GOOD BOOKS

[TexWiller]

what is your favorite (fictional and non-fictional) book on ww2?

[Gen. Sandworm]

New book forum. Yea :D The admin asked me to move books topics in here. If you remember any books that you have meantioned in the past please post them in here. Thanks.

[Gen. Sandworm]

A favorite book of mine. William Shrier's Rise and Fall of the 3rd Reich. Great book that give alot of insight into the background and inner working of Hitler's empire. I suggest everyone interested in WW2 read it. :)

[South African Military]

I reccomend a fictional book called Garden Of Beasts By Jeffery Deaver its a new book about a guy who tries to assasinate an important official in the German governmant. Most of its fictional, however allot info is actually facts and makes you feel what it was like to live in Germany around 1936 when Hitler was preparing for war. A good page turner, I finished it in under a week.

[Bluffcove]

The Secret Diary of Anne Frank. Anne Frank
The Gurkha's "Better to die than be a Coward" John Parker 1988

[Preatorian]

Fictional one.
Neal Town Stephenson
"Cryptonomicon"
Great book. Strongly recommended.
http://www.cryptonomicon.com/main.html

[Cactus]

Winter Fire was good 8)
German Boy was good as well
Rise and Fall of the 3rd Reich as stated above was also an excellent read.

[pdf27]

Defeat into Victory by Field Marshal Slim. Probably the only book written by a WW2 general who could actually write, and Slim was quite possibly the best general on any side in WW2.

[lieutlienant Vorontsov]

My favorite book is: Konvoy PQ-17

[Sturmtruppen]

I flew for the fuhrer

[Crab_to_be]

I read 'The Second World War' by Winston Churchill last year. It's an excellent account, although it is very long and I suspect that the author is not entirely without bias. Even so, I can highly recommend it.

'Fighter Boys' was an enjoyable read. It's the story of the RAF told through its pilots. As is expected, the Battle of Britain dominates. The full reference is:
Bishop, P., 'Fighter Boys', HarperCollins, London, 2003.

The autobiographies of Marshal Zhukov and General Heinz Guderian are both worth reading. I don't think that needs any explanation.

'Panzer Commander' by Hans von Luck. The autobiography of a man who served under Guderian and reached Colonel by the end of the war, when he was captured by the Russians and spent ten years in a Gulag.

There are more - I made good use of my University's library last year. A shame I've been too busy this year.

A copy of 'Defeat into Victory' is currently winging its way to my house along with a biography of Field Marshal Slim, thanks to ebay.

[2nd of foot]

Crab also look for the Unofficial History. This is Slim’s WW1 and early WW2 encounters and “Defeat into Victory” follows on from it.

You will also note that he was about to give up the uniform and return to Great Britain to write or start a new career just as the war started.

[Sturmtruppen]

oh!,i forgot to recommend you the book atchung panzer! by Heinz Guderian.

[Voluntary Escaper]

Quartered Safe Out Here - George MacDonald Fraser (Burma)
With the Jocks - Peter White (British Army Europe 1945)
The Forgotten Soldier - Guy Hajer (German Eastern Front)

Not combat related:
The Truce - Primo Levi (Odyssey-like return from Auschwitz via western Russia)

[Commando Jordovski]

My favourite book which im still reading!! has to be " D-Day" by Stephen E. Ambrose.
Any one else read this book ?

[PzKpfw VI Tiger]

Best WWII Books:

Atchung Panzer! : Heinz Guderian
Turning the Tides; Decicesive Battles of the Second World War: Nigel Cawthorne
The Diary of Anne Frank
Duel of Eagles: Peter Townsend

[american sniper]

my fav WWII book is soldier boys

well thats the only WWII book i have read

[Hanz Lutz]

I read a Battle for Moscow .Very good book.

[South African Military]

I would like to ask you what you think are really good books on the aircraft of the Second world war. It can be about the pilots who flew, the history of, or even the very technical stuff.

