Reading list/order for a new World War 2 enthusiast.

Hey All

I'm just starting my own study of WWII, I've bought a bunch of books, have a bunch of books on my wishlist.

I was wondering if collectively we could come up with a suggested list of books and order to read them to both gain interest in the subject as well as build up a good overall knowledge.

Any opinions on this topic?

 

If you are interested a general history of war I recommend the works of Anthoy Beevor (Second World War) , Max Hastings (All Hel Let Loose ) , Andrew Roberts ( The Storm of War ) or Martin Gilbert (Second World War) For a specific subject (like a front , an important historical figure , a unit , personal account etc) during war period well there are so many of them. Is there any subject you are interested ?

 

I'm honestly not sure about where I want to focus my attention.

But I was more suggesting we craft some sort of introductory list to read for people completely new to the subject (Like myself)

Maybe starting with an overarching book like "A World at Arms" by Weinberg, then maybe move into "Origins of the Second World War" by Taylor, then one book focusing on every major action in the war chronologically, maybe including some memoirs or biographies of key figures as necessary.

Ending up with what hopefully looks like a nice beginner list for someone to work through and then after that, being able to make an informed decision on where they'd like to focus most of their attentions.

Again focussing on readability and the ability to keep the attention of someone who's not yet fully engulfed by world war 2.

 

These authors I mentioned about (Roberts , Beevor , Hastings , Gilbert) are best I think about general history , strategy , politics , military action , human , society effect etc of war. They are most readeble and cover almost every aspect of war more of less. There are also easy to read and gripping.

 

I'd suggest you contact Belasar if he does not read your request firstly..He's in charge of the library round here.

 

Thanks urqh, just throw it into my lap!

merdiolu has offered some fine choices, but I would add a biography on Hitler to your list. John Toland had a pretty good one that has been out for decades and there is a newer 2 volume work whose author escapes me for now. WWII in Europe does not happen without Hitler, so knowing him is a must to understand how much of the war came about.Shirer's Inside the Third Reich is another great foundation book. Don't try his Mein Kampf unless you have trouble falling asleep.

Our Book review section has an ever growing list of books reviewed by members, so that be worth looking into.

Yes I know, a shameless plug, but what did you expect!

 

I've also been told that "Hitler - A Study in Tyranny" is a good biography, If you were to choose one of those three, which would be your reccomendation?

 

I have read Toland's and have the two volume bio in my library, but have yet to get to it. I have heard good things about that book but cannot give you a personal recommendation. If it is handy to get I would say go for it. The one advantage to Toland's and Shirer's books is that they are considered "classics' in the subject and can often be found at a public library.

Sadly there are about thousand titles (well seems like it anyway) called "Hitler's" this or that and they run the gamut from great to pure junk.

Good Hunting!

 

Well my WW2 Library now sits nicely at 21 titles..and I'm still working through the first of them. So I should definitely be set for quite a while. I've gone for some wide overviews of the war to some biographies, some memoires, and some specific books on certain battles and companies.

So far I've got

A World at Arms - Gerhard L. Weinberg
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich - William L. Shirer
The Holocaust - Martin Gilbert

The Road to War - Richard Overy
The Origins of the Second World War - A.J.P. Taylor
The Wages of Destruction - Adam Tooze

To Lose a Battle: France 1940 - Alistair Horne
The Road to Stalingrad - Jon Erickson
Stalingrad - Antony Beever
Panzer Battles - F.W. Von Mellenthin
A Bridge Too Far - Cornelius Ryan
Parachute Infantry - David Kenyon Webster
Band of Brothers - Stephen E. Ambrose (Which is what i'm reading now and my first foray into WW2)

Panzer Commander - Hans Von Luck
21st Panzer Division - Chris Ellis
Achtung! Panzer - Heinz Guderian

Hitler: A Study in Tyranny - Alan Bullock
Adolf Hitler - John Tolland
Churchill: A Study in Greatness - Geoffrey Best
War Diaries - Field Marshall Alanbrooke

FUBAR - Gordon Rottman

I think next on my list to buy will be:

The Forgotten Soldier - Guy Sajen
Battle: The Story of the Bulge - John Tolland
Beyond Band of Brother - Dick Winters
Eagle Against The Sun - Ronald H. Spector

If there's anything that's obviously missing from my starting list please let me know (or if there are any theatres or major battles that aren't represented). I'm open to anything and will give any book a shot.

