View Full Version : Book List(s) for Marines & Poolee's
I've just been wondering if anyone has some good books that they'd recommend reading. I read quite a lot and I've got about 15 books here I'd recommend ya'll read, especially #1 for poolee's
1) Making The Corps - Thomas E. Ricks
2) Small Wars Manual - Marines
3) Fields of Fire - James Webb
4) The Art of War - Sun Tzu
5) Thriving on Chaos - Tom Peters
6) On Guerilla Warfare - Mao Tse-Tsung
7) August 1914 - Solzhenitsyn
8) Peloponnesion War - Thucydides
9) War and Peace - Tolstoy
10) Bright and Shining Lie - Neil Sheehan
11) How We Won the War - General Giap
12) Rise and Fall of Great Powers - Paul Kennedy
13) The General - C.S. Forester
14) The Masks of War - Carl Builder
Now, anyone that was in the Marines in the 90's probably recognizes this list, books 2-14 were/are mandatory reading, certain books for certain ranks. Even so, I'd recommend reading them all. It's good stuff
Joe
p.s. "Code Zero" I've heard is a good book, I don't know the author because I've never read it myself but I plan on getting it
Post any other books you recommend and we'll see if we can get a good thing going as far as books to read.
-"Into the Crucible" is pretty good
Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
Marines in Space, yes, but Marines despite the Name Change
jryanjack
07-22-04, 06:53 AM
"Marine!: The Life of Chesty Puller" and "Marine Sniper" are both excellent books detailing the lifes of two outstanding Marines - Chesty Puller and Carlos Hathcock.
wow everyone. Or maybe just Poolees since this book mainly goes for us.
Keeping Faith by John Schaeffer, Frank Schaeffer
If you dont read any other book read that one.
benny rutledge
07-22-04, 11:18 AM
The entire Series on "The Corps" books 1-8 Written by W.E.B.Griffin.James Webb went on to be SecNav also wrote"Something to die for"Your not lean,mean and a fighting machine if you haven't read either of the Biographies on "Chesty"Puller.The "Thin Red Line"or "Battle Cry"by James Jones comes to mind aa well as "Platoon"by Dale Dye.Last but not least,lets not forget that Lt.L.B.Puller jr.wrote a Pulitzer prize winning novel "Fortunate Son" Semper Fi!!!!!!!
If you're about to join or considering joining the Marines the #1 book is a definite "must read" on my list
Making The Corps - Thomas E. Ricks
excellent writer & all around good book
I've read a lot on Sgt. Hathcock also. I must say I'm a bit obsessed with becoming a sniper lol I go groundhog hunting on a neighbors farm with either my .308, 30/06, 12 gauge or .22 & sit about ~100-400 (depending on weapon) yards away from where I know a groundhog hole is & just sit there teaching myself to keep still & ignore bugs etc. i've bagged quite a few groundhogs too :p silly maybe, but hey every little bit helps
Joe
HardJedi
07-22-04, 04:47 PM
Hey Marzyn? It is GUNNERY SERGEANT HATHCOCK. NOT Sgt.
Marines do NOT shorten every "Sgt." rank to just "Sgt." might fly in the army or air force, but not here :mad:
HardJedi
07-22-04, 04:51 PM
Originally posted by BGMFH
Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
Marines in Space, yes, but Marines despite the Name Change
a great book for learining about brotherhood, and resposibility, and duty. even if it is a work of fiction. did a college paper on the possible social ramifications of actually living by the rules suggested in this book
sorry jedi, for the sake of time (i had to leave for bowling and was running a bit late) i shortened Gunnery Sergeant to Sgt.
forgive me =[
futureMarine123
07-23-04, 05:24 PM
I Have three years before I can go off to boot camp. What are thing that I can do to prepair myself for those 11 weeks and the rest of my career in the Marines?
P.s. I am going into infantry
Why post that here lol
start a new thread with that question, or look around at previous threads bud
but my answer would be, run run run run run, do pullups till you're blue in the face, get into the best physical shape you can possibly get into and the rest there's pretty much no possible way you can prepare for, the mental challenges etc
Semper Fi
joe
Sparrowhawk
07-23-04, 07:51 PM
Originally posted by Marzyn
sorry jedi, for the sake of time (i had to leave for bowling and was running a bit late) i shortened Gunnery Sergeant to Sgt.
forgive me =[
here's a book for you to also read.. LOL
Uh yea, perhaps I should have shortened it to Gunny Hathcock, and if I hadn't been in a rush, I might have remembered to do that, however, I said "Sgt." and due to this oh-so-nasty mistake, I OBVIOUSLY don't know the ranks! Thanks so much Sparrow, I just ordered the book off Amazon, I truely appreciate your snide remarks and sarcastic posts amidst my legitimite attempts to help/be helped. Really, I do.
