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VANITY: Book Recommendations Wanted

Posted on 11/18/2007 8:50:35 PM PST by GodfearingTexan

Ladies and Gentelmen, I'm writing in hopes that some of you could make a recommendation on books that deal with courage and adventure. Nonfiction books only please. I'm stationed out in the middle of nowhere and reading is my only real R&R. I'm especially interested in nautical adventures or adventures relating to the exploration of Africa or the Middle East. I've searched amazon for hours trying to find that sort of a book, but I have yet to find something worthwhile.

By the way, I recently read In the Heart of the Sea, the story about the whaleship Essex, and it was awesome. I highly recommend it.

Thank you.


TOPICS: Books/Literature
KEYWORDS: bookreview; books; readinglist
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To: GodfearingTexan
For lighter reading, non-fiction, seafaring genre, try Two Years Before The Mast, by Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

It is his own account of being a merchant sailor in 'Early California', in the mid-to-late 1830's.

It's an easy read, and usually most interesting, page after page. His accounts of San Diego, San Pedro, Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San Francisco, in those days, are among the few written in English from an "American" viewpoint, and perhaps the only from the an humble sailor's view.

Dana, later in life, advocated for sailors rights, ending up authoring some aspects of early U.S. Shipping Code (Title 46) with some of Dana's contributions beginning at about ~60 (or is it ~40 or so?), running for a ways ( a few consecutive) then some spotty code writing, or influence towards contributions, up to about ~160-180, if memory serves... One of his own family (brother?) William Dana, married into a Spanish land grant family, in what is referred to today as being Nipomo, California (San Luis Obispo County, half-way between Santa Barbara, and Monterey) the remains of which dwelling are still an historical landmark (Dana Adobe).

61 posted on 11/18/2007 10:16:39 PM PST by BlueDragon (a handgun is best used for fighting one's way to a RIFLE)
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To: GodfearingTexan
South America Africa SE Asia Russia Alaska Classic Al Gore
62 posted on 11/18/2007 10:20:21 PM PST by BGHater (Lead. The MSG for the 21st Century.)
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To: GodfearingTexan

I would recommend “The Ultra Secret” by Winterbotham. It is about how the Brits decoded German secret messages in WWII. Much of the Battle of the Atlantic was waged at this level, and it is an interesting read.

Another book, along the same lines of secret information & such: “Intercept UFO” by Renato Vesco. You can read through and get sort of an idea of what it goes into on this thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1924782/posts


63 posted on 11/18/2007 10:29:05 PM PST by Kevmo (We should withdraw from Iraq — via Tehran. And Duncan Hunter is just the man to get that job done.)
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To: GodfearingTexan
Here ya go:

WINSTON S. CHURCHILL THE SECOND WORLD WAR - COMPLETE IN SIX VOLUMES IN SLIPCASE(I've read the condensed version, and I highly recommend it)

The Dangerous Book for Boys

64 posted on 11/18/2007 10:32:31 PM PST by lesser_satan (READ MY LIPS: NO NEW RINOS | FRED THOMPSON - DUNCAN HUNTER '08)
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To: GodfearingTexan
Two Lives Of a Hero

The incredible life of Lord Baden Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts...but who rose to the rank of Lieutenant General in the British Army, before starting the Boy Scouts. Especially interesting are the stories of his service in South Africa and India, as a spy and a true war hero!

65 posted on 11/18/2007 10:34:33 PM PST by LiteKeeper (Beware the secularization of America; the Islamization of Eurabia)
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To: GodfearingTexan
Just to whet your appetite:

Wikipedia article on the life of Lord Baden Powell

66 posted on 11/18/2007 10:37:46 PM PST by LiteKeeper (Beware the secularization of America; the Islamization of Eurabia)
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To: GodfearingTexan

A book on my must read list

The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, The First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805

http://www.amazon.com/Pirate-Coast-Jefferson-Marines-Mission/dp/1401300030


67 posted on 11/18/2007 10:49:37 PM PST by april15Bendovr
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To: Grizzled Bear; GodfearingTexan

Why doesn't Texas fall into the Gulf of Mexico?

[Oklahoma Sucks!]

highlight between brackets for punchline

68 posted on 11/18/2007 10:54:21 PM PST by BlueDragon (a handgun is best used for fighting one's way to a RIFLE)
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To: GodfearingTexan

Well since you’re a GodfearingTexan and Okie, I would say that this one should fit the bill...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0842379428/

Check out his website at — http://www.epm.org/

Jan Markell at Olive Tree Ministries (KKMS, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN) interviewed him about his book. You can hear it here, to get an idea about the book — http://mp3.olivetreeviews.org/OTM2007_06_30B.mp3

Now, this will keep you riveted on the subject matter, all the way through the book.

Regards,
Star Traveler


69 posted on 11/18/2007 11:08:37 PM PST by Star Traveler
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To: GodfearingTexan

“The Long Road Home” by Martha Raddatz is a well-written account of Black Sunday. Definitely bravery there. “Under Fire”, Oliver North’s autobiography, also might interest you.


70 posted on 11/18/2007 11:11:55 PM PST by Irish Rose (Will work for chocolate.)
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To: GodfearingTexan

I really enjoyed In the Heart of the Sea, too.

Try “Washington’s Crossing.” It is an incredible story of courage and surviving hardship against seemingly insurmountable odds. I guarantee you’ll be thrilled by it.

“Empire Express” - Building the transcontinental railroad
“A Newer World” - Kit Carson & John Fremont
“Men to Match My Mountains” - Thrilling stories of the U.S. western expansion


71 posted on 11/18/2007 11:22:02 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: GodfearingTexan
By way of personal survival stories, try:

“Survive the Savage Sea,” by Dougal Robertson. (family endures the sudden sinking of their boats at sea);

“The Hundred Days of Lt. Mac Horton. (autobiography)(Severely wounded and left to die in the jungle, a British soldier fights the Japanese, hostile terrain, flies, heat, and pain);

“Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage,” Alfred Lansing. (An Antarctic expedition is wrecked, but all survive due to Shackleton’s determination and resilience).

72 posted on 11/19/2007 1:16:27 AM PST by Rockingham
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To: GodfearingTexan

Two Years Before the Mast - Richard Henry Dana

The Long Walk - Slavomir Rawicz

Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer

Also, read the Siege of Malta if you haven’t already...


73 posted on 11/19/2007 1:45:30 AM PST by Experiment 6-2-6 (Admn Mods: tiny, malicious things that glare and gibber from dark corners.They have pins and dolls..)
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To: GodfearingTexan

“Narrow Escapes and Outdoor Adventures” by Ben East (a collection of short stories of survival from the old ‘Outdoor Life’ magazines).


74 posted on 11/19/2007 2:42:11 AM PST by hoosier_RW_conspirator
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To: GodfearingTexan
You want to see or read about real courage and lasting fortitude of a small bunch of folk = read Gov. Bradford's "Of Plymouth Plantation" or get the most excellently done film that faithfully follows it - titled : "Desperate Crossing" = I guarantee you'll be amazed at how much you never knew or suspected of what these people endured - for over a dozen years BEFORE they sailed on the Mayflower = including their 12 years in Holland.

Elder William Brewster played a cat and mouse game with the English Crown who sent detectives back and forth - as he scooted back and forth - always one step ahead.

They wanted his head because he had a publishing/printing business - hidden ingeniously - and printed books and pamphlets against the Crown, one being the famous "Perth Assembly". That's the one that really ticked the King off...

When they finally made the decision to sail on the Mayflower, he had to be smuggled aboard...

And did you know that the first face to face encounter they had with the Native Americans was the first warm spring day when Samoset came striding straight into the middle of the village...and that they stood, mouths agape, as he greeted them with: "Welcome, Englishmen." And then asked for a beer...

Anyway, I do think you'd be pleasantly surprised at the REAL story of the Pilgrims - one you never got in school or the newspapers...

75 posted on 11/19/2007 3:17:23 AM PST by maine-iac7 (",,,but you can't fool all of the people all the time" LINCOLN)
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To: BGHater; GodfearingTexan
I have read "The Childrens Blizzard" and it is fascinating.

My husband loves anything by Peter Hathaway Capstick, which have to do with hunting expeditions in Africa.

76 posted on 11/19/2007 3:24:28 AM PST by codercpc
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To: GodfearingTexan
“Goodbye Darkness” ...by William Manchester
77 posted on 11/19/2007 3:29:54 AM PST by johnny7 ("But that one on the far left... he had crazy eyes")
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To: texas booster; Tennessee Nana; GodfearingTexan
A hearty second for F.A. Worsley's Shackleton's Boat Journey.

The 18 months that the expedition spent trapped in the Antarctic after Endurance was lost were just the first act. When the ice finally broke apart, the 28 explorers used the ship's lifeboats to sail to Elephant Island, where most of the crew hunkered down in a makeshift camp while a smaller party sailed the second lifeboat northward, through the monstrous gales and treacherous ice of the Southern Ocean, for 800 miles.

If you're up for a video version of the story, Kenneth Branagh's Shackleton does it justice and then some.

78 posted on 11/19/2007 3:35:43 AM PST by Tenniel2 ("After a glimpse of Democrats in power, Republicans don't look so bad" -- Jack Kelly)
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To: GodfearingTexan
Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea.

The true story of the sinking of the SS Central America and the eventual recovery of her cargo of gold.

The first quarter or so of the book deals with the incredible, super-human efforts of many to save the passengers before she sank. The rest concerns the difficult salvage of the cargo over 130 years later.

79 posted on 11/19/2007 3:36:20 AM PST by Right Wing Assault ("..this administration is planning a 'Right Wing Assault' on values and ideals.." - John Kerry)
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To: GodfearingTexan
You might be interested in a book I've read several times . . . it's called "North to the Pole" by Will Steger and Paul Schurke, and it's about the famous Steger expedition to the North Pole back in the 1980s. The expedition was sponsored by National Geographic magazine, and was done only using the types of equipment that would have been available to Robert Peary back in 1909. There was some dispute over the years about whether Peary really ever reached the North Pole, and National Geographic sponsored this expedition to determine if it was at least physically possible to accomplish what he had claimed.
80 posted on 11/19/2007 3:47:33 AM PST by Alberta's Child (I'm out on the outskirts of nowhere . . . with ghosts on my trail, chasing me there.)
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