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S2 Actual's reading list
The books S2 Actual has read and rated on Goodreads, searchable by title, author and topic.
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Details for The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan
Description (from Goodreads):
A true-life Catch-22 set in the deeply dysfunctional countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan, by one of the region’s longest-serving correspondents. Kim Barker is not your typical, impassive foreign correspondent—she is candid, self-deprecating, laugh-out-loud funny. At first an awkward newbie in Afghanistan, she grows into a wisecracking, seasoned reporter with grave concerns about our ability to win hearts and minds in the region. In The Taliban Shuffle, Barker offers an insider’s account of the “forgotten war” in Afghanistan and Pakistan, chronicling the years after America’s initial routing of the Taliban, when we failed to finish the job. When Barker arrives in Kabul, foreign aid is at a record low, electricity is a pipe dream, and of the few remaining foreign troops, some aren’t allowed out after dark. Meanwhile, in the vacuum left by the U.S. and NATO, the Taliban is regrouping as the Afghan and Pakistani governments flounder. Barker watches Afghan police recruits make a travesty of practice drills and observes the disorienting turnover of diplomatic staff. She is pursued romantically by the former prime minister of Pakistan and sees adrenaline-fueled colleagues disappear into the clutches of the Taliban. And as her love for these hapless countries grows, her hopes for their stability and security fade. Swift, funny, and wholly original, The Taliban Shuffle unforgettably captures the absurdities and tragedies of life in a war zone.
- Shelf
- To read
- Topics
- Cold War, GWOT, Biography
- Publisher
- Doubleday · 2011
- ISBN
- 9780385533317
Open Library, The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan
Details for The Western Front: A History of the Great War, 1914-1918
Description (from Goodreads):
A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR A TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEAR 'A tour de force of scholarship, analysis and narration . . . Lloyd is well on the way to writing a definitive history of the First World War' Lawrence James, The Times 'This well-researched, well-written and cogently argued new analysis . . . will undoubtedly now take its rightful place as the standard account of this vital theatre of the conflict' Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny _________________ In the annals of military history, the Western Front stands as an enduring symbol of the folly and futility of war. However, as bestselling military historian Nick Lloyd reveals in this highly-praised history - the first of an epic trilogy -- the story is not one of pointlessness and stupidity, but rather a heroic triumph against the odds. With a cast of hundreds and a huge canvas of places and events, Lloyd tells the whole tale, revealing what happened in France and Belgium between August 1914 and November 1918 from the perspective of all the main combatants - including French, British, Belgian, US and, most importantly, German forces. Lloyd examines the most decisive campaigns of the Great War and explains the unprecedented innovation, adaptation and tactical development that have been too long obscured by legends of mud, blood and futility, drawing upon the latest scholarship on the war, wrongly overlooked first-person accounts, and archival material from every angle. Conveying the visceral assault of the battlefield with vivid detail, Lloyd ultimately redefines our understanding of a crucial theatre in this monumental tragedy. _________________ 'Excellent on detail . . . Lloyd's book will be cherished by military history buffs' Max Hastings, Sunday Times 'It is the best modern single-volume history of war on the Western Front and is likely to remain the standard account for some time' Jonathan Boff, The Spectator
- Shelf
- To read
- Topics
- WWII, WWI
- Publisher
- Liveright Publishing Corporation · 2021
- ISBN
- 9781631497940
Open Library, The Western Front: A History of the Great War, 1914-1918
Details for This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War
Description (from Goodreads):
An illuminating study of the American struggle to comprehend the meaning and practicalities of death in the face of the unprecedented carnage of the Civil War. During the war, approximately 620,000 soldiers lost their lives. An equivalent proportion of today's population would be six million. This Republic of Suffering explores the impact of this enormous death toll from every angle: material, political, intellectual, and spiritual. The eminent historian Drew Gilpin Faust delineates the ways death changed not only individual lives but the life of the nation and its understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. She describes how survivors mourned and how a deeply religious culture struggled to reconcile the slaughter with its belief in a benevolent God, pondered who should die and under what circumstances, and reconceived its understanding of life after death. Faust details the logistical challenges involved when thousands were left dead, many with their identities unknown, on the fields of places like Bull Run, Shiloh, Antietam, and Gettysburg. She chronicles the efforts to identify, reclaim, preserve, and bury battlefield dead, the resulting rise of undertaking as a profession, the first widespread use of embalming, the gradual emergence of military graves registration procedures, the development of a federal system of national cemeteries for Union dead, and the creation of private cemeteries in the South that contributed to the cult of the Lost Cause. She shows, too, how the war victimized civilians through violence that extended beyond battlefields-from disease, displacement, hardships, shortages, emotional wounds, and conflicts connected to the disintegration of slavery.
- Shelf
- To read
- Topics
- Logistics, US Civil War
- Publisher
- Alfred A. Knopf · 2008
- ISBN
- 9780375404047
Open Library, This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War
Details for Tiger Tanks at War
Description (from Goodreads):
The first prototype for the Tiger tank was set to be ready for Hitlers birthday on April 20, 1942. The Henschel Company, competing with Porsche, produced the superior model, and by August of that year the formidable Tiger-or Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. H. -was in full production. This book takes us behind the scenes with the Tiger tank, reviewing the full history, the design and mechanics, and the mixed record of this machine, which was designed to outgun its Russian counterparts. Military writer Michael Green offers a close-up account-accompanied by photographs, diagrams, and maps-of how the Tiger tank operated, how it was armed, and where it succeeded brilliantly, as well as where it failed miserably. His book fills a fascinating niche in the history of military technology, and of the impact of technology on history itself.
- Shelf
- Read
- S2 lists
- Advanced intel, Military history, Logistics
- Topics
- WWII, Armor, Russia / USSR, Logistics
- Publisher
- Zenith Press · 2008
- ISBN
- 9780760331125
Details for Time To Kill
- Shelf
- Read
- S2 lists
- Logistics, Military history
- Topics
- WWII, Logistics
- Publisher
- Pimlico · 1997
- ISBN
- 0712673768
Details for Under the Bombs: The German Home Front, 1942-1945
Description (from Goodreads):
Under the Bombs tells the story of the civilian population of German cities devastated by Allied bombing in World War II. These people went to work, tried to keep a home (though in many cases it was just a pile of rubble where a house once stood), and attempted to live life as normally as possible amid the chaos of war. Earl Beck also looks at the food and fuel rationing the German people endured and the problems of trying to make a public complaint while living in a totalitarian state.
- Shelf
- Read
- S2 lists
- Economics, Military history, Logistics
- Topics
- WWII, Air power, Logistics, Economics
- Publisher
- University Pressof Kentucky · 1986
- ISBN
- 0813109779
Open Library, Under the Bombs: The German Home Front, 1942-1945
Details for Unmanned: Drones, Data, and the Illusion of Perfect Warfare
Description (from Goodreads):
Unmanned is an in-depth examination of why seemingly successful wars never seem to end. The problem centers on drones, now accumulated in the thousands, the front end of a spying and killing machine that is disconnected from either security or safety. Drones, however, are only part of the problem. William Arkin shows that security is actually undermined by an impulse to gather as much data as possible, the appetite and the theory both skewed towards the notion that no amount is too much. And yet the very endeavor of putting fewer human in potential danger places everyone in greater danger. Wars officially end, but the Data Machine lives on forever. Throughout his career, Arkin has exposed powerful secrets of so-called national security and intelligence. Now he continues that tradition. The most alarming book about warfare in years, Unmanned is essential reading for anyone who cares about the future of mankind.
- Shelf
- Read
- S2 lists
- Basic intel, Cryptography, Intel history
- Topics
- Espionage, Intel history
- Publisher
- Little, Brown and Company · 2015
- ISBN
- 9780316323352
Open Library, Unmanned: Drones, Data, and the Illusion of Perfect Warfare
Details for Unrestricted Warfare: China's Master Plan to Destroy America
Description (from Goodreads):
As incredible as it may be to believe, three years before the Sept. 11 bombing of the World Trade Center a Chinese military manual titled Unrestricted Warfare touted such an attack – suggesting it would be difficult for the U.S. military to cope with. Here is an excerpt from Unrestricted "Whether it be the intrusions of hackers, a major explosion at the World Trade Center, or a bombing attack by bin Laden, all of these greatly exceed the frequency bandwidths understood by the American military..." Surprisingly, Osama bin Laden is mentioned frequently in this book. Now NewsMax.com is making the CIA translation of this shocking book available to all Americans. On Sept. 11, 2001, Americans and the world witnessed one of the most horrific acts ever to take place on American soil. Our media and government were quick to declare the acts of that day as simply terrorism by a nationless group known as al-Qaeda. In reading China’s military manual Unrestricted Warfare, you will learn that the events of Sept. 11 were not a random act perpetrated by independent agents. Instead, Chinese military planners believe that terrorism is just one of the many tools at the hands of nations and their terrorist allies to wage total war against the United States. You will be surprised to · The two PLA colonels who authored Unrestricted Warfare have been hailed as heroes in China since Sept. 11 · The Chinese state-run propaganda machine is cashing in on the terror attacks ... producing books, films and video games glorifying the strikes as a humbling blow against an arrogant nation. · Chinese Communist Party officials are saying that President Jiang Zemin has obsessively and gleefully watched and re-watched pictures of the aircraft crashing into the World Trade Center. · The CIA’s own translation agency reported that this book identifies the U.S. as China’s main enemy, and details how a weak nation can destroy America using unorthodox attacks – like the 9-11 attacks. · China is preparing itself and encouraging others to engage the U.S. in total war. The book is chock full of plans and strategies, from using computers, to smuggling illegal immigrants, to manipulating the stock markets, to influencing the U.S. media, to using weapons of mass destruction – all to destroy America. Recent press reports indicate that China has assisted and continues to assist militarily and economically the Taliban and al-Qaeda – even after Sept. 11. The doctrine of total war outlined in Unrestricted Warfare clearly demonstrates that the People’s Republic of China is preparing to confront the United States and our allies by conducting "asymmetrical" or multidimensional attacks on almost every aspect of our social, economic and political life. The media and Congress are keeping a lid on this book because of the implications of U.S.-China economic and trade relations. But now you can bypass them by getting a copy yourself!
- Shelf
- Read
- S2 lists
- Advanced intel, Military history, Logistics, Technical warfare
- Topics
- Espionage, GWOT, Cyber, China, Logistics, Strategy / theory, Economics
- Publisher
- Pan American Publishing Company · 2002
- ISBN
- 9780971680722
Open Library, Unrestricted Warfare: China's Master Plan to Destroy America
Details for Victims of Yalta
Description (from Goodreads):
Stalinova "vojevůdcovská" nezpůsobilost vehnala v průběhu druhé světové války do německého zajetí miliony vojáků. Jeho nelítostná decimace všech vrstev národa, dokonce celých komunit, vedla generála Vlasova k rozhodnutí vytvořit armádu, která by ze dvou zel - Stalin a Hitler - porazila nejprve to větší, kterým se mu jevil Stalin. Stalin například po celou válku nepřistoupil k haagským konvencím o zacházení s válečnými zajatci a svým odmítavým postojem tak nepřímo způsobil tragický osud zajatců. Kromě vlasovců se proti bolševismu postavil také národ kozáků. Další skupinou stojící proti Stalinovi byli někteří příslušníci rozsáhlé bílé emigrace, jejichž potomci se mnohdy narodili již na Západě. Vedle nich se na konci války ocitlo v britském zajetí mnoho protikomunistických Jugoslávců. Více než dva miliony těchto lidí byly v letech 1944-1947 násilně navráceny do Sovětského svazu - podle dohod, jež Britové a Američané se Stalinem stvrdili na konferenci v Jaltě - v rozporu s řadou britských zákonů a ustanovení mezinárodního práva. Osudem těchto ubožáků byla buď okamžitá smrt zastřelením po návratu, či pomalejší umírání v táborech Gulagu. Vyvázli jen nemnozí......
- Shelf
- Read
- S2 lists
- Intel history, Military history, Economics, Logistics, Basic intel
- Topics
- WWII, Russia / USSR, Logistics, Economics
- Publisher
- Gorgi Books · 1979
- ISBN
- 0684156350
Details for Waterloo: The True Story of Four Days, Three Armies and Three Battles
Description (from Goodreads):
‘Some battles change nothing. Waterloo changed almost everything.’ Bestselling author Bernard Cornwell is celebrated for his ability to bring history to life. Here, in his first work of non-fiction, he has written the true story of the epic battle of Waterloo – a momentous turning point in European history – a tale of one campaign, four days and three armies. He focuses on what it was like to be fighting in that long battle, whether officer or private, whether British, Prussian or French; he makes you feel you are present at the scene. The combination of his vivid, gripping style and detailed historical research make this, his first non-fiction book, the number one book for the upcoming 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. It is a magnificent story. There was heroism on both sides, tragedy too and much misery. Bernard Cornwell brings those combatants back to life, using their memories to recreate what it must have been like to fight in one of the most ghastly battles of history. It was given extra piquancy because all of Europe reckoned that the two greatest soldiers of the age were Napoleon and Wellington, yet the two had never faced each other in battle. Both were acutely aware of that, and aware that history would judge them by the result. In the end it was a victory for Wellington, but when he saw the casualty lists he wept openly. ‘I pray to God,’ he said, ‘I have fought my last battle.’ He had, and it is a story for the ages.
- Shelf
- To read
- Publisher
- William Collins · 2014
- ISBN
- 9780007539383
Open Library, Waterloo: The True Story of Four Days, Three Armies and Three Battles
Details for What Has Government Done to Our Money? and The Case for a 100 Percent Gold Dollar
Description (from Goodreads):
The Mises Institute is pleased to present this very beautiful hardbound edition of Rothbard's most famous monetary essay--the one that has influenced two generations of economists, investors, and business professionals. The Mises Institute has united this book with its natural complement: a detailed reform proposal for a 100 percent gold dollar. The Case for a 100 Percent Gold Dollar was written a decade before the last vestiges of the gold standard were abolished. His unique plan for making the dollar sound again still holds up. Some people have said: Rothbard tells us what is wrong with money but not what to do about it. Well, by adding this essay, the problem and the answer are united in a comprehensive whole. After presenting the basics of money and banking theory, he traces the decline of the dollar from the 18th century to the present, and provides lucid critiques of central banking, New Deal monetary policy, Nixonian fiat money, and fixed exchange rates. He also provides a blueprint for a return to a 100 percent reserve gold standard. The book made huge theoretical advances. He was the first to prove that the government, and only the government, can destroy money on a mass scale, and he showed exactly how they go about this dirty deed. But just as importantly, it is beautifully written. He tells a thrilling story because he loves the subject so much. The passion that Murray feels for the topic comes through in the prose and transfers to the reader. Readers become excited about the subject, and tell others. Students tell professors. Some, like the great Ron Paul of Texas, have even run for political office after having read it. Rothbard shows precisely how banks create money out of thin air and how the central bank, backed by government power, allows them to get away with it. He shows how exchange rates and interest rates would work in a true free market. When it comes to describing the end of the gold standard, he is not content to describe the big trends. He names names and ferrets out all the interest groups involved. Since Rothbard's death, scholars have worked to assess his legacy, and many of them agree that this little book is one of his most important. Though it has sometimes been inauspiciously packaged and is surprisingly short, its argument took huge strides toward explaining that it is impossible to understand public affairs in our time without understanding money and its destruction.
- Shelf
- Read
- S2 lists
- Economics
- Topics
- Economics
- Publisher
- Ludwig Von Mises Institute · 2005
- ISBN
- 9780945466444
Open Library, What Has Government Done to Our Money? and The Case for a 100 Percent Gold Dollar
Details for Worst Enemy: The Reluctant Transformation of the American Military
Description (from Goodreads):
Despite staggering defense costs, the U.S. military has not learned how to confront terrorist and insurgent networks. Traditional thinking and special interests have concentrated on potentially outdated systems, like aircraft carriers and heavily armored vehicles. Our ability to wage irregular warfare against networked forces has been stunted. Meanwhile other nations have innovated and developed techniques that will surpass the capabilities of the hidebound American armed forces.... Worst Enemy offers an inside analysis of the events that have derailed our efforts to transform the nation's military into a leaner, lighter, and much more "networked" force. Mr. Arquilla places these events in historical context and assesses Donald Rumsfeld's role as secretary of defense of the post-9/11 era.
- Shelf
- Read
- S2 lists
- Military history
- Topics
- GWOT, Naval, Armor, Guerrilla / COIN, Strategy / theory
- Publisher
- 320 · 2008
- ISBN
- 9781566637503
Open Library, Worst Enemy: The Reluctant Transformation of the American Military