AOSC Forum Archive

So I have been reading the book outlaw platoon since I have nothing better to do since being here at ft. Gordon. I must say this book is very well written and would highly recommend it. I would love to hear what everyone else has read/is reading. I need new ideas after I finish this one.

I just finished Dan Brown's Inferno. Great book, more reminicient of code fortress and the lost symbol than angels and demons (da vinci code suuucked). i could also recommend each book from a song of ice and fire, but id recommed reading them like 3 times each to pick up on everything.

Brother read the Generation Kill

Anything by Ambrose or Clancy is pretty dang good usually, In particular I would reccomend Hunt for Red October by Clancy, and of course Band of Brothers by Ambrose
Norman Schwarzkopf's biography is good, its called It Doesn't Take a Hero
Marine Sniper which is about Carlos Hathcock is a good read.
The Gun, by CJ Chivers is a pretty cool book about the history of the AK series guns
Black Hawk Down is of course a phenomenal read
Panzer Commander, which is the memoirs of Col Hans Von Luck is a good read
Lions of Kandahar, by Major Rusty Bradley is an extremely well written and enjoyable first hand account of a US Army Special Forces(Green Berets) operation in Afghanistan.
The Only Thing Worth Dying For, by Eric Blehm is also a very good account of Special Forces in Afghanistan

If you just want some cool stories, I would suggest looking into Military Sci-Fi

The Posleen War series by John Ringo is pretty dang awesome, Starts with A Hymn Before Battle.
The Honor Harrington Series by David Weber is a sci-fi retelling of the Horatio Hornblower series, and in many ways surpasses the original. This one starts with On Basilisk Station
Tons of the Warhammer 40k series novels are great military sci-fi. In particular the Gaunt's Ghosts series. Starting with First and Only, written by Dan Abnett
Dresden Files, while not exactly military books, tends to be liked by people who like the military style books. Those start with Storm Front, and are by Jim Butcher. Think Harry Potter, except better, and with guns.

I'm a ridiculous reader, with thousands of books read, so if you want more recommendations, just feel free to ask me.

If you want to read some of the best written practical examinations and applications of military principles, along with case in point analysis with thorough explanations, read anything and everything by Bevin Alexander. Then, read it again.

If you want specifics... let me go see what is on my shelf of recently read or reread books (they're all good reads)...

OK, here is most of the good books I have read/reread recently (I know because I keep them on a specific shelf after I read them):

By Bevin Alexander:
-How Wars are Won (Practical analysis and historical examples of the principles of warfare and how they ought best be applied)
-Robert E. Lee's Civil War (Analysis of Lee's campaigns, and the military maxims used wrongly and righty)
-Inside the Nazi War Machine (An astute analysis of the organization and technological differences between the Germans and Allies, and what enabled the massive initial success of Blitzkrieg)
-The Future of Warfare (A thesis of what must change to maintain military supremacy, and why)
-Korea: The First War we Lost (Superb analysis of the Korean conflict and MacArthur, what strategic and tactical decisions were made by both forces, and why and how they succeeded or failed)
-How Great Generals Win (Case studies of how the greatest leaders of warfare have used the right military maxims at the right times)
-How The South Could Have Won the Civil War (Partially a study of logistics and pragmatism, but also largely what Jackson understood but others failed to see, that the nature of warfare had changed)
-How Hitler Could Have Won WWII (Much the same as the above book, it challenges the common rudimentary beleif that Hitler was a military genius (far from it) and that he had superior tanks (he never did, at any point) and instead examines why they were so resoundingly succesful in the early war, and how Hitler repeatedly threw away chances at absolute supremacy over the continent)

Also:
-The Art of War (Sun Tzu) This should be read at least once a year, and not quickly skimmed, it's principles apply to many aspects of life and ought be studied
-The Prince (Niccolo Machiavelli) This too, should be read and studied once a year. It bears some of the most practical and piercing analysis of how to be a leader of men, in the real world, with real examples. I reccomend a translation that includes detailed footnotes that explain in detail many of the examples he cites in the book, so you can better understand his points with proper context.
-Frederick the Great's Letters to His Generals (Frederick II [Hohenzollern] King in Prussia) Detailed instructions for the practice of 18th century warfare
-Samurai (Stephen Turnbull) overview of many aspects of the samurai
-The Encyclopedia of Warfare (Adrian Gilbert) an overview and account of the major wars of history
-The Atlas of WWII (John Pimlott) Maps and explanations of the theatres and major battles
-A River Unvexed (Jim Miles) A very detailed account of the entire campaign for and around the Mississippi during the American Civil War, can be dry at times
-The Atlas of the Civil WAr (James McPherson) Maps and explanations of the theatres and major battles
-Weapon: A visual history of arms and armor
-The Great Book of Tanks (David Miller) Pics, specs, analysis and information about the major tanks throughout history
-Warfare in the Eighteenth Century (Jeremy Black) An overview and account of most major conflicts of the 1700s, from a global perspective, including non-European conflicts, somewhat dry reading

I agree with Henry on The Art of War. It's a must read.

I also enjoyed Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell, and I'm currently reading The Heart and the Fist by Eric Greitens. I'm only halfway through, but it's very good so far.

Marine Sniper is excellent. I've read more Vietnam bios than I can count, but that one stands out. Dick Marcinko's books were good as well.

If you want quick, entertaining reads I recommend WA Johnstone's westerns.

Clive Cussler is one of my all time favorite authors, as is Michael Crighton. I actually don't suggest Clancy, he gets too technical on subjects he barely understands, and his books are nearly as boring as his movies.

Boring movies? Have you not seen the masterpiece that is Hunt for Red October????

Bishop wrote:Boring movies? Have you not seen the masterpiece that is Hunt for Red October????

That was the one with the russian nuclear submarine, right? It just didn't really enthrall me. Neither did those movies with Harrison Ford.

Really? You sound like the sort of person that wouldn't like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

Slight necro, but only a hooligan or ne'er do well of most heathen proportions could hate Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

If you liked Sun Tzu's Art of War, The Book of 5 Rings is also an excellent book.

I've only ever read excerpts. Is there is a specific translation you would recommend?

I would suggest the William Scott Wilson translation for The Book of 5 Rings.