Have You Read Some Interesting Books? (Full Version)

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Von Rom -> Have You Read Some Interesting Books? (7/7/2000 9:02:00 AM)

I always find that when I buy a wargame I usually wind up buying several books to read while I play the game. I find that reading about the battle or war in question makes the game very real to me. And by gaming the battle it allows me to better understand what was involved for the combatants. In addition, I find that you also learn a great deal about history. I have found that some of the best discussions about military history take place on wargame forums [img]http://www.matrixgames.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] Wargamers have to be among some of the best informed people on historical and military subjects that it has been my pleasure to meet. Well, Matrix has done it to me again. Just knowing that "The Wars of Napoleon" and "War in the Pacific" are going to be released within the next couple of months drew me back to the bookstore today. I bought two excellent hardcover books. They are part of "The Cassell History of Warfare" collection. The books in question are: 1)"The Napoleonic Wars" by Gunther Rothenberg 2) "The Second World War in the East" by H.P. Willmott. The title is a misnomer - it's actually about the entire war in the Pacific. Both hardcover books come with very colourful pictures and very detailed maps showing the strategies, battles, formations, tactics, as well as the history of the struggle. They are books that would please the military historian in all us. Now all I need are the wargames to play [img]http://www.matrixgames.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] Does this happen to you as well? Have you read some interesting books too? ------------------ A King Tiger can give you a definite edge...



Jab -> (7/7/2000 12:41:00 PM)

Has anyone here read the book Stalingrad?It came out last year.I usually HATE reading books but this is the only book I've really read without quitting.I read through it in about 3 days.Everything in this book is intresting.Everyone should read this book.Go out and get it now.



Drake666 -> (7/7/2000 12:49:00 PM)

Two Good books With Rommel in The Desert by Heinz Werner Schmidt. The story is about Schmidt from when he first met Rommel to when the african campaign ended. PANZER A Revolution in Warfare, 1939-1945 by Roger Edwards Very interesting book on German armour warfere.



Greg McCarty -> (7/7/2000 1:01:00 PM)

"The Forgotten Soldier" by Guy Sajer. I was inspired to write a book review on this one for a college history class. (Got an A+) This is a must read for anyone interested in a unique story of a 17 year old Alsacian (hope I spelled that right) who ended up on the Russian front.
quote:

Originally posted by Von Rom: I always find that when I buy a wargame I usually wind up buying several books to read while I play the game. I find that reading about the battle or war in question makes the game very real to me. And by gaming the battle it allows me to better understand what was involved for the combatants. In addition, I find that you also learn a great deal about history. I have found that some of the best discussions about military history take place on wargame forums [img]http://www.matrixgames.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] Wargamers have to be among some of the best informed people on historical and military subjects that it has been my pleasure to meet. Well, Matrix has done it to me again. Just knowing that "The Wars of Napoleon" and "War in the Pacific" are going to be released within the next couple of months drew me back to the bookstore today. I bought two excellent hardcover books. They are part of "The Cassell History of Warfare" collection. The books in question are: 1)"The Napoleonic Wars" by Gunther Rothenberg 2) "The Second World War in the East" by H.P. Willmott. The title is a misnomer - it's actually about the entire war in the Pacific. Both hardcover books come with very colourful pictures and very detailed maps showing the strategies, battles, formations, tactics, as well as the history of the struggle. They are books that would please the military historian in all us. Now all I need are the wargames to play [img]http://www.matrixgames.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] Does this happen to you as well? Have you read some interesting books too?



herr1 -> (7/7/2000 2:09:00 PM)

Id like to support Greg's reccomendation concerning Forgotten Soldier. It certainly shows many of the inadequacies of the mighty German war machine on the Russian front later in the war. its a pity the campaign game can't reflect this more accurately.



