What are you reading….?

I managed to get the Sam Vines Boots Theory of Socio-Economic Inequality into my closing submissions recently.

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Well will have to ask @Moist_Van_Lipwig for his opinions! :rofl:

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Just started (well a couple of weeks ago) the Red Rising series.
First book is a bit hunger games-y but really good and solid read overall (just finished book 3 so I’m wondering how they’ll continue it!)

Good morning all,

I’m looking for suggestions actually, particularly for magazines on the themes of (geo)politics and current affairs.

On my virtual bookshelf at the moment are “The Week” and “Private Eye” - but naturally these are quite UK focussed and I’m searching for something with more of a global and transnationalist view.

Has anyone found worthwhile reads in this field?

I’d start with The Economist, as a good all round read.

Is it worth giving Ground a go at least for a bit to get a bit of a Tapas style news selection?

Not magazines, but plenty of sources to pull from

Im being rlly stupid and reading all 997 pages of ap818 (and also making notes cus why not)

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Intently reading Al Murray command and James Holland Normandy 44

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You only really need to know Part 1 Chapters 1 to 4 and maybe 9 and part 2 chapters 1,3,4,5 the rest youll get taught if you ever need to do it.

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yeahhh i know i js like reading documents for sone strange reasons (even if they are wayyyy too long)

Looks like we’ve got another (future) lawyer on the forum!

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Bringing this thread back up! Normally I use this for Christmas shopping inspiration, but you’ve all been very quiet.

So, what have you been reading recently? What’s new and you’re keen to get and read?

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Well, you asked…

I think if I got either of those for my dad, there’d be trouble!

Totally geeking out on this one! But maybe a bit niche for some.

Gibson was a product like Bader of the regular pre-war air force with rigid distinctions, whereas Cheshire was a member of the RAFVR and commissioned into the regular RAF in October 1939. Both men had distinctly different personalities and command style. Gibson and Bader looked down on NCOs and airmen as inferiors, that is shown by their attitude to them.

In contrast, Cheshire took care to get to know as many people on his Squadrons and stations as possible, which was taught to him by a previous flight commander when he was a junior pilot. He could be ruthless to those he thought who were not pulling their weight.

As for Cheshire’s VC, it was awarded for the completion of over 100 operations, flying a combination of aircraft and I believe that it was either AVM Cochrane or ACM Harris who put him forward for the decoration.

In mitigation, I suspect that and having read some accounts was that Gibson for his own safety should have been grounded with what we now call PTSD. Bader even after being shot down, imprisoned, liberated and following WW2 was arrogance and nastiness personified, and he was heartily disliked by people inside and outside the RAF. Cheshire, by contrast, after witnessing the raid on Nagasaki in 1945, found religion and undertook good works for the remainder of his life.

As to 5 group there was atipathy at times between Cochrane and 5 Group as Bennet regrded 617 and 627 Squadrons as their own pathfinders and 8 PFF group under the command of Bennett.

Just reading for an unpublished book review, Phoenix Rising, regarding the abortive Operation Eagle Claw mission to release the hostages in the US Embassy in Tehran. Very revealing and some of the things that happened before and during the mission are breathtaking, then there is the post operation blame sharing for such a disaster.

One hope US special forces are far better organised today than they were then.

Obvious ones are Dan Brown and Richard Osman but then I do want to get some time to read Depths of Valanth.

As well as that, for the other members of the funny :handshake: club then I need to get my head in the little blue book but having trouble finding enthusiasm… Tough when I’m going in the chair in 4 meetings time!

i have known some WSOs like that!

aren’t we glad that our admin system is named in his honour
and RIAT’s admin office is call “Bader house”….:thinking:

Oh indeed, but people rarely look beyond the public facade. Bader is probably the most identified member of the RAF due to the book and the film, ask people who Cheshire or Nicholson or Hannah were, and you would just get a blank look.