I am a WWII buff myself. I recommend the following IF you have not read them already. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. MacArthur’s Spies by Peter Eisner In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer by Irene Opdyke The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson. Lynne Olson’s books: Citizens of London, Madame Fourcade’s Secret War. Daughters of Yalta by Catherine Katz Churchill’s six volume memoirs.
Surprised to not see Anthony Beevor or Max Hastings in the collection. Hastings in particular I like that he focuses on some of the lesser known stories of the war.
Thank you, Brian, I am a professional historian specializing in the Second World War. I was blessed to grow up in Europe and the South Pacific and it has never left me. May I suggest "Delivered From Evil" by Robert Leckie.
Another awesome collection and video. I’ve also been to Dachau and it was creepy how quiet it was with no birds or insects making noise. I don’t see any Cornelius Ryan on your shelves. I read The Longest Day years ago and remember liking it. I’d like to check out A Bridge Too Far sometime.
No Herman Wouk? "Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance" are musts for any WWII shelf IMHO. Some NF recommendations.... "Unbroken" by Laura Hildebrand "A Higher Call" by Adam Makos. You need these!
Yesterday I literally typed in ww2 book review by Brian lee durfee because I was looking for your black cross review but forgot the title. Then today you post this, just perfect haha
Hey Brian ...Ian Mckellan did a remarkable job as Adolf Hitler in the film Countdown to war....the best WW2 film is Lore starring Saskia Rosendahl as Lore what a beautiful girl !
All booklovers should have as many historical studies as you, Brian; so much is forgotten in just a generation. WWII fiction written by people who lived it can be equally moving as accurate history, novels like From Here To Eternity and The Thin Red Line by James Jones as well as the highly readable The Winds of War and its direct sequel War & Remembrance by Herman Wouk. Be warned once you begin these books you will be skipping meals and sleep, and calling in sick at work until you've read the last page. My beloved Aunt Enid whom an uncle married when they met in Berlin after the war told me as a boy how horrible Nazis were, pounding on people's doors forcing them to attend Hitler's rallies. Those mass audiences seen in films she said were comprised chiefly of citizens who wanted nothing to do with an Austrian megalomaniac and his thugs. Even worse horrors she spared my young ears would make me weep to this day, Brian. I met some POWs too.
I just finished John C McManus first two books in his Pacific trilogy. Highly recommend. I've read most of these as well and they're just as accessible as Atkinson. He covers the SW Pacific campaign more thoroughly than anything I've read so far.
Watched his video up to the remark of these SOB's, when referring to the biography of Adolf Hitler and the rise and fall of the third Reich, as an author, he should have more common sense than referring to other nations that way, they had no choice they fought for their country whether it's right or wrong, just like we did, but his book collection, sucks! I noticed most of it was on the Americans and the Pacific, so his knowledge is very limited, I have no respect for Bryant and his stupid ass comments if you can't be impartial as an author shut your mouth, in his case he should remember this, it's better to be thought of as ignorant, then to speak up and remove all doubt!!!
We all have our "fav" books, and so, tripping into the common: 'A Bridge Too Far.' A wonderful effort; a tragic end. Very few of us will utter a statement, made up of a few words, that packs the punch spoken of this plan. It was a bridge too far.
Thanks Brian , I am going to check out the show The Pacific. Finally, a show that my husband will watch with me as he refuses to watch anything with dragons😜!
Good start - but you are missing some key ones - including "Inside the Third Reich" by Albert Speer, Hitler's "Mein Kampf" and Calvocoressi's "Total War".
When I read Diary of Anne Frank as a teenager, I didn't grasp the implications fully. Few years later, the full horror and tragedy hit me. My mom has the book D-Day, I haven't read it yet. Great collection.
