Books - What are you reading?

[cardboard_killer]

Gave up on Seven Husbands above and checked this one out from the library.

 

[Juri_JS]

I am just re-reading One Soldier's War In Chechnya by Russian author/journalist Arkady Babchenko. The author fought in the first Chechen War as 18-year-old conscript and as volunteer in the second Chechen War. I highly recommand this book to everyone interested in a first hand account of the conflict in Chechnya and the situation in the post-soviet Russian army. War is hell, but the conflict in Chechnya certainly was in a league of its own and the brutality the author describes is not for the squeamish.

Apart from the fighting, Babchenko also gives a haunting account of the so-called Dedovshchina practice, the bullying and mistreatment of young conscripts by older soldiers. Babchenko and his comrades had the misfortune to share a barrack near Mozdok with the half-mad soldiers of a recon unit that beat them to a pulp almost every night.

My only critizism is that the book isn't always written in strict chronological order which makes it sometimes hard follow the course of events.

 

Edited September 27, 2021 by Juri_JS

[Irishratticus72]

On 9/27/2021 at 7:23 AM, Juri_JS said:

I am just re-reading One Soldier's War In Chechnya by Russian author/journalist Arkady Babchenko. The author fought in the first Chechen War as 18-year-old conscript and as volunteer in the second Chechen War. I highly recommand this book to everyone interested in a first hand account of the conflict in Chechnya and the situation in the post-soviet Russian army. War is hell, but the conflict in Chechnya certainly was in a league of its own and the brutality the author describes is not for the squeamish.

Apart from the fighting, Babchenko also gives a haunting account of the so-called Dedovshchina practice, the bullying and mistreatment of young conscripts by older soldiers. Babchenko and his comrades had the misfortune to share a barrack near Mozdok with the half-mad soldiers of a recon unit that beat them to a pulp almost every night.

My only critizism is that the book isn't always written in strict chronological order which makes it sometimes hard follow the course of events.

 

  Cheers, the last book I read was "Afghantsy", always been interested in Russian accounts of war. 

[Uufflakke]

On 9/27/2021 at 8:23 AM, Juri_JS said:

I am just re-reading One Soldier's War In Chechnya by Russian author/journalist Arkady Babchenko. The author fought in the first Chechen War as 18-year-old conscript and as volunteer in the second Chechen War. I highly recommand this book to everyone interested in a first hand account of the conflict in Chechnya and the situation in the post-soviet Russian army. War is hell, but the conflict in Chechnya certainly was in a league of its own and the brutality the author describes is not for the squeamish.

Apart from the fighting, Babchenko also gives a haunting account of the so-called Dedovshchina practice, the bullying and mistreatment of young conscripts by older soldiers. Babchenko and his comrades had the misfortune to share a barrack near Mozdok with the half-mad soldiers of a recon unit that beat them to a pulp almost every night.

My only critizism is that the book isn't always written in strict chronological order which makes it sometimes hard follow the course of events.

 

 

The way you describe the content of the book reminds me very much of Svetlana Alexievich book 'Boys in Zinc' about Russian soldiers in Afghanistan:

The bulllying and mistreatment among Russian soldiers indeed . And the atrocities on Russian and Afghan side.

At times I had to put the book aside as it became a bit too much.

Actually I was hoping a bit that Alexievich would write a book about Chechnya some day.

Babchenko's book might be a good alternative.

 

Not so many videos on YouTube about the Chechen war.

This one about Russian elite troops I find quite interesting. Not the kind of guys you want to meet in your local pub.

Or to have an argument with...

https://youtu.be/_ZfvuAlqwf4?t=123

 

 

[Juri_JS]

On 9/29/2021 at 8:14 PM, Uufflakke said:

Not so many videos on YouTube about the Chechen war.

You can find lots of footage in music videos of Russian soldier songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFlQKn3JC78&list=PLnfmVIwBL5M67b6HFhkEZTYAfixBYYS0Z&index=1

 

After reading Babchenko's book, I am a little obsessed with these songs, some of them are really good. Dozens were written during the Afghan and Chechen Wars, a tradition we don't have here in the west.

[Feathered_IV]

New from Pen & Sword publications.  The perfect last-minute Christmas gift for the wehraboo who has everything:

 

 

"The German Army lost two consecutive wars and the conclusion is often drawn that it simply wasn't able to cope with its opponents. This image is constantly reinforced in literature and in the media, where seemingly brainless operating German units led by fanatical officers predominate. Nothing was as far from the truth. The records show that the Germans consistently outfought the far more numerous Allied armies that eventually defeated them: their relative battlefield performance was at least 1.5 and in most cases 3 times as high as that of its opponents."  etc. etc.

[sevenless]

Recently I found a used copy in very good conditions. Well worth it:

 

[LLv34_Flanker]

S! 

 

Reading a nightfighter pilot memoir about Wolfgang Thimmig. 24 kills, never shot down and survived the war. Quite a life he had. Book name freely translated Hunter of the night. 

 

 

[cardboard_killer]

6 hours ago, Feathered_IV said:

wehraboo

 

Learn a new word everyday.

[cardboard_killer]

Finished The Hidden Giant, and quite liked it. I am more than half way through Frank's Tower of Skulls, and I'm a bit disappointed. I got it thinking that there would be a lot more on the Sino-Japanese War, and, although it started off that way, it is now more focused on the Japanese romp through the Pacific and Indian Oceans with passing remarks on the Chinese situation. It's okay for a general history.

 

Onto this for fiction:

 

[unreasonable]

How the Pentagon really "tested" new weapon systems in the 1980s - basically rigging everything to keep high tech weapons programs going however useless they were, while resisting useful programs. Good on the F16, A10, A12 and Bradley AFV stories in particular. 

 

Written by a USAF officer at the heart of the system, not some ignorant journalist, so it is quality stuff. If you have never been in a government organisation you may be shocked by quite how disfunctional the system had become (and probably still is).

[LLv34_Flanker]

S! 

 

Black Cross / Red Star Volume 1, new edition by Christer Bergström. 

[SYN_Ricky]

3 hours ago, LLv34_Flanker said:

S! 

 

Black Cross / Red Star Volume 1, new edition by Christer Bergström. 

Same here, just arrived today!

[cardboard_killer]

Putting Tower of Skulls down for now. May come back to it later. So, my next non-fiction is one I bought in paper, first time in a month or so I've bought a paper copy that wasn't less than a dollar US.

 

[[CPT]Pike*HarryM]

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors

Been on a roll with him, read "Neptune's Inferno" then "Ship of Ghosts", great writer.

 

[cardboard_killer]

Available for free from https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60333

 

[busdriver]

9 hours ago, cardboard_killer said:

Available for free from https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60333

 

 

I took an intro to philosophy course in college, great professor whose claim to fame was being Steve Martin's roommate at Cal State Long Beach (before Martin transferred). Fortunately Soren Kierkegaard was not required reading.

 

Finishing up this, originally published in 1914...I read it once every 10 years or so. Not this copy, I just like the picture because I'm a fan of Frank Frazetta's work.

 

 

[Gambit21]

2 hours ago, busdriver said:

 

I took an intro to philosophy course in college, great professor whose claim to fame was being Steve Martin's roommate at Cal State Long Beach (before Martin transferred). Fortunately Soren Kierkegaard was not required reading.

 

Finishing up this, originally published in 1914...I read it once every 10 years or so. Not this copy, I just like the picture because I'm a fan of Frank Frazetta's work.

 

 

 

As a professional illustrator for many years - Frazetta was so much better than Vellejo! 

[Pict]

On 9/15/2021 at 10:04 PM, Bremspropeller said:

Are thre any good books on the Mossie (pilot/ alligator stories) that can be recommended?

I have read "Terror..." and I do have "Night Intruder". Anything else that is on the "need to read" list?

 

"Target for Tonight Flying Long-Range Reconnaissance & Pathfinder Missions in World War Two" The Memoiers of Squadron Leader Denys A. Braithwaite D.F.C. & Bar   ISBN:978-1844151592

 

Spoiler

The author was born of a well-to-do Yorkshire family and joined the Auxiliary Air Force on his eighteenth birthday in 1939. On the occasion of Chamberlain's speech to the British nation on September 3 the situation changed dramatically and from being a 'super weekend club', his squadron was assigned coastal patrol duties.

In October he was posted to Peterborough to learn to fly with the regular RAF. There followed a period of convoy protection flying Blenheims and then flying with the meteorological flight based at Bircham Newington on the Norfolk coast. Here he flew a Gloster Gladiator with a flight that had the reputation of 'flying even when the birds wouldn't'.

Now a Squadron Leader, Braithwaite became acquainted with the legendary de Havilland Mosquito and flew long-range weather reconnaissance flights (PAMPA) under the control of Coastal Command. These patrols involved a lone aircraft flying deep into enemy territory to observe the meteorological conditions in advance of bombing raids or naval action. PAMPA Flight 1409 moved to Oakington and transferred to Bomber Command and operated under the command of Air Commodore Donald Bennett and became one of the elite Pathfinder units.

His lengthy and successful tour included many exciting episodes until after a blazing row with Bennett concerning his unit's use of above regulatory flight speed to the target and the removal of the aircraft's ice guards, Braithwaite found himself moved to Training command.

There then followed a tour to the USA where he was the victim of a nearly fatal crash due to his aircraft being the victim of sabotage.

The author was now posted to India to take command of a Mosquito squadron operating against the Japanese over the jungle beyond its Eastern border. His flying career was abruptly ended in 1944 when he contracted the violent tropical disease Sprue and he was repatriated to England.

 

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Target-Tonight-long-range-reconnaissance-Pathfinder-dp-184415159X/dp/184415159X/ref=mt_other?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=

 

I really enjoyed this book and it covers some topics that are often overlooked, like the PAMPAS meterological flights, which is a bonus I think.

 

I scanned a couple of pages to give you a taster. They highlight the manufacturing descrepancies of the Mosquito, which in all fairness could have been expected considering the urgent way in which they were built using small funiture workshops and whatever else was avaliable. Ranging from getting his hands on the hand built and pampered 2nd prototype to one that was found to have it's cockpit 6 inches narrower than the others. That plus some pretty wild field mods to a Spitfire that makes me think out digital stuff is pretty accurate or at least very consistent  

 

Spoiler

 

Edit; I found this photo of W4051 the 2nd prototype that Denys Braithwaite talks about. It was incorrectly captioned as 4050, the original prototype, which was odd as the serial number is clear in the photo. So I cropped that nonsense out.

 

Edited October 21, 2021 by Pict
Added photo of W4051

[Feathered_IV]

Nice one Pict. I’ll keep an eye out for that.  ?

[busdriver]

5 hours ago, Pict said:

"Target for Tonight Flying Long-Range Reconnaissance & Pathfinder Missions in World War Two" The Memoiers of Squadron Leader Denys A. Braithwaite D.F.C. & Bar   ISBN:978-1844151592

 

Queued up...

 

[Pict]

52 minutes ago, busdriver said:

Queued up...

 

That's quite a que you have there...I must have a look out for some of these, thanks.

[LLv34_Flanker]

S! 

 

BC/RS series growing steadily. And of course with appropriate decorations

 

 

[NoelGallagher]

this book might be helpful to those who are questioning their existence and life in general

sort of giving you a red pill

 

 

Edited October 25, 2021 by NoelGallagher

[Feathered_IV]

[NoelGallagher]

3 hours ago, Feathered_IV said:

the thing is most of humans don't think theur existence is futile while they superficially pretend that they so

because if you really do beleive how futile your existence is then you either already killed youself(as some early cosmologist did) or became absolutely fearless

and if you ever became absolutely fearless all you left with is unconditional love for every being in existence 

Edited October 25, 2021 by NoelGallagher

[Nocke]

I disagree.

To see its futile does not necessarily mean its not worth to enjoy while you are in it.

Think about it the other way round: If it was NOT futile, it would mean there would have to be some sort of sense, in other words, something preestablished you are then forced to achieve.

Personally I prefer a futile freedom to some pre-imposed "sense" of life.

[Irishratticus72]

Sending all those friend requests to Scarlett Johansson is futile, but imma still gonna wait outside her house at night. 

[Pict]

6 hours ago, Feathered_IV said:

 

When I saw this I though, that's pretty deep stuff for a Ladybird book, because I remember them being for children, you know "The 3 Little Pigs" and innocent  stuff like this...

 

 

 

 

[Gambit21]

This - for the third time.

One of the best WWII books I've ever read, and certainly top 3 best books on the Pacific.

 

 

[Pict]

I just ran across a nice looking little online bookstore on "The Peoples Mosquito" site https://www.peoplesmosquito.org.uk/

 

Bookstore https://www.peoplesmosquito.org.uk/store/product-category/books-video/

 

I found this one quite interesting as the pilot was involved in both Lysander "cloak & dagger" and Mosquito intruder operations. I haven't read it yet, but I intend to at some point. From what I've seen, I imagine this one would also appeal to @Bremspropellerand @busdriver and no doubt others.

 

"Sticky Murphy Lover of Life: Second World War Clandestine Lysander and Intruder Mosquito pilot Wing Commander Alan Michael ‘Sticky’ Murphy DSO and Bar, DFC, Croix de Guerre. The remarkable story of one man who was an inspirational leader in the air but also on the ground. From very risky night operations to drop agents into enemy territory to leading a Mosquito Squadron taking the fight to the enemy."

 

https://www.peoplesmosquito.org.uk/store/product/sticky-murphy-lover-of-life/

 

[Props]

15 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

This - for the third time.

One of the best WWII books I've ever read, and certainly top 3 best books on the Pacific.

 

 

Timing or what? I just ordered my copy and expect it soon. Currently reading Ian W. Toll's Pacific trilogy.

[NoelGallagher]

18 hours ago, 216th_Nocke said:

I disagree.

To see its futile does not necessarily mean its not worth to enjoy while you are in it.

Think about it the other way round: If it was NOT futile, it would mean there would have to be some sort of sense, in other words, something preestablished you are then forced to achieve.

Personally I prefer a futile freedom to some pre-imposed "sense" of life.

YES!!! 

that's exactly what i'm talking about lol

what i meant was you get to realize two option

1. suicidal - becasue everything becomes perfectly meaningless - 2.and if you really see it you become free from all the meanings and concepts and then you become free as bird

Edited October 26, 2021 by NoelGallagher

[Nocke]

Re-read your post, and saw I read too quickly over it!

[unreasonable]

Since the OP originally talked about old philosophy texts, here is an interesting one.  Published in 1966 the writer has a very mannered prose style, reminiscent of the trendy Frog intellectuals of the period, which makes for a difficult read. Which is a shame, since his ideas about the psychology of an era where everything is measured by how much it makes us "feel good" are interesting: especially if that era is soon to end.    

 

 

 

[Irishratticus72]

3 hours ago, Props said:

Timing or what? I just ordered my copy and expect it soon. Currently reading Ian W. Toll's Pacific trilogy.

The first book in Toll's trilogy, I found a little stodgy, but the second and especially the third really let's rip. 

Edited October 26, 2021 by Irishratticus72

[Gambit21]

9 hours ago, Props said:

Timing or what? I just ordered my copy and expect it soon. 

 

You won't be disappointed.

The only downside is that you'll be left in the grips of a "How in the hell am I NOT flying a Zero or Wildcat over the Solomons already!!!" affliction, and it has real staying power I'm afraid.

 

 

[Props]

13 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

 

You won't be disappointed.

The only downside is that you'll be left in the grips of a "How in the hell am I NOT flying a Zero or Wildcat over the Solomons already!!!" affliction, and it has real staying power I'm afraid.

 

 

Yeah, as if I wasn't already whining and pining for my Zero and George! Affliction hell? More like an obsession for me?

[Enceladus828]

When I'm less busy in life I'm going to get this book

 

[cardboard_killer]

Not quite done with Battle For Lyete, 1944 yet. A lot of detail but not much soul. That's okay, though. Started this one in lieu of another fiction (can't seem to find the right fiction to stick with this last fortnight).