Our favorite books on the second world war. We cover a range of topics - the Pacific War, the North Africa campaign,the Eastern Front as well as perspectives from women, a german soldier and more.
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The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II by Svetlana Alexievich |
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Written by the acclaimed author Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize for Literature, the book chronicles the experiences of Soviet women who participated in World War II. The recollections of the women vary in length and intensity, and will break your heart. Many of the women who survived were traumatized for life, and shunned by society. A magnificent book but not an easy read. Utterly devastating.
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With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by Eugene B. Sledge |
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The memoirs of Eugene Sledge (1923-2001), a soldier who served in the United States Marine Corps in the Pacific War (1937-1945). A raw and instense recounting of the two of the fiercest battles in World War II, and the transformation of a young man into a war-weary soldier.
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The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer |
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In this fast-paced book, French cartoonist Guy Sajer, whose father is German, recounts his experience on the Eastern Front as a soldier in the Wehrmacht during the withdrawal of the German army from Russian territory. This book gives the reader a glimpse of the war from the losing side.
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The Good War by Studs Terkel |
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A truly unique book for which Studs Terkel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. He captures the war from diverse points of view- including 'ordinary' civilans, and covers a wide range of topics.
One of the greatest books on the second world war.
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An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943 by Rick Atkinson |
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Awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2003, this work is considered one of the best accounts of World War II. Well researched and detailed, it covers the North Africa campaign of 1942 - a turning point in the war
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Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege, 1942–1943 by Antony Beevor |
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The most decisive battle of the Second World War was fought in Stalingrad. Its story has been told many times, but never as in this highly-acclaimed book by Antony Beevor. More |
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The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel |
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To quote literally from the book's synopsis, "It is about the extraordinary odyssey undertaken by a group of men and women who, in the midst of World War II and during the early postwar years, were commissioned to locate and rescue important works of art, including paintings by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Van Dyck and Vermeer, which had been stolen by the Nazis." Its a new angle on the war, and inspired a hollywood adaptation. More |
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The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown |
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American journalist Daniel James Brown reconstructs the epic story of the American Olympic rowing team that defeated the Germans by just one second in 1936. Daniel James tells us about the team's beginnings back in the college years, its slow progress in local competitions and, finally, its triumph in the Berlin Games. Despite knowing nothing about the world of rowing, Brown succeeded wonderfully in getting me engrossed in a story with a happy ending. This book is not about the war itself, but an interesting insight into Nazi Germany as well as post-depression era America. More |
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Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand |
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In June 1943, Louie Zamperini, a World War II bomber and Olympic athlete, is lying on a small raft adrift in the immensity of the Pacific Ocean. Beside him lie two other companions. Their bodies are scorched by the sun and a group of sharks stalks them every minute. They have been drifting for 27 days and have long since given up hope of being rescued. A metallic sound alerts them... it's an airplane - they can see its flash in the distance - Zamperini drops two flares. The castaways despair, but suddenly see it reappear. The crew has seen them. The plane begins to descend and the men realize with horror that it is a Japanese bomber and that they are its target. There is no way out. An incredible story of survival and resilience. More |
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The Dog Who Could Fly: The Incredible True Story of a WWII Airman and the Four-Legged Hero Who Flew At His Side by Damien Lewis |
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The real story of a German Shepherd who was rescued by a Robert, a Czechoslovakian aviator. The dog, named Antis, established an unbelievably close relationship with Robert, and they flew on missions together.
This was one of the best dog stories I have ever read - I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes books about dogs. More |
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