READ ANY GOOD BOOKS RECENTLY?

[ramblingboy42]

I have .....2....which I got for Xmas.

One being Remembering Richie by Richie Benaud and Friends...

The other being Big Blue Sky by Peter Garrett...

Both are excellent books and in both cases bring out a wonderful understanding of each of their characters and their dedication to the things they love.

Den

[Blknight.aus]

depends on your definition of good.

I just re-read all of my matthew reillys.

Im enjoying the expanse series immensly

[korg20000bc]

Paradoxes of Defence
By George Silver (1599)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/01/109.jpg
He's an English gentleman with a beef against Italian rapier masters who were coming into England and teaching a system of fighting that emphasised offence rather than defence. With a focus on offence, both combatants often died in a fight.

George didn't think much of that.

Here's a link to a facsimile:
http://www.umass.edu/renaissance/lord/pdfs/Silver_1599.pdf

[Stuck]

I recently finished off "Sins of the Father" by Eamon Duffy. For years I gave Schappelle the benefit of the doubt but after reading this I'm pretty sure that Mr. Duffy isn't on the Corby's Xmas card list.

[bob10]

TURAGA , the life and times and Chiefly Authority of Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, G.C.M.G., K.C.V.O,, K,B,E., D.S.O. , K.St.J , E.D.

A little bit hard going at times, but it gives a good understanding of the Fijian people and their unique customs and traditions. Ratu Penaia is regarded as one of Fiji's greatest sons.

[digger]

I havefinished my Christmas 'allocation' ofbooks andenjoyed them both.

THEY FOUND OUR ENGINEER took 2 days - excellent I think most here know of it

FROMELLES AND POZIERES IN THE TRENCHES OF HELL
Another Peter FITZSIMONS book - fantastic as per usual for him


And especially appropriate for me as I researched history on locals who died in Ww1 / Ww2
so the kids arent just looking at a name plate at a tree base , they can see its about someone who looks like everyone else. I have a page of info on the person,a photo page as a title and the CWGC certificate as end page.

FITZSIMONS books on GALLIPOLI TOBRUK and KOKODA are great too

[bob10]

I havefinished my Christmas 'allocation' ofbooks andenjoyed them both.

THEY FOUND OUR ENGINEER took 2 days - excellent I think most here know of it

FROMELLES AND POZIERES IN THE TRENCHES OF HELL
Another Peter FITZSIMONS book - fantastic as per usual for him


And especially appropriate for me as I researched history on locals who died in Ww1 / Ww2
so the kids arent just looking at a name plate at a tree base , they can see its about someone who looks like everyone else. I have a page of info on the person,a photo page as a title and the CWGC certificate as end page.

FITZSIMONS books on GALLIPOLI TOBRUK and KOKODA are great too

The ultimate book on Kokoda is Paul Hams , IMO. It rates with Les Carlyon's Gallipoli, I have read Fitzsimons book. It is good , but not as good as Hams. Another I can recommend is The Path Of Infinite Sorrow, the Japanese on the kokoda Track. By Craig Collie & Hajime Marutani. When viewed from the Japanese perspective, the achievements of the Aust. Militia are even more outstanding.

[korg20000bc]

The ultimate book on Kokoda is Paul Hams , IMO. It rates with Les Carlyon's Gallipoli, I have read Fitzsimons book. It is good , but not as good as Hams. Another I can recommend is The Path Of Infinite Sorrow, the Japanese on the kokoda Track. By Craig Collie & Hajime Marutani. When viewed from the Japanese perspective, the achievements of the Aust. Militia are even more outstanding.
Did you ever read Peter Pinny's Signaller Johnston's Secret War?
Bloody brilliant and humerous war diary.

[Dark61]

Bomber Crew by James Taylor.

