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Best Book for 2016
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'Aussie Rick', Moderator
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Nov 02, 2016 01:22PM
What has been the best book on a WW2 subject you have read this year?
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For me it's
It left a lasting impression on me.
The dreaded annual question, yet the reading challenge has been relatively light on WWII...Best quality :
- Neptune: The Allied Invasion of Europe and the D-Day Landings by Craig L. Symonds
- Ivan's War: The Red Army, 1939-45 by Catherine Merridale
- Arnhem 1944: The Airborne Battle, 17-26 September by Martin Middlebrook
However, the most emotional WWII read of the year would be
Inside the Gas Chambers: Eight Months in the Sonderkommando of AuschwitzRead in my Krakow hotel room the same day I bought it in Auschwitz.
For me the best WW2 book that I read this year was the first volume of David Glantz's Stalingrad trilogy:
To the Gates of Stalingrad: Soviet-German Combat Operations, April-August 1942 by David M. GlantzRunner up for 2016 was:
Field Marshal: The Life and Death of Erwin Rommel by Daniel Allen Butler
Mates And Memories: Recollections Of The 2/10th Field Regiment R. A. A by Robert GoodwinI liked best it's idea of it being a focus on the events of the regiments existence on an individualist basis for those that were still alive and also their friends and relatives.
Runner up was Dresden: Tuesday, February 13, 1945 by Frederick Taylor
So looking back through my review list I had three four start books, but only one five start. So that made it pretty easy for best book of the year. Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship
and here is the link for my review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Good review Dj, thanks for sharing with the group.
Great books! Needless to say, all books are going directly to my TBR shelf
Top read hands down this year wasA Street in Arnhem: The Agony of Occupation and Liberation
With an honourable mention for
The Battle of the Atlantic: How the Allies Won the War
Two excellent nominations Jonny, one of which I need to read myself.
For me it was:Where the Iron Crosses Grow: The Crimea 1941–44
Robert Forczyk
an honorable mention to:
Roll Me Over: An Infantryman's World War II
Raymond Gantter
Another two good nominations. I have a copy of the first book that I am yet to read.
Looking back over my list from this year, these are the standouts:
Firestorm Hamburg: The Facts Surrounding the Destruction of a German City 1943
The Americans at Normandy: The Summer of 1944--The American War from the Normandy Beaches to Falaise
Storm Over Leyte: The Philippine Invasion and the Destruction of the Japanese Navy
Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor
The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944
Pacific Payback: The Carrier Aviators Who Avenged Pearl Harbor at the Battle of Midway
Hell's Angels: The True Story of the 303rd Bomb Group in World War II
BTW, is there a thread for Worst Book of 2016?
Have to agree with numbers 1, 4 and 5, all excellent books, the others I will have to try and read and find out :)Thanks for the list of titles Marc, its sure to interest other group members.
Marc wrote: "BTW, is there a thread for Worst Book of 2016?"No but you can mention it in this thread if you like :)
'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Marc wrote: "BTW, is there a thread for Worst Book of 2016?"No but you can mention it in this thread if you like :)"
Okay, then I nominate this as the worst book (IMO) of the year 2016:
Lords of the Sky: Fighter Pilots and Air Combat, from the Red Baron to the F-16My review of same:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Well you all know already the worst book I read in 2016. Probably the worst book I have ever read. :-)
Not only the best book of 2016 (so far) but one of the best of all time:
The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour
Mike wrote: "Not only the best book of 2016 (so far) but one of the best of all time:..."I agree with you 100%. Finest book on naval combat in World War II I've ever read. Looking forward to reading Hornfischer's latest next year.
4ZZZ wrote: "Well you all know already the worst book I read in 2016. Probably the worst book I have ever read. :-)"I know the one you are referring to :)
Marc wrote: "BTW, is there a thread for Worst Book of 2016?"I don't remember what the name of it was, but it was something by Charles Whiting. I think I may never read anything else by that particular author.
I am really enjoying "A Dawn Like Thunder" (which is about Torpedo Squadron 8 from the USS Hornet and its fights at Midway and Guadalcanal). I will eventually post a review, but it's great history that reads like a novel.
That's the book I just finished. I enjoyed it too, but it does have some disturbing elements.
I'm beginning to think we could probably start a thread of the worst books of all time in order to warn everyone else.
Unfortunately, not everyone might agree about those selected just as not everyone would agree on 'best' books.
Betsy wrote: "Unfortunately, not everyone might agree about those selected just as not everyone would agree on 'best' books."Quite true. I actually suggested this because of one book I tried to read a few years back so that was so abysmally bad, I had to stop after about 50 pages.
The best in 2016 for me is 
Yamashita's Ghost: War Crimes, MacArthur's Justice, and Command Accountability. It's a very thought-provoking book. My review of it is here.
Great review Chin Joo, thanks for sharing with the group. I thought the book was quite thought provoking and an excellent read.
Chin Joo wrote: "The best in 2016 for me is [book:Yamashita's Ghost: War Crimes, MacArthur's Justice, and Command..."Really nice review.
I've just finished & thoroughly enjoyed East West Street by Philippe Sands. The topic is international law and WWII and the focus very much on Central Europe. It's recently published but may be the best war related book I've read this year.
My favorite one was 
The True Story of the Inventors and Airmen Who Led the Devastating Raid to Smash the German Dams in 1943 by James Holland
Some great books being mentioned here, I'm sure a few are going to end up on a number of members to read list!
Just added some thoughts on 2016 for the WWII related books in this thread:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Some excellent books there Bou, thanks for sharing with the group.
Bou wrote: "Just added some thoughts on 2016 for the WWII related books in this thread:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
For Sanderson you might try, The Well of Ascension series. I really liked that one. It isn't as mind numbing in the political arena as I found Game of Thrones, but it does have some twisty tings going on that keep the interest level pretty high.
Dj wrote: "Bou wrote: "Just added some thoughts on 2016 for the WWII related books in this thread:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
For Sanderson yo..."
Thanks DJ, will check that one out
THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP
Books mentioned in this topic
Dam Busters: The True Story of the Inventors and Airmen Who Led the Devastating Raid to Smash the German Dams in 1943 (other topics)Under the Red Sea sun (other topics)
Yamashita's Ghost: War Crimes, MacArthur's Justice, and Command Accountability (other topics)
Yamashita's Ghost: War Crimes, MacArthur's Justice, and Command Accountability (other topics)
A Dawn Like Thunder: The True Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
James Holland (other topics)Robert Forczyk (other topics)
Raymond Gantter (other topics)
Frederick Taylor (other topics)
Robert Goodwin (other topics)
More...
