Introduction to the WW2 Site - Please Say Hi Showing 2,801-2,850 of 4,900

[Larry]

Thanks, guys.

[Michael]

My name is Michael and I enjoy reading any and all history. I will read anything of interest to me in reality. I look forward to interacting with the members of this group. My interest in WW2 has been driven from a very young age by the fact that my father was in the Pacific Theater of the war. He would tell me very little about the war. He served in Cannon Company of the 81st Wildcat Division, US Army.

[happy]

Welcome to the group Michael!

Lots of Vets, no mater what the war, are very closed mouthed about there experiences.

My own father says very little about his experience is Viet Nam

[Michael]

Thanks happy! I have come to understand the reluctance of combat veterans to burden others with the horror of what they have experienced.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Welcome Larry and Michael pleased to have you in the group, and feel free to join.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Welcome to the group Michael, I am sure you will fit right in and hopefully have a fun time. Just in case your interested we have a few theme reads going at the moment:

Battle of the Bulge
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The war in the Pacific
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Erich]

Michael--I believe it's less about burdening "others with the horror of what they have experienced" than burdening themselves. To talk about it is to open it all up again, with all that entails. For many that means intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares etc. Boxing up the experience is defensive. And for some vets, especially when the experience is still relatively fresh, there's such a great divide between those who've been there and those that haven't, that feels hopeless to try to explain.

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Welcome Larry and Michael, nice to have you here.

[Larry]

Thank you!

[Colin]

Erich wrote: "Michael--I believe it's less about burdening "others with the horror of what they have experienced" than burdening themselves. To talk about it is to open it all up again, with all that entails. Fo..."

I understand this all too well. My own military experience in places like Central America and Africa left impressions on me. My oldest did 2 tours in Afghanistan, survived 6 IED's, others did not. The Taliban once set up an IED trap in a school, killing kids, luring in and then trying to kill his Marines going in to save them. I still hear him at night when he sleeps. My wife listened to me, and she is very understanding of us both. Same with my dad, a Vietnam vet. I guess it runs in the family.

[Anne]

Erich wrote: "Thanks for the welcomes. I justed post some info about my book in the author section.

Last night when I went to bed I didn't feel like starting to read a new book after finishing the last one, so ..."

Even though I was born in 1941, I still remember those ads. I was as avid reader from a very young age, and read the magazines that my father ordered also when a book was not handy. My father served in WWI. He joined up when he was underage.

[J.]

Erich wrote: "I've had a Goodreads account for some time but just recently started browsing over here in the discussion area...."

Welcome. I hope you enjoy chatting with us. We're a fun bunch, I think. I like first person accounts of WWII. It's a big field and hard to get your arms around in depth as a single entity. I still remember blackouts and my dad's gas mask and CD helmet. I recall my mom getting out the gas mask in the 50's and finding the rubber had gone bad.

[Larry]

Rick, your photos are fabulous!! How do you get them in here? I see no icon for uploading photos in the comment box.

[Michal]

Hello!

My name is Michal. I'm originally from Poland. I moved to US 10 years ago. I had an account for awhile but just recently started exploring WWII. Mostly I watched documentaries now getting into books :) Just ordered David Glantz Stalingrad Trilogy and Ian Kershaw Hitler biography.
Any suggestion on book would be great :)

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Hi Michal and welcome to the group. You have ordered some good books there! I am yet to read David Glantz's Stalingrad trilogy, hopefully soon :)

In regards to suggestions on good books, what particular area of WW2 interests you the most?

[Michal]

Anything and everything Sir. Was hoping to start with some biographies. Stalin, Mussolini, Himmler etc. Then move on to battles etc. Finish with concentration camps since my hometown is 10 miles away from Auschwitz (I visited once in school).

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I reckon you will get a flood of recommendations pretty soon. Plus you can check out these threads for some suggestions:

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

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

[Manray9]

Michal wrote: "Anything and everything Sir. Was hoping to start with some biographies. Stalin, Mussolini, Himmler etc. Then move on to battles etc. Finish with concentration camps since my hometown is 10 miles aw..."

Welcome, Michal. Here are some recs from me on Stalin:

Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag-Montefiore

Stalin: The Man and His Era by Adam Ulam

Conversations with Stalin by Milovan Djilas

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Welcome Michal, we'll fill your shelves with many recommendations. Just cry "uncle" when you get enough!

[happy]

Michal,

let me add my welcome! I'm sure you can find something worthwhile to read after browsing the various threads :)

[Michal]

thanks guys :)

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Welcome Michal, pleased you found us. May I recommend this one to you?

Mussolini: A New Life by Nicholas Farrell

[Michal]

Geevee wrote: "Welcome Michal, pleased you found us. May I recommend this one to you?

Mussolini: A New Life by Nicholas Farrell"

Thank You Sir i'll put this one on my list

[wingate19]

Hello. Currently I'm reading Abducting a General by Patrick Leigh Fermor. Good account but I enjoyed the W Stanley Moss book ( "I'll Met by Moonlight" ) better: understated humor and an easier style.

I've enjoyed reading some of the commentary in the WW2 discussion. It's good to know there are people left who are reading about history.....
Best. A happy new year to all!

