Book Recommendations

[Glenn E. Meyer]

After Hitler: The Last Days of the Second World War in Europe
by Howard Hughes (Author)

Interesting read about what happened between Hitler's death and VE day. All kinds of machinations and interactions between the Allies, Germans, partisans. Horrific descriptions of the concentration camp liberations.

Interesting little tidbits, as for example, the Czech's revolted in Prague but faced serious opposition from SS units. They were saved by of all things a unit of Russians that were fighting for the Germans and hoped to better their position after the war than face the Soviet Army. Didn't work out so well but it helped the Czechs.

[Medusa]

This is the review of this i posted on Goodreads. A truly excellent and memorable book. Thanks for the suggestion, Blues.

“If you took SLA Marshall’s nonfiction sense of the details of small unit actions generally, and in Vietnam in particular, and added a novelist’s fine eye for motives and appreciation of the complexities combat reveals about those who participate in it, and those who spend time around and love such people, you’d have this book. It’s outstanding.”


Side note. When I was a graduate student, the school I was at had one of the best Vietnam collections in the USA, and I had academic borrowing privileges, meaning I could check out as many books as I wanted. That’s when I found SLA Marshall’s books. I highly recommend them, not just the the Vietnam studies either. His book “The River and the Gauntlet,” about the US Eighth Army’s battles at the Chongchon River, Korea in November of 1950, mentions my father’s unit and fleshed out many of the stories he told me.

I’m gonna start on Kent Anderson’s Sympathy for the Devil. I guess Lester Polfus and CoyotesFan97 have had an influence as that wouldn’t normally have been the kind of book I’d pick up and try.

Speaking of Vietnam war novels..."Matterhorn" by Karl Marlantes may be the best I've ever read.

It is right up there, imho, with the greatest war novels ever written...and I've read hundreds at the very least.

Highest recommendation.

[Coyotesfan97]

I’m gonna start on Kent Anderson’s Sympathy for the Devil. I guess Lester Polfus and CoyotesFan97 have had an influence as that wouldn’t normally have been the kind of book I’d pick up and try.

“The God of War was pleased that night. He had gotten an initiate intro his priesthood.”

It’s a quote from the book during Hanson’s basic training but appropriate

[JSGlock34]

I'm really struggling to finish Brad Tor's The Lions of Lucerne. Do these novels get better? So far his former Olympic skier turned former Ninja Team Six operator turned Secret Service Agent seems like a copy of every other lone wolf super agent who wages his one-man war on politicians, bureaucracy, and the occasional enemy of freedom.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

James Lee Burke - New Iberia Blues - just started it and seems good.

I like Dave but he's getting a little old now for the job. He discussed being old a bit but he's aging out. That's a problem for long running series. I'm about his age and my back is killing me.

The story is interesting as are the characters.

[NEPAKevin]

I'm really struggling to finish Brad Tor's The Lions of Lucerne. Do these novels get better? So far his former Olympic skier turned former Ninja Team Six operator turned Secret Service Agent seems like a copy of every other lone wolf super agent who wages his one-man war on politicians, bureaucracy, and the occasional enemy of freedom.

Yes and no. The Horvath character does have most of the traits and flaws of your typical patriotic political action thriller hero but eventually develops some unique quirks such as a penchant for funk music. I generally like the series and and enjoy Brad Thor's writing . The one thing that kind of grinds on my nerves since someone pointed it out is the shilling of merchandise and brand name dropping. FFS, I spend enough money reading threads on PF.

[Medusa]

Finished Anderson’s Sympathy for the Devil and enjoyed it. It was by turns engrossing, distressing and hilarious, and at times all three at once. I was wrong, it IS the kind of book I’ve read fairly continuously since I was pretty young, like early grade school, and used to get in trouble for reading in class. I thought this book was only partly set in Vietnam and partially a police / crime book. The latter I’ve really never read, or had any idea what would be worth a look, before spending time here. I see now Sympathy is in part a setup for what comes in the next two books, though it also stands up on its own as a fine war novel.

Starting up with Night Dogs today which is clearly the latter sort of book, and thus, essentially new territory for me.

“The God of War was pleased that night. He had gotten an initiate intro his priesthood.”

It’s a quote from the book during Hanson’s basic training but appropriate

[Coyotesfan97]

I’m glad you liked it. I’ve read it repeatedly and it always holds up. Night Dogs is good too.

[Gater]

Thanks @blues and @Rapid Butterfly for the mention of Matterhorn. My father bought me a copy when it came out, and I pulled it off the shelf to re-read on a recent trip. It's a good one.

It also inspired me to re-read (once again) James R. McDonough's non-fiction "Platoon Leader". Highly recommend.

https://www.amazon.com/Platoon-Leade...gateway&sr=8-1

[Medusa]

I’m reading Night Dogs, as I said, and also just started Close Quarters, by Larry Heinemann, another novel of Vietnam. Protagonist seems to be in an M113 unit.