Rick the Librarian
01-02-2017, 06:10
Books “neatened” to make for easier looking. Any book no longer listed has been sold, pending arrival of funds.
Featured is a large group of books for reading after the Holidays and the New Year and low prices. In addition to the usual good selection of World War II books and “Rick’s Picks”, there is a very good group of books on military biography, nearly all on leading commanders of World War II. As always, look for the “bundle prices” as a way to save even more.
A) Payment can be made by check or money order. I may have to hold checks until they clear unless you are known to me. Paypal can be used, but a 4% premium will be added to offset fees charged by Paypal unless you do it as a gift/family.
B) All prices do not include shipping. Shipping is done by USPS Media Mail, which I have found economical and secure and now come with tracking numbers. I will quote a shipping price, when you make an offer. Insurance is optional. Although I pack and ship very carefully, I can’t be responsible if you don’t insure large purchases.
C) Books vary in condition and I do my best to describe them properly. Books are hard-backed unless otherwise mentioned. Any questions will be gladly answered. I will also provide reasonable pictures of the books or their content if you want. Obviously, “I’ll take it” trumps over “Can you send me more information?”
D) When you contact me about these books, please inquire by book title, not number. You can contact me through this forum or at –rrsbls@msn.com-- (remove dashes)
E) Books are for sale on several forums. When two people offer to buy the same book or books, the earlier email/PM is considered first. I try to update this list to show purchased books at least once a day.
I. “Rick’s Picks”
2) “USS Bowfin (SS287)” (G). A “magazine”-type publication with a large amount of data and photographs on this top-scoring U.S. sub, vurrently on display at Pearl Harbor. VG, ppk., $6.95
3) “East Wind Rain” by Stan Cohen. This is a superior historical review, in pictorial form, of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The 50th Anniversary edition has been greatly expanded to include diagrams and photographs that were not in the original edition. Although of a pictorial nature, the text is scholarly, extremely well-researched and concise. A huge number of period photographs, charts and maps. The best pictorial work out there. Large trade ppk., Ex. – near new, $8.95.
9) “The Complete Encyclopedia of Battleships” by Tony Gibbons. A great book for general technical encyclopedic information, as well as beautiful artwork and some actual photographs, on battleships and some battlecruisers ranging from the 1800's all the way up to the steel monsters of WWII like the Bismarck, Hood, Yamato, Iowa and many others. Provides general technical information such as number and type of guns, armor, powerplants, dimensions, displacement, crew complements, etc. as well as info on things like what was innovative/special about a given ship and/or class as well as some of their shortcomings. Rare book in this condition! Oversized hardback in near new condition, reinforced dust jacket, $15.00
10) “Fork-Tailed Devil” by Martin Caidin. Martin Caidin was one of the premier aviation authors of the 1960s. This is one of a series of books he wrote on American warplanes. The P-38 saw service all over the globe. It was flown by the leading American aces of WWII and also was responsible for shooting down Yamamoto in 1943. One of the most comprehensive books on the aircraft for the time – 400+ pages. Both combat, technical details, etc. Trade ppk., VG+ rare in this edition. $6.95
11) “How the States Got Their Shape Too: The People Behind the Borderlines” by Mark Stein. Was Roger Williams too pure for the Puritans, and what does that have to do with Rhode Island? Why did Augustine Herman take ten years to complete the map that established Delaware? How did Rocky Mountain rogues help create the state of Colorado? All this and more is explained in Mark Stein's book. Very entertaining! VG trade ppk., $6.00
II) World War II
4) “The United States Navy in World War II” ed. By S.E. Smith. (G) Nearly 1000 pages and an anthology of the best writing about the naval war in WWII. Walter Lord, John Toland, S.E. Morison, Richard Tregaskis, Theodore Roscoe and dozens of others. The best collection of literatiure on this subject. VG., $7.00
5) “Bodyguard of Lies” by Anthony Brown. Caused a sensation when it was first published, because to the revealing of “Ultra”, the breaking of the axis codes that played a crucial part in the winning of the war. It presents a large and fascinating cast of heroes and rogues and sweeps through dozens of dramatic stories of plot and counterplot, stealth and treachery, lies and deceits. Trade ppk, VG-ex., $6.95
