WW II Readings

Just finished "Masters and Commanders" a text book regarding the grand strategy as planned by President Roosevelt, General Marshall on the American side and Prime Minister Churchill and General Sir Alan Brooke on the British side. Even tho' the book was written by a British author, Andrew Roberts. I thought it very evenly written and presented perspectives I'd never undertaken in the past. I came away thinking I should have read this before any of the other histories and biogrphies I've read about the players during WWII. I am now finishing up "No Ordinary Time" by Doris Kearns Goodwin which deals vey specifically with the Roosevelts during the war. Not just war content but also domestic and private information was included. It's fascinating to discover small differences in perception of the events of the time from both authors and there certainly are different imterpretations of events and decisions. Next I guess I have to read "Winston's War" to aquire another perspective. These are all dry reads but well worth it for folks of a certain age, those of us who read "Sgt. Rock" comic books growing up I guess.

I know when these stories are on the history channel that Phil will at last lay down the remote and actually watch the programming.

I am also reminded that when the TV program VICTORY AT SEA came on, my folks, my 3 brothers and I would stop everything to watch the show.

These are all dry reads but well worth it for folks of a certain age,

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I still like to "read" Playboy.

There are photos in all three books. Some of the descriptions of Churchill in his dressing gowns are definite fruit for the imagination. And there's one description of him flying where they placed matresses on the floor of a bomber so that he could sleep. However, the planes weren't heated and he slept only in a vest of some sort and had a difficult time staying warm. Descriptive but maybe too much information.

I enjoyed No Ordinary Time very much. And I am sorry to say my recent reading of our history during that time has been spotty, so I look forward to these offerings. Thank you. On the other hand, I re-read WWII fiction all the time - The Winds of War, War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk...This winter I will try to get back to non-fiction in this area.

Since you like Herman Wouk try The Caine Mutiny. It captures the time really accurately and depicts just how futile and absurd war and the military's take on reality can be. It also won the Pulitzer and the offshoots, like the play and the movie, are top notch but can't touch the novel. Wouk is one of my favorites as well.

If you like historically based WW II novels, try Jeff Shaara's trilogy. He's done amazing research for these books. Shaara writes of the meetings among commanding generals, Eisenhower, Rommel, etc. as if he'd been in the room and equally of the privates slogging through the mud and the beaches.

Here are two you might want to read:

Bodyguard of Lies

The life & Time of Wild Bill Donnovan

Monuments Men.......

The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History

Great story of the guys tasked by the Allies to recover looted art from the Germans and protect historical sites from the war itself...