THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

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DB10GOONER
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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by DB10GOONER »

Just finished reading "Bloody Bill Anderson: The Short, Savage Life of a Civil War Guerrilla" by Albert Castel.

Brilliant read. I knew the US Civil War was brutal but the savagery of the guerrilla fighting in Missouri is astonishing. Torture, scalping, genital mutilation (whilst still alive), beheading, and murder of prisoners and innocent civilians were all commonplace. Anderson was a bit part character in the movie "The Outlaw Josie Wales" and historically is less known than Quantrill and his raiders, but Anderson and his band were by far the most brutal, savage fuckers in that war.

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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by OneBardGooner »

DB10GOONER wrote:Just finished reading "Bloody Bill Anderson: The Short, Savage Life of a Civil War Guerrilla" by Albert Castel.

Brilliant read. I knew the US Civil War was brutal but the savagery of the guerrilla fighting in Missouri is astonishing. Torture, scalping, genital mutilation (whilst still alive), beheading, and murder of prisoners and innocent civilians were all commonplace. Anderson was a bit part character in the movie "The Outlaw Josie Wales" and historically is less known than Quantrill and his raiders, but Anderson and his band were by far the most brutal, savage fuckers in that war.
We need wenger to them up for our midfield and CB's... :D :barscarf:

officepest
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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by officepest »

Imperial Bedrooms – Brett Easton Ellis

Still can’t get through my current WWII book so read another novel by BEE, I’ve developed a late liking for his work after disliking it intensely when I was younger.

It’s the sequel to his debut, Less Than Zero, and picks up about twenty years after the events in that. It’s definitely his most well-written book in my eyes; taut, concise and atmospheric. There’s nothing to compare to the disgusting savagery (and mind-numbing tedium) of American Psycho, but it’s a very good piece of fiction.

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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by OneBardGooner »

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Saw the DVD and now bought the book - A bit worrying the shyte that is in any/all processed foods....very informative...well written and researched.

You will never EVER want to eat sausages, bacon - even chicken (unless it is guaranteed 'Organic & Free Range') again.

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Sean
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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by Sean »

I finally got around to 'reading' Orwell's '1984' via audiobook. An excellent, if depressingly prescient, book.



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officepest
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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

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Sean wrote:I finally got around to 'reading' Orwell's '1984' via audiobook. An excellent, if depressingly prescient, book.



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Excellent book; Orwell's finest work. Down & out in Paris and London also highly recommended.

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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by GoonerMuzz »

Bit different this one but just read a book called 'The Long Walk' by Slavomir Rawicz.

It's basically about a Polish soldier who gets arrested by the NKVD and sent to the gulag after the Poles defeat in WW2, then his escape and trek to freedom in British India.

Not normally one to wax lyrical about the strength of human spirit and endurance but when you read the book you'll understand what real toughness and never say die means.

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greengooner
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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by greengooner »

DB10GOONER wrote:
casgooner wrote:
Midz wrote:No, I've never read Robert Goddard but have added him to my ongoing list, thank you.

Do you read kindle or books?
I always read books.
Amen. 8)

The Kindle will kill the publishing industry.
It's called progress dear boy, we have to move with the times you know, soulless concrete bowls and whatnot....another brandy why not arsene, now about that new contract old boy...blah blah waffle waffle

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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by greengooner »

GoonerMuzz wrote:Bit different this one but just read a book called 'The Long Walk' by Slavomir Rawicz.

It's basically about a Polish soldier who gets arrested by the NKVD and sent to the gulag after the Poles defeat in WW2, then his escape and trek to freedom in British India.

Not normally one to wax lyrical about the strength of human spirit and endurance but when you read the book you'll understand what real toughness and never say die means.

Just purchased it on my "tool of the devil" kindle while lying by pool on holiday, tell me that's not progress my friends, go on I dare ya . I'm sure the publisher gets a cut of the money I've just spent, money I would not have spent if it meant I had to go look for a bookshop.

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greengooner
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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by greengooner »

GoonerMuzz wrote:Bit different this one but just read a book called 'The Long Walk' by Slavomir Rawicz.

It's basically about a Polish soldier who gets arrested by the NKVD and sent to the gulag after the Poles defeat in WW2, then his escape and trek to freedom in British India.