6) “Japanese Army Fighter Aces” by Christopher Shores. In-depth review of Imperial Japanese Army Air Force fighter units and pilots; detailed study of equipment (e.g., the Zero fighter), operations from Pearl Harbor to kamikaze attacks, and pilots who achieved ace status. Heavily illustrated with photos of pilots, aircraft, and unit insignia. Trade ppk., Near new, $8.95
7) “In Harms Way” by Doug Stanton. On July 30, 1945, the "USS Indianapolis" was torpedoed in the South Pacific by a Japanese submarine. An estimated three hundred men were killed upon impact; close to nine hundred sailors were cast into the Pacific Ocean, where they struggled to stay alive, battered by a savage sea and fighting off sharks. Four days later, barely a third were picked up. Trade ppk., Near new, ownership tag on front, $4.95
8) “World War II Plans That Never Happened, 1939-1945” by Michael Kerrigan. Tells the stories of some of the most secret and outrageous operations that were planned during the war, many of which could have taken place and might well have changed the course of history: from the German plan to seize bases in Spain and Portugal and invade Switzerland, to the Japanese plan to bomb the United States and many others. Trade ppk, Ex., $5.95
9) “Secret Mission to Melbourne” by Skye Phillips. A month before Pearl Harbor, Gen. Lewis Brereton of the U.S. Army Air Force undertook a top-secret mission to Australia in order to coordinate planning against an imminent Japanese attack. Add to the actual general's party a fictional hot-shot fighter pilot, Jim Davis, and one has a potentially slam-bang fictional story of intrigue and action. SIGNED by author, near new trade ppk. $8.50
10) “Fatal Voyage: The Sinking of USS Indianapolis” by Dan Kurzman. (G) When torpedoed by a Japanese sub, Indianapolis erupted into a fiery coffin, sinking in less than fifteen minutes and leaving nine hundred crewmen fighting for life in shark-infested waters. They expected a swift, routine rescue, unaware that the Navy high command didn’t even realize that the Indianapolis was missing. Help would not arrive for another five days. Includes an afterward with the story of the attempt to vindicate the captain. Ex., Plastic cover, $7.95
11) “Duel of Eagles” by Peter Townsend. (G) Dogfights in the sky, ruthless political maneuvers, legendary heroes of the air like Richthofen (the "Red Baron") and Douglas Bader, this book combines all of these colorful, dramatic, and evocative accounts of the furious air conflicts that saved Britain from German invasion, one of the best books on the aerial part of the Battle of Britain. Near new, $8.00
14) “The Guns of Navarone” by Alistair MacLean. (G) For those who know "The Guns of Navarone" only from the classic movie starring Gregory Peck and David Niven, Alistair MacLean's novel may be an enjoyable surprise. "Navarone" is the story of a daring British commando raid against the fictional German-held island of Navarone, loosely based on an incident of the Second World War. The commandos must silence the guns of the title so that trapped British soldiers on a nearly island can be evacuated. Rare in this hardbacked edition. $8.00
18) “1939: “The Alliance That Never Was” by Michael Carley. Although books on the Hitler/Stalin Pact of 1939 are very common, little has been written on the failed Anglo-French treaty talks with the Soviets. Michael Carley’s gripping account of these negotiations is not a pretty story. It is about the failures of appeasement and collective security in Europe. It is about moral depravity and blindness, about villains and cowards, and about some heroes. An uncommon book. Former library but excellent condition w/ d/j. $8.95.
III) Military Biography
3) “Ike the Soldier: As They Knew Him” by Merle Miller. (G) Working with newly mined anecdotes and unpublished papers, Miller concentrates on the formation of Ike's character in his youth and then shows him in action. Brought into focus are his strained relationships with his father, his brothers, his son (John Eisenhower: ""I think sometimes he considered me a sign that West Point had gone to hell'') and, in particular, his by no means placid marriage. Trade ppk. G, $4.95
4) “John Paul Jones: A Sailor’s Biography” by S.E. Morison. (G) This 1959 Pulitzer Prize-winning book vividly portrays the illustrious struggle-fraught career of John Paul Jones, from his early training at sea in the British West Indian merchant trade to his command in the newly independent American navy and his eventual award of flag status. A classic. VG, $7.95
5) “Churchill & Sea Power” by C.M. Bell. (G) the first major study of Winston Churchill's record as a naval strategist and his impact as the most prominent guardian of Britain's sea power in the modern era. Based on extensive archival research, the book debunks many popular and well-entrenched myths surrounding controversial episodes in both World Wars, including the Dardanelles disaster, the Norwegian Campaign, the Battle of the Atlantic, and the devastating loss of the Prince of Wales and Repulse in 1941. It shows that many common criticisms of Churchill have been exaggerated. VG-Ex. (plastic d/j). $7.50