Unbelievable acts of bravery day in day out , but the individuals telling their stories never saw themselves as Heroes. And at such a young age. Almost beyond belief.
cheers,
D

[jonesfam]

I just finished "An Interview with God".
She had some interesting things to say.
Jonesfam

[bob10]

Did you ever read Peter Pinny's Signaller Johnston's Secret War?
Bloody brilliant and humerous war diary.

No, thanks for the heads up.

[digger]

The ultimate book on Kokoda is Paul Hams , IMO. It rates with Les Carlyon's Gallipoli, I have read Fitzsimons book. It is good , but not as good as Hams. Another I can recommend is The Path Of Infinite Sorrow, the Japanese on the kokoda Track. By Craig Collie & Hajime Marutani. When viewed from the Japanese perspective, the achievements of the Aust. Militia are even more outstanding.

I agree HAMS is great, I like the wat FITZSIMONS weaves the telling, using a mix of battalion history, personal accounts,newspapers etc telling some accounts but changing the tense from then to now. I read about 6 different books on Kokoda before walking it in 07. Fitzsimons had just released his, and i found I like his writing style.

A good one to read is "the bone man of kokoda"


Finding Papua war dead a vet's life | The Japan Times (http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/07/02/reference/special-presentations/finding-papua-war-dead-a-vets-life/#.Vqrn1-j07MJ)

It is about this bloke, cpl Nishimura.. I believe he died a few months ago.

[bob10]

I agree HAMS is great, I like the wat FITZSIMONS weaves the telling, using a mix of battalion history, personal accounts,newspapers etc telling some accounts but changing the tense from then to now. I read about 6 different books on Kokoda before walking it in 07. Fitzsimons had just released his, and i found I like his writing style.

A good one to read is "the bone man of kokoda"


Finding Papua war dead a vet's life | The Japan Times (http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/07/02/reference/special-presentations/finding-papua-war-dead-a-vets-life/#.Vqrn1-j07MJ)

It is about this bloke, cpl Nishimura.. I believe he died a few months ago.

I saw a documentary on Nishimura, on fox. A sad story. Two books I have ,supplement the Papua / New Guinea story. To the BITTER END , the Japanese defeat at Buna and Gona, 1942-43, by Lex McCauley. That campaign was every bit as bloody as Kokoda, except the Australians had to assault fortified Japanese positions, thru swamps. This is the campaign where Blamey famously refused MacArthur's offer of more American troops,
saying he knew at least the Australians would fight. Bit different from Kokoda, where he called them rabbits.

The other is NOTHING OVER US, the story of the 2/6th Australian Infantry Battalion. which fought in the Middle East, Bardia, Tobruk, Benghazi , Greece, Crete, Syria, then back home to Milne Bay, Wau, Salamaua,Aitape and the Torricellis.

Just a little about Blamey calling the Militia Battalion " Rabbits".The Battalion was reformed, and went on to fight in the Buna/Gona campaign. When they went into action in this campaign, in an attempt to prove themselves, they made many attacks at fortified Jap. positions, which were regarded as suicidal, by observers, as a result suffering horrendous casualties. They were determined to show Blamey he was wrong.

[NavyDiver]

My reading list was The Silk Road- Peter Frankopan subtitled ?A New History of the World? web site The Silk Roads - Peter Frankopan (http://www.peterfrankopan.com/the-silk-roads.html)
and some technical analysis books which might bore people:D

[jonesfam]

Can anybody recommend a good book about the Australians in Korea?


I have searched around when I've had time but haven't found anything.
Jonesfam

[korg20000bc]

My reading list was The Silk Road- Peter Frankopan subtitled ?A New History of the World? web site The Silk Roads - Peter Frankopan (http://www.peterfrankopan.com/the-silk-roads.html)
and some technical analysis books which might bore people:D
Wow!
He's multi-talented:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Yq5m9eLIQ

[BMKal]

The house we're staying at in Tassie is literally full of books - there are thousands of them here. The only room which does not contain any books is the bathroom / laundry. Even the dunny has two large shelving units down one wall, full of books - and there are more books stacked in some of the kitchen cupboards. Down the side of the house is a large caravan, apparently also about half full of books - I haven't looked in there yet.

There is no TV in the house, so whenever we stay here, I usually manage to find and read a few good books. Finished "Seawolf" by Patrick Robinson yesterday - a good yarn. Have now started on "Kingfisher" by Gerald Seymour, but finding it hard to get interested in this one so far.

While searching through the shelves last night, came across "A Fantasy of Man" and "A Campfire Yarn" both by Henry Lawson, plus a couple by Weary Dunlop. There's biography's on John Howard, Barack Obama and Bob Brown amongst others, plus a couple of books I've seen written by people who I never knew as authors, including Ruth Cracknell and Gene Hackman.

Plenty of books by the type of Authors I like too, such as Ken Follett, Alastair Mclean, Wilbur Smith and countless others.

I won't run short of reading material while we are down here. :D

[DiscoMick]

I recently read Bob Brown's autobiography which was interesting because it gave his own explanation of many things twisted by the media. Agree or not its informative.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[bob10]

Can anybody recommend a good book about the Australians in Korea?


I have searched around when I've had time but haven't found anything.
Jonesfam

The first book written by a soldier who served in Korea is " Last Call Of The Bugle, the long road to Kapyong", by Jack Gallaway. The title relates to the fact that Korea was the last totally volunteer force to " answer the call of the bugle."
Gallaway himself is a bit of a character. He enlisted in the AIF during WW2 , but was underage, and discharged. He then joined the RAN, volunteered for special service, served in combined operations with both the AUSTRALIAN & AMERICAN armies. At wars end, he joined the regular army , went to Korea as a signal platoon SGT. After Korea, through his friendship with aboriginal soldier, Reg Saunders, he was involved in a Murri group and guided their successful endeavours to establish the first metropolitan Aboriginal broadcast facility in Australia. I can recommend the book.

[BMKal]

I recently read Bob Brown's autobiography which was interesting because it gave his own explanation of many things twisted by the media. Agree or not its informative.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

I watched him giving a talk shortly after he resigned from Parliament. While I may not have agreed with his politics, I was impressed with him as a speaker. He came across as a very intelligent man, and I had to give credit for the passion with which he spoke of his beliefs (even if they are somewhat misguided :p).

I think I might actually read his autobiography.

[Slunnie]

depends on your definition of good.

I just re-read all of my matthew reillys.

Im enjoying the expanse series immensly

If you haven't, you'd really love Dan Brown also. Similar fast action and on the edge of your seat style to Matthew Reilly but an older (not old) author.


I recently read Bob Brown's autobiography which was interesting because it gave his own explanation of many things twisted by the media. Agree or not its informative.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app
I'm just about finished with Tony Windsors and its a similar type of thing. It's an ok read and like all political biographies an interesting insight. Wayne Swans however is a really fascinating read if you're in to political biographies particularly with regards to the GFC, that book I thought was worthwhile.

I also recently read "The Secret Race" by Tyler Hamilton. A book about Lance Armstrong and drugs in cycling, Le Tour etc. That was also a really good read and also really worthwhile for not only those interested in Lance or cycling but even just as a general read. I spent the whole time screaming "Oh My God"! Lucky the neighbours houses aren't too close!

[carjunkieanon]

Good books - where to start!

These books (available free as pubs) by Major General Sir Ernest Dunlop Swinton
- Defence of Duffer's Drift
- The Green Curve (and other stories)
- The Great Tab Dope (and other stories)

Also did by daily Bible readings. That's a good book too.

[cripesamighty]

There is a modern version of Defence of Duffer's Drift written by the US Army for a tank brigade too.

[superquag]

"Doctoring Data" by a Scottish GP. - Dr Malcolm Kendrick.

Refreshingly cynical of his own profession. Not short on logic, sensible interpretation of language and debunking of rubbery figures.

Quite confronting to learn that a certain 'accepted' surgical procedure is not backed up with the gold standard. - 'Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled ... etc... study'.

