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Movie Theater Recommend books

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A couple that have be around but still great books!
1. Chesty
2. Extreme Ownership
3. Call sign Chaos

I’m working through Chesty now, still amazing to see the development of leadership principles we still embrace today.
 
While not a movie or a book, more material is showing up on TED Talks. Here are some interesting, short lectures on subjects related to war.

TED Talks – Related to War and Conflict

TED is a non-profit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages. Meanwhile, independently run TEDx events help share ideas in communities around the world.” See the main URL address [ https://www.ted.com/talks ]for other talks on a very wide range of topics. [CEF Study Group – Jan 2019]


Why I Choose a Gun – General Peter Van Uhm
Peter van Uhm is the Netherlands' chief of defense, but that does not mean he is pro-war. In this talk, he explains how his career is one shaped by a love of peace, not a desire for bloodshed -- and why we need armies if we want peace. [CEF Study Group – Jan 2019]
https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_van_uhm_why_i_chose_a_gun?language=en

Let’s Rethink America’s Military Strategy – Thomas Barrett
In this bracingly honest talk, international security strategist Thomas Barnett outlines a post-Cold War solution for the foundering U.S. military that is both sensible and breathtaking in its simplicity: Break it in two. Very interesting commentary – recommended for everyone.
https://www.ted.com/talks/thomas_barnett_draws_a_new_map_for_peace?referrer=playlist-war_stories

What I Saw in the War - Reporter Janine di Giovanni
Reporter Janine di Giovanni has been to the worst places on Earth to bring back stories from Bosnia, Sierra Leone and most recently Syria. She tells stories of human moments within large conflicts -- and explores that shocking transition when a familiar city street becomes a bombed-out battleground.
https://www.ted.com/talks/janine_di_giovanni_what_i_saw_in_the_war?referrer=playlist-war_stories

There Are No Scraps of Men - Alberto Cairo
Alberto Cairo's clinics in Afghanistan used to close down during active fighting. Now, they stay open. In this powerful talk, Cairo tells the moving story of why -- and how he found humanity and dignity in the midst of war.
https://www.ted.com/talks/alberto_c...men?referrer=playlist-war_stories&language=en

 
While not a movie or a book, more material is showing up on TED Talks. Here are some interesting, short lectures on subjects related to war.

TED Talks – Related to War and Conflict

TED is a non-profit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages. Meanwhile, independently run TEDx events help share ideas in communities around the world.” See the main URL address [ https://www.ted.com/talks ]for other talks on a very wide range of topics. [CEF Study Group – Jan 2019]


Why I Choose a Gun – General Peter Van Uhm
Peter van Uhm is the Netherlands' chief of defense, but that does not mean he is pro-war. In this talk, he explains how his career is one shaped by a love of peace, not a desire for bloodshed -- and why we need armies if we want peace. [CEF Study Group – Jan 2019]
https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_van_uhm_why_i_chose_a_gun?language=en

Let’s Rethink America’s Military Strategy – Thomas Barrett
In this bracingly honest talk, international security strategist Thomas Barnett outlines a post-Cold War solution for the foundering U.S. military that is both sensible and breathtaking in its simplicity: Break it in two. Very interesting commentary – recommended for everyone.
https://www.ted.com/talks/thomas_barnett_draws_a_new_map_for_peace?referrer=playlist-war_stories

What I Saw in the War - Reporter Janine di Giovanni
Reporter Janine di Giovanni has been to the worst places on Earth to bring back stories from Bosnia, Sierra Leone and most recently Syria. She tells stories of human moments within large conflicts -- and explores that shocking transition when a familiar city street becomes a bombed-out battleground.
https://www.ted.com/talks/janine_di_giovanni_what_i_saw_in_the_war?referrer=playlist-war_stories

There Are No Scraps of Men - Alberto Cairo
Alberto Cairo's clinics in Afghanistan used to close down during active fighting. Now, they stay open. In this powerful talk, Cairo tells the moving story of why -- and how he found humanity and dignity in the midst of war.
https://www.ted.com/talks/alberto_c...men?referrer=playlist-war_stories&language=en
Interesting from the European point of view on "Why I Choose a Gun". No Ted talks on the individual rights to own a weapon?
 
Better to have a broader perspective than the reverse.

