Favorite Books?

[ChiefDunn]

I haven’t read a good book in a long time so I’m making it a priority to read one book per month in 2019.

I love anything history, or war books. I was thinking about The Killing series by Bill O’reily, but I’ll take any recommendations.

 

[RunRonnieRun]

I recently read a novel that moved me more than I can remember a book moving me in years.

‘Southernmost’ by Silas House

 

[FSU_UCLA]

White Noise by Don DeLillo

 

[runkpanole]

Those with pictures in them

 

[Imtotallynottribe]

I just finished The Glorious Cause by Robert Middlekauff. Like every book that tries to cover an entire war it's a little lacking in parts (in particular the battle descriptions are very scant even for "entire war" books) but it was an easy read for a history book and covered the politics and principals of the American Revolutionary War quite well. I’d give it a 4 or maybe 4.5 out of 5.

The book I read before it was Ghenghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford. It tells the history of the Mongols, Ghenghis Khan and his sons by interweaving it with chapters focusing on how his influence shaped the modern world even to this day. Not just in defining borders but things like enforcing freedom of religions. We think freedom of religion is a secular white European thing, but before Ghenghis the Christians were busy burning everybody else at the stake. It was Ghenghis and his sons influence on Eastern Europe enforcing their already utilised and actually novel at the time enforced secular government and freedom of religions that basically shapes Europe and America to this day (a very few times and places had freedom of religion like Rome and Ancient Greece but they had a religious based government). That’s just one small example, they also cover how secular laws were imposed on diverse populations, major innovations in warfare, employment psychological both terror and propaganda campaigns, etc... It’s a really fascinating book, I’d give it a complete 5 out of 5.

The last one isn’t just a straightforward history book, it mixes history with legal, scientific and cultural discussions. If you want my favorite strictly historical book I’ve read recently it’s Civil War on the Western Border by Jay Monaghan. Starting in 1854 it covers the political environment and battles in both the Wakurasa War or “Jayhawk War” that directly preceded the Civil War in Kansas and Missouri as well as the actual Civil War battles and jayhawking raids that occurred there once the violence became continental. Very well written and about an area of the Civil War that is seldom covered (far less people died there than the Eastern and central battlegrounds as a total but as a percentage and duration it was worse), I’d also give this a 5 out of 5.

 

[Imtotallynottribe]

Those with pictures in them

Time to break this one out (which I do in fact own).

Amazon product ASIN 1608879763

 

[Idaho Nole]

I haven’t read a good book in a long time so I’m making it a priority to read one book per month in 2019.

I love anything history, or war books. I was thinking about The Killing series by Bill O’reily, but I’ll take any recommendations.

The Killing books are super good! I’m a history buff and I really enjoy them. My favorites of the series were Killing Patton and Killing Reagan but all of them were good. Also you may enjoy Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen’s books. Valley Forge is good and if I remember correctly they wrote about WWII as well. It’s been a while since I’ve read their stuff.

 

[TPANole]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.overdrive.mobile.android.libby&hl=en

Can't add much as far as book recommendations as I tend to go to John Sandford and Michael Connelly type novels. I did start to use Libby a few years ago to get digital books through the library. Doing a book a week on Kindle started to seem like a waste of money. There may be a wait to get a specific book through the library but I usually have two or three on hold and can find something to fill in if needed.

 

[Gonolz]

Tribe's post.

 

[ggmike1992]

The Killing books are super good! I’m a history buff and I really enjoy them. My favorites of the series were Killing Patton and Killing Reagan but all of them were good. Also you may enjoy Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen’s books. Valley Forge is good and if I remember correctly they wrote about WWII as well. It’s been a while since I’ve read their stuff.

I will second the Killing series. I really enjoyed Killing the Rising Sun. Currently on Killing England.

 

[Squirrel J.]

 

[Finance85]

John Sandford is also one of my favorite authors.

One of my favorite all-time books is Chariots of the Gods. It makes a person think.

 

[TripTych]

The Killing series? Fits the demo for people who think they are watching real news? Might as well recommend a Brian Kilmeade book that I get every year from my in-laws.

Just finished Grant by Ron Chernow. A bit long, but exhaustively researched, and engagingly written.

Also recently finished Bad Blood, The Woman in the Window, and Educated. Those were all published within the year and are all very good. Currently catching up on a few that I missed, Salt to the Sea now and Where the Crawdads Sing next.

