'Aussie Rick'’s Comments (group member since Jun 12, 2009)

'Aussie Rick'’s comments from the THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP group.

That's good to hear Tony, Erik Larson usually writes a fairly good story eh!

Nice list of good books there Mike!

Some more excellent books.

Some good books at a nice price!

Marc wrote: "I was given an ARC of this one by NetGalley, which I started last night:

[book:Victory '45: The End of the War in Six Surren..."

I hope that's a good one as I recently purchased a copy :)

Manray9 wrote: "Tonight I've started --

Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore."

I hope that's a good one MR9 as I still have an unread copy packed away somewhere.

James wrote: "Now about halfway through ANNAPOLIS GOES TO WAR: The Naval Academy Class of 1940 and its Trial by Fire in World War II by Craig L. Symonds.

I have read four other books by Symonds over the last fe..."

I've enjoyed all the books of Craig L. Symonds that I have read so far. I hope this one picks up for you, James.

Marc wrote: "Knocked off this quick read today--I'd say it fits this subject of "places to visit":

[book:The Airplane..."

Sounds like an interesting book, thanks for posting the details.

Marc wrote: "Finished this last night:

Japan's Last Bid for Victory: The Invasion of India, 1944

Review here: htt..."

Nice review, thanks for sharing Marc!

This book arrived in the mail this morning; "The Last Days of Budapest: The Destruction of Europe’s Most Cosmopolitan Capital in World War II" by Adam LeBor.

The Last Days of Budapest: The Destruction of Europe’s Most Cosmopolitan Capital in World War II by Adam LeBor

I'm currently staying in an Airbnb accommodation while we wait to move into our new apartment. The place has an Alexa Echo dot that we decided to use while we are staying here. The damn thing is a snitch - told my wife that there was an Amazon parcel waiting to be delivered and what it was - got to be careful from now on!

Dimitri wrote: "Brave Men by Ernie Pyle has arrived.
Not a first printing, no dustjacket nor a plastic-wrapped mint condition to bequate in a will, but it's vintage '45.
Together with a 1923 Dante bi..."

Nice finds Dimitri!

Darya Silman wrote: "I bought 2 used hardcovers today:


The July Plot by Heinrich Fraenkel

[bookcover:The Swastika and the Eagle: Hitler, the United ..."

Nice finds Darya, I hope they are good reads!

Liz V. wrote: "Plans for WWII tunnels in London
https://apnews.com/article/london-sec..."

Very interesting article, thanks for posting the link, Liz!

Mark wrote: "Reading 'Raiders of the Reich' by Martin W Bowman & Theo Boiten.
Lots of personal accounts of RAF and USAAF bomber crews and latterly fighter crews. Just fascinating and ore inspiring about what th..."

I read that book when it was first published and I quite enjoyed it.

Some good books there. I am interested in the new book on the Maginot Line!

André - I really hope they have fixed the errors in the revised edition of the Fallschirmtruppe book. I also hope that a second volume is coming out one day soon!

Kub1s_456 wrote: "Hi everyone,
You can call me Kolya and i live in Italy. I'm interesing in reading books about ww2, especially about nazi leaders and operation barbarossa. I also read books about Ancient Rome.
I'm ..."

Hi Kolya, two of my favourite subjects - Operation Barbarossa and Ancient Rome!

Check out this thread on books covering the Eastern Front:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Mark wrote: "Got to say I still go for a physical book.....Just don't like digital books, I have listened to books though. There're great for long drives. Usually buy from Abe Books and also Oxfam online when t..."

I've always been a physical book guy, until just recently when I had to downsize to an apartment, now it's a mix of physical and E-books.

"Kohima: The Furthest Battle: The Story of the Japanese Invasion of India in 1944 and the Battle of Kohima" - I was looking for something on the relief of Kohima and found this online article covering the 75th anniversary of the battle - Revisiting India’s forgotten battle of WWII: Kohima-Imphal, the Stalingrad of the East:

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/articl...

Marc wrote: "I was going to read the same book as AR, but decided to start this one instead:

[book:Japan's Last Bid for Victory: T..."

Should be a good account, keep us all posted!

This book was recently released and has picked up some pretty good reviews; "The Last Days of Budapest: The Destruction of Europe’s Most Cosmopolitan Capital in World War II" by Adam LeBor.

The Last Days of Budapest: The Destruction of Europe’s Most Cosmopolitan Capital in World War II by Adam LeBor
Description:
In 1945, Budapest, once one of the cultured twin capitals of the Austro-Hungarian empire, became the site of the last great, brutal city siege of WWII--now brilliantly recreated in this new history.

Although Hungary was a German ally in 1941, two years into World War II, it was still possible for Allied prisoners of war, French and Polish refugees, spies of every kind, and the city’s large Jewish population to live freely and openly, enjoying the cafes and boulevards that made Budapest one of the great European capitals. While the other multicultural centers of Europe had fallen to the almost all-consuming conflict, Budapest remained intact, a shining reminder of what middle European high culture could be.

In September 1944, three months after D-Day, life in the city seemed idyllic. But under the guise of peace existed an undercurrent of tension and anxiety: British and American troops advanced from the west and Soviet troops from the east. Who would reach the capital first? By mid-October 1944, Budapest had collapsed into anarchy: death squads roamed the streets, the city’s remaining Jews were funneled into ghettos, Russian shells destroyed city blocks, and everyone struggled to find food and survive the winter.

Using newly uncovered diaries and archives, Adam Lebor brilliantly recreates the increasingly desperate efforts of Hungary’s leaders to avoid being drawn into the cataclysm of war, the moral and tactical ambiguity they deployed in the attempt, and the ultimate tragedy that befell Hungary and, in particular, its Jewish population. Told through the lives of a glamorous aristocrats, SS Officers, a rebellious teenage Jewish school student, Hungary's most popular singer and actress, and a housewife trying desperately to keep her family alive, the story of how Budapest is threatened from all sides as the war tightens its noose is highly dramatic and utterly compelling.