[Dani]

Generally, Osprey Aircraft Series could be a good choice.

http://xml.amazon.com/onca/xml2?dev-t=DQAP9JFAMYL69&t=usaceofworwartwo&KeywordSearch=world%20war%202%20osprey%20aircraft&mode=books&type=heavy&page=1&f=http://www.acepilots.com/wse25.xsl

[Dani]

For WW2 Romania:

http://img350.imageshack.us/img350/6811/baero5tf.jpg
Edited in English and Romanian

Available at www.modelism.ro

[South African Military]

nobody else!?

[South African Military]

...right so I am thinking of the following, please feel free to post what you think.


-Aircraft of WWII by Stewart Wilson
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1875671358/qid=1122464502/sr=8-6/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i6_xgl14/002-4939052-1343213?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

-Griffon-Powered Spitfires by Kev Darling

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1580070450/qid=1122464652/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-4939052-1343213?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

[South African Military]

Best WWII Books:
Turning the Tides; Decicesive Battles of the Second World War: Nigel Cawthorne


I got that book. It was alright. Good for an overview and the basics.[/quote]

[Dani]

SAM, I hardly recommend you:
http://www.saairforce.co.za/reviews/review85saaf.htm
Check it out mate!

Quoted:
85 Years of the SAAF
By Winston Brent
To be released July/August 2005!

This book records the individual aircraft histories of the thousands of aircraft that have worn the SAAF roundal or insignia over the past 85 years.
This book is for the casual or serious researcher of the SAAF as the stories of action by the pilots and aircrews have been recorded on other publications. Previous publications have recorded the names of those pilots and aircrew who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of South Africa. This book goes a step further and the aircraft type, squadron and serial is identified by cross-reference to the individual aircraft, the incident or action can be identified.
There are three Rolls of Honour covering the three eras of the SAAF: 1921 - 1939, WWII 1949 - 1947, and post war 1947 - 2005. The Rolls are in chronological order and include the aircraft type, serial and squadron.

[South African Military]

Looks good! I think I wait till the price drops :wink:

[Hosenfield]

Well, heres a partial list of good ww2 books that i've read/am reading last year:

The battle of kursk, glantz

Colossus reborn the red army 1941-1943 (Its a giant book, with everything you need to know about how the red army, actually too giant, haven't finished it yet)

When titans clashed (good book summing up the ostfront)

Siege of Leningrad,glantz (prob, the best book about leningrad)

Overlord, hastings( objective view on fighting in the normandy from both sides, as well as strengths/weaknesses of allied/axis forces)

armageddon, hastings (objective view on fighting in the west from both sides, futher accessment of strengths/weaknesses of allied/axis forces)

the forgotten soldier(panzergrenadier corporal's memoir)

in deadly combat (recon major memoir)

panzer commander( colonel hans von luck, commander of 21st panzer armored regiment)

armored battles of the waffen-ss (1943-45) ( a bit biased, but exciting book with descriptive fighting in all waffen-ss fronts/campaigns)

Grenadiers (again, a bit biased, a lot of action, written by Kurt meyer)

the 12th ss 1,2 (not done reading yet, but very good books about the creation, training, and deployment of the 12ss in the west)

The SS:Hitler's Instrument of Terror(sums up the normal and bad of the SS organizaiton)


Who has read any of these books? Opinions?

[Commando Jordovski]

I have got panzer commander but havent read it yet and have read part of
Colossus reborn the red army 1941-1943.

I am currently reading "Soviet Military power" and "D-day"

[Hanz Lutz]

I read battles in Africa ,Tobruk is very good ,Australian defend Town ,with only one division ,against germans and italians,very goos stuff.

[PzKpfw VI Tiger]

Sorry for such a late reply, a pretty good book on the battle of britan: Duel of Eagles, written by Peter Townsend

[Commando Jordovski]

Australians went crazy in WW1 and WW2 when i watched this black and white video clip!!!

Like in WW1 when the aussies on horses just with bush knives and rifles charged towards the turkish machine guns screaming at the top of their lungs, they hadn't had water for weeks.

WW2, the aussies in african desert ran towards a German Camp with huge mechates and austrailan machine guns and scared the germans away.

