeattleUte]

I'm looking for something new to read, and I thought some of you might have good ideas. Specifically I'm looking for good books about WWII or Vietnam. I think I'd like books that focus on what happened with small units (rather than looking at the big picture) or biographies about people who aren't as well-known, but at the same time, I'd like recommendations for any good book.

The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien

Tree of Smoke, but Dennis Johnson

[MsBooksIt]

I'm reading the New York Regional Singles Halloween Dance (or whatever it's called, I agree bad title) and it's cracking me up. Have you ever heard Elna Baker on This American Life or the Moth? She's hilarious.

[pelagius]

I'm reading the New York Regional Singles Halloween Dance (or whatever it's called, I agree bad title) and it's cracking me up. Have you ever heard Elna Baker on This American Life or the Moth? She's hilarious.

Since it is sex week here on CUF we should definitely give a link to her "Yes, I am a 27 Year-Old Virgin" article:

http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationshi...entid=22247668

Wuap, can we get a summon Color Me Badd Fan on this one?

[MsBooksIt]

That's funny, but have you heard her talk about her FAO Schwartz work experience?

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radi...spx?sched=1278

[pelagius]

That's funny, but have you heard her talk about her FAO Schwartz work experience?

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radi...spx?sched=1278

No, I've read the glamour article and watched a few of her youtube clips. There were some funny moments but really not my thing. I can see why others like her though. See has some charm and I don't find her objectionable in any way. It is also nice to see a Mormon comic be successful. Well, assuming you don't count Sue Ann Post (which I don't):



I don't wan't to be hard on her but I just have a hard time liking the virginal-temptress stuff or more generally the "wide eyed innocent religious conservative meets the big city role." I think she plays/lives those roles pretty well and Mormons are pretty much uniquely positioned to play them these days but I am left with the feeling it has been done before.

Maybe her book moves past those aspects of her life? I have thought about reading the book but I am a bit ambivalent. Maybe I will read it on a plane trip.

[happyone]

I'm looking for something new to read, and I thought some of you might have good ideas. Specifically I'm looking for good books about WWII or Vietnam. I think I'd like books that focus on what happened with small units (rather than looking at the big picture) or biographies about people who aren't as well-known, but at the same time, I'd like recommendations for any good book.

I don't know if you've read Rick Atkinson's stuff yet, but he is one author currently writing that I would recommend. He is currently writing a trilogy on the US Army in the ETO
Book 1 - The Army at Dawn - about the North African Campaign
Book 2 - The Day of Battle - about Sicily and Italy up to the fall of Rome
Book 3 - hasn't been released yet - It is supposed to be about Northern Europe from D-Day to the end of the war

He also wrote "In the Company of Soldiers" about the invasion of Iraq. He was embedded with the 101st and was in the DTOC with Gen Patrous(SP) on the march to Bagdad.

I would also recommend anything by Charles MacDonald. He was a company commander during WWII and later became the Official Army Historian.
I really liked "Company Commander" his story as a company commander in the 2nd ID in the ETO, and "A Time for Trumpets" a history of the Battle of the Bulge.

One other that I've read recently that I liked was "If you Survive" by George Wilson. He was a replacement platoon leader in the 4th ID. He joined the Division shortly after D-Day and served until the end of the war.

If you want to read a pretty good novel about military ethics, "Once an Eagle" by Anton Myrer is probably one of the best around. As a young officer in the 80's it was practically required reading. It is also a pretty good read. It follows two officers from WWI through to the beginnings of our build up in Viet Nam. It was published in 1968.

As for Vietnam, if you can find it "365 Days" by Ron Glasser is a pretty good read. He was a doctor at Camp Zama in Japan and was involved in follow up care of casualties. It has a decidedly anti war slant.

Also Fredrick Downs book "The Killing Zone" is pretty good. Downs was a platoon ldr in Nam in 67-68 and was severly wounded

Winston Groom also wrote about his experiences in Viet Nam in his first novel "Better Times than These". I liked it because I recognized some of the scenes from my Dad's stories. He was in the same Division as my Dad at the same time.

I hope this can be of some help.

