Military Reading

[grace86]

Hi Guys, I might need your help. I have a friend who is leaving in about three weeks for military training. He is going into special forces and asked if he could borrow some books.

But instead of letting him borrow some of mine, I have decided to go out and buy a few for him because he told me he will not borrow the ones I have not read. I asked him what types of books he was interested in, and he said "any." Since he asked to borrow mine, and I own mainly classics, I was wondering if any of you guys had ideas on some classics a future soldier might like. Nothing too time consuming though, because I think he is a newbie to the classics. Thanks!

[Scheherazade]

I cannot think of any military books which are not based on wars at the moment, I am afraid. One of my favorites is All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque. Also, Catch 22 by Joseph Heller and A Farewell to Arms and by Hemingway are very good reads as well.

[grace86]

Thanks Scheherazade, I will keep those in mind. But I wasn't necessarily looking for "military" theme only. Just some classics not too hard to comprehend for someone new at the classics...his alternative is drinking with all the guys, so...let's load him up on classics instead :p

[papayahed]

I'm not sure what a young guy would like to read but I would definately put in Art of War - just because. Maybe some Mark Twain, he's pretty easy. Steinbeck, Kerouac...

[SmokeBellew]

Hehe, same situation here.....I'm also leaving for the military in early July. Won't see home till July 2007. A whole damn year!

What can I recommend??? I haven't decided myself what books to take with me if I'm allowed of course.

Certainly, I won't take any military based stuff for I'll have enough of military there))))
I'll take something that will remind me of home, every day life, adventures, humor in particular, and maybe even some romance stuff, although I hate it now.

Just buy him some stuff that will make him think, not just go through the pages and finish the book. I mean, something that will deeply make him think of a different life and relax. Because life in military is a routine.

Good Luck!

[grace86]

Thanks Papaya I was thinking maybe of Steinbeck, I haven't gotten to Art of War, isn't that a thick one?

SmokeBellow, aww not you too!!! Well, if you guys don't do it, who will? Of course you will be able to bring some books with you. The guys aren't allowed to drink, yet somehow they do!! Thankyou for your help, it means a lot coming from a future soldier. You are probably right, you will both be up to your eyeballs in military. Adventure stuff seems like the way to go, he gawked at me when I mentioned romance though....maybe I will sneak one in there! Home, adventure...deep thinking...good stuff.

Well good luck to you in your military endeavors, hope you can still make it to LitNet once in a while. Enjoy what summer you have left, and I will be praying for all you guys. Thankyou.

[Virgil]

How about Catcher In the Rye? That's an easy read.

[grace86]

Catcher in the Rye was required reading for highschool....I am sure he read it. But thanks Virgil, I can always ask.

[MikeK]

I know that you asked mainly for classics, but if he has any interest in it at all you may want to see if he'd want some poetry. I can't say that I know what his schedule will be like, but if it turns out that if he will only be able to read intermittently, in short spurts, some classic poems may do the trick - a good anthology. That form might best suit his schedule. And of course, some of the best poetry was written during, and about, war. Just a thought.

[grace86]

I hadn't thought about poetry, that is a good one. Thankyou.

[genoveva]

if you guys don't do it, who will?

If nobody did it, we wouldn't be in the mess we are today!! :nod: Ah, but we aren't allowed to talk politics here. A soldier taking military books on duty would probably just depress them even more in light of all the violence and blood shed they will see anyway. Why make them feel any more horrible? Definately something light and uplifting to make them forget their troubles. Unless, they are planning to be a radical and question military tactics.

Dan Brown? Jack Kerouac? Spirituality books? Self help books? (Ah, but I think the military discourages these types of books.) New York Bestsellers? :confused:

[Schokokeks]

Why not take one of his hobbies/favourite topics/subject matters that passionate him in daily life (such as astronomy, maybe :), football, computers, reggae,...) and buy him an non-sophisticated introductionary book on just that topic ? There surely must be something he is interested in, and these introductions are either written in a funny way or very informative or even both. That way, he could mentally pursue his favourite wastes of time while training to be a soldier...

[byquist]

The Art of War, Sun Tzu

[grace86]

Thanks guys for all your help. I am currently looking at Robert Frost, Art of War, and maybe the Hobbit. I have appreciated your help....should be doing the shopping this evening...yay...the bookstore!!

[SmokeBellew]

Grace86,
--------

Your welcome, glad I could help.

Someone mentioned poetry above, so I remembered what an aquaintance of mine told me when he came back from the army. (he served at least 2 years as an officer) He said, he wrote many great poems and a few short stories in the army because of that boredom. He said: "Before that, I'd never think that I had talent for poetry and prose." (Some of his stuff were read by other people after he came back and they did like it).

What I mean is, maybe it would be also nice if you persuade him to take a few pencils and a note book. Maybe he's got talent, who knows...

[grace86]

Thank you SmokeBellow,

Yet again, another idea I did not come up with! Having known him for awhile, he is not the type I see writing poetry, but then again I may be surprised. I will give your idea a try. Maybe you could do the same while you are away so when you come back you may share it with us.

I did go to the bookstore last night. I bought him a copy of The Hobbit and Dracula. Thinking of letting him take my copy of Robinson Crusoe or The Count of Monte Cristo. I held off on a copy of one hundred poems of Robert Frost, only until I get the opportunity to ask a mutual friend if he knows whether or not my friend likes poetry. But now I have the sudden urge to purchase a journal...the things I do for my friends :nod:

Thanks again, your help is very deeply appreciated.

Grace

[grace86]

I wanted to say thanks to all of you who helped me think of ideas for my friend.

He leaves tonight to Ft. Benning in Georgia where he will begin his long and strenuous training programs into the Army Special Forces

I bought him the Hobbit, Dracula, and he is going to try his hand at writing. He made the comment that there are not too many books out there about Army Special Forces - so he is going to write down his experiences.

Surprisingly, he is taking military books, Tom Clancy books to be exact. I guess he wrote some on the special forces. I was also very surprised to find out that he is not so inexperienced in the classics as I previously thought. Among his favorites are A Tale of Two Cities, The Three Musketeers, and King Soloman's Mines.

So I just wanted to extend my thanks and let you know how things turned out....it is a little teary eyed around here today.

Grace

[mtpspur]

As a retired AF Tech Seregant--if your friend is going to basic training forget about the books--send magazines (which WILL be confiscated upon arrival). Wait at least 3 training weeks to send stuff--keep it small--there is very little room for private stuff in the foot lockers and the inspectors love to rummage.

If he's past basic training (I suspect) if he's already slated for special forces--he'll be VERY busy. The idea to to built team unity--work you to death for 16 hours so you'll sleep well for those precious eight. And the military material he'll have to master would challenge Job for patience in gaining enlightment.

So think small but meaningful. Mark Twain should do it or O. Henry.

Best to you--how's the Haggard hunt going?

[mtpspur]

Grace-I continue to be an idiot with this computer. I totally breezed past your final posting. My apologies for being too hasty to pontificate. My son went to Ft Benning. It is HOT down there and Sand Hill (which is where he probably being barracked at is all open bay dorms. He'll be busy.

Your choices were good and well intentioned but they are brutal down there but my son came out fine and went on to be a paratrooper. Just got back from Iraq a few months ago (won the Bronze Star for bravery under fire and is incredibaly humble about it. He's out now but in the 5 years he was in he reached my rank.

Best to your friend. He will be a different and better person for his experiences.

If by any chance you visit your friend for graduation--have proof of auto insurance on the CAR YOU ARE IN before getting on that base. My wife and I had to put 3 separate base maps together to figure out where Sand Hill was (at that time the gates weren't guarded well. The maps were not in scale and I missed Sand Hill the first night by a mile.

[SpecteR]

Hi how's it going? Is your friend already in the military or is he heading off to boot camp? If he is going to basic, I wouldnt waste your time or money on any books for him. During boot camp, all books brought with him will be getting sent home and if somehow he could manage to sneak one in, reading will be the last thing he'll want to do :)

If your friend is already in, belay my last :) Have a nice evening!

[grace86]

Wow, I wish I had seen these posts a couple days ago. From what I know, he did not take the books with him, but is having his family send them as he asks for them. When he writes to me I will be able to ask and find out more.

My friend is going through basic training - so yes, I know he is going to be extremely busy. But he told me he has already taken some classes for special forces.

I have a brother who is in the military, so I know it is no easy thing to go through. I also knew about the proof of insurance - having visited my brother at Ft. Bliss Texas.

Other than being very busy and extremely tired, I am not sure why they would take away his books.

By the time he writes, I am sure he will have discovered how hot it is. I will ask him about Sand Hill and I will send him all your best....I have a feeling he will be quite grown up after all this.

Thank you very much for all the information and concern mtpspur and specteR

[mtpspur]

The idea of taking personal stuff away the first 2-3 weeks is to start the process of molding a 'team' spirit. Everyone starts at the same level. Books and TV time, cigarette breaks etc are privileges that are slowly given abck in the way of rewards for accomplishments for the TEAM. One of my sons was at Ft Bliss for some kind of training. I generally lost track of them--being AF I was a bit lazy about picking up their lingo. My other son James will be assigned to Ft Irwin down near Los Angeles in October. I visited Edwards AFB back in 72 for a weekend (in my long ago younger AF days--I was at Castle AFB in Merced which is now closed. Doubt I'll make the trip back out there unless I do better credit card management. Best to your friend.

[grace86]

That is good to know that eventually they will be getting their things back. I also have a friend who is stationed at Ft. Irwin. I wonder why everyone I know goes into the military...

Thankyou for sharing with me.