WWII seems to be a topic here (vs spy novels). Recently read Eric Larson’s The Splendid and The Vile. About Churchill and his family during the war. Very good read.
OT: Good books you have read
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With the 80th anniversary of DDay a few days away I recommend reading the original Band of Brothers if you haven’t. Also covers plenty on Bastogne/battle of the bulge.
Similarly, one of my favorites is “Fighting Fox Company” about Easy Company’s sister company Fox. (My grandfather mentioned several times throughout).
Similarly, one of my favorites is “Fighting Fox Company” about Easy Company’s sister company Fox. (My grandfather mentioned several times throughout).
He is discussed quite a bit in Maters of the Air book.
The Climate Demon By Dr Saravanan…if you want to understand how climate modeling works…this is the book…
If you want to read about a piece of WW 2 history that doesn't get much attention I'd suggest The Cruel Victory by Paddy Ashdown. It's about French Resistance in the Vercors in southern France.
Good read
Good read
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Currently almost finished with “John Marshall - Definer of a Nation” by Jean Edward Smith. Lot of interesting stuff about the Supreme Court beyond Marburg v Madison, McCulloch v MD and conflict with Jackson over Indian removal, which are the only three things I knew about before
Can't recall if I already mentioned this book, but it's one my mom read to me every night and I highly recommend it (no pun intended):
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I have read that book. It is excellent; a legal historian recommended it to me so I can tell you the legal discussions are accurate. Marshall's pre-Supreme Court career is also quite interesting.
I have also read Smith's biographies of Ulysses Grant, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower. All are well worth reading, although I found the discussion of Eisenhower's presidency too cursory. (OTOH, Smith is very comprehensive on Ike's generalship and personal life.) Smith writes well and is scrupulously fair.
Ben Macintyre has some great non-fiction spy novels, notably "The Spy and the Traitor" and "A Spy Among Friends." I believe the Spy and the Traitor is being made into a mini-series on one of the streaming platforms as well.
"Lost in Shangri-La" is a good non-fiction book about survivors of a WWII plane crash in Papua New Guinea, in tribal land that had almost zero contact with modern society.
Loved Boys in the Boat (and thought the movie was pretty true to form, unlike "Unbroken," the film of which was disappointing) -- will have to check out Facing the Mountain. Currently reading the Mosquito Bowl, which some have mentioned, and the Ron Chernow Grant biography.
Some of her stuff might seem dated now but I read a lot of Helen MacInnes back in the day.