Book What are you reading?

[digrar]

I see there is a military book review section, but couldn't see one for other novels. They've always been pretty active threads on other forums.

Currently reading Dead Eye by Mark Greaney, the 4th book in the Gray Man series. Mark was one of the better authors that carried on Tom Clancey's Ryan series, in saying that, he does a much better job with his own character.

 

[BravoZulu]

Fine idea for a thread @digrar, I stopped reading the new stuff under Clancy's name after he died but I have most of his books at home

I've just finished a trilogy by Bernard Cornwell on the Arthurian legends, great series and I love all of his books.

Currently reading a fantasy book by a guy named Raymond Feist, never thought I would be interested in "fantasy" stuff but it is very well written and I've found a new genre to be into

 

[digrar]

I've only just sat down and watched the Harry Potter movies, and I've thought about reading the books. It would be my first go at anything like that since reading the Hobbit as a kid.

 

[BravoZulu]

Saw all the movies with my sons and gave the books a go a few years ago, very well written and not at all spoiled for watching the movies first

 

[digrar]

I've also got Cuckoo Calling under her pseudonym Robert Galbraith lined up on my kindle, just haven't got around to reading it. Along with about 40 other books piled up around the house...

 

[BravoZulu]

Pretty eclectic stash there @digrar ,I thought I was bad because I usually have 3 waiting to go

 

[digrar]

I'm better at buying them than reading them...

 

[Bombardier]

I am not much of a reader but my family seem to forget that so gifts always seem to include one or two. The last book they bought me was

A BIKER'S LIFE is the dramatic, humorous and candid memoir of one of the most recognisable names in motorcycling.

Henry Cole's passion for motorbikes began when, at the age of eight, he was first introduced to a 'man cave'. His great-uncle Redbeard's corrugated iron shed was 'stuffed to the gills with old motorbikes' which Henry helped rebuild and ride. Since then, Henry's life can be charted through the bikes and journeys he has been on - from a stifling public-school education, via many years battling addiction, to the big-sky iconic routes Henry has ridden for over twenty series as presenter of numerous TV shows.

This book reminds millions of motorcyclists why their bike gives them the freedom to be exactly who they want to be: to say 'I'm doing my thing.' When you ride a motorbike you become part of a worldwide community of kindred spirits - those of us who will not be pacified by driving a car, but instead live for adventure, escape and the sheer thrill of the throttle.

I have started it but can't seem to get the motivation to pick it up in the last few weeks, I will finish it though, one day

If anybody has found any military books they would like to showcase you can do so in our review section here

Reviews

Military Reviews

www.militaryimages.net

 

[Bombardier]

I'm better at buying them than reading them...

Likewise mate

I see there is a military book review section, but couldn't see one for other novels. They've always been pretty active threads on other forums.

Thats sorted mate, they can either post directly to the review area which will auto generate a thread in this forum for discussion or if they would rather they can just post directly here. Posting to the review area keeps things nice and tidy though and exposes their well written reviews properly for further dicussion

 

[RobertKLR]

I like history books, mostly ones about the old west. I just finished Crossing the Plains, Days of '57 , the journal of William Audley Maxwell and a wagon train as it crossed the plains and mountain states heading for California in 1857. It's a good first hand account of how they were organized and how they arbitrated affairs between each other and how hard and dangerous such a journey was.

 

[downsizer]

Although I consider him to be a bit of a tool, I really enjoyed that Ben Elton book, very clever IMHO.

Just re-reading the Dirt. Much better than the film.

 

[Kap]

Brad Thor - Athena Project.

I wrapped up his Black List book last week. I don't normally have a lot of time on my hands, so it can take me up to a month to read a book.

I do have a nice healthy backlog to get through!

I forgot to mention, if anyone hasn't read "Grateful American" by Gary Sinise yet, I highly recommend it.

 

[Devil Child]

Just finished Under and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang by William Queen.

