IGX

Our head judo coach will be out for a month from recent back surgery, a perk, he calls it, from 26 years of jumping from airplanes into foreign lands. He was a Ranger and then SF. Loves to read about military history. Any of you guys know of a good book I could get him to keep him occupied? I'm looking for something besides the normal New York Times bestseller stuff that everybody reads. Thanks in advance.

My Commando Operations by Otto Skorzeny
Unrepentant Sinner by Col. Charles Askins
War of the Flea by Robert Taber

Bomber by Len Deighton
The Silent War by Peter Stiff

The Red and Green Life Machine: Diary of the Falklands Field Hospital by Rick Jolly

The war magician- David Fisher. Interesting book about the use of magicians illusions within the allies campaign against the nazis.

It's a pretty quick read. Shouldn't take more than a couple of nights or so.

Not quite military history, it's historical fiction heavily steeped in military history (though of course any events in it are not historical): Master and Commander (and the rest of the series by Patrick O'Brian). The first book is somewhat based on Admiral Cochrane's early career. One book in the series is somewhat of a very slightly fictionalized military history: The Mauritius Command, about an obscure campaign to oust the French from Mauritius. Later books explore the War of 1812 a lot (from the naval angle).

As for actual military history: Perilous Fight, which explores the War of 1812 from a naval angle on the American side.

Not quite military history but very intertwined with the military: Moscow, December 25, 1991 is an extremely good book about the last day of the Soviet Union.

Military history is a pretty broad topic. Is there any particular period or conflict that he's into?

Autobiography of US Grant.

Actually Ghost written by Mark Twain.

Read Gone for Soldiers by Jeff Shaara first to really grasp Grant and Lee.

Not history, but a good book. Starship Trooper by Heinlein or Armour by Joel Steakly

"Hell in a Very Small Place" by Fall
http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG7lOn ... 030681157X

powerlifter54 wrote:Autobiography of US Grant.

Actually Ghost written by Mark Twain.

Read Gone for Soldiers by Jeff Shaara first to really grasp Grant and Lee.

I'll check that one personally. I liked Lee: The Last Years.

Thanks for the recs, guys. It appears I need to do some reading myself.

Roman era books: Theodore Dodge (Hannibal is excellent)
Modern war (with a focus on France): Alistair Horne (pick anything)

I received my MA in History with a focus on American Military and International History, so these are a bit academic, but solid reads in the field:

Matheny, Carrying the War to the Enemy: American Operational Art to 1945

Hamner, Enduring Battle: American Soldiers in Three Wars, 1776-1945 (Modern War Studies)

May, Knowing One's Enemies: Intelligence Assessment Before the Two World Wars

Jones, The Wizard War: British Scientific Intelligence 1939-1945

All are available on Amazon.

Memoirs of General W.T. Sherman

Good stuff from the guy who changed warfare forever.

Citizen Soldier

Excellent one by Stephen Ambrose about the American effort in Europe during WWII.

About Face

Autobiography by David Hackworth, one of the most decorated soldiers ever. Pulls no punches.

Marine! The Life of Chesty Puller

Bio of the legendary Lieutenant General Lewis "Chesty" Puller.

I'll also second the recommendation on the Patrick O'Brian books. Very full of accurate details that bring it to life.

If he likes classic SciFi, Enders Game, I Dorsai, Gaunts Ghosts.

Once An Eagle by Anton Myrer historical fiction, WWI through Vietnam, awesome

Phase Line Green- Hue City by a platoon commander who lost all but four Marines

I've got more, I'm a geek and I read a bunch. Post them up later.

Mustang. Autobiography by and about Gerald P. Averill a WWII Marine.

tzg wrote:Not quite military history, it's historical fiction heavily steeped in military history (though of course any events in it are not historical): Master and Commander (and the rest of the series by Patrick O'Brian).

I'll second this. If he takes the hook on the first book, he'll be wishing he had more downtime in order to finish the series. Uniformly awesome.

http://www.amazon.com/Popskis-Private-C ... 0304361437
http://www.amazon.com/The-Chindit-War-S ... 361&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Night-Wingat ... 751&sr=8-1

Currently reading "American Sniper". It is about Navy Seal sniper Chris Kyle who has
the highest number of confirmed kills ever for a US serviceman. Way above Gunny
Carlos Hathcock's official number.

http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG7mIv ... 20Anaconda
Not a Good Day to Die.

tough old man wrote:http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG7mIv ... 20Anaconda
Not a Good Day to Die.

Should be required reading for every senior Officer in Command.

powerlifter54 wrote:Autobiography of US Grant.

Actually Ghost written by Mark Twain.

Read Gone for Soldiers by Jeff Shaara first to really grasp Grant and Lee.

I am friends with a friend of Shaara, he suggest I read Gone For Soldiers and it was very good. It goes with his father's The Killer Angels as books the boy's will have to read.

tough old man wrote:http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG7mIv ... 20Anaconda
Not a Good Day to Die.

Just finished that one. Great fucking book....wish the zeros I work for thought the same way.