Just started re-reading The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks. It's the first in the Night Angels trilogy.

Tiger One - The Dragon of War
Based on the true story of Kurt Knispel — the deadliest tank ace of World War II, and one of the few soldiers who refused to bend his knee to the Third Reich.

Brimstone: A Searcher’s War – Hunting the Taliban’s Silent Killers

The Holy Sepulchre: The History of Jerusalem’s Most Famous Church and Its Military Order

Crash of the Heavens:

The awe-inspiring and largely untold story of Hannah Senesh, a female paratrooper in World War II whose courage and sacrifice during a daring mission to rescue Europe's Jews left an indelible mark on history.

Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West

Gangster Hunters
How Hoover's G-men Vanquished America's Deadliest Public Enemies

I forgot how little power the FBI and its agents had when it was first created. They were basically relegated to the sidelines, and the agents spent a majority of their days at their desks.

I also did not know that St Paul was one of several wide open cities where criminals were unmolested as long as they spent their stolen money on booze, gambling, brothels and the local police/politicians. And... they didn't engage their profession within city limits.

I'm currently reading The Devil At His Elbow about the Alex Murdaugh (and family) criminal cases.

It's a fascinating read. Documents a long line of corruption in the family, and the financial crimes and murders committed by Alex Murdaugh and his murder trial.

Started the 2nd to last Bosch book Desert Star last night.
The previous one The Dark Hours was a bit of a drag, too much Covid, pandemic, J6 stuff in it, IMO.

Also restarted the Bosch series on Prime last night. Now that I'm 2 books from done, wanted to rewatch it. Will probably give Legacy and Ballard a chance after.

Next, thinking about the Lincoln Lawyer books, then the TV series.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: P250UA5,

I’m on the last few pages of The Lighthouse of Stalingrad by Iain MacGregor. It’s the most detailed account of the WWII battle for Stalingrad I’ve read and is interesting for that reason, although not what I would call “gripping” as one reviewer described it. But it also discusses how the battle in general and one specific element became part of the Soviet mythos about the war—something they have strongly promoted up to this day by Putin and his ilk.

The fight for one particular building became the basis for making one junior sergeant into a folk hero despite the fact that although he led the first assault to take it back from the Germans, he was hardly the reason it was then held against multiple counterattacks. The junior officers who were actually most responsible were ignored. The book wraps up with an informative discussion of the efforts to rebuild the city and the other locations destroyed during the war.

Two books I ordered at the same time are The Great Terror by Robert Conquest and KGB School by Evgeny Smirnov. The Terror is an older book about the mass murders in the Soviet Union ordered by Joseph Stalin. I have read any number of accounts of the period, but nothing like an entire book about the subject.

As a long-retired Army counterintelligence agent I’m still interested in intelligence tradecraft, and the School book was reportedly written by a former KGB member that discusses his training. It’s evidently a self-published work that’s a little thin and with large margins and big spaces between the text lines, so I’m wondering what the content will be like, but should be worth the read.

Books on my Nook ereader that I’m working on or waiting to get to:

The Fate of the Day, Rick Atkinson’s second book in the American Revolution Trilogy; a reread and am waiting for the third in the series to be published. I really like how Atkinson writes about military history.

Rationality, Steven Pinker. A book about thinking rationally. I wasn’t sure how much I’d get out of it, but it discusses some things that I hadn’t considered before.

A Woman of No Importance, Sonia Purnell. About a woman spy for the British in WWII. I haven’t started it yet; recommended by a friend.

Jesus, Interrupted. One of many books about Christian history by Bart Ehrman that I found very enlightening. I have preordered his Love Thy Stranger, and am looking forward to it.

The Needletoe Letters, Robert Price. A (very disrespectful) parody of C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters.

I started The Killing of Jane McCrea: An American Tragedy on the Revolutionary Frontier by Paul Staiti. The book title is about a woman who was engaged to a loyalist (pro-British) officer during the American revolution and was reportedly killed by American Aboriginals allied with the British forces. The author’s intent, at least at the beginning of the book, was to explain how the story of the killing supposedly led to massive retaliations against the Indians to the point of destruction of their cultures. I have very limited tolerance for such polemics and gave it away after a few pages. I may have been too hasty in my judgment, but it turned me off very quickly.

@sigfreund I haven't read any of the other books you mention but "A Woman of No Importance" is very good.

I just read "Dirtbag Billionaire", the biography of Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia. I'm not a fan of their politics or their stand on the environment but it's a really good story about an amazing company. David Gelles lays it out doesn't pull punches, there are low points and high points.

I managed a few companies and can see some of my style, I was only a manager not an owner. Chouinard is one tough SOB, survived a lot of adventures, survived in corporate America.

Several years ago I watched "180 Degrees South" a movie chronicling Chouinard and David Tompkins, founder of North Face. Tompkins is heavily covered in this book, too, another different style of entrepreneur.

Currently reading Long Range Shooting by Ryan Cleckner. I intend to work on my rifle skills this year.

I really enjoy Michael Connely books, I think I've read all the series. The latest is a Lincoln Lawyer book, "The Proving Ground". Interesting story, an AI Companion, was an accessory to a murder, prove it. I haven't watched any of the different series, I may need to start.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: UTsig,

I am going to re-read the Lt. Joe Dante series by Christopher Newman. Just started the first book, "Mid-Town South" a couple of days ago. 9 books in all, from 1986 - 1997.

quote:

Originally posted by UTsig:
I really enjoy Michael Connely books, I think I've read all the series. The latest is a Lincoln Lawyer book, "The Proving Ground". Interesting story, an AI Companion, was an accessory to a murder, prove it. I haven't watched any of the different series, I may need to start.

I'm almost done with the last Bosch book, have a few motorsports book I'm going to go through before jumping into the parallel Bosch series.

Thinking I'll do the McEvoy and Ballard books before diving into the Lincoln Lawyer series.

About 3/4 way through Hail Mary, same author of The Martian. Yeah, sci-fi junkie here. It's a bit tedious but nonetheless fascinating how the duo works through problems as they arise.

Just finished "Out of Captivity". Story of 3 American Contractors held captive in the jungles of Colombia by FARC guerilla's for 5+ years.

Good read.

quote:

Originally posted by coyotedude:
About 3/4 way through Hail Mary, same author of The Martian. Yeah, sci-fi junkie here. It's a bit tedious but nonetheless fascinating how the duo works through problems as they arise.

I really enjoyed the book. Will probably read again before the movie hits theaters.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:

quote:

Originally posted by coyotedude:
About 3/4 way through Hail Mary, same author of The Martian. Yeah, sci-fi junkie here. It's a bit tedious but nonetheless fascinating how the duo works through problems as they arise.

I really enjoyed the book. Will probably read again before the movie hits theaters.

Just finished it last night, unexpected ending but speaks of character/selflessness. Didn't know a movie is forthcoming, look forward to it.

Finished the last Bosch book last night, left itself open to one or two more. IIRC The Waiting was released in 2024. We'll see if Bosch gets a last ride or two.

quote:

Originally posted by coyotedude:

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:

quote:

Originally posted by coyotedude:
About 3/4 way through Hail Mary, same author of The Martian. Yeah, sci-fi junkie here. It's a bit tedious but nonetheless fascinating how the duo works through problems as they arise.

I really enjoyed the book. Will probably read again before the movie hits theaters.

Just finished it last night, unexpected ending but speaks of character/selflessness. Didn't know a movie is forthcoming, look forward to it.

Trailer in the OP of this thread:
https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...650099515#1650099515

I am currently reading (listening to) Ken Follet's epic The Pillars of the Earth.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Currently reading Theft of Fire, by Devon Eriksen.

If you're a fan of hard SciFi I highly recommend it.

This is a fantastic book.

Just finished And The Rain Came Down by S.A. Bailey.
I've been wanting to read this one for a bit.

Currently reading Without Remorse. I read it every few years. I just finished the One Second After series, and the entire Sackett series by Louis L'Amour.
I get a lot of time to read at work.

Just a couple chapters short of finishing "The Godfather." The movie is much better.