An "easy" to read WW2 book?
Discussion
Easy to read? Might be tricky. In general?
If you have the time, from start to finish for the Germans, "the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by William Shirer.
Whislt not about the total event.
"Most dangerous enemy", story of the Battle of Britain. Quite important I think.
"With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa", not so easy reading as it is guts n all account of a marine by the name of Eugene Sledge and his fight across the Pacific. But this bloke was there and it is not a historians interpretation.
"Lost voices of the Royal Navy" individual memoirs going back to WWI. In their own words.
"Bomber Boys" by Patrick Bishop.
Got a shelf full.
Oh, Kokoda trail, there are a few books on that and forgotten by many. The Aussies hold back the Japanese in terrible conditions. One I have is by Paul Ham.
If you have the time, from start to finish for the Germans, "the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by William Shirer.
Whislt not about the total event.
"Most dangerous enemy", story of the Battle of Britain. Quite important I think.
"With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa", not so easy reading as it is guts n all account of a marine by the name of Eugene Sledge and his fight across the Pacific. But this bloke was there and it is not a historians interpretation.
"Lost voices of the Royal Navy" individual memoirs going back to WWI. In their own words.
"Bomber Boys" by Patrick Bishop.
Got a shelf full.
Oh, Kokoda trail, there are a few books on that and forgotten by many. The Aussies hold back the Japanese in terrible conditions. One I have is by Paul Ham.
The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan, is a very readable book describing events on D-Day from both sides (and that of French civilians caught in the middle). A great read I thought.
I have his "A Bridge Too Far" (About Arnhem and the basis for the film of the same name), but have not got around to reading it yet.
I've only read Stalingrad by Beevor, but it suffered what a lot of these books do, imo, being over-long and repetitive. It explains events and portrays conditions excellently, but after a while, you feel your just hearing the same description of conditions for another regiment.
It seems (to me) many 'proper' historians fear leaving anything out (possibly rightly so from their professional perspective) and their books are less 'readable' than someone like Stephen Ambrose.
M.
I have his "A Bridge Too Far" (About Arnhem and the basis for the film of the same name), but have not got around to reading it yet.
I've only read Stalingrad by Beevor, but it suffered what a lot of these books do, imo, being over-long and repetitive. It explains events and portrays conditions excellently, but after a while, you feel your just hearing the same description of conditions for another regiment.
It seems (to me) many 'proper' historians fear leaving anything out (possibly rightly so from their professional perspective) and their books are less 'readable' than someone like Stephen Ambrose.
M.
+1 for "all Hell Let Loose" by Max Hastings.
As I have said on prvious threads of this Ilk - we might need a sticky?
"Storm of War" by Andrew Roberts, not quite as good as AHLL but not much in it both riveting, factually accurate and eye opening.
Probably about as accessible as the subject matter gets, told from different points of view.
Hastings tells of personal experiences through witness accounts, Roberts takes a more strategic, political position - more macro than Hastings' micro views at times.
both 10/10 from me.
As I have said on prvious threads of this Ilk - we might need a sticky?
"Storm of War" by Andrew Roberts, not quite as good as AHLL but not much in it both riveting, factually accurate and eye opening.
Probably about as accessible as the subject matter gets, told from different points of view.
Hastings tells of personal experiences through witness accounts, Roberts takes a more strategic, political position - more macro than Hastings' micro views at times.
both 10/10 from me.
An accessible book about the whole is a rare beast indeed. I haven't read the general ones mentioned above, though am sure they are good reads. So much happened in those 6 years, even a basic over view is a thome!
My personal recommendation would be to do something like watch the series of the World at War if you can source i, to get a good grip on the principal theatres, events and chronology. Once you have zoned in on areas you are interested in, then have a look into literature.
My personal recommendation would be to do something like watch the series of the World at War if you can source i, to get a good grip on the principal theatres, events and chronology. Once you have zoned in on areas you are interested in, then have a look into literature.
some great stuff on the bbc:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/categor...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/categor...
also i love tales of escape and so:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1079482.The_Col...
and
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1355572.The_Lat...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/categor...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/categor...
also i love tales of escape and so:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1079482.The_Col...
and
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1355572.The_Lat...
Nom de ploom said:
+1 for "all Hell Let Loose" by Max Hastings.
I've been on this book for a few months. It's gripping. There are fairly dry chapters dealing with specific battles, but these are more than offset by Hastings' grasp of the human story & he gets under the skin of specific aspects of the war, such as the experience of airmen, the Jewish experience & the German public in ways that have you turning pages at a rapid rate. It's an excellent read.glad you like it.
the denoument too is heady stuff. the days immediately post war retreating troops etc.
there is something about the spoils of war debate he touches on without spoiling it for you that was quite moving. What goes to the victor - is freedom enough? are the soldiers close enough and lucid enough to wlak away once the fighting is done or will they take what they feel is their right - they fight to regain or retain land, territory etc.
as an aside, the account of Leningrad was impossible to put down. I must read more on this.
the denoument too is heady stuff. the days immediately post war retreating troops etc.
there is something about the spoils of war debate he touches on without spoiling it for you that was quite moving. What goes to the victor - is freedom enough? are the soldiers close enough and lucid enough to wlak away once the fighting is done or will they take what they feel is their right - they fight to regain or retain land, territory etc.
as an aside, the account of Leningrad was impossible to put down. I must read more on this.
Asterix said:
Crafty_ said:
The Stephen Ambrose book are easy to read but some historians don't like his work.
...because he sells loads more than they do ? 
Asterix said:
And I've just ordered.
Hopefully with me tomorrow.
Hope you enjoy it chaps...I must admit I find most WW2 history a little jaded, but Hastings gives you a fresh perspective on lots of different elements of it. Just reading Richard Overy's 'the bombing war' about strategic bombing in WW2...I think this is for the war in the air like Hastings book was for the whole war.....just fantastic and a whole new outlook on things Hopefully with me tomorrow.
Gassing Station | Books and Literature | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff