zen Posted January 31, 2020 Posted January 31, 2020 (edited) Non-fiction books + books on war (non-fiction and fiction) . Below are books that discuss or shed light on historical war events. From the ones that I have read or browsed to be read later: Non-Fiction The First World War by Martin Gilbert The Second World War by Martin Gilbert Defeat Into Victory by Field Marshal Willian Shim Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell The Great War and Modern Memory by Paul Russell Ordeal by Fire by Lyn MacDonald Maus by Art Spiegelman Books on war (Fiction) In Parenthesis by David Jones Catch 22 by Joseph Heller Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque Which ones are your favorites? Why did you like those books? Which ones do you plan to read? Edited February 4, 2020 by zen
Stradlater Posted February 1, 2020 Posted February 1, 2020 All quiet on western front was extremely moving and captured the horrors of war perfectly. Catch 22 was funny in a unique way lol. Vijy 1
zen Posted February 1, 2020 Author Posted February 1, 2020 7 hours ago, Stradlater said: All quiet on western front was extremely moving and captured the horrors of war perfectly. Catch 22 was funny in a unique way lol. if you liked c22, you may like Slaughterhouse-Five as well! Vijy and Stradlater 1 1
zen Posted February 3, 2020 Author Posted February 3, 2020 Considering reading A Writer At War by Vasily Grossman (Vasily Grossman with the Red Army 1941–1945)
Stradlater Posted February 4, 2020 Posted February 4, 2020 I would recommend Eric Hobsbawm. Even though a strict Marxist, his books provide a deep and interesting insight into the events that shaped the modern Europe , from enlightenment to the cold war. Vijy 1
zen Posted February 4, 2020 Author Posted February 4, 2020 (edited) Folio Society's New Year Sale ends on Feb 6th. I am planning to order A Writer at War, which is about Grossman's account of the events (as they were) when he traveled with the Red Army when Germany attacked Russia. It also provides insights on how the ordinary people and soldiers lived during this period I like Period Piece by Gwen Raverat as well but have its eBook (only read 1 chapter) so don't want to get it unless temptation overcomes reason .... Right now, I am only planning to get the ones on sale. Since many titles are sold out, options may be limited .... Any other recommendations from below: https://www.foliosociety.com/ca/sale?product_list_limit=all&product_list_order=price_asc Edited February 4, 2020 by zen
zen Posted February 4, 2020 Author Posted February 4, 2020 (edited) Updated the topic title to include/discuss other non-fiction books besides books on war Edited February 4, 2020 by zen
NameGoesHere Posted February 6, 2020 Posted February 6, 2020 (edited) I'm a great fan of the genre. Select few (not counting the ones OP mentioned) Non fiction: Storm of Steel: Junger Goodby to All That: Robert Graves Memoirs of an Infantry Officer: Sassoon The Liberation Trilogy: Rick Atkinson Band of Brothers: Ambrose Guns of August: Tuchmann Street Without Joy: Bernard Fall A Bridge Too Far: O' Ryan Goodby Darkness: Manchester Fiction: For Whom the Bells Toll: Hemingway The Naked And The Dead: Mailer Thing Red Line: James Jones Men at Arms: Waugh The Things They Carried: Brien Edited February 6, 2020 by NameGoesHere
zen Posted February 6, 2020 Author Posted February 6, 2020 4 hours ago, NameGoesHere said: For Whom the Bells Toll: Hemingway I have the Hemingway collection which I am yet to dip into (May have browsed through it) .... this book can potentially go well with Homage to Catalonia (Orwell), which is one of my favorites!
zen Posted February 7, 2020 Author Posted February 7, 2020 I haven't read it yet but for those interested in the medieval period, there is Agincourt by Juliet Barker. It is about the defeat of French by Henry V in the early 15th century
Vijy Posted February 9, 2020 Posted February 9, 2020 On 2/6/2020 at 7:06 PM, zen said: I haven't read it yet but for those interested in the medieval period, there is Agincourt by Juliet Barker. It is about the defeat of French by Henry V in the early 15th century better still is barker's biography of the remarkable (and crazy) bronte sisters.
Vijy Posted February 9, 2020 Posted February 9, 2020 On 2/6/2020 at 7:06 PM, zen said: I haven't read it yet but for those interested in the medieval period, there is Agincourt by Juliet Barker. It is about the defeat of French by Henry V in the early 15th century john keegan also wrote a fine book that deals partly with agincourt - the face of battle (a classic on war). Regd an earlier post, hobsbawm does have encyclopedic knowledge and his analysis is usually sharp (there is bias of course due to his leanings).
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