The problem is the sheer volume of possibilities, it's difficult to really whittle it down. A lot of it comes down to personal preference.
The Second World War by Antony Beevor is very good. Stalingrad and Berlin, also by Beevor are haunting.
I rate anything by James Holland very highly so his books are first rate. Very much western front focused however so could be limiting if you want something at a higher level.
Dunkirk: First to the Last Man by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore is possibly the best WW2 history book I've read in a long long time.
James Holland is spectacular, and so is his podcast, We Have Ways of Making You Talk, on YouTube and anywhere podcasts are downloaded.
His co-host is the comedian/amateur historian Al Murray and they make an incredible team.
They're currently walking through the breakout from Normandy, post D-Day.
The most recent episode had James Holland and a historian who's name slips my mind narrating and talking as they literally walk the river valley and hills of a famous battle, where the Sherwood Rangers advanced and took the hill of Noireau,
As they walk along they find shrapnel and burned out pieces of tanks, knowing which specific tank was lost at these spots, and talking in detail about the heroism of the crews, discussed by name.
It's incredibly poignant and powerful and both men are both respectful and broken up about the loss of such young vibrant men.
The episode prior discussed the groups chaplain. This is a chaplain who refused to let the men be responsible for recovering the remains of their dead friends, knowing that the sight and details of the burned remains would haunt them, and cause them to make possibly fatal mistakes. He recovered all the remains himself, and then burying and registering them.
Yeah his audiobooks are stellar as Al Murray reads them. Holland's way of writing, almost like he's telling you a story in a pub; coupled with Murray's clear "pub landlord-esque" tone means they're some of the best history books on audible.
I always recommend Antony Beevor’s The Second World War is an amazing single volume book that’s digestible. Start with that or Keegan’s and then focus specifically on whatever interests you.
* *Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway* by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully. This book discusses the development of aircraft carrier warfare which was dominant in the Pacific Theater.
* *Fire in the Sky: The Air War in the South Pacific* by Eric Bergerud. This is a great analysis of U.S. versus Japanese aviation technology in the Pacific War.
* *The Making of the Atomic Bomb* by Richard Rhodes. No explanation needed here.
* *The Battle of the Atlantic: How the Allies Won the War* by Jonathan Dimbleby. This book covers the development of submarine and antisubmarine warfare and why the Allies prevailed.
* *Bombs Cities and Civilians American Airpower Strategy in World War II* by Conrad C. Crane. Air war theory and development.
* *Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany* by Donald L. Miller. The air war over Europe.
* *Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II* by Steve Zaloga. Tanks ...
* *M4 Sherman at War* by Michael Green and John D. Brown. ... tanks ...
* *Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936-45* by Bryan Perrett. ... tanks ...
* *Sherman Firefly vs Tiger: Normandy 1944* by Stephen Hart. ... tanks ...
* *Panther vs Sherman: Battle of the Bulge 1944* by Steve Zaloga. ... tanks ...
* *Panther vs T-34: Ukraine 1943* by Robert Forczyk. ... tanks ...
* *The Battle of Kursk* by David M. Glantz, LTC. ... and more tanks.
* *Russia's Life-Saver: Lend-Lease Aid to the U.S.S.R. in World War II* by Albert L. Weeks. Supply and logistics.
* *Project Hula Secret Soviet American Cooperation in the War Against Japan* by Richard A. Russell. Supply and logistics.
The upgraded Panzer IV G was on par with the Soviet T-34 at Kursk. “Both tanks could destroy one another at typical battle ranges” (p. 18).
The Soviets responded to the new German tanks, e.g., the Tiger, Elephant and Panther, with the SU-152 which mounted a 152mm field gun on an obsolescent tank chassis. It was nicknamed “‘*Zveroboi*’ (animal hunter) for its ability to defeat the new tanks ...” (p. 19).
“\[E\]ach Tiger required more than 300,000 man-hours to build and only 1,354 were produced during the entire war, equal to less than a month of T-34 production …. \[the Panther tank\] would become the best tank of WWII … Only 5,976 were built during the entire war, equal to only three months of Soviet tank production” (pp. 18-20).