Fabs -> (7/7/2000 5:25:00 PM)

The forgotten soldier is an excellent book. Also good is Stalingrad by Anthony Beevor. There is an excellent Internet site that specializes on World War II. http://www.sonic.net/~bstone/links.html Their book search engine will find anything. ------------------ Fabs [This message has been edited by Fabs (edited 07-07-2000).]



von Curow -> (7/7/2000 5:29:00 PM)

Reading warbooks is my biggest hobby! I have to second (third?) the comment about The Forgotten Soldier. Apparently there is some controversy about whether Sajer made the whole thing up, but I have to say that even if he did it is still a GREAT warbook. And IMO it has the ring of truth to it. A book I just finished reading a couple weeks ago is Donald Burgett's Seven Roads to Hell. He was a paratrooper and the book is about the Battle of the Bulge. Good stuff, and is available in a $6.50 paperback format right now. If you are interested in warbooks, I have compiled a small online list of great books, with reviews and excerpts. You can visit my website, The Literate Hussar: http://members.xoom.com/KCurow/hussar/index.html And I would love to have some submissions of reviews along the same format, if anyone gets the bug after visiting the site. I'm actually going to update the site in a little while, to get rid of the frames... And this isn't advertising, since I don't make any money off the site. Later, KC



cward -> (7/7/2000 7:26:00 PM)

If I could recommend one, try Richard Overy's WHY THE ALLIES WON, it gives you lots of food for though on the big picture of WWII, and how the'Materials War' was fought.. Another interesting one is By R.O. also entitled Russias war good overview of the logistics of the Great Patriotic War. I am reading INVASION THEY ARE COMING! by Paul Carel, an interesting look at D-Day from the German perspective.. Chris



Spunkgibbon -> (7/7/2000 8:18:00 PM)

quote:

Originally posted by Jab: Has anyone here read the book Stalingrad?It came out last year.I usually HATE reading books but this is the only book I've really read without quitting.I read through it in about 3 days.Everything in this book is intresting.Everyone should read this book.Go out and get it now.
I completely agree. I read Stalingrad earlier this year and it's one of the best books I've ever read. I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it either, Jab. It's one of those books that covers the wider picture one moment then can zoom right in on the minutiae. It involves the human elements of the battle but still manages to keep it's objectivity as a history book while at the same time reading almost like a novel. Everyone can learn something from this book. Go ye to Amazon and order it. You won't regret it.



von Curow -> (7/7/2000 8:57:00 PM)

Has anyone read "A War to be Won"? It came out fairly recently in hardcover and got some good reviews. Just curious for someone's opinion on it, before I shell out the bucks (well, the D-Marks) for it.



Von Rom -> (7/7/2000 10:26:00 PM)

Oh, no - after reading about some of your book selections - I'm getting the urge to go visit my bookstore again [img]http://www.matrixgames.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] There is an excellent 3 volume biography on Erwin Rommel that I have read at least three times. It's a gripping, fast-moving, action-filled story that combines great insight into the man's military genius, his tactics, and legendary tank battles. The stories of his battles will keep you glued to your seat. You almost feel like you are there on the battlefield. It is often difficult to find a writer that has that quality of narration. It's one of those books that you will find yourself reading, again and again: (1) "Triumphant Fox"; (2) "Rommel's Desert War"; and (3) "Rommel's Last Battle", by Samuel W. Mitcham. Jr. (Jove Books, N.Y., 1991). ***** (5 stars). If you can find these books - buy them [img]http://www.matrixgames.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] They make excellent reading while playing Steel Panthers: World at War. ------------------ A King Tiger can give you a definite edge...



Michael Peck -> (7/7/2000 10:39:00 PM)

Take a look at The Military Book Review (www.themilitarybookreview.com). Among the most recent books we have reviewed are "Carrier Strike," "Flawed Victory," "Inside Hitler's High Command" and "Two Sides of the Beach." Mike Michael Peck Editor The Military Book Review www.themilitarybookreview.com



Larry Holt -> (7/7/2000 10:48:00 PM)

I liked The Fall of the Third Republic by William Shire. Its a very readable book about the fall of France. I also liked any book by Sven Hassel (comrades of war, SS General). He was a dane who ended up in the Wehremacht panzertruppen. His first book was a graphic semi-autobiographical account of armored warfare from a soldiers view told as a novel. It was successful so he continuted the characters (including some who died in the first book) in a series of historical fictional novels. ------------------ An old soldier but not yet a faded one. OK, maybe just a bit faded.