No sure what you mean?

The Dutch general had to explain to the audience the need of the military.

He also had to explain the "nation building" concept which is a more dubious and difficult concept.
 
This TED talk by Chief of Defence for the Netherlands provides some insight into one of the military Allied countries in Western Europe. It is important to have a perspective broader than your own region or country. Gun ownership in the Netherlands is rather limited - he is explaining to a conference why firearms are necessary for peace. You should search the TED website for background into the original intent of the US 2nd Amendment and its present interpretation - there may be a talk on this item.

The world economy is increasingly integrated by multi-national corporations and also by military defence treaties. Whereas, the United States dominated the global economy in 1960 with 44 percent of the world GDP – as of 2018 the rest of world economies have achieved greater autonomy – the USA GDP is now about 22 percent of the global GDP and trending down slowly. This in itself, provides more trading partners for the USA.

Therefore, understanding the perspectives of other countries is an important strategic initiative - for both economic and military reasons.
 
Someone here recommended The Longest Kill, by Craig Harrison. I had Amazon send me a copy and read it this weekend. Very good read. Pretty shitty how governments treat their people after they have used them up. It’s a good read if you like military sniper stories.
 
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This TED talk by Chief of Defence for the Netherlands provides some insight into one of the military Allied countries in Western Europe. It is important to have a perspective broader than your own region or country. Gun ownership in the Netherlands is rather limited - he is explaining to a conference why firearms are necessary for peace. You should search the TED website for background into the original intent of the US 2nd Amendment and its present interpretation - there may be a talk on this item.

The world economy is increasingly integrated by multi-national corporations and also by military defence treaties. Whereas, the United States dominated the global economy in 1960 with 44 percent of the world GDP – as of 2018 the rest of world economies have achieved greater autonomy – the USA GDP is now about 22 percent of the global GDP and trending down slowly. This in itself, provides more trading partners for the USA.

Therefore, understanding the perspectives of other countries is an important strategic initiative - for both economic and military reasons.
I did check google for TED talks on the 2Amend and here it is but I warn anyone not to view this garbage if you have high blood pressure.

 
Has anybody here read the Jack Carr books? Normally something I’d avoid, but they’re pretty solid. Carr is a former SEAL and his real-world experience shines through in his fiction.
 
Has anybody here read the Jack Carr books? Normally something I’d avoid, but they’re pretty solid. Carr is a former SEAL and his real-world experience shines through in his fiction.

Yep, I've read them all, and I anxiously await the next one. Great stories. One of my favorite authors.
 
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Yep, I've read them all, and I anxiously await the next one. Great stories. One of my favorite authors.
I read them back to back to back and definitely wanted more once I finished. I was hesitant at first.. I’m a big reader and fiction written by a former seal normally wouldn’t fair too well, but man they had me hooked!
 
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Here are a couple great ones in a non-fiction American history vein:

A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn - the Last Great Battle of the American West, James Donovan

Nothing Like It In The World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869, Stephen Ambrose
 
Here are a couple great ones in a non-fiction American history vein:

A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn - the Last Great Battle of the American West, James Donovan

Nothing Like It In The World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869, Stephen Ambrose
Thanks! I love some good nonfiction!
 
Just finished No Ordinary Dog. Saw it recommended on here and it was a good read. Dog and handler were both bad asses. The end is pretty sad for the dog and handler both. This is another book that exposes how hard that war can be on people. I would have never imagined that a dog could have severe ptsd. God bless the warriors that help keep us safe.
 
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Just finished No Ordinary Dog. Saw it recommended on here and it was a good read. Dog and handler were both bad asses. The end is pretty sad for the dog and handler both. This is another book that exposes how hard that war can be on people. I would have never imagined that a dog could have severe ptsd. God bless the warriors that help keep us safe.
This is on my list as well. There is a program (blanking on the name) that pairs former mil dogs with former mil handlers and they kind of help one another with their ptsd. Pretty cool.
 
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New (for me) Author William Allen Webb's SyFy series The Last Brigade originates in a present eerily like our current moment; starting with Standing The Final Watch. It absolutely nails the present decay.

Although where it goes from there is into an apocalyptic near future, it prompts long and deep thought.

I believe it's a perfect book for an imperfect moment in our history.

