Reading Challenge Week 1 Update

Greetings all! I just wanted to update my weekly reading for the Spring Reading Challenge 2009 hosted by Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer Reads.

As some of you may know, on Wednesday I took the exit exam for my LSU masters in Military History. There was so much reading that I had to do - 11 books in 8 days - to be ready. I got most of it done and here is what I thought of the books.

1. The American Way of War: A History of United States Military Strategy and Policy (by Russell Weigley): This was a very information book, if you're into into the stratgy of war. It covered American wars from the American Revolution to the Vietnam War. It was a LARGE book, and took me a while to read, but was not as dry as some history books are.

2. The Warrior Image: Soldiers in American Culture from the Second World War to Vietnam (by Andrew Huebner): A very good book. Maybe I liked this one because I work in public relations or maybe because a a military spouse I am intrigued by the way the public sees servicemembers, but either way it went into great detail about how American troops were viewed by the public from World War II through the Vietnam War. It was intriqing insight to learn about how the media nad art world portrayed troops both during and long after each war. I'd recommend it to those interesting in PR and the military. I'm definitely keeping this book!

3. Passage through Armageddon: The Russians in War and Revolution (by Bruce Lincoln): I was at the end of my time on this one and am currently re-reading it to get notes for another class. I will post a review when I've finished.

4. A Stillness Heard Around the World: The End of the Great War (by Stanley Weintraub): By the time I'd gotten to this book I was thoroughly tired of reading about the WWI to Vietnam period, so I probably won't give the book a fair review. It was informative though a bit dry. Not as interesting as some of the others.

5. Hitler's Army: Soldiers, Nazis, and War in the Third Reich (by Omer Bartov): I'd read this book before for the WWII class so it was only a brief review. It was informative, and not too dry.

6. War Without Mercy: Race & Power in the Pacific War (by John W. Dower): I was at the end of my time on this one and am currently re-reading it to get notes for another class. I will post a review when I've finished.

7. Why the Allies Won (by Richard Overy): I wasn't really impressed with this one. SOme of the others were more captivating. This one I think is the "classic" boring school assignment.

8. After Tet (by Ronald H. Spector):I'd read this book before for another class as well. It was informative, and not too dry. I just skimmed though an got a brief overview.

9. The Limits of Air Power: The American Bombing of North Vietnam (by Mark Clodfelter): A good book. Quite informative as far as the beginning and growth of America's air power and Air Force. I breezed right through it in a few hours.

10. On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society (by Dave Grossman): I was at the end of my time on this one and am currently re-reading it to get notes for another class. I will post a review when I've finished. Though I am intriqued by all the "internal workings" of a Soldier's mind!

11. Wartime: Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War (by Paul Fussell): This book kind of sragged a bit but had parts that held my interest. Basically each chapter started with a theme or story and then they had multiple stories that support the theory. Not bad, the stories were interesting though they went on for a bit.

In the meantime, I have also created a list of books to read "for fun." There are more books for school, but I've decided not to add them. Here is the list:

1. Death by Darjeeling (by Laura Childs): This is the first of the Tea Shop Mysteries Series. I am quite excited to start!
2. The Queen's Fool (by Philippa Gregory): My favorite author at this time
3. Jane Eyre (by Charlotte Bronte) I've got this thing about reading classics and I recently found the following complete novels all in one collection, so I HAD to get it!
4. Wuthering Heights (by Emily Bronte)
5. Shirley (by Charlotte Bronte)
6. Villette (by Charlotte Bronte)
7. The Professor (by Charlotte Bronte)

That's all for now. If you are interested in joining the challenge visit Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer Reads to learn more and to sign up! Off to read some more ...

Until our next cup of tea ...