Fabs -> (7/7/2000 11:15:00 PM)

Sven Hassel's books were gripping reading! Did you know that one of them was made into a movie? It was entitled "Wheels of terror". Unfortunately it was not the greatest war movie ever made. ------------------ Fabs



Wild Bill -> (7/7/2000 11:37:00 PM)

For those interested in scenario design or reading about scenarios that have been designed, I have a small list of books that are constant sources for me. Here it is. Books for Ideas for Scenarios – Combat Mission The US Army in World War II Series, publisher: US Govt Printing Office Some 25 volumes. Every amateur historian and scenario designer should have the complete set. Nothing better. GENERAL There’s a War to be Won, Perret Delivered from Evil, Leckie Heroes of World War II, Murphy Battles and Battlescenes from WW2 Daring to Win, Eshel Bravery in Battle, Eshel Tank Aces, Zumbro Tank Aces, Forty Iron Cavalry, Zumbro Tank Commanders, Forty Clash of Chariots, Donnely and Naylor These are for the Western Front, 1944-45. I have other lists for East Front, Pacific and Mediterranean. Enough for a start... D-Day Operation Overlord Series (4), Order of Battle, Christopher Chant, editor Swords and Plowshares, Maxwell D. Taylor The 101st Airborne at Normandy, Bando Band of Brothers, Ambrose Overlord, Hastings D-Day, Ambrose NORMANDY Panzertruppen II, Jentz Churchill’s Desert Rats-Normandy to Berlin, Delaforce Invasion! They’re Coming, Carell Panzers in Normandy, Then and Now, Lefevre Normandy, Essame Death Traps, Cooper Beyond the Beachhead, Balkoski Six Armies in Normandy, Keegan Steel Inferno, Reynolds The 12th SS Panzer Division, Walther The Blood Soaked Soil, Williamson Hell on Wheels, Houston Strike Swiftly, Jensen FRANCE The View from the Turret, Folkestad St. Lo, Us Army Historical Division The Clay Pigeons of St. Lo, Johns Against the Panzers, Karamales MARKET GARDEN-WEST WALL Operation Dragoon, Bruer Death of a Nazi Army, Bruer August, 1944, Miller A Bridge too Far, Ryan Division Commander, Miller THE ARDENNES A Dark and Bloody Ground, Miller Battle of the Bulge, Parker Bastogne, the First Eight Days, Marshall Hitler’s Last Gamble, Dupuy The Devil’s Adjutant, Reynolds A Time for Trumpets, MacDonald A Blood Dimmed Tide, Astor Bastogne and the Ardennes Offensive, Arend FINAL BATTLES Battle of the Ruhr Pocket, Whiting One More River, Allen These have all proven to be a big help to me. ------------------ In Arduis Fidelis Wild Bill Wilder Coordinator, Scenario Design Matrix Games



Charles22 -> (7/7/2000 11:48:00 PM)

I liked 'Panzer Commander' and there was a book whose title I don't recall which described Das Reich's involvement in the war, which was interesting. I believe, the book 'Desert Fox' (I think that was the title) was written by the man who saluted Rommel in the Desert Fox movie, which was definitely an interesting book. I'm currently reading a mega-book called 'Russia at War' by Alexander Werth (some 1100 pages). A comment by William Shirer says, "Magnificent...the best book we shall probably ever see in English on Russia at war!" I have a couple of interesting quotes I just read today at lunch, pg. 268 (this was the winter of '41) "With the Germans mostly dug in, and the Russians advancing, the conditions created by a particularly harsh winter ultimately affected the Russians more than it did the Germans." Also...pg. 270 "On the whole the Red Army also lacked large mechanised and armoured units, which greatly reduced the troops' striking force and the speed of their advance; the Germans, on the contrary, used concentrated tank formations in their counter-attacks, even in the winter conditions of 1941-2."



von Curow -> (7/8/2000 1:46:00 AM)

Hey, Mike, still waiting on that link... ;-)
quote:

Originally posted by Michael Peck: Take a look at The Military Book Review (www.themilitarybookreview.com). Among the most recent books we have reviewed are "Carrier Strike," "Flawed Victory," "Inside Hitler's High Command" and "Two Sides of the Beach." Mike Michael Peck Editor The Military Book Review www.themilitarybookreview.com



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