Without adopting the included concepts completely; I believe it give highly plausible academic explanations of how our present situation might originate, and where it logically leads.

If there is serious truth to it, our present situation can have only one outcome, and it's the worst one. I find it very convincing, but I am in denial, like so many on both sides of our current confrontation.

I clearly recognize the absurdity of the edifice it builds on its plausible foundation. But I just as clearly recognize that as one preps for individual, family, and community survival in a period of deep turmoil, it also ushers a need for thought to the higher institutions, how they might evolve, and whose needs they would serve.

I wonder whether this moment is a guided path into a heavy handed central domination, and whether this path leads to enslavement or to liberation. I doubt the latter, and point out that some suggest we are already facing precisely that dark future.

What I think is inconsequential. What comes will be well thought out, well endowed, and backed by enough force see it through, whatever end are served.

It is worth long and deep thought.

Greg
 
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You guys get into some rather heavy nonfiction tomes. For me, I'm a hard sci-fi fan. In this genre, of which I've read a whole bunch of stuff, there is one trilogy that stands out to me for it's outstanding list of "big" ideas. It's the Revelation Space trilogy written by Alastair Reynolds from the early to mid 2000's. If you are any sort of sci-fi fan, they are worth a look. I will give no spoilers or hints as to what these big ideas might be...
 
BJG56 if you like scifi there is a guy his name is Rick Partlow. He writes military scifi.
I really liked Glory Boy but the rest of his books are readable.
 
Just started "Can't hurt me" by David Groggins. Pretty good so far. Like a book, interview and podcast in one.
 
Nonfiction One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer by Nathaniel Fick is excellent. Even my neighbor, retired Navy Captain, enjoyed although he was appalled by the infrequency of grunt showers. Pilots....
 
The
EMP: Equipping Modern Patriots: A Story of Survival

series by Jonathan Hollerman has been my favorit factition so far.
 
About Face by David Hackworth
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

All three I deeply enjoyed and learned valuable perspective from.
 
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About Face by David Hackworth
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

All three I deeply enjoyed and learned valuable perspective from.

Read "About Face" many years ago. Great book about a great hero. He ran a battalion in the Viet Nam war and brought guerilla warfare to the VC guerillas. But he got frustrated with the way the brass was running the war and got out.
 
Just listened to this on YouTube right now... Badass, grim, and metal as fuck... Amon Amarth / Slayer-esque twist to already notorious legends of old...



Pretty fitting to be listening to it as I am working on the next couple of chapters on my own graphic novel Borderlands, which is probably near just as hellish as the story above...
 
On a bit of a more arcane note and one that had a great influence on some of my career decisions... any other fans of "Snow Crash" here?

Cheers,

Sirhr
yeah. found a 3 year old thread, I know. Neal Stephenson is top-5 for me, at least until I got to the Quicksilver trilogy. Snow Crash is epic, but Cryptonomicon is the best. Lots of real WWII nerd history in there mixed in with the story.
Edit... I recommend Cryptonomicon to anyone getting a start in cryptography or information operations or curious about what was going on at Bletchley Park. There's a lot of "why" wrapped up in an engaging story.

I'll add "Worm" by Mark Bowden (yes, "Blackhawk Down" Mark Bowden). For anyone that went through Operation Rampart Yankee (aka Conficker), it's the story behind the story.

And anything by Philip K. Dick.
 
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The remaining series by dj molles is one the best fiction series ive ever read and the sequel called harden is just as good and keeps getting better
 
My Favorites:

Starship Troopers
Gates of Fire
Ender’s Game
The Last Inauguration
Where a Red Fern Grows
Horse Soldiers
 
My 2 cents:

As much as I loved the Vince Flynn books, I think Brad Taylor's Pike Logan series is better. Brad Thor books rank third in my mind. I didn't discover Brad Taylor until just recently and I don't know how I overlooked such a good writer that also gets all the gun stuff right.

Avoid Ben Coes if you like technical accuracy. The guy is a complete idiot that does zero research for his novels.

Unintended Consequences by John Ross is a must read for any gun geek.

Stephen Hunter's Swagger books are good, but I think his earlier works are better than the later stuff. (I haven't read G-man yet.)


Thanks Since I have started the post I am through all of the Vincy Flynn, Reacher, and several other series. I have a 40 minute drive every day for work and this helps out a lot.

