Most enjoyable nonfiction?

[Bec]

So, I don't find that I get to read as much enjoyable non-fiction, but rather a whole heap of historical journal articles and random chapters of scholarly books thanks to uni - Not as enjoyable.

What are the nonfic books that you have enjoyed the most? These don't have to be serious (but they can be if you like serious things!), they can be nostalgic.

I liked Bravo Two Zero & The One That Got Away, but more reciently I enjoyed The Circuit and Unbroken a lot.

Any other enjoyable reads that people can recommend?

[Brunhilde]

I just finished a war memoir called the Long Walk. I really enjoyed it. I am hoping to find some more miltary/war books to read. Using goodreads has helped me realize that they seem to be my favorite. I don't think I realized that before.

[Bec]

Goodreads helped me realize that war/military books are my favourite genre too! if you enjoy modern warfare books I recommend The Circuit by Bob Shepherd- which is a great look into private military companies and the responsibilities that they are getting.

I will certainly add that book to my tbr list, which is constantly growing!

[Brunhilde]

Bec wrote: "Goodreads helped me realize that war/military books are my favourite genre too! if you enjoy modern warfare books I recommend The Circuit by Bob Shepherd- which is a great look into private militar..."

what is a tbr list

[Bec]

To be read list- it's goodreads jargon. Things that I want to read and will hunt down at some stage.

[Brunhilde]

Bec wrote: "To be read list- it's goodreads jargon. Things that I want to read and will hunt down at some stage."

gotcha. thanks.

[Greg]

Bec wrote: "So, I don't find that I get to read as much enjoyable non-fiction, but rather a whole heap of historical journal articles and random chapters of scholarly books thanks to uni - Not as enjoyable.

..." I really liked Being George Washington, some great insight into the american revolution.
Also love Jeff Shaara's books. They're listed as fiction because he writes dialogue. But they're all historically accurate as well as entertaining.

[Patrick]

I am a new author and I wrote a book. It is a light read, I wrote it as a self published book, but sent it to a publishing company and they picked it up and published it in Ebook format. It has been out for over a month now.

Of course my book is a memoir about my combat service as a combat medic. I also have a website at www.medicstory.com where folks can watch some videos I took during the war. ( I was in Afghanistan). Alot of the memoir is based on some of the videos I took. Please check it out.

I personally dont read military fiction or non fiction besides what I wrote because it trigger me having flashbacks to events that happened during war ( I also served in Desert Storm as a teenager).

[Brunhilde]

Patrick wrote: "I am a new author and I wrote a book. It is a light read, I wrote it as a self published book, but sent it to a publishing company and they picked it up and published it in Ebook format. It has be..."

I will definitely check your book out. I am very interested in this kind of book right now. You are in my thoughts and prayers as you deal with all this involved with coming home.

[John]

My preference has been the books about submarine warfare in World War II. Mainly the Pacific Theater. My favorite is "Thunder Below" detailing the war patrols of the USS Barb and her crew which sank the most tonnage of compared to her sisters. My second is "Submarine Commander" by Paul Schratz. He writes about his service in submarines both during and after the war. I like this book mainly for the stories of his patrols aboard the USS Atule. That was my father's boat. Dad served on her for all four war patrols in 1944-45. I heard many a war story from him and Schratz's retellings gave me a different, albeit less colorful, perspective.

[Brunhilde]

John wrote: "My preference has been the books about submarine warfare in World War II. Mainly the Pacific Theater. My favorite is "Thunder Below" detailing the war patrols of the USS Barb and her crew which s..."

John,
I will check out those books. Thanks. I just finished Matterhorn and started rereading it immediately. I have never done that before. I am a third of the way through it again and still can't put it down.

[Bec]

Hi John, I really enjoy submarine orientated books and films - Thunder Below sounds like an excellent novel. I'm going to see if my library can source me a copy. :)

[Antoine]

"The Kings Depart" by Richard M. Watt is a very readable and enjoyable account of the Versailles Peace Conference and the creation of the German Republic in 1919. I read it when it first came out in 1970 and have enjoyed it twice of three times since. This is narrative history at its best.

[Antoine]

Bec wrote: "Hi John, I really enjoy submarine orientated books and films - Thunder Below sounds like an excellent novel. I'm going to see if my library can source me a copy. :)"

John et al:

Worth reading is "The Sea Wolves - Britain's WW2 Submarines" by Tim Clayton, published last year. It's excellent on the Norwegian, Mediterranean and Far East campaigns, though depressing in terms of the horrific losses so stoically borne.

[Leonardo]

"On Killing" and "On Combat," both by LTC (R) Dave Grossman, who is both a former Ranger/paratrooper and a psychologist. These books will blow your socks off and should be required reading for anyone who is in the military or has family who will (or already has) be heading into harm's way.

[Antoine]

Leonardo wrote: ""On Killing" and "On Combat," both by LTC (R) Dave Grossman, who is both a former Ranger/paratrooper and a psychologist. These books will blow your socks off and should be required reading for anyo..."
And "Ordinary Men" - as per link below - is one of the most terrifying books on killing, or in this case, mass murder, that you can ever read. It offers a very disturbing view into the recesses of the human psyche. It's not enjoyable, but it's wholly gripping and impossible to forget.

Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland

[Leonardo]

I'll have to check that out, thanks Antoine!

[Brian]

Leonardo wrote: ""On Killing" and "On Combat," both by LTC (R) Dave Grossman, who is both a former Ranger/paratrooper and a psychologist. These books will blow your socks off and should be required reading for anyo..."

These two books saved my sanity and that of some of my men. Being able to know that what we were feeling was completely normal was worth more than gold.

[Abby]

I read Carlos Hathcock's book recently. I was reluctant, but a friend urged me to read it. Quite amazing. I also started a book called Tunnel Rats. Very interesting.

[Richard]

I'd suggest Carnage and Culture by Victor Davis Hanson. I remember reading it in Iraq and was blown away. So rarely can a civilian academic hit the nail on head!

[Míla]

Das Boot: The Boat
The plot of the novel takes place in late 1941 and 1942 , when soaring air activity and the allies , the British managed to crack the code for German submarines conjunction with the command . At the time, it is also part of Hitler's order transferred submarines from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea in an effort to prevent marine communications supplying the Afrika Korps . Intersection submarines Strait of Gibraltar became fatal for many . Boat , which sailed author of the book, despite heavy damage managed to return to base .................Author of the book served on a submarine, and because this book gives a lot of technical facts and describing sailing sailor eyes .... I recommend this book for its authenticity.

[Mariska]

I've only recently started reading military books and joined this group, but I really liked reading 'Good soldiers' and 'Thank you for your service' by David Finkel. Both books blew me away, a honest portray of an unit during war and after they come home.