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Delivered from Evil: The Saga of World War Two
"A first-class popular history of the war, lively, entertaining, and continuously informative."--Publishers Weekly "His ability to recreate the emotions of war makes this monumental work a living history."--Booklist
998 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1987
26 people are currently reading
628 people want to read
About the author
Robert Leckie
55 books220 followersLeckie was born on December 18, 1920, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Rutherford, New Jersey. He began his career as a writer in high school, as a sports writer for ''The Bergen Evening Record'' in Hackensack, New Jersey.
On January 18, 1942, Leckie enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.He served in combat in the Pacific theater, as a scout and a machine gunner in H Company, 2nd Battalion 1st Marines Regiment 1st Marine Division (United States). Leckie saw combat in the Battle of Guadalcanal, the Battle of Cape Gloucester, and had been wounded by blast concussion in the Battle of Peleliu. He returned to the United States in March 1945 and was honorably discharged shortly thereafter.
Following World War II, Leckie worked as a reporter for the Associated Press, the ''Buffalo Courier-Express'', the ''New York Journal American'', the ''New York Daily News'' and ''The Star-Ledger''. He married Vera Keller, a childhood neighbor, and they had three children: David, Geoff and Joan According to Vera, in 1951 he was inspired to write a memoir after seeing ''South Pacific '' on Broadway and walking out halfway through. He said "I have to tell the story of how it really was. I have to let people know the war wasn't a musical His first and best-selling book, ''Helmet for My Pillow'', a war memoir, was published in 1957. Leckie subsequently wrote more than 40 books on American war history, spanning from the French and Indian War (1754–1763) to Operation Desert Storm (1991). Robert Leckie died on December 24, 2001, after fighting a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease.
On January 18, 1942, Leckie enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.He served in combat in the Pacific theater, as a scout and a machine gunner in H Company, 2nd Battalion 1st Marines Regiment 1st Marine Division (United States). Leckie saw combat in the Battle of Guadalcanal, the Battle of Cape Gloucester, and had been wounded by blast concussion in the Battle of Peleliu. He returned to the United States in March 1945 and was honorably discharged shortly thereafter.
Following World War II, Leckie worked as a reporter for the Associated Press, the ''Buffalo Courier-Express'', the ''New York Journal American'', the ''New York Daily News'' and ''The Star-Ledger''. He married Vera Keller, a childhood neighbor, and they had three children: David, Geoff and Joan According to Vera, in 1951 he was inspired to write a memoir after seeing ''South Pacific '' on Broadway and walking out halfway through. He said "I have to tell the story of how it really was. I have to let people know the war wasn't a musical His first and best-selling book, ''Helmet for My Pillow'', a war memoir, was published in 1957. Leckie subsequently wrote more than 40 books on American war history, spanning from the French and Indian War (1754–1763) to Operation Desert Storm (1991). Robert Leckie died on December 24, 2001, after fighting a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 23, 2021
GET ALL YOUR WORLD WAR II KNOWLEDGE RIGHT HERE!
This book has been on my shelf for so long. I picked it up in a used bookstore several years ago. Having watched the HBO series The Pacific, it was of course the name of the author that caught my eye. This was comprehensive, enlightening and dense - so be prepared before diving into this! 😅
👍 What I Liked 👍
Counter-narratives: One of the most impressive historical feats, in my opinion, are counter-narratives. Meaning, trying to explore what would have happened in one detail in history had been different. these thought experiments show a great insight in the subject matter, which Leckie definitely posses. I enjoyed his small trips to alternative histories. I found them very enlightening.
Biographies: Throughout this immense work of knowledge, we get a generous amount of biographies of the most important players in WWII. These biographies were brief, but gave great perspective to the subjects. I felt that they were integrated thoughtfully into the overall narrative and really heightened the experience for me.
Comprehensive: There is no denying that this book is comprehensive! I believe I once read that this was actually the first attempt to gather the entire history of WWII in one volume - someone correct me or corroborate please! Of course, this mammoth of a book is almost 1,000 pages long, so it can be argued that it should have been several volumes, but still. There's hardly anything that isn't included in this massive work (aside from the siege of Malta, which I thought a bit strange).
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Guadalcanal: Knowing the background of the author, who was an American marine during the war, fighting in Guadalcanal, it is perhaps not surprising that he dedicates a lot of time to this particular battle. And it was an important one, there's not doubt about it. But other important battles, such as Stalingrad or D-Day or the Battle of the Bulge, were not given nearly the same amount of attention. Yes, the battle of Guadalcanal is narrated in a more immersive way than any other battle, with generous amounts of first-hand stories, I still felt that it didn't merit seven chapters when Stalingrad only got one.
Bias?: I put a questionmark here, simply because I don't know near enough about the subject of WWII to be completely sure about this. However, I did sense a slight bias on Leckie's behalf. As an American, it is perhaps no surprise that he seems to favour the American players in the war. The same can be said for many a European author (eurocentrism is definitely nothing new). Still, there were times when I felt like Leckie was perhaps a bit harsh in his judgment of the British and French, while almost skating over the flaws of people like Patton. But like I said, I don't know nearly enough about the cast of characters to make a full judgment myself.
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This book has been on my shelf for so long. I picked it up in a used bookstore several years ago. Having watched the HBO series The Pacific, it was of course the name of the author that caught my eye. This was comprehensive, enlightening and dense - so be prepared before diving into this! 😅
"[...] great men are not fond of admitting their mistakes."
👍 What I Liked 👍
Counter-narratives: One of the most impressive historical feats, in my opinion, are counter-narratives. Meaning, trying to explore what would have happened in one detail in history had been different. these thought experiments show a great insight in the subject matter, which Leckie definitely posses. I enjoyed his small trips to alternative histories. I found them very enlightening.
Biographies: Throughout this immense work of knowledge, we get a generous amount of biographies of the most important players in WWII. These biographies were brief, but gave great perspective to the subjects. I felt that they were integrated thoughtfully into the overall narrative and really heightened the experience for me.
"[...] the real enemy of the German people was Adolf Hitler."
Comprehensive: There is no denying that this book is comprehensive! I believe I once read that this was actually the first attempt to gather the entire history of WWII in one volume - someone correct me or corroborate please! Of course, this mammoth of a book is almost 1,000 pages long, so it can be argued that it should have been several volumes, but still. There's hardly anything that isn't included in this massive work (aside from the siege of Malta, which I thought a bit strange).
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Guadalcanal: Knowing the background of the author, who was an American marine during the war, fighting in Guadalcanal, it is perhaps not surprising that he dedicates a lot of time to this particular battle. And it was an important one, there's not doubt about it. But other important battles, such as Stalingrad or D-Day or the Battle of the Bulge, were not given nearly the same amount of attention. Yes, the battle of Guadalcanal is narrated in a more immersive way than any other battle, with generous amounts of first-hand stories, I still felt that it didn't merit seven chapters when Stalingrad only got one.
Bias?: I put a questionmark here, simply because I don't know near enough about the subject of WWII to be completely sure about this. However, I did sense a slight bias on Leckie's behalf. As an American, it is perhaps no surprise that he seems to favour the American players in the war. The same can be said for many a European author (eurocentrism is definitely nothing new). Still, there were times when I felt like Leckie was perhaps a bit harsh in his judgment of the British and French, while almost skating over the flaws of people like Patton. But like I said, I don't know nearly enough about the cast of characters to make a full judgment myself.
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September 16, 2013
Another of my favorite books and writers. Of the many one volume histories of WWII this is one of the best. A concise account of the events of the war along with interesting mini-bios of some of the major participants.
Mr. Leckie was a Marine in WW2 serving in the Pacific Theater. Here he lays out the history of said war in a series of chapters from before the war until it's end. As historical figures are introduced in the narrative the author gives a short biographical chapter on that person.
This is an extremely interesting way to relate a history and (at least in my case) holds the interest well.
I can recommend this one.
Mr. Leckie was a Marine in WW2 serving in the Pacific Theater. Here he lays out the history of said war in a series of chapters from before the war until it's end. As historical figures are introduced in the narrative the author gives a short biographical chapter on that person.
This is an extremely interesting way to relate a history and (at least in my case) holds the interest well.
I can recommend this one.
July 10, 2015
A very good, far ranging survey of WW 2. Limited by author's US-based perspective and occasional, painful-if-amusing writing (to wit: "Hideki Tojo... was born on Dec. 30, 1884, the son of an army officer and the daughter of a Buddhist priest.")
If one is to take the time to read it, on the up side, the books limitations make one want to investigate further. On the down side, since that task is daunting, one is left taking some content with a grain of salt (e.g. information in the biographical chapter on Stalin is presented as authoritative, when there is still much debate about many of the facts - should I, do I have the time or enough interest to read a "New Historian" biography of Stalin, as counterpoint?)
