Best Ever Military History Books

[Titanic]

What a great thread... to my shame, I haven't read a single one of these or even heard of most of them... the closest I've got to anything like this is Birdsong by Sebastien Faulks which I found completely absorbing.

If you were recommending one book to a 40-something beginner in this genre, what would it be?

 

[Lankyseagull]

I do prefer Tufty's rival book, Trenches in Fletchling.

No, that was "Ditches in what I have slept in Fletching"

 

[strings]

What a great thread... to my shame, I haven't read a single one of these or even heard of most of them... the closest I've got to anything like this is Birdsong by Sebastien Faulks which I found completely absorbing.

If you were recommending one book to a 40-something beginner in this genre, what would it be?

For a beginner I would go with something by Stephen E. Ambrose (even if it isn't 100% factually accurate), he writes very well and you won't want to put the book down. He forms a history by interviewing the people that were actually there so the books are remarkably personal to the veterans.

Stephen E. Ambrose died in 2002 - I believe that he was a Professor at one of the US 'Ivy league' Universities by then.

 

[Lankyseagull]

What a great thread... to my shame, I haven't read a single one of these or even heard of most of them... the closest I've got to anything like this is Birdsong by Sebastien Faulks which I found completely absorbing.

If you were recommending one book to a 40-something beginner in this genre, what would it be?

Birdsong is a great book.

Try "The First Casualty" by Ben Elton, a murder mystery set in the background of the trenches of WWI.

 

[Kylies Stunt Arse]

The Quiet Operator by Mark Adkin and John Simpson.

 

[jakarta]

Being a devotee of the Battle of Britain (was going to join the RAF after watching the film in 1968 - when I grew up I realised they didn't fly Spitfires any more so didn't) I have several books on the Battle itself and dozens on Military Aviation generally.

Head and shoulders above all in my opinion is 'The Most Dangerous Enemy' by Stephen Bungay. A hughly researched and highly considered rewriting of the Battle that does not indulge in the cliche of 'exploding myths' as do most of the modern accounts but does make the reader consider many more aspects of 1940 than just the dogfights of July to October.

Bungay is/was a Management Consultant and his analysis of the Battle and the two sides reads very much as if the British & Germans were rival companies, preparing to market their new products (Air Power) based on different theories. It becomes clear that their opposing products are based upon cultural as well as technical differences in the two countries.

Incidentally don't let that put you off, there is a huge amount of stuff about the hardware and the people actually fighting as well (the book starts with an account of the first dogfight of 'the worst pilot in the squadron who knew he was about to die'). The old chestnut about the relative performance of the British & German fighters is explored at some length and some accepted 'facts' debunked - he even takes a flight in a dual control Spitfire to experience some dogfighting manoeuvres.

It is also interspersed with many other recurring characters, both political and military, all the way from Hitler and Chuchill to the ground crews.

He does use a fair amount of statistics and graphs but this is mostly to compare and contrast what was thought about the Battle at the time, especally in terms of the relative strengths of each side, with what was actually happening. Again, this is very revealing about the nature of the opposing products.

His conclusions at the end of the book may surprise those that have not really thought too much about the Battle. While it obviously meant that World War 2 would continue, what that meant is explored to its logical conclusion in a way that even I had not thought about, including what the USA and USSR would have done or not done. It really did matter to the World who won this Battle and in a non jingoistic way I did finish this book proud to be British.

 

[Man of Harveys]

If you were recommending one book to a 40-something beginner in this genre, what would it be?

I would definitely recommend the Norman Davies book on WW2 to anyone. It's readable and brilliant and massively thought-provoking.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

What a great thread... to my shame, I haven't read a single one of these or even heard of most of them... the closest I've got to anything like this is Birdsong by Sebastien Faulks which I found completely absorbing.

If you were recommending one book to a 40-something beginner in this genre, what would it be?

I'm 43. Would recommend "Stalingrad" and "Berlin" by Anthony Beevor - both recognised as classics and give you a different perspective on the War as taught to you and me at school and in war films of the 50's and 60's.

 

[Grizz]

Rilfes by Mark Urban is a fantastic book and very readable. His follow up Fusiliers is just as good.

You seem quite into military stuff portlock, so other books that i thought were excellent were

Swastika in my Gunsight - Igor Kaberov. Book about a russian Guards pilot during WWII. Its a hard read as the translation isn't the best, but so interesting.

The First and the Last - Adolf Galland. Again another hard book to read, but a fascinating insight into a man that was supremely arrogant about his abilities and the the Luftwaffe.

Wing Leader - Johnnie Johnson. Superb account of his RAF days.

War in a Stringbag - Charles Lamb. Extraordinary account of the pilots who flew the Fairey Swordfish biplane and a fascinating account of the raid on Taranto.

Samurai - Subaro Sakai. Very readable account of Japans greatest pilot during WWII.

Most Dangerous Enemy - Stephen Bungay. Excellent account of the Battle of Britain.

 

[m20gull]

From the ones listed so far: Enemy Coast Ahead or Wing Leader for autobiography and Dresden for the history.

My all-time favourites are "A Man called Intrepid" about the Intelligence Services and Alec le Vernoy's "No Drums, No Trumpets" - a story so amazing that it is hard to believe it is a work of fiction.

 

[clarkey]

Finally if you are going on a very long holiday:
Shelby Foote's 3 volume Narrative history of the American Civil War is excellent, informative and easy to read.

A good alternative to this, in one volume is James McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom. Brilliantly readable. Or his Crossroads of Freedom which focuses on the Battle of Antietam in particualr.

Or, there are plenty of great biographies of Napoleon if that is more your thing. Cronin etc.

 

[portlock seagull]

Rilfes by Mark Urban is a fantastic book and very readable. His follow up Fusiliers is just as good.

You seem quite into military stuff portlock, so other books that i thought were excellent were

Swastika in my Gunsight - Igor Kaberov. Book about a russian Guards pilot during WWII. Its a hard read as the translation isn't the best, but so interesting.

The First and the Last - Adolf Galland. Again another hard book to read, but a fascinating insight into a man that was supremely arrogant about his abilities and the the Luftwaffe.

Wing Leader - Johnnie Johnson. Superb account of his RAF days.

War in a Stringbag - Charles Lamb. Extraordinary account of the pilots who flew the Fairey Swordfish biplane and a fascinating account of the raid on Taranto.

Samurai - Subaro Sakai. Very readable account of Japans greatest pilot during WWII.

Most Dangerous Enemy - Stephen Bungay. Excellent account of the Battle of Britain.

Thanks for all these suggestions Grizz, I've read a couple of Mark Urbans ones but not heard of the rest and they sound pretty interesting. I've got a lot of reading to do now on my holidays!! Play.com are going to do very well out of me as I've just bought a number of suggestions from you and others made on this thread.

Thanks very much everyone!! Top recommendations

 

[m20gull]

From the ones listed so far: Enemy Coast Ahead or Wing Leader for autobiography and Dresden for the history.

My all-time favourites are "A Man called Intrepid" about the Intelligence Services and Alec le Vernoy's "No Drums, No Trumpets" - a story so amazing that it is hard to believe it is a work of fiction.

I did of course mean NOT a work of fiction!

 

[eastlondonseagull]

AJP Taylor's The Origins of The Second World War got me through school nicely. Fabulous, fascinating book

.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

The First and the Last - Adolf Galland.

Didn't he write The Beach?

.

 

[franks brother]

Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace.

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

Beevor is very good although Berlin is better than Stalingrad.

Davies book on the Warsaw Uprising and Zamoyskis on 1920 are both great

Two months ago I read a fanatastic book about all the little wars that were fought during the reign of Queen Victoria but I've forgotten both name and author (checked it... its Saul David - Victoria's Wars)

Saul David's Indian Mutiny is a good read as is David Fromkin's a Peace to end all Peaces

And if you liked the 1000 Spartans movie you have to read Tom Holland's Persian Fire

 

[vegster]

Wellington: The Iron Duke, by Richard Holmes

A very good read .. nuff said

 

[vegster]

oops ! forgot to add... " Once a Warrior King, Memories of an American Officer in Vietnam" by David Donovan.

Forget the usual gung-ho gum chewing arrogance.. Donovan was in a special "Hearts and Minds" team in the Mekong delta. He was part of a team of 5 specialists who lived and worked with the local Vietnamese in the fight against Viet-Cong insurgents. absolutely amazing and a very subtle critique of the U.S. war machine. Very vivid and moving

 

[Tubby Mondays]

I do prefer Tufty's rival book, Trenches in Fletching.

Tufty is so far the only person ever to be dismissed from the JBRA for being drubk on duty.