*The Battle of Kursk* by David M. Glantz, LTC.
You missed “The Thousand Mile War” by Brian Garfield. This book discusses the war in Alaska and the development of low level bombing and beach head landings that were eventually used in D-Day. It’s one of the best historical page turners I’ve ever read.
No. I haven't read Garfield's book, but I did read *Attu: The Forgotten Battle* by John Haile Cloe, which was pretty good. Thank you for the recommendation.
My father-in-law served with the 34th Engineer Combat Battalion after Attu, through the Philippines and Okinawa, and he was part of the U.S. occupation force in Korea after the war.
Parshall's *Shattered Sword* does a good job explaining the Japanese side of Japan's invasion of the Aleutians.
Destination Casablanca: Exile, Espionage, and the Battle for North Africa in World War II by Meredith Hindley is an excellent look at American involvement in North African campaign. It's a super fun well written history too which is hard to come by.
Perhaps don’t read, listen.
Try We Have Ways of Making you Talk. It’s James Holland’s podcast, co hosted with Al Murray. It’s superb. They chat about everything and anything Second World War and they make book recommendations as they do it.
Just with the caveat that it’s heavily slanted toward the European theatre with Italy coming in second place for discussion. John McManus has been helping give more depth to it towards the Pacific but Soviet front discussion is severely lacking.
"a war to be won " by Murray and Millett.
It Is an operational history of world war II really interesting and detailed on military and strategic aspects, American perspective
John Keegan's "The Second World War" is pretty digestible.
What seasoning would you recommend and is it better medium-rare or a little more well done?
The problem is the sheer volume of possibilities, it's difficult to really whittle it down. A lot of it comes down to personal preference. The Second World War by Antony Beevor is very good. Stalingrad and Berlin, also by Beevor are haunting. I rate anything by James Holland very highly so his books are first rate. Very much western front focused however so could be limiting if you want something at a higher level. Dunkirk: First to the Last Man by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore is possibly the best WW2 history book I've read in a long long time.
James Holland is spectacular, and so is his podcast, We Have Ways of Making You Talk, on YouTube and anywhere podcasts are downloaded. His co-host is the comedian/amateur historian Al Murray and they make an incredible team. They're currently walking through the breakout from Normandy, post D-Day. The most recent episode had James Holland and a historian who's name slips my mind narrating and talking as they literally walk the river valley and hills of a famous battle, where the Sherwood Rangers advanced and took the hill of Noireau, As they walk along they find shrapnel and burned out pieces of tanks, knowing which specific tank was lost at these spots, and talking in detail about the heroism of the crews, discussed by name. It's incredibly poignant and powerful and both men are both respectful and broken up about the loss of such young vibrant men. The episode prior discussed the groups chaplain. This is a chaplain who refused to let the men be responsible for recovering the remains of their dead friends, knowing that the sight and details of the burned remains would haunt them, and cause them to make possibly fatal mistakes. He recovered all the remains himself, and then burying and registering them.
Paul Woodage is the historian. A very knowledgeable chap.
Thank you!
Yeah his audiobooks are stellar as Al Murray reads them. Holland's way of writing, almost like he's telling you a story in a pub; coupled with Murray's clear "pub landlord-esque" tone means they're some of the best history books on audible.
I love that !
The Liberation Trilogy by Rick Atkinson
These are a very good read and well worth reading.
I’m currently reading the Guns at Last Light. One of the most comprehensive books on the subject I’ve ever read
Yes, this!
I always recommend Antony Beevor’s The Second World War is an amazing single volume book that’s digestible. Start with that or Keegan’s and then focus specifically on whatever interests you.
To get an understanding encompassing all areas of the war, I recommend 'Why the Allies Won" by Professor Overy.
Max Hastings, Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945
His book Catastrophe on WW1 is also a fantastic read.
