The World War Ii Bookshelf: Fi
by James F. Dunnigan
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Book Summary Information
Author: James F. DunniganEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-09-01
ISBN: 0806526491
Number of pages: 256
Publisher: Citadel
Book Reviews of The World War Ii Bookshelf: Fi
Book Review: Diving into an Ocean of World War II Books
Summary: 5 Stars
In "The World War II Bookshelf: Fifty Must Read Books", James F. Dunnigan tackles the demanding task of assembling a list of the best books on the enormously complex subject of World War II.
If you took all the literature pertaining to World War II and placed it all in one spot, you would be swimming in an ocean of books. I am speaking of military and social histories, military strategies and campaigns, armaments and technologies, intelligence and spying, biographies and personal memoirs, and historiographies. Multiply these by both Allied and Axis powers and you had better get out your life jacket. In addition, there are still more books being published each year as new archival material becomes available to researchers and writers.
Hurrah! for Dunnigan, who has taken the valiant yet dangerous plunge into the deep sea of World War II books in order to give us his 50 must read books. Dunnigan divides his book into five chapters wherein he offers readers a selection of books that cover the war from many, but not all angles. A clear synopsis follows each recommendation that describes what the reader can expect from the book. His reviews cover issues like military campaigns and strategies for fighting the war on the ground, atop and beneath the oceans, and in the air. These reviews allow readers to make a more informative decision as to what World War II books they may wish to purchase.
Dunnigan's list covers some of the best books on this global epic. I was delighted to see that a couple of my favorites made his list: "A World at Arms", by Gerhard Weinberg, as well as Winston Churchill's "The Second World War". Gerhard Weinberg's book is a marvel of research and writing; it provides an incredible amount of detail - in a single volume. When it comes to World War II, it is difficult to imagine anyone writing a more superior account than Winston Churchill did. Churchill was intrigued by all things military. The fact that he lived and lead his country during that time made him one of the greatest military leaders of the war. It also gave Churchill a clear and expert understanding of the intricacies of war. While both titles are works of tremendous importance, they tend to be quite complex - especially "The Second World War" which was published in six volumes.
Dunnigan' list is very useful for those wishing to build a formidable library on World War II. I own most of the books and enjoy reading and using them for research. Some of these gems are hard to come by - you may have to buy some of them used, but most are readily available. In his first chapter, "The Big Picture," Dunnigan presents us with a selection of books for general reading on World War II. His list contains some of the best World War II books, but I think that to better enjoy them, new readers of World War II history need to begin with even more general reading. With this in mind, I would recommend James L. Stokesbury's "A Short History of World War II," "A War to be Won: Fighting the Second World War," by Williamson Murray and Allan R. Millett, and "The Story of World War II," by Donald L. Miller. All three books are excellent entry-level reading that may be considered before diving into Dunnigan's list.
I am partial to World War II memoirs - who better can describe the horrors of war, but the men who did the fighting. Therefore, I recommend, along with George S. Patton's gripping "War As I Knew It," one of my favorite memoirs that was written by a common soldier, entitled "With the Old Breed," by E.B. Sledge. Sledge wrote about the brutality of war and those who fought in it - his description of the fears and stench of death are startling.
Apart from these additions, I say congratulations are in order for James F. Dunnigan's superb and very readable book, "The World War II Bookshelf: Fifty Must Read Books". The book is an absolute winner and is prominently placed on my World War II bookshelf. I salute you.
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