I have always enjoyed reading and have read a plethora of books in my lifetime. Here is a list of my very favorite books, which I have read for enjoyment. The books I have listed are not autobiographies, or about education. These are books I would read again, if I ever read books twice, which I never do. If you are into books where the characters are vividly portrayed, then I think you will enjoy these. After 24 years in the military, with 22 of those years spent in the Infantry and three deployments, I enjoy living an adventure without the aches, pains and dangers that would come along from actually having the adventure myself. These books allow you to get to know characters better than any movie ever could. Vivid characterization is very important in all the books I read.
*The Rise to Rebellion *The Glorious Cause Author: Jeff Shaara About: The birth of our nation from the debates of breaking away from England to the formation of a new nation after the end of the American Revolutionary War. Shaara has a gift of making his characters come to life. It is as if you are seeing through the eyes or our founding fathers and can feel the emotions they had. Get to know your founding fathers and experience the birth of our nation as if you were taking part in it yourself. These books should be a must read for all American citizens. Understanding the sacrifice brings back patriotism and pride in this great nation of ours. I have been to many places in the world and I can say without a shred of doubt, "There is no place like home!" That is why people from every nation come to America to live. You don't see people leaving America hardly ever, everyone is trying to get into America.
The Emperor Series *The Gods of War *The Fields of Swords *The Death of Kings *The Gates of Rome Author: Conn Inggulden About: This series covers the birth of Julius Caesar to his death. Great story about choices in life and the consequences that develop from those choices. See what makes a man a historical leader that is talked about through the ages of time and then what causes his demise. Inggulden makes the story come to life by allowing us to look through the eyes of Caesar and hear what could have been his words and thoughts through the different stages of his life. He writes in such a way that the reader can re-live the events of Caesar's life and understand why he was successful and what caused his demise.
Civil Wars Series *The Killer Angels Author Michael Shaara *Gods and Generals *The Last Full Measure Author Jeff Shaara About: Experience the civil war as if you were there. Michael Shaara is the father of Jeff Shaara. Michael published this first book on the civil war, "The Killer Angels", and died of cancer. "The Killer Angels" used to be required reading for Infantry Officers during the Infantry Officer Basic Course. His son, Jeff, took up his father's writing style and finished telling the story of the civil war. Two of the books were turned into movies.
*D-Day *Citizen Soldiers *Band of Brothers Author: Stephen Ambrose About: WWII and the men who so bravely fought with character and honor. The world should never forget the sacrifice these men made. May we never see another world war and always remember the harsh realities of a world in conflict. These books are a very good reminder of the hardships and sacrifices associated with war.
*Eaters of the Dead Author: Michael Crighton About: The movie The Thirteenth Warrior was based on this book. The book is better than the movie. (A book about Vikings - enough said!)
*Andromeda Strain Author: Michael Crighton About: Space dust and disease causing the death of an entire town, how will our government handle the situation, so it does not spread?
*The Last Kingdom Series Author: Bernard Cornwell About: I was drawn to the character Uthred in this series. I found myself always rooting for a good outcome for Uthred and drawn to his loyalty and persistance. A time when a man gave you his oath and he meant it. These books have been made into a tv series.
*Legend Author: David Gemmel About: Druss, the Captain of the axe, is the stuff that legends are made up of. I fell in love with the character Druss. There are multiple books to the series, but none ever reaches the depth of the first book's characterization. Druss appears throughout the science fiction series, but this is the book where you meet the legend. There is only one opportunity to meet a legend for the first time. Chuck Norris would bow in honor to Druss. Druss is someone you give a wide path to as you walk by, not because he demands it, but because you can sense danger from his persona. He causes the most courageous men to question themselves, allowing fear to creep in and all who are near him develop a sense of urgency.
*Killing Lincoln *Killing Kennedy Author Bill O'Rielly About: An in-depth look at the men and the major events in their lives that led up to their assassinations. O'Rielly writes in such a way that you are at the scene and can almost get your hands on the assassins to prevent the demise of these presidents. These books are not based on conspiracy or theory, just all the facts. These books do a good job of allowing you to see behind the curtain of the presidency. O'Rielly adds some hidden gems about the assassinations that I have not read anywhere else. I couldn't put these books down until I finished them.
*Killing Jesus Author Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard About: A good explaination of how history fits around the life of Jesus. Good details about the religous and political leaders of the time and what drove their decision to execute the Son of God. The life and death of Jesus.
*Killing the Rising Sun Author Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard About: America's war against Japan, an opponent that fanatically would not surrender. This is another page turner.
*Legends and Lies, the Real West Author Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard About: The real truth about the legends of the west we grew up reading stories about and watching movies about.
*Red Badge of Courage Author: Stephen Crane About: Written about a young man and his struggles to serve honorably in the Northern Army during the horrors of the civil war. This is the first book I ever read and I enjoyed as a kid. I should have known I would grow up and become a soldier.
*Second World Author: Jeremy Robinson About: The Nazis are at it again, but one man is in their way: Lincoln Miller, ex-Navy Seal. Lincoln Miller has more lives than a cat. He is like the energizer bunny. He just keeps going and going after his target without the thought of his own safety. This is the man you would never want tracking you.
*The Ranger's Apprentice - Series Author: John Flanagan About: Read this series with my youngest son. We enjoyed the series tremendously. Truth be told, I probably enjoyed it more than him. My wife even set in as I read it to him on several occasions. Great opportunity to bond together as a father and son. The portrait of the development of a teen, (Will), from a good mentor, (Halt), and then the decisions he makes as a young man, which are based on the solid foundation established by Halt. Halt trains Will to be a ranger, a leader and a man. Will is constantly tested in all three areas. His responsibilities increase exponentially with every successful action he accomplishes. There are times in this series where you feel compassion toward the responsibilities that are placed on Will at such an early age. The reader is allotted the time to feel sorry for Will having to take on so much at a young age, but Will doesn't have the time to feel overwhelmed or sorry for himself. The fictional series takes place in the times of kings and their kingdoms. This is a good series and I would have read it without my son.
*The Event Group Files - Series Author: David Goleman About: This fictional series is about a Special Division of our government that protects us from the supernatural legends. They keep our legends from becoming reality. We think of them as legends and myths and they fight and die to keep it that way.