Best World War II History (nonfiction)

Readable accounts of any part of the war, but especially having to do with U.S. involvement.

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1	Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand 4.38 avg rating — 952,108 ratings score: 11,421, and 116 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest by Stephen E. Ambrose 4.43 avg rating — 128,449 ratings score: 7,602, and 78 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan 4.33 avg rating — 24,811 ratings score: 6,072, and 63 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943 (World War II Liberation Trilogy, #1) by Rick Atkinson 4.29 avg rating — 21,024 ratings score: 5,749, and 59 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by E.B. Sledge 4.47 avg rating — 42,287 ratings score: 5,108, and 53 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	A Bridge Too Far by Cornelius Ryan 4.27 avg rating — 20,801 ratings score: 5,001, and 53 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Hiroshima by John Hersey 4.03 avg rating — 81,760 ratings score: 4,107, and 43 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson (Goodreads Author) 3.88 avg rating — 204,448 ratings score: 3,773, and 39 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany by William L. Shirer 4.21 avg rating — 135,806 ratings score: 3,748, and 39 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II by Iris Chang 4.23 avg rating — 44,359 ratings score: 3,338, and 36 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944 (World War II Liberation Trilogy, #2) by Rick Atkinson 4.35 avg rating — 14,899 ratings score: 3,145, and 34 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Battle for the Normandy Beaches by Stephen E. Ambrose 4.30 avg rating — 29,737 ratings score: 2,996, and 33 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission by Hampton Sides 4.24 avg rating — 37,069 ratings score: 2,948, and 31 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally 4.34 avg rating — 161,203 ratings score: 2,936, and 31 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Flags of Our Fathers by James D. Bradley 4.22 avg rating — 61,482 ratings score: 2,892, and 31 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer 4.38 avg rating — 11,298 ratings score: 2,792, and 30 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II by Adam Makos (Goodreads Author) 4.36 avg rating — 25,899 ratings score: 2,682, and 28 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour by James D. Hornfischer 4.34 avg rating — 10,861 ratings score: 2,637, and 28 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Flyboys By Bradley James by James D. Bradley 4.19 avg rating — 22,022 ratings score: 2,502, and 27 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Berlin Diary: The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent 1934-1941 by William L. Shirer 4.33 avg rating — 6,011 ratings score: 2,415, and 25 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	The Forgotten 500: The Untold Story of the Men Who Risked All For the Greatest Rescue Mission of World War II by Gregory A. Freeman 4.07 avg rating — 11,859 ratings score: 2,304, and 25 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945 (World War II Liberation Trilogy, #3) by Rick Atkinson 4.47 avg rating — 9,977 ratings score: 2,236, and 25 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Escape From Davao: The Forgotten Story of the Most Daring Prison Break of the Pacific War by John D. Lukacs (Goodreads Author) 4.23 avg rating — 1,239 ratings score: 2,210, and 24 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank 4.19 avg rating — 3,800,648 ratings score: 2,178, and 23 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Citizen Soldiers: The US Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany by Stephen E. Ambrose 4.24 avg rating — 23,631 ratings score: 2,134, and 23 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad by William Craig 4.23 avg rating — 13,701 ratings score: 2,108, and 24 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown (Goodreads Author) 4.39 avg rating — 325,064 ratings score: 2,060, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory by Ben Macintyre 4.02 avg rating — 20,666 ratings score: 2,043, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	The Second World War by Antony Beevor 4.38 avg rating — 9,590 ratings score: 2,034, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Patton: A Genius for War by Carlo D'Este 4.25 avg rating — 4,177 ratings score: 1,960, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	The Last Battle: The Classic History of the Battle for Berlin by Cornelius Ryan 4.23 avg rating — 6,747 ratings score: 1,899, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	A Woman in Berlin: Eight Weeks in the Conquered City: A Diary by Anonymous 4.28 avg rating — 15,997 ratings score: 1,889, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	HHhH by Laurent Binet 4.07 avg rating — 25,909 ratings score: 1,875, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Armageddon: The Battle for Germany, 1944-1945 by Max Hastings 4.28 avg rating — 7,182 ratings score: 1,857, and 21 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	Helmet for My Pillow: From Parris Island to the Pacific by Robert Leckie 4.21 avg rating — 22,790 ratings score: 1,794, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Why the Allies Won by Richard Overy 4.18 avg rating — 2,110 ratings score: 1,790, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal by Ben Macintyre 