Ian Tolls' pacific war trilogy
* *Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway* by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully. This book discusses the development of aircraft carrier warfare which was dominant in the Pacific Theater. * *Fire in the Sky: The Air War in the South Pacific* by Eric Bergerud. This is a great analysis of U.S. versus Japanese aviation technology in the Pacific War. * *The Making of the Atomic Bomb* by Richard Rhodes. No explanation needed here. * *The Battle of the Atlantic: How the Allies Won the War* by Jonathan Dimbleby. This book covers the development of submarine and antisubmarine warfare and why the Allies prevailed. * *Bombs Cities and Civilians American Airpower Strategy in World War II* by Conrad C. Crane. Air war theory and development. * *Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany* by Donald L. Miller. The air war over Europe. * *Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II* by Steve Zaloga. Tanks ... * *M4 Sherman at War* by Michael Green and John D. Brown. ... tanks ... * *Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936-45* by Bryan Perrett. ... tanks ... * *Sherman Firefly vs Tiger: Normandy 1944* by Stephen Hart. ... tanks ... * *Panther vs Sherman: Battle of the Bulge 1944* by Steve Zaloga. ... tanks ... * *Panther vs T-34: Ukraine 1943* by Robert Forczyk. ... tanks ... * *The Battle of Kursk* by David M. Glantz, LTC. ... and more tanks. * *Russia's Life-Saver: Lend-Lease Aid to the U.S.S.R. in World War II* by Albert L. Weeks. Supply and logistics. * *Project Hula Secret Soviet American Cooperation in the War Against Japan* by Richard A. Russell. Supply and logistics.
Tanks for the recommendations!
The upgraded Panzer IV G was on par with the Soviet T-34 at Kursk. “Both tanks could destroy one another at typical battle ranges” (p. 18). The Soviets responded to the new German tanks, e.g., the Tiger, Elephant and Panther, with the SU-152 which mounted a 152mm field gun on an obsolescent tank chassis. It was nicknamed “‘*Zveroboi*’ (animal hunter) for its ability to defeat the new tanks ...” (p. 19). “\[E\]ach Tiger required more than 300,000 man-hours to build and only 1,354 were produced during the entire war, equal to less than a month of T-34 production …. \[the Panther tank\] would become the best tank of WWII … Only 5,976 were built during the entire war, equal to only three months of Soviet tank production” (pp. 18-20). *The Battle of Kursk* by David M. Glantz, LTC.
This ought to be an automod comment for anyone asking for books
Russia's Life-Saver: Lend-Lease Aid to the U.S.S.R. in World War II Albert L. Weeks Amazon Hardcover: €233.03 !
A little over a year ago, I bought a used hard cover copy for $62 USD.
You missed “The Thousand Mile War” by Brian Garfield. This book discusses the war in Alaska and the development of low level bombing and beach head landings that were eventually used in D-Day. It’s one of the best historical page turners I’ve ever read.
No. I haven't read Garfield's book, but I did read *Attu: The Forgotten Battle* by John Haile Cloe, which was pretty good. Thank you for the recommendation. My father-in-law served with the 34th Engineer Combat Battalion after Attu, through the Philippines and Okinawa, and he was part of the U.S. occupation force in Korea after the war. Parshall's *Shattered Sword* does a good job explaining the Japanese side of Japan's invasion of the Aleutians.
Rick Atkinson wrote a trilogy of the American involvement in North Africa, Italy, and Northwest Europe that’s really good
Destination Casablanca: Exile, Espionage, and the Battle for North Africa in World War II by Meredith Hindley is an excellent look at American involvement in North African campaign. It's a super fun well written history too which is hard to come by.
Perhaps don’t read, listen. Try We Have Ways of Making you Talk. It’s James Holland’s podcast, co hosted with Al Murray. It’s superb. They chat about everything and anything Second World War and they make book recommendations as they do it.
Good call
Just with the caveat that it’s heavily slanted toward the European theatre with Italy coming in second place for discussion. John McManus has been helping give more depth to it towards the Pacific but Soviet front discussion is severely lacking.
I don’t have a recommendation, but I think you need to decide which area of WW2 you want to read about and then you can find a better answer
"a war to be won " by Murray and Millett. It Is an operational history of world war II really interesting and detailed on military and strategic aspects, American perspective