:lol:

[PzKpfw VI Tiger]

Australians went crazy in WW1 and WW2 when i watched this black and white video clip!!!

Like in WW1 when the aussies on horses just with bush knives and rifles charged towards the turkish machine guns screaming at the top of their lungs, they hadn't had water for weeks.

WW2, the aussies in african desert ran towards a German Camp with huge mechates and austrailan machine guns and scared the germans away.

:lol:

:lol: :lol: anyway, I've read Panzer Commander, getting Panzer General (Heinz Guderian) and currently reading Rommel as Military Commander.

[Commando Jordovski]

Australians went crazy in WW1 and WW2 when i watched this black and white video clip!!!

Like in WW1 when the aussies on horses just with bush knives and rifles charged towards the turkish machine guns screaming at the top of their lungs, they hadn't had water for weeks.

WW2, the aussies in african desert ran towards a German Camp with huge mechates and austrailan machine guns and scared the germans away.

:lol:

:lol: :lol: anyway, I've read Panzer Commander, getting Panzer General (Heinz Guderian) and currently reading Rommel as Military Commander.

I think my father might be reading that same book you are. :D

[Crab_to_be]

Is that 'Infantry Attacks!' by Rommel?

I read it as part of the recommended books list when I was learning the delicate art of Platoon Command (better known as MTQ2 which sounds, and is, far less impressive ;)). I can imagine it being rather dry as it is concerned very much with the nuts and bolts of infantry warfare. Certainly, without the background of having been taught the formal estimate and orders I would have struggled to finish it.

I only had one proper complaint about the translation (which is an American one from the 1930s, if my memory serves me correctly) and that is the use of the phrase 'hit the dirt'. It jars horribly with the tone of the book and to my mind sounds like Cleetus (Simpsons, slack-jawed yokel) interrupting the flow of the text.

[Hosenfield]

i've never read infantry attacks? are any of the concepts outdated?

[ww2fanatic1944]

band of brothers is a great book. i forget the author, and its an easy read but it tells a great story. it even had an 8 or 9 part series directed by steven spielberg about it, show on HBO. the series is very good, and movie quality.

[Commando Jordovski]

band of brothers is a great book. i forget the author, and its an easy read but it tells a great story. it even had an 8 or 9 part series directed by steven spielberg about it, show on HBO. the series is very good, and movie quality.

Band of Brothers has several Series right?, I read the first two series of the books a long time ago and I found it very dull and boring so i didn't bother reading the rest of the series.

[ww2fanatic1944]

as far as i no there is only one book, about easy company, by stephen ambrose. i might be wrong...but the ending of band of brothers doesnt really leave any plot left for a 2nd book to be written, because at the end of the book the war ends.

[Crab_to_be]

i've never read infantry attacks? are any of the concepts outdated?

Yes and no. I can imagine the use of artillery fire to cut the wires of field telephones is rather less useful than it was in 1914-18. However, it is still recommended reading for Student Officers and I presume is on the reading list for Sandhurst.

[Hosenfield]

a common trick practised by the germans on both the west/eastern fronts was to cut telephone wires, then prepare an amush position.

when the repair party showed up, the germans would make them surrender, and take them as prisoners!

[Commando Jordovski]

The Stephen E. Ambrose book im currently reading is "D-Day" it's one of the best detailed versions i have read of the Normandy invasion.
I highly recommend it.

[Firefly]

The Stephen E. Ambrose book im currently reading is "D-Day" it's one of the best detailed versions i have read of the Normandy invasion.
I highly recommend it.

Yes I have that too. Although Ive said before Im not a great Ambrose fan and he does get some facts wrong. Try the Longest day, thats another good D-Day book.

[Hosenfield]

actually, I'm not really an Ambrose fan either. No offense to anybody, but certain parts of his books come across to me as "WW2 for flag-waving dummies". His writing, however, is very simple and readable.
but some of his arguments are poorly reseached.

