Group and Buddy Reads Showing 1,001-1,050 of 1,192

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Always in for a BoB theme, ready to pare down the aviation TBR shelf on any month from July to September.

[Liam]

That might work for me also; it will give me a good reason to read that book about the Polish RAF squadron in the Battle of Britain- if I can remember where the hell I put it...

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

OK, I will set up a special theme page in July to commemorate the start of the German aerial campaign against Britain in 1940.

[Jonny]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Good to hear Marc, we could make the theme month for the Battle of Britain July or September. Which month seems the most appropriate; the start of the campaign in July, or September for Battle of B..."

Why don't we open it from July to September? I'd be reading Patrick Bishop's
Battle of Britain: A Day-by-Day Chronicle: 10 July 1940 to 31 October 1940
on a day by day basis throughout (as well as a bunch of other stuff).

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

That's a good idea Jonny. I will set the thread/page up to start in July and will run till the end of September. I'll send out a group message later this month with a reminder and a link to the page.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Hi folks,

I have opened up a theme read page to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain that took place July-September 1940. Please join in with any book or books of your choice, including novels, that covers the Battle of Britain in 1940:

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

The theme page will remain open from July to the end of September 2020 so you can join in any stage with a good book on the subject.

Regards

Rick

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Hi folks, the August theme page is open and ready for discussion. The months theme is any book or books of you choice, including novels, that covers the 1945 air offensive against Germany and/or Japan:

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

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I have opened up a special theme page for the military historian Eric Hammel who recently passed away. I am sure a number of group members may have read one of his many books covering the American fighting man, from WW2 to Vietnam and onto Beirut, Lebanon. Please join in if you like with any one of his books:

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

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

We had a special theme to honour Eric Hammel when he passed away. Would folks be interested in doing the same thing for Winston Groom who also recently died.

He has published a number of books covering WW2 subjects but since its a special event the theme would be open to all his books including his novels. Is anyone interested in that idea, say starting in November?

[John]

Yes!!

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

John wrote: "Yes!!"

Good to hear John :)

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Count me in!

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Mike wrote: "Count me in!"

Perfect :)

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

The October theme read page is open ready for comment/discussion. The theme is on any 1945 theatre of war that interests you (land, air or sea):

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

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Don't forget that in November we will be holding a special theme read in memory of Winston Groom:

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

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

The December theme read page/thread is open for discussion/comment. The theme is either Operation Downfall and/or the Atomic Bombs in 1945:

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

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Group members can start offering suggestions for the 2021 theme reads. January will be a free month so folks can enjoy a break and catch up with their Christmas books. The first theme month will be February 2021.

Since 2021 will be the 80th anniversary of events of 1941 I was considering these topics for the theme months:

Feb - 1941 - The war in North Africa
April - 1941 - Invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece
June - 1941 - Operation Barbarossa and/or Finland's Continuation War
August - 1941 - Siege of Leningrad
October - 1941 - Eastern Front/Northern Europe and/or 1941 RAF Bomber Command operations against Germany
Dec. - 1941 - Pearl Harbor and the start of the Pacific War.

The themes can cover operations on land, air & sea and can include novels if you so desire as long as its appropriate to the theme.

Does anyone have any objections to these themes or any suggestions?

[Marc]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Group members can start offering suggestions for the 2021 theme reads. January will be a free month so folks can enjoy a break and catch up with their Christmas books. The first theme month will be..."

Looks like a pretty good selection of theme reads to me.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Thanks Marc, I am sure we can find a few books on these topics :)

[Manray9]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Group members can start offering suggestions for the 2021 theme reads. January will be a free month so folks can enjoy a break and catch up with their Christmas books. The first theme month will be..."

Looks okay to me.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Thanks MR9 :)

[Manray9]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Thanks MR9 :)"

It will give me motivation to finally pick up Barrie Pitt's

The Crucible of War: Wavell's Command: The Definitive History of the Desert War.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

That's a good idea MR9, I may even join you with my copy!

[zed]

I vowed to no longer purchase new books and just raid the many around the place I call home.

Dec. - 1941 - Pearl Harbor and the start of the Pacific War.
Japan 1941: Countdown to Infamy

This is about it for me as far as the theme read goes unless I have missed something in my so-called library. (More a stack of books hidden in every nook and cranny)

[Marc]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Thanks Marc, I am sure we can find a few books on these topics :)"

At least one or two...dozen.

[Michael]

fourtriplezed wrote: "I vowed to no longer purchase new books and just raid the many around the place I call home.

Dec. - 1941 - Pearl Harbor and the start of the Pacific War.
[book:Japan 1941: Countdown to Infamy|173..."

I have a library room. Reorganizing it now. But that does not mean there are not stacks in every nook an cranny. As long as you have your books near...its ALL good!

[Perato]

Guess I'll save my Crete 1941 reread to April, if I remember correct it had bits about Greece in it. And now I have to buy that Stahel book for June.

The Continuation War theme could be one, started along Barbarossa. Or if ppl don't have books about it, maybe wider "Winter/northern Europe theme".

[Michael]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Group members can start offering suggestions for the 2021 theme reads. January will be a free month so folks can enjoy a break and catch up with their Christmas books. The first theme month will be..."

That looks like a great list. I have a few in the TBR stack that would fit.

[Manray9]

Perato wrote: "Guess I'll save my Crete 1941 reread to April, if I remember correct it had bits about Greece in it. And now I have to buy that Stahel book for June.

The Continuation War theme could be one, start..."

That's different, Perato. I like it. It could include the Winter War, the Continuation War, the campaign in Norway, special ops in Norway, the Murmansk convoys and others. In fact, I have a copy of --

Force Benedict: Churchill's Secret Mission to Save Stalin by Eric Carter.