Not normally one to wax lyrical about the strength of human spirit and endurance but when you read the book you'll understand what real toughness and never say die means.
The end was a bit of an anti climax, on further research it turns out the writer may have been a bit of a spoofer, another pole claimed in 2003 to have completed the journey and not the author, no word of any of the main characters after the war, no records of any of them

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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by DB10GOONER »

Just finished "Hill 488" by Ray Hildreth and Charles Sasser. Hildreth fought in the battle described in the book. It is simply one of the best written descriptions of what it was like to be a lowly grunt in the Vietnam war. The description of the nightlong battle in which 18 US Marines withstood human wave attacks from a battalion sized force of NVA and VC whilst outnumbered 25/1 on Hill 488 is visceral, edge of your seat reading. 5 Marines died and the remaining 13 were all seriously injured in close quarters combat, shooting at distances of 10 to 20 yards and then fighting hand to hand with entrenching tools, rifle buts and knives. It's estimated that the platoon killed over 200 of the enemy. At times it's harrowing reading, but the shear bravery and grit shown by both sides in a vicious, murderous fight is astonishing. In addition to the eighteen Purple Hearts, there were thirteen Silver Stars, four Navy Crosses, and one Congressional Medal of Honor awarded to Marines that fought on Hill 488. A brilliant read. 8)

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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by Rugby Gooner »

DB10GOONER wrote:Just finished "Hill 488" by Ray Hildreth and Charles Sasser. Hildreth fought in the battle described in the book. It is simply one of the best written descriptions of what it was like to be a lowly grunt in the Vietnam war. The description of the nightlong battle in which 18 US Marines withstood human wave attacks from a battalion sized force of NVA and VC whilst outnumbered 25/1 on Hill 488 is visceral, edge of your seat reading. 5 Marines died and the remaining 13 were all seriously injured in close quarters combat, shooting at distances of 10 to 20 yards and then fighting hand to hand with entrenching tools, rifle buts and knives. It's estimated that the platoon killed over 200 of the enemy. At times it's harrowing reading, but the shear bravery and grit shown by both sides in a vicious, murderous fight is astonishing. In addition to the eighteen Purple Hearts, there were thirteen Silver Stars, four Navy Crosses, and one Congressional Medal of Honor awarded to Marines that fought on Hill 488. A brilliant read. 8)
You may have already read it,but another great book about the Vietnam War is "Dispatches." by Michael Herr
These are the reviews from the back cover:-

Having read "Dispatches", it is difficult to convey the impact of total experience as all the facades of patriotism, heroism, and the whole colossal fraud of American intervention fall away to the bare bones of fear, war and death." William S. Burroughs

"Splendid...he brings alive the terror of combat in a way that rivals "All Quiet on the Western Front." Tom Wolfe

"In the great line of Crane, Orwell and Hemingway...he seems to have bought to this book the ear of the musician and the eye of the painter, Frank Zappa and Francis Bacon." Washington Post

"We have all spent ten years trying to explain what happened to our heads and our lives in the decade we finally survived-but Michael Herr's "Dispatches" puts all of the rest of us in the shade." Hunter S. Thompson

"If it were only unconventional journalism, it would stand with the best there is-but it is a good deal more than that...I believe it may be the best personal journal about war, about any war, that any writer has ever accomplished." Robert Stone

Front cover review:-
"The best book I have read on men and war in our time." John Le Carre

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DB10GOONER
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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by DB10GOONER »

Rugby Gooner wrote:
DB10GOONER wrote:Just finished "Hill 488" by Ray Hildreth and Charles Sasser. Hildreth fought in the battle described in the book. It is simply one of the best written descriptions of what it was like to be a lowly grunt in the Vietnam war. The description of the nightlong battle in which 18 US Marines withstood human wave attacks from a battalion sized force of NVA and VC whilst outnumbered 25/1 on Hill 488 is visceral, edge of your seat reading. 5 Marines died and the remaining 13 were all seriously injured in close quarters combat, shooting at distances of 10 to 20 yards and then fighting hand to hand with entrenching tools, rifle buts and knives. It's estimated that the platoon killed over 200 of the enemy. At times it's harrowing reading, but the shear bravery and grit shown by both sides in a vicious, murderous fight is astonishing. In addition to the eighteen Purple Hearts, there were thirteen Silver Stars, four Navy Crosses, and one Congressional Medal of Honor awarded to Marines that fought on Hill 488. A brilliant read. 8)
You may have already read it,but another great book about the Vietnam War is "Dispatches." by Michael Herr
These are the reviews from the back cover:-