4.13 avg rating — 18,180 ratings score: 1,790, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	The Second World War by John Keegan 4.22 avg rating — 7,000 ratings score: 1,738, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	Night (The Night Trilogy, #1) by Elie Wiesel 4.37 avg rating — 1,264,361 ratings score: 1,698, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Lost in Shangri-la: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff (Goodreads Author) 3.87 avg rating — 46,105 ratings score: 1,681, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945 by Max Hastings 4.35 avg rating — 10,060 ratings score: 1,640, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	Pegasus Bridge: June 6, 1944 by Stephen E. Ambrose 4.14 avg rating — 10,440 ratings score: 1,638, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor by Gordon W. Prange 4.21 avg rating — 3,623 ratings score: 1,613, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	Churchill, Hitler, and "The Unnecessary War": How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World by Patrick J. Buchanan 4.13 avg rating — 1,525 ratings score: 1,612, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors by Doug Stanton 4.32 avg rating — 22,420 ratings score: 1,587, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	Life After Life (Todd Family, #1) by Kate Atkinson 3.78 avg rating — 229,518 ratings score: 1,542, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	The Longest Winter: The Battle of the Bulge and the Epic Story of World War II's Most Decorated Platoon by Alex Kershaw (Goodreads Author) 4.17 avg rating — 7,852 ratings score: 1,537, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	Decision in Normandy by Carlo D'Este 4.05 avg rating — 835 ratings score: 1,477, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941–1942 by Ian W. Toll (Goodreads Author) 4.59 avg rating — 8,807 ratings score: 1,430, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom by Corrie ten Boom 4.47 avg rating — 329,840 ratings score: 1,416, and 16 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	When Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II by Molly Guptill Manning (Goodreads Author) 3.91 avg rating — 8,078 ratings score: 1,386, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal by James D. Hornfischer 4.29 avg rating — 6,928 ratings score: 1,346, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
53	The Rising Sun: The Decline & Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-45 by John Toland 4.28 avg rating — 5,512 ratings score: 1,269, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
54	The Bedford Boys: One American Town's Ultimate D-Day Sacrifice by Alex Kershaw (Goodreads Author) 4.24 avg rating — 4,156 ratings score: 1,240, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	A Train in Winter: An Extraordinary Story of Women, Friendship, and Resistance in Occupied France (The Resistance Trilogy Book 1) by Caroline Moorehead 3.85 avg rating — 8,524 ratings score: 1,225, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	Retribution: The Battle for Japan, 1944-45 by Max Hastings 4.27 avg rating — 4,884 ratings score: 1,219, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	Storm of Steel by Ernst Jünger 4.14 avg rating — 18,098 ratings score: 1,120, and 12 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	The Liberator: One World War II Soldier's 500-Day Odyssey from the Beaches of Sicily to the Gates of Dachau by Alex Kershaw (Goodreads Author) 4.28 avg rating — 6,337 ratings score: 1,110, and 12 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
59	The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman (Goodreads Author) 3.49 avg rating — 88,713 ratings score: 1,011, and 11 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan (Goodreads Author) 3.72 avg rating — 30,605 ratings score: 988, and 11 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
61	Crabwalk by Günter Grass 3.47 avg rating — 3,806 ratings score: 934, and 10 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
62	The Train to Crystal City: FDR's Secret Prisoner Exchange Program and America's Only Family Internment Camp During World War II by Jan Jarboe Russell 4.08 avg rating — 2,339 ratings score: 919, and 10 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
63	Killing Patton: The Strange Death of World War II's Most Audacious General by Bill O'Reilly (Goodreads Author) 4.13 avg rating — 26,083 ratings score: 891, and 10 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
64	Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies by Ben Macintyre 3.97 avg rating — 12,645 ratings score: 804, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
65	A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II by Gerhard L. Weinberg 4.27 avg rating — 1,351 ratings score: 677, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
66	We Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan by the Japanese by Elizabeth M. Norman (Goodreads Author) 4.27 avg rating — 4,472 ratings score: 672, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	Killing the Rising Sun: How America Vanquished World War II Japan by Bill O'Reilly (Goodreads Author) 4.35 avg rating — 20,285 ratings score: 656, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
68	A Dawn Like Thunder: The True Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight by Robert J. Mrazek (Goodreads Author) 4.28 avg rating — 715 ratings score: 639, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
