Military History

[Electric Beaver]

Got a kindle fire for my birthday recently and looking for more military history books to read. Halfway through Chickenhawk which is excellent, and have read all Stephen Ambrose / Anthony Beevor which were great but struggling for inspiration now. Any time period is good, recently read one about the battle of Towton (largest battle / number of deaths on British soil - estimated at 28,000!!).

Any suggestions?

[jaybarts]

I recently read 'Ten Fighter Boys' which I found a good read as it was written at the time of the war by each individual pilot.

[Vocal Minority]

First Light is a Battle of Britain diary, and very good.

[jaybarts]

I bought and read First Light as well, forgot to mention that one. Another good read where you get the full story from being a school boy to becoming a fighter pilot.
If your after some modern history Dusty Warriors is also good.

[Voldemort]

The Longest Day - Cornelius Ryan. A five star read imho

[marcosgt]

Voldemort said:

The Longest Day - Cornelius Ryan. A five star read imho

I would agree - Reads like a novel, rather than a dry Div XXX went here, rested for two days and then moved there...

I'm reading "Dunkirk - The Men They Left Behind" on my Kindle app at the moment, very interesting account of early WW2 which is usually summed up as "Germans attacked, miracle of Dunkirk, Battle of Britain".

Ed Macy's "Apache" was very enjoyable - British Apache Helicopter pilot in Afghanistan.

M

[Ayahuasca]

'The True History of the Conquest of New Spain' by Bernal Diaz del Castillo - the only first hand account by a Spanish conquistador of the conquest of the Aztecs.


'Sir Francis Drake Revived' - first hand accounts of Francis Drake's 1572/3 raids on the Spanish Main, written for Queen Elizabeth by men who were there. Prepare to swash your buckle and talk like a pirate.


'Cochrane - Britannia's Sea Wolf' by Donald Thomas - real life 'Master & Commander' stuff.


'Redcoat' by Richard Holmes - real life 'Sharpe' stuff.

[Electric Beaver]

Thanks all, some suggestions I haven't read there.

Keep 'em coming!

[dipwing]

Judging by the books offered above, these may be not as highbrow but hey here's a few I've read:

Apache by Ed Macy. Top british army helicopter pilot in one serious bit of flying kit
Hellfire by Ed Macy. The follow-up to Apache
First Into Action by Duncan Falconer. All about his life in the SBS.
Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden. From which the film came.
Bravo Two Zero and Immediate Action by Andy McNab. Read both twice many years ago and enjoyed them.

I believe American Sniper is meant to be good. It's the autobiography of Chris Kyles, "America's most deadly sniper".

[BeansOnToast]

dipwing said:

Judging by the books offered above, these may be not as highbrow but hey here's a few I've read:

I believe American Sniper is meant to be good. It's the autobiography of Chris Kyles, "America's most deadly sniper".

Is that the guy that was recently killed on a gun range?

[badgerade]

BeansOnToast said:

Is that the guy that was recently killed on a gun range?

Yes, the same person. Killed at a shooting range by another ex-soldier (reportedly with PTSD) who he was trying to help.

It's an ok book - I found it a bit 'American' if that makes sense! Covers his SEAL training and tours of Iraq as well as some of his home life in between. If you're after sniper related books,
"Sniper One" is a good read.

[BeansOnToast]

OP are you looking for military battles only or general military books?

Sniper one - dan mills
Soldier against the odds - lofty large
Spearhead Assault: Blood, Guts and Glory on the Falklands Frontlines - john geddes
Sod that for a game of soldiers - mark eyles-thomas
The 13th valley - john m del vecchio. A novel set in vietnam, but an excellent read
The railway man - eric lomax
the day the devils dropped in - neil barber

[BeansOnToast]

badgerade said:

BeansOnToast said:

Is that the guy that was recently killed on a gun range?

Yes, the same person. Killed at a shooting range by another ex-soldier (reportedly with PTSD) who he was trying to help.

It's an ok book - I found it a bit 'American' if that makes sense! Covers his SEAL training and tours of Iraq as well as some of his home life in between. If you're after sniper related books,
"Sniper One" is a good read.

I know what you mean by "a bit American" I read lone survivor by Marcus Luttrell (SEAL unit compromised deep in Afghan territory). Avoid if you find "America is the greatest" and "SEALs are the best" on every page nauseating.

[Electric Beaver]

BeansOnToast said:

OP are you looking for military battles only or general military books?

Bit of both, don't mind really.

Some good suggestions so far, thanks. Spent far to much in the amazon store this week!

[Ayahuasca]

BeansOnToast said:

badgerade said:

BeansOnToast said:

Is that the guy that was recently killed on a gun range?

Yes, the same person. Killed at a shooting range by another ex-soldier (reportedly with PTSD) who he was trying to help.

It's an ok book - I found it a bit 'American' if that makes sense! Covers his SEAL training and tours of Iraq as well as some of his home life in between. If you're after sniper related books,
"Sniper One" is a good read.

I know what you mean by "a bit American" I read lone survivor by Marcus Luttrell (SEAL unit compromised deep in Afghan territory). Avoid if you find "America is the greatest" and "SEALs are the best" on every page nauseating.

I read that too. Agreed. Go USA Hoo-yah!

[Mista_V]

Voldemort said:

The Longest Day - Cornelius Ryan. A five star read imho

An emphatic "yes" on this one from me also - a thoroughly enjoyable read.

The same goes for his other book - a bridge too far, I have still to read his third which is about the final assault on Berlin and is called "The Last Battle."

Right now I'm reading "Centurions - FDR and the commanders he led to victory in World War 2" By Joseph Persico.

This is a new book that came out this year and is part of a goodreads.com book club reading. Really engaging book which delves into the minds of some of the key figures in WW2 - FDR and his relationship with Churchill, Generals: Marshall, MacArthur, Eisenhower, Patton and how their wildly differing personalities all meshed together and were marshaled by their commanders-in-chief.

[rpm1969]

Barbarossa by Alan Clark - very readable history of the Eastern Front in WW2

The Most Dangerous Enemy by Stephen Bungay - a history of the Battle of Britain

Speer - His Battle with Truth by Gitta Sereny - a biography rather than strictly military history - a while since I read it but excellent

And another vote for the Cornelius Ryan books from me

[Ayahuasca]

Agincourt by Juliet Barker

Or, Azincourt by Bernard Cornwell.

One is a non fiction history of the battle, the other is a novel based on the battle.

Great for longbows, bodkin arrowheads, lusty English archers and skewered Frenchies.

[Vocal Minority]

If you are interested in the espionage side, Ben McIntyre is a great read.

Early books such as Agent ZigZag read slightly like a novel - and to an extent the author gets a little carried away with the boys own nature of the story - but it is a great read about one of Britains most notorious double agents in the war, Eddie Champman.

Operation Mincemeat - (the man who never was) is the second book, and equally good.

Double Cross is the best of the three, and is about operation fortitude, which is the deception campaign surrounding D-Day. He manages to keep the pace and feel of the other books, whilst writing it from a critical historical approach also. It is really very good.

[AndyWoodall]

Swordfish by David Wragg

Four Weeks in May by David Hart Dyke

The Circuit by Bob Shepherd