fallen away from reading, and want to get nack into it a bit more

i love factual reading, make belive stories dont interest me too much.

ive always read things like "hubble space telescope", richard dawkings books, bill brysons, a short history of nearly everything, dave walkers haynes manual on emerald ecus and mapping, arnies bodybuilding encyclopedia, ect ect

but maybe time to open up to some semi factual/semi fictional style books thinking maybe some war stories.

or open to suggestions on other topics - but really, factual is my favorite.

what are you reading and what would people recommend given my previous likes?

cheers

 

Stalin court of the red tsar by the impressively titled simon sebag montefiore, History of a nightmare, which is about pol pot, Behind closed doors churchill stalin and the west , Richard Kuklinski the Ice man, Amarillo slim in a world full of fat people, The long walk to Freedom Nelson Mandela, The Story of Titanic Thompson.

I personally don't like reading made up stuff either I don't see the point.

 

Also for war stories check out Che Guevaras reminicenses of the Cuban military war. Mao the unknown story is also good,

 

I have posted many time before, if you like factual books

Stalingrad by Antony Beevor

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stalingrad-A.../dp/0140249850

and another amazingly powerful book

Into That Darkness: From Mercy Killing to Mass Murder by Gita Sareny

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Into-That-Da.../dp/0712674470

 

yep, good book too - less immediately accessible than Stalingrad though

 

thanks for input

just thinking, im troubled with things too torturous or cruel

i know its daft but i loose sleep over bad events, child or animal cruelty, i dont want to read about tbh
some maybe part and parcel of wartime scenarios - light referance is ok, indepth explanation is not cool. saving private ryan is about as disturbing as i can go tbh, lol

not sure stories of dictator style horrors is NOT my cup of tea tbh

maybe some other non war type recommnedations?

 

I found getting to grips with the names was hard work at first but the more you read about the period the easier it gets. I did read one book that had a list of the names and a brief bio all in the same place so it made it much easier. Next book I read about Mao if it doesn't have some kind of character list then I will right my own as the Chinese names do my head in.

 

Couldn't put this down.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Devil-Br...7722682&sr=1-1

 

Mark ormrods book on his tour of afghan is pretty good.

 

I have just read Dardanelles Patrol . A great read if you like war time books.

 

sounds good,

bit of a u-turn but war time interests would more be focused around weapons development and specifications, the reasons behind the need for "arms race" be they political or economical - war strategies and the thinking behind them with occasional relevant referance to situations.

or maybe somthing in referance to the space race, between us and ussr, or stories of a similar nature but not neccessarily tied to those topics

fussy fcker me eh, lol

 

K2 no way down

Into thin air

I don't do fiction, but these 2 real life stories were great.

Failing that, a good sporting autobiography. Paul McGrath, merson, Adams. Players with a story. Jamie Whitam and Chris walker are good value too.

 

brilliant book, and topical given the recent events on Everest

 

If you don't like the nasty stuff the Mandela book is an Epic tale and a true lesson for how to overcome the odds. The books about Amarillo Slim and Titanic Thompson are entertaining but carry a deeper message about how to interact with the world on your terms not everyone elses.

 

Personally I would not give a bullying theiving torturing scumbag like Stephen French a penny of my money. The guy is a scumbag who got away with it I don't doubt that the book is OK though.

 

thanks all, ill look into these tomorow

 

World War Z - its fiction, but COULD be factual !!

 

sniper one written by sgt dan mills was a good read and also bravo two zero by andy mcnab

 

Really enjoyed this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Boyd-The-Fig...7767395&sr=8-8

It tells the story of how one bloke changed US military thinking both in tactics and fighter design.
His ideas were the key behinf the F15, F16, A10, and the tactics used in the first Gulf War

 

Second the Andy McNab books, he has done a fair few of his Nick stone series as well . Most of those come across as believable.
Another author I have come across is Vince Flynn withi his Mitch Rapp series.

Richard

 

Frederic Forsyth books are great and Icon is mine favourite


Jura

 

I thought Operation Mincemeat was a very good read

 

Fermats last theorem - Simon Singh

 

I think the Bible might be right up your street, especially as you're not interested in fiction plus it will make a better and more moral person than you are now.

 

Try The Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss....blew my mind man

 

ive read part of the old testament, boring, unreadable and horrendous all at the same time

im so grateful your here to guide my moral thinking in the right direction

well couldnt get any of them local, so just grabbed , sniper 1, bravo2 zero, and story of a secret state, to get me going.

 

Vulcan 607, factual, yet interesting/ amusing stories of how they were retro fitted to air to air refuel and INS (gps), and flew halfway round the world on their "eve of retirement"

 

These sound interesting. I've just ordered the Titanic Thompson one from Amazon.

 

The Success of the Tory Party

It's a VERY short story indeed .....

 

Two superb motorsport books I can recommend are these.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Limit-T...7864818&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gilles-Ville...7865026&sr=1-1

Both superb books that I've read a few times.