Follow my Book Blog Friday

I know I'm a bit late for this, but I've seen this put in with a lot of other Book Blog Hop posts, so I thought I might as well do this as well! It's hosted by Parajunkie if you are interested in joining.

The question this week is:

Share your current favorite TV show?

Band of Brothers! 

To be honest, this is always my favorite TV show. It's based around a true story of a company of paratroopers during WW2. It follows them from training until the taking of the Eagles Nest. I've always loved/been interested in true life combat memoirs from WW2 (I've read a lot of them), and in my opinion, Band of Brothers is one of the very best war portrayals, and unfortunately, it's highly underrated. It's also along the same wave-length as Saving Private Ryan and The Pacific, which just came out this year. As they both co-created by Tom Hanks and Steven Speilberg. 

I could go on for ever about how much I love this mini-series, but I think I'll stop there! 

Shifty's War

This is sort of relating to the last post I made about Band of Brothers. I just wanted to talk about this new book that's coming out soon. It's a biography of Darrel 'Shifty' Powers, one of the paratroopers portrayed in Band of Brothers. I'm pretty excited to read it.
    I've always loved reading first hand accounts and biographies of soldiers during WW2. It's one area that really fascinates me. I've read Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose (what the mini-series was initially based on) and Easy Company Soldier by Don Malarky (one of the Easy Company veterans)  From the Pacific mini-series (another brilliant WW2 epic following US Marines in the Pacific, also created by Tom Hanks and Stephen Spielberg) I've read Helmet for my Pillow by Robert Leckie, With the Old Breed by Eugene Sledge and Islands of the Damned by R.V. Burgin. For Band of Brothers I'm also hoping to read Babe and Wild Bill's book, and Winters'.
      I know that these are all based off the mini-series' and have only really become famous because of that. But it's actually surprisingly hard to find first-hand combat accounts from WW2. I've read Sixty Days of Combat by Dean Joy (a US infantryman) and I've also got If you Survive (the authors name escapes me at the moment) to read. It's sad that there aren't more around as I'm sure some people have amazing stories to tell of the war. But alas, I'm just looking forward to Shifty's War for now.

Band of Brothers stars to jump out of moving plane for real!

I haven't talked about it on here before, but one of my favourite things of all time (Film/TV wise) is Band of Brothers. A WW2 mini-series based on a real company of US paratroopers, created by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. It's absolutely fantastic, but I'll give a better description of my love for it on here later on. I wanted to talk about something that is happening soon.

    Back in January, I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Major Richard Winters. A true hero, who commanded the 'Band of Brothers' during WW2. I often think about all the soldiers and veterans of previous wars. So many of them have done the most heroic things for their country, allies and to end the war, and they don't -in my opinion- get the recognition that they deserve. Dick Winters was one of the many heroes in the war, and for me represents all soldiers and veterans who aren't known for what they've done for us. 

     An event taking place in the summer at LA and the UK is taking place in aid of the Richard Winters Leadership Project.  Here, a group of the stars from Band of Brothers, including: Micheal Cudlitz, James Madio, Ross McCall, Nolan Hemmings, Scott Grimes, Peter Youngblood Hills and Matthew Leitch will be taking part in a sponcered parachute jump from a moving plane. The event is going to be filmed by Black Sky Radio, who have also done some great cast and veteran interviews from Band of Brothers. Go here for the full article: http://www.jumpingforheroes.blogspot.com/

       I'm personally so excited for this! I get excited anytime something Band of Brothers related happens or when cast get together, keeping the magic of the amazing mini-series alive. But the fact that the cast are actually going to be jumping FOR REAL out of a plane all for the Richard Winters Leadership Project is amazing. I can't wait to see the videos and donate in the summer. It's going to be great!