My Summer Reading List

This is subject to change as I hear about other books. Here are a few I am looking forward to reading this summer.

With the Old Breed at Pelelui and Okinawa by Eugene Sledge - The WWII memoirs of a Marine fighting in the Pacific. I talked about this in my blog on The Pacific and the series is centered around him. Tom Hanks says its arguably one of the best war-time memoirs ever written. He did not publish it until 1981, well after the war.
War by Sebastian Junger - Junger is best known for writing The Perfect Storm and in this book he joins a group of 15 Army Rangers in a remote outpost in Afghanistan. He becomes a part of their group and learns about their close bond. I was hesitant about this at first because I think it is easy for an author to idealize the "brotherhood" of war but Junger is a great writer and I believe his account will be refreshing and different.
The End of the Freemarket by Ian Bremmer - This book looks at the successes and failures of the world's economies today and attempts to answer the question of who will win the battle of state vs free market economies. Reviews say it is a clear and understandable book.
Empire of Liberty by Gordon Wood - I am a huge fan of Gordon Wood and getting to see him speak this spring was a highlight of my semester. His newest book highlights post Revolutionary America and the changes incurred in the 40 years after gaining independence from England. I think you will really have to be into history to get through this one as it is very long and dense.
Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger- An American classic and I try to revisit it once a year. Re-reading the classics reveals a lot about them.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - Another classic that I want to revisit. This book tells volumes about 20th Century American society, our roots in the past and differing perceptions towards progress.
Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horowitz- A book detailing parts of the Civil War and the importance, commitment and art of the re-enactment. Told by a Civil War re-enactor and historian.
Revolutionaries by Jack Ravoke - Stanford Professor attempts to "de-myth" founding fathers and important players in the war. This strikes me as the type of book to make some people uncomfortable and thus very exciting.

That is what I have come across so far and will be looking for more this summer. Suggestions are always welcome. I am particularly excited about War, With the Old Breed at Pelelui and Okinawa.