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Historical non-fiction reading list
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flyingswoosh Offline
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Post: #21
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
Went on a trip and didn't wanna carry Rise & Fall of the 3rd Reich, so I picked up Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert Massie, who's a master of Russian history and whose previous book, Peter the Great: his life and times, I had read earlier in the year. Anyway, I finished the book about Catherine in a week, it was that good. I believe it was the best historical biography I've ever read. Don't know how many of you are fans of that era, but if so, I'd recommend giving this book a read.

Then while my return flight was delayed, I bought Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire that Rescued Western Civilization. Another excellent read, and one that I nearly finished in one day. Again, quite good if you're a fan of stuff like that
02-20-2015 07:09 PM
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CameramanJ Offline
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Post: #22
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-20-2015 07:09 PM)flyingswoosh Wrote:  Went on a trip and didn't wanna carry Rise & Fall of the 3rd Reich, so I picked up Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert Massie, who's a master of Russian history and whose previous book, Peter the Great: his life and times, I had read earlier in the year. Anyway, I finished the book about Catherine in a week, it was that good. I believe it was the best historical biography I've ever read. Don't know how many of you are fans of that era, but if so, I'd recommend giving this book a read.

Then while my return flight was delayed, I bought Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire that Rescued Western Civilization. Another excellent read, and one that I nearly finished in one day. Again, quite good if you're a fan of stuff like that

I'm a fan of Russian history, thanks for the heads up on that first book.
02-22-2015 09:30 PM
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49RFootballNow Offline
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Post: #23
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
Just finished up Iron Kingdom. Pretty good if you're into German history.
02-23-2015 10:49 AM
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flyingswoosh Offline
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Post: #24
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-23-2015 10:49 AM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  Just finished up Iron Kingdom. Pretty good if you're into German history.

ha I was reading that one too. It got really slow after the section about Bismarck so I put it down and picked up a few other books. I need to finish it though
02-23-2015 01:09 PM
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Smaug Offline
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Post: #25
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
About to start Destiny of the Republic about the assassination of James Garfield. Reviews looked good. I'll update when I've finished it.
(This post was last modified: 02-23-2015 04:33 PM by Smaug.)
02-23-2015 04:32 PM
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flyingswoosh Offline
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Post: #26
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-23-2015 04:32 PM)Smaug Wrote:  About to start Destiny of the Republic about the assassination of James Garfield. Reviews looked good. I'll update when I've finished it.

intriguing. definitely look forward to reading your thoughts
02-23-2015 11:31 PM
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BcatMatt13 Offline
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Post: #27
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
I recently read George Orwell's Homage To Catalonia. Pretty interesting read. I Had no idea he nearly died in The Spanish Civil War.
02-24-2015 09:58 AM
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Phillip26r Offline
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Post: #28
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
I did a series of interviews a few years ago with local WWII vets. One guy I interviewed survived Bataan and three years imprisonment in Japan. He told me that the most realistic reading as it pertains to the Bataan Death March was Ghost Soldiers, by Hampton Sides. It's an excellent read.
02-24-2015 06:39 PM
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flyingswoosh Offline
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Post: #29
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-24-2015 06:39 PM)Phillip26r Wrote:  I did a series of interviews a few years ago with local WWII vets. One guy I interviewed survived Bataan and three years imprisonment in Japan. He told me that the most realistic reading as it pertains to the Bataan Death March was Ghost Soldiers, by Hampton Sides. It's an excellent read.

good to know. My grandpa is (understandably) a big fan of WWII books
02-25-2015 12:12 PM
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QuestionSocratic Offline
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Post: #30
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
If you've ever been in one of those "Hiroshima wasn't necessary" arguments, read "Retribution" by Max Hastings. You'll wish we had dropped the big one on Tokyo.
02-26-2015 11:12 AM
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Native Georgian Offline
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Post: #31
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-26-2015 11:12 AM)QuestionSocratic Wrote:  If you've ever been in one of those "Hiroshima wasn't necessary" arguments, read "Retribution" by Max Hastings. You'll wish we had dropped the big one on Tokyo.
Dropping #1 (Hiroshima) was absolutely justified, IMHO. So much so that not using it would have been wrong.

Dropping #2 (Nagasaki) is kind of a gray area to me. It may have been necessary or may not have been. Ideally, I wish Truman had waited another day or two before doing that. The reactions of Japanese authority were, frankly, confused and inconsistent in the hours immediately following Hiroshima, so it's hard to say if "another round" was needed to force them to surrender.
02-26-2015 03:59 PM
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vandiver49 Offline
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Post: #32
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
When it come to submarine warfare, I loved reading Blind Man's Bluff: The Untold Story of American Submarine Espionage.

I also enjoyed Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy
(This post was last modified: 02-26-2015 04:23 PM by vandiver49.)
02-26-2015 04:21 PM
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NIU007 Offline
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Post: #33
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-26-2015 03:59 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  
(02-26-2015 11:12 AM)QuestionSocratic Wrote:  If you've ever been in one of those "Hiroshima wasn't necessary" arguments, read "Retribution" by Max Hastings. You'll wish we had dropped the big one on Tokyo.
Dropping #1 (Hiroshima) was absolutely justified, IMHO. So much so that not using it would have been wrong.

