Fieldcraft Anyone know of some good books?

FASTDM

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Nov 5, 2008
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Im looking for some more good books to read. No TM's or FM's. but something along the lines of Phantom Solider or The Last Hundred Yards. Im trying to keep that noodle sharp. Any suggestions?
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

"Lone Survivor" by Marcus Luttrell, not fiction but an epic read...

"Out of the Ashes" its a series by William W. Johnstone. The first book was a good read, but by the third one he lost me...

"One Bullet Away" by Nathaniel Fick, about a marine who went through OCS after college and ended up in the middle of afghanistan right after sept 11th.

Most of the books I read aren't fiction but first hand account type books. The one I'm reading now is "Chosen Soldier" by Dick Couch. He has written quite a few books, mostly on military training, documentary type books... This one is about Special Forces but he also has one about SEAL training among others.

BTW there is a SH book club, found in the Movies section. They do monthly reads. This is all I could think of off the bat but maybe I will think of more later.
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

Although the writer can be a bit of a butt, the Last 100 yards and The Phantom Soldier are good to share at your work, if I am guessing right.

Also, for you:

<span style="font-weight: bold">One Bullet Away, by Nathaniel Fick
The Unforgiving Minute, by Craig Mullaney
Joker One, by Donovan Campbell</span>

All are current stories from platoon leaders, with ideas ranging from personal thoughts to tactics, techniques and procedures. Your mind should travel from muscle memory skills to the mindset of your leaders, two steps up...

Also,

<span style="font-weight: bold">Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife, by John Nagl, Pete Shoomaker
War of the Flea, by John Taber</span>

Two that examine the CI fight in larger perspective, and smaller. Some participants may be looking at it in terms of their lifetime purpose, while others may only be considering 2009...
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

What I just read: <span style="font-style: italic">The Secret Sentry</span> RE: the NSA. Makes several points - one of which - the Gulf of Tonkin NEVER happened. We through the first punch with an airstrike for an event that never happened. You would be amazed by the similarities of Bush 2 and Rummy in the run up to Iraq 2 and the events that led up to the Viet Nam war.

What I am reading: <span style="font-style: italic">Operation Kronstandt</span> RE: true story of the rescue of the last British spy from Bolsevik Russia.

What I will read next: <span style="font-style: italic">Paris 1919</span> how the agreements reached at the end of WW1 have, and are still shaping the world.


Good luck

 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

Have you looked at "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield? A warrior is a warrior no matter what era he lives in. I had a hard time putting that one down.
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

All of Pressfield's books are difficult to put down! I went through them quickly and recommend them all, except "Killing Rommel" and this is only because it has not arrived yet.

Pressfield Website

I had lunch with him a couple of years ago and found him to be a genuine great guy. I asked what made him write the comments about keeping equipment (shield) clean in "GOF" and he laughed and said MCRD. I should have known he had been a US Marine...
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

Ha. I didn't know that and he never mentioned it. My knowledge grew by another byte.

Damn- I can't quite get to the mastery level...LOL
wink.gif
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

Thanks guy. I haven't worked there in years, fun job though. I read a few of those you've mentioned, but you've left me with at least a month or two's worth of good reading. Thanks.

Loren,
Semper Fi
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: urhuckleberry21<span style="color: #FF0000"></div><div class="ubbcode-body">"Lone Survivor" by Marcus Luttrell</span>, not fiction but an epic read...

<span style="color: #FF0000">"Out of the Ashes" its a series by William W. Johnstone</span>. The first book was a good read, but by the third one he lost me...

"One Bullet Away" by Nathaniel Fick, about a marine who went through OCS after college and ended up in the middle of afghanistan right after sept 11th.

Most of the books I read aren't fiction but first hand account type books. The one I'm reading now is "Chosen Soldier" by Dick Couch. He has written quite a few books, mostly on military training, documentary type books... This one is about Special Forces but he also has one about SEAL training among others.

BTW there is a SH book club, found in the Movies section. They do monthly reads. This is all I could think of off the bat but maybe I will think of more later. </div></div>


On book 21 of the Ashes series, good reads.

Lone Survivor was a excellent read as well.