 

[More Kirk Less Spock]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.overdrive.mobile.android.libby&hl=en

Can't add much as far as book recommendations as I tend to go to John Sandford and Michael Connelly type novels. I did start to use Libby a few years ago to get digital books through the library. Doing a book a week on Kindle started to seem like a waste of money. There may be a wait to get a specific book through the library but I usually have two or three on hold and can find something to fill in if needed.

I think you can't go wrong with Harlen Coben's Myron Bolitar series for pure escapism combined with mystery. Always fun to think about who to cast in that series if ever made its way onto Netflix. As far as detective/thriller, I really enjoy Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch books....I like the books better than the Amazon series, which is also pretty darned good.

 

[RunRonnieRun]

The Killing series? Fits the demo for people who think they are watching real news? Might as well recommend a Brian Kilmeade book that I get every year from my in-laws.

Just finished Grant by Ron Chernow. A bit long, but exhaustively researched, and engagingly written.

Also recently finished Bad Blood, The Woman in the Window, and Educated. Those were all published within the year and are all very good. Currently catching up on a few that I missed, Salt to the Sea now and Where the Crawdads Sing next.

I keep hearing about Educated. Will have to add that to my list. I recently finished Hillbilly Elegy, which was excellent.

 

[funksouljon]

My favorite book is Pillars of the Earth. Historical fiction by Ken Follett.

Haven't finished a book in a while, but slowly reading Mental Floss History of the United States.

 

[ChiefDunn]

The Killing series? Fits the demo for people who think they are watching real news? Might as well recommend a Brian Kilmeade book that I get every year from my in-laws.

Just finished Grant by Ron Chernow. A bit long, but exhaustively researched, and engagingly written.

Also recently finished Bad Blood, The Woman in the Window, and Educated. Those were all published within the year and are all very good. Currently catching up on a few that I missed, Salt to the Sea now and Where the Crawdads Sing next.

I’m no Bill O’riely fan in terms of his On-Air work. He’s a complete A-Hole, however his work as an Author is outstanding. Also, his work with Fox News has nothing to do with History and his writing. Get a grip.

 

[seminole97]

I’m no Bill O’riely fan in terms of his On-Air work. He’s a complete A-Hole, however his work as an Author is outstanding. Also, his work with Fox News has nothing to do with History and his writing. Get a grip.

I just assumed they were written by Martin Dugard, with O’Reilly taking top billing to ensure sales measured in the millions based on his name.
Like all the ‘Tom Clancy’ books that came out in the decade or so before he died.

 

[Imtotallynottribe]

I’m no Bill O’riely fan in terms of his On-Air work. He’s a complete A-Hole, however his work as an Author is outstanding. Also, his work with Fox News has nothing to do with History and his writing. Get a grip.

I’m sure in all of the books written by BILL O’REILLY..............andmartindugard that literally nothing other than the title page and the forward was actually written by Bill. So that part doesn’t bother me. But I honestly didn’t care for the two I read (Lincoln and Rising Sun). They tried to interweave personal stories in the same chapters and even paragraphs with the larger picture and I didn’t think it worked at all.

I enjoy reading both small personal stories and even collections as well as the larger big picture descripters. But the mix seldom works, the only author I think gets that right on a regular basis (and who is also a caught red handed and later admitted it plagiariser) is Stephen Ambrose (Band of Brothers, Citizen Soldiers, Wild Blue, The Victors etc...).

Of the two Killing books I’d only give them a 2 or so. Not terrible, but I didn’t keep them I donated them to Goodwill after I was done as opposed to keep them which is what I do with the 3 and above history books.

For the OP, I’ve got a literal wall of history books in my spare bedroom all of which Id give a 3 or better. What specific areas of history are you interested in and I can go pull up some Recs? For myself I’m probably most interested in the Revolutionary War, the various colonial wars, WW2, the American Civil War and medieval Britain history in that order. But I’ve got books on basically every scrap the US has been in plus a lot of European and Asian history as well.

 

[funksouljon]

......
Like all the ‘Tom Clancy’ books that came out in the decade or so before he died.

Or Tupac's last albums from the grave.

 

[BlizzardNole]

I enjoyed this one:

 

[TripTych]

I’m no Bill O’riely fan in terms of his On-Air work. He’s a complete A-Hole, however his work as an Author is outstanding. Also, his work with Fox News has nothing to do with History and his writing. Get a grip.

I think you need to do a little more research. If you do not think a man as opinionated as he is would want to slant history towards his world view, you are, as I implied, hearing what you want to hear. Also, why would you want to support a sexual predator? Also, I would encourage you to read up on capitalization of proper and improper nouns.

