Book that started it all......

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I've heard that about Kill the Tiger sad to say. I've still got this book to read by the same author, a terrible period in our military history:

by Lynette Ramsay Silver

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

A lot of us have mentioned the book that got us interested in World War II. Does anyone have a book that was the worst they have ever read on WWII they want to mention?

Be it bad writing and/or editing, terrible research or lack or, what was the worse book you have read on this subject and why?

Off the top of my head, the worse book for me was Tiger Ace, a title that had so much potential but was ruined by bad writing/editing. Has anyone else read this book and have a different opinion?

by Gary L. Simpson

[Martin]

The earliest WWII book I can remember reading was "PT 109" by Robert J. Donovan. There may have been others before that, but I was reading it in an elementary school class when the teacher was called out of the classroom by the principal. When she came back in, she announced the President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated. That kind of cemented the book in my memory. I've read it about three times. I love PT boats.

PT 109

[carl]

i recall reading PT-109 in elementary school also.
you had to get on a waiting list. don't know if
it was the one by Donovan or Tregaskis, it was
a while ago...

[Dylan]

The book that started it all for me was the Band of Brothers, as soon as i picked it up i read it cover to cover and the fact that all of this crazy stuff happened to this group of guys and the fact that it was all factual makes it even better

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Hi Dylan, glad to hear you enjoyed Band of Brothers, Dick Winters was a pretty amazing combat leader eh! What did you think of the HBO TV series?

by Stephen E. Ambrose

[Dylan]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi Dylan, glad to hear you enjoyed Band of Brothers, Dick Winters was a pretty amazing combat leader eh! What did you think of the HBO TV series?

[bookcover:Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regi..."

That series is one of my favorite, and after reading the book its great to see that the book and tv series didn't digress from each other to much. I really want to see the other series by the same producers Pacific. Have you had the chance to see that one yet?

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Hi Dylan, I have indeed watched the HBO series Pacific and although it is pretty good I think Band of Brothers is better but it's still worth while watching. Any other members want to offer an opinion on these two HBO TV series?

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Any other members want to offer an opinion on these two HBO TV series?..."

I have watched my DVDs of Band of Brothers innumerable times and watch it whenever it shows up on HBO. I watched Pacific one time when it first came out. Didn't buy the DVD.

[A.L.]

Dylan wrote: "The book that started it all for me was the Band of Brothers, as soon as i picked it up i read it cover to cover and the fact that all of this crazy stuff happened to this group of guys and the fac..."

Dylan, Band of Brothers is one of my favorites!

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi Dylan, I have indeed watched the HBO series Pacific and although it is pretty good I think Band of Brothers is better but it's still worth while watching. Any other members want to offer an opin..."

Enjoyed Band of Brothers but have still to watch Pacific.

[Toby]

I like the scope of HBO's the Pacific. It can't have the same sort of dramatic coherence as BOB because its aims are different, but I think it's probably the series I would return to watch again.

BOB has a sense of urgency about it because the European theatre had a very defined objective - the complete defeat of Germany and you can sense that the BOB are a part of that - they're involved in several of the most important battles that the Allies were involved with and even if they weren't in the final denouement, there is a sense of closure at the end.

The Pacific campaign, as we all know, was wildly disparate in its geographic range and i think the series does articulate that well - conscripted soldiers with no real sense of WHY they were trying to kill frenzied Japanese on lumps of rock in the middle of the ocean. The characters and their connection to a plot are a bit too atomised at times, but I think it's aged quite well.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Thanks Whatfroth that's a helpful view. One for me to watch around the Christmas holiday I think.

[Paul]

I, too, think Whatfroth's review is a good one. It's not as cohesive for the reasons he mentions as BOB, but it's a pretty good story. The violence of the war scenes is probably the most violent I've ever seen depicted in a movie over protracted periods of time. It makes you appreciate the bravery of those young men who knew the odds but went anyway.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Excellent points Whatfroth, thanks for posting your comments.

[Chris]

I love the Band of Brothers HBO series. I watch at least some of it every Thanksgiving and Christmas because they always have a marathon of it. I also own it and have wanting to watch it again, but I can't find the time yet. I received The Pacific series for Christmas last year, but still haven't watched it yet. I'll have to do that when Christmas break rolls around.

[Ashley]

I would have to say the book that started it all for me was probably The Kitchen Boy by Robert Alexander. I was always obsessed with Anastasia since I saw the movie when I was younger but after reading that I slowly started to stumble across WWII books and then became hooked on those ever since.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

The Kitchen Boy sounds like an interesting book Ashley, at least it got you involved in reading books on WW2 eh!

by Robert Alexander

[Ashley]

Yes! It got me going on history in general but WWII the most now.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Do you have a favourite WW2 book since reading The Kitchen Boy?

[Ashley]

Band of brothers is always going to be my favorite I think from now on, but I enjoyed "A Lucky Child: A Memior of Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boy" by: Thomas Buergenthal. Reading that one made me feel like I was traveling with the little boy and worried the whole time of how he survived all the nights he was there.

[Ashley]

A Lucky Child: A Memoir of Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boy

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Two excellent books Ashly!