69	To Lose a Battle: France 1940 by Alistair Horne 4.26 avg rating — 878 ratings score: 636, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
70	Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege, 1942–1943 by Antony Beevor 4.32 avg rating — 37,772 ratings score: 633, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
71	The Second World War: A Complete History by Martin Gilbert 4.27 avg rating — 1,799 ratings score: 614, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
72	The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes 4.39 avg rating — 22,674 ratings score: 610, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
73	The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War by Andrew Roberts 4.17 avg rating — 4,244 ratings score: 608, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
74	Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas (Goodreads Author) 4.22 avg rating — 75,362 ratings score: 606, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
75	The Good Man of Nanking: The Diaries of John Rabe by John Rabe 4.09 avg rating — 502 ratings score: 586, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
76	The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson (Goodreads Author) 4.30 avg rating — 119,797 ratings score: 562, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
77	Letters From Iwo Jima by Kumiko Kakehashi 4.17 avg rating — 954 ratings score: 560, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
78	The Railway Man: A POW's Searing Account of War, Brutality and Forgiveness by Eric Lomax 4.12 avg rating — 7,636 ratings score: 552, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
79	Notes of a Sniper by Vasili Zaitsev 4.08 avg rating — 788 ratings score: 546, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
80	Between Silk and Cyanide: A Codemaker's War, 1941-1945 by Leo Marks 4.24 avg rating — 2,555 ratings score: 530, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
80	The Winter Fortress: The Epic Mission to Sabotage Hitler’s Atomic Bomb by Neal Bascomb (Goodreads Author) 4.23 avg rating — 5,559 ratings score: 530, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
82	Fortress Malta: An Island Under Siege, 1940 - 43 by James Holland 4.34 avg rating — 762 ratings score: 528, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
83	Tears in the Darkness: The Story of the Bataan Death March and Its Aftermath by Michael Norman 4.19 avg rating — 3,124 ratings score: 523, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
83	Killing Hitler: The Third Reich and the Plots to Kill the Führer by Roger Moorhouse (Goodreads Author) 3.81 avg rating — 362 ratings score: 523, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
85	BLOOD IN ZION: How the Jewish Guerrillas Drove the British Out of Palestine by Saul Zadka 4.08 avg rating — 40 ratings score: 520, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
86	The Arsenal of Democracy: FDR, Detroit, and an Epic Quest to Arm an America at War by A.J. Baime 4.40 avg rating — 3,139 ratings score: 510, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
86	The Third Reich at War (The History of the Third Reich, #3) by Richard J. Evans 4.37 avg rating — 5,518 ratings score: 510, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
88	Heroes in Good Company: L Company, 86th Regiment, 10th Mountain Division 1943-1945 by Skyler Bailey (Goodreads Author) 4.73 avg rating — 22 ratings score: 500, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
89	When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler by David M. Glantz 4.17 avg rating — 1,257 ratings score: 499, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
90	Escape from the Deep: The Epic Story of a Legendary Submarine and her Courageous Crew by Alex Kershaw (Goodreads Author) 4.12 avg rating — 2,303 ratings score: 496, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
91	What Soldiers Do: Sex and the American GI in World War II France by Mary Louise Roberts 3.92 avg rating — 349 ratings score: 493, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
92	Wave of Terror by Theodore Odrach 4.08 avg rating — 142 ratings score: 489, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
93	A War to be Won: Fighting the Second World War by Williamson Murray 4.11 avg rating — 970 ratings score: 474, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
94	Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies 4.30 avg rating — 65,455 ratings score: 453, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
95	Rommel: The Desert Fox by Desmond Young 4.06 avg rating — 934 ratings score: 451, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
95	Letters, 1925-1975 by Hannah Arendt 3.90 avg rating — 363 ratings score: 451, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
97	Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany by Donald L. Miller 4.17 avg rating — 7,776 ratings score: 440, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
98	Up Front by Bill Mauldin 4.44 avg rating — 1,521 ratings score: 431, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
99	Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich by Norman Ohler 4.05 avg rating — 25,249 ratings score: 426, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
100	The German Way of War: From the Thirty Years' War to the Third Reich by Robert M. Citino 4.29 avg rating — 249 ratings score: 420, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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660 books · 492 voters · list created August 18th, 2009 by deleted user.