[ramblingboy42]

Amazed at the different genre of reading material that all of us commonly bonded by Land Rovers read.

I just bought an "assumed" gem (because I haven't had a chance to read it....and it's going to be heavy reading).....but its a book I found in the Endeavour Foundations yard at Archerfield.

This book is A Narrative of Arctic Discovery by Sir John Franklin ,written by a John J. Shillinglaw printed in 1850 , which I bought for $5.

It has a preface from the House of Commons written in the syntax of that era and has logs from 1598 to 1832.

Now I need some quiet and some time.

[bob10]

A book coming out on FEB 1 , written by Australian Financial review Journalist Aaron Patrick, sounds very interesting. " Credlin & Co. how the Abbot government destroyed itself" should be an interesting read. His previous book, " How the Labour Party ripped itself apart", is also on my list.

[trog]

Is no one reading novels ? Always on the look out for something with a twist or slips under the hype . Other wise it is pic a letter at random then check what is in that particular section.

[1950landy]

I was just thinking this morning I should start a thread about books people have read & some one beat me to it.
I have just started reading THE WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN by Roger Donaldson . Burt Munro- A scrapbook of his life. Very interesting so far , I have seen the film but this goes into a lot more detail & starts from when he was born. Another interesting book was ANDRE CITROEN Engineer , Explorer, Entrepreneur by John Reynolds. Very smart man & built well engineered motor vehicles until Michelin took control of the business. A book i read over Christmas was ONE MAN TRAFFIC JAM which is the story's of my mate Rick Thurgood's collection of cars & motor bikes in his small museum at his B&B at Maleny . I find it interesting the history of peoples cars , Rick has 5 x land Rovers & a Rover P3 four light amongst his collection.

[bob10]

Courtesy of Westprint Friday, a book that must be read.

Descent into Hell. $35.00. No man has the command of words needed for conveying...the courage and the cowardice; the loyalty and the treachery; the dedication and the dereliction; the strengths and the frailties; the kindness and the brutality; the integrity and depravity; the magnificence and the enormities of men, as revealed by and to those fated to pass through the entrails of hell, in Thailand Burma, during and after the Railway was built.' Descent into Hell is a scrupulously researched and ground-breaking account of one of the most traumatic calamities in Australian history - the Malayan Campaign, the fall of Singapore and the subsequent horrors of the Thai-Burma Railway. Unpicking the myths and legends of the war, Peter Brune goes to the heart of the Australian experience. He describes the shambolic planning by the British in Singapore and the failures and incompetence of some of the Australian command. He debunks the claims about Australian deserters in Singapore, and we learn of the black market in Changi and the beatings, torture and murder on the Thai-Burma Railway. Here too are stories of the war's many heroes and villains: of officers who looked after their men and optimised their chances of survival, and others who looked after themselves at their men's expense; the heroes of battle who became ineffectual and lost in the camps and on the Railway, and the least liked and least respected battlefield officers who came to be great leaders. And then there are countless acts of kindness and decency performed by one POW for another in the cruellest of circumstances. Impressive, compelling and rich in human spirit, Descent into Hell is an unprecedented chronicle by one of Australia's finest military historians

[EastFreo]

Just about to read my latest Conn Iggulden novel. I have found that he has realised one just before Xmas for about the last 10 years or so and they are all rippers if you like historical fiction. Best were his first series about Julius Caesar.

[Geedublya]

I was given Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, the story of Louis Zamperini. Delinquent, Olympic athlete, Bombardier on a B24 and Japanese POW. A very interesting book.

[mekon76]

The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: How to Stop Spending Time You Don't Have with People You Don't Like Doing Things You Don't Want to Do by Sarah Knight.

[ramblingboy42]

a relative just gave me a copy of Neville Shute's On the Beach , which a read 40 yrs ago , so decided to re-read it.

It must have scared the **** out of a lot of people smack bang in the middle of the cold wars.

