"Good overview books on WWII" Topic

Hi all,

One of the guys I work with knows of my interest in military history and asked me if I knew of any good overview histories on WWII. His cousin is an ACW buff and is branching out to WWII and was looking for some good starting reading. Can anyone help out?

At a very basic level, Spellmount has just brought out a book called WW2 Day By Day or somesuch, which brings the whole narrative together very nicely, with some good photos, for about a tenner (GBP).

"The Second World War" by John Keegan. The war is really too big to be analyzed in a single volume, but this is the best anyone has ever done. One thing I like is that he takes the principal protagonists, and analyzes their strategic dilemna.

I recommend this highly.

I'll second Keegan's book. One of the best 'general' overviews with a decent amount of detail.

ARG

I second the Keegan nomination, but another good single-volume tome is "A War to be Won" by Williamson Murray and Allan R. Millett.

Well, Garbee slipped in front of me in the queue. I third the nomination of the Keegan book!

I forth John the OFM's recommendation. Very well done book and if you like Keegen's writing style (some don't I know), you should find this an entertaining read and something that isn't too hard to get into and stay interested.

Erik

From a different perspective – there is always Winston Churchill's five volume history of the Second World War.

ARG

Richard Overy – Why the Allies Won

isbn 039331619X

Another vote for Keegan.

And, of course, the boxed set of The World At War on DVD. Plus Overy's "Russia's War" to update it for material prised from the Russian archives since 1991.

Answering Tom Bryant, 27 August 2005

If you want to do more than just read about WWII, Tom, then try the book, GHOSTS OF TARGETS PAST, published by Grub Street, London. That script takes you along. You are there, right in the middle of the carnage.