CS: Misc-recommended reading
From: "Brian Toller", [EMAIL PROTECTED] Try, "more Guns less crime" by John Lott. I've got a copy you can borrow if you want. Jonathan Laws -- The problem with that book is that you need a degree in statistical analysis to understand it. The Armed Citizen book contains summaries of several hundred (probably thousands) of newspaper articles going back decades of people who defended themselves with guns. More anecdotal perhaps but much more interesting to read. Steve. I'd recommend trying "The Samurai, The Mountie and the Cowboy" by David Kopel (If I've got them in the wrong order I beg his pardon). Covers firearms law in a large range of countries. Brian T Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A http://www.topica.com/t/17 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Misc-Recommended reading
From: "ALEX SPEDDING", [EMAIL PROTECTED] Nobody has mentioned Forester,s Brown on Resolution, about one rifleman taking on one of the Kaiser,s warships. Alex -- Actually the latest issue of SOF has a brilliant article about the rescue of the RIR soldiers in Sierra Leone. Steve. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A http://www.topica.com/t/17 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Misc-Recommended reading
From: RustyBullethole, [EMAIL PROTECTED] My vote for the christmas book list would be "Expedient Homemade Firearms (the 9mm submachine gun)" by P.A. Luty. If you recall Mr.Luty was jailed at Her Majesty's pleasure for 4 years in 1998 (must be due for release by now), after being found in possession of the component parts of a homemade submachine gun - the subject matter of his book. An extraordinary sentence in my opinion given the particular circumstances involved. Currently available from www.amazon.co.uk for around 15 pounds (inc first class post to your door). A clever example of just how simple guns can be and a fascinating insight into how pointless gun laws are. Show a bit of yuletide support for the poor guy, its well worth the asking price. Rusty Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A http://www.topica.com/t/17 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Misc-Recommended reading
From: "Brian Toller", [EMAIL PROTECTED] I've mentioned this before, but a really good book is "Marine Sniper" by Charles Henderson, and it's still in print and you can still get it easily! Steve. Definitely agree as I bought it last time you recommended it and couldn't put it down. Purchased at the same time "One Shot-One Kill" by Charles W Sasser and Craig Roberts which covers American snipers in WW2, Korea, Vietnam and Beirut. Well worth a read. Brian T Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A http://www.topica.com/t/17 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Misc-Recommended reading
From: "N. L. Cobb", [EMAIL PROTECTED] Another Forester work worth reading is "Rifleman Dodd." During the Peninsula Campaign Dodd, through no fault of his own, becomes separated from his outfit and eventually joins a guerrilla band, sniping at the French. Forester could have gone into more detail about the Baker rifle but, on the whole, it's a good adventure yarn offering a pretty good "feel" for an infantry campaign of that era and service in the Rifle Corps. Norm Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A http://www.topica.com/t/17 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Misc-Recommended reading
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Kenneth, an excellent list, most of which I have not read but ought to sometime. You mention John Masters's "Bugles And A Tiger", eminently readable autobiography by a man who changed his life post-war, left the regular army, and became a novelist living in the USA. Allow me to recommend the next volume, which continues his military story into and through WW2: "The Road Past Mandalay", equally readable. If anyone can provide a copy of the third and last of his trilogy I would be very grateful: it's "Pilgrim Son: A Personal Odyssey" (Michael Joseph 1971). I've tried and failed to get a copy of the McBride book, ditto another volume you don't mention, "With British Snipers To The Third Reich" by Capt. C.Shore. Two volumes of WW2 fighter pilot stuff were written long after the period by P.B."Laddie" Lucas - reputed to be good, and I want them! My only quibble is that you say O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin novels "rival" Hornblower, but in all honesty Kenneth they outstrip C.S.Forester in every way, tremendously impressive stories of the Napoleonic period. Thanks for the list. Anthony Harrison -- I've mentioned this before, but a really good book is "Marine Sniper" by Charles Henderson, and it's still in print and you can still get it easily! Steve. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A http://www.topica.com/t/17 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Misc-Recommended reading