Just finished "Triggered" as a side note. He might actually be President some day.
 
Books:
The Hobit
Lord of the Rings series
Game of Thrones series.
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jorden
Malazan Book of the Fallen series - Steven Ericson
Galaxy Outlaws :The Black Ocean series my J.S Morin
Mercy for Hire Missions : J.S Morin
Astral Prime Missions: J.S Morin
Anything by Issac Asimov
Anything by Brandon Sanderson
Most collections of Sci-Fi Short stories
Stephen King: It, The Shining, Thinner, the Tailsman, The Tommyknockers, The. Dark Tower Series, The Stand, Misery , The Dark Half, Pet Sematary numerous others I preferred his collection of short stories over his full blown novels... Last book I read of his was Doctor Sleep - sequel to The Shinning, it was better than I expected but really have not read anything else he has written lately.
 
Forgot about Sanderson. He’s great. Awaiting the new release to the Stormlight Series now
 
Having a wide variety of interests these are some of my recommendations:
Another vote here for Jack Hinson's One Man War by McKenne
Just finished reading the original by Ian Fleming's The Spy Who Loved Me. Don't know why he wrote it as I read somewhere, he hated it. Story is taken from the "heroine's" point of view and Bond doesn't show up until 3/4 of the way through. However, as with all his books, Fleming made me a better writer by the almost over use of adjectives, describing things so much so, as they make you believe you are almost there.
Picked up a book with the most unusual title of "Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All", by Christina Thompson, a "love story"... :ROFLMAO:
If you think Columbus discovered America, fugetta about it! Gavin Menzies "1421, the Year China discovered America" is for those who have an open mind and don't have a phobia about China. His "1434, the Year a Magnificent Chinese Fleet Sailed to Italy and Ignited the Renaissance" is also a fascinating book. These two books by Menzies will really give one something to think about!
For those of you who like mysteries..."Mrs. Sherlock Holmes" by Brad Ricca and of course the complete works of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Sports: Kareem by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a much better book then Wilt Chamberlin's, who just wrote about his "25,000 conquests". Interestingly enough Kareem also wrote a couple of books about Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes.
Jim Bouton, former pitcher of the Yankees wrote some interesting books about baseball. I got an autographed copy of "Ball Four".
I am sure many of you own several firearms, but do you have specific books to go along with your guns? Since I own a Winchester 1894, I bought the book "Winchester" as I am partial to historical books. It is by R.L. Wilson.
For those of you who own a rowboat...C.S. Forester's books about Horatio Hornblower's books are outstanding, but if you are a landlubber, then Bernard Cornwell's series about Richard Sharpe should suit you.
Of course one of the all-time great adventure series was the Tarzan books (I read 30 of them when I was in the AF) by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Just about every chapter ends in a cliff-hanger.
They say variety is the spice of life and I have read/collected many books and magazines. I have over 100 First Edition/Premiere Magazines including the first 20 years of Penthouse, seven years of Oui and of course various Playboy's. I was fortunate enough to even get some of the Centerfold's autographs when they used to make public appearances at auto shows, home shows and sound shops here in town.
My pièce de ré·sis·tance however, is the first edition of Sports Illustrated (1954 same year Playboy started) which I picked up, still in it's original mailing envelope for only twenty five cents!!! (price on the cover) This was in the 70's.
...but back to books... Sci-fi and Science. Isaac Asimov stands head and shoulders in these two categories. His Foundation series is awesome and his science books start out with the basics so the layman can get a little understanding of it, like mathematics or astronomy, but then then the subjects get really deep, for the more advanced readers.
A book by the Fey Brothers, grandsons of Charles Fey considered the inventor of the one armed bandit aka: slot machine is a colorful history of Slots.
When I first read them, I thought Brave New World and 1984 were sci-fi books, but found out they had more meaning then I originally thought.
Well as you can see I like to diversify in my choices. Keep an open mind. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Drop me a line if you read any of my books and what you thought of them. I am always open to some of your recommendations too.
 
The Fieldcraft Book, by SSgt Skaggs, USMC. An unofficial self-help manual for junior enlisted, similar in style to the old 'US Army Ranger Rick' manuals.

Author interview:


Free PDF copy can be accessed directly at: