Book recommendations wanted

When you’ve finished “The Big Show” here’s another one:

“We Landed By Moonlight” by Hugh Verity. About his Special Duty operations with the Lysander. Things like how to navigate from Tempsford to a field near Lyons, in the dark with no lights whatsoever. Awesome!

Have also just reread “Airmans Odyssey” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Not all wartime memoirs, although one third of the trilogy is about reconnaissance flying over Arras in the last days before the fall of France in 1940, but the rest, including pioneering airmail flying to Africa and in South America, make it one of the ‘must have’ books for me.

I would have to recommend Pierre Closterman’s “The Big Show”

From the UK…”The Odds Against Us” by Peter Townsend.

About the USAAF…and a rare book if you can find it …”One Man Air Force” By Don Gentile.

Luftwaffe: “Figher General” by Toliver and Constable.

Also, don’t forget “Zemke’s Wolf Pack” by Roger Freeman….the world’s formost 8th AF historian.

‘For your freedom and Ours -The Kosciusko Suqadron’ (Arrow, ISBN0099428121)

Until recently I knew little about Polish airmen in WWII other than ‘Silence, in Polish!’ etc, but I’m so glad I read this book to correct my ignorance.

It’s main attribute in my eyes, is that it puts the Polish contribution to war fighting following the defeat of their country, into context. The atrocities suffered in Poland itself under the Nazis and the Soviets, the heroism and patriotism instilled into its people, the internal struggle for liberation, and the betrayal at Tehran and Yalta by the Allied powers, all are covered in impressive detail. And the individual stories of the Kosciuszko Squadron pilots serve as a central focus point. I could not fail to be moved, and I now want to travel to Poland one day to experience the land for myself.

Would have to recommend ‘Terror in the Starboard Seat’ by McIntosh for a great insight into the horror of war on a Mosquito Squadron.

I use Bookfinder.com to find the ‘less common’ second hand books. Always gives you a selection of price/condition to chose from.

I’ve read a number of pilot autobiographies and am currently reading “The Big Show” by Pierre Clostermann. It is simply a fantastic read and I can very highly recommend it!!!

For a view from the other side, try “I flew for the Führer” by Heinz Knoke. Quite sober but fascinating.

out-of-print books

many of you will be familiar with this site, but just in case:

http://www.alibris.com/

I have found it to be a great place to find books, especially those old and hard to find ones that you remember vaguely from childhood… If you have the author and/or title, chances are you’ll find it there.

cheers

gregv

John Freeborns ‘a Tigers Tale’ is worth a look, not least for some surprising revelations about Sailor Malan. Also Brian Kingcomes ‘A Willingness to Die’, ‘Hero’ about Srewball Beurling, Tom Neil’s ‘A Fighter in My Sights’ and ‘Mustang Ace’ about Don Gentile.
Should be enough for the long winter nights to come.

I have a mint first edition hardback of one mans window (Barnham was ex-609 sqdn, same time as de Spirlet Kev, loads of pics of them together). Cost me an arm and a leg, took ages to find, was almost impossible to find as well at the time. Anyway, www.abebooks.com has a few, including a couple of hardbacks. It’s this weeks top selling out of print book……..

Fighter Boys by Patrick Bishop is a good read and while not specifically about the Battle of Britain, ‘The Reconstruction of Warriors’ by ER Mayhew is all about the ‘Guinea Pigs’ at East Grinstead and really is an excellent read!

Neither are Autobiog’s but worth reading.

I’m currently reading ‘Pathfinder’ by AVM Donald Bennet and wonder if anyone else has read it and what your thoughts are on it?

The Last Enemy – Richard Hillery RAF

Cheers
Martin

David Ross’s biography of Hillary is fantastic – well recommended.

Richard Hillary

johhny johnson top gun part 2

Under the Wire – excellent book, and would make a really good movie (in my opinion!)

Also, have a look here for One Man’s Window

what comes to mind

Tumult in the Clouds – James Goodson 4th FG ETO
Over Here, Overpaid & oversexed – James Goodson – Eagle Squadron
The Look of Eagles – John Godfrey, 4th FG ETO
Woodbine Red Leader – Georg Loving 31st FG MTO
An Ace of the Eight – Bud Fortier 355th FG ETO
The Last Enemy – Richard Hillery RAF
Dumb But Lucky – Richard Curtis MTO
…..

enter “Fighter Pilot” on your Amazon site….

Cheers
Martin

Kiwi Spitfire Ace is another I’ve read recently – Jack Rae’s time with 485 Sqdn in Europe, and flying from Malta, before returning to Europe and being shot down in imprisoned.

Would heartily recommend the new, updated version of The Big Show.

Thanks to Kev’s suggestion, I looked into Amazon for One Man’s Window – two copies available! You might be lucky, but then again…

Would thoroughly reccomend ‘One Man’s Window.’ It’s certainly more than the flying experiences of a fighter pilot. It is open, honest, revealing and has a very raw edge. The man has a way with words as well. I found it to be an absorbing and very emotional account of his time on Malta.

Regards,

kev35

Pierre Clostermann’s “The Big Show” gives it another viewpoint. That of a Free French Air Force pilot, flying Typhoons etc through D-Day. A classic.

You might also like to try:

Pursuit Through Darkened Skies by Michael Allen, ISBN 1840373555

Not forgetting the all time classic ‘Fly for your life’ about Robert Stanford Tuck.