Thanks So Much Again

 

For Hitler and Third Reich I just have six choices nothing more

Third Reich Trilogy written by Richard Evans

1) The Coming of Third Reich
2) Third Reich in Power
3) Third Reich at War

They are SUBERB. Evans an expert about German history made a brilliant scholarly work ultimate study about Nazis and how they brought the war and how it all collapsed on them.

4) The Rise and Fall of Third Reich - William Shrier Best one volume work about Nazi Empire from its birth to its extinction. Shrier CBS Berlin correspondent when Hitler came into power in 1933 pulls no punches and using actual German documents and first hand resources he wrote a mercilessly accurate and devestating indictment against Third Reich. As belasar said it is a classic.

5) Hitler - Ian Kershaw - Best Hitler biography I have ever read.
6) Inside Third Reich - Albert Speer A technocrat and pragmatic and Hitler's architecht then Armements Minister from his view and account we see Third Reich's inner workings.

 

I'd say you had enough to be going on with...Intersperse them with some picture type books for a break every now and then...take time out on some lesser mortals...ON kit and personal story mixes...And of course...you'll find something that you want to explore further...then you'll realise...thats my interest sorted..

Shirer..dated but a must...
Ryans Bridge too far...is compact and tries to include as much info as possible..of course over the years more has come to light..but its still a damn good read.
Richard Overy...a great choice...add his Dictators to the list also...Hitler and Stalin...The differences sort of thing.
Hornes To lose a battle is an epic....And goes a long way in explaining the French attitudes before war..and the French army at war..Fascinating....And fights the myth of surrender fries....But gives his reasons between his lines.
Beevor and Stlalingrad....If you know nothing of the massive armies and battles of the East..then this will be a good introduction..Gives the impression of majeur manouvre...Without going off at politcal tangents.
I prefer Clarkes Crete to Beevors though.
Churchill has many good books...but all bring their own fight to the battle...but why not look at the mans own words in his epic..sometimes fancifull 2nd world war set...The appendix is worth purchasing it for on its own.
Then you can debunk or agree certain topics he mentions by reading your Allenbrooke choice..a personal favourite of mine.
You do though have a lack of Air pwwrrr..sorry air power and naval power in that list...They all need looking at.
And there are some great German stories..personal ones..airborne especially..
And of course..not complete without the politics of ww2..it cannot be ignored...

 

While Shattered Sword is nominally about Midway the intro chapters go into considerable detail of how the IJN and to a lesser extent IJA and Japanese govenment worked (or didn't work). Understanding some of this can be farily important for understanding the war in the Pacific in general.

 

And along with Hitler that other great DIctator - not mentioned so far - STALIN.

I honestly don't think you can find a better book than Simon Sebag Montefiore's, Stalin - the Court of the Red Tsar (also has a book the Young Stalin but this deals with Stalin pre-WW2).

Beautifully written and if you like his style then his book "Dunkirk Fight to the Last Man" is superb but only really covers the British Battles.

 

Scipio...your getting too many likes mate...the Dunkirk one is on my bookcase..read it in one go...One of the good Dunkirk books.

 

Yep going to my head!

But really you should try the Stalin Book. It is amazing how much new stuff he has got and how many interviews he conducted with children of the Red Inner Circle, besides being a fine book to read.

I also like the fact that he is meticulous in giving his full list of references both in the book and on his website - usually with further explanations\details.