6) “Marshall: Hero For Our Times” by Leonard Mosley.(G) This is a well-done biography and provides a good basic understanding of George C. Marshall, famous general and Secretary of State. One disappointing aspect was the author's relatively sparse discussion of Marshall's influence and impact upon WW2 in the Pacific as contrasted to very good discussion of the European Theater of the war. VG-ex., $7.50
7) “Masters and Commanders” by Andrew Roberts. (G) Roberts offers an outstanding example of a joint biography in this study of the actions and interactions of Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, George Marshall and Alan Brooke. The president, the prime minister and their respective army chiefs of staff were the vital nexus of the Anglo-American alliance in WWII. Trade ppk, G-VG, $4.50
IV) General Military History:
1) “Honor in the Dust” by Gregg Jones. From Admiral George Dewey's legendary naval victory in Manila Bay to the Rough Riders' heroic charge up San Juan Hill, from Roosevelt's rise to the presidency to charges of U.S. military misconduct in the Philippines, Honor in the Dust brilliantly captures an era brimming with American optimism and confidence as the nation expanded its influence abroad. Near new, $7.95
2) “Defender of the Chesapeake: The Story of Fort Monroe” by Richard Weinart. Fort Monroe was the headquarters of American coast artillery from the early 1800s until the end of WWII. It played a part in the Civil War and an indirect role in nearly every other war. The book comes with numerous photographs and diagrams and is a must for any person interested in coast artillery and military technology of this period. VG-E, $8.75.
4) “The War at Sea: An Illustrated History” by Richard Humble (G). A 3-volume set of oversized books on a. “Battleships and Battlecruisers”; b. “Submarines”; c. “Aircraft Carriers”. All are virtually new and come in a beautiful slipcase and each book averages 200 pages in length with numerous photographs, line drawings, maps and diagrams. A 3-volume naval history in one set! All are virtually new. Each Volume $8.50 or all three (and the slipcase) for $21.50.
5) “The Boxer Rebellion” by Diana Preston. Diana Preston's The Boxer Rebellion is an account of the 55-day confrontation that alarmed the world. When Western and Japanese troops eventually routed the Boxers, soldiers and civilians looted the capital (to the benefit of Western museums) and extracted yet more concessions from China. The events of 1900 showed both sides at their colorful worst, and the author spares neither Chinese cruelty nor colonial pomposity and racism. Trade ppk. VG, $5.50
Featured is a large group of books for reading after the Holidays and the New Year and low prices. In addition to the usual good selection of World War II books and “Rick’s Picks”, there is a very good group of books on military biography, nearly all on leading commanders of World War II. As always, look for the “bundle prices” as a way to save even more.
A) Payment can be made by check or money order. I may have to hold checks until they clear unless you are known to me. Paypal can be used, but a 4% premium will be added to offset fees charged by Paypal unless you do it as a gift/family.
B) All prices do not include shipping. Shipping is done by USPS Media Mail, which I have found economical and secure and now come with tracking numbers. I will quote a shipping price, when you make an offer. Insurance is optional. Although I pack and ship very carefully, I can’t be responsible if you don’t insure large purchases.
C) Books vary in condition and I do my best to describe them properly. Books are hard-backed unless otherwise mentioned. Any questions will be gladly answered. I will also provide reasonable pictures of the books or their content if you want. Obviously, “I’ll take it” trumps over “Can you send me more information?”
D) When you contact me about these books, please inquire by book title, not number. You can contact me through this forum or at –rrsbls@msn.com-- (remove dashes)
E) Books are for sale on several forums. When two people offer to buy the same book or books, the earlier email/PM is considered first. I try to update this list to show purchased books at least once a day.
I. “Rick’s Picks”
2) “USS Bowfin (SS287)” (G). A “magazine”-type publication with a large amount of data and photographs on this top-scoring U.S. sub, vurrently on display at Pearl Harbor. VG, ppk., $6.95
3) “East Wind Rain” by Stan Cohen. This is a superior historical review, in pictorial form, of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The 50th Anniversary edition has been greatly expanded to include diagrams and photographs that were not in the original edition. Although of a pictorial nature, the text is scholarly, extremely well-researched and concise. A huge number of period photographs, charts and maps. The best pictorial work out there. Large trade ppk., Ex. – near new, $8.95.
9) “The Complete Encyclopedia of Battleships” by Tony Gibbons. A great book for general technical encyclopedic information, as well as beautiful artwork and some actual photographs, on battleships and some battlecruisers ranging from the 1800's all the way up to the steel monsters of WWII like the Bismarck, Hood, Yamato, Iowa and many others. Provides general technical information such as number and type of guns, armor, powerplants, dimensions, displacement, crew complements, etc. as well as info on things like what was innovative/special about a given ship and/or class as well as some of their shortcomings. Rare book in this condition! Oversized hardback in near new condition, reinforced dust jacket, $15.00
10) “Fork-Tailed Devil” by Martin Caidin. Martin Caidin was one of the premier aviation authors of the 1960s. This is one of a series of books he wrote on American warplanes. The P-38 saw service all over the globe. It was flown by the leading American aces of WWII and also was responsible for shooting down Yamamoto in 1943. One of the most comprehensive books on the aircraft for the time – 400+ pages. Both combat, technical details, etc. Trade ppk., VG+ rare in this edition. $6.95
11) “How the States Got Their Shape Too: The People Behind the Borderlines” by Mark Stein. Was Roger Williams too pure for the Puritans, and what does that have to do with Rhode Island? Why did Augustine Herman take ten years to complete the map that established Delaware? How did Rocky Mountain rogues help create the state of Colorado? All this and more is explained in Mark Stein's book. Very entertaining! VG trade ppk., $6.00
II) World War II
4) “The United States Navy in World War II” ed. By S.E. Smith. (G) Nearly 1000 pages and an anthology of the best writing about the naval war in WWII. Walter Lord, John Toland, S.E. Morison, Richard Tregaskis, Theodore Roscoe and dozens of others. The best collection of literatiure on this subject. VG., $7.00
5) “Bodyguard of Lies” by Anthony Brown. Caused a sensation when it was first published, because to the revealing of “Ultra”, the breaking of the axis codes that played a crucial part in the winning of the war. It presents a large and fascinating cast of heroes and rogues and sweeps through dozens of dramatic stories of plot and counterplot, stealth and treachery, lies and deceits. Trade ppk, VG-ex., $6.95
6) “Japanese Army Fighter Aces” by Christopher Shores. In-depth review of Imperial Japanese Army Air Force fighter units and pilots; detailed study of equipment (e.g., the Zero fighter), operations from Pearl Harbor to kamikaze attacks, and pilots who achieved ace status. Heavily illustrated with photos of pilots, aircraft, and unit insignia. Trade ppk., Near new, $8.95
7) “In Harms Way” by Doug Stanton. On July 30, 1945, the "USS Indianapolis" was torpedoed in the South Pacific by a Japanese submarine. An estimated three hundred men were killed upon impact; close to nine hundred sailors were cast into the Pacific Ocean, where they struggled to stay alive, battered by a savage sea and fighting off sharks. Four days later, barely a third were picked up. Trade ppk., Near new, ownership tag on front, $4.95
8) “World War II Plans That Never Happened, 1939-1945” by Michael Kerrigan. Tells the stories of some of the most secret and outrageous operations that were planned during the war, many of which could have taken place and might well have changed the course of history: from the German plan to seize bases in Spain and Portugal and invade Switzerland, to the Japanese plan to bomb the United States and many others. Trade ppk, Ex., $5.95
9) “Secret Mission to Melbourne” by Skye Phillips. A month before Pearl Harbor, Gen. Lewis Brereton of the U.S. Army Air Force undertook a top-secret mission to Australia in order to coordinate planning against an imminent Japanese attack. Add to the actual general's party a fictional hot-shot fighter pilot, Jim Davis, and one has a potentially slam-bang fictional story of intrigue and action. SIGNED by author, near new trade ppk. $8.50
10) “Fatal Voyage: The Sinking of USS Indianapolis” by Dan Kurzman. (G) When torpedoed by a Japanese sub, Indianapolis erupted into a fiery coffin, sinking in less than fifteen minutes and leaving nine hundred crewmen fighting for life in shark-infested waters. They expected a swift, routine rescue, unaware that the Navy high command didn’t even realize that the Indianapolis was missing. Help would not arrive for another five days. Includes an afterward with the story of the attempt to vindicate the captain. Ex., Plastic cover, $7.95
11) “Duel of Eagles” by Peter Townsend. (G) Dogfights in the sky, ruthless political maneuvers, legendary heroes of the air like Richthofen (the "Red Baron") and Douglas Bader, this book combines all of these colorful, dramatic, and evocative accounts of the furious air conflicts that saved Britain from German invasion, one of the best books on the aerial part of the Battle of Britain. Near new, $8.00
14) “The Guns of Navarone” by Alistair MacLean. (G) For those who know "The Guns of Navarone" only from the classic movie starring Gregory Peck and David Niven, Alistair MacLean's novel may be an enjoyable surprise. "Navarone" is the story of a daring British commando raid against the fictional German-held island of Navarone, loosely based on an incident of the Second World War. The commandos must silence the guns of the title so that trapped British soldiers on a nearly island can be evacuated. Rare in this hardbacked edition. $8.00
18) “1939: “The Alliance That Never Was” by Michael Carley. Although books on the Hitler/Stalin Pact of 1939 are very common, little has been written on the failed Anglo-French treaty talks with the Soviets. Michael Carley’s gripping account of these negotiations is not a pretty story. It is about the failures of appeasement and collective security in Europe. It is about moral depravity and blindness, about villains and cowards, and about some heroes. An uncommon book. Former library but excellent condition w/ d/j. $8.95.
III) Military Biography
3) “Ike the Soldier: As They Knew Him” by Merle Miller. (G) Working with newly mined anecdotes and unpublished papers, Miller concentrates on the formation of Ike's character in his youth and then shows him in action. Brought into focus are his strained relationships with his father, his brothers, his son (John Eisenhower: ""I think sometimes he considered me a sign that West Point had gone to hell'') and, in particular, his by no means placid marriage. Trade ppk. G, $4.95
4) “John Paul Jones: A Sailor’s Biography” by S.E. Morison. (G) This 1959 Pulitzer Prize-winning book vividly portrays the illustrious struggle-fraught career of John Paul Jones, from his early training at sea in the British West Indian merchant trade to his command in the newly independent American navy and his eventual award of flag status. A classic. VG, $7.95
5) “Churchill & Sea Power” by C.M. Bell. (G) the first major study of Winston Churchill's record as a naval strategist and his impact as the most prominent guardian of Britain's sea power in the modern era. Based on extensive archival research, the book debunks many popular and well-entrenched myths surrounding controversial episodes in both World Wars, including the Dardanelles disaster, the Norwegian Campaign, the Battle of the Atlantic, and the devastating loss of the Prince of Wales and Repulse in 1941. It shows that many common criticisms of Churchill have been exaggerated. VG-Ex. (plastic d/j). $7.50
6) “Marshall: Hero For Our Times” by Leonard Mosley.(G) This is a well-done biography and provides a good basic understanding of George C. Marshall, famous general and Secretary of State. One disappointing aspect was the author's relatively sparse discussion of Marshall's influence and impact upon WW2 in the Pacific as contrasted to very good discussion of the European Theater of the war. VG-ex., $7.50
7) “Masters and Commanders” by Andrew Roberts. (G) Roberts offers an outstanding example of a joint biography in this study of the actions and interactions of Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, George Marshall and Alan Brooke. The president, the prime minister and their respective army chiefs of staff were the vital nexus of the Anglo-American alliance in WWII. Trade ppk, G-VG, $4.50
IV) General Military History:
1) “Honor in the Dust” by Gregg Jones. From Admiral George Dewey's legendary naval victory in Manila Bay to the Rough Riders' heroic charge up San Juan Hill, from Roosevelt's rise to the presidency to charges of U.S. military misconduct in the Philippines, Honor in the Dust brilliantly captures an era brimming with American optimism and confidence as the nation expanded its influence abroad. Near new, $7.95
2) “Defender of the Chesapeake: The Story of Fort Monroe” by Richard Weinart. Fort Monroe was the headquarters of American coast artillery from the early 1800s until the end of WWII. It played a part in the Civil War and an indirect role in nearly every other war. The book comes with numerous photographs and diagrams and is a must for any person interested in coast artillery and military technology of this period. VG-E, $8.75.
4) “The War at Sea: An Illustrated History” by Richard Humble (G). A 3-volume set of oversized books on a. “Battleships and Battlecruisers”; b. “Submarines”; c. “Aircraft Carriers”. All are virtually new and come in a beautiful slipcase and each book averages 200 pages in length with numerous photographs, line drawings, maps and diagrams. A 3-volume naval history in one set! All are virtually new. Each Volume $8.50 or all three (and the slipcase) for $21.50.
5) “The Boxer Rebellion” by Diana Preston. Diana Preston's The Boxer Rebellion is an account of the 55-day confrontation that alarmed the world. When Western and Japanese troops eventually routed the Boxers, soldiers and civilians looted the capital (to the benefit of Western museums) and extracted yet more concessions from China. The events of 1900 showed both sides at their colorful worst, and the author spares neither Chinese cruelty nor colonial pomposity and racism. Trade ppk. VG, $5.50