Your Favorite Books on War
Now that we're in a semi-respite from the Republican cat fight, how about we turn our thoughts to other issues? I love great books on war (knowing, of course, that this is not politically correct, as I should be engaging in "Peace Studies"). It is a subject that has produced some of our greatest literature, both non-fiction and fiction.
To get things rolling, here are a few of my non-fiction favorites: E. B. Sledge, With the Old Breed (VDH says--and he's right--that this is the single best personal memoir of a soldier--in Sledge's case, one at Pelelieu and Okinawa); Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers (demonstrating that if you don't have good company commanders, you don't have a good army); Andrew Roberts' The Storm of War (the best new one volume history of World War II--Roberts was recently interviewed by Peter on "Uncommon Knowledge"), and James McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom and Tried by War (the first is the go-to single volume history of the war and the second is a brilliant examination of Lincoln as war president). Each is readable and each illuminates its subject, from the intimate to the strategic.
In fiction, Vasily Grossman's Life and Fate stands alone: a great war book, but also one of the greatest pieces of literature of the twentieth century. Less great, but nonetheless powerful, is The Black Flower, by Howard Bahr, a relatively obscure southern writer who has written three great civil war novels. Black Flower, which is set during and after the Battle of Franklin, will break your heart.
The question: What are your favorite books in which war is either the main subject or a central element? And why?
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Comments:
Oct '10
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
I was on my way to post this one myself and saw you'd beaten me to it. It's worth a second recommendation, as are the Flashman novels.
May '11
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
Where to begin?
1. Soul of the Lion: The biography of Joshua Chamberlin
2. Samauri by Martin Cadin: The biography of Saburo Sakai
3. Panzer Leader by Heinz Guderian
4. Pegasus Bridge by Steven Ambrose (Not a huge Ambrose fan, but this is a great story.)
Heck, I could go on all day.
Feb '11
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
My favorite books on war tend to be those that look at events from a different viewpoint and/or challenge what I figure is conventional wisdom.
The War for America, 1775-1783 by Piers Mackesy. The American Revolution from the British viewpoint.
How the North Won: A military history of the Civil War by Herman Hattaway and Archer Jones.
Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully.
Feb '11
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
You're probably already aware of this book but I'll list it anyway, just in case: All for the Union: The Civil War Diary and letters of Elisha Hunt Rhodes.
Oct '11
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
On the advice of VDH, this past year I read Gerhard Weinberg's A World at Arms. It is by far, the best single-volume history of WWII. I've read Gilbert and Keegan and I think it outshines both.
Also, after reading Carnage and Culture, I became fascinated with the chapter on the conquest of the Aztecs, so I read William H. Prescott's History of the Conquest of Mexico. Amazing story and amazing historian.
This year, I plan on tackling Churchill's Memoirs and Samuel Eliot Morison's Two-Ocean War, about the naval operations of WWII, not to mention the next installment of the Aubrey-Maturin series. I am up to Desolation Island.
Oct '10
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
Now I see, Tab, you want to know why.
G.M. Fraser, besides being unable to write an ugly sentence, really delighted in character. It didn't matter if he was writing fact or fiction; novels, memoirs or screenplays, the people he portrays come to life. What comes through in Quartered Safe Out Here is his love for the men he served with, particularly the northern English (Fraser was Scottish). I don't read a lot of war accounts, but I can't imagine a more affectionate and convincing portrayal of wartime camaraderie than this book.
Also, he was the screenwriter for Richard Lester's two films, The Three Musketeers and The four Musketeers. They're my favorite Films.
Feb '12
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
Most of the suggestions here focus on modern or near-modern wars. Here's a vote for the best writer of ancient war fiction, Steven Pressfield. He specializes in Greek warfare and Gates of Fire is the book that should have been our generation's Thermopylae movie rather than 300. My favortie, though, was Tides of War focusing on the fascinating figure of Alcibiades and the Pelopennesian War.
He did a WWII book called Killing Rommel that was wonderful too. His depiction of the honor and sacrifice of fighting men carries a lot of compassion. But if you're looking for historical fiction on ancient warfare, start with Pressfield.
Edited on February 10, 2012 at 9:30pmJan '11
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
A wonderful book - Ripples of Battle, by the appropriately lauded VDH.