[jonesfam]

have just started Re-reading the Hornblower series for the umpteenth time.
Love those books.
Jonesfam

[Pedro_The_Swift]

and Bolitho and Aubrey-Maturin:cool:

[carjunkieanon]

There is a modern version of Defence of Duffer's Drift written by the US Army for a tank brigade too.

Yep. The Defence of Jisr al-Doreea. Doesn't quite manage the old-time appeal of the original, but deals really well with the current issues in warfare. Interesting difference in how to deal with 'natives'. What's sad about the Jisr book is that although the Soldier learns the lessons about how to manage COIN, clearly the political leaders have not. The book ends with success for the military, recent history tells us that the long term result is invariably failure for the people.

Website: Welcome to Defense of Jisr Al Doreaa (http://www.defenseofjad.com)
They have videos and animations of the situation.

[POD]

have just started Re-reading the Hornblower series for the umpteenth time.
Love those books.
Jonesfam

Have you read the Aubrey & Maturin series by Patrick O'Brien? 20 books in the series, set in the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic era, similarly to Hornblower, but eclipses Forrester's writing style IMO. I've recently read them all for the second time.
Currently reading Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' for the second time also, probably the best novel I have ever read, although 'Anna Karenina' is possibly even better.

[jonesfam]

I have tried O'Brian but had trouble getting into it.
I have read most of the "Rummage" series, the authors name escapes me at the moment.
Jonesfam
PS I reckon that Hornblower is boy own adventures for older boys.

[cripesamighty]

Wow, I hadn't seen "The Defence of Jisr al-Doreea". I was thinking of a book from the early 1990's - "The Defence of Hill 781". Looks like I have some more reading material!

[Ranga]

Almost finished reading Shantaram. A good read, but perhaps a bit verbose, and hard to distinguish between fact and fiction.

Next on the list is either Bill Bryson (to tie in with my upcoming US holiday), or The Bush by Don Watson.

BTW - I read most of my books electronically via Google Books, all paid for with the free credit I get when I recharge my Telstra pre-paid account ;)

[Ean Austral]

Just read First Fleet by Rob Mundle. Also read Bligh by the same author.


A good read , never thought about the difficulties the first settlers would have faced.


Cheers Ean

[Orkney 90]

I'm waiting for the next Nelson DeMille novel, and the next Lee Child novel. So easy to get lost for a few hours with either DeMille or Lee Child.

[d@rk51d3]

One of Our Submarines.
Edward Young.

Couldn't put it down.

[JDNSW]

Have you read the Aubrey & Maturin series by Patrick O'Brien? 20 books in the series, set in the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic era, similarly to Hornblower, but eclipses Forrester's writing style IMO. I've recently read them all for the second time.
Currently reading Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' for the second time also, probably the best novel I have ever read, although 'Anna Karenina' is possibly even better.

Personally, I prefer Forester's writing, possibly just because I came to it first.

Both characters are heavily based on Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald. But as Forester commented - - he could not use some of Cochrane's exploits, as they were so unbelievable that readers would not think the fiction was realistic.

Cochrane established his reputation as captain of the Speedy, which, under his command, captured or destroyed 53 ships, including a frigate about five times the size of the Speedy, before he was captured. However, he established a reputation for not getting on with peers, subordinates or superiors, for example by demanding that his admiral be court martialled after the battle of the Basque Roads.

Dismissed from the RN in 1814 after being convicted of involvement in a stock market fraud, over the next couple of decades he was employed by revolutionaries in Brazil, Chile, Peru and Greece, and is held in high esteem in those countries as one of the founders of independence. Except in Greece, where his employment resulted in British/French entry into the conflict and the destruction of the Turkish fleet at Navarino, he continued to do things that were unbelievable, including the capture of the largest Spanish ship in the Pacific. Chile has named five ships after him, most recently Almirante Cochrane (2006).

