What Are You Reading Now?

[happyone]

I finally typed up my thoughts on The Field of Blood

An interesting look at the pre civil war congress and how the southern congressmen were able of stifle debate on their "peculiar institution" for 30 yrs. The congress of that day is NOT one would see on CSPAN
NY Sen Sumner's caning and physical beating in 1856 on the floor of the senate at the hands of a South Carolina Congressmen while an extreme case, was not an isolated event or really that unusual.

[eldiente]

All - seeking recommendations for best single volume on the D-day experience. 75th anniversary this summer and will be accompanying my father to Normandy beaches in the fall. It’s a lifetime dream for him and I want to have a deeper appreciation for those who fought in those events. Thanks.


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[Jeff Lebowski]

All - seeking recommendations for best single volume on the D-day experience. 75th anniversary this summer and will be accompanying my father to Normandy beaches in the fall. It’s a lifetime dream for him and I want to have a deeper appreciation for those who fought in those events. Thanks.


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I enjoyed the Steven Ambrose book.

[PaloAltoCougar]

All - seeking recommendations for best single volume on the D-day experience. 75th anniversary this summer and will be accompanying my father to Normandy beaches in the fall. It’s a lifetime dream for him and I want to have a deeper appreciation for those who fought in those events. Thanks...

I join in JL's recommendation of Ambroses's D-Day as the best, most readable overview, Ambrose also wrote Pegasus Bridge, Citizen Soldiers and Band of Brothers that also also have a lot of D-Day elements. For more D-Day info, including a suggested tour, see the "Normandy" thread in the Back Fence forum.

[happyone]

All - seeking recommendations for best single volume on the D-day experience. 75th anniversary this summer and will be accompanying my father to Normandy beaches in the fall. It’s a lifetime dream for him and I want to have a deeper appreciation for those who fought in those events. Thanks.


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What a wide open question

The Longest Day- the classic D-Day Book if a bit dated
D-Day: The Battle for Normandy by Sir Antony Beevor, one of the best WW II historians writing today
Overlord by Sir Max Hastings - IMnotsoHO THE best WW II historian currently writing
Six Armies in Normandy: From D-Day to the Liberation of Paris; June 6 - Aug. 5, 1944 by Sir John Keegan
covers the whole Normandy Campaign

If you have the time, sit down and watch the movie - The Longest Day. If you don't know - it was shot on location on the Normandy beaches about 20 yrs after the fact.

The problem I had with Ambrose book is that his really concentrates on the American contribution and doesn't do justice to the British contributions

Enjoy your trip. I really liked Utah Beach. When my brother and I visited 10 yrs ago it wasn't built up, we went at 7:00 AM, the tide was out and my brother and I were the only ones there. one could almost put yourself in the place of those men that morning. By the time we got to Omaha beach the tide was in, a whole lot of people were there and I just didn't get the same feeling. My currrent avatar is a pic I took that morning at Utah Beach. Omaha Beach is very well marked and monumented. The US Military Cemetery at Coleville overlooking Omaha Beach is a must visit.

While not D-Day related, while you are in the area, the Tapestry at Bayeaux is also a must visit. Sewn in 1170 it is the story the Battle of Hastings. It looks like it was sewn yesterday. Not very expensive IIRC 7.5 euros

[PaloAltoCougar]

What a wide open question

The Longest Day - the classic D-Day Book if a bit dated
D-Day: The Battle for Normandy by Antony Beevor, one of the best WW II historians writing today
Overlord by Sir Max Hastings - IMnotSHO THE best WW II historian currently writing
Six Armies in Normandy: From D-Day to the Liberation of Paris; June 6 - Aug. 5, 1944 by Sir John Keegan
covers the whole Normandy Campaign

If you have the time sit down and watch the movie - The Longest Day. If you don't know - it was shot on location in Normandy.

The problem I had with Ambrose book is that his really concentrates on the American contribution and doesn't do justice to the British

Enjoy your trip. I really liked Utah Beach. When my brother and I visited 10 yrs ago it wasn't built up, we went at 6:00 AM and my brother and I were the only ones there. one could almost put yourself there that morning. By the time we got to Omaha beach the tide was in, a whole lot of people were there and I just didn't get the same feeling. Omaha Beach is very well marked and monumented. The US Military Cemetery at Coleville overlooking Omaha Beach is a must visit.

While not D-Day related, while you are in the area, the Tapsstry at Bayeaux is a must visit. Sewn in 1170 it is the story the Battle of Hastings. It looks like it was sewn yesterday. Not very expensive IIRC 7.5 euros

Yes, the American cemetery is an absolute don't miss. It remains for us one of the most spiritual places on the planet. Watching our eighteen-year-old son standing amidst the headstones brought Mrs. PAC to tears as she imagined the thousands of mothers whose sons were buried there.

