what do you read?

G

gonzonm

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I just read the cannibal queen by Stephen Coonts, and loved it. now im looking for more great books about flying. so i thought where better to ask.:icon_lol:
 
Oh the floodgates you have just opened :jump:

Okay, I'll bite and start-

Richard Bach
Stranger to the Ground (1963) Dell reprint (1990), ISBN 0-440-20658-8
Biplane (1966) Dell Reprint (1990), ISBN 0-440-20657-X
Nothing by Chance (1969) Dell Reprint 1990, ISBN 0-440-20656-1
A Gift of Wings (1974) Dell Reissue (1989), ISBN 0-440-20432-1

Stephen Coonts
Flight of the Intruder

Richard Drury
My Secret War (a must for Piglet Skyraider fans)

Christopher Robbins
The Ravens (O-1, Spads, General Vang Pao, timely at the moment due to his passing and Arlington denial)

Martin Caidin
The Saga of Iron Annie
Ragwings and Heavy Iron

Reserve the right to come back and add many, many, many, more...
 
that depends ... :)

Period? Genre?

I've just read "Phoenix Squadron" by Rowland White. Fantastic review of FAA Buccaneer ops.

That was followed by "Joint Harrier" by James Orchard. Naval Harrier ops during an Afghan deployment.

"Systreak, Skyrocket, & Stiletto: Douglas High-Speed X-planes" by Scott Libis - awesome look at the 50's Douglas experimental planes.

"Convair Deltas" by Bill Yenne. F-102, F-106, B-58 extravaganza.

As you can tell, I like military history - I suspect others like OleBoy who have a proclivity more aligned to GA can steer you in that direction.

dl
 
colorandlightjamesgurne.jpg


One of the best books about theory of color and how to use it. If someone like to draw, or paint it's a must have.
 
Bob Buck...
"North star over my shoulder"

He started flying at 16 and finished as a senior pilot flying 747
Flew across country as a teenager using road maps and rail lines...

Bi planes, DC-2,DC-3,Connies across the pond---very descriptive writing

A must read!
I found a copy at my library..

Rick
 
Without a doubt, the greatest master of aviation literature in the English language is James Salter. Many will know his first novel, The Hunters, which was very poorly adapted into the Robert Mitchum film about the Korean war.

Salter flew 100 missions in Korea in F-86s and shot down one Mig. He then flew F-100s in Germany and North Africa. In the late 1950s he retired from the Air Force and went on to become one of the most important authors of the 20th century -- he is an author read by other authors for inspiration. His early works, however, center on flying and life as a fighter pilot.

I recommend that people begin with Gods of Tin, and then move to Cassada. The Hunters should probably be read last. Salter has the power to evoke images and emotions known only to pilots, and his precise use of words can bring you to tears in one sentence.

His writing is not plot centered, and his characters are not always likable -- but they are complex and realistic human beings. Much of Salter's writing is phenomenological. He is able to write clearly and expressively on the emotions that arise when things go wrong in flying -- when you are completely focused on a waivering fuel needle, when you lose your radio and must make a landing on the wing of an unexperienced pilot on a GCA approach, when the weather gets bad and you are lost.

He has won the Pen Faulker award, and recently won the Pen-Faulker lifetime achievement award. He's also a hell of a nice guy. His sentences are masterpieces of American art, and we are lucky that he writes about flying.

I'll leave you with an example:

"You lived and died alone, especially in fighters. Fighters. Somehow, despite everything, that word had not become sterile. You slipped into the hollow cockpit and strapped and plugged yourself into the machine. The canopy ground shut and sealed you off. Your oxygen, your very breath, you carried with you into the chilled vacuum, in a steel bottle."

Whether I am flying in real life, or whether I am flying in the simulator his words and the images of his words are always on my mind.

Cheers,

Chris :salute::salute:
 
when I was kid, I read the autobiography of Eddie Rickenbacker. It was a great book and sparked my interest in all things aviation related.
 
i read everything by Coonts. And a lot of milllitary history. now i find my self looking for more ga. to tell the truth i love it all
 
A few that I enjoyed reading -

Wings on my sleeve - Eric Brown

Spitfire a test pilots story - Jeffrey Quill

Faster than the sun - Peter Twiss

Cheers

Paul
 
At the moment, I'm busy with the SEA scenario:

Christopher Robbins
Air America

re-reading parts constantly because of researching:

Toni Halliday
Flying through Midnight (much recommended !)

already in the pipeline:

Richard Drury
My Secret War


Cheers,
Mark

PS
@Skyblazer: thanks for the input on James Salter. Despite reading a lot and having a large library myself, I haven't heard of him yet. Your description certainly sparked my interest!
 
Most recently, 'Sunburst: The Rise of Japanese Naval Air Power 1909-1941' by Mark R. Peattie. An excellent book, and includes a new view on the persistent curiosity of some carriers having the island on the port side.

Before that, 'Kamikaze Diaries' by Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney. Fanatics they most definitely were not.

And before that 'Japanese Destroyer Captain' by Capt. Tameichi Hara IJN. His criticisms of Yamamoto in the wake of the Midway debacle are startling.

Oh and before that, 'Fading Victory', the war diary of Admiral Matome Ugaki.

You can see where my interests lie. I don't get invited to many dinner parties.
 
The list would be tremendous lol

Currently I am re-reading Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series. I read them all about 7 - 8 years ago. Up to book 6 now. Beyond question the most entertaining novels I have ever read.
 
W. Bleddyn said:
The list would be tremendous lol

Currently I am re-reading Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series. I read them all about 7 - 8 years ago. Up to book 6 now. Beyond question the most entertaining novels I have ever read.
Click to expand...

Yes, they are excellent.
 
I just finished "Jimmiy Stewart, Bomber Pilot" by Starr Smith, quite a story.
As far as I know, one of the few men in the military that rose from private to full colonel during the war..
 
I love all of Derek Robinson's novels about war in the air and the people who fought it.

War Story (WW1)
Hornet's Sting (WW1)
Goshawk Squadron (WW1)
A Piece of Cake (WW2 Battle of France & Britain)
A Good Clean Fight (WW2 North Africa)
Damned Good Show (WW2 Early British bombers)
Hello Russia, Goodbye England (Vulcan squadron in the Cold War)

If you can't find them secondhand you can buy them direct from the author at http://www.derekrobinson.info/.
 
skyblazer3 said:
Without a doubt, the greatest master of aviation literature in the English language is James Salter.
Chris :salute::salute:
Click to expand...

I think I've read something from just about every ex-pilot aviation novel writer out there, except this guy. Of course, I've seen "The Hunter" quite a few times...Robert Wagner's use of Daddy'O still cracks me up...but never read this guys stuff (that I know of).

Something new and exciting for me, thanks.

EDIT: I just ordered "The Hunter", "Cassada", "Gods Of Tin", and "Then And There".
 
The last books I did read were "the few" by Alex Kershaw and a few book from the devil princes series by Jack Vance. I had actually read them all before, but that was quite long ago.

On of the advantages from getting older is the fact your memory gets worse. So in a few years I can keep re-reading all my old books again ;)

Cheers,
Huub
 
Love Napolian sea stories. The best are the Bolitho series by Alexander Kent and the series by Dewey Lambdin. Warning: Lambdin stories are adult only and are also very funny.

You guys missed the all time classic by Ernie Gann, Fate is the Hunter (no relationship at all to the horrible movie). Follows his career at American from DC-2's to Connies.
 
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