Having read "Dispatches", it is difficult to convey the impact of total experience as all the facades of patriotism, heroism, and the whole colossal fraud of American intervention fall away to the bare bones of fear, war and death." William S. Burroughs

"Splendid...he brings alive the terror of combat in a way that rivals "All Quiet on the Western Front." Tom Wolfe

"In the great line of Crane, Orwell and Hemingway...he seems to have bought to this book the ear of the musician and the eye of the painter, Frank Zappa and Francis Bacon." Washington Post

"We have all spent ten years trying to explain what happened to our heads and our lives in the decade we finally survived-but Michael Herr's "Dispatches" puts all of the rest of us in the shade." Hunter S. Thompson

"If it were only unconventional journalism, it would stand with the best there is-but it is a good deal more than that...I believe it may be the best personal journal about war, about any war, that any writer has ever accomplished." Robert Stone

Front cover review:-
"The best book I have read on men and war in our time." John Le Carre
Have indeed read it, and it was a very sobering and thought provoking read. For all the tales of glory and heroism that pour forth from a war like Vietnam, that book really clarified in a shocking way that those tales boiled down to young kids dying hideous and painful deaths for something they didn't even really comprehend. At the end of Dispatches it was hard to not just think of the entire war as a waste. A waste of young lives, honour, decency, money, effort, good intentions, everything.

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Rugby Gooner
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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by Rugby Gooner »

I would like to use this book thread to pay tribute to the owner of the only independent book shop in Rugby, Hunts Books, who the local newspaper, (The Rugby Advertiser), has just confirmed his passing, on 25/6/16, today.
Kelvin,(Hunt), was a great guy, book enthusiast, people enthusiast, and unfortunately a Coventry City fan! :D
He had owned and run Hunts for about 25 years, contributing to the joy of reading in our community. He even turned up at my flat a few Christmas Eves ago to deliver a couple of books that I had ordered,(he also took delivery himself of a large single malt!).
I met him a couple of times during the latter stages of his illness, but always made the point of talking about football, or books, basically anything but the cancer, because I assumed that other people were covering that issue.
He leaves a wife, Pauline, and two children, Christopher and Dominic. I think that Christopher is going to try and keep the bookshop going.
The Rugby Advertiser website has a great obituary to him.
He was a great guy and will be sadly missed. :barscarf:

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Re: THE GOONERSID BOOK THREAD

Post by DB10GOONER »

Rugby Gooner wrote:I would like to use this book thread to pay tribute to the owner of the only independent book shop in Rugby, Hunts Books, who the local newspaper, (The Rugby Advertiser), has just confirmed his passing, on 25/6/16, today.
Kelvin,(Hunt), was a great guy, book enthusiast, people enthusiast, and unfortunately a Coventry City fan! :D
He had owned and run Hunts for about 25 years, contributing to the joy of reading in our community. He even turned up at my flat a few Christmas Eves ago to deliver a couple of books that I had ordered,(he also took delivery himself of a large single malt!).
I met him a couple of times during the latter stages of his illness, but always made the point of talking about football, or books, basically anything but the cancer, because I assumed that other people were covering that issue.
He leaves a wife, Pauline, and two children, Christopher and Dominic. I think that Christopher is going to try and keep the bookshop going.
The Rugby Advertiser website has a great obituary to him.
He was a great guy and will be sadly missed. :barscarf:
Sorry to hear of his passing RG and may he rest in piece. Sounds like a gent. I love those small independent bookstores, often kept open by hard work, selflessness and pure love of reading and books. I despise the Kindle concept. A bookstore is a brilliant place to peruse books - and reading, holding an actual book is a wonderful thing. 8) As a gadget lover, it is the only area I am seriously old school about. :lol: :wink:

Do your local bookstore have a website or take postal orders because I seriously would order a few books off them just to help these last bastions of proper book appreciation stay open.

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