[happyone]

One other cemetery to visit is the German WW II cemetery. It's between Utah Beach and Pont Du Hoc. I had almost the same feeling there as I did at Coleville.

[eldiente]

Thanks all - great recommendations of books and places.

This trip was originally considered as part of a NRA-sponsored tour, but I was able to persuade the group that Oliver North for 5 days might get a little tiresome. ;-).


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[old_gregg]

[happyone]

Yes, the American cemetery is an absolute don't miss. It remains for us one of the most spiritual places on the planet. Watching our eighteen-year-old son standing amidst the headstones brought Mrs. PAC to tears as she imagined the thousands of mothers whose sons were buried there.

One of my most poignant memories of Coleville is looking at the "Wall of Missing" and seeing rows and rows of names from the same Division with the same date. In spite of all my reading I hadn't heard of anything that would cause such a loss of life. It turns out a ship carrying people from the 66thID was torpedoed about 5 miles off of Cherbourg. Almost 800 officers and men drowned. The incident was quickly classified and only came to light in the mid '90s. I was impressed with how well kept the cemetery is. It is immaculate!

Teddy Roosevelt JR is buried in Coleville. He was the only General Officer to land with the first wave on D-Day. He came ashore on Utah Beach. His brother, Quinten, who killed in WW I is buried next to him. TRjr died of a heart attack the day he was named commander of the 90ID in Normandy, in July 1944,

A couple of other books that look at the experience of the individual GI on D-Day are

The Bedford Boys by Alex Kershaw

This is the story of the 1/116th INF that landed on the extreme right of Omaha Beach and were literally slaughtered as they got off their boats. Some 1st wave companies had over a 90% casualty rate. As it was a National Guard outfit, most of its people were from the same area (Bedford, Virginia). The story concludes with what happened when the telegrams started arriving in Bedford and surrounding areas, about a month after D-Day

The Dead and Those Who Are About to Die by John McManus

This one is the story of the other side of Omaha Beach. It is much more balanced than Bedford Boys. In addition to telling the story of the 16th INF, the author also tells the story of the Germans who were defending that stretch of French beach.

[The_Tick]

We Are Legion (We Are Bob), by Dennis E. Taylor. A riotous read that uses only half a brain.

I just listened to all 3 of these books over the last month: We are Legion (We Are Bob), For We Are Many: Bobiverse, and All These Worlds: Bobiverse. I enjoyed them quite a bit. The last hour (I do most things audio book...) of the last book felt a bit rushed, but overall really enjoyable. If you are a sci-fi reader...highly recommend.

[YOhio]

The Beastie Boys audiobook was a super fun listen, unlike any other audiobook you'll ever hear. The book is chock full of great stories; ranging from the early-80's NYC hardcore/punk scene to early Def Jam and Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin to the first Lollapalooza. The great state of Utah gets multiple mentions!

Each chapter has a different narrator. Sometimes it's Mike D or Adrock, but then they have Snoop, Chuck D, Kim Gordon, Steve Buscemi, Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Ben Stiller, Bette Midler, Elvis Costello, Jon Stewart, and a ton of others. In a chapter on rap beefs Rachel Maddow recites a verse from Professor Booty.

Recommend!

[BigPiney]

The Beastie Boys audiobook was a super fun listen, unlike any other audiobook you'll ever hear. The book is chock full of great stories; ranging from the early-80's NYC hardcore/punk scene to early Def Jam and Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin to the first Lollapalooza. The great state of Utah gets multiple mentions!

Each chapter has a different narrator. Sometimes it's Mike D or Adrock, but then they have Snoop, Chuck D, Kim Gordon, Steve Buscemi, Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Ben Stiller, Bette Midler, Elvis Costello, Jon Stewart, and a ton of others. In a chapter on rap beefs Rachel Maddow recites a verse from Professor Booty.

Recommend!

I started reading this, but I may have to switch to the audiobook, that sounds great.

[happyone]

I'm currently reading a newish biography of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Dr. Benjamin Rush, Rush: Revolution, Madness, and the Visionary Doctor Who Became a Founding Father by Stephen Fried

I'm about half way through. He was definitely a fascinating man. A proponent of woman's education - he married a 16 yr old when when he was almost 30. He was extremely interested in the causes of "Madness" and its treatment. He was a last minute addition to the Pa delegation to the 2nd Continental Congress that signed the Declaration and when not reappointed, became one of the leading Medicos in the Continental Army. He was later help write the Constitution.

[chrisrenrut]

The company I work for just started an Audible pilot. they offer up to 6 audio books per month from a collection of business-related topics. I can't get into listening to hardcore business stuff, but luckily they offer some more interesting material. So far, I have listened to Born a Crime, Freakonomics, Moneyball, and Outliers. They even have Origins by Dan Brown. It's been nice to have some extra material to use now that the weather is getting nice and I'm spending more time listening while riding the bikes.