[Aaron]

This is the book that started it for me and my interest in the Pacific theater of the war. Tears in the Darkness: The Story of the Bataan Death March and Its Aftermath

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

That sounds like a great book Aaron, thanks for mentioning it as I'm sure it will interest a number of members here in the group as well.

by Michael Norman

[Christie]

Thinking back, I would say it was actually the movie, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" that I stumbled upon on TCM one day that sparked my interest in learning more about Pearl Harbor. Next thing you know I'm buying books on that subject as well as general WWII history books. The European Theater of Operation chapters really resonated with me for many reasons and it is now the main area of interest for me in books and movies.

[Nick]

This is a really fun thread to read through. A lot of really good personal stories.

My interest in WWII started with my Dad. He was a WWII Marine vet. He never saw action, as he joined late in the war. He was stationed at Treasure Island (San Francisco, CA) working supply & logistics in preparation for the mainland Japanese amphibious landings (Operations Cornet & Olympic).

Back in the day after movies left the theater they would end up on TV in a year or so. I remember my Dad & I looking forward to the TV airing of "Tora! Tora! Tora!" sometime in the very early 70's.

I discovered the Time Life's series on WWII in the local library. I remember pouring over these volumes for hours; checking each volume out individually again and again, not really reading any of them but looking at all the pictures and reading the captions.

The Ballantine Series was also a favorite. I went to many used book stores and purchased a number of the volumes.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Thanks Nick for telling us about your 'introduction' to WW2, a great story :)

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Interesting story Nick - I think it is always worth remembering that without those who did the planning, manufacturing, logistics & supply etc no campaign or operation would start or even succeed so your Dad's service is as valuable as those who were in greater personal danger.

[happy]

Thanks Nick - I've liked the Time-Life and the Ballantine series also

[Chin Joo]

For me, it was Combat, the black and white series which I watched on TV before I understood English. Then it was helped along very much by plastic model kits of WWII planes. The first of which was a Matchbox B24. It didn't work out too well. But my fascination with the Western Front was a result of The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins.

[carl]

All good stuff CJ, could easily be my own
story. Though my models were usually Airfix.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

HI Chin Joo me too on Airfix/Revell kits.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I'll throw my hands up to "Combat" and Airfix kits as well :)

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

"Combat", "The Rat Patrol" and Dave Dawson books from my grandfather's house. Plus lots of comic books! Sgt Rock...etc,

[happy]

Don't forget 12 O'Clock High :)and various branded model kits - everything from B-17's (Memphis Bell was the first kit I ever "put" together) and other planes, ships, tanks and about anyting to do with WW II

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Good call Mike - I forgot about Sgt Rock comics!

[Colin]

I have two early Rock comics signed by MOH recipient Hernandez, whow as the person they based the character on.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Interesting story Colin, great to be able to own something like that :)

[Colin]

They are for sale my man

[happy]

Don't tempt him :D

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

True, my wife is a bit cross with me already :)

[carl]

did she find the warehouse?

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "True, my wife is a bit cross with me already :)"

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Yep, discovered the garage didn't have any cars in it!

[Gerald]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Yep, discovered the garage didn't have any cars in it!"

I knew that there was something to be said for remaining single.:-)

[Bracken]

Book that started it all? Man, that's a really difficult question. I've been reading and studying military history along with astrophysics and linguistics since I was about 5 when I made up a language that used nasal articulations instead of vocal articulations like English. I called it boogar - a reference, of course, to boogers - and to the nose where articulations were being made.

Mine was probably Heinz Guderian's Panzer Leader.

[Betty]

Well, I can't actually remember to "first" book that I read on WW2. I've loved reading books for as long as I've known how! But I think my interest and love of WW2 came from our family loving old movies and especially WW2 movies and Westerns. I have always loved them! I think the first book was It's about the Holocaust. It's only been since High School that I started really reading about other aspects of the war. I watched all of the Victory At Sea tapes and numerous documentories for school. Now I read about it for fun! :D Still love the old movies about it, though!

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Heinz Guderian's Panzer Leader is a good book to start off with Bracken :)

by Heinz Guderian

I think I started off like you Betty, old war movies and westerns got me into comics and then books on WW2.

[Laurel]

I think what started it all for me, was reading Leon Uris' , in the late 60's. I also saw the movies The Longest Day, The Guns of Navarone, and Von Ryan's Express, with my dad, around the same time. My dad remained in Canada, as a tool and die maker for GM, during WW2. He always regretted not being allowed to enlist, since he was considered to be a "specialized" trade. He lost many friends, and encouraged me from a young age, to love history and to learn about the war.
I knew when I entered high school, that I wanted to study history and become a teacher. That is when my love of WW2 began. I watch those three movies and any other whenever they are on. A Bridge Too Far is another of my favourites. I have been reading fiction relating to the war ever since. Fortunately, my husband shares my interest, especially in the War in the Pacific. So, we have watched Band of Brothers and The Pacific together many times, as well as Ken Burns' series The War. A long answer to a short question!

[Gerald]

Probably Robert Leckie's book on World War II when I was a boy. It does not hold a candle to anything that I read now, but it was well-written and got me started on the subject.