Mega Thread The book thread.

[John]

From my experience History buffs tend to be readers. We are always interested in what others are reading and with that their opinions. Most of us tend to have more books than we can read in a lifetime. For example I presently have 200 odd books marked to read as an example. Retirement can not come quick enough!! No doubt others have a similar story to tell.

So with this thread I hope that we can throw in the odd recommendation, even let each other know what we have purchased through to posting either our reviews or even those from the world wide web that catch the attention.

It may also be an opportunity to create other threads if the discussion allows expansion.

 

[Redalert]

I picked up Lost Victories (von Manstein's memoirs) a few weeks ago and enjoyed it a fair bit, its a bit technical at times but you'd expect that given the nature of his role. Obviously a bit biased and he takes the typical position of being very pro-German but critical of Hitler, although its definitely worth reading if you're a fan of World War II.

 

[John]

What I am reading now. I am an absolute sucker for a book sale. I recently hit the Lifeline Bookfest here in Brisbane for the first time and was the proverbial kid in the sweet shop.

With that I picked up this for a nice $6.00. Japan At War an Oral History by Haruka Taya Cook and Theodore F. Cook.

The Japanese people have in general been reticent to talk about their experience in the Pacific War so this book on release back in 1992 was considered vital. I have reached the last 70 pages and have to say that it has been a fine, though at times stark read. A young girl telling her story about the death and destruction around her at Hiroshima is not entertaining for example but with that the story told has great significance when considering man's inhumanity to man and the suffering of the innocent.

Each individual's story is sensibly told in chronological order. Early chapters cover China and the then early euphoria of victory though to the bitter end. All are covered from the jailed dissident, the school children, the horrors of Okinawa through to humiliating surrender.

Highly recommended to those interested in oral history.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

Earlier this year I read Vietnam: The Australian War by Paul Ham. I found it really good, both as a general history of that war and the Australian side of it - let's face it, everybody knows about the Vietnam war, but nobody really knows about it in detail.

Particularly interesting was the contrast between the Australian and American approach. Unfortunately the very effective Australian approach was dwarfed by the US and ultimately wasn't able to make much of a difference. Seems to be a similar sort of thing still happening in various conflicts today.

http://www.harpercollins.com.au/books/Vietnam-Paul-Ham/?isbn=9780732282370

 

[John]

Earlier this year I read Vietnam: The Australian War by Paul Ham. I found it really good, both as a general history of that war and the Australian side of it - let's face it, everybody knows about the Vietnam war, but nobody really knows about it in detail.

Particularly interesting was the contrast between the Australian and American approach. Unfortunately the very effective Australian approach was dwarfed by the US and ultimately wasn't able to make much of a difference. Seems to be a similar sort of thing still happening in various conflicts today.

http://www.harpercollins.com.au/books/Vietnam-Paul-Ham/?isbn=9780732282370

Many years back I had to work with the ANZAC day committee over the production of some collateral. Am not able to remember his name but one of the fellas, ex Vietnam Vet, rated Ham the best modern Australian Historian. High praise.

I have a very nice hardback edition of this that I have never read. Must one day get on with it!

 

[John]

I picked up Lost Victories (von Manstein's memoirs) a few weeks ago and enjoyed it a fair bit, its a bit technical at times but you'd expect that given the nature of his role. Obviously a bit biased and he takes the typical position of being very pro-German but critical of Hitler, although its definitely worth reading if you're a fan of World War II.

Fingered this in my favourite bookshop but never purchased in the end. Supposedly very good. Have you read it?

 

[alchemy333]

I've been finding audio books a great way to absorb the content and can happily drive for hours with the albums playing. So when I contribute to this thread, 9 times out of 10 I will have listened to to it rather than read it.

That being said, late last year I made my way through this monster.

If you enjoy your history presented in a chronological fashion then this book will do it for you. Literally traces Hitler from birth to death and all the machinations of National Socialism and Reich leadership.

If I remember correctly the bulk of the primary evidence came straight from the tonnes of confiscated Nazi materials.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

While we are on Nazis, many many years ago I read "The Scourge of the Swastika", which basically details Nazi war crimes. Written not too long after the end of the war I think. I hope I've still got it somewhere, I'd like to read it again.

Also read a good biography of Hitler (author Bullock?) way back when, which I know I still have. Might dig that out again as well. I have a far better appreciation of the whole history and politics surrounding the time than I did then, so I think I'd get more out of reading them now.

 

[Redalert]

Fingered this in my favourite bookshop but never purchased in the end. Supposedly very good. Have you read it?

Can't say I have, but my personal preference has always been for memoirs over biographies. In keeping with the theme of German tank commanders I've just started Panzer Leader by Guderian, hopefully its a good read.

 

[Gough]

With my background African history has aways been an interest of mine and there is some great reading to be had on it. Spark's The Mind of South Africa is still one of the clearest books I have read on South African history, Rian Malan's My Traitors Heat is brutal but worth it and anything by Peter Godwin on Zimbabwe is always worthwhile as are Alexandra Fuller's books. One intersting one that I have recently is Albert Luthuli's Let My People Go, and it's interesting in that it's a story of revolutionary South Africa and the ANC in the pre-Mandela, pre armed struggle days, he was also the first non European or person from the Americas to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Steve Biko's I Write What I Liike is also superb.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

Can't say I have, but my personal preference has always been for memoirs over biographies. In keeping with the theme of German tank commanders I've just started Panzer Leader by Guderian, hopefully its a good read.

Let us know if it's good, as I'd be interested in that one. It's certainly a great story, but that doesn't always make a great book!

 

[Partridge]

I've been finding audio books a great way to absorb the content and can happily drive for hours with the albums playing. So when I contribute to this thread, 9 times out of 10 I will have listened to to it rather than read it.

