Best WWII Books

In no order, Middlebrooks Arnhem, Lewins Montgomery, Wilmots Struggle for Europe, Beavors Stalingrad after many years of ignoring it, Ryans version of the last days of Berlin, his Bridge too far also, any thing at all on Dunkirk fall of France and Calais of which I have too much to mention apart from The Last Battle which is a superlative read.
Allenbrooks diaries, Churchills 6 volumes, Through Hell for Hitler, Many more I could list from the Burma Far East campaigns, but although owning quite a few Far East prisoner of war books, I seldom get past the harrowing tales and mostly guiltily move to the relief of the pow camps and the prisoners journeys home...There, now i've bored the lot of you.

 

See,,,,shouldnt reply to topics unless sitting in book room....The Last Battle??? To lose a Battle I think it was by Horne...Whoops.

 

British Tanks in Normandy by Ludovic Fortin.

Perfect choice for the wargamer or modeller; tons of detail, photos, drawings. Brief synopsis of each tank brigade and armoured division (also markings organisation structures to regiment level) plus a well written description of each of the tanks and variants. Chapters specific to daily life in Normandy and tactics, organisation, etc.

If you already have British and American Tanks of World War Two by Chamberlain and Ellis (if you don't - why not?) then this one will complement it.

Apparently this book retails for a pretty penny except through the Canadian bookseller Chapters-Indigo where I got mine fror $9.95.

At that price you can not go wrong.

 

Death traps by Belton Cooper
Prisoners of the Japanese by Gavin Daws
Citizen Soldiers & the Victors by Steven Ambrose
Campaign for Guadalcanal by Jack Coggins
many others too numerous to remember, but these stick in my mind.

 

For me, the following are superb first hand accounts -

Men at Arnhem - Geoffrey Powell
Currahee: A Screaming Eagle at Normandy - Donald Burgett
The Road to Arnhem: A Screaming Eagle in Holland - Donald Burgett
Seven Roads to Hell: A Screaming Eagle in Bastogne - Donald Burgett
Beyond the Rhine: A Screaming Eagle in Germany - Donald Burgett

 

Good thread as I love WWII in Europe stuff. A couple of questions.

I don't know where I read it but it is on this site that someone posted that now, decades later, Shirer's Rise and Fall of the Third Reich is viewed as less accurate than the years immediately after WWII. Can someone explain that to me? Why isn't it as accurate now, 67 years after the war?

Also, I'm listening to the audio book of Rise and Fall and love it but Shier is so wordy, which is good and bad. It's good because it's the definitive history of the Third Reich, but it's an exceptionally long read. Can anyone recommend a book that also covers well the history of the Third Reich but is shorter. Shirer had a love for detail so something less detailed would be great. Shirer's book is over 60 hours, so something maybe half to two thirds as long would be a great read.

Any ideas for me?

 

I don't think it's so much less accurate than less well-informed and in-depth. No-one is saying that Shirer's huge book is 'rubbish' or suchlike ( it was certainly the first history of the Nazi era which I read ). But many historians now contend that 'Rise & Fall' focuses too much on foreign policy and military matters and is too sketchy about the rise of Nazism and Nazi social policy, etc. It's mainly that far more research and scholarship has become available since 1960 and is reflected in histories by such authors as Richard J Evans, Michael Burleigh and Ian Kershaw, for example.

In defence of Shirer, I'll certainly say that there has always been some snobbery from the academics because of Shirer's journalistic background ( which, on the other hand, makes 'R&F' so readable ).

Shirer's memoir, 'Berlin Diary' ( and 'End Of A Berlin Diary' ) remain essential reading ; they are eyewitness reports of Shirer's own experiences.

 

I agree with all of what you wrote. R&F is totally fascinating, hence my second go at it. I'm listening to the audiobook and have also the written book on my iPad and as I listen I will sometimes google certain terms or names for more information. I try as much as possible to read the book at the same time as I listen to it, which enhances comprehension. I'll check out the book you recommended, so thanks for that. If anyone else has any definitive books on this topic, I'm open to other suggestions.

On the topic of people discounting Shirer's account of this era, I take those remarks with a dose of salt as Shirer is great. My only complaint is that R&F is too long if all you want is a narrative that is more precise and without all the incredible detail. Having said that, I'll retain both the audio and written books on my iPad because I'm sure I'll get to it a third time later.

 

And one has to remember that he was actually...there.... That goes a long way in his favour. His impressions are more what matters to me than the facts that all books of this type must surely miss as no one has ever written anything definitive.

 

I first read Shirer' s book so many years ago, I don't care to mention. However have read it again recently, I was again captivated. Frankly it was only natural he should concentrate upon those areas where he was directly involved.

Frankly I think anyone with a serious interest in this period should read his book.

In the same vein, Alan Moorehead's African Trilogy is a must for me. Again written by a journalist who was there on the front line, listening to the men and the generals (on the Allied side) and giving his own personal view.

Like Shirer, it is beautifully written and whilst wobbly at times on facts and opinions, is an essential for understanding the North African campaign (and Abbassinian) in my opinion.

 

... best work in the genre, some would argue that "The Collapse of the Third Republic" on the "hows and whys" of the Fall of France is superior. It might be uncharted territory for many board members already well acquainted with Germany's rise and demise, and worth a read; remember:

"Every man has two countries, and one of them is France." - Benjamin Franklin (although some would argue that it was actually uttered by Thomas Jefferson)

 

I wouldn't dare to make a judgment about "the best" WWII book. But I like to read everything about the Battle of the Bulge, my favourites are the three classics: Cole's "The Ardennes"; Mc Donald's "A Time for Trumpets" and Danny S. Parker's "Battle of the Bulge". One of the more obscure works I really loved is Robert F. Phillips' "To save Bastogne" as well as Roland Gaul's books. I've Parker's "Fatal Cross roads" lying on top of a huge pile, it's next on the list! Something I do regret is that I haven't read more about the subject from german authors.

 

And Hornes To Lose A Battle...has some good introductory French social pre war history which fits into anyones jigsaw.

 

Fortunately the OP used the plural so we're not being asked to do that.

 

"Lost Victories" by Field Marshal Erich von Manstein

"War as I have seen it"- Gen. George Patton

"Panzer Commander: Col.Hans von Luck.

 

For the Pacific I think you have to begin with Gordan Prange's works: At Dawn We Slept, The Verdict of History, Miracle at Midway. For a deeper look at Pearl I mostlyenjoyed Zimm's The Attack on Pearl Harbor, although he seemed to be somewhat dogmatic and narrowly focused on the thesis of his book - that the Japanese attack was shot through with fumbles and bumbles, which he clearly demonstrates.
Zimm's book has some goofs - as when he claims Prange claimed that FDR believed FDR took the Japanese 14 part response breaking off negotiations as a declaration of war. Obviously he hadn't read the next few paragraphs of Prange's description. Shattered Sword by Parshall and Tully I can recommend without much reservation as a very detailed look at Midway. They seem to nail down most of the details that Prange's book didn't cover, and sometimes correct Prange's few errors.
For ETO, The Bitter Woods is a good way to start with that battle. A Time for Trumpets is a more detailed examination of the battle.

 

I'm interested in why people think Shirer's Rise and Fall is somewhat inaccurate due to its age.

I'm currently reading Kershaw's The End. Very good and thorough, too thorough for my tastes. I got the audio book, D-Day by Beevor, for Christmas.