[LA Ute]

I don't know if you've read Rick Atkinson's stuff yet, but he is one author currently writing that I would recommend. He is currently writing a trilogy on the US Army in the ETO
Book 1 - The Army at Dawn - about the North African Campaign
Book 2 - The Day of Battle - about Sicily and Italy up to the fall of Rome
Book 3 - hasn't been released yet - It is supposed to be about Northern Europe from D-Day to the end of the war

He also wrote "In the Company of Soldiers" about the invasion of Iraq. He was embedded with the 101st and was in the DTOC with Gen Patrous(SP) on the march to Bagdad.

I would also recommend anything by Charles MacDonald. He was a company commander during WWII and later became the Official Army Historian.
I really liked "Company Commander" his story as a company commander in the 2nd ID in the ETO, and "A Time for Trumpets" a history of the Battle of the Bulge.

One other that I've read recently that I liked was "If you Survive" by George Wilson. He was a replacement platoon leader in the 4th ID. He joined the Division shortly after D-Day and served until the end of the war.

If you want to read a pretty good novel about military ethics, "Once an Eagle" by Anton Myrer is probably one of the best around. As a young officer in the 80's it was practically required reading. It is also a pretty good read. It follows two officers from WWI through to the beginnings of our build up in Viet Nam. It was published in 1968.

As for Vietnam, if you can find it "365 Days" by Ron Glasser is a pretty good read. He was a doctor at Camp Zama in Japan and was involved in follow up care of casualties. It has a decidedly anti war slant.

Also Fredrick Downs book "The Killing Zone" is pretty good. Downs was a platoon ldr in Nam in 67-68 and was severly wounded

Winston Groom also wrote about his experiences in Viet Nam in his first novel "Better Times than These". I liked it because I recognized some of the scenes from my Dad's stories. He was in the same Division as my Dad at the same time.

I hope this can be of some help.

"An Army At Dawn" is a great book.

I happened to be home sick the last two days and saw several episodes of a History Channel series called "WWII in HD." It's a documentary composed of color footage of various WWII campaigns that had never been seen publicly (according to the film's makers). Muc hof it comes from military archives - apparently the various services wanted to make a record of their efforts to see what they could learn from them. It's all in color, and I really couldn't stop watching. There's ample footage of the assault on Tarawa, for example, from cameras that were in the landing craft. It covers Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Tarawa in the Pacific and so far the Italian campaign and the Battle of the Bulge. I learned a lot just watching and was pretty much riveted the whole time. I even forgot how lousy I felt.

Anyway, worth watching if you have the History Channel.

[happyone]

"An Army At Dawn" is a great book.

I happened to be home sick the last two days and saw several episodes of a History Channel series called "WWII in HD." It's a documentary composed of color footage of various WWII campaigns that had never been seen publicly (according to the film's makers). Muc hof it comes from military archives - apparently the various services wanted to make a record of their efforts to see what they could learn from them. It's all in color, and I really couldn't stop watching. There's ample footage of the assault on Tarawa, for example, from cameras that were in the landing craft. It covers Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Tarawa in the Pacific and so far the Italian campaign and the Battle of the Bulge. I learned a lot just watching and was pretty much riveted the whole time. I even forgot how lousy I felt.

Anyway, worth watching if you have the History Channel.

I've been watching it as well. Some of the B-17 footage looks like it came from William Wylers' "Memphis Belle", but that is just a very minor quibble. I've really enjoyed it, but then again I really like anything about military history so take my opinion for what its worth

[MsBooksIt]

I don't wan't to be hard on her but I just have a hard time liking the virginal-temptress stuff or more generally the "wide eyed innocent religious conservative meets the big city role." I think she plays/lives those roles pretty well and Mormons are pretty much uniquely positioned to play them these days but I am left with the feeling it has been done before.

Maybe her book moves past those aspects of her life? I have thought about reading the book but I am a bit ambivalent. Maybe I will read it on a plane trip.

Nope, that's pretty much the premise of the book. In fact, it's the entire premise of the book.

[thesaint258]

My thanks for the suggestions. I looked them up on Amazon, and they all look really good.

[FN Phat]

Iacocca: An Autobiography