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12/14/2003 9:03:40 AM EDT
What books are on the Mandatory Reading List to speak knowledgeably on the site.  So far I have:

Unintended Consequences/John Ross
Enemies Foreign & Domestic/Mathew Bracken
All of the Stephen Hunter books
Atlas Shrugged/Ayn Rand
No Remorse/Tom Clancy


I have a couple others, but what else do you got?
12/14/2003 9:05:56 AM EDT
[#1]
You need humor there:

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy trilogy (4 books).

Hunter S. Thompson, way better then that one where they ruined it with a movie.
12/14/2003 9:08:49 AM EDT
[#2]
Anthem, by Ayn Rand
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, by Robert Heinlein
12/14/2003 9:10:20 AM EDT
[#3]
The AR-15 Complete Assembly Guide
—How to build
your own AR-15
—by Walt Kuleck
with Clint McKee. [:)]

Starship Troopers- R. Heinlein
Lucifer's Hammer-Niven and Pournelle
12/14/2003 9:14:21 AM EDT
[#4]
Alas Babylon

Patriots

Anything by Ayn Rand

Anything by Douglas Adams

And the ones already mentioned.
12/14/2003 9:15:21 AM EDT
[#5]
Got to second Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein.

It will teach you about civic responsibility.
12/14/2003 9:20:44 AM EDT
[#6]
The Histories, by Herotodus
Gates of Fire, by Stephen Pressfield
Five Years to Freedom, by Colonel James "Nick" Rowe
Marine Sniper, by Charles Henderson
Hell in a Very Small Place, by Bernard Fall
The Gallic Wars, by Julius Caesar
Blackhawk Down, by Mark Bowden
12/14/2003 9:30:33 AM EDT
[#7]
"Fred's Guide to Becoming a Rifleman" by Fred of [url]www.fredsm14stocks.com[/url]
"Boston's Gun Bible" by Boston T. Party [url]www.javelinpress.com[/url]
"Patriots" by Wesley, Rawles  [url]www.rawles.to/patriots.htm[/url]

The others mentioned above are all good as well.
12/14/2003 10:52:38 AM EDT
[#8]
The Art of War.
The Prince.
Boyd
12/14/2003 10:56:37 AM EDT
[#9]
And of course, if you wish to participate in those threads, The Bible, Maybe Josephus, and a few others that currently fail to come to mind.
12/14/2003 11:01:28 AM EDT
[#10]
Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks [BD]
12/14/2003 2:46:03 PM EDT
[#11]
Don't Shoot the Bastards (Yet): 101 More Ways to Salvage Freedom by Claire Wolfe
12/14/2003 3:00:35 PM EDT
[#12]
The Counter-Insurgency Manual: Tactics of the Anti-Guerrilla Professionals, by Leroy Thompson
The Small Wars Manual:  Fleet Marine Force Reference Publication 12-25, by Major Timothy M. Parker, USMC
[url=ftp.die.net/mirror/cryptome/cuw01.htm]Unrestricted Warfare[/url], by Generals Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui, PLA
Militant Islam Reaches America, by Daniel Pipes
12/14/2003 4:03:14 PM EDT
[#13]
The Yellow River by I.P. Freely
or my favorite:
Hawaiian Love Song by ComeonIwannaLaya

Generic[BD]
12/14/2003 4:26:48 PM EDT
[#14]
In addition to the titles above:

The Prince (edit-Sorry QCMGR, missed your cite to it in my first read through)
The March of the 10,000
The Satyricon (very helpful at times here)

Ohh...and A Rifleman Went to War
12/14/2003 5:02:02 PM EDT
[#15]
Tom Clancy, "The Sum of All Fears" (but not the movie!)

Vin Suprynowicz, "Send in the Waco Killers"

James Bradley, "Flags of Our Fathers"

Gavan Daws, "Prisoners of the Japanese"

Stephen Ambrose, "Eisenhower: Soldier and President"
12/14/2003 5:21:15 PM EDT
[#16]
Dante's Inferno and The Divine Comedy.
12/14/2003 5:27:26 PM EDT
[#17]
If you want to ransack my twisted little mind, simply read 'Catch-22' by Joseph Heller.