It would fit the topic.

[Jonny]

Spot on Manray. I'm thinking of the two volumes of Glantz's Barbarossa Derailed. Volume 1: The German Advance, the Encirclement Battle, and the First and Second Soviet Counteroffensives, 10 July - 24 August 1941 Barbarossa Derailed. Volume 2: The German Offensives on the Flanks and the Third Soviet Counteroffensive, 25 August-10 September 1941 which will probably carry me well into September 🙄

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I have extended the 2021 June theme to cover the Continuation War.

[Manray9]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I have extended the 2021 June theme to cover the Continuation War."

I suggest adopting Perato's idea of a Winter/Northern Europe theme to include: Winter War, the Continuation War, the campaign in Norway, special ops in Norway, the Murmansk convoys, etc. It could bump out Leningrad or Typhoon which could be contained under Barbarossa.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I have changed the October theme to: 1941 - Eastern Front/Northern Europe and/or 1941 RAF Bomber Command operations against Germany.

[David]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Group members can start offering suggestions for the 2021 theme reads. January will be a free month so folks can enjoy a break and catch up with their Christmas books. The first theme month will be..."

So if February is war in North Africa, it gives everyone time to get a copy of Fiztroy Maclean's Eastern Approaches, and people can carry on reading it into April about Yugoslavia.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

OK, here is the current line up for the 2021 theme reads:

Feb - 1941 - The war in North Africa and/or Invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece
April - Biography or Special Ops
June - 1941 - Operation Barbarossa and/or Finland's Continuation War
August - 1941 - Siege of Leningrad
October - 1941 - Eastern Front/Northern Europe and/or 1941 RAF Bomber Command operations against Germany
Dec. - 1941 - Pearl Harbor and the start of the Pacific War or the campaign in Papua New Guinea

Any queries or suggestions?

[Joseph]

I think I would be interested in the June & August themes.

[Manray9]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "OK, here is the current line up for the 2021 theme reads:

Feb - 1941 - The war in North Africa and/or Invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece
April - Biography or Special Ops
June - 1941 - Operation Ba..."

Feb and Oct strike me as a bit of a mish-mash. Perhaps they should be one topic or the other?

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Just trying to squeeze as many options in as possible but I will keep on playing around with the subjects till it suits :)

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

How does this look:

Feb - 1941 - The war in North Africa
April - 1941 - Invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece
June - 1941 - Operation Barbarossa and/or Finland's Continuation War
August - 1941 - Biography or Special Ops
October - 1941 - Eastern Front or 1941 RAF Bomber Command operations against Germany
Dec. - 1941 - Pearl Harbor and the start of the Pacific War or the campaign in Papua New Guinea.

[Manray9]

Looks okay, but June is Barbarossa and then Oct is Eastern Front. How about June as Barbarossa and Oct as "The War in Northern Europe" to including Finland, Norway, and the Arctic? Bump 1941 RAF.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

OK, how about this:


Feb - 1941 - The war in North Africa
April - 1941 - Invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece
June - 1941 - Operation Barbarossa and/or Finland's Continuation War
August - 1941 - Biography or Special Ops
October - 1941 - European Theatre (including Finland, Norway, and the Arctic, & RAF Bomber Command operations against Germany)
Dec. - 1941 - Pearl Harbor and the start of the Pacific War or the campaign in Papua New Guinea.

This gives group members a fair bit of latitude in what they want to read and discuss within those theme months.

[Manray9]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "OK, how about this:


Feb - 1941 - The war in North Africa
April - 1941 - Invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece
June - 1941 - Operation Barbarossa and/or Finland's Continuation War
August - 1941 - Bio..."

Fine with me.

[Perato]

Looks great! In summer I might finally read(been in shelf since 2015) Jatkosodan torjuntataisteluja 1942-44. In english the title is Defensive battles of Continuation War. Part of a trilogy (1. Winter war, 2. Ofensive battles of.. and 3. Defensive battles of...).

Book that I've started twice but it's quite boring because it's mostly just troop movements in maps. It's somewhat similar to Kirchubel's Atlas books, based on a sneak peak to theAtlas of the Eastern Front: 1941–45

[Marc]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "OK, how about this:


Feb - 1941 - The war in North Africa
April - 1941 - Invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece
June - 1941 - Operation Barbarossa and/or Finland's Continuation War
August - 1941 - Bio..."

Already thinking about books for each of these. April is the only one which will be a problem at present.

[Bryan]

Good line-up!

[Dimitri]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "OK, how about this:


Feb - 1941 - The war in North Africa
April - 1941 - Invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece
June - 1941 - Operation Barbarossa and/or Finland's Continuation War
August - 1941 - Bio..."

OK ! a motivation to read my singular books on Finland's Continuation & Greece...& find out what other gems exist !

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I'm sure you don't need too much motivation Dimitri :)

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Just a 'heads-up' that the first theme read for 2021 is set to begin in February. The theme being any book or books of your choice, which can include a novel, that covers the war in North Africa in 1941.

My book will be the classic account by Barrie Pitt; "The Crucible of War". What's yours?

The Crucible of War: Western Desert 1941 by Barrie Pitt

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Pulled this one down off the shelf. Looks like it also covers the early eastern battles between the Italians and the British, which I don't know much about:

The Battle for North Africa, 1940-43 by William G.F. Jackson

[Marc]

I'm going to go with this one:

Desert War: The North African Campaign 1940-43

I plan on following it up with this one:

Six Victories: North Africa Malta and the Mediterranean Convoy War November 1941-March 1942