That being said, late last year I made my way through this monster.

If you enjoy your history presented in a chronological fashion then this book will do it for you. Literally traces Hitler from birth to death and all the machinations of National Socialism and Reich leadership.

If I remember correctly the bulk of the primary evidence came straight from the tonnes of confiscated Nazi materials.

Great, great book. Read it years ago, probably need to do so again. The bonus was Shirer was a correspondent in Berlin from 1933. So he was personally there for a lot of it, as well as having access to those records you speak of.

Amazing book.

 

[LennyStarkiller]

Thought that World War 2 Behind Closed Doors: Stalin, The Nazis and The West was a great read.
A real fascinating insight into what was happening behind the scences during WW2. Even though the Soviets were apart of the Allies it outlines how mistrusting Churchill and Roosevelt were of Stalin. It also outlines the shocking things the Soviets did during the invasion of Poland.
It was made into a doco but I haven't watched it.

 

[Wallaby]

I read Die Like The Carp (the Cowra breakout) many years ago. I wanted a copy, but couldn't find one. But then a mate went through Cowra and found it's been updated significantly and is now called Voyage From Shame.

Just an amazing story.

 

[Norwegian Blue]

This being the 100th anniversary of the start of WW1, I'm currently reading "The Guns of August" by Barbara Tuchman. It's a fascinating look at the crucial first month of the war, the actions taken by all sides, and the consequences - both intended and unintended - of those actions.

Highly recommended.

 

[John]

I've been finding audio books a great way to absorb the content and can happily drive for hours with the albums playing. So when I contribute to this thread, 9 times out of 10 I will have listened to to it rather than read it.

That being said, late last year I made my way through this monster.

If you enjoy your history presented in a chronological fashion then this book will do it for you. Literally traces Hitler from birth to death and all the machinations of National Socialism and Reich leadership.

If I remember correctly the bulk of the primary evidence came straight from the tonnes of confiscated Nazi materials.

I will be looking for this. I have read Evans and consider his trilogy as good as it can get. A friend says that they are differing in style but both authors worth anyone's time who is interested in Third Reich History.

 

[The_Reaper]

One of the more informative reads for me was "The Struggle for Mastery in Europe 1848-1918" by AJP Taylor.

http://www.bookyards.com/en/book/de...tery-In-Europe-From-1848-To-1918#.VBwA8BZHY50

Freely available as a pdf here

 

[Norwegian Blue]

One of the more information reads for me was "The Struggle for Mastery in Europe 1848-1918" by AJP Taylor.

http://www.bookyards.com/en/book/de...tery-In-Europe-From-1848-To-1918#.VBwA8BZHY50

Freely available as a pdf here

The Struggle for Mastery of Europe was the first in a chronological series Taylor wrote. He followed it up with:

The First World War and its Aftermath
The Origins of the Second World War
The Second World War and its Aftermath

All good, informative reads.

 

[Norwegian Blue]

I've had a bit of time off work these past months. I've read a fair few history books, which I tend to alternate with novels. So far:

Steven Runciman's 3 volume History of the Crusades (The First Crusade, The Kingdom of Jerusalem, The Kingdom of Acre)
Lord Kinross - The Ottoman Empire (was in Turkey last year so overdue)
Christopher Hitchens - The Rise and Fall of the House of Medici (ditto Florence)
Ernle Bradford - Hannibal
Victor Hanson - A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War
Barbara Tuchman - The Proud Tower (A portrait of Europe and America leading up to WW1)

Next up: a re-read of Donald Morris' "The Washing of the Spears: The Rise and Fall of the Great Zulu Nation".

 

[John]

I've had a bit of time off work these past months. I've read a fair few history books, which I tend to alternate with novels. So far:

Steven Runciman's 3 volume History of the Crusades (The First Crusade, The Kingdom of Jerusalem, The Kingdom of Acre)
Lord Kinross - The Ottoman Empire (was in Turkey last year so overdue)
Christopher Hitchens - The Rise and Fall of the House of Medici (ditto Florence)
Ernle Bradford - Hannibal
Victor Hanson - A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War
Barbara Tuchman - The Proud Tower (A portrait of Europe and America leading up to WW1)

Next up: a re-read of Donald Morris' "The Washing of the Spears: The Rise and Fall of the Great Zulu Nation".

Nice list. Lots there I could easily get into. As to interspersing with novels I read a novel about 1 in every 10 to 15 book to "break it up" as it were. I have A Brief History Of the Crusades by Geoffrey Hindley that I have on my "To Read" list and intend to branch out eventually to Runciman. The Brief History serious are IMO very good primers in general and at anything between $5 and $10 are really good value. I will post the odd review of them over time. I also have to read up on the Ottomans as well. I have been watching Niall Ferguson's interseting Civilisation and now have a need to explore this area as I know very little.

 

[John]

Am about to start Guns Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. Again a 2nd hand cheapy and way past it's release date but the sub title "a short history of everybody for the last 13,000 years" has a certain appeal. I presume a couple of us have read it?

 

[evo]

Its not bad.

Personally I thought he was overly generous to the Australian Aborigines, but I'm a middle class white boy, so what would I know.

Then again, so is he.

 

[John]

Just got through 50 odd pages this morning and much food for thought. A populist style of writing, nothing wrong with that when talking to laymen like me, that flows well. Obviously I am not going to be able to be much a critic as this is an area I am not that au fait with. My fav History book review site has an interesting critique on it.

http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews/review/51

 

[Redalert]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't there a documentary based on it as well? I seem to remember catching it at some point on SBS.

 

[Norwegian Blue]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't there a documentary based on it as well? I seem to remember catching it at some point on SBS.

(Guns, Germs and Steel)

I saw it too. IIRC a 3 parter on ABC or SBS a few years ago.