I recommend LRRP books during Vietnam. Black Jack 33 is also a good book.
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

<span style="font-style: italic">Horse Soldiers</span> by Doug Stanton. Awesome read, about the first SF guys in the 'Stan. Highly recommend to everyone.
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shaggyback</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank. </div></div>

Remains one of my all time favorites!
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

In my current reading stack are:

Chechen Jihad: Al Queda's Training Ground by Yossef Bodansky

Afghanistan: A Military History from Alexander the Great to the Taliban by Stephen Tanner

The Crisis of Islam; Holy War and Unholy Terror
What Went Wrong?, Wetern Impact and Middle Eastern Impact
From Babel to Dragomans; Interpreting the Middle East
all by Bernard Lewis
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

Great thread guys, keep em coming... I have spent many an hour in a book store trying to find the best read for me at any given time. Reason being its hard to judge a book, as they say, by its cover.

No intention of hijacking the thread, quite the contrary, I keep looking for good suggestions in here. And am afraid I might have found some and will find some more... Here's to sleep deprivation...
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

COLD ZERO- Christopher Whitcomb about the FBI HRT team
Big Boy Rules- Steve Fainaru. Private security contactors in Iraq
JawBreaker- Gary Bernsen.. The CIAs version of Tora Bora
Kill Bin Laden-Dalton Fury... Deltas version of Tora Bora
On Killing-Dave grossman
On Combat- Dave Grossman
Roughneck Nine One- Frank Antenori... SF in Iraq
Marine Sniper- Charles Hendersen... Story of Hathcock

Added:
The Mission th men and me- Pete Blaber... lessons learned from Delta

Trigger Men...

Stalkers and Shooters- Kevin Dockery
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

When I was younger, a squad leader turned me on to Slaughterhouse Five. Witty, entertaining and great characters. Helped open me up to books outside of the tactical realm. May not be what you're looking for, but it's a great read nonetheless.
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

I just finished Killer Elite. It makes you shake your head at how Generals and Admirals are more worried about their carreers than American lives sometimes.

I am reading Blindmans Bluff right now. It's about Submarine Espionage. So far it's pretty interesting.
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

" The hunters and the hunted" by George Laylock. an outdoor life book. On page 272 i like the start of last paragraph. " The measure of our personal outdoor ethics is our behavior when nobody is watching"
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ghillie Zen</div><div class="ubbcode-body">When I was younger, a squad leader turned me on to Slaughterhouse Five. Witty, entertaining and great characters. Helped open me up to books outside of the tactical realm. May not be what you're looking for, but it's a great read nonetheless. </div></div>

That's a good book, so is "Player Piano".
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

A Bloody Business, a book about modern contractors, can't remember the author, but a good read about modern applications of the contractor and the rules they follow.

See No Evil, author John Baer, I believe. Also a good read about the history, application, and dismantaling of the CIA in the clinton administration.
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

Also look for BIG BOY RULES its a book about american private security contractors in iraq.very well written, i actually bought it thru itunes audiobooks and enjoyed it very much.
We were one
Joker One
Trigger Men
Hogs in the Shadows

and currently reading Ronin.
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

Slaughterhouse Five is a book for everyone. If YOU do not read it in your lifetime you miss something, and so it goes....

I am on a Classics kick: The Campaigns of Alexander, by Arrian, Penguin Books, yesterday; and, The Age of Alexander, by Plutarch, Penguin Classics, today.

Tomorrow, Firepower in Limited War, by Robert Scales.

It's all Limited War, isn't it? If not, there could be a winner...
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

A Rifleman Went To War...oldie but a goodie...

and somewhat unrelated but some of my all time favorite are the hunting books written by President Theodore Roosevelt. "Hunting Trips of a Ranchman" etc...
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

I got Hogs in the Shadows today, 2 chapters in and loving it. Also picked up Dear Mom.

I would reccomend Sniper 1, Dead Center, and Long Rifle.

Spenser
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

Not exactly Phantom Soldier, but:

Mark Kingwell, <span style="text-decoration: underline">The World We Want; Virtue, Vice, and the Good Citizen</span>. Penguin Books, 2001.

I used to know Mark. He's a bright guy; educated, well-read, and practical. He's now a professor of philosophy.
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">...something along the lines of ... The Last Hundred Yards.</div></div>

Crap, that's tough. How about:

Long Range Patrol by Foley. Foley put his knowledge of LRRP TTPs into this and the following two novels.

The Bush War In Rhodesia by Croukamp. Blow-by-blow biography of Rhodesian recce specialist.

Tracker by Hardin. Case files from a man-tracker.

Running Recon by Greco. Details of SOG ops.

Panzer Tactics by Schneider. Details of small-unit Wermacht armored warfare.

If you're into tracking down old books:

Hesketh Prichard by Parker. A biography more oriented towards shooters than Prichard's own book.

If you're into martial arts:

Hidden In Plain Sight by Amdur. JMA and Aikido in particular: an attempt to detail some of the history of the methods of physical organization of the body that underpin technique. The book details the secretive passing of martial arts methods that are the equivalent of the body management techniques you find in Ways of the Rifle. This book is a descriptive, historical account and not an explicit guide.
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

Check out this one I just finished it.

Jack Hinson's One mans war. A civil war sniper.
By Tom McKenney

Check out the Men, the Mission, and Me.
Do remember the auther.
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

Just got done reading The Mission, The Men and Me. This was written by a Delta operator. This has got to be one of the best books I have ever read. The emphasis of the book is just what the title states and in that order "The Mission, The Men and Me." This book was not only a good read but lessons that will help in your daily life; militarily, in business or personal relationships. I HIGHLY recommend this.
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

A few that I've read over the past year or so.

"Chasing Ghosts" by Paul Reickhoff

"My War" by Colby Buzzell

"A Bloody Business" by Colonel Gerald Schumacher this was suggested by Dusty I agree that this was a good read.

"Rogue Warrior" by Dick Marcinko I agree that this was a good read as well as suggested by someone else.

If you're up for fiction the "Enemies Foreign and Domestic" series by Matthew Bracken was very entertaining. It's a three part series.

"Unintended Consequences" by John Ross

"Patriots: A Novel of Survivng in the Coming Collapse" by James Wesley Rawles was suggested by a co-worker, but I have not read it yet.
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

Check out Stephen Leather. There are about 8 fiction books he as written. All well done. I see them in Asia but don't see them often in the book stores so you might have to order them.
Chosen Soldier was ok by Couch. Horse Soldier was better.
I liked them both though but am partial as being an old SF guy.

Leather Books.

The Hungry Ghost
The Long Shot
The Vet.

Try Andy Mc Nab for fiction SAS stories.

Gary
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Trapshooter12</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just finished Killer Elite. It makes you shake your head at how Generals and Admirals are more worried about their carreers than American lives sometimes.

I am reading Blindmans Bluff right now. It's about Submarine Espionage. So far it's pretty interesting. </div></div>

"Here he comes.....and there he goes.......Here he comes......and there he goes...."

Dont know if you've got to that bit yet, but it's probably my favourite part. I just thought it was funny, and really underlines the blind man bit.

N
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: FASTDM</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Im looking for some more good books to read. No TM's or FM's. but something along the lines of Phantom Solider or The Last Hundred Yards. Im trying to keep that noodle sharp. Any suggestions? </div></div>

TM's or FM's. Forgive my ignorance, but would that be Training manuals and Field manuals?

I read both fiction and non-fiction. What's your poison?

I haven't read either of the books you quote, so gimme some guidance and I'll put my 0.02 in.

Neil
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

Sniper on the Eastern Front
Sniping in France
Hogs in the Shadows
Trigger Men
Gates of Fire
On Killing/On Combat
Apache-Ed Macy( UK pilot in Afghanistan. Great read, really puts you in the cockpit)
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

"Patriots" is a great read. For those who have read it, the group in the compound brings to mind the quote by Patton, “Fixed fortifications are monuments to man's stupidity.”
 
Re: Anyone know of some good books?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DaveV</div><div class="ubbcode-body">"Patriots" is a great read. For those who have read it, the group in the compound brings to mind the quote by Patton, “Fixed fortifications are monuments to man's stupidity.” </div></div>
I am just about done with this one, great read so far. Pick it up everyone should.