Tags: 20th-century-history, american-history, asian-history, autobiography, biography, british-history, chinese-history, european-history, japanese-history, memoir, military-history, nazi, united-states-history, war, world-history, wwii

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People Who Voted On This List (492)

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads 3372 books
861 friends

Judy 882 books
8 friends

Ali 1204 books
1193 friends

Erma 471 books
211 friends

Joanne 156 books
467 friends

K.M. 145 books
7 friends

Bob 286 books
3 friends

Aco 1 book
0 friends

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Comments Showing 1-29 of 29 (29 new)

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message 1: by Wendy (new)

Jul 30, 2011 01:08PM

Great list! I'd add Winds of War by Herman Wouk, but I think this is a nonfiction list. Still, I agree, readable history is key. I do think I stumbled on a Best WWII fiction list a while ago...

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message 2: by Kenneth (new)

Jun 23, 2013 11:34AM

Interesting list, there are a number here I've been wanting to read, and a few I hadn't heard of which look interesting.

I would suggest The Secret Army, which is a little-known but fascinating first-hand account of the activities of the Polish home army by its leader after the government fled the country, including day-to-day details of the Warsaw uprising.

I am surprised to not see Beevor's Stalingrad here, but I myself cannot recommend it (I wasn't able to get through his Battle for Spain & just never had the heart to try him again)

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message 3: by Aostergren (new)

Jun 04, 2014 05:42PM

Kenneth wrote: "I am surprised to not see Beevor's Stalingrad here, but I myself cannot recommend it (I wasn't able to get through his Battle for Spain & just never had the heart to try him again) "

@Kenneth I would suggest giving Stalingrad a try. I went the other way- loved Stalingrad but had to put Battle of Spain down.

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message 4: by Felmar Roel (new)

Nov 05, 2015 05:49AM

Good list!

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message 5: by Fiona (new)

Sep 26, 2016 03:48AM

Removed The Devil in the White City. Good book but nothing to do with WW2.

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message 6: by Michele (new)

Dec 09, 2016 04:17PM

#101 - Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Book has nothing to do with WWII!

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message 7: by Theodore (new)

Jan 02, 2017 09:08PM

In my humble opinion, I think the "best of" in something as huge and sweeping as WWII doesn't mean much. These books are so wildly different, it is like asking for the best foods and then comparing pizza to ice cream--which is better?

It might be more useful to break it up under various topics, so then a debate on a book on a particular list can be discussed apples to apples.

Pacific Theater
ETO
North Africa
Autobiographies/Biographies
Atlantic War
Politics
Logistics
Armor studies

And so on.

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message 8: by Heidi (last edited Jun 15, 2017 06:17AM) (new)

Jun 12, 2017 10:38AM

I know this much is True by Wally Lamb might be a
good novel.

I have not read it. But as far as I can tell, it has nothing to do with World War II.

I have read carefully the description of it. Number 98.

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message 9: by Heidi (last edited Jun 15, 2017 06:16AM) (new)

Jun 15, 2017 06:14AM

From what I can tell, Catastrophe 1914 by Max Hastings has everything to do with World War I and NOTHING to do with World War II. Number 153.

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message 10: by Heidi (new)

Jun 20, 2017 09:05AM

I looked at number 160 Behind the beautiful forevers: life, death and hope in a Mumbai undercity.

I have read the description of it carefully. It has to do with India and seems to have nothing to do with World War II.

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message 11: by Michele (new)

Aug 20, 2017 01:39PM

#153 - Catastrophe 1914: Europe Goes to War
by Max Hastings

WWI book NOT WWII

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message 12: by Heidi (new)

Aug 20, 2017 03:18PM

Then you agree. I mean--1914--it is pretty obvious.

I can't delete it because I am not a librarian.

Are you a librarian and can you delete it?

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message 13: by Heidi (new)

Aug 20, 2017 03:22PM

Or perhaps you have a librarian friend you can ask to delete it.

160 is also definitely not WWII.

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message 14: by Michele (last edited Aug 20, 2017 07:08PM) (new)

Aug 20, 2017 07:03PM

#67 - Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
#99 - I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb

Both are fiction.

Heidi, you could try putting a post in the librarian group, asking for help with this list. Your 160 is now 161 btw.

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message 15: by Bernard (new)

Sep 26, 2017 06:55AM

I can't believe "PATTON'S WAY" by James Kelly Morningstar is not listed here. It is an extremely well researched and well written book. It describes how General Patton developed his theory of war-fighting and then applied them to achieve brilliant success during his campaigns of WWII. His methods were never understood by his contemporaries who attributed his success to luck. Even most of today's historians do not fully grasp Patton's methodology. Patton's opponents understood him very well though. They named Patton's 3rd Army "Army Group Patton" and after the war, almost all said "Patton, he was your best!" Patton's Way is a must read for any student of WWII and especially those seeking to learn how and why Patton achieved his great success in World War Two.

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message 16: by Heidi (new)

Sep 26, 2017 07:00AM

so add it yourself. Don't you know how to do it.

Heidi

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message 17: by Heidi (new)

Sep 26, 2017 07:06AM

Michele

When I have asked librarians for help in the past, I have sortof been ignored and given a bad time so I don't intend to do that.

Why don't you ask some librarian for help.

Heidi

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message 18: by Bernard (new)

Sep 26, 2017 12:38PM

Heidi wrote: "so add it yourself. Don't you know how to do it.

Heidi"No Heidi, I don't. Can you tell me how to do it? Thank you for the reply.

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message 19: by Bernard (last edited Sep 26, 2017 01:14PM) (new)

Sep 26, 2017 01:13PM

Heidi, I saw how to get the book listed. I didn't see it before. It's my first time with "good reads", I just stumbled onto this today. The book is listed but the picture did not appear. Maybe it will later. Anyway, It's a very good book and a tremendous amount of research went into it. I know because my son wrote it.

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message 20: by Heidi (new)

Sep 26, 2017 01:57PM

Actually, I decided to add it for you although if you would add it yourself it would be nice because I am at the limit of 100 books that any one individual can add.

I realize if it is your first time you wouldn't know how to do add books.

What you do is hit Add books to this list at the upper right of the list and then type in the book title and author and then hit vote for this book.

Good luck

Heidi

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message 21: by Heidi (last edited Sep 26, 2017 02:02PM) (new)

Sep 26, 2017 02:01PM

Add books to this list is right to the right of All Votes

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message 22: by Teddy (new)

Jul 26, 2018 12:56PM

I read a book that I loved and can't remember the title:

it was about a family who lived in eastern Germany ...they left their home and walked towards Berlin thinking they would be safe there...with them was a Scottish paratrooper who had taken refuge with them...both father and older brother had gone to fight on the eastern front

if this is familiar to anyone, I would appreciate knowing the title

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message 23: by David (new)

Jun 04, 2019 09:20AM

Great list! I noticed the book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer was on this list. Can you remove it, it has nothing to do with WWII.

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message 24: by David (new)

Jun 04, 2019 10:19AM

Also, Black Hawk Down is not a WWII book. I'd be happy to edit this list, I'm a librarian but I believe the author of the list would have to give me those rights.

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message 25: by Heidi (new)

Jun 05, 2019 07:51AM

David

You can send a letter to the author of this list and
ask for their permission.

Although the author is shown as deleted user
I believe the author of this list is Susanna censored
by Goodreads.

Heidi

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message 26: by Heidi (new)

Jun 05, 2019 09:14AM

David

As a librarian I believe you can delete books
if you do it according to the rules you don't
absolutely have to ask the creator of the list.

Heidi

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message 27: by Mike (new)

Aug 31, 2020 07:45PM