HardJedi
07-25-04, 01:58 AM
Good LORd Kid! Cook was just being funny! you need to lighten up a bit. and at the risk of sounding mean let me clue you in on something. You are gonna be in a hurry for a LONG time if you make it into the Corps, and that will then be NO excuse for taking shortcuts.
Don't mean that as a put down or anything, just a fact of life.
Another thing to remember, never make excuses, just acknowledge the mistake, apologise, and try not to make the smae one twice. No one in the Corps is ever interested in excuses, just actions and personal responsibility. ;)
FutureMarine123 pretty sure that boot camp is 13 weeks or longer depending. Learn that kinda stuff.
WillManning
07-25-04, 11:58 PM
Originally posted by Marzyn
Uh yea, perhaps I should have shortened it to Gunny Hathcock, and if I hadn't been in a rush, I might have remembered to do that, however, I said "Sgt." and due to this oh-so-nasty mistake, I OBVIOUSLY don't know the ranks! Thanks so much Sparrow, I just ordered the book off Amazon, I truely appreciate your snide remarks and sarcastic posts amidst my legitimite attempts to help/be helped. Really, I do.
If you think thats bad, you shouldn't be trying to get into the Marine Corps. The Drill Instructors are funnier, and they can make you push. On second thought, maybe boot camp can put discipline in your extensive vocabulary through your errors and their trials.
hrscowboy
07-26-04, 12:27 AM
since when can you decide what your mos is going to be in the corps. I thought that was determind by the tests you take once you get to bootcamp. even though some of us had other mos or main mos was 0311 no matter what. has the corp changed that much???
snipowsky
07-26-04, 04:50 AM
Why on earth do we even allow Poolee's on our site? Talking like this to my fellow Marines! Show respect, or don't come to our site at all!
This site was made by a Marine for Marines! You are our guests, just keep that in mind. You are not a Marine Poolee, so keep your snide comments to yourself. You haven't yet earned our respect! Sparrowhawk aka Cook has! You should be ashamed of yourself. NOW CHOKE YOURSELF!
Show this man respect, THIS I DEMAND OF YOU! Keep it up and you'll find yourself banned from this site if I have my way!
This is directed solely at you Marzyn! You **** with one Marine, you **** with us all! Remember that!:mad:
hrscowboy the ASVAB tells you what MOS you qualify for now. I dont ship for a year and I already have Metal worker
Pel
if you're pressed for time the correct way to abreviate would be Gysgt. As far as his sarcasmm, one it was a joke pull the stick out of your butt, two He's a Marine he's paid his dues you haven't have respect. When or rather if you go to boot camp the DI's will have plenty of fun with you. Remember where you are and the fact that it's a privelige not a right
As far as MOS's yes for the most part you now get to pick your MOS you take the ASVAB before you even get in the DEP and that tells you what you are qualified for. Then you pick an MOS from a book and they tell you if it's available to you etc. Or you can go open contract and then the Corps. decides.
Kurby494
07-06-07, 12:22 AM
Found this and thought I'd bring it back because I've been reading quite alot latley. It's been great for moto in addition to my moto movie mondays. ;)
To Be A U.S. Marine - S.F. Tomajczyk
Proud: Inside the Marine Corps - Bernard Halsband Cohen
Jarhead - Anthony Swofford
Making the Corps - Thomas E. Ricks
Marine Sniper: 93 Confirmed Kills - Charles W. Henderson
Marshalling the Faithfull: The Marines First Year in Vietnam - Charles W. Henderson
Dear Mom: A Snipers Vietnam - Joseph T. Ward
The Proud Bastards - E. Michael Helms
Boot - Daniel Da Cruz
I've got the next 5 books but haven't read em yet.
Marine: A Guided Tour of a Marine Expeditionary Unit - Tom Clancy (currently reading)
The Walking Dead - Charles W. Sasser & Graig Roberts
Fields Of Fire - James Webb
Marine!: The Life of Chesty Puller
USMC: A Complete History - Marine Corps Association (I don't know if I'll ever read this whole thing but it's an excellent source book. It's a month by month synopsis of every minor to major battle and/or organizational event from november 10th 1775 in Philidelphia to Late 2003 in Iraq.)
As soon as I read these books I'm going to try and find the whol Webb Griffin series, and I've been looking for short-timers by Gustav Hasford (the book full metal jacket is based on). No one ever has that book but the guy at Barnes and Nobles told me they are re pressing it for an August re-release.