Hes not a real researcher like David M. Glantz and he throws out statistics, loss figures, units strengths left and right with many of them wrong. all his information are readibly available info from the net and old, sometimes inaccurate books written in the 70s-80s.

IE, He gave the strength of KG peiper in the ardennes 22,000! When everyone knows that KG peiper was 4,800 men strong!

He used the old "patton estimate" for german causalties in normandy, with is 250,000. But the actual number, compiled by historians with german records, is 89,000.

he constantly uses the slang jabos, which started to annoy me.

he calls every german tank gun "an 88". he claimed that the panther had an "88"!

etc, etc

[Commando Jordovski]

Yeah alot of Ambroses writing is quite comprehendable and explained military vehicle and army names.

[Firefly]

actually, I'm not really an Ambrose fan either. No offense to anybody, but certain parts of his books come across to me as "WW2 for flag-waving dummies". His writing, however, is very simple and readable.
but some of his arguments are poorly reseached.

Hes not a real researcher like David M. Glantz and he throws out statistics, loss figures, units strengths left and right with many of them wrong. all his information are readibly available info from the net and old, sometimes inaccurate books written in the 70s-80s.

IE, He gave the strength of KG peiper in the ardennes 22,000! When everyone knows that KG peiper was 4,800 men strong!

He used the old "patton estimate" for german causalties in normandy, with is 250,000. But the actual number, compiled by historians with german records, is 89,000.

he constantly uses the slang jabos, which started to annoy me.

he calls every german tank gun "an 88". he claimed that the panther had an "88"!

etc, etc

And as stated before, for example in band of Brothers, he always has them fighting elite units, Im sure they did on occassions, but not all occassions.

Still his books are readable and not heavy going as some are. I would say they would be a good starting point for anyone getting into the subject.

Also, he does seem to treat Eisenhower as a God.

[Hosenfield]

there is the 82nd airbornes' complete combat history out in bookstores now. ITs 800 pages, and documents Every combat action of the 82nd. I skimmed through it, and its "action-packed". Mr.Nordyke knows his military equipment, as well as making the book very readable.

The only flaw is that the book isn't objective, its heavily tuned to a pro-american slant. In fact, i've rarely read a book so americanized. With chapters like "My God,Matt, can't anything stop these men"

still recommend it, though

interesting in that the 82nd, besides engagements with/ low quality troops or regular troops, paid a disportionate toll in blood against the hermann goering panzer division, and 1st SSLAH, 2nd SS das reich.


All American, All The Way: The Combat History Of The 82nd Airborne Division In World War II by Phil Nordyke

[Domobranec]

John Corsellis, Marcus Ferrar: Slovenia 1945- Memories of death and survival after world war II; I.B. Taurius, Great Britain

http://213.253.134.29/jackets/l/185/1850438404.jpg

[PLT.SGT.BAKER]

D-DAY the invasion of europe by the editors of american heritage

[temujin77]

My fav is American Caesar by William Manchester. Absolutely beautiful writing style plus a very comprehensive look on Douglas MacArthur's life. No wonder Manchester was noted as one of the greatest history writers of our time.
http://ww2db.com/read.php?read_id=23

I'm currently reading Shattered Sword by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully. I'm about half way through the 600-page book. It is simply *the* best book on the Battle of Midway I've ever come across, and I don't even need to mention the fact that Jon and Tony's dedicated research uncovered a lot of facts that the western world had taken for granted about the battle were WRONG. Excellent read.
http://ww2db.com/read.php?read_id=34

[Landstorm]

My favourite is "Winter" forget who is the auther though. Also novels by Sven Hassell are very good too

[juliburke]

I am in search of a WWII book that was written while the war was in progress. I know that this book is real and that I did not dream about it. While visiting at a party with members from the 101st Airborne division (Band of Brothers) one of the re-enactors was there getting autographs and had the book with him. I forget what the name is. I was also told that with the help of Dick Winters and others during the filming of Band of Brothers that this book was also used so that the movie would be accurate. Any ideas out there? :?:

[Johnny Busted]

My favourite book which im still reading!! has to be " D-Day" by Stephen E. Ambrose.
Any one else read this book ?

Read that.....Excellent book. Now reading the "sequal" Citizen Soldiers. Highly recommended.

[deserter]

I'm currently reading "Path to Victory: The mediterranean Theater in WWII" by Douglas Porch. Haven't gotten far enough in it yet to form an opinion, but has, thus far, kept my interest.

[Outerheaven]

I would recommend Luftwaffe Aces.
Luftwaffe Aces (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0811731774.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg&imgrefurl=http://amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0811731774&h=475&w=316&sz=47&hl=en&start=20&tbnid=XTNqYCeLjpOdSM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=83&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dluftwaffe%2Baces%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3D en%26hs%3DJ2I%26lr%3D%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official_s%26sa%3DN)
The auther also does Infantry Aces, and Panzer Aces.
I recommend them all. There filled with exciting stories and first hand accounts on
the battle field by the real men that he interviews.

Right, nice book. I read it last year.

By the way, that is a neat signature/avatar!

[SS Tiger]

That sig is very cool, did you make it yourself? If so what effects did you add to it, it certainly rocks!

[Outerheaven]

Thanks for the complements on the signature. But no I didn't make it. I had it made at another forum. The address is on the bottom right hand corner.

[WaistGunner]

Flyboys--James Bradley

Band of Brother-Stephen Ambrose

Origins of the Second World War--A.J.P. Taylor

I am looking for a good first person aaccount from a Luftwaffe pilot if anyone has any recommendations.

[Outerheaven]

I am looking for a good first person aaccount from a Luftwaffe pilot if anyone has any recommendations.
Here you go:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b380/Outerheaven151/th_mov31775.jpg (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b380/Outerheaven151/mov31775.jpg)

http://d89156.i50.quadrahosting.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6762&cPath=23_25

[WaistGunner]

Thank you for the reccomendation. I'll go to Amzon today to see if they have it.

[AntoniC]

is Clay Blairs 2 volume set on Hitlers U-Boat War !

They are an excellent read, with a load of details, and very informative !.

Well worth buying , if you like naval history

[Firefly]

Welcome aboard Toni. Toni is an old friend of mine who I have finally persuaded to join the forum.

I'll let him tell you about himself, but he is another welcome Polish addition.

Enjoy the forum matey.

[AntoniC]

New book forum. Yea :D The admin asked me to move books topics in here. If you remember any books that you have meantioned in the past please post them in here. Thanks.

I thought it was an excellent book also - and the brst bit being that it was a neutral view until Dec 7 1941 also !.

[deserter]

I'm currently reading "Path to Victory: The mediterranean Theater in WWII" by Douglas Porch. Haven't gotten far enough in it yet to form an opinion, but has, thus far, kept my interest.

Finished the book. Interesting role of the French Expeditionary Force in breaking the Gustav Line.

[D502]

My favorites:

Der Nürnberger Prozeß (The Nuremberg Trial) by Joe J. Heydecker + Johannes Leeb

Die Frauen der Nazis I+II (The women of the Nazis I+II) by Anna Maria Siegmund

Denn Du trägst meinen Namen. Das schwere Erbe der prominenten Nazi-Kinder. (My Father's Keeper: Children of Nazi Leaders-An Intimate History of Damage and Denial) by Norbert Lebert + Stephan Lebert

Bis zur letzten Stunde (Until the Final Hour: Hitler's Last Secretary) by Traudl Junge + Melissa Müller

[Digger]

G'day,

I've already mentioned JV44 Galland's Circus on it's own thread. I guess my all time favourite is The Blond Knight Of Germany by Raymond F Toliver and Trevor J Constable. A fascinating story about Eric Hartmann.

The First And The Last by Adolf Galland.

Dresden by Frederick Taylor, a very well written book which dispells many of the myths about the Dresden raid.

Business In Great Waters-The U-Boat Wars 1916-1945.

Regards to all,
Digger.

[GermanSoldier]

There is Soldier Boys
It is about a 18 year old American who joins the Airborne. Then their is a 15 year old teenager from the Hitler Youth. Then they fight each other on different fronts.

[Wolfgang Von Gottberg]

I'd have to say Man is Wolf to Man. It's a hefty biography.

A Pole is recruited into the Soviet Tank Core as a T34 driver. During some battle against the Germans, the T34 breaks down and he is told to wait in it while the rest of the crew finds help. They never came back. Then the NKVD found him "Abandoning the Front" and he is sent to a Goulag in Siberria. Very graphic but VERY gripping

[RifleMan20]

Is there any good books that are like a journal.

[RifleMan20]

thanks for your help though.

[Wolfgang Von Gottberg]

I know of some, but are you looking for fiction or non-fiction?

FICTION:
Soldier Boys
Soldier X
In the Eyes of the Emperor

NON FICTION:
The Forgotten Soldier
Man is Wolf to Man
German Boy

That's all I know of for now, but I'll probably think of some more as time goes by. I'll PM you ;)

[RifleMan20]

Thank you kindly sir,I will look for those books;)

[RifleMan20]

Thank you kindly sir,I will look for those books;)

[RifleMan20]

uh oh something went wrong with that post

[Panzerknacker]

I like the format of the MEN-at-arms series by Osprey.

My favorite is Auxiliary forces to the Wermacht, the Nº 254 of that serie.

http://www.ospreypublishing.com/osp_img/titlecovers/P2579AS.JPG

[GermanSoldier]

soldier X


I am going to see if I can rent that book at the nearest library. Hopefully they have it there.

[Vassili Chukolov]

Having a large collection of military memoirs, I have a couple good WW2 memoirs as well.

Blood Red Snow~It's from a german machine gunner's perpective of fighting Russia in Stalingrad. Plenty of action, and a good read for a WW2 buff.

Currahee! ~ A great memoir about a 101st Airborne Trooper's experiance dropping in Normandy.

Any else have any other suggestions?

[Ivan]

Currahee! ~ A great memoir about a 101st Airborne Trooper's experiance dropping in Normandy.Burgett's other books are great as well.

[Vassili Chukolov]

The Road To Arnhem is another good one. Probably one of my favorites from his.

[BlackUhlan]

The forgotten soldier by Guy Sajer

[bwing55543]

I liked The Longest Day: June 6, 1944 by Cornelius Ryan.

[jacobtowne]

No Bended Knee by Gen. Merrill Twining, USMC. It's a memoir of the Guadalcanal Campaign. I'm reading it now and it is quite well done. Guadalcanal was one of the two great allied victories of 1942, and the turning point of the Pacific war on land.

JT

[SS-Master]

My favourites:
Aline Sax - No step behind (geen stap terug)
John McAleer & Billy Dickson - Unit Pride
Evan Hunter - Sons
Frederick Forsyth - The Odessa File
Michael Romse - Camp Massacre
Leon Uris - Battle Cry
John Harris - The fox from his lair
John Brason - Secret Army
Robert Birton - Moment of glory
Ray Rigby - The hill
And everything from Kirst.

[bwing55543]

I just picked up another good one: Parachute Infantry by David Kenyon Webster. Yes, the same Webster who was part of the Band of Brothers. This book is pretty much the miniseries from his point of view.

Speaking of which, did anyone read Ambrose's Band of Brothers? If anyone did, can he tell me if it's any good?

[kev0253]

the forgotten soldier by guy sayer is worth a read if i recall it is about the brandenburg division but i might be wrong.

[kev0253]

the book by ambrose band of brothers is well worth reading !

[Nickdfresh]

So is "Pegasus Bridge."

[Chevan]

Alan Clark "Barbarossa"
Eric von Mainstain "Lost victories"

[temujin77]

Here's a great book I read recently:

The Greatest US Marine Corps Stories Ever Told
http://ww2db.com/read.php?read_id=76

It's not all WW2, but a good chunk of it is. Through stories of individual Marines, this book nicely introduces the Marine spirit. Very readable and very enjoyable. I really highly recommend it.

[MayberrySaint]

"Enemy at the Gates" by William Craig was my first and still favorite WWII book.

[Erik]

http://dynamic.images.indigo.ca/ProductImage.aspx?lang=en&width=72&isbn=0773759522&cat=books&quality=85
Maple Leaf Against the Axis by David J. Bercuson is a good read on Canadas overall involvement in the war... "overall" because it doesn't get very specific on individual battles - it covers the basics of Canadas war on land, in the air and at sea.

I've got Parachute Infantry and it's next on my read list.

[B-17engineer]

I like Half a Wing, three engines, and a prayer.
The 8th army from North Africa to the ALps
and finally
Jump dammit about a B-17 airmen evading capture

[the_librarian]

Hi all!

These are some great reading! I'll be busy for months! I've got a list or two, but do online books count? The CMH has some great stuff! Here's a link to one of them:

http://www.history.army.mil/books/agf/agf23.htm

[Yurek]

I dont know if these have already been said Bomber Crew 369 and the Rape of Nanking

[the_librarian]

I stumbled across some older paperbacks at a booksale. I can't say I've read all of them yet, but what I've read is super!

The Big Show (http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1162000)

Thunderbolt (http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/2369851)

[the_librarian]

Found this one on Google books. Weighty, but important for the backstory:

American Logistics in World War II (http://www.google.com/books?id=FSeJJDfj140C)

[imi]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0300104685/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link

[Moreheaddriller]

Mine is fatherland by Robert Harris

[kamehouse]

Here are a few books I had great pleasure to read:
European volunteers,the 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking" by Peter Staßner
Death of the Wehrmacht,the German Campaign of 1942 by Robert M Citino
It never snows in September,the German view of Market-Garden and the battle of Arnhem,September 1944 by Robert J.Kershaw
Black Edelweiss, A memoir of combat and conscience by a soldier of the waffen-SS by Johann Voss
In the firestorm of the last years of the war,II.SS-Panzerkorps with the 9 and 10.SS-Divisions "Hohenstaufen" and "Frundsberg" by Wilhelm Tieke
Bridgehead Kurland,the six epic battles of Heeresgruppe Kurland by Franz Kurowski
Grenadiers,the story of waffen-SS general Kurt"Panzer" Meyer by Kurt Meyer
Like a cliff in the ocean,the history of 3.SS-Panzer-Division "Totenkopf" by Karl Ullrich
Das Reich volume 1,2 and 3 by Otto Weidinger
The History of Panzerkorps GroßDeutschland volume 1,2 and 3 by Helmut Spaeter
For research purposes anything in the "then and now" collection.

[Jazzman]

Just finished "Killing Rommel" by Steven Pressfield. About the war in North Africa, excellent! Also try "War of the Rats" by David L. Robbins which is about the sniper war waged in Stalingrad. Both are fact based fiction works and great reads. "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" should be required reading for this site!

[kuuk]

One of my favorite books is: "Soldier of Orange" by Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, in English or in the original Dutch language. (I had the honor to meet Mr. R. once on an airplane traveling to Amsterdam).

Another favorite book is the earlier mentioned "The Big Show" by Pierre Clostermann. It was the first pocket book (used) I bought in the US back in 1960 for the grand sum of 10 cents! I still have it, but it is now barely legible. During WWII from, Sep 19 1944 until Feb 25 1945, we were evacuated to a little town called Beers (rhymes with bails) which is approxiamately 10 miles from the German built airbase Volkel in the southern part of the Netherlands. P.C. was based there for some time, and I am sure that he was one of the pilots of the many "Tempests" that came screaming over! One of the pictures in the book was taken at Volkel and that was the reason I originally bought it.

