Non-fiction Book Recommendation?

federali

federali

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Just finished reading "The Destiny Of The Republic" by Candice Millard, a great read regarding the shooting and fatal medical malpractice leading to President Garfield's death. I highly recommend the book. There are many Garfield books. Select the one I recommended.

"Columbine" is another excellent, if somber read regarding what is generally considered America's first mass school shooting.

Can anyone recommend any recent historical non-fiction books besides Killing The Rising Sun?"
 
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Well.........Tis the season to reread the old favorites;

Books of .......... Matthew, Mark, Luke and John..................... they can be found in a compendium called the "New Testament"

Couple of others .......

" Twas the night before Christmas"........ and my favorite.......

"How the Grinch stole Christmas"............

:D


I read fiction after 8PM...... too much nonfiction in life earlier in the day!!!!!!!!!
 
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"The Wright Brothers" is an excellent book. It has been out a couple of years and can be found in hardback at discount prices.

"Arsenal of Democracy" is a good book about WWII and how American Industry and in particular Ford Motor Company ramped up and began making airplanes, tanks, etc. Ford made most of the B-24 Liberators.
 
Well, there's one of my favorites, Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson. It's a long slog, but just an incredible wealth of detail, The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson To Lincoln by Sean Wilentz.

I have a ton of WW2 related favorites if interested. But an iconoclastic 'classic' is Brute Force:Allied Strategy and Tactics in the Second World War by John Ellis (the author of The Social History of the Machine Gun).
 
I'm currently reading "The Rommel Papers", provides a window into the thoughts of a general during the war. These are a compilation of diaries and reports that Rommel wrote during the war and hid because he didn't think the Gestapo had much of a sense of humor (smart man). The papers were collected after the war (and his death) by his son and wife. A British officer compiled them into this book in 1951. An oldie but a goodie (one that was always on my "to read" list, but life got in the way. I have met Manfred Rommel (the son and one time mayor of Stuttgart) a number of times related to business in the Stuttgart area. Very intelligent guy.
 
Empire Of The Summer Moon, by S.C. Gwynne. I just finished it for the second time. The story of the rise and fall of the fearsome Comanche nation. A great read.

Along similar lines is A Fate Worse Than Death by Susan and Gregory Michno, a well researched book about people taken as captives during the Indian Wars. Not for the faint of heart, though.

I just started A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn by James Donovan. Its good so far, too early to recommend.
 
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American Ulysses

American Ulysses: A Life of Ulysses S. Grant by Ronald C. White

I learned more about Ulysses S. Grant from this book than any school history class or other books I've read. I learned things about the Civil War and his presidency that I did not know. The book flows, not dry history. There are lots of details but they are not presented in an overwhelming manner.
 
Ghost Wars: The Secret History of The CIA in Afghanistan

Besides being a good read, it will give you insight on our involvement with Afghanistan prior to 9-11.

[ame="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P2A43Q/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1"]Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invas ion to September 10, 2001 - Kindle edition by Steve Coll. Politics & Social Sciences Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.[/ame]

The Jelly Bryce trilogy. Though the books are written as novels, the facts behind them are historical.

[ame="https://www.amazon.com/JELLY-BRYCE-LEGEND-BEGINS-TRILOGY-ebook/dp/B00KWANAUU/ref=sr_1_sc_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1481761416&sr=1-2-spell&keywords=Jellybryce"]JELLY BRYCE: THE LEGEND BEGINS (JELLY BRYCE TRILOGY Book 1) - Kindle edition by Mike Conti. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.[/ame]

Texas Ranger - The Epic Life of Frank Hamer

[ame="https://www.amazon.com/Texas-Ranger-Frank-Killed-Bonnie-ebook/dp/B0166SEUTQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1481761620&sr=1-1&keywords=texas+ranger"]Amazon.com: Texas Ranger: The Epic Life of Frank Hamer, the Man Who Killed Bonnie and Clyde eBook: John Boessenecker: Kindle Store[/ame]
 
Just finished "The Faustball Tunnel" about German POWs escaping from a POW camp in Papago Park, Arizona. I'd never heard of this before. Recently read "The Little Toy Dog" about the Russian shoot-down of an RB-47 over the Arctic Sea. Both are excellent.
 
Has anyone here read, "Killing the Rising Sun"?


My feeling is that Bill O'Reilly doesn't really write all of his books. How would he have time? And his manner leaves me to wonder how accurate they may be.


Because so few today really know much about history, he could write a basically so-so book and impress a lot of people.


But if it's really good, I want to know about it.
 
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In My Time, A Personal and Political Memoir, Dick Cheney, with his daughter Liz (Wyo. just elected her as our State Rep). Dick was the best SecDef in my 28-year career. He's a Wyoming boy so, yeah, I'm a bit prejudiced, but still....

And, yeah, I'd probably go hunting with him.;)

Cheers,

Bob
 
two-bit cowboy said:
In My Time, A Personal and Political Memoir, Dick Cheney, with his daughter Liz (Wyo. just elected her as our State Rep). Dick was the best SecDef in my 28-year career. He's a Wyoming boy so, yeah, I'm a bit prejudiced, but still....

And, yeah, I'd probably go hunting with him.;)

Cheers,

Bob
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+1 on Dick Cheney's memoirs. He really got vilified in the mainstream media, I think, because he's the antithesis of everything conservatives are accused of being. He grew up dirt-poor, became SecDef and VP, and maintains a close relationship with his daughter Liz (who got raked over the coals by many in the media, despite not being a political or public figure at all).
 
Simon Kenton.....

sigp220.45 said:
Empire Of The Summer Moon, by S.C. Gwynne. I just finished it for the second time. The story of the rise and fall of the fearsome Comanche nation. A great read.

Along similar lines is A Fate Worse Than Death by Susan and Gregory Michno, a well researched book about people taken as captives during the Indian Wars. Not for the faint of heart, though.

I just started A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn by James Donovan. Its good so far, too early to recommend.
Click to expand...

In the same vein, there is a book called "The Frontiersman" about Simon Kenton who was the equivalent of Crockett and Boone but not nearly as well known. Fascinating book. If I learned anything from it, it was than if the Indians that he encountered liked you, they would kill you quick. If they DIDN'T like you it could take days.:eek:

Anything on WWII or technology catches my fancy and "Iron Coffin" by a surviving U-boat commander is a great read. Also "Blind Man's Bluff" about the exploits of our subs during the cold war that were classified until recently.

Anything on the space program, too. I've read and reread 'Apollo 13'.
 
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Phantom Over Vietnam.

zonker5 said:
"A Lonely Kind of War" by Marshall Harrison tells of the life of a FAC pilot in Viet Nam. Great read.
Click to expand...

That was a book about the daily life and workings of a Marine pilot and the F-4 Phantom mostly as a bomber, strengths, weakness and lot of technical detail about how they fought. He admits that some people find the real talk boring, but I found it fascinating. One 'memorable' story he recounted was how the canopy raising strut came loose in a a plane and when the pilot tried to raise the canopy, it instead hit the sear on the ejection seat. He was surprised that the canopy was in perfect shape, but not the pilot.:eek::eek::eek:

Just a lot of stuff you never heard about.

When I was a young teenager I would wake up on a fine morning in my bed with the sun shining and the birds singing and realize how different it would be waking up in Vietnam. 'shudder'.
 
Tom S. said:
I'd give this more than one like if I could. It is an excellent book - so good that I never saw the movie because I knew it could never live up to the book.
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It was produced and directed by Angelina Jolie. I think that basically sums up everything you need to know about the movie.
 
Lost In Shangri-La. A true story about the rescue of the survivors of an Army Air Force plane crash in New Guinea during WWII. The way they were rescued was amazing. I had never heard of this until I read the book. This would make a great movie if it was made right.
 
I have been re-reading portions of a book I read many years ago. It is
THE EDUCATION OF A BEAR HUNTER by Ralph Flowers. He was employed
by a timber protective association to keep the bear population under
control. He killed 1,100 bear in his career.
Many interesting tidbits that any shooter will enjoy. For instance, he
shot a bear with his .270 which shattered the bear's heart, but the
bear still ran 150 yards before expiring. Another incident his .270
bullet ricocheted off a bears skull. He also killed bear with an old
.38 pistol. (I think it was a revolver, but in older days folks didn't
distinguish pistol from revolver.)

Also wanted to add my amen to those who like Unbroken. I loved the
book. Couldn't put it down. The movie was a disappointment.
 
sigp220.45 said:
Empire Of The Summer Moon, by S.C. Gwynne. I just finished it for the second time. The story of the rise and fall of the fearsome Comanche nation. A great read.

Along similar lines is A Fate Worse Than Death by Susan and Gregory Michno, a well researched book about people taken as captives during the Indian Wars. Not for the faint of heart, though.

I just started A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn by James Donovan. Its good so far, too early to recommend.
Click to expand...

I read Empire Of The Summer Moon. Quanah Parker was a brilliant leader. Excellent read
 
Right now I'm reading Preston Tucker and His Battle to Build the Car of Tomorrow. By Steve Lehto.
Just finished reading Fortunate Son by John Fogherty
 
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