Anyone else read anything good latley?
devildoghopeful
07-06-07, 04:10 AM
We Were One - Pat O'Donnell
One Bullet Away - Nathaniel Fick
DevilDog124
07-06-07, 10:29 AM
The Gift of Valor - Michael M. Phillips (read)
Keeping Faith - John and Frank Schaeffer (read)
The Few and The Proud - Larry Smith (currently reading)
fade2black
07-06-07, 10:55 AM
Kurby494 -
Marine: A Guided Tour of a Marine Expeditionary Unit - Tom Clancy (currently reading)
This is a great book. It was written about my Med float so it has a special place in my heart. :) Still trying to find a way to get Tom Clancy to autograph it for me.
Kurby494
07-06-07, 07:16 PM
Kurby494 -
This is a great book. It was written about my Med float so it has a special place in my heart. :) Still trying to find a way to get Tom Clancy to autograph it for me.
Thats outstanding. I'm barely into the interview with Commandant Krulak but so far the books been full of alot of info and moto.
rickfjr74
07-06-07, 08:19 PM
Why on earth do we even allow Poolee's on our site? Talking like this to my fellow Marines! Show respect, or don't come to our site at all!
This site was made by a Marine for Marines! You are our guests, just keep that in mind. You are not a Marine Poolee, so keep your snide comments to yourself. You haven't yet earned our respect! Sparrowhawk aka Cook has! You should be ashamed of yourself. NOW CHOKE YOURSELF!
Show this man respect, THIS I DEMAND OF YOU! Keep it up and you'll find yourself banned from this site if I have my way!
This is directed solely at you Marzyn! You **** with one Marine, you **** with us all! Remember that!:mad:
wait i'm confused...doesn't it say on Marzyns profile icon that hes a PFC?....just an observation
DevilDog124
07-07-07, 12:24 PM
another book...
Lone Survivor - Marcus Luttrell
i just got this book, but have not started it yet..however i heard it was great and there is a thread on this site about it...so go there.
fade2black
07-10-07, 12:41 PM
Thats outstanding. I'm barely into the interview with Commandant Krulak but so far the books been full of alot of info and moto.
It wasn't your typical med float. The day we crossed into the Med, all of our port calls were canceled and any new one's would be announced just prior to pulling into port. I spent just about the whole 6 months in and around the Adriatic Sea. It was still a good float and I got to visit some interesting countries.
Rifleman Dodd... forget who it's by, but I really liked it. I think I got it off the USMC reading list.
For anyone who's interested in helicopter aviation, I'm almost done reading Michael Durrant's/Steven Hartov's new book called "Night Stalkers", obviously about the Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. I don't care if it isn't about Marines, those guys have balls and their stories deserve to be read. Lest we forget.
bgsuwoody
07-10-07, 07:16 PM
Oh man if you all like PFC Eugene Sledge's "With the old breed at Pelilieu and Okinawa" you will love "Brotherhood of Heroes" by Bill Sloan. It is the account of Pelileu and compiles many different experiences on the island including that of Sledge's and will complete what everything you know about the great Marine!
Kurby494
08-13-07, 08:31 AM
I've just finished reading James Webb's Fields Of Fire. It wasn't just one of the best novels about Vietnam, it was one of the best novels I've read. It's pretty amazing that such a skilled author was also the secretary of the navy.
I'm currently reading the biography of Chesty Puller. So far so good.
Can someone recommend me some books on the Marines involvement in WW2, Wake island, Iow Jima, et cetera?
steamin3demon
08-13-07, 10:59 AM
Flags Of our Fathers is an awsome book about the the lives of the Iwo Jima flagraisers.....Flyboys is also good.. both books are by James Bradley the son of John Bradley one of the Iwo Jima Flagraisers..
:)
dscusmc
08-13-07, 11:57 AM
One of my favorites on WWII:
"Once a Marine: The Memoirs of General A.A. Vandegrift, Commandant of the U.S. Marines in WWII"
wait i'm confused...doesn't it say on Marzyns profile icon that hes a PFC?....just an observation
Look at the dates ;)
One of Us: Officers of Marines: Their Training, Traditions and Values
Have not read it yet, but heard good things about and is on my to read list.
Four in the Corps
Do not think anyone has mentioned it yet. Good book!
Fubar5812
08-13-07, 05:29 PM
A good book for scout sniper wannabes that is a little more up to date than hathcocks day is SHOOTER:the autobiography of the top ranked Marine sniper,Gunnery SGT.Jack Coughlin
gives insight into what snipers do,what the training is like and his actions during operation iraqi freedom.Here's a hint shooting is only 10% of a what a sniper does.
SladeReaper13
08-17-07, 08:24 PM
I have been reading Making the Corps. So far it has been an excellent reading, thank you for the suggestions. I also bought One Bullet Away by Nathaniel Fick. Couldn't find Into the Crucible at the book store so I ordered it online. Thank you again for these book suggestions.