All About Pocket Knives

All my library system has available is "The conquering tide : war in the Pacific Islands, 1942-1944"

Right now I'm reading a Matt Hilton book, who is a new author to me. It's not going well and Matt may make an early return to the library. I also have a Richard North Patterson book in the queue.

Yesterday I picked up W.E.B. Griffin's "Retreat Hell", the tenth and final book in the 'Corps' series. I've read and have/had the first nine in paperback lying around here for years but I don't have and can't remember if I read #10. I do recall having trouble finding it in paperback. Oh well, it's been so long since I read the series, it will be new to me even if I did read it.

Yep. That's the title I'm currently reading, the second of three that will cover the war. Not sure the 3rd is on the street or not.

I'll put that on my to read list. I hope it isn't dust dry - date, location & participants.

steve99f wrote:Just finished Pacific Crucible:War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942 by Ian Toll. I now have in hand his second of the trilogy, The Conquering Tide that takes it to where the first left off, after Midway and goes from mid 1942 to mid 1944. Just outstanding from any point of view. Just now telling the Guadalcanal story.

Looks like I've got another author to run down.

jerryd6818 wrote:I'll put that on my to read list. I hope it isn't dust dry - date, location & participants.

You won't be disappointed.

Tony if you like military history, this is the book(s) for you. If I had to pick one word to describe, it would be comprehensive.

I just started reading The Operator, by Robert O'Neill.
https://www.amazon.com/Operator-Firing- ... l+Operator

Blue, let us know what you think of it.

Got this for my birthday. It's the third book in the Amos Decker series that started out with Memory Man.

rangerbluedog wrote:I just started reading The Operator, by Robert O'Neill.
https://www.amazon.com/Operator-Firing- ... l+Operator
516iwQm+5qL.jpg

jerryd6818 wrote:Blue, let us know what you think of it...

Just finished it, and I must say it is a page turner! I was a little bored during the first 4 chapters. O'Neill could have used a better editor in the first part of the book. He has a great sense of humor, and describes events in great detail. This is exciting and informative during the latter part of the book. But I did not care to read about how much he loved mashed potatoes and gravy during his childhood, or how many times he jumped off the roof. In either attempts at humor, or trying to add too much information in a single sentence, his writing is sometimes too wordy and distracting. (I can relate)

I was also a little put off by the "redacted" portions of the book. Totally unnecessary in my opinion. For instance, evidently he was barred from mentioning SEAL Team Six by name, so he wrote it in the book as SEAL Team ___. But he intentionally reveals who he is talking about in a segment where he mentions that SEAL Team One was on the West coast, and SEAL Team Two was on the East coast, so the new team was named SEAL Team ___, in order to make the Russians wonder where the heck were Seal Teams three through five.

This bit of word play aside, I know that O'Neill has been criticized by some people, saying he was a glory hound, and that he "put other operators at risk" by revealing strategies, tactics, and equipment of our armed forces. Personally, I think this is all jealousy and a load of horse manure. He does mention some tactics and strategy, but nothing that is not readily available in non-classified army manuals and news reports.

He gives graphic details of killing terrorists and makes no apologies for doing so. His descriptions are in a matter-of-fact manner that seem to be an understandable way of dealing with the bloodshed he has seen and brought about. But I did not get the impression that he was bragging about the killing, nor that he enjoyed it.

The book really picks up steam after about the fourth chapter. He details his extensive training, and makes you feel the pain and stress of Hell week.
This guy was part of the search for Marcus Luttrell, Beux Bergdall. Part of the rescue of Captain Phillips, also. He fired the shots that killed Osama Bin Laden. He was part of over 400 operations in the 16 years as a SEAL.

All in all, I would highly recommend this book. Robert O'Neill is a genuine American hero, and I am thankful that we have people like him on the wall.

Dr.Delaware and I are getting along famously.

Finally after a bunch of years, reading W.E.B. Griffen's final book in his 'Corps' series.

Richard North Patterson's 'Eclipse', David Baldacci's 'The Fix' and John Sandford's 'Golden Prey' are waiting in the wings.

Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco, by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar. This is an accurate account of what was the largest leveraged corporate buy out up to that time. It was made into a pretty good made for TV movie starring James Garner. High stakes business can be about as intense as a shoot out at high noon. Along the way there are points I was unaware of: the American Tobacco Company built Duke University, Camels were the first national brand of cigarettes, executives could not drive any car more expensive than a Buick. When Rockefeller came to visit no limos were available in all of Winston-Salem and he rode in a Buick. Multiple corporate jets would come later as RJR became the 15th largest corporation in America. RJR provided Day Care for its employees in separate facilities for blacks and whites. Housing and easy loans were provided. Wages were above union level. Why so much generosity? To keep unions away.

Got this one on pre-order from Amazon

Me and the doc's gonna figure it out, I hope.

MITCH RAPP wrote: Got this one on pre-order from Amazon

Mitch,
Please give us a review on this on when you are thru with it. I became a ardent fan when Vince Flynn was at the helm and need to know if I want to get back into them.

Ray

Just picked this one up in paperback earlier this week. My first faux Vince Flynn.

