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Best WW2 book you read

2

Comments

  • #32
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    luckyboy wrote: »
    I'd also recommend "All Hell Let Loose" by Max Hastings. I think Hastings writes really well on most aspects of the Second World War ...

    Recently got a copy of "RETRIBUTION The Battle for Japan, 1944-45" by Max Hastings as an audio book (read by Simon Vance) and its one of the most fascinating reads (listens?) I've ever had. Its a very personal look at individuals rather than generals and tactics and I'm quite sure I'll be coming back to it again at least once more.


  • #33
    Manach
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,659 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    It would be in top ten, panzer commander, by Hans bob Luck. Listening to an audio book version and very evocative of.a decent man serving a wrong cause.


  • #34
    Axel Lamp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 748 ✭✭✭Axel Lamp


    Morzadec wrote: »
    Forgotten soldier was very good.

    'The Kindly Ones' is fiction, written through the first person perspective of an SS officer. In my opinion it is fantastic, maybe the best book I've ever read. It's very long, it's not without its flaws, but overall it is a fantastic read. The scope involved is impressive and for me it seemed very well researched, and really drew me in to the war:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kindly_Ones_(Littell_novel)


    I'd be very interested if anyone knew of any other narrative accounts like this of the Second World War? I'm more interested in the personal reality (like Sajer depicts in Forgotten Soldier) rather than strategic/military fact-based information.

    Laurie Lee's 'A Moment at War' is a short narrative account of his time in the Spanish Civil War, and is another one I really liked.

    Any other first-person narratives like this worth reading?

    EDIT: Wrote more on The Kindly Ones a while back:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=83054891&postcount=2
    youcancallmeal wrote: »
    Read The Kindly Ones on your recommendation. Took me about 3 months, finished it about a week ago and still can't stop thinking about it. One of the most remarkable books I've ever read. It is tough going and about half through I was considering giving it up but glad I stuck with it. Would highly recommend it to anyone who is willing to invest the time and effort. Definitely in my top 10 books of all time.

    Thanks for the tip, I bought it a few weeks ago and am exactly half way through it. Very enjoyable so far.


  • #35
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    Crackin' read......

    51RG6Jpa0AL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


  • #36
    Aenaes
    Registered Users Posts: 1,677 ✭✭✭Aenaes


    I read Berlin: The Downfall 1945 by Antony Beevor a few weeks ago. I found it excellent which seems to be the norm for Beevor's work having read Stalingrad a couple of years ago.

    I'll definitely be reading his other books.


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  • #37
    Nemanrio
    Registered Users Posts: 542 ✭✭✭Nemanrio


    Aenaes wrote: »
    I read Berlin: The Downfall 1945 by Antony Beevor a few weeks ago. I found it excellent which seems to be the norm for Beevor's work having read Stalingrad a couple of years ago.

    I'll definitely be reading his other books.

    I read this (not all of it admittedly) because I thought it got fairly repetitive when describing the movements of the red army/nazis in battles & wasn't a page turner.

    I thought the book would give a more general overview of the period.

    Are all of his books like this?


  • #38
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    Nemanrio wrote: »
    I read this (not all of it admittedly) because I thought it got fairly repetitive when describing the movements of the red army/nazis in battles & wasn't a page turner.

    I thought the book would give a more general overview of the period.

    Are all of his books like this?

    Yeah, a bit.

    Stalingrad is a lot like that, D-Day less so. But I like that type of 'chronicling'!


    His book on the Spanish Civil War is one of the few military history books I've given up on! That wasn't because of his writing it was because of the conflict itself which seems to have been very dynamic in terms of alliances etc being forged and broken, splinter groups, etc


  • #39
    Nemanrio
    Registered Users Posts: 542 ✭✭✭Nemanrio


    Jawgap wrote: »
    Yeah, a bit.

    Stalingrad is a lot like that, D-Day less so. But I like that type of 'chronicling'!


    His book on the Spanish Civil War is one of the few military history books I've given up on! That wasn't because of his writing it was because of the conflict itself which seems to have been very dynamic in terms of alliances etc being forged and broken, splinter groups, etc[/QUOTE]



    Perhaps if it isn't like Downfall, I will give this a go. I must admit I have been put off reading another one of his books for a while.


  • #40
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    I was the same with the Spanish War one. Just couldn't get through it.

    Berlin one was I thought was decent.


  • #41
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    I recently read the Stackpole Wittmann Book Vol 1 & 2. (they were in the library). Completely biased propaganda, with almost no mention of possible war crime etc of the units involved etc. A lot of repetition of the propaganda also. But in terms of the operational activities of the units involved, with Tiger 1 & 2 it was quite interesting.


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  • #42
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    Nemanrio wrote: »
    Yeah, a bit.

    Stalingrad is a lot like that, D-Day less so. But I like that type of 'chronicling'!


    His book on the Spanish Civil War is one of the few military history books I've given up on! That wasn't because of his writing it was because of the conflict itself which seems to have been very dynamic in terms of alliances etc being forged and broken, splinter groups, etc[/QUOTE]



    Perhaps if it isn't like Downfall, I will give this a go. I must admit I have been put off reading another one of his books for a while.

    If you're looking for something about Berlin in the Spring of 1945, I'd recommend Kershaw - "The End: Hitler's Germany 1944–45" and follow it up with Lowe, "Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II" - I thought they were both excellent.


  • #43
    Nemanrio
    Registered Users Posts: 542 ✭✭✭Nemanrio


    Jawgap wrote: »
    If you're looking for something about Berlin in the Spring of 1945, I'd recommend Kershaw - "The End: Hitler's Germany 1944–45" and follow it up with Lowe, "Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II" - I thought they were both excellent.

    Thanks Jaw, in what way is it different to Beevor's?


  • #44
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    Nemanrio wrote: »
    Thanks Jaw, in what way is it different to Beevor's?

    Kershaw is much more analytical. He digs into the question of why, faced with overwhelming defeat, the Germans didn't surrender and uses that as a bit of springboard to look at the whole Nazi regime.

    Lowe is more about what happened in the immediate aftermath of the war - it's more about the experience of the ordinary Germans and their families, the returning soldiers, the occupation forces and administrators.

    Neither of them are page turners but they do dig deep into the issues.


  • #45
    Dyr
    Registered Users Posts: 23,246 ✭✭✭✭Dyr


    I only recommended "black edelweiss" recently on here, it's well worth a read. Similar to the forgotten soldier

    It depends on if you want a personal biography type thing or a more general one

    Some books that are thematically linked:

    "Hitlers Irishmen" about irishmen who served in the german army

    "Renegades" english and irish soliders in the german army

    "The Brandenburg Commandos" about an elite branch of the german forces that you tend not to hear a lot about

    "skorzeny: the most dangerous man in europe" biography of otto skorseny


  • #46
    galwaycyclist
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,913 ✭✭✭galwaycyclist


    Jawgap wrote: »
    Crackin' read......

    51RG6Jpa0AL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

    Yep just finished it. Found good few of my previous assumption challenged.


  • #47
    gandalf
    Registered Users Posts: 26,458 ✭✭✭✭gandalf


    Have to agree with everyone on Beevors Stalingrad it's an excellent read. I have Berlin on my bookshelf waiting to be read so delighted to hear it's worth a read as well.

    Here are a few I have read recently that might interest you all.

    A Higher Call - Basically it is about a famous incident over the skys of Europe where a German fighter ace came across a crippled B-17 and instead of shooting it down he escorted them to the coastline. The book charts the careers of both pilots and then their meeting decades after the war. I found it to be a very good read.

    Leningrad: State of Siege - This book really gets across the absolute horror of the Siege of Leningrad. I found it hard to read at some parts because of what it was describing.

    A Writer At War: Vasily Grossman with the Red Army 1941-1945 - Beevor does a good job in stringing together extracts from the Russian Journalist Vasily Grossmans article for the Red Star during the war. It certainly educated me more on the Eastern front.

    Dark Times Decent Men - Is an interesting book from the perspective of the Irish who fought in WW2. I didn't find it as good as Richardsons first book on the Irish in WW1 but it is definitely a good edition to your WW2 book collection.


  • #48
    Wibbs
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,065 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    Over the years I've gathered a fair number of books on the War and here are a few from the nearly all first person German perspective;

    354067.JPG

    358507.jpg

    They're all first editions, first printings, except for the U-Boat one on the bottom left(third printing, first year edition).

    The Hans Rudel Stuka Pilot one I got years ago in a charity shop for under a fiver. Result. Interestingly it was a Dublin publisher. Well a Dublin based publisher(in Ely place IIRC?) that was set up and bankrolled by a certain Oswald Mosley, he of the Black shirts, a failed attempt to get fascism going in the UK. Big shock he'd love the Rudel guy. A scarily capable, effective and very brave man, but an unabashed Nazi was oul Hans. Admired but not exactly liked by his men. Non drinking, non smoking, non carousing type, not exactly the life and soul. Sense of humour bypass time. The English language edition is all about the war stuff, with little to nothing of the post war and political stuff of the original German language work.

    I like these first early writings as you get the vibe of recent memories and feelings, that can sometimes be lacking, or even edited out of later editions and memoirs. You can still get these real cheap too. I don't think I paid more than 20 quid for any of them. I also love the cover art of the 50's stuff.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • #49
    Dyr
    Registered Users Posts: 23,246 ✭✭✭✭Dyr


    Rudels book is a bit weird, he seemed to have a running thing about milk and fresh cakes


  • #50
    Wibbs
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,065 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    Rudel only loves strudel was a running joke among his comrades.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • #51
    Buona Fortuna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,507 ✭✭✭Buona Fortuna


    Hugh Sebag-Montefiore's Dunkirk.

