On the eve of World War II, the "Squalus," America's newest submarine, plunged to the bottom of the North Atlantic. Miraculously, thirty-three crew members still survived. While their loved ones waited in unbearable tension on shore, their ultimate fate would depend upon one man, U.S. Navy officer Charles "Swede" Momsen - an extraordinary combination of visionary, scientist, and man of action. In this thrilling true account, prize-winning author Peter Maas vividly re-creates a moment-by-moment account of the disaster and the man at its center. Could he actually pluck those men from a watery grave? Or had all his pioneering work been in vain?

The little-known WWII story of the salvage engineers whose daring and heroism helped the Allies win back North Africa, by the author of The Far Shore. By the time America joined World War II, Edward Ellsberg had already earned his place as one of the world’s great marine salvage engineers, and his bestselling accounts of raising doomed submarines and histories of classic diving operations had made him a literary star. With America’s entry into the war, Ellsberg returned to active duty with no easy clearing the vital port at Massawa, Eritrea, with no men, no equipment, and no budget. No Banners, No Bugles picks up with Ellsberg stationed at Oran, Algeria, an important Mediterranean harbor as the Allies prepare for Operation Torch, the fight to reclaim North Africa from the Axis powers. Following his success at Massawa, Ellsberg must sort out the disorganized mess left by the Vichy French and find a way to open the port, though his flagging health proves to be a dangerous obstacle. As General Eisenhower’s chief of salvage in the Mediterranean, Ellsberg needs to clear harbors all across North Africa. No Banners, No Bugles is the riveting story of how Ellsberg the miracle worker tackled his greatest mission yet.

From the beaches of Normandy to the shores of Iwo Jima. Harrowing tales of combat…as told by the men who lived it.

World War II was the most destructive conflict in human history. At its peak, the US military drew some 16 million men into its ranks to defeat the Axis Powers. They came from nearly every walk of life – farmers, tradesmen, teachers, lawyers, professional athletes, and even Hollywood celebrities. But whether they came from the wheat fields of Kansas, the streets of New York, the backlots of Tinseltown, or the dugouts of Fenway Park, these everyday heroes answered the call when their country needed them. They were ordinary men who accomplished extraordinary things. Today, we call them the "Greatest Generation. "

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Boyhood Pal by Christopher Moore.

Everyone knows about the immaculate conception and the crucifixion. But what happened to Jesus between the manger and the Sermon on the Mount? In this hilarious and bold novel, the acclaimed Christopher Moore shares the greatest story never told: the life of Christ as seen by his boyhood pal, Biff.

Just what was Jesus doing during the many years that have gone unrecorded in the Bible? Biff was there at his side, and now after two thousand years, he shares those good, bad, ugly, and miraculous times. Screamingly funny, audaciously fresh, Lamb rivals the best of Tom Robbins and Carl Hiaasen, and is sure to please this gifted writer’s fans and win him legions more.

I didn't pick up this book without hesitation. I meeting this guy I used to mentor at work about once every 6 weeks. He was an Agnostic when I met him. He now is searching out, learning and accepting Christianity. A sincere thirst to understand and believe.

He offered me this book six and then three months ago. When we met a couple weeks ago, handed me the book.
Before I opended it, I had a brief request of my personal savior- if I shouldn't be reading this book, make me feel uncomfortable.

Am not feeling uncomfortable. It takes zero shots at Jesus and is a light, funny story. Am enjoying it. Only 50 pages is. So far, none of it gets near blasphemy. I'll keep reading- at least for now.

8trackdisco wrote:

I liked it. And iirc, it was Keltic who recommended it,

Palama wrote:

You liked it- Great!

Celtic Recommended it. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

8trackdisco wrote:

It is the most famous military installation in the world. And it doesn’t exist. Located a mere seventy-five miles outside of Las Vegas in Nevada’s desert, the base has never been acknowledged by the U.S. government-but Area 51 has captivated imaginations for decades.

Myths and hypotheses about Area 51 have long abounded, thanks to the intense secrecy enveloping it. Some claim it is home to aliens, underground tunnel systems, and nuclear facilities. Others believe that the lunar landing itself was filmed there. The prevalence of these rumors stems from the fact that no credible insider has ever divulged the truth about his time inside the base. Until now.

Annie Jacobsen had exclusive access to nineteen men who served the base proudly and secretly for decades and are now aged 75-92, and unprecedented access to fifty-five additional military and intelligence personnel, scientists, pilots, and engineers linked to the secret base, thirty-two of whom lived and worked there for extended periods. In Area 51, Jacobsen shows us what has really gone on in the Nevada desert, from testing nuclear weapons to building super-secret, supersonic jets to pursuing the War on Terror.

This is the first book based on interviews with eye witnesses to Area 51 history, which makes it the seminal work on the subject. Filled with formerly classified information that has never been accurately decoded for the public, Area 51 weaves the mysterious activities of the top-secret base into a gripping narrative, showing that facts are often more fantastic than fiction, especially when the distinction is almost impossible to make.

There is only one scenario other than an asteroid strike that could end the world as we know it in a matter of hours: nuclear war. And one of the triggers for that war would be a nuclear missile inbound toward the United States.

Every generation, a journalist has looked deep into the heart of the nuclear military establishment: the technologies, the safeguards, the plans, and the risks. These investigations are vital to how we understand the world we really live in—where one nuclear missile will beget one in return, and where the choreography of the world’s end requires massive decisions made on seconds’ notice with information that is only as good as the intelligence we have.

Pulitzer Prize finalist Annie Jacobsen’s Nuclear War: A Scenario explores this ticking-clock scenario, based on dozens of exclusive new interviews with military and civilian experts who have built the weapons, have been privy to the response plans, and have been responsible for those decisions should they have needed to be made. Nuclear War: A Scenario examines the handful of minutes after a nuclear missile launch. It is essential reading, and unlike any other book in its depth and urgency.

Yeah... and y'all wonder why I buy bottled water by the cases at Costco and Sam's...

Wasn't drinking from the tap in Temecula, ain't doing it here. Any water out the tap gets boiled/heated and used for coffee.

Poor puppy dog... he drinks tap water. Doesn't seem to care.

MACS wrote:

The definitive history of the military's decades-long investigation into mental powers and phenomena, from the author of Pulitzer Prize finalist The Pentagon's Brain and international bestseller Area 51

This is a book about a team of scientists and psychics with top secret clearances.

For more than forty years, the U.S. government has researched extrasensory perception, using it in attempts to locate hostages, fugitives, secret bases, and downed fighter jets, to divine other nations' secrets, and even to predict future threats to national security. The intelligence agencies and military services involved include CIA, DIA, NSA, DEA, the Navy, Air Force, and Army-and even the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Now, for the first time, New York Times bestselling author Annie Jacobsen tells the story of these radical, controversial programs, using never before seen declassified documents as well as exclusive interviews with, and unprecedented access to, more than fifty of the individuals involved. Speaking on the record, many for the first time, are former CIA and Defense Department scientists, analysts, and program managers, as well as the government psychics themselves.

Who did the U.S. government hire for these top secret programs, and how do they explain their military and intelligence work? How do scientists approach such enigmatic subject matter? What interested the government in these supposed powers and does the research continue? Phenomena is a riveting investigation into how far governments will go in the name of national security.

You should read the book The Reckoning by David Halberstam about post WWII Japan eclipsing American auto production shown through the comparative eyes of Datsun (Nissan) and Ford Motor Company.

It is about both companies. In small part, it goes into just-in-time" manufacturing techniques (but is not technical in any way). Just how they beat us inn the long-run.

Great book!!!

rfenst wrote:

Tea leaves.

Speyside2 wrote: