What book(s) are you currently reading?
- Thread starter john4psu
- Start date
Currently reading "Gone For Soldiers" (Jeff Shaara) based on a recommendation in a recent thread on this board about the Civil War. Thanks to whoever that was!
I am not sure if that was me or not. "Gone for Soldiers" was the first Jeff Shaara book I read. I am not sure if the reason I liked it so much was because it was the first or because I didn't know anything about the Mexican-American War and that fascinated me, or the a-ha moment when I realized it explains a lot of the reason the South got off to the much better start in the Civil War against the North. Anyway, really cool and it brings General Winfield Scott to life.
Shaara's most recent novel "The Frozen Hours" on the Korean War is fascinating, might be my very favorite, but that's hard to pin down because they are all very good.
I have read all the books out this year by the fiction writers I follow. Am currently reading the non-fiction book "Tools of Titans" by Tim Ferris until "The President is Missing" by James Patterson comes in to my library.
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I checked the thread and it was a poster named "harbest". Anyway, thanks for the recommendation on the Korean War book. I will look for that in the future. Have a good one!
Socialist I suppose.Kilmeade is one part of a box of rocks that Fox tosses into America's living room each morning (the other morning shows are even worse). I'm no historian but I do enjoy reading a good book.
I'm reading:
Several on my bed
Hillbilly Elegy
World War Z (for about the 7th time)
Goodbye Darkness - William Manchester’s memoir of the Pacific War
Hillbilly Elegy
World War Z (for about the 7th time)
Goodbye Darkness - William Manchester’s memoir of the Pacific War
I’m reading When the Lions Roared by Bill Contz. The story of the ’82 Nittany Lions which happened to be my junior year and first year at main campus. I’ve read some stories that I haven’t heard before. I’m up to Sugar Bowl week and can’t wait to find out how we do against Herschel Walker and #1 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl! Who doesn't love a happy ending?
I’m reading When the Lions Roared by Bill Contz. The story of the ’82 Nittany Lions which happened to be my junior year and first year at main campus. I’ve read some stories that I haven’t heard before. I’m up to Sugar Bowl week and can’t wait to find out how we do against Herschel Walker and #1 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl! Who doesn't love a happy ending?[/QUOTE
Rocket Men (story of Apollo 8).
I've been trying to get to some of the books that have been on my shelves for too many years. I was given America Afire, by Bernard A. Weisberger, in 2000 or 2001. My mistake for waiting for so many years to get to this fine book.
The focus of the book is the Presidential election of 1800, in which incumbent John Adams was the standard bearer for the Federalists, and Thomas Jefferson, the sitting Vice President, was the standard bearer for the Democratic-Republicans. However, to properly set the scene for the election, the book examines the on-going polarization of the United States from the years before the Constitutional Convention, until the 1800 election.
After the election the electoral college vote was tied between Jefferson and the other Democratic-Republican that ran, Aaron Burr. Per the Constitution, the outcome of the election was dependent upon the House of Representatives. There was all kinds of high drama, and it took several days, and 36 ballots before a winner was determined. In the end, Jefferson became President, Burr became Vice-President, and outgoing President John Adams quietly left D.C. in the early hours of the morning of the Jefferson's inauguration.
In part due to the 1800 campaign, the 12th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified, which made for direct votes of Vice Presidents. This amendment enabled the country to avoid the problems of 1796 when John Adams's main opponent, Thomas Jefferson, became his Vice President, or the issue of 1800, when Aaron Burr, who was not the standard-bearer of the Democratic-Republicans, nearly became the President, and Jefferson the Vice President.
Weisberger writes in a style that non-historians would like. He doesn't spend pages detailing every aspect that is raised in the book. Those that have an interest in the Founding era, of the conflicts between Adams and Jefferson, of the conflicts between Hamilton and both Adams and Jefferson, will get a lot out of this book.
Branch Line Empires by Michael Bezilla
It’s a history of railroading in Centre and Clearfield Counties. Well done and in depth. A must read for rail fans interested in these areas.
It’s a history of railroading in Centre and Clearfield Counties. Well done and in depth. A must read for rail fans interested in these areas.
And they each had a different approach to the Barbary Pirates.
I've been trying to get to some of the books that have been on my shelves for too many years. I was given America Afire, by Bernard A. Weisberger, in 2000 or 2001. My mistake for waiting for so many years to get to this fine book.
The focus of the book is the Presidential election of 1800, in which incumbent John Adams was the standard bearer for the Federalists, and Thomas Jefferson, the sitting Vice President, was the standard bearer for the Democratic-Republicans. However, to properly set the scene for the election, the book examines the on-going polarization of the United States from the years before the Constitutional Convention, until the 1800 election.
After the election the electoral college vote was tied between Jefferson and the other Democratic-Republican that ran, Aaron Burr. Per the Constitution, the outcome of the election was dependent upon the House of Representatives. There was all kinds of high drama, and it took several days, and 36 ballots before a winner was determined. In the end, Jefferson became President, Burr became Vice-President, and outgoing President John Adams quietly left D.C. in the early hours of the morning of the Jefferson's inauguration.
In part due to the 1800 campaign, the 12th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified, which made for direct votes of Vice Presidents. This amendment enabled the country to avoid the problems of 1796 when John Adams's main opponent, Thomas Jefferson, became his Vice President, or the issue of 1800, when Aaron Burr, who was not the standard-bearer of the Democratic-Republicans, nearly became the President, and Jefferson the Vice President.
Weisberger writes in a style that non-historians would like. He doesn't spend pages detailing every aspect that is raised in the book. Those that have an interest in the Founding era, of the conflicts between Adams and Jefferson, of the conflicts between Hamilton and both Adams and Jefferson, will get a lot out of this book.
My plug for Kilmeade's book.
And they each had a different approach to the Barbary Pirates.
From what I've seen in a couple of reviews (as I stated in an earlier post, I haven't read Kilmeade's book, and don't expect to), Kilmeade gets it wrong with regards to what he claims was the approach of Adams and of Jefferson to the Barbary Pirates. From a review at THIS LINK:
"The major downside of Kilmeade’s effort is that he mistakenly lauds Thomas Jefferson and continually degrades John Adams’ regarding their respective contributions to the building up of an American Navy. This approach is at odds with most other histories of the era and is specifically contradictory to what has been written by David McCullough in John Adams and Ian Toll in Six Frigates. For a historian or a history buff this mistaken focus, unfortunately, detracts markedly from what otherwise would have been a fine book."
The perception is given in the book but it certainly isn't the focus which was the prolonged "war." I found it very interesting.
American valor and fighting ability in that early 19th century conflict became part of the Marine Hymn:
"..to the shores of Tripoli"
The 6 volume "Second World War" by Winston Churchill....almost done with the second volume.....
I’m reading When the Lions Roared by Bill Contz. The story of the ’82 Nittany Lions which happened to be my junior year and first year at main campus. I’ve read some stories that I haven’t heard before. I’m up to Sugar Bowl week and can’t wait to find out how we do against Herschel Walker and #1 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl! Who doesn't love a happy ending?
Now reading Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman. First two chapters are excellent.
A terrific book, with the science very well explained. Some information of note:
- The book does a great job of explaining how the sizes of the earth, moon, and sun, and their relative distances from each other were determined. They are such simple concepts that I had to ask why I didn't think of them myself. It was Eratosthenes, in 240 BC, who came up with a method of determining the Earth's circumference.
- I didn't know this, but Copernicus wasn't the first one to propose that the sun was the center of our solar system, as Aristarchus of Samos had the same idea in around 270 BC. The earth-centered view won out at that time because it "explained" gravity as being an attraction towards the center of the earth, and Aristarchus couldn't explain gravity in his heliocentric model. I thought that was very cool. BTW, Copernicus apparently came up with his ideas without knowing of Aristarchus' work.
- I had thought that the Big Bang model of the universe was validated with the discovery of the cosmic microwave background in 1965, thus confirming a prediction by Herman and Alpher in 1948. Not quite; while the discovery of the CMB was huge, it wasn't until the Eighties that the Big Bang theory could explain the formation of galaxies. Once that was explained, the Steady-State theory was discarded.
A terrific book, with the science very well explained. Some information of note:
Nice book, an easy and smooth read.
- The book does a great job of explaining how the sizes of the earth, moon, and sun, and their relative distances from each other were determined. They are such simple concepts that I had to ask why I didn't think of them myself. It was Eratosthenes, in 240 BC, who came up with a method of determining the Earth's circumference.
- I didn't know this, but Copernicus wasn't the first one to propose that the sun was the center of our solar system, as Aristarchus of Samos had the same idea in around 270 BC. The earth-centered view won out at that time because it "explained" gravity as being an attraction towards the center of the earth, and Aristarchus couldn't explain gravity in his heliocentric model. I thought that was very cool. BTW, Copernicus apparently came up with his ideas without knowing of Aristarchus' work.
- I had thought that the Big Bang model of the universe was validated with the discovery of the cosmic microwave background in 1965, thus confirming a prediction by Herman and Alpher in 1948. Not quite; while the discovery of the CMB was huge, it wasn't until the Eighties that the Big Bang theory could explain the formation of galaxies. Once that was explained, the Steady-State theory was discarded.
Am re-reading The Hot Zone. Saw that its been made into a mini series for TV.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/tv/the-hot-zone/
A terrific book, with the science very well explained. Some information of note:
Nice book, an easy and smooth read.
- The book does a great job of explaining how the sizes of the earth, moon, and sun, and their relative distances from each other were determined. They are such simple concepts that I had to ask why I didn't think of them myself. It was Eratosthenes, in 240 BC, who came up with a method of determining the Earth's circumference.
- I didn't know this, but Copernicus wasn't the first one to propose that the sun was the center of our solar system, as Aristarchus of Samos had the same idea in around 270 BC. The earth-centered view won out at that time because it "explained" gravity as being an attraction towards the center of the earth, and Aristarchus couldn't explain gravity in his heliocentric model. I thought that was very cool. BTW, Copernicus apparently came up with his ideas without knowing of Aristarchus' work.
- I had thought that the Big Bang model of the universe was validated with the discovery of the cosmic microwave background in 1965, thus confirming a prediction by Herman and Alpher in 1948. Not quite; while the discovery of the CMB was huge, it wasn't until the Eighties that the Big Bang theory could explain the formation of galaxies. Once that was explained, the Steady-State theory was discarded.
I feel smarter for just having read your post, LionJim.
In fact, you've given me a great Cliff Notes type version, and I don't feel the need to crack the actual book.
Steve Hodel, a retired LAPD detective does just this when his Father dies at the age of 91yrs, and Steve is given the only personal thing not destroyed...Dr. George Hodel's photo album. There are shocking pictures inside as well as familiar ones, but, none is more soul shattering to Steve than finding two pictures of what looks like Elizabeth Short, The Black Dahlia.
The best part is Steve, through his connections with LAPD, uncovers that the police considered George a suspect at the time of the murders and actually had wire taps going in his house. There are transcripts of some disturbing things that happened in the house, including the possible murder of George's secretary. George moved to Asia and the case was dropped. Man Ray and the director John Huston were also close friends with George. Some creepy shit was going on. George was brought to trial for incest but wasn't convicted.
Very interesting, noir-ish read.
From Wikipedia:
Hodel came to police attention as a suspect for the Elizabeth Short murder in 1949 after the sexual abuse trial; known or suspected sex criminals in the area were being investigated first, and it had come out in that trial that Tamar had allegedly claimed that her father was the Dahlia killer.[1] Hodel's medical degree also aroused suspicion, given the hypothesis that whoever bisected Short's body had some degree of surgical skill. At least eight witnesses claimed first-hand knowledge of a 1946 relationship between Short and Hodel, then back in Los Angeles from China.[1] The full details of the investigation came to light only in 2004, when a "George Hodel–Black Dahlia File" was discovered in the vault at the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office. The file revealed that in 1950, Hodel was the prime suspect of the Dahlia murder. His private Hollywood residence was electronically bugged by an 18-man DA/LAPD task force during the period February 15 to March 17, 1950. The transcripts of conversations revealed Hodel's references to performing illegal abortions, giving payoffs to law enforcement officials, and to his possible involvement in the deaths of his secretary and Elizabeth Short. The DA tapes recorded him saying:[1][3]
Supposin' I did kill the Black Dahlia. They can't prove it now. They can't talk to my secretary anymore because she's dead. They thought there was something fishy. Anyway, now they may have figured it out. Killed her. Maybe I did kill my secretary.
Hodel was also interviewed as a suspect in the nearby June 1949 murder of Louise Springer, the "Green Twig Murder", though evidence to support this accusation was not publicly available until July 2018 (see below).
In October 1949, George Hodel's name was mentioned in a formal written report to the grand jury as one of five prime suspects in the Short murder, but none of the named suspects were submitted to the grand jury for consideration for indictment, as the investigation was still "ongoing". By April 1950, Jemison had gathered enough evidence to charge Hodel and was about to arrest him for the Short murder, when Hodel again left the United States. Living in the Philippines, he started a new family there, and appears to have remained until 1990, finally dying in 1999 in San Francisco without charges ever being filed.
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I'm reading anything I can on the Apollo project. It's been fifty years, yes fifty years since the memorable journey of Apollo 11. I've completed books on individual Apollo missions, the development of the Saturn 5, the Lunar module, the command module etc. Have also read a few biographies. I plan on visiting the Cape next week
When was it first published?
Interesting take by an unbiased military expert, I find most Civil War histories to be pretty heavily slanted- this British general had no regional biases to overcome
For all you history fans:
- Jack Tars and Commodores: The American Navy, 1783–1815 (1984)
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Randomly, there's a PSU connection in the Hot Zone. One of the children of the Doctor at USAMRID is an alum.
I highly recommend EDUCATED by Tara Westover and SPEARHEAD by Adam Makos.
Signature of God by Grant Jeffries. Love history and apologetics, so it’s right down my alley!
I’m reading When the Lions Roared by Bill Contz. The story of the ’82 Nittany Lions which happened to be my junior year and first year at main campus. I’ve read some stories that I haven’t heard before. I’m up to Sugar Bowl week and can’t wait to find out how we do against Herschel Walker and #1 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl! Who doesn't love a happy ending?
Dr. Jaax has been played by Rene Russo and is now being played by Julianna Margulies, can’t help but be impressed.
Anywho...
http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...-13/misc_non_event/varsitys-all-americans.pdf
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Guest
Thanks to the AKB for the recommendations! The two I read so far this year, "The Guns of August" & "Doctor Dealer", came out of here and both were great reads.
