Read a good book lately?

[george formby]

Almost finished The Omnivores Dilemma, fascinating read about food production in the US. I never realised you could do so much with corn & that cattle cannot digest it without antibiotics. I'm off to firebomb a Maccas.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Almost finished The Omnivores Dilemma, fascinating read about food production in the US. I never realised you could do so much with corn & that cattle cannot digest it without antibiotics. I'm off to firebomb a Maccas.

His other one is also good. In a similar vein Taras Grescoe "The Devil's Picnic" talking about the history of prohibition when it comes to plants and alcohol, and the abject failure that is prohibition, of any substance.

[Usarka]

The Lonely Sky, by William Bridgeman.
Published in 1956. The author was the pilot of the Douglas Skyrocket aircraft which was first to set records to 79,000ft and mach 1.88. Essentially writing the book on aircraft development and what was achievable aerodynamically.

+1 for this. I'm half way through and thoroughly enjoying some pioneering aviation history.

This had to be dug out of the archives of the library. Awesome recommendation Swoop, wouldn't have known about it otherwise. Thanks!

[Swoop]

+1 for this. I'm half way through and thoroughly enjoying some pioneering aviation history.

This had to be dug out of the archives of the library. Awesome recommendation Swoop, wouldn't have known about it otherwise. Thanks!

You are very welcome!
Quite amazed that you managed to locate it.
I only stumbled upon it by chance (as you do) and enjoyed it.

Have just finished Sir Frank Whittle's book on the invention of the gas turbine engine which he pioneered. Written around 1950.
Truly remarkable that all of his work could be taken away from him and given to other companies to exploit. Rolls Royce essentially gave up on piston power as they saw the future lay in jet engines.

Another great book is The First and The Last, by Adolph Galland.
From fighter pilot to general of the fighters... and back to a fighter pilot (jet) at wars' end.

[Winston001]

+1 for this. I'm half way through and thoroughly enjoying some pioneering aviation history.

This had to be dug out of the archives of the library.

Ah - that would explain why my library net-search for it was fruitless. Probably get it on interloan, sounds good.

Another great book is The First and The Last, by Adolph Galland.
From fighter pilot to general of the fighters... and back to a fighter pilot (jet) at wars' end.

I read this when I were a lad, having feasted on Bader and others. Must find a copy.

[Winston001]

Future Weapons by Kevin Dockery. http://www.armchairgeneral.com/futur...ook-review.htm

An excellent read if you are interested in pistols, submachine guns, and assault rifles. The title is a bit misleading because the content concentrates on the recent history of weapons development rather than the magical science-fiction type of the future. Nevertheless I enjoyed it and its a pedant's dream. Not only each weapon but its variations are described with photos.

[Swoop]

Have just finished "Dressed to Kill".
The first female Apache pilot in the UK Army. Three tours of Afganistan to boot.

A very different perspective of helicopter combat, as seen through a woman's eyes. Very much reliant on the female comeradere in-theatre, little that there was, and the contact with the outside world.
Was not as good as expected... to begin with, but then rose quite a lot.
2.5*.

[Usarka]

I finished reading "All quiet on the western front" not too long ago, good read

+1 for this. Always thought it was a WWI autobiography, but is in fact a novel written buy a german soldier. I'm sure that the majority of the book is based on actual events.

[sosman]

The Motueka Kid...Josh Coppins is now 7 bucks at The warehouse

[Hurrie]

hey my favourite series is the Shannara series by Terry Brooks, its a bit similar to lord of the rings except in my opinion an hell of alot better (i've read both)

also Mathew Reilly writes a bunch on really amazing action/sci/fi books the last one i read was Scarecrow and that was a pretty wicked book, thinking about re reading all his books again this summer.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I am loving this. Lydon was always the brains of the operation, and this book brings it out. One of the best rock and roll books Ive read. And I've read a few.

Plus, its encouraged me to get out the music of my yoof, and give it a spin again. Fuck yeah....

I'll leave you with one of the defining moments of my generation:

[youtube]MeP220xx7Bs[/youtube]

[Swoop]

Dan Mills is the author of Sniper One.
Just over 100 men spent 23 days straight, holed up in a modern day Alamo in southern Iraq, being mortared, RPG'd and having unguided rockets chucked their way. Having Challenger II main battle tanks being immobilized due to enemy fire is a rare event, but the enemy managed to do just that.
A massive shitfight that the UK MoD attempted to "play down" and even gag the author from publishing this book; which is a shame as it shows the level of soldiering that the UK should be proud of.

A superb read from the Brit side of the battle.

[Katman]

'Up The Blue' by Roger Smith.

A NZ infantryman during WWII - with probably the best account of the Battle for Cassino of the numerous that I have read.

[Winston001]

Dan Mills is the author of Sniper One.
Just over 100 men spent 23 days straight, holed up in a modern day Alamo in southern Iraq, being mortared, RPG'd and having unguided rockets chucked their way. Having Challenger II main battle tanks being immobilized due to enemy fire is a rare event, but the enemy managed to do just that.
A massive shitfight that the UK MoD attempted to "play down" and even gag the author from publishing this book; which is a shame as it shows the level of soldiering that the UK should be proud of.

A superb read from the Brit side of the battle.

Yep excellent book, think I posted on it a while ago.

[HenryDorsetCase]

'Up The Blue' by Roger Smith.

A NZ infantryman during WWII - with probably the best account of the Battle for Cassino of the numerous that I have read.

my partners grandfather died a week or so ago, in his 89th year. He served in France, Italy (Cassino) and in North Africa. Would never ever talk about it.

I would like to find out more, might start with this book. thanks.