Just a reminder that if you want to stick with your cheap pilot routes, the Libby App is free. You just need to get a library card to attach to it to check out books. I have two library networks from my state and a DOD library for those who have a government affiliation besides paying taxes lol. If anyone has other apps or libraries they access via a similar app, I'd love to hear them. Im finding that books are harder and harder to get without wait times.

Just finished ​​​​The Myth of Americsn Idealism by Robinson and Chomsky. A book to challenge ones view on US foreign policy. The downside is that, while I don't disagree with him on some things, I think they fail to paint the entire picture on many of their points, which makes it fit nicely into their narrative. Overall worth a listen with an open mind.

 

I have used Librivox. All public domain, but narration is by volunteer and often they are people learning to speak english and done individually by chapter so a book can have several versions with multiple readers and the best narrators are usually indicated.

 

Flight of Passage by Rinker Buck (no relation to Bob Buck from North Star over my shoulder...also a good book).

Just finished this on vacation. Great read about two teenage brothers who bought a PA-11 Cub for $350 (1966), restored it and flew it from Jersey to LA. Fun coming of age tale with lots of great aviation adventure of flying across lands they'd only ever heard of in a book. I had a hard time putting it down but I love GA and the romantic nature of this type of stuff.

 

Lately I've been into reading books about military aviation history. I've started with some WW1 stuff and am now into WW2.

Many good books out there. I just finished two good books on Eric Hartman. Both basic biographies of him. Very interesting guy with 352 confirmed shoot downs. He wanted to be a doctor, but that goal was overcome by events. Eric was captured and spent over a decade in a soviet prison camp. He was released and later went on to fly F-86s in the German Air Force post war. Although Hartman was our "enemy" during WW2, his story is one of conviction, faith and courage. For him to survive as long as he did in basically a soviet gulag death camp is a testament to his character and shear willpower. Very interesting individual.

German Fighter Ace Eric Hartman: The Life Story of the World's highest Scoring Ace (Schiffer Military History).

The Blond Knight of Germany: A biography of Eric Hartman.

I thought both books to be very well written and documented.

 

Big fan of WW2 history, loved The Blonde Knight of Germany. Some of my favorites off the top of my head.

-Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors by Hornfisher...one of the best books I've read. Incredible story.
-Unsung Eagles by Stout
-A Woman of No Importance by Purnell
-The All Americans by Andersen
-Spitfires, Thunderbolts and Warm Beer by Caine
-One Square Mile of Hell by Wukovits
-53 Days on Starvation Island by Bruning

 

I have 2 books on American Eagle squadrons I've purchased. "American Pilots in the RAF: The WW2 Eagle Squadrons" and "The Eagle Squadrons: Nos 71, 121 & 133 Squadrons". I'll and "Unsung Eagles" to the list too since you mentioned it.

 

Military History Magazine had an interview with him not too long before he passed IIRC.

”Top Guns of the Luftwaffe”
”Luftwaffe Fighter Aces”

and “The First and the Last” by Adolf Galland are pretty good also.

MODS, why, WHY does quoting on mobile STILL screw up the quote!?!?

For the love of all that is forum holy, fix it.

 

Unsung Eagles isn't about the Eagle squadrons, it just follows the stories of a handful of Airmen. Not the big name guys, just the every day airmen and their experiences. Really cool book.

Spitfires, Thunderbolts and Warm Beer is actually about an American who snuck into Canada and ended up in the RAF, fighting in the UK before the Eagle Squadrons were stood up. These guys were folded into the Eagle Squadrons and later in the US Army Air Corps (the few who lived that long). Awesome book.

I'm not sure what would cause that, my post with a quote above was from my phone as well. I fixed it for you, if it keeps happening, shoot me a PM.

 

Its sporadic.

I see it when others quote as well.

This time, worked like it’s supposed to.

 

Not your typical historical non-fiction, but Malcom Gladwell’s “Bomber Mafia” was a great WW2-era aviation read with an interesting psychology twist to it. Couldn’t put it down.