tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post5311975914483340798..comments2024-01-31T04:29:38.858-06:00Comments on The Outfit: A Collective of Chicago Crime Writers: Alistair MacLean and The Human Cost of WarSean Chercoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00939494866272006802noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-84927273721807674292008-08-03T13:48:00.000-05:002008-08-03T13:48:00.000-05:00Thank you for this. I grew up on MacLean, and coul...Thank you for this. I grew up on MacLean, and could re-read his books endlessly. My children have seen and enjoyed the films, but wouldn't dream of reading the books, because now there is so much else for teenagers wanting excitement.<BR/><BR/>I'll have to do a Maclean post on my children's books blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-35165287952920140442008-07-25T11:26:00.000-05:002008-07-25T11:26:00.000-05:00Alistair MacLean has been credited by so many cont...Alistair MacLean has been credited by so many contempary writers as an influence that his presence in the thrillerworld can never be underestimated<BR/><BR/>BREAKHEART PASS<BR/>CIRCUS<BR/>GUNS OF NAVARONE<BR/>THE DARK INTRUDER<BR/>FEAR IS THE KEY<BR/><BR/>I could go on and on...but I defy anyone not to be bowled over by PUPPET ON A CHAIN<BR/><BR/>AliAli Karimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00640079406581573368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-66185802205205804552008-07-24T20:01:00.000-05:002008-07-24T20:01:00.000-05:00All the Horatio Hornblower novels.All the Horatio Hornblower novels.Carolyn Haleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12439194025687389191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-92120468285939239312008-07-20T09:56:00.000-05:002008-07-20T09:56:00.000-05:00Catch 22 and Slaughterhouse Five are the only ones...Catch 22 and Slaughterhouse Five are the only ones I have read. I don't like war books. I had to read these 2 when I was in school.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-3838781669531857362008-07-19T21:45:00.000-05:002008-07-19T21:45:00.000-05:00Erasmus wrote that "war is sweet to him who never ...Erasmus wrote that "war is sweet to him who never saw one." I think the books-not novels-that have driven that point home most to me were Chaim Grade's "My Mother's Sabbath Days," Levi's "Survival at Auschwitz," and "In Memory's Kitchen.Sara Paretskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17803185134430978343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-25772871971497338312008-07-19T15:57:00.000-05:002008-07-19T15:57:00.000-05:00Agree completely with SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE and CATC...Agree completely with SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE and CATCH-22. The book that may have had the most impact on my perception of war is DAS BOOT, by Lothar-Günther Buchheim, which was also made into an excellent movie.Dana Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01350344882342624735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-24093264321486535472008-07-19T14:09:00.000-05:002008-07-19T14:09:00.000-05:00Thank you, Maryann and Diane. Good suggestions. I ...Thank you, Maryann and Diane. Good suggestions. I see I have some reading to do. <BR/><BR/>And Sara--I'd be interested to know what he thinks of it.<BR/><BR/>Pete, it's remarkable how funny Catch-22 is, and yet so unblinking . . .Barbara D'Amatohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03991495702239085323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-67356415054986008302008-07-19T12:12:00.000-05:002008-07-19T12:12:00.000-05:00Joesph Heller's Catch-22, which reinforced my beli...Joesph Heller's Catch-22, which reinforced my belief in the utter absurdity and futility of war, while at the same time making me laugh my ass off.Petehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13679678856824675642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-37906768904051754042008-07-19T10:58:00.001-05:002008-07-19T10:58:00.001-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Sara Paretskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17803185134430978343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-67300986739745802202008-07-19T10:58:00.000-05:002008-07-19T10:58:00.000-05:00Barb, Thanks for this post. My husband served in ...Barb, Thanks for this post. My husband served in the Royal Navy during WW II, and some of his buddies were on the Murmansk run. I'm racing of to get HMS Ulysses--I know he'll be gripped by the story.Sara Paretskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17803185134430978343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-42663330608087470682008-07-19T10:39:00.000-05:002008-07-19T10:39:00.000-05:00"The Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance" I've ..."The Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance" I've read several times each. And let's not forget "Slaughterhouse-Five" - I believe Vonnegut was a big fan of Celine, also. Switching wars, Michael Shaara's "The Killer Angels" made me want to read everything ever written about the Civil War.<BR/><BR/>Now I must add things to my wishlist...Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12589473046882217457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-81328485733025305562008-07-19T09:11:00.000-05:002008-07-19T09:11:00.000-05:00We had someone in the bookstore just a couple of w...We had someone in the bookstore just a couple of weeks ago asking about Alistair MacLean. He and I talked about his writing for maybe ten minutes and wished he were still readily available. My own favorite was Partisans, a great book about war and betrayal. I still enjoy reading about WWII, fiction or non. A customer recommended Alan Furst to me (he called it war noir) and I recommended OperationAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-40845534867787786502008-07-19T07:55:00.000-05:002008-07-19T07:55:00.000-05:00Journey to the End of Night, Paths of Glory, Beach...Journey to the End of Night, Paths of Glory, Beach Red, The Sand Pebbles -- thanks. I've read only one of these and glad to know about the others. And Stephen, yes, Bear Island is great, isn't it?Barbara D'Amatohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03991495702239085323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-86205936221306924012008-07-18T18:28:00.000-05:002008-07-18T18:28:00.000-05:00I almost chose to write about Alistair MacLean, bu...I almost chose to write about Alistair MacLean, but would have selected BEAR ISLAND.<BR/><BR/>It's tough. My favorite MacLean varies from year to year.<BR/><BR/>StephenStephen D. Rogershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12356287007864614439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-48615822067174539022008-07-18T17:23:00.000-05:002008-07-18T17:23:00.000-05:00I always was amazed by the prose novel "Beach Red"...I always was amazed by the prose novel "Beach Red" (1945) by Peter Bowman. Also, I regard highly "The Sand Pebbles" (1962) by Richard McKenna.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, there are times we must go to war...August Westhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11797743144228505958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-28975039600438802632008-07-18T15:27:00.000-05:002008-07-18T15:27:00.000-05:00Book: although war is only part of the story, Loui...Book: although war is only part of the story, Louis-Ferdinand Celine's Journey to the End of the Night. The section about Bardamu's (the narrator's) experiences in World War I is amazing.<BR/><BR/>Movie: Kubrick's Paths of Glory. I haven't read the novel (by Irving Cobb), but it's supposed to be great, too.steve z.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17753273691711266498noreply@blogger.com