Dropping #2 (Nagasaki) is kind of a gray area to me. It may have been necessary or may not have been. Ideally, I wish Truman had waited another day or two before doing that. The reactions of Japanese authority were, frankly, confused and inconsistent in the hours immediately following Hiroshima, so it's hard to say if "another round" was needed to force them to surrender.

I think it might have been the "Retribution" book mentioned above, in there it implied that Japan was close to not surrendering even after Nagasaki was hit.
02-27-2015 04:03 PM
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Smaug Offline
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Post: #34
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
My understanding was that Japan was not about to surrender until the second bomb was dropped. Then it was "okay, everybody out of the pool."
02-28-2015 12:08 AM
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Smaug Offline
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Post: #35
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-23-2015 11:31 PM)flyingswoosh Wrote:  
(02-23-2015 04:32 PM)Smaug Wrote:  About to start Destiny of the Republic about the assassination of James Garfield. Reviews looked good. I'll update when I've finished it.

intriguing. definitely look forward to reading your thoughts

Haven't started it yet, but here's a little something interesting: One man has been present at the death of two US presidents (both of whom were shot): Robert Todd Lincoln.
02-28-2015 12:10 AM
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49RFootballNow Offline
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Post: #36
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-28-2015 12:10 AM)Smaug Wrote:  
(02-23-2015 11:31 PM)flyingswoosh Wrote:  
(02-23-2015 04:32 PM)Smaug Wrote:  About to start Destiny of the Republic about the assassination of James Garfield. Reviews looked good. I'll update when I've finished it.

intriguing. definitely look forward to reading your thoughts

Haven't started it yet, but here's a little something interesting: One man has been present at the death of two US presidents (both of whom were shot): Robert Todd Lincoln.

And neither of the two assassinations were of his father:

http://knowledgenuts.com/2013/12/07/robe...sinations/
02-28-2015 12:13 AM
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Smaug Offline
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Post: #37
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
I know he wasn't president when his father was shot, but I thought he was when he actually died.

I had no idea about McKinley. Damn.
02-28-2015 10:02 PM
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QuestionSocratic Offline
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Post: #38
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-26-2015 03:59 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  
(02-26-2015 11:12 AM)QuestionSocratic Wrote:  If you've ever been in one of those "Hiroshima wasn't necessary" arguments, read "Retribution" by Max Hastings. You'll wish we had dropped the big one on Tokyo.
Dropping #1 (Hiroshima) was absolutely justified, IMHO. So much so that not using it would have been wrong.

Dropping #2 (Nagasaki) is kind of a gray area to me. It may have been necessary or may not have been. Ideally, I wish Truman had waited another day or two before doing that. The reactions of Japanese authority were, frankly, confused and inconsistent in the hours immediately following Hiroshima, so it's hard to say if "another round" was needed to force them to surrender.

Even after Nagasaki, the position of the generals was to not surrender. When the emperor gave the signal to surrender, many of the generals committed ritual suicide rather than suffer the dishonor of defeat. It is very likely several million more Japanese, mostly elder, woman and children, would have died in a land invasion.
03-01-2015 11:31 AM
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flyingswoosh Offline
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Post: #39
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
Finished Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Definitely belongs right at the top of my Best Non-Fiction list. It's 1100 pages of in-depth information of Hitler and the Third Reich's calculating rise and horrible (lucky for us) mistakes. Not just continuing to push forward into Russia, but also refusing to properly aid Rommel in his push through north Africa. He was one of the most successful Nazi generals, but Hitler was blinded by continental aspirations and never took north Africa as seriously as he should have. Lack of support eventually allowed the British to throw him back and allow the allies to land and start an assault in Italy. And I'm sure many of you know how Hitler's nonsensical lack of advance towards Dunkirk allowed the British and French to perform a miraculous escape.

I don't know how many of you have the time or desire to read such a lengthy book, but it's worth it.

Went to the library today and picked up Why Nations Fail by Daren Acemoglu
03-02-2015 03:11 PM
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flyingswoosh Offline
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Post: #40
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
Finished Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Definitely belongs right at the top of my Best Non-Fiction list. It's 1100 pages of in-depth information of Hitler and the Third Reich's calculating rise and horrible (lucky for us) mistakes. Not just continuing to push forward into Russia, but also refusing to properly aid Rommel in his push through north Africa. He was one of the most successful Nazi generals, but Hitler was blinded by continental aspirations and never took north Africa as seriously as he should have. Lack of support eventually allowed the British to throw him back and allow the allies to land and start an assault in Italy. And I'm sure many of you know how Hitler's nonsensical lack of advance towards Dunkirk allowed the British and French to perform a miraculous escape.

I don't know how many of you have the time or desire to read such a lengthy book, but it's worth it.

Went to the library today and picked up Why Nations Fail by Daren Acemoglu
03-02-2015 03:44 PM
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