The Book Topic.

[Dave Ward]

WE Johns ( Biggles ), and to a certain extent CS Forester ( Hornblower ) were the last of the 'Empire' writers, who depicted the British Empire as the civilising force in the world. I suppose Rudyard Kipling is the only one whose name may be familiar today, but Captain Marryat, AEW Mason & GA Henty were very popular at the turn of the 20th Century. Of course, all these writers are now labelled as jingoistic, racist, misogynistic - all very much non-p.c.! I doubt very much whether anyone reads them today, or in fact are available, other than antiquarian bookshops, like those in Hay-On-Wye - which is a fascinating place if you are a book lover, due to the large number of bookshops!
Dave

[Tim Marlow]

W. E. Johns and C.S. Forester are still in print Dave. They are labelled with the “istics” because, well, to be honest they fit them rather well. Doesn’t stop them being fun reads though. They are part of a literary tradition that petered out with Dan Dare, Alf Tupper, and Wilson of the Wizard……I find it amusing that these labels are not used for “great” authors such as Jane Austin and Dickens though…..the latters description of Fagin, for example, is frankly nothing more than stomach churning antisemitism. .
Must get to Hay on Wye sometime though, even if I do have too many books already!

[Dave Ward]

Three words that will only mean something to lads of a certain age!
Chung
Clicky-Ba
Wolf of Kabul
Dave

[Tim Marlow]

Three words that will only mean something to lads of a certain age!
Chung
Clicky-Ba
Wolf of Kabul
Dave

That’s six words LOL. I wonder how many kids got brained by a cricket bat while playing that though…..

[JR]

Been reading this on and off for weeks, normally I have book on the kindle as I can increase the print size .

The story of the Austin Family's involvement in building Russia's first industrial's city.

[wotan]

For all you seafaring fans, (o'Brien and others) You should try the Julian Stockwyn series. Similar to the others but much better than most.
Also if you like reading about WW1 try Mallinson "fight the Good Fight" and particularly "Too Important for the Generals"
Finally Allan Mallinson has written a brilliant series of novels charting the life of a cavalry officer serving in the Light Dragoons in the early to middle 19th century (Matthew Hervey). As an ex officer of light cavalry this series is about as true to life as you can get.

John

[Neil Merryweather]

For all you seafaring fans, (o'Brien and others) You should try the Julian Stockwyn series. Similar to the others but much better than most.
Also if you like reading about WW1 try Mallinson "fight the Good Fight" and particularly "Too Important for the Generals"
Finally Allan Mallinson has written a brilliant series of novels charting the life of a cavalry officer serving in the Light Dragoons in the early to middle 19th century (Matthew Hervey). As an ex officer of light cavalry this series is about as true to life as you can get.

John

Totally agree about Malinson- an excellent series.

[Neil Merryweather]

Following on from Masters of the Air I'm now reading Serenade to the Big Bird by Birt Stiles, a B17 pilot who died near the end of the war having transferred to Mustangs. The book was published posthumously from his writings. Very much 'from the horse's mouth'.
I can also recommend anything by Ernie Pyle, an American war correspondent who travelled with GIs, always close to the front lines, and again reflects the feelings of the time without hindsight or qualification.

[BarryW]

For all you seafaring fans, (o'Brien and others) You should try the Julian Stockwyn series. Similar to the others but much better than most.
Also if you like reading about WW1 try Mallinson "fight the Good Fight" and particularly "Too Important for the Generals"
Finally Allan Mallinson has written a brilliant series of novels charting the life of a cavalry officer serving in the Light Dragoons in the early to middle 19th century (Matthew Hervey). As an ex officer of light cavalry this series is about as true to life as you can get.

John

I have read a few of the Julienne Stockwyn series, quite a long time ago now and yes, they were very good. I have also, arou d that same time, read some of the Mallinson books which are a bit after the Sharpe era. They were good too. I must catch up with both of those and read some more.

[minitnkr]

For more modern tastes: Not a Good Day to Die, No Easy Day, One Million Steps, The Operators.

[Peter Gillson]

Her is my (late) contribution, both biographies:

the first is Carton de Wairt VC, a real 'boy's own hero, if his life were a film nobody would believe it was true!



the second is also an inspirational person, the first woman to join the French Foreign Legion

Both books are well worth a read, I've read both more than once.

Peter

[The Smythe Meister]

Well,i could list quite a few,but THIS is my favourite......

It`s not just WW2,it follows the experiences of an SS Chap in the Balkans at the last knockings of that conflict,through his joining the Foreign Legion and his exploits in the origins of the Vietnam War.
Jury`s out as to whether it really is a true account,(I personally think it basically IS true,but just exaggerated here and there),if it is,then it`s an astonishing tale...... if it isn`t,then it`s still an incredible read and i heartily recommend it:thumb2:!!
Andy

[Graeme C.]

A Bridge Too Far by Cornelius Ryan, the definative account of Operation Market Garden.
Operation Pedestal by Max Hastings, the story of the convoy to supply Malta.
First Overland by Tim Slessor, the one I'm reading now, the story of a journey from London to Singapore in the 1950's. Interesting travel book of the journey in two Land Rovers, at a time when colonialism was ending and the world was changing.

[Tim Marlow]

Don’t think anyone has added this one yet…

Great book that led to a great film, and a later good film….

[Neil Merryweather]

This is an excellent fictionalization of the real diaries of a VAD , real muck and bullets stuff, very moving and especially from a different Point of view