Pardoned and restored to to the RN in 1832, his knighthood was restored in 1847. During the Crimean War, he was considered as an Admiral for the Baltic fleet, but was passed over as being too likely to lose the fleet by taking risks (he was 77 at the time!).

John

[DiscoMick]

The O'Brien series are great, I really enjoyed them a while back.


I'm currently reading a very interesting modern history of Afghanistan, by an author whose name I forget (don't have the book with me) but he works for the UN and seems to know his stuff. Explains a lot of things I didn't understand before about Afghani society and why groups such as the Taliban can get so much support.
Basically, the poor old Afghanis have been screwed by interfering foreigners over way back to the Mongols (whose descendants are the Hazaras). The British actually created the modern state of Afghanistan, but ignored the tribal divisions. The Russians thought they could turn them into good Communists to resist the Americans in Pakistan and the Chinese influence in India, but got a bloody nose. The Americans funded the mujihadeen through Pakistan to fight the Russians and then found they couldn't be controlled. The Taliban were earnest local Muslims who formed to defend their communities from marauding warlords. Now the country is just reverting to the underlying tribal divisions.
That's my summary so far. Interesting.

[JDNSW]

The O'Brien series are great, I really enjoyed them a while back.


......
Basically, the poor old Afghanis have been screwed by interfering foreigners over way back to the Mongols (whose descendants are the Hazaras).......

Actually, goes back a lot farther than the Mongols - the area was part of the Persian empire, and then was conquered by the Macedonians (Alexander the Great's wife, if I remember correctly, was a princess from what is now Afghanistan.

John

[DiscoMick]

Actually, goes back a lot farther than the Mongols - the area was part of the Persian empire, and then was conquered by the Macedonians (Alexander the Great's wife, if I remember correctly, was a princess from what is now Afghanistan.

John
Yes, you could be right, my book doesn't go back that far, but I do know Kublai Khan and the Mongols did over the Afghanis and went all the way down through India and Korea to Burma.

[JDNSW]

Another book I am reading at the moment is "Samurai William", by Giles Milton.

While poorly written, this provides a fascinating insight into Japanese history as it tells the story of the first Englishman to visit Japan. The supercargo of a Dutch Ship that landed in Japan in 1600, he was stranded there for over twenty years.

Japan, at the end of the 16th century, had virtually no contact with the outside world except for limited trade with China and Korea, and a Portuguese Jesuit mission that had founded the city of Nagasaki as a trading enclave.

While Japan was nominally ruled by the emperor, effectively, it was ruled by a large number of warlords, who spent much of their time and effort having wars with each other.

John

[d@rk51d3]

Another book I am reading at the moment is "Samurai William", by Giles Milton.

While poorly written, this provides a fascinating insight into Japanese history as it tells the story of the first Englishman to visit Japan. The supercargo of a Dutch Ship that landed in Japan in 1600, he was stranded there for over twenty years.

Japan, at the end of the 16th century, had virtually no contact with the outside world except for limited trade with China and Korea, and a Portuguese Jesuit mission that had founded the city of Nagasaki as a trading enclave.

While Japan was nominally ruled by the emperor, effectively, it was ruled by a large number of warlords, who spent much of their time and effort having wars with each other.

John

Sounds like James Clavell's "SHOGUN".

[Old Farang]

A couple with Land Rover themes.

The first one is: "First Overland" by Tim Slessor. This book was originally published in 1957. A group of 6 Oxford and Cambridge undergraduates carry out the first overland trip from London to Singapore in two series 1 Land Rovers. It has now been republished with a foreword by Sir David Attenborough. Not a book about Land Rovers per se, but a total true adventure story. ISBN 978-1-904955-14-6

The second book is: "The Impossible Takes a Little Longer". An auto- biography written by Eric Edis. This expedition was the year after the first book, and includes a section of the trip in Australia. It also started in London, but this one included Australia, and the complete overland trip back to the UK, in a long wheel base Series 1. ISBN 978-1-4092-0301-8

Both available from the Internet.

[JDNSW]

Sounds like James Clavell's "SHOGUN".

It is a long time since I read that, but I believe it was set in a period about 100 years later.

John

[JDNSW]

A couple with Land Rover themes.
...,

While talking about early Landrover books, consider any of the books published in the 1950s and 60s. These are about her extensive trips in an 80" Landrover, usually alone, and including driving round the world (not the watery bits, of course).

John

[EastFreo]

Just finished "Sword of Honour" by David Kirk. Great read and full of action. A samurai story which I don't normally read so much of.

[1950landy]

Just finished reading "Made In Korea "story of Chung Ju Yung & the rise of Hyundai. Very interesting read.:)

[Ranga]

Just started "The Bush" by Don Watson. Tells some uncomfortable truths as far as I read it.

[ramblingboy42]

More info Ranga.....who is Don Watson?

[Chenz]

Just finished Watson's Peir about the guy who ran the signals at Gallipoli and built the Pier they loaded men and supplies by Joshua Funder. Clever use of present day recollections and war front reports. Very good read

More info at this link

Watson's Pier | The story of the campaign that almost destroyed the Anzacs and the escape that saved a nation. (http://www.watsonspier.com/)

[Ranga]

More info Ranga.....who is Don Watson?

Haven't read much yet, but plenty around on google - The Bush by Don Watson review (http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/22/the-bush-by-don-watson-review-driven-by-the-burning-truth)

[digger]

Just finished Watson's Peir about the guy who ran the signals at Gallipoli and built the Pier they loaded men and supplies by Joshua Funder. Clever use of present day recollections and war front reports. Very good read

More info at this link

Watson's Pier | The story of the campaign that almost destroyed the Anzacs and the escape that saved a nation. (http://www.watsonspier.com/)

Watson was brought up on the Bay Road which is ironically now called Anzac Highway at Plympton. The house he built when he came home later became the police patrol base for Plympton police unfortunately in about 2004 it was sold and developers put a dozer through it to build some more style less box units It was a well designed and built house and knowing that the man who built it did so before about 1923 meant that it was probably somewhat therapeutic or at least so I thought.

Watsons father apparently owned a lot of the land on the southern side of Anzac Highway in the Plympton Area and his son chose the location for his new house.

[Tank]

"The Amazing SAS", the inside story of Australia's special forces. by Ian McPhedran.
from Training through to Iraq, these men work behind the scenes and you usually only hear about them when one is KIA or awarded a Victoria Cross.
What fascinates me about these men is that each and every one of them can (and do) take over any position in their group, from Leader to Signals to Medic and are all equally competent, these are the unsung heroes and it is good to see some recognition, there is another by the same Author, can't think of the name at the moment, but just as good, Regards Frank

[ramblingboy42]

Haven't read much yet, but plenty around on google - The Bush by Don Watson review (http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/22/the-bush-by-don-watson-review-driven-by-the-burning-truth)

Thanks Ranga, thats a good write up Don Watson......I'll get my self a copy of that.

[AndyG]

Started the last lion, Winston Churchill, vol 2, looks like I need to buy vol 1

[V8Ian]

"What Next You Bastard.", by Ken Hall with Monika McFerran.

ISBN 0 86806 705 9

An Australian autobiography written by the illiterate Ken. The book gives an educational insight into the trials and hardships of being unable to read or write in the latter half of the twentieth century, with a very interesting background of social history in Brisbane and the Channel Country at the time.

It will never become a classic, but it is a series of good yarns. I finished the book with an immense respect for the author.

[Avion8]

Just finished reading The Range Rover Land Rover by Graham Robson,
ISBN 0 85552 095 7 published in Australia in 1980.

I found it an interesting read with lots of background on the inspiration, how the Land Rover evolved, & even expeditions. Also some interesting photo's & information on the Road Rovers from which the Range Rover evolved.

[ramblingboy42]

The Blind Watchmaker.....Richard Dawkins.