If one is to take the time to read it, on the up side, the books limitations make one want to investigate further. On the down side, since that task is daunting, one is left taking some content with a grain of salt (e.g. information in the biographical chapter on Stalin is presented as authoritative, when there is still much debate about many of the facts - should I, do I have the time or enough interest to read a "New Historian" biography of Stalin, as counterpoint?)
November 12, 2023
This is an excellent overview of the events leading up to World War II and the battles that took place. The author, who is a World War II veteran and featured in HBO's The Pacific, makes history come alive in this book and makes it very readable for anyone with an interest in the World War II. There are many other individual books that provide greater detail on the individual battles and leaders for those more interested in the greater detail that presented here. Overall a very good history book.
March 5, 2016
Perhaps this isn't one of the best one-volume histories of World War II, but if you have several months to spare and want a chronological look at the main theaters of the war written by someone who was there, Leckie's book is an okay place to start. He was a strong story-teller who may not please the true historians with his lack of scholarly research, but this book remains readable and gave me some information and many stories I certainly wasn't aware of.
July 24, 2021
An excellent one-volume history of the war. I think you can call this a biographical history, as it contains concise and very informative biographical chapters on the major world leaders and military leaders who played key roles in the conflict. Around this biographical backbone, Leckie gives us a firm understanding of how politics and strategy played out, as well as solid tactical overviews of the important conflicts. He also spends time describing events from the point-of-views of the average solider and the civilians caught up in the conflict. He combines a strategic overview with what the war looked like from the foxholes.
All the major fronts of the war are discussed and analyzed. Leckie does not hesitate to give his own opinions on whether he thinks decisions made by various leaders were right or wrong, but backs those opinions up with facts. He is, I feel, very even-handed. His chapter on whether the atomic bomb needed to be used, for instance, takes pains to list both the pros and the cons behind that decision. And, as the title suggests, Leckie is clearly willing to call out pure evil, pulling no punches both when he describes Nazi/Japanese atrocities or when he dissects Stalin's motivations and actions.
All the major fronts of the war are discussed and analyzed. Leckie does not hesitate to give his own opinions on whether he thinks decisions made by various leaders were right or wrong, but backs those opinions up with facts. He is, I feel, very even-handed. His chapter on whether the atomic bomb needed to be used, for instance, takes pains to list both the pros and the cons behind that decision. And, as the title suggests, Leckie is clearly willing to call out pure evil, pulling no punches both when he describes Nazi/Japanese atrocities or when he dissects Stalin's motivations and actions.
June 23, 2023
I read this book right when it came out in 87. The best single volume book on WW2 I have ever read. I've read it through 3 times over the years and used it for reference materials numerous times over the years. Love Leckie. His personal experience in a Helmet for My Pillow is his best work in my opinion.
August 22, 2020
If there was ever a time to tackle one of the most comprehensive books written about world war II, now would be the time. As thoughtful as it is insightful, this narrative brings the reader every single piece of the puzzle.
June 12, 2022
Mr. Leckie has produced a fantastically readable one-volume history of the Second World War. The character studies of the main participants read like a movie and a greater understanding of the war is a service to the reading public.
April 22, 2018
Well written, Robert Leckie writes a sobering and extensive history on World War II. A good book for military historians and history lovers in general.
July 13, 2019
Probably the best 1 volume history of WW II. I keep it for reference
March 23, 2020
Great history of WWII, especially as an introduction for a young reader
October 5, 2023
A popular history in the worst sense: credulous, unscholarly, full of pop psychology. I did not relish the prospect of reading almost 1000 pages of this sort of thing, so I abandoned ship.
September 8, 2016
I bought this book about 10 years ago and was intimidated by its size (946 pages) and tiny print (didn't measure it, but smallest ever!). So, it sat. But, after watching the "Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance" mini-series on DVD, I was both curious and eager to tackle "Delivered From Evil".
What I appreciated most was how Leckie chronologically lays out the events that lead up to the war and concludes (***spoiler alert***) with the Allies victory. I've read many WWII books and have had a layman's understanding of the chronology of events, but this book really made the sequence clear to me.
