What are we reading?

[Airborne Rifles]

I remember War in 2020. I actually finished that one.

Written by Ralph Peters. I can't recall now but was that the novel featuring the new 'Zero', a fifth-gen Japanese fighter? Or was that one of Clancy's books?

I know which book you're talking about. Can't remember the author or title, but it wasn't Clancy.

[Staggerwing]

I remember War in 2020. I actually finished that one.

Written by Ralph Peters. I can't recall now but was that the novel featuring the new 'Zero', a fifth-gen Japanese fighter? Or was that one of Clancy's books?

I know which book you're talking about. Can't remember the author or title, but it wasn't Clancy.

If it jogs anyone's memory, the Zeros had some kind of partial visual stealth ability.

[Toonces]

Embarrassingly I'm just now getting around to reading The Guns of August by Tuchman.  I also have a book in my Kindle called Poilu which is a memoir by an infantryman in WW1.  My WW1 knowledge is hella-weak and playing Verdun has inspired me to learn a bit more.

[BanzaiCat]

Barbara Tuchman, by chance? She writes a lot of history books though I've not read anything by her. I have something of hers on my Kindle called A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century that I want to get to soon.

[Gusington]

I loved A Distant Mirror and The Proud Tower (Europe 1890 - 1914) but you know what? I hated Guns of August! It just bored me to tears. And I will read anything on WWI.

[BanzaiCat]

What about The Arms of Krupp? Anyone read that?

[MetalDog]

I seem to remember reading a positive review of The Arms Of Krupp.  As for A Distant Mirror..., I started it in the height of my Medieval history craze and I gave up.  Don't remember why.  Could have been too dense.  Might have been writing style.  Possibly something shinier came along.  I should get back to it someday.

[Airborne Rifles]

I remember War in 2020. I actually finished that one.

Written by Ralph Peters. I can't recall now but was that the novel featuring the new 'Zero', a fifth-gen Japanese fighter? Or was that one of Clancy's books?

I know which book you're talking about. Can't remember the author or title, but it wasn't Clancy.

If it jogs anyone's memory, the Zeros had some kind of partial visual stealth ability.

Fortunes of War by Stephen Coontz. It was actually pretty terrible.

[Toonces]

A Distant Mirror is fantastic.  Can you believe I picked up a hard copy of that at a thrift shop on the Big Island of all places?  It was sitting outside on the sidewalk on this shelf with some other books, it looked interesting, and for $1 I gave it a try.  I very highly recommend it.

Thanks for the feedback on Guns, Gus.  I'm about 10% in and I am simply bored to tears.  I'm trying so hard to stick with it, but I am having real trouble keeping motivation....it's really bad.

[Gusington]

I felt exactly the same way. I think I got 100 pages in and gave up, which is saying something because my OCD rarely lets me give up...I usually skim and then call it a day. But I too was bored to tears.

[Gusington]

About to start "Murder as a Fine Art" by David Morrell to along with my intro to Assassin's Creed Syndicate.

[Staggerwing]

I remember War in 2020. I actually finished that one.

Written by Ralph Peters. I can't recall now but was that the novel featuring the new 'Zero', a fifth-gen Japanese fighter? Or was that one of Clancy's books?

I know which book you're talking about. Can't remember the author or title, but it wasn't Clancy.

If it jogs anyone's memory, the Zeros had some kind of partial visual stealth ability.

Fortunes of War by Stephen Coontz. It was actually pretty terrible.

Explains why the Zero is the only thing I remember.

[Nefaro]

Embarrassingly I'm just now getting around to reading The Guns of August by Tuchman.  I also have a book in my Kindle called Poilu which is a memoir by an infantryman in WW1.  My WW1 knowledge is hella-weak and playing Verdun has inspired me to learn a bit more.

I'd also recommend checking out some of the WWI pilots' memoirs.  There are some great ones out there.

I think you can find Eddie Rickenbacker's Fighting The Flying Circus for free on the 'net, in the public domain.  Or dirt cheap digital reader versions.  It's a very good read.

No Parachute by Arthur Gould Lee is a similar one, covering an earlier period from a British pilot.

Makes you think those guys were a bit crazy for climbing into those old canvas death traps back then, to be shot at from all directions.  They definitely convey how lucky each thought they were for repeatedly surviving so many brushes with death.

[Airborne Rifles]

I felt exactly the same way. I think I got 100 pages in and gave up, which is saying something because my OCD rarely lets me give up...I usually skim and then call it a day. But I too was bored to tears.

I actually really enjoyed Guns o August, but I also listened to it as an audio book on a road trip. Come to think of it though , it was one of the few audio books the wife has told me she thought was boring...

[Gusington]

I can understand its value as a text, but a lot of.what I read in college and grad school on WWI was much better. GoA was superdry for me.