Helo Could help me I'm looking for 2 world war book which is mainly focus on the ..war started?,when? , why, ? Who won ? Who loss? When ,how ? Impact ? Politicaly? Who join and why? Axis groups and allied groups...when invaded? How many lost from both sides..who who join and when ,thire event ,incendents, each and every timing battles, air craft, ship , land battlefield war ,tanks their losses.....if you can plz suggest and recommend to me..I'm looking for that plz drop here name of this types of book if you know it
I've only heard the story about George Bush's experience very recently. Crazy... I may actually read Flyboys, now. Have you ever read Jeff Shaara? I've only read his civil war books so far, but he's done WWII I believe in four books. And he's started a new WWII trilogy beginning with To Wake the Giant (a Pearl Harbor story). His books are as accurate and well researched as he could get them, but they classified as "historical fiction " mainly because of how he writes, in the perspective of soldiers and generals
The Atkinson trilogy is amazing. What about the Russians? If they had collapsed, it was all over .... Antony Beevor's "Stalingrad" is fantastic. By the way, can't wait to get your new book!!!
🤦Brian, I have no more room on my shelves. Please stop making me want to buy so many more books at one time. I am envious of your collection and I also appreciate how you sort of laid it out by chronological order of events. Even more enticement to get them all. Thanks a lot.
The Hlocaust just goes to show that mankind’s worst enemy is ourselves, truly disturbing and unfortunate. I knew a gentleman who was unfortunately at Auschwitz, one of the most brilliant people I ever met. His entire house was filled with books and his mind was filled with all the knowledge anyone could possibly possess and if I ever asked him a question he would bring me a book and open it up to exactly the page that would answer the question and hed tell me to read and draw my own conclusions. Truly awful what we have been capable of doing to each other but truly remarkable what people can survive.
I am a WWII buff myself. I recommend the following IF you have not read them already.
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.
MacArthur’s Spies by Peter Eisner
In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer by Irene Opdyke
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson.
Lynne Olson’s books: Citizens of London, Madame Fourcade’s Secret War.
Daughters of Yalta by Catherine Katz
Churchill’s six volume memoirs.
Surprised to not see Anthony Beevor or Max Hastings in the collection. Hastings in particular I like that he focuses on some of the lesser known stories of the war.
Thank you, Brian, I am a professional historian specializing in the Second World War. I was blessed to grow up in Europe and the South Pacific and it has never left me. May I suggest "Delivered From Evil" by Robert Leckie.
Another awesome collection and video. I’ve also been to Dachau and it was creepy how quiet it was with no birds or insects making noise. I don’t see any Cornelius Ryan on your shelves. I read The Longest Day years ago and remember liking it. I’d like to check out A Bridge Too Far sometime.
No Herman Wouk? "Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance" are musts for any WWII shelf IMHO.
Some NF recommendations....
"Unbroken" by Laura Hildebrand
"A Higher Call" by Adam Makos.
You need these!
Yesterday I literally typed in ww2 book review by Brian lee durfee because I was looking for your black cross review but forgot the title. Then today you post this, just perfect haha
Hey Brian ...Ian Mckellan did a remarkable job as Adolf Hitler in the film Countdown to war....the best WW2 film is Lore starring Saskia Rosendahl as Lore what a beautiful girl !
The Pacific mostly drew from 2 books. Helmet for my Pillow and With the Old Breed
Very interesting. My friend Chris Yeoman has books published from interviewing British WW2 pilots which you might like.
All booklovers should have as many historical studies as you, Brian; so much is forgotten in just a generation. WWII fiction written by people who lived it can be equally moving as accurate history, novels like From Here To Eternity and The Thin Red Line by James Jones as well as the highly readable The Winds of War and its direct sequel War & Remembrance by Herman Wouk. Be warned once you begin these books you will be skipping meals and sleep, and calling in sick at work until you've read the last page. My beloved Aunt Enid whom an uncle married when they met in Berlin after the war told me as a boy how horrible Nazis were, pounding on people's doors forcing them to attend Hitler's rallies. Those mass audiences seen in films she said were comprised chiefly of citizens who wanted nothing to do with an Austrian megalomaniac and his thugs. Even worse horrors she spared my young ears would make me weep to this day, Brian. I met some POWs too.
