I recently picked up "The Naked and the Dead" by Norman Mailer and have started reading it. I find I somewhat like the 'old' style of writing, to a certain degree, and there is no mistaking that the book wasn't written in the last 20 years. Ever the book collector (books and video games are my two addictions) I am intrigued by enhancing my collection (I have close to 50 books waiting to be read scattered about my room, plus ~100 recently read books on my bookshelf downstairs) with some good books on World War 2. More specifically, World War 2 Fiction...stuff along the lines of The Thin Red Line (excellent book, terrible movie) and Popski's Private Army (perhaps the first WW2 book I ever read, discovered on my fathers book shelf when I was 8 years old). So, Rogues, can any of you recommend some good fictional WW2 classics? A brief browse of amazon reveals The Bridge on the River Kwai (great movie, never read the book) - think its worth it?
hi matt,not being a reader myself,found this recommendation website,hope it helps,ray.. World War II fiction recommendations | Historical Fiction | LibraryThing
For the air war, I'd recommend without hesitation Len Deighton's 'Bomber' - an acknowledged classic. Not quite in the same league ( being written much earlier ) but still very good nonetheless is John Hersey's 'The War Lover'.
For newer fiction, try Jeff Shaara's books The Rising Tide and The Steel Wave. The third book in the trilogy, No Less than Victory, is just out. I enjoyed the first two. An older book, The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat, was one of my favorites when I was a kid. It's the story of the Royal Navy in the Battle of the Atlantic.
I actually think I have The Rising Tide, haven't gotten around to reading it yet though. I am pretty sure I spotted No Less Than Victory at the bookstore...I have a thing for Hardcovers, and as a new release it was on display.
Jeff Shaara's books are great. Havent gotten around to The Steel Wave yet but im going to. Mussalini, do you like non fiction? I have som recommendations for those...
At the risk of sounding pedantic, Vladimir Peniakoff's book is non-fiction, or at the very least, a 'Forgotten Soldier'-style 'novelised memoir'......
I definitely agree on The Cruel Sea it is one that remains prominently on my bookshelf. I'm not so certain about Jeff Shaara's books, at least the first one felt a little weak, although I did read it to the end. Leon Uris Battle Cry comes to mind; the books of Herman Wouk. I enjoyed the series Brotherhood of War by W.E.B. Griffin. A Town Like Alice Nevil Shute; books by Alistair MacLean; King Rat James Clavell; For Whom the Bell Tolls Ernest Hemingway (although really pre WWII);
And of course, many reckon one of the finest pieces of writing to emerge from WWII in Britain to have been Evelyn Waugh's 'Sword Of Honour' trilogy ( 'Men At Arms', 'Officers And Gentlemen' and 'Unconditional Surrender' ). This is more 'Good-Bye To All That' than 'Wheels Of Terror' but is very high-quality literature and has much to say about Britain in WWII.
Though some of you may think my recommendation a little odd, if you're unable to go to a bookstore and want to kill some time, you might want to try the Historical category at www.fictionpress.com. There are some really great stories out there by amateur writers based in WWII - some...not so much. It's an amateur publishing site, after all. So, yeah. Some are in desperate need of an editor, but some deserve to be published in real life, methinks.
I can recommend you a few books: Hans Helmut Kirst – himself a Wehrmacht soldier during ww2. Hi has written quite a few ww2 fiction books - the best IMHO is his trilogy about Gunner Asch. It starts in the prewar army then goes to the Eastern front and ends in the last days of war in Germany. Hans Hellmut Kirst - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Vaino Linna - Unknown soldier – about a group of Finnish soldiers in the Continuation war, laced with subtle, bitter Finnish humor. It was made in to a movie. Manfred Gregor – The Bridge. A group of young boys is sent to defend a bridge in the last days of war against the advancing Americans. Also a movie by the same name. Colin Forbes – Tramp in armour. BEF Matida II tank left behind enemy lines is trying to reach Allied lines at Dunkirk.
Hamburg; Cross of Iron by Willi Heinrich. A great book and a better movie. The author did serve time on the Ostfront. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/151755.Cross_of_Iron JeffinMNUSA