Highly recommended, and I don't say that lightly!
Jun '10
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
Casey
tabula rasa: . . . war/military history is largely ignored on university campuses, but we're seeing more and more departments of "Peace Studies."
I haven't encountered this concept... Has there ever been a true period of peace in human history? What would peace studies include? I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around it.
Casey: Here's a description of this critical discipline from Wikipedia:
Makes no sense to me--I think it may involve creative means of surrendering in a gender-neutral manner.
Jul '11
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
On War by Clauswitz is a must. I was particularly taken by God's Betallions by Rodney Stark. Jackboot by John Laffin is an excellent look at German Military Tradition. My absolute favorite and greatest recommendation is Six Frigates by Ian W. Toll. It looks at the birth of the United States Navy.
Oct '11
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
I have to throw a few more in, as this is such a good topic. For the Civil War, I recommend anything by Stephen Sears. His book on Antietam called Landscape Turned Red is excellent. He also has written a wonderful volume on Gettysburg.
And back to WWII, I recommend two great books about the Pacific Theater. Guadalcanal by Richard Frank and Tennozan by George Feifer, about Okinawa and the decision to drop the bomb on Japan.
Feb '11
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
Thank you all for posting these replies. I can't tell you how often I am reading something on Ricochet and find myself popping open a new browser window, heading over to my library system, and ordering a cornucopia of books on new and interesting topics.
I just read Storm of War by Andrew Roberts and just received Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War -- don't know if it's any good but I wanted to learn more about Chinese history. And I've just ordered several new books, including by Steven Pressfield...
Thanks again.
Edited on February 10, 2012 at 9:47pmDec '10
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
One of my recent favorites is actually an oldie but a goodie. "The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study In Command" by Edwin Coddington
Feb '11
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front is justly famous; his The Road Back, which is sort of a sequel, is not nearly as widely-read as it deserves to be. It is not precisely a war book but rather an after-the-war book, with flashbacks...I reviewed it here.
Mar '11
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
tabula rasa
Casey
Casey: Here's a description of this critical discipline from Wikipedia:
Makes no sense to me--I think it may involve creative means of surrendering in a gender-neutral manner. · 7 minutes ago
So basically - "All we are saying is give peace a chance."
Feb '11
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
A couple of books dealing with Special Operations Executive, the secret British organization that organized resistance and sabotage movements in occupied Europe:
--Between Silk and Cyanide, by Leo Marks (who at the age of 23 became SOE's Codemaster and who briefed many of the agents before their departure). My review here.
--A Pacifist at War: the life of Francis Cammaerts, by Ray Jenkins, is a biography of one of SOE's leading agents, who organized resistance activities over a wide area of southern France. (I had the opportunity of meeting Mr Cammaerts and spending some time with him while in France in 2001)
Jun '10
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
Casey
tabula rasa
Casey
Casey: Here's a description of this critical discipline from Wikipedia:
Makes no sense to me--I think it may involve creative means of surrendering in a gender-neutral manner. · 7 minutes ago
So basically - "All we are saying is give peace a chance."
· 8 minutes ago
Yep. I think that's it, but you need a doctorate to do it.
Jul '10
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
"Quartered Safe Out Here" is my favorite all time memoir. Fraser wrote it nearly 50 years after service in Burma. It's hilarious with great insight into an older generation's view of the war. His comparisons to the ongoing Gulf War while writing are priceless.
Jun '10
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
Drew: We suffer an embarrassment of riches on good histories of WWII. And there's also the Rick Atkinson Liberation Trilogy. The first two volumes were terrific.
Sears is the best historian of specific battles. Landscape is about Antietam, but he's also written books on the Seven-Days (1862), Chancellorsville (1863), and Gettysburg (1863), each of them superb, and all written for the general reader. I really liked his book on the Seven-Days, To the Gates of Richmond.
Edited on February 10, 2012 at 10:14pmJan '11
Re: Your Favorite Books on War
I don't make it a habit of reading about war; it's not really my thing [and that's not for any particular reason, either, other than I have other interests]. But I did read one book and enjoyed it -- mainly because I served in the same battalion as the author and also because it was pretty good.
Tip of the Spear: U.S. Marine Light Armor in the Gulf War by G.J. Michaels