The next WW2 book that Spielberg and Hanks is taking on for a series is Masters of the Air which should be really good.
I just finished John C McManus first two books in his Pacific trilogy. Highly recommend. I've read most of these as well and they're just as accessible as Atkinson. He covers the SW Pacific campaign more thoroughly than anything I've read so far.
Very nice collection Brian. Do you think you would ever write a work of historical fiction? Perhaps one with some fantasy elements added in?
Watched his video up to the remark of these SOB's, when referring to the biography of Adolf Hitler and the rise and fall of the third Reich, as an author, he should have more common sense than referring to other nations that way, they had no choice they fought for their country whether it's right or wrong, just like we did, but his book collection, sucks! I noticed most of it was on the Americans and the Pacific, so his knowledge is very limited, I have no respect for Bryant and his stupid ass comments if you can't be impartial as an author shut your mouth, in his case he should remember this, it's better to be thought of as ignorant, then to speak up and remove all doubt!!!
Now, are there any WW1 books you can recommend? I don't know anywhere near enough about part of history.
Atkinson's series is superb.
Sweet Count of Monte Cristo edition you have there.
We all have our "fav" books, and so, tripping into the common: 'A Bridge Too Far.' A wonderful effort; a tragic end. Very few of us will utter a statement, made up of a few words, that packs the punch spoken of this plan. It was a bridge too far.
Thanks Brian , I am going to check out the show The Pacific. Finally, a show that my husband will watch with me as he refuses to watch anything with dragons😜!
Good start - but you are missing some key ones - including "Inside the Third Reich" by Albert Speer, Hitler's "Mein Kampf" and Calvocoressi's "Total War".
I was hoping to see a book about the Tuskegee airman. Still liked the list though
When I read Diary of Anne Frank as a teenager, I didn't grasp the implications fully. Few years later, the full horror and tragedy hit me.
My mom has the book D-Day, I haven't read it yet.
Great collection.
For a great series on the war in the Pacific, check out Ian Toll's trilogy.
Helo
Could help me
I'm looking for 2 world war book which is mainly focus on the ..war started?,when? , why, ? Who won ? Who loss? When ,how ? Impact ? Politicaly? Who join and why? Axis groups and allied groups...when invaded? How many lost from both sides..who who join and when ,thire event ,incendents, each and every timing battles, air craft, ship , land battlefield war ,tanks their losses.....if you can plz suggest and recommend to me..I'm looking for that plz drop here name of this types of book if you know it
I've only heard the story about George Bush's experience very recently. Crazy... I may actually read Flyboys, now.
Have you ever read Jeff Shaara? I've only read his civil war books so far, but he's done WWII I believe in four books. And he's started a new WWII trilogy beginning with To Wake the Giant (a Pearl Harbor story). His books are as accurate and well researched as he could get them, but they classified as "historical fiction " mainly because of how he writes, in the perspective of soldiers and generals
The Atkinson trilogy is amazing. What about the Russians? If they had collapsed, it was all over .... Antony Beevor's "Stalingrad" is fantastic. By the way, can't wait to get your new book!!!
🤦Brian, I have no more room on my shelves. Please stop making me want to buy so many more books at one time. I am envious of your collection and I also appreciate how you sort of laid it out by chronological order of events. Even more enticement to get them all. Thanks a lot.
Also, have you seen The Pacific from HBO? It's really excellent
Seeing “ Titanic” used as the adjective was weird to see.
The Hlocaust just goes to show that mankind’s worst enemy is ourselves, truly disturbing and unfortunate. I knew a gentleman who was unfortunately at Auschwitz, one of the most brilliant people I ever met. His entire house was filled with books and his mind was filled with all the knowledge anyone could possibly possess and if I ever asked him a question he would bring me a book and open it up to exactly the page that would answer the question and hed tell me to read and draw my own conclusions. Truly awful what we have been capable of doing to each other but truly remarkable what people can survive.