Although dry and bogged down at times, "Delivered" does an excellent job at times building suspense. I especially liked his sidebar mini biographies of the major players, where I learned a lot about Mussolini, Stalin, Churchill et al. Getting through the book was challenging, and if I was able to knock off 30-40 pages in a day, I felt like I had captured a hill or sunk a submarine. While the writing is sometimes dry and factual, Leckie also does a good job livening up parts of it and even interjecting some of his own editorial criticism about the players.
Sidebar note: Leckie fought in Guadalcanal and was even one of the 'characters' in the HBO mini series "The Pacific".
What I appreciated most was how Leckie chronologically lays out the events that lead up to the war and concludes (***spoiler alert***) with the Allies victory. I've read many WWII books and have had a layman's understanding of the chronology of events, but this book really made the sequence clear to me.
Although dry and bogged down at times, "Delivered" does an excellent job at times building suspense. I especially liked his sidebar mini biographies of the major players, where I learned a lot about Mussolini, Stalin, Churchill et al. Getting through the book was challenging, and if I was able to knock off 30-40 pages in a day, I felt like I had captured a hill or sunk a submarine. While the writing is sometimes dry and factual, Leckie also does a good job livening up parts of it and even interjecting some of his own editorial criticism about the players.
Sidebar note: Leckie fought in Guadalcanal and was even one of the 'characters' in the HBO mini series "The Pacific".
August 10, 2011
It's difficult to cover an event like WW2 in a single volume and make it both interesting and historically complete, but Leckie does probably as good of a job with the task as can be done. The book starts at the end of WW1, with the impact of Treaty of Versailles on Germany and how it gave Hitler an opening to rise to power. It ends with the bombing of Nagasaki and Japan's surrender. In between it leads the reader through a chronological account of the war in it's many theaters, with brief diversions devoted to short biographies of the major players. In a flourish reminiscent of Ken Burns' documentaries, the action is presented from a straightforward factual overview that occasionally switches to the perspective of average soldiers involved in the conflict taken from diaries and letters. While it sometimes gets too bogged down in the details of specific battles for my taste - I'm more interested in the political/cultural history of the war than the mechanical specifics - it mostly moves forward at a fast clip and is just as concerned with telling an interesting narrative as it is in getting the facts across.
July 30, 2018
One of my favorite single volume accounts of WWII. Leckie is an entertaining author that adds flavor to every account on both sides of the war. I will say that it he does have a skewered view when it comes to the pacific theater, himself being a marine for most of it. And I would definitely look to other more focused books on single operations to get the fine detail of operations and the smaller battles within. When anyone asks me what would be the first book to read about WWII I would point them to this first.
January 18, 2017
I bought this book back in the early 1990's. I was looking through the World War II section and an older man suggested this book. He said that he had been a war correspondent during World War II and that this book was the best history of World War II that he had read. I took his advice and bought the book. I have used it as a reference book ever since. It is extremely well written and offers many insights into people and events.
September 21, 2018
This is absolutely my favorite one volume history of World War II. Leckie writes with a mix of big history and personal interviews. Leckie fought in the Guadalcanal campaign and gives this battle a large amount of attention. For me, it read like a novel while still giving me a great overview of the war.
February 13, 2014
Learned a ton. Leckie's very good at switching between military operations, political considerations, and first-person accounts. If you're thinking about reading this, be warned that it's *very* long.
October 24, 2014
If I were teaching a class on WWII this would be the book I would choose for it's breath and depth. Though long it is a satisfying read and the author knows his stuff. For any WWII buffs, this one's a Must Read!
December 6, 2015
The book was well written and it should be recommended to many other people.
Robert Leckie can explain the war excellently and has his ways of entertaining and showing facts at the same time. Overall it was a very interesting book.
Robert Leckie can explain the war excellently and has his ways of entertaining and showing facts at the same time. Overall it was a very interesting book.
June 1, 2008
My Opinion: The best single-volume complete history of WWII.
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June 25, 2008One of the best books on the subject.
June 27, 2009
Very long history of World War II. Can get pretty dry in the middle but a rather definitive book on the subject.
July 28, 2015
Great one volume history of World War II. A great way to understand key people and battles in one book.
May 7, 2013
Another outstanding Leckie book, great narrative, detailed facts on all levels. Enjoyable yet educational and insightful.
August 9, 2010
The best book for a complete yet concise telling of WWII.
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May 20, 2017One of the first history books I ever read. Leckie was good at turning a phrase, and yet I found the America heavy focus limited back then and even more so now.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews