What Are You Currently Reading?

[CQB]

Have you read Guns, Germs, and Steel or Collapse by Jared Diamond? If you have, how would you compare them to Civilization?

GJ&S is pretty good, but I haven’t read Collapse. Ferguson has a broader sweep than Diamond and has more unique insights from an economic perspective. He has a lot to say about America which is enormously positive and for me it was quite the reveal.
I haven’t read GJ&S for quite a while but the main difference is how societies fail. Ferg analyses how they succeed. In particular he explains the difference between Bolivar and Washington, or more pointedly North and South America and how the North was successful.

To add, Ferg delves into the decline of the church in Europe which is an interesting topic, given the conversation in another thread.

 

[Marauder06]

GJ&S is pretty good, but I haven’t read Collapse. Ferguson has a broader sweep than Diamond and has more unique insights from an economic perspective. He has a lot to say about America which is enormously positive and for me it was quite the reveal.
I haven’t read GJ&S for quite a while but the main difference is how societies fail. Ferg analyses how they succeed. In particular he explains the difference between Bolivar and Washington, or more pointedly North and South America and how the North was successful.

To add, Ferg delves into the decline of the church in Europe which is an interesting topic, given the conversation in another thread.

I was super excited when my teenage daughter came home and asked me for a copy of Guns, Germs and Steel because it was an option for an assignment she had in high school.

I was even more excited when I was immediately able to locate my copy and provide it to her :)

 

[CQB]

GJ&S get a run in Fergs book, ditto for Huntington.

 

[AWP]

Rick Atkinson's second book in the Revolution Trilogy releases on the 29th. His Liberation Trilogy on WWII is phenomenal as is his first book in this series. I don't even have to read his new book to know it is a banger,

 

[Devildoc]

Rick Atkinson's second book in the Revolution Trilogy releases on the 29th. His Liberation Trilogy on WWII is phenomenal as is his first book in this series. I don't even have to read his new book to know it is a banger,

His stuff is phenomenal.

 

[BloodStripe]

Target accidentally included the Master and Commander series in a box of shit my wife ordered. So that series will be my next read through.

Just finished Origin by Dan Brown before that. It was your typical Dan Brown story, entertaining.

 

[BloodStripe]

Rick Atkinson's second book in the Revolution Trilogy releases on the 29th. His Liberation Trilogy on WWII is phenomenal as is his first book in this series. I don't even have to read his new book to know it is a banger,

Just ordered the Liberation Trilogy. Thanks for the recommendation of the author.

 

[AWP]

Just ordered the Liberation Trilogy. Thanks for the recommendation of the author.

You will not be disappointed.

Book 2 in Revolution has so far focused on 4 people: Marie Antoinette and her hubby the king, Ben Franklin, and Maquis de Lafayette. I thought I knew her level of detachment and ostentatious. Wow, I wasn't even close. I also wasn't aware that the French were supporting the "rebel scum" as early as they did and with as much as they did. Most US history classes make it sound like the French showed up in the last stages of the war, not in 1776.

By focusing on the above people, Atkinson weaves in French support for America, British efforts to thwart that support, Franklin being one of the most sought-after people in France during the late 1770's, Lafayette's struggles to leave for America, the effects of Aermican privateers even very early in the war (they were FAR more successful and effective than I thought), social and political views on the war, French motivations, and strategy...the list goes on. At one-point, French support for America coupled with a French naval build up was pitting the British merchant marine against itself, causing a minor crisis in England. Yes, France was hiring British ships to carry goods to America in support of the Americans.

An absolute banger and I'm only a few chapters into the book.

 

[amlove21]

Crushed "Follow the Money" and "Government Gangsters" from the FBI leadership, both great.

I am desperately trying to get through "Provoked", but man is it dense- the footnotes are about half the page, it's incredibly well supported but not an easy read by any stretch.

 

[BloodStripe]

Quite a while ago I had ordered ‘Monte Cassino: The Hardest Fought Battle of World War II" by Matthew Parker’

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0385509855/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0

I haven’t had a chance to read all of it but with the end of the battle anniversary coming up, I’m pausing reading the Aubrey-Maturin series and finishing it that. I also found a multi day tour that I’m hopefully going to do later this summer.

Monte Cassino Battlefield Tour by Historian Dr. Danila Bracaglia

ETA: In the fastest OCONUS delivery ever, I’ve already received one of the books for the Liberation Series which is perfect timing since I have a lengthy train ride coming in a few weekend.

 

[AWP]

Quite a while ago I had ordered ‘Monte Cassino: The Hardest Fought Battle of World War II" by Matthew Parker’

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0385509855/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0

I haven’t had a chance to read all of it but with the end of the battle anniversary coming up, I’m pausing reading the Aubrey-Maturin series and finishing it that. I also found a multi day tour that I’m hopefully going to do later this summer.

Monte Cassino Battlefield Tour by Historian Dr. Danila Bracaglia

ETA: In the fastest OCONUS delivery ever, I’ve already received one of the books for the Liberation Series which is perfect timing since I have a lengthy train ride coming in a few weekend.

Normally the lack of photos and maps on my Kindle doesn't bother me. A physical copy of that series is a must, the second book has a ton of excellent maps which don't translate very well to a Kindle.

I'm in the middle of Saratoga right now. History classes didn't teach me shit about that war. We had more losses in '77 than the Republican Guard, but our spin to the people was next level. If I had a nickel for every time the militia dropped their weapons and ran I could have at least a Chik-Fil-A combo w/ a large sweet tea. And Washington? Not that good of a general so far, he'd have been fired in WWI or WWII.

 

[Gunz]

Target accidentally included the Master and Commander series in a box of shit my wife ordered. So that series will be my next read through.

Brilliantly written. Every book.

 

[Devildoc]

Brilliantly written. Every book.

On my list.

Halfway through With the Old Breed by Eugene Sledge, probably the best account of Peleliu.