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Welcome Charles, there are certainly many members here who will reassure you reading history is still en vogue :)

[Manray9]

Charles wrote: "Hello. Currently I'm reading Abducting a General by Patrick Leigh Fermor. Good account but I enjoyed the W Stanley Moss book ( "I'll Met by Moonlight" ) better: understated humor and an easier styl..."

Charles: This gang will transform your TBR pile into a Matterhorn in short time. Just pitch right in!

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Hi Charles and a warm welcome to the group. I also hope you have a great New Year with lots of reading involved!

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Charles wrote: "Hello. Currently I'm reading Abducting a General by Patrick Leigh Fermor. Good account but I enjoyed the W Stanley Moss book ( "I'll Met by Moonlight" ) better: understated humor and an easier styl..."

Welcome Charles, we do like our history here and hope you find much of interest. BTW, I also enjoyed Ill Met By Moonlight quite a lot.

[happy]

I want to add my welcome to Charles

Welcome, Welcome!

[Lilo]

Welcome all newcomers! And Happy New Year to everybody.

[Bob]

Oh LILO,
Sounds like you are feeling better than a while ago. great!

[Adrian]

Happy New Year to all my fellow WW2 book fans.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Happy New Year Adrian, I hope 2016 is a good year for all of us.

[Alyssa]

Happy New Year!
I'm new to the group and wanted to introduce myself (thanks to the fast welcome from AR!).
I have always been interested in WWII history, but have only recently (last 3ish years) become obsessed with it. I have read over 50 WWII nonfiction in the past 18 months.
I used to be only interested in ETO (US perspective), but now have actually become increasingly more interested in PTO.
I am trying to read, research, and understand all I can about that time period/era as I am currently working on a historical fiction that takes place during WWII.
Anyway, I hope to get a lot of good recommendations and share my love of WWII with others who feel the same!
My top two picks (from 2015) are: With the Old Breed (Sledge), and Voices of the Pacific (Makos).

[Manray9]

Alyssa wrote: "Happy New Year!
I'm new to the group and wanted to introduce myself (thanks to the fast welcome from AR!).
I have always been interested in WWII history, but have only recently (last 3ish years) be..."

Welcome, Alyssa. You'll be flooded with book recs from the members here. Please don't be reluctant to chime in.

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Alyssa wrote: "Happy New Year!
I'm new to the group and wanted to introduce myself (thanks to the fast welcome from AR!).
I have always been interested in WWII history, but have only recently (last 3ish years) be..."

Welcome Alyssa, nice to have you join the group. Watch out, your TBR list will experience sudden, rapid growth here.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Welcome to the group Alyssa, we are an international group so we'll see if we can expand your reading list to help with the research.

[happy]

Welcome to the Group Alyssa

As Mike says your TBR list will experience exponential growth :D

Also a belated Happy New Year

[Kristina]

Manray9 wrote: "Alyssa wrote: "Happy New Year!
I'm new to the group and wanted to introduce myself (thanks to the fast welcome from AR!).
I have always been interested in WWII history, but have only recently (last..."

Alyssa wrote: "Happy New Year!
I'm new to the group and wanted to introduce myself (thanks to the fast welcome from AR!).
I have always been interested in WWII history, but have only recently (last 3ish years) be..."

[Kristina]

Happy New Year Alyssa. I love that there is so much interchange in this group. As an international group there is a vibrancy to the understanding of WW II history.

[Lee]

Hi everybody,I'm a new member mostly interested in the German perspective of the war and the Third Reich in general.In looking at some of the topics discussed I have already added several books to my wish list. (oh my poor bank balance!)

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Hi Lee, welcome to the group and, yes, we all have much reduced bank accounts due to the recommendations and buddy reads you will soon encounter!

[Robert]

lee g wrote: "Hi everybody,I'm a new member mostly interested in the German perspective of the war and the Third Reich in general.In looking at some of the topics discussed I have already added several books to ..."

Here's an idea: We could all stop--oh, never mind.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Lee you are very welcome here and keep on adding those books!!

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Robert wrote: "Here's an idea: We could all stop--oh, never mind..."

:)

[Manray9]

lee g wrote: "Hi everybody,I'm a new member mostly interested in the German perspective of the war and the Third Reich in general.In looking at some of the topics discussed I have already added several books to ..."

Welcome, lee g. This is the place where bank balances shrink and TBR piles grow.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Hi Lee and welcome to the group, glad to see you have already settled in :)

[Dimitri]

Manray9 wrote: "Welcome, lee g. This is the place where bank balances shrink and TBR piles grow."
Hear Hear! Aussie Rick, I'm all for Dante-flavoured latin motto's to decorate a homepage, but here be a strong contender to describe our group's main aspiration and agony in one.

[happy]

Let me add my welcome to Lee G

Welcome, Welcome

Like the name, my father is a Lee

Your TBR pile WILL grow exponentally and if you don't make judecious use of your local library your bank balance will shrink almost as fast as the TBR expands :)

[Colin]

Robert wrote: "lee g wrote: "Hi everybody,I'm a new member mostly interested in the German perspective of the war and the Third Reich in general.In looking at some of the topics discussed I have already added sev..."

You may like any of my WW II books, interviews with Germans and they gave their personal opinions of Hitler and the rest of the leadership from personal experience.