Comments on: Books, I Love Me Some Book Reading

By: I'm a Hick

I'm a Hick — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:54:18 +0000

Also, check out the history and political science sections of local college bookstores.

By: Oliver Willis

Oliver Willis — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:23:15 +0000

Thanks for the suggestions folks, I’ll report back on what I find.

By: Webster12

Webster12 — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:20:38 +0000

How about the Diary of Anne Frank?

You may find it a little cheesy for a guy like you but it’s great for people like me. I think Elie Wiesel has a story about concentration camps to..I’m not sure but you can search over in google.

By: Mike P

Mike P — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:23:16 +0000

“The Race Beat” is exceptional. Just an amazing read and worth the time for anyone interested in either the civil rights movement or journalism. Reading it will give you a more healthy disrespect for what currently passes as journalism.

By: marko99

marko99 — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 06:23:27 +0000

Oliver-

Have enjoyed your blog for quite a while, and hope I can contribute a couple of suggestions on WW2 books. While not a single book, I have always enjoyed Winston Churchill’s six volume set from the early 50’s as a fascinating overview of the European theater. I have also been impressed by the first two volumes of Rick Atkinson’s “Liberation Trilogy” on the European Theater as well - the first two books, one on the North African campaign (Pulitzer winner, I believe), the other on the Italian struggle, are out now - the third is coming in the near future. This is about as concise of a treatment as I have seen.

As far as the Pacific campaign, an intersting approach is to read American Caesar by William Manchester, the biography of Douglas MacArthur.

Keep up the good work

marko99

By: jerry

jerry — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 04:59:46 +0000

Regarding WWII, this is another sliver novel, so not what you are looking for, but Ordinary Heroes by Scott Turow was terrific as well, it covers a sliver of the Battle of the Bulge, and it is especially salient if you are a second or third generation Jew whose father or grandfather served in the European Theater.

By: James E. Powell

James E. Powell — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 04:57:03 +0000

If there is a one-volume WWII that will satisfy everyone, I haven’t heard of it. And I’ve been reading pretty much every major book since I was in high school.

There are a few that are good, general histories that serve as a pretty good start, or a pretty good review.

My favorite is Keegan’s.

By: jerry

jerry — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 04:55:55 +0000

I would like to travel to South America too. I’ll join you on your Rio trip….

I mentioned it in a comment several weeks back, but what the hell. An absolutely fantastic Vietnam mystery/spy novel/thriller/history/travelogue is “Up Country” by Nelson DeMille. It’s a story that takes place in Vietnam in 1997 in which an Army cop is sent to Vietnam, undercover, to investigate a murder that took place during the Battle of Hue. As the hero travels from Saigon to Hanoi, the author discusses the history of Vietnam, the various cultures, geography, and the important battles in the wars going back to the French involvement. I highly recommend it, especially the unabridged audio book. Oh, and along the way people get shot, there fights, and sex too. Good stuff all around.

By: Frinklin

Frinklin — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 04:16:01 +0000

Sir Martin Gilbert’s The Second World War: A Complete History is a great overview of the entire war. It’s a massive, magisterial work.