The History Book Club discussion

Lori wrote: "I am reading A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn, which really adjusts your thinking from how history is taught in school, to looking at it in terms of struggles between the have..."

Sounds like you guys have some great books to read. You will be our Red Army expert, Dimitri!

Lori - nice try on the citation. Use the "add book/author" link at the top right of the comment box to add the book/author elements. Your citation should then look like:

by Howard Zinn

Try it out! ;-) This is a good place to practice.

I just started reading Montana 1948 by Larry Watson.

by Larry Watson

I just finished an interesting book that is outside my typical genre comfort zone -- You Gotta Be Dirty: The Outlaws Motorcycle Club In & Around Wisconsin. Think Son's of Anarchy, except, in this case, it not fiction.

Devin, this is how the books you mentioned should be cited - check out the Mechanics of the Board thread in the Help Desk folder for very detailed help with this. It is as easy as pie when you get the hang of it and it allows the powerful goodreads software to cross populate our group site and goodreads when you do the citations properly. Look at the white space to the right on this thread - all of the books listed and all of the authors listed and other topics are generated due to the correct use of the citations. Any group member can find all of the threads and discussions where any book or author was discussed on our site. Very powerful.

by Michael Grogan (no photo)

by Tara Bennett

Devin wrote: "Tara, if you would please forward the post to the appropriate groups, I will look at the software tomorrow evening. Thx."

Devin, I wonder if you perhaps meant that post to be somewhere else? :-)

Thanks Teri - I deleted it because it does not fit on this thread.

Im reading Robert Tombs. The English and their History

Roberto, don't forget to make a citation for the book you are mentioning at the end of the post.

by Robert Tombs (no photo)

I'm reading three books at the moment.

by Julian Barnes

by Nicholas D. Kristof

by Sasha Abramsky

I just begin the last book of this trilogy. I think the genre is noir novel and its about the relations between mexican police (in the north) and the Cartel bosses. Very interesting and the author says what we all mexicans know: the intricate relationship between drugs cartels and politicians.

by Élmer Mendoza

Yesterday I finished Hitlers Motor Racing Battles (and I posted my thoughts in the Sports / Car Racing folder).

by Eberhard Reuss (no photo)

Today, after reading some positive comments on here, I'll hopefully be starting Marked for Death : The First War in the Air. Just as soon as the delivery man arrives...

by James Hamilton-Paterson

In preparation for an upcoming trip to Florence, I'm reading Brunelleschi's Dome.
by Ross King

byHolger H. Herwig(no photo)

One of many books purchased out of sync with the centennial calendar so I'm reading it in september '16 instead of '14.

Everyone has such great books on deck to read. Happy reading to all.

Danielle, don't forget your citation. Buck was a great author.

by Pearl S. Buck

Doris wrote: "In preparation for an upcoming trip to Florence, I'm reading Brunelleschi's Dome.
by [authorimage:Ross King|..."

I loved that book! The politics are so interesting, and the sheer magnitude of the project is fascinating. I still marvel at how they managed to get all the marble from Carrera down the river to Florence.

Just started reading this and it's quite inspiring. I had no idea before reading this that she had a tortured childhood.
by Diana Nyad

I'm reading "Washington's Immortals" by Patrick O'Donnell, it's a book about the infamous Maryland Regiment "the immortal 400" who lead a series of charges during the Battle of Brooklyn that allowed the rest of the Continental Army to pull back to fight other day. Great book, best way to describe it is Band of Brothers meets the American Revolution.

Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution
Patrick K. O'Donnell

Hello, Joe!

When citing a book, please use the proper format for citations we have here at HBC. Thank you.

by Patrick K. O'Donnell

by Neil MacGregor
(I am reading the Dutch translation)

I'm halfway this book now and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who wants to understand Germany and Germany's role in Europe and the European Union better. And it is so much fun to read, even 'Bier & Bratwurst' is having its role in history :-)

Alisa wrote: "Doris wrote: "In preparation for an upcoming trip to Florence, I'm reading Brunelleschi's Dome.
by [authorim..."

Alisa, Ross King is a wonderful author. I am reading this book as well.

I have lived over 10 years in the Mideast. My last 5 was Iraq and Afghanistan. I am amazed (when you compare the Barbary Pirates War and today's conflict in the Mideast) with how they are in time, cost and the limits that we put on the Military as we do now that make these two wars so similar. What we face now in the Mideast is a mirror image of the Barbary Pirates America fought in the first decade of the 1800s.

Thanks, Tony, for posting the Nazi racing connection book here as well as on the Car Racing folder. As I mentioned there, I am looking for that book.

by Eberhard Reuss (no photo)

Jill wrote: "Thanks, Tony, for posting the Nazi racing connection book here as well as on the Car Racing folder. As I mentioned there, I am looking for that book.

[bookcover:Hitler's Motor Racing Battles: The ..."

Hi Jill. Unfortunately it didn't quite live up to my expectations, but it was still an interesting read.

Uh oh......do you think I should make the effort to find it, Tony? I have a lot on my tbr list and don't want to add another book that might not be exactly brilliant!!

I think I gave it 3 stars Jill... interesting, well researched, but not especially well written or enjoyable. So I'm afraid that's a "no". Which may be good news if your tbr list is already getting a bit out of control!!

Oh it is, Tony, so I will take your recommendation. Thanks so much.

I'm reading a book about WWI by Mario Isneghi and Giorgio Rochat. Quite intersting, but a bit difficult to read. I enjoyed "Fire and Blood: the European Civil War" by Enzo Traverso (about the inter-war years) a lot more. That's really a very intersting book.

I'm also reading "Time and Regret", a novel set during WWI and in 1991. Bit slow for me, but easy to read.

Sarah......don't forget your book and author citations as shown below. Thanks so much.

by Enzo Traverso

by M.K. Tod

Mario Isnenghi

Giorgio Rochat

I recently started 1776 by David McCullough. For some reason I've never been all that interested in the Revolutionary War so I haven't read too much about it. I really enjoyed McCullough's book about the Wright brothers, so I thought I'd give this one a shot.

by David McCullough

David McCullough is such a fine writer that he could write about the history of tennis balls and make it interesting!!!

David McCullough

I second what Jill said!

Third!!! I have many of his books on my TBR that I keep meaning to read.

Excellent posts folks

I haven't read anything by McCullough, or even heard much about him. Can someone tell me what I'm missing please?

From a quick look here on GR, both The Wright Brothers and The Great Bridge appeal to me.

by David McCullough

The Wright Brothers is an excellent book. We read it as part of the Book of the month project. If you ever start reading it, check out the discussion we had. The threads are still open so you can even share your own thoughts.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

by David McCullough

Tony.......he is a very accomplished historian and writer. Easy to read and both books that you mentioned are top drawer. You can't go wrong with any of his works.

Jill wrote: "Tony.......he is a very accomplished historian and writer. Easy to read and both books that you mentioned are top drawer. You can't go wrong with any of his works."

Thanks Jill, sounds good. Especially the "easy to read" part!

Samanta wrote: "The Wright Brothers is an excellent book. We read it as part of the Book of the month project. If you ever start reading it, check out the discussion we had. The threads are still open so you can e..."

Thanks Samanta, I'll take a look now.

I have to admit that some history books can get a little dense but McCullough's writing flows and holds your interest throughout.

David McCullough

I generally read either early morning or late evening when I'm often a bit tired - so story-driven books, not too dense, tend to work well. Thanks both of you for the info/recommendations.

I've decided to stay with WW1 and have started The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman. I'm only a few pages in. First impressions are that it's very well written, and the printing is very small, so I'm going to need my reading glasses.

by Barbara W. Tuchman

by James Goldrick (no photo)
by Martin Middlebrook

Tony wrote: "I've decided to stay with WW1 and have started The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman. I'm only a few pages in. First impressions are that it's very well written, and the printing is very small, so ..."

You picked a good one, Tony. Tuchman is another author whose work is so well done......I have read most of her books and have not been disappointed.

Barbara W. Tuchman

I have been looking to read this book for a while, and I am glad HBC is reading it now. I have already started it, and it is very good.

by Ron Chernow

Dimitri wrote: " by James Goldrick (no photo)
[bookcover:Arnhem 1944: The Airborne Battle, 1..."

Dimitri, since you are reading a book on the battle of Arnhem: (you might already have done it since you live in Belgium) I can highly recommend the 'Airborne Museum' in Oosterbeek (NL). I was born and raised in the Arnhem region and this is definitely one of the most impressive museums on the battle of Arnhem. It makes history alive. The region is especially worth a visit in the 'Airborne Week' of September 17-25, there a lot of activities in remembrance of the battle.

Finally getting around to this, will start it and hopefully get into in earnest over the weekend.
by Stacy Schiff

Alisa wrote: "Finally getting around to this, will start it and hopefully get into in earnest over the weekend.
by Stacy Schiff"

I read it when the group did it as a discussion read. I really enjoyed the writing. I want to read The Witches by her but the reviews on Goodreads have not been favorable. I'll still read it.

by Stacy Schiff

I'm looking forward to it, has been on my list for awhile and decided I needed a diversion from 21st Century politics and presidential history. :-)

Even though I have read a great deal about the Battle of Guadalcanal over the years, I decided to pick up James Hornfischer's Neptune's Inferno at the library recently and am I ever glad that I did. This is a wonderful book and I recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the war in the Pacific.

by James D. Hornfischer

It is on my list, John. Maybe I should move it up based on your comments. Thanks.