[D502]

Something else entirely:

Little Girl lost (An der Hand meiner Schwester. Zwei Mädchen im Kriegszerstörten Deutschland) by Barbie (Bärbel) Probert-Wright

In 1945, seven-year-old Barbie and her sister Eva were trapped, terrified, in war-torn Germany. With their father missing, and hundreds of miles from their mother, news of the approaching army left them confronted with an impossible choice: to face invasion, or to flee on foot. Eva, aged 19, was determined to find her mother. For Barbie, 12 years younger, the journey was to be more perilous but, spurred on by her sister’s courage and her desperate desire to be reunited with her mother, she joined Eva on a journey no child should ever have to endure. Over three hundred miles across a country ravaged by a terrible war, they encountered unimaginable hardship, extraordinary courage and overwhelming generosity. Against all the odds, they survived. But neither sister came out of the journey unscathed.
This book doesn't provide you with politics or a story of the war with details of events, it shows another point of view.

[herman2]

I Was There................is the name of a book involving the day to day tribulations involving the Hitler Youth during WW-2. It is enjoyable and easy reading about the kids drama that unfolds as they go from school friends to Hitler Youth comrads, and the over use of their power to degrade one another....it is a sad story but brings together the view of how it was being brought up in Germany during WW-2....The book relates to stories my parents use to tell me, when my dad was in the Hitler Youth....basically you had to join...there was no such thing as saying No...and unfortunately, at the time, it made your parents proud to be in the Hitler Youth...

[kamehouse]

War without Garland,operation Barbarossa 1941/42 by Robert Kershaw.
Barbarossa viewed by soldiers on both sides(more German though) with lots of letters/diaries of the time and several interviews.Nearly finished it and really impressed by the style and way the author tries to put you in the shoes of the poor infantry guy or the tank gunner.

[gunner-B]

Tank ’40 Hours of battle by Ken Tout: tells the story of his exploits as a Sherman tank crewman during the first 40 hours of Operation Totalize during the Normandy campaign. This is probably the best tank warfare book you are ever likely to read.
Ken Tout was in C troop 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry, the same unit that (May have)Destroyed Wittmanns Tiger. (Joe Ekins may well have done the job)
Also by Ken Tout is Tanks Advance, which goes into his exploits from England, landing in Normandy, and on to his getting injured in Holland.

The forgotten soldier by Guy Sajer: A 'MUST READ' book about life & death on the Eastern front.

Paul

[Manheim Schrute]

I really enjoyed "The Forgotten Soldier" A really good look at how awful it must have been to fight in Russia. I understand there is some controversey regarding this book,but I was totally into reading it.

[gunner-B]

Here are a few more books that may be of interest:

HITLER: Joachim c. Fest. A rather academic and detailed book of Hitler’s life, that runs for about 800 pages. It’s hard going but if you have to read a biography about the man then you should get this one. The author by the way served in the German army during the war, and no, the book doesn’t glorify Hitler.

HITLER: Norman Stone A good short, critical over-view of Hitler, of about 230 pages. An easier substitute to the one above.

THE RISE AND FALL OF THE THIRD REICH: William L. Shirer. A terrific account of the Third Reich that (Even after 48 years,) still “stacks up” well .

Wings of War: History of Airborne Warfare 1918-1945: Peter Harclerode. Covers Airborne operations of all the major forces on the Western and Eastern fronts and the Pacific and Asian fronts.

BATTLE OF BRITAIN then and now: If you want a book that shows you the “Boys” that sacrificed ALL for the freedom of this world, then get this book, their photo’s look back at you, many from different nations. A very moving book.
The book also shows the pieces of wreckage that have been recovered since the battle and are either in museums or private collections. There is also sections on the losses of pilots, aircraft, the order of battle of both sides . The list goes on and on. As for photos, they are countless, in this large book of over 800 pages.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TANKS OF WORLD WAR TWO: Peter Chamberlain, Hilary Doyle & Thomas L. Jentz.
BRITISH AND AMERICAN TANKS OF WORLD WAR II: Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis.
Both of the above books give a good, informative overview of the types of tanks and A.F.Vs in service, and are well illustrated.

TAIL-END CHARLIES: John Nichol, Tony Rennell. A book about a most hazardous of wartime occupations; being a bomber crewman in both the R.A.F and U.S.AF over Europe. (John Nichol was one of the two man Tornado crew tortured and put on Iraqi T.V and made to confess all to the world during the first gulf war)