Hunter S.Thompson is pretty good, too.
12/14/2003 5:33:40 PM EDT
[#18]
For cold warriors... [u]Team Yankee[/u], Harold Coyle

[u]Persecution[/u], David Limbaugh
12/14/2003 5:38:47 PM EDT
[#19]
"Infantry Attacks" - Erwin Rommel
"They Called it Passchendaele" - Lynn MacDonald
"Company Commander" - Charles Brown McDonald

and if you can find it "The Long Ships" - Frans Bengtson (best book I've ever read)
12/14/2003 5:41:57 PM EDT
[#20]
Sun Tzu.
Book of Five Rings
Total Resistance, von Dach, Bern.
Street Without Joy, Fall.
12/14/2003 5:45:03 PM EDT
[#21]
... [b]Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse[/b]

-[i] James Wesley Rawles [/i]
12/14/2003 5:49:48 PM EDT
[#22]
"Mask of Command" - John Keegan.  Keegan proflies traits of four successful military leaders throughout history.

"Masters of War" - Michael Handel.  Comparative analysis of great military theorists including Clausewitz, Sun Tzu, Jomini, and Machiavelli.  Kind of a Clausewitz for dummies plus a whole lot more.  Handel makes Clausewitz extremely accessible.

"Killer Angels" - Michael Shaara.  Historical novel about the Battle of Gettysburg.  Gritty realistic description of 19th century combat.


12/14/2003 6:36:48 PM EDT
[#23]
Any of these books that you haven't read, you should read.  Try to read them in the order below if you can, as many of them talk about events that are discussed in later books, so it helps to have the background.  The exception is that the top 6 or 7 are MUST READs, so if you don't read a lot, at least read the top choices:

[b]Unintended Consequences[/b], by [i]John Ross[/i]
[b]Enemies Foreign & Domestic[/b], by [i]Mathew Bracken[/i]
[b]Patriots - Surviving The Upcoming Collapse[/b], by [i]James Wesley Rawles[/i]
[b]Surviving Y2K (And Other Lovely Disasters)[/b], by [i]Boston T. Party (Kenneth Royce)[/i]
[b]Boston's Gun Bible[/b], by [i]Boston T. Party (Kenneth Royce)[/i]
[b]Hologram Of Liberty[/b], by [i]Boston T. Party (Kenneth Royce)[/i]
[b]Atlas Shrugged[/b], by [i]Ayn Rand[/i]
[b]The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress[/b], by [i]Robert Heinlein[/i]
[b]Farnham's Freehold[/b], by [i]Robert Heinlein[/i]
[b]Starship Troopers[/b], by [i]Robert Heinlein[/i]
[b]D-Day[/b], by [i]Stephen Ambrose[/i]
[b]Band Of Brothers[/b], by [i]Stephen Ambrose[/i]
[b]Flags of Our Fathers[/b], by [i]James Bradley[/i]
[b]Marine! The Life of Chesty Puller[/b], by [i]Burke Davis[/i]
[b]Immediate Action[/b], by [i]Andy McNab[/i]
[b]Bravo Two Zero[/b], by [i]Andy McNab[/i]
[b]Delta Force[/b], by [i]Charlie Beckwith[/i]
[b]First SEAL[/b], by [i]Roy Boehm[/i]
[b]Rogue Warrior[/b], by [i]Richard Marcinko[/i]
[b]We Were Soldiers Once, And Young[/b], by [i]Hal Moore[/i]
[b]Blackjack-33[/b], by [i]James Donahue[/i]
[b]The Federal Siege at Ruby Ridge: In Our Own Words[/b], by [i]Randy & Sara Weaver[/i]
[b]Send In The Waco Killers[/b], by [i]Vin Suprynowicz[/i]
[b]Black Hawk Down[/b], by [i]Mark Bowden[/i]
[b]The Kings Of The High Frontier[/b], by [i]Victor Komen[/i]
[b]Lucifer's Hammer[/b], by [i]Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle[/i]

Also, don't miss [b]Lights Out[/b], an  survival novel that's currently in progress.  You can read it for free; details [url=www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=123&t=211985]here[/url].

-Troy
12/14/2003 6:48:17 PM EDT
[#24]
tag
12/14/2003 9:49:19 PM EDT
[#25]
Robert A Heinlein's best "gun" book
"Beyond This Horizon"

Contains the immortal line: "An armed society is a polite society."
12/14/2003 10:13:17 PM EDT
[#26]
-"SOG, SECRET WARS IN CAMBODIA, LOAS & VIETNAM"- by John Plaster. ***** THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!! if you don't read this book, you are a total homo!!!!!!!!!!!

-ANY BOOK "MATHEW BRENNAN" EVER WROTE, & ANY BOOK "GARY LINDERER" EVER WROTE.

-"MY LIFE WITH NYPD", Jimi the "Wags" Wagner, & his other PI book (can't remember the name.) FRICKIN KICK ASS!!!

-"GUNS UP!"

-"WE WERE SOLDIER'S ONCE & YOUNG", Col. Hal Moore

-"SPITE HOUSE" 'The Bobby Garwood story'.

-"STOLEN VALOR", Burket

-"FIVE YEARS TO FREEDOM", Nick Rowe

-"WHY DIDN'T YOU GET ME OUT", Frank Anton

-"FIREBIRDS", Chuck (something)

-"SEAWOLFS"

-"IT TAKES A VILLAGE" (just kidding, just seeing if you were paying attention)

12/14/2003 10:27:37 PM EDT
[#27]
In the Company of Heroes - Michael Durant
12/14/2003 11:09:59 PM EDT
[#28]
My novel Enemies Foreign and Domestic sold out the first 1,000 copy printing in three months, and the second printing of 2,000 copies is now available.

It's a bit on the non-PC side, so I decided not to spend 2-3 years playing the suck up to the NYC publishers game as my opening gambit.  Now after establishing a strong track record of sales and reviews, in 2004 I'm going to go after a conventional publishing contract.  Hopefully by doing it this way, I'll cut a few years off of my time to getting onto all of the book shelves....time will tell.

Anyway, the second edition is the same as the first except for some typos which were cleaned up.  If anyone is interested in finding out if the book is for them, they can read the first 20 chapters any time on the [url]www.enemiesforeignanddomestic.com[/url] website.

And I hope to be at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, so maybe I'll see you there!

Matt Bracken

[img]http://matthewbracken.web.aplus.net/bookcover.jpg[/img]
12/15/2003 12:14:09 AM EDT
[#29]
YOU ALL SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!!!!

Not ONE of you put down Ted Nugent's "G-d, Guns, and Rock-n-Roll"
12/15/2003 12:17:16 AM EDT
[#30]
Quoted:
-"GUNS UP!" [red]-Johnny Clarke (Clarke is the person that the story is about, but I don't know if it was Clarke that actually wrote it..)[/red]


-"FIREBIRDS", Chuck (something) [red]-Chuck Carlock[/red]
View Quote


Holy shiet!!  I never though that I would ever find anybody who read either one of thoes books!  (I picked up 'GUNS UP!' at a flea market for cheap when I was much younger, many years ago..  To this day I still read it every now and then..)


[edited for spelling]
12/15/2003 12:27:23 AM EDT
[#31]
Ravens ; The men that flew in America's Secret War in Laos.....By Chritopher Robbins.
12/15/2003 1:25:14 AM EDT
[#32]
"point of impact" by stephen hunter, that is the first book, read the whole series.
12/15/2003 2:34:00 AM EDT
[#33]
"More Guns, Less Crime" by John R. Lott
"The Bias Against Guns" by John R. Lott

Both are great for referencing while debating gun issues w/ the "antis."  It's always nice to have sound information to base your arguments off of, instead of going the emotional/irrational route they usually take.
12/15/2003 3:48:42 AM EDT
[#34]
Air America
12/15/2003 4:17:05 AM EDT
[#35]
1984 by George Orwell
Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Jarhead by Anthony Swofford
Lights Out by Halffast at Frugal Squirrel
The Federalist Papers by Hamilton, Jefferson, etc.
12/15/2003 4:20:04 AM EDT
[#36]
Quoted:
Jarhead by Anthony Swofford
View Quote

I'm curious as to why you include this on your list. Care to comment?
12/15/2003 5:08:21 AM EDT
[#37]
Only read about 5 of the titles listed, I guess I am not knowledgeable enough to post.
[rolleyes]
12/15/2003 5:23:18 AM EDT
[#38]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Jarhead by Anthony Swofford
View Quote

I'm curious as to why you include this on your list. Care to comment?
View Quote
I just finished reading it.  I just missed Desert Storm, honorable discharge January '90 from the Air Force.  I had a friend who deployed During Desert Shield/Storm who didn't talk much about it.  The only thing I knew about the book when I checked it out from the library was it was about Scout/Sniper in Desert Storm.  I realize it is has a negative slant but not everything in the world is perfect.  I found it an interesting perspective on one mans service.  I take everything I read with a grain of salt.  
12/15/2003 3:07:52 PM EDT
[#39]
Quoted:
You need humor there:

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy trilogy (4 books).
View Quote


Isn't that a trilogy in five bnooks now, plus the tragically unfinished "The Salmon of Doubt"

I'm quite proud to have read a few of those, gonna go put the rest on my Amazon wishlist.

