Book's you recomend

Hi,
I know there are probably a few threads like this but I can't seem to find them so I guess im making a new one. I'm obviously looking for books on the seond world war, I like a lot of infantry weapons, tanks, d-day, Battle of the bulge. I really dislike the polotics and that stuff all though a little goverment is pretty cool. I have been browsing on Amazon but I havent bought anything because I need some tips so those would be appreciated aswell. Any books that you recomend or just book tips will be helpful, thanks.

 

It isn't the ETO but Eugene Sledge's "With the Old Breed at Peleilu and Okinawa" is probably one of the best books ever written about what it's like to be an infantryman.

 

Alright thanks, I'll check it out. I think I have heard of this one, I'll look it up on Amazon and stuff like that. Thanks.

 

Check out the books by Rick Atkinson (series starts with "An Army At Dawn", about the North Africa campaign, then follows with "The Day of Battle", Sicily and Italy). "Army at Dawn" starts off kinda slow, dealing with Patton and the logistical snafu on the docks in New York, but it is a phenomenal series once you get a chapter or two in. Also look for pretty much anything by Stephen Ambrose. A good personal first-person series is by Donald R. Burgett, it starts with "Curahee!", and goes with him through the war with the 101st Airborn (506th, but with a different company than the "Band of Brothers" Easy Company guys). "Visions From a Foxhole" by William A. Foley Jr and "Roll Me Over" by Raymond Gantner are also two other first-persons that I thought were great. Those should get you started.

Another good idea is to check the reviews on Amazon, or take a look at the "customers who bought this also bought ____" suggestions. Quite often those have led me along quite the educational path! And as far as history books go, I've encountered very few that haven't found a permanent spot on my shelves.

 

I would be very interested, please tell me these book's. I do really like the Pacific Theater and other thing's like so. Please tell, thanks. By the way I any book's with lot's of veteran quote's.

 

I'd get all three Cornelius Ryan books (classics): The Longest Day, A Bridge Too Far, and The Last Battle
Then Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose

Then follow your nose. A good idea is to look at the bibliographies at the back of a book, and continue your reading from that.

 

Slipdigit your a huge help! I see your rating on the book: "German order of battle, volume two" and it looks like something I would most definatly read. I notice there is a series of these books and on Amazon there not too expensive. Could you maybe tell me what this book/series is about?

 

If you want good D-Days reads, look at Cornelius Ryan's "The Longest Day" and John Keegan's "Six Armies at Normandy". On that note, I also highly recommend Ryan's other two books (A Bridge Too Far and The Last Battle). If you like these types of "big chronology" books, Max Hastings is also very good.

For the Ardennes, "The Longest Winter" (or something along those lines, I can't remember the exact title) is a very good read. Its about a cut off US platoon that held its position against overwhelming German forces for a few days.

 

I have the series as well, and although a very valuable research tool, it can be a bit "dry" if you are looking to read it like a "non-academic" book (such as Band of Brothers). Don't get me wrong, they are excellent books, but its more an an "encyclopedia" format as opposed to a "history book".

As for what its about: The books offer detailed chronologies of each German division's actions during WWII, complete with commanders and engagements. Depending on the division, the entries for each one range from 1/3 of a page to multiple pages.

 

I cannot agree more with this statement (emphasis added by me)! Keep a Post-it note or index card or something handy while reading, quite a few times I've been reading a unit history or specific battle history, not following one person in particular, and the author will mention "Sergeant/Lieutenant/General So-and-So, author of _______"...or will quote directly from that book and give the title in the text. Scribble those titles down, check Amazon, and READ THE SYNOPSIS of the book. Also read the comments. A good commenter will give a good rundown of the book, without going into details or revealing that Vader is actually McArthur's father. Oops. If you're worried about spending a lot of money on books you won't like, then by all means hit the library! If you don't like it, return it. You're not out anything except the time spent getting to/from the library, surfing the shelves, and hitting on the cute assistant librarian. Try to give each book a couple of chapters' read-time, since a good portion of them start out slowly, explaining the history of a certain area or the family lineage of a certain person, so you get a feel for your subject and the why's and hows. Some of this can be insanely boring.

 

@George Patton, I have seen something similar to the "Longest Winter" on youtube, It's pretty good; It's about diffrent platton's holding there positions in The Battle Of The Bulge against hundreds of German enimies. Here's the link:YouTube - ‪SHOOTOUT!- The Battle Of The Bulge 1/5‬‏ make sure you watch the entire series and part's; It's really good in my opinion.
Thanks, im going to go look those books up.

 

@RabidAlien, WOW! More good tip's. I actually read a book called: "Pegasus Bridge" By: Stephen E. Ambrose and he quotes ALOT of book's on the last page so I think when im done posting this I'll go right 'em down. I also think it's a wonderful idea to "Hit the library" as I have a local library I never go to; I do have a library card however. I'm sure there has to be atleast 20-30 book's that will interest me on The Second World War. However; I do REALLY like Stephen E. Ambrose's work and I do plan to get: " Band Of Brother's" and maybe some other titles by him.
Thanks,
Nolan

 

Yes, that's the same story. The book was very good. For more information on the platoon leader, see here: Lyle Bouck - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

"Behind Hitler's Lines" is also a good book - its about a US soldier who was captured, sent to a POW camp, escaped, and fought with the Soviets for the remainder of the war. Its a very good read. See: Joseph Beyrle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Oh, It seemed as if they were very action packed and entertaining. However im just starting a pretty boring book myself. You may have read/heard of it, It's called:
"Barbarossa 1941 Hitler's War Of Annihilation" It's very much about German goverment and the Nazi party. It is By: Geoffrey Megargee and it's not much of an exiting book but it does teach you a few thing's so im going to stick with it. The book im currently reading:http://www.librarything.com/work/2019664/summary

 

"Hell in the Hurtgen Forest" is an excellent account of that battle...the US Army would rather everyone forgot about it.

"Patton: A Genius For War" (Carlo d'Este) is by far the best book I've read about the man....come to think of it, I've not read a bad book by Mr. d'Este.

"The Rock at Anzio" is great for covering that battle/fiasco, and along those lines "A Perfect Hell" (John Nadler?) is about the FSSF, who took several key mountaintop positions in Italy and opened up the Germans' lines, as well as holding a very large stretch of Anzio front, with gaps between foxholes "large enough to march a division through", yet weren't content to sit and guard, but went out on patrols at night and would kill all but one man in a foxhole...yeah...waking up to find all your buddies' throats slit (and playing cards stuck to their forehead or something) tends to be rather demoralizing.

If you want to look at the air war, try "Baa Baa Blacksheep" by Boyington, its an excellent (and rather unrepentant) look at his life, flying, drinking, etc. Also "The Last Great Ace" follows Maj. Thomas McGuire from childhood through the Pacific...and features the P-38, of course!

 

Alright, if anyone has read "The longest day" Please tell me what you thought, it looks like this is the one im going to buy next. I have looked at the reviews on Library Thing and they are all positive. Aparently there is a good bonding between charecters, and the little stories in them selves. What did you think of this book?