    Not just the evacuation but the whole collapse of France. The absolutely desperate defence of Calais, and the sending of a Territorial, motorcycle battalion (despatch riders) without their motor bikes.

    After the evacuation a significant part of the Army was still in France. The odds and sods that followed every "mailed fist" at the time. These were largely made up of pioneers and logistics types. Op Ariel set out to get them back.

    A couple of bits that stuck out to me:

    ~ Up till about 1939 Pioneer battalions were only given enough weapons for 1 in 4. One of their Lt. Col's pulled the MOD on that and at least every man was armed by the time of the evacuation.

    ~ During their withdrawal the pioneer battalions were lumped together and then designated as a division. The French, who were in charge then set about employing their "new division". They ended up facing 1st line Wehrmacht troops. Thanks to the Lt Col. above, they had rifles but little else.

    Some of the descriptions and first hand accounts were so real that I could "taste it". I read the book when we were at the bottom of our recent financial difficulties and I could just imagine one of my neighbours saying "Come on lets go and dig some roads in France".


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  • #52
    tc20
    Registered Users Posts: 2,414 ✭✭✭tc20


    as the thread title is "best WW2 book..." I'd have to say Beevor/Kershaw books are thoroughly good reads. I got through Stalingrad last year and have loaned Berlin to a friend so will read that in time. I've read quite a few of Stephen Ambrose after BoB first came out on tv and found them enjoyable and well researched but a little, I don't know... Hollywood-ish??

    I recently picked up "I fought you from the skies" in a charity shop and read it on holidays. Its written by Willi Heilmann, a Luftwaffe fighter pilot concentrating on the latter stages of the western front. I thought it eloquently written, not at all clunky, as some translated books can be. Certainly the descriptions of aerial combat, and the feelings of despair towards the end came across well. Also, it was good to read something from the other perspective.
    Recommended - If anyone wants it, just drop me a PM


  • #53
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    Will have to read Ardennes. Stalingrad and Berlin are incredibly reads, head and shoulders above others in my opinion. I quite like Max Hastings Armageddon and Nemesis, but don't think they hold a candle to Beevor. He has a very unique and enthralling way of unfolding the stories surrounding events that trump the competition. Berlin is possibly my favourite bit of WW2 literature, my copy is falling apart from sheer use.


  • #54
    Horse84
    Registered Users Posts: 2,296 ✭✭✭Horse84


    I would just like to add my recommendation for beevor's books. Really top reads. On Ardennes, I preordered it and read it while on hols last month. I'd have to say it's probably not his finest work. While it is enjoyable I wasn't blown away with any groundbreaking new information or nothing I didn't really know before.

    On a different topic would anyone be able to tell me if any bookseller stocks the full range of osprey books? I came across a very comprehensive stand full of them while in a bookshop in Iceland but as with most things there they were hideously expensive.


  • #55
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    The one Beevor book I couldn't read was the Spanish one. I found that unintelligible. The politics were too much for my mindset when I was trying to read it.


  • #56
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    beauf wrote: »
    The one Beevor book I couldn't read was the Spanish one. I found that unintelligible. The politics were too much for my mindset when I was trying to read it.

    The only history book I ever gave up on.

    Although, he himself says it's not his best by any measure. He did it very much on a budget.


  • #57
    Snickers Man
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭Snickers Man


    A Bridge Too Far by Cornelius Ryan is a brilliant description of a single battle/campaign, the Operation Market Garden attempt to cross the Rhine by going through Holland and using paratroopers to capture the bridges on the way.

    It's a long book which describes much of the fighting and logistical problems in some detail but also touches on (there's scope for a much more in-depth study on this topic) the intrigues within the Dutch population, most of whom were sympathetic to the Allies but many of whom had collaborated with the Germans, leading the Allies and the British in particular to be highly mistrustful of them. Had they been a bit more willing to use the Dutch experience they might have avoided/overcome many of the problems they had.


  • #58
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    Wibbs wrote: »
    Over the years I've gathered a fair number of books on the War and here are a few from the nearly all first person German perspective;

    ......

    Just finished this one......

    51yAPag-CbL._SX317_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

    .....an interesting read as the author is fairly open about his pro-Nazi, pro-Hitler beliefs and motivations.


  • #59
    Wibbs
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,065 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    He became a politician for a right wing German party after the war IIRC. As you say he's pretty open about it. Most of these early ones are.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • #60
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    I think A Bridge Too Far is one of the best ones.


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  • #61
    corner of hells
    Registered Users Posts: 8,354 ✭✭✭corner of hells


    TerrorFirmer wrote: »
    Will have to read Ardennes. Stalingrad and Berlin are incredibly reads, head and shoulders above others in my opinion. I quite like Max Hastings Armageddon and Nemesis, but don't think they hold a candle to Beevor. He has a very unique and enthralling way of unfolding the stories surrounding events that trump the competition. Berlin is possibly my favourite bit of WW2 literature, my copy is falling apart from sheer use.

    Ardennes is not great , nothing like some of his other books.


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