I'm currently reading Sue Grafton's 25th in her Kinsey Millhone series.

Paladin wrote:

MITCH RAPP wrote: Got this one on pre-order from Amazon

Mitch,
Please give us a review on this on when you are thru with it. I became a ardent fan when Vince Flynn was at the helm and need to know if I want to get back into them.

Ray

Ray, this is the 3rd post Vince Flynn book and I got to say this Guy does a Real decent job carrying on the Mitch Rapp legacy.

MITCH RAPP wrote:

Paladin wrote:

MITCH RAPP wrote: Got this one on pre-order from Amazon

Mitch,
Please give us a review on this on when you are thru with it. I became a ardent fan when Vince Flynn was at the helm and need to know if I want to get back into them.

Ray

Ray, this is the 3rd post Vince Flynn book and I got to say this Guy does a Real decent job carrying on the Mitch Rapp legacy.

I wasn't even aware he had done 3 of them and glad to get the good report.

Thanks,
Ray

Hey Ray, you know they made Vince Flynn's book "AMERICAN ASSASSIN" into a movie, being released this month. I don't know if it will be any good or not but at least they didn't Cast Tom Cruise as Mitch Rapp

MITCH RAPP wrote: Hey Ray, you know they made Vince Flynn's book "AMERICAN ASSASSIN" into a movie, being released this month. I don't know if it will be any good or not but at least they didn't Cast Tom Cruise as Mitch Rapp

Yep,
I have been watching the previews they run on TV. I may have to break my rule and catch it at the local Cinemark.

Ray

Just saw this thread for the first time. Went through it and have a list of books and authors to track down.

I’m working my way through E.T. Seton’s 6 volume set “Pioneering and Woodcraft”. Seton was a friend of Sir Baden Powell, who formed the Boy Scouts. Seton had already started a group called Woodcraft Inidians in 1902 - 7 years before the Boy Scouts were first formed, that Powell used as a basis for the Scouts.

Most everyone here seems, at least recently, seems to be more into the “heavier” stuff. While that kind of books are great (I read them also), I like to read SciFi/Fantasy/Westerns/ stuff as well.

Some of my favorite authors and their series that I have re-read a couple of times…

David Weber – the Honorverse series of space opera. 20+ books. Often called “the Horatio Hornblower of space”.

David Weber – Safehold series. SciFi. 7 books. Earth and it’s interstellar colonies are destroyed by an alien armada. Survivors sneak away to colonize a planet way off the beaten track.

Eric Flint’s “1632” series. Premise – a 5 mile chunk of 1999 West Virginia is dumped back into 1631 Germany during the 30 Years War. Now what happens?

Harry Turtledove – THE master of Alternate History. Turtledove takes historical events and “changes” something and then goes from there with how that changed event might have affected history. He also takes people/objects and places them into odd situations. A Roman Legion transported to another world where they kick butt. The big volcano under Yellowstone Park blows up – what happen then. He has one series where he refights WW2 in a magic dominated world.

Westerns – Elmer Kelton and Louis L’Amour have been mentioned. There’s also Zane Grey – 50+ tales of the west.

On the WW2 scene, there’s a huge series about the Pacific War – Admiral Samuel Elliot Morrison’s 15 volumes on the History of the Pacific War during WW2. There was a group of anonymous researchers who poured over all Naval reports of the war to produce the base information from which he wrote the books. The information in the set is somewhat dated/incorrect, as a lot of information was still classified at the time the books were published, and some statements are based on incorrect information, but it still is the best compilation of the war ever written. I first read it while in high school. Reading the set significantly influenced me to Go Navy.

Interesting facts about Admiral Morrison – he served as an Army private in WW1, was commissioned a LCDR in the Navy by President Roosevelt in 1942 at the age of 55. Made Captain (O6) December 15, 1945 and was transferred to the Honorary Retired List as a Rear Admiral LH (O7) in 1951. He wrote 58 other books on various aspects of history. One can spend several years reading his works.

Very nice picks, zzyzz! You're dead right about Turtledove; I read the first few books of the Southern Victory series and I was blown away. I also like David Weber, though I've only dipped my toe into the Honor Harrington series by reading On Basilisk Station. I should probably go get more, assuming I ever find enough free time to sit down with a book and relax for once.

zzyzzogeton wrote:I’m working my way through E.T. Seton’s 6 volume set “Pioneering and Woodcraft”. Seton was a friend of Sir Baden Powell, who formed the Boy Scouts. Seton had already started a group called Woodcraft Inidians in 1902 - 7 years before the Boy Scouts were first formed, that Powell used as a basis for the Scouts.

Ernest Thompson Seton, he should be in the library of anyone who loves the outdoors.

Had a good day at the little local thrift store and the dollar tree. 50 cents a piece the paper backs. should keep me busy for a little while.

bighomer wrote:Had a good day at the little local thrift store and the dollar tree. 50 cents a piece the paper backs. should keep me busy for a little while.

Recently read "The Hit". Am currently reading Baldacci's "The Target"

Have you read any of Janet Evonovich's "Stephanie Plum" series?