 

[ChiefDunn]

I think you need to do a little more research. If you do not think a man as opinionated as he is would want to slant history towards his world view, you are, as I implied, hearing what you want to hear. Also, why would you want to support a sexual predator? Also, I would encourage you to read up on capitalization of proper and improper nouns.

sure Thing, paL.

 

[ChiefDunn]

I’m sure in all of the books written by BILL O’REILLY..............andmartindugard that literally nothing other than the title page and the forward was actually written by Bill. So that part doesn’t bother me. But I honestly didn’t care for the two I read (Lincoln and Rising Sun). They tried to interweave personal stories in the same chapters and even paragraphs with the larger picture and I didn’t think it worked at all.

I enjoy reading both small personal stories and even collections as well as the larger big picture descripters. But the mix seldom works, the only author I think gets that right on a regular basis (and who is also a caught red handed and later admitted it plagiariser) is Stephen Ambrose (Band of Brothers, Citizen Soldiers, Wild Blue, The Victors etc...).

Of the two Killing books I’d only give them a 2 or so. Not terrible, but I didn’t keep them I donated them to Goodwill after I was done as opposed to keep them which is what I do with the 3 and above history books.

For the OP, I’ve got a literal wall of history books in my spare bedroom all of which Id give a 3 or better. What specific areas of history are you interested in and I can go pull up some Recs? For myself I’m probably most interested in the Revolutionary War, the various colonial wars, WW2, the American Civil War and medieval Britain history in that order. But I’ve got books on basically every scrap the US has been in plus a lot of European and Asian history as well.

American Civil War and Revolutionary War

 

[Imtotallynottribe]

American Civil War and Revolutionary War

I’ll go through my books and give you some good Recs later tonight. Off the top of my head I really enjoyed the Jay Monaghan book on Kansas I mentioned earlier and if you haven’t read it Washington’s Spies by Alexander Rose which was somewhat turned into the tv series Turn was excellent as well.

 

[funksouljon]

American Civil War and Revolutionary War

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. Everything you need to know about the War of Northern Agression.

 

[surfnole]

Going from memory here.

"Spirit of St. Louis" by Charles Lindbergh about his crossing the Atlantic. Won a Pulitzer prize. He lived a life and did things most men (including me) today would consider "unsafe". Flew the mail routes across the country with fires at waypoints across the country serving as beacons. Dropped a flare onto a farm field to mark a landing spot at night and then slept under the wing after landing.

"Fate is the Hunter" by Ernst K Gann. About the early days of aviation. You likely can't find this new but can find it used. He is a great storyteller.

We should pin this thread too along with movies to watch.

 

[goldmom]

John Sandford is also one of my favorite authors.

One of my favorite all-time books is Chariots of the Gods. It makes a person think.

John Sandford is my favorite fiction writer! I just finished his latest book last week.

 

[SKSnole]

The Gabriel Allon series by Daniel Silva is excellent. Moscow Rules, The English Girl, & The Messenger are some of my favorites.

 

[NoleGrad83]

Non-lawyer Grisham book, Camino Island, is a good read. Involves the theft of the Fitzgerald manuscripts.

 

[TPANole]

For Connelly fans you probably know that Bosch was named after the 15th century painter. They have a good selection of his works at the Prado and I was able to see them when I was in Madrid a few years ago.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/65670/15-things-you-should-know-about-boschs-garden-earthly-delights



The Garden of Earthly Delights is the modern title given to a triptych oil painting on oak panel painted by the Early Netherlandish master Hieronymus Bosch, between 1490 and 1510, when Bosch was between 40 and 60 years old. It has been housed in the Museo del Prado in Madrid since 1939

 

[TennNole17]

Lego instructions.

 

[Pay_county]

If you like to read about the job and are familiar with Tampa I would recommend Cigar City Mafia good book

 

[kj9127]

If you like to read about the job and are familiar with Tampa I would recommend Cigar City Mafia good book

You could also read The White Shadow by Ace Atkins. Great historical novel about Tampa crime family

 

[fmol4]

Non-lawyer Grisham book, Camino Island, is a good read. Involves the theft of the Fitzgerald manuscripts.

Just finished this one recently and it was very good. I'm bouncing back and forth between Lee Child and Grisham lately.

Grisham
Rooster Bar
Sycamore Row
The Confession (similar to Innocence Project)
Child
Worth Dying For
Make Me
No Middle Name (Short stories)

 

[saenole]

Deliverance.

I read this before the movie came out, so it had to be around 1970-71. I was attending some kind of conference at the old hotel at the Jacksonville airport, and the weather was hot and humid and foggy...so the swampy area around the hotel was kind of spooky, particularly at night.

Maybe it was because I was reading it alone, at night, in these surroundings, but there were two or three places in the book where my stomach got so tight I had to put the book down and walk around. Nothing I've ever read has had anywhere close to the same effect.

 

[BelemNole]

Just finished this one recently and it was very good. I'm bouncing back and forth between Lee Child and Grisham lately.

Grisham
Rooster Bar
Sycamore Row
The Confession (similar to Innocence Project)
Child
Worth Dying For
Make Me
No Middle Name (Short stories)

Fmol sighting! Another old timer heard from.

 

[More Kirk Less Spock]

Just finished this one recently and it was very good. I'm bouncing back and forth between Lee Child and Grisham lately.

Grisham
Rooster Bar
Sycamore Row
The Confession (similar to Innocence Project)
Child
Worth Dying For
Make Me
No Middle Name (Short stories)

Child is very formulaic. Entertaining, but no real substance there.

 

[Imtotallynottribe]

American Civil War and Revolutionary War

Here are some pretty solid history books. I'm leaving out the WW1, WW2, European and Asian that I like but I'm including a couple of other American History Books.

Revolutionary War

Washington's Spies by Alexander Rose
Benedict's Navy by James L. Nelson
1776 by David McCullough (fictional but extensively researched to the point it basically is nonfiction)
His Excellency by Joseph J. Ellis
Glorious Cause by Robert Middlekauff
The Swamp Fox: How Francis Marion Saved the American Revolution by John Oller
Valley Forge by Bob Drury
Forced Founders by Woody Holton
West of the Revolution by Claudio Saunt
When the United States Spoke French Five Refugees Who Shaped America by Francois Furstenberg

Civil War

Civil War on the Western Border by Jay Monaghan
Discovering the Civil War in Florida by Paul Taylor
Storm Over the Land by Carl Sandburg
A Vast and Fiendish Plot by Clint Johnson
What They Didnt Teach You About the Civil War by Mike Wright
Florida During the Civil War by John E. John's (much more detailed than the first)
Mosby's Rangers by Jeffry Wert
Confederate Florida The Road to Olustee by William Nulty (by far the most detailed and descriptive about the biggest battle in Florida but barely covers anything else)
The Civil War in the Western Territories by Ray Colton (unlike Monaghan which covers Bloody Kansas and Missouri this covers when Texans tried to seize Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado and their major loss at Glorietta Pass as well as Mormon battles in Utah and various Indian Tribe campaigns as well as the few skirmishes in California)
Rebel Private Front and Rear by William A Fletcher (excellent personal memoirs of a frontline soldier who fought during the Seven Days, Gettysburg, Chickmauga, Manassas, Fredericksburg and more)
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet A Jacobs


Other Early US History

Jefferson's War: America's First War on Terror 1801-1805 by Joseph Wheeden
1491 and 1493 by Charles Mann (two separate books)
Christopher Columbus and the Conquest of Paradise by Kirkpatrick Sale
History of the Second Seminole War by John Mahon
Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne
The Other War of 1812: The Patriot War and the American Invasion of Spanish East Florida by Jamee Cusick
The Blood of Heroes by James Donovan

 

[DanC78]

I’m not big on novels, I know that’s shocking to everyone. But I do read maybe one a year.

My favorite book to date is Unbroken.

It has everything in a story that I enjoy.

First, it’s a true story, I like true stories. Im not sure it’s classified as a biography though.

But yes, juvenile delinquent kid who turns to sports for structure, makes it to the Olympics, meets Hitler, goes to war, flies planes, crashes planes, survives in shark infested waters for 47 days (I believe that’s the longest ever). Becomes PoW, survives, comes back a war hero, PTSD and alcohol begins to destroy him, meets the love of his life, turns his life over to Christ, and then open a non-profit to help troubled kids.

This book has it all. Makes me want to read it again just typing this out.

Highly recommend.

FYI- the movie sucked.

Second favorite is Silver Lining Playbook. It just captured my attention and had me hooked from the beginning. The movie is good, but isn’t near as good as the book. So if you liked the movie you will love the book. Again, just a well told story that keeps you wanting to read more.

Last recommendation is The Old Man and the Sea. It’s a short read by Hemingway (who doesn’t like Hemingway). This might be a book that people read in high school. I didn’t know if it until I was in my twenties. Read it one weekend at the beach and thought it was great.

So there you go...as you can tell I don’t read a lot, my recs are old and dated, but I promise you they don’t suck. So if you haven’t read them, you won’t be disappointed when you do!