/Phil
12/15/2003 5:18:01 PM EDT
[#40]
"Death in the Long Grass" by Peter Hathaway Capstick. He has a series of "Death in..." books and they are very entertaining. They are true stories about hunting dangerous game. Sometimes the hunter becomes the hunted.
12/15/2003 5:35:44 PM EDT
[#41]
Another vote for "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield.

If you have not read this book buy it ASAP.  Anytime I think I've got it bad or need motivation, this book always puts things in perspective for me.  

Starship troopers is excellent too.

Has anyone mentioned "Ancient Lays of Rome?"
12/15/2003 5:59:34 PM EDT
[#42]
Quoted:
Only read about 5 of the titles listed, I guess I am not knowledgeable enough to post.
[rolleyes]
View Quote


So turn off your damn computer and start reading.




[:D]
12/15/2003 10:49:48 PM EDT
[#43]
Mantis: YES! Anything by Peter Capstick!
12/16/2003 12:07:25 AM EDT
[#44]
"Red Storm Rising" and
"The Hunt for Red October" both by Tom Clancy

"Death Traps" by Belton Y. Cooper

"Why the Left Hates America" by Danial J. Flynn

anything by Carl Marx ( I'm not joking here, you've got to know your enemy!!! )
12/16/2003 1:20:33 AM EDT
[#45]
The HitchHikers Guide to The Galaxy by Douglass Adams (Redundant Entry)

Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy(Redundant Entry)

The Physics of Star Trek by Lawrence M. Krauss

Elegant Universe by Brian Greene

Lost Moon by Jim Lovell

12/16/2003 1:32:57 AM EDT
[#46]
I am just finishing up "Point of Impact" again. I hadn't read it for a couple of years. Great book! I highly recommend Stephen Hunter books except for a couple clinkers.
12/16/2003 5:31:41 AM EDT
[#47]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Only read about 5 of the titles listed, I guess I am not knowledgeable enough to post.
[rolleyes]
View Quote


So turn off your damn computer and start reading.

[:D]
View Quote


too funny, I have over 150 books in my libary, just not these.  I enjoy the history and the sci-fi. I just don't get into the conspiracy theory/"what ifs" books.
12/16/2003 7:16:13 AM EDT
[#48]
"It's the spoon's fault" - Rosie O'Donnel
12/16/2003 6:15:11 PM EDT
[#49]
Any of the books by Tim Powers
[url]http://www.timpowers.info/[/url]

Stranger Tides should be a Major Movie.  A pretty girl, puppets, magic, its got it all!

The Anubis Gates is an amazing Tour de Force.  Don't pick it up unless you have enought time to read it straight thru.

--------------------------------------

Most James Ellroy books.  Especially American Tabloid, & The Cold Six Thousand.  These form the first 2 Volumes of a 60's Trilogy.  Find out what might have happened.
[url]http://www.edark.org/ellroy/english/home2_en.html[/url]

--------------------------------------

Most books by Phil Farmer.  If you like SciFi.
[url]http://www.pjfarmer.com/[/url]

-------------------------------------------

Fred Saberhagen for his superb Dracula books.
[url]http://www.berserker.com/FredsDracula.html[/url]

--------------------------------------

Harry Harrison's Viking Trilogy
[url]http://www.harryharrison.com/[/url]

----------------------------------------

Judge Bork
[url]http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/103-8126629-9126238[/url]
12/16/2003 6:28:31 PM EDT
[#50]
Many, many of the books listed.  
Yes, there are five in the Hitchhiker's Guide 'trilogy'.
All the 'Bob Lee Swagger' (and father) books by Stephen Hunter.
One author I didn't see mentioned... John Steakley, author of [u]Armor[/u] and [u]Vampire$[/u].  I think Armor was a much better book than Starship Troopers.
Tom Clancy - esp. the John Clark books ([u]Rainbow Six[/u] and [u]Without Remorse[/u]).
And before I forget, no-one mentioned the Constitution of the United States.
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