Autobiographical account by Queen during his two year undercover ATF infiltration of the Mongols MC outlaw motorcycle gang. Quite remarkable as Queen was so effective in becoming Billy St. John his Mongol alter-ego he was able to move from club, hang-around, prospect, full-patched member, and then even rising to an officer position before ultimately bringing down indiciments on 40ish members.

Easy and engaging read that taps into some tense moments as he tells the broader story of the destruction and mental/emotional conflicts being deep undercover does to the special agent. Lots of rich detail into outlaw life and ATF undercover operations against the OMGs in the 2000's era. Recommended for anyone interested in crime tales, gangs, or spotlighting the grimier elements of society.

Final verdict:

7 outta 10 Devil Horns.

Under and Alone

In 1998, William Queen was a veteran law enforcement agent with a lifelong love of motorcycles and a lack of patience with paperwork. Whe...

www.goodreads.com

 

[Devil Child]

@digrar I'm also a more effective book purchaser rather than reader.

I'd post pictures of my too-read stack(s) but shame prevents me from doing so...

 

[TIGREDELAIRE]

is the biography of Manuela Sáenz, the "wife" of the Liberator Simón Bolívar, since they never married but lived together for a long time, so much so that she was considered the First Lady of the Great Colombia

 

[Xaito]

Do audio books count? I'm really into the "Expeditionary force" series by Craig Alanson.
It's cheesy as all heck kind of sci-fi, but it's funny and entertaining. And a series about a space-ship captain is kind of the next best thing to the good old age of sail adventure books which sadly aren't all that frequent these days.

 

[digrar]

I'm getting through a couple of Audible books a month. Rural FM radio has finally defeated me, so it's podcasts and books when I'm driving now.
Currently listening to an old Wilbur Smith book I haven't read for 20 years, Hungry As The Sea. It's taken me about 15 hours to get used to the new narrator.

 

[digrar]

Although I consider him to be a bit of a tool, I really enjoyed that Ben Elton book, very clever IMHO.

The weird thing about Ben Elton, is that his brother in law is 3 time NBA championship winner Luc Longley, from the 95/96, 96/97 and 97/98 Bulls team and the first Australian to play in the NBA.

 

[OldCode]

I've just read "Scribbling the Cat: Travels with an African Soldier" by Alexandra Fuller. She has a series of books on her growing up in Africa (British parents, lived in Kenya then Rhodesia). In this book, she, as a journalist, is trying to find out about the Bush War. She hooks up with an ex-RLI man and travels to Mozambique with him to see where he fought. During their travels they come across many interesting characters - to my mind, many PSTD soldiers who have retreated to the bush.

It's a great read, although I ended up not liking Ms. Fuller. Thought she may have been a bit of a tease to the soldier, and then let him down (although she was already married to someone in the US).

"Scribbling" means killing, by the way. And wifey recommends all her books - they are amusing and insightful to the colonial experience in Africa.

 

[IDF_TANKER]

21 Lessons for 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari
My Amazon review:
After reading the Sapiens and liking it, decided to read this one. What a disappointment. I've read about 2/3 of the book before finally abandoning it. There is extremely little substance in this book - no interesting or original historical, philosophical... or any other insights, really. (I'll give the author the benefit of the doubt, that he gets to the real stuff in the last third of the book - hence 2 stars instead of one.) This whole book is basically a very shallow overview of various philosophical, religious and social problems the humanity is struggling with right now, without adding anything interesting to the discussion.

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Very good hard sci-fi. The themes explored: ark ship, evolution, intelligence, AI, terraforming. Some parts/themes felt underdeveloped or approached in a rather simplistic (e.g. ark ship); others were extremely sophisticated, original and imaginative (evolution/intelligence). All in all, highly recommended.

Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
A very good book about business leadership with lessons learned on the battlefield. Very much recommended to anyone in any leadership position. Also, as a bonus, plenty of war stories from the battle of Ramadi.