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Gosh, now there's a leading question. My taste tends towards older non-fiction rather than the modern novels. Second World War: The Phantom Major by Virginia Cowles is a compelling read about the early days of the SAS. It's interesting to compare it with Popski's Private Army by Peniakoff who operated with the Long Range Desert Group. For the war in the East, try The Jungle is Neutral by Chapman. This is about stay behind parties in Malaya. Or there's Elephant Bill by Williams. He managed elephant teams wining teak from the forests in Burma and led his elephants into India to keep them from the Japanese. Did you know they used to capture and break wild elephants for work? All these can be found in second hand bookshops for a couple of pounds each. For the air war there is always Reach for the Sky or the Damn Busters both by Paul Brickhill but on the German side, and a little more difficult to get there are: I Flew for the Fuehrer by Knoke or, even better, Stuka Pilot by Rudel. If your taste runs to big game then there is Hunter by JA Hunter or more commonly available Jim Corbett's books Like the Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag. The last time I looked his books are still available in paperback. Something scarce but worth the trouble is Peter Kemp's Mine were of Trouble. This is the Spanish Civil War from Franco's side. Kemp joined the Spanish Foreign Legion. They tested his loyalty by handing him a pistol and telling him to take a Geordie member o the International Brigade outside the camp and shoot him. The Geordie didn't believe he was going to do it until Kemp pointed out the two legionnaires following them with rifles. Bugles and a Tiger by John Masters tells of his experiences with the Ghurkhas on the Northwest frontier between the wars and is another commonly available book. If you want something on South Africa the best is Commando by Deneys Reitz. However, he also wrote two other books the best being Trekking On about his experiences in WWI when he decided he preferred us to the Germans and fought in East Africa and France. When he came to the UK he joined the Army as a private, met Jan Smutts who he knew personally and was a captain within a week. These will cost you a bit more but can usually be had for less than ten pounds each. For WWI, A Rifleman went to War by McBride takes a lot of beating. Lots of good detail on guns and shooting in that one. Also on South Africa try Jock of the Bushveld by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, if you can get a copy, there was a film made of it a few years ago. Shaka Zulu by EA Ritter will give you an insight into Zulu military training and their unusual sexual practices as well (I bet that got your interest). Victorian military history - anything by Byron Farwell. Fancy something a bit more modern? Delta Force by Charlie Beckwith. Street without Joy by Bernard Fall (war in French indo-China) Dien Bien Phu by Jules Roy (also French indo-China). For novels, if you haven't read Allan Quartermain by Ryder Haggard you should. All the Hornblower novels by CS Forrester are worthwhile but if you want to know how to operate a bomb ketch I recommend The Commodore. In the same vein the Aubrey/Maturin novels of Patrick O'Brian rival Hornblower. The novels of Geoffrey Household are unfashionable but Rogue Male is superb and Dance of the Dwarfs is better. Oh dear! I've gone on at extreme length, sorry Steve. Kenneth Pantling Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A http://www.topica.com/t/17 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Misc-Recommended reading
From: "Jeff Wood", [EMAIL PROTECTED] Two suggestions, one a book and the other a movie. The book is Without Remorse by Tom Clancy. Clancy is a big seller and will need no introduction to most readers. He is uneven from book to book, and even within books. Mostly he's a bit sentimental and repetitive. However this is probably the best of his collection, set in the early 1970s, and following ex-SEAL as he discovers the world of narcotics crime and what he does about it. Knocking off drug dealers is technically murder, so he is hunted by the cops, and has to be rescued, by the CIA of all people. This is a "prequel" to later stories involving the same man under another name. A good yarn with a leading character and storyline many will identify with. Probably about GBP7 in paperback. The film pops in and out of the late night TV Schedules. It is called Handgun, and if you haven't seen it then you may find it worth looking out for. A young US woman is raped and responds, with hesitation, by training as a pistol shot. She does it through a shooting club, and what are obviously members of a real club put her through her paces, including a practical comp. The end of the movie sees her revenge on her tormentor, and the issue of gun use is dealt with in a pretty mature way as I recall. For some reason memory has the film in black and white, but I am not sure that can be correct. I do remember that my lady was thrilled with it, identifying with problem and solution. I have no idea whether the movie is available for rent or is on DVD, but either or both may be true. Sorry I can't quote Director or production company, but I'm willing to bet someone has an old recording on which they can track that info down. If you're feeling mischievous and belong to a film club, suggest a screening. Yours sincerely Jeff Wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] Public PGP Key at: ldap://certserver.pgp.com Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A http://www.topica.com/t/17 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Misc-Recommended reading
From: "John Kime", [EMAIL PROTECTED] Recently, on recommendation from 'the list' I acquired a copy of Unintended Consequences by John Ross via Amazon. Suffice to say I found it a cracking read, I wonder if any of the big Hollyweird studios will ever have the cojones to make into a full fledged movie or mini series. We can but live in hope. I'm currently on my fourth - or is it fifth - go around with the Bowman family, et al. Have you or any other CS any recommendations for similar reading ?.
