Best Books - Non-fiction military (war story) - Freeper opinions wanted!

[flying Elvis]

A Scythe of Fire, by Steven Woodworth.

Dr. Woodworth teaches at Texas Christian University and is one of the very few Christian and conservative Civil War historians in academia.

This book tells the story of the 8th Georgia Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. It does not glorify their cause nor surrender to political correctness. It merely describes in vivid eloquent detail the hardships the men of the 8th endured. I highly recommend this one. The description of the battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) rivals any combat accounts I have read, and I have read many. Flying E.

[PsyOp]

I hope you're not laboring under the misconception...

I never labor under misconceptions, at least not the kind that the author of "Dispatches" does. Try reading the book I suggested.

[PsyOp]

Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara. About the Battle of Gettysburg. I think the movie, Gettysburg, was based on it.

It's an excellent book, and the movie is based on it. What you have to remember about it though is that it is a dramatized history. Many of the "conversations" between the various commanders in the book are based on supposition. For that reason, it cannot be considered true history, even though Shaara's research is very good and his guess is as good as any as to what was said between many of the key figures.

[Barset]

I couldn't recall that incident so checked my pb copy of "Bloods." I skipped over the incident before, sensing what was coming. But this time I did read it through. It was as bad as you said. It was Specialist 4 Arthur E. "Gene" Woodley. Jr.

I wonder if "Bloods" is required reading at our War College, and in training combat officers. It should be.

[connectthedots]

Even with all the other discriptions of the horrors of war in Bloods, nothing else even approached the event in that chapter. It had been many years since I had thought about that chapter, and your mention of the book caused me to get very little sleep last night.

[brianbikes]

I'm not sure if you are looking for the best books that give the history of the war, or are just looking for the best stories. For history, anything by John Keegan is great. BUt I think you are looking for stories that border on the fantastic, and highlight man's ability to overcome adversity or show greats acts of courage or heroism. MY favorite is a book called WE DIE ALONE, BY Steven Horwath. A true story of survival, its so amazing as to be almost unbelievable. OTher memoirs include:

We Were Soldiers Once and Young (Previously mentioned)
Dispatches, by Michael Herr (vietnam war)
My War Gone BY, I Miss It So, by Anthony Lloyd (Very unusual war memoir of the Bosnian Conflict)
Flags of Our Fathers
Chickenhawk (Vietnam)

Happy Reading!

Brian Leverenz
nttbrian@ameritech.net