The World War II Bookshelf: 50 Must-Read Books: Fifty Must-Read Books

Customer Reviews:

Diving into an Ocean of World War II Books.......2006-11-18

In "The World War II Bookshelf: Fifty Must Read Books", James F. Dunnigan tackles the demanding task of assembling a list of the best books on the enormously complex subject of World War II.

If you took all the literature pertaining to World War II and placed it all in one spot, you would be swimming in an ocean of books. I am speaking of military and social histories, military strategies and campaigns, armaments and technologies, intelligence and spying, biographies and personal memoirs, and historiographies. Multiply these by both Allied and Axis powers and you had better get out your life jacket. In addition, there are still more books being published each year as new archival material becomes available to researchers and writers.

Hurrah! for Dunnigan, who has taken the valiant yet dangerous plunge into the deep sea of World War II books in order to give us his 50 must read books. Dunnigan divides his book into five chapters wherein he offers readers a selection of books that cover the war from many, but not all angles. A clear synopsis follows each recommendation that describes what the reader can expect from the book. His reviews cover issues like military campaigns and strategies for fighting the war on the ground, atop and beneath the oceans, and in the air. These reviews allow readers to make a more informative decision as to what World War II books they may wish to purchase.

Dunnigan's list covers some of the best books on this global epic. I was delighted to see that a couple of my favorites made his list: "A World at Arms", by Gerhard Weinberg, as well as Winston Churchill's "The Second World War". Gerhard Weinberg's book is a marvel of research and writing; it provides an incredible amount of detail - in a single volume. When it comes to World War II, it is difficult to imagine anyone writing a more superior account than Winston Churchill did. Churchill was intrigued by all things military. The fact that he lived and lead his country during that time made him one of the greatest military leaders of the war. It also gave Churchill a clear and expert understanding of the intricacies of war. While both titles are works of tremendous importance, they tend to be quite complex - especially "The Second World War" which was published in six volumes.

Dunnigan' list is very useful for those wishing to build a formidable library on World War II. I own most of the books and enjoy reading and using them for research. Some of these gems are hard to come by - you may have to buy some of them used, but most are readily available. In his first chapter, "The Big Picture," Dunnigan presents us with a selection of books for general reading on World War II. His list contains some of the best World War II books, but I think that to better enjoy them, new readers of World War II history need to begin with even more general reading. With this in mind, I would recommend James L. Stokesbury's "A Short History of World War II," "A War to be Won: Fighting the Second World War," by Williamson Murray and Allan R. Millett, and "The Story of World War II," by Donald L. Miller. All three books are excellent entry-level reading that may be considered before diving into Dunnigan's list.

I am partial to World War II memoirs - who better can describe the horrors of war, but the men who did the fighting. Therefore, I recommend, along with George S. Patton's gripping "War As I Knew It," one of my favorite memoirs that was written by a common soldier, entitled "With the Old Breed," by E.B. Sledge. Sledge wrote about the brutality of war and those who fought in it - his description of the fears and stench of death are startling.

Apart from these additions, I say congratulations are in order for James F. Dunnigan's superb and very readable book, "The World War II Bookshelf: Fifty Must Read Books". The book is an absolute winner and is prominently placed on my World War II bookshelf. I salute you.

This list is indeed a "Must Read" .......2004-08-16

WW2, according to some estimates is arguably the most wrote-about subject ever. (Jesus Christ and Napoleon being good bets as well.) For the average person, or heck the historian, the hundreds of books one finds even in the local bookstore beg the question, "So what's worth my money, and what's bogus?" Mr. Dunnigan attempts to answer this question with a short list of fifty books, covering the strategic aspects of WW2. The work includes popular history as well as scholarly books; the author's view being if you want to study the war, you're going to have to plod through some primary source material. I'm not normally a huge fan of Mr. Dunnigan. IMHO, he tends to dismiss inconvenient details in presenting his thesis. But overall, the choices and evaluations of the author are pretty good- not much to critique here. With two exceptions: he touts his previous works, "Dirty Little Secrets of WWII" and "The Pacific War Encyclopedia" in an appendix. Well, issues of ego aside, neither of these works is authoritative enough in my mind for inclusion in a list like this. That aside, this is a great reference for anyone to start independent research in what is probably the most significant event, ever.

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

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The Next Step

In the Name of Humanity
Alain Finkielkraut
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

20th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History & Surveys | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Modern | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0231110200

Book Description

The notion that all the world's peoples constitute a "brotherhood of man" is not a given among all human beings -- it is rather the product of history. So suggests acclaimed philosopher Alain Finkielkraut in In the Name of Humanity, an unsettling reflection on the twentieth century in its twilight hours in which he asks us to rethink our assumptions about universalism and humanism. While many people look to humanist ideals as a deterrent to nationalist chauvinism, Finkielkraut challenges the abstract idea of universalism by describing the terrible crimes "civilized" Europe has committed in its name.

At the same time as it challenges the inhumanity of our century's great universalistic solutions, In the Name of Humanity also confronts the more onerous elements of unreflective nationalism -- clearly condemning the dangerous use of claims for ethnic purity. However, the book does not put forth a standard-issue polemic against the multitude of nationalistic currents that continue to plague the international arena. Indeed, even as he deplores the violence that seems to go hand in hand with nationalism, Finkielkraut defends its underlying cause -- the need to belong. Eloquently quoting the experiences of refugees from Hitler's Germany, he shows the reader why we must heed the call of this irreducible need.

Finkielkraut reminds us that the concept of cultural relativism -- indeed, the very idea of tolerating other cultures -- is a relatively recent development in Western history. As he looks for answers he interrogates the differences between historical racism and the racism embedded in the philosophies of this century's genocidal movements, showing how modern racist ideologies like National Socialism look not to sin within the self as the stumbling block of human advancement but to a clandestine conspiracy by a particular, identifiable element of human society. What this form of radical racist thought eliminates is the notion of personal responsibility -- instead of finding the answers to misfortune within the self, modern racism suggests that evil can be identified in others and summarily eliminated.

Lucidly connected to the ideas of past thinkers, from Plato to Levinas to Hannah Arendt, Finkielkraut's latest work is a troubling indictment of our century that refuses to back away from the "messiness" of human life and culture. In his willingness to abjure simple solutions, he offers a glimmer of hope.

Customer Reviews:

The Next Step.......2001-03-18

This small book has a delightful and deceptive cover. Inside, the content of post-modern thinking is challenged from every dark corner.

With survival of the Holocaust still the focusing event of the last century, its' ability to make man look at man has not been described so intensely until now. Now I am sure there is a God, as only He could have saved us from ourselves.

Book Description

A comprehensive reference source for Arthurian studies, The Arthurian Name Dictionary is a comprehensive encyclopedia of characters, places, objects, and themes found in the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The volume makes available, for the first time, a complete catalogue of these names, drawn from all significant Arthurian sources between Gildas's De Excidio Britanniae (the first "Arthurian" source, written c. 540) and Tennyson's nineteenth-century Idylls of the Kin (which began the modern era of Arthurian literature)
Covers all of Arthurian-informative, detailed, and extensive, The enormous number of characters and places in the vast body of literature called Arthuriana confounds even the most learned Arthurian scholars. The Arthurian Name Dictionary contains names extracted from over 250 original Arthurian texts. Its pages include information on characters such as Lancelot and Gawain; places such as Camelot and Camlann; objects such as Excalibur and the Holy Grail; and themes such as the Sword-in-the-Stone and the Beheading Game. Each entry provides a complete, accurate description of the name, including, when possible, the origins or historical basis of the name, and any counterparts with different names in other sources. Major characters and themes are discussed extensively, and their evolution through the series of texts is carefully traced
Offers more coverage than previous encyclopedias and dictionaries on Arthurian, The Arthurian Name Dictionary outdoes previous encyclopedias and dictionaries concerned with Arthurian subjects by including a far greater number of sources, by including a far greater number of names from those sources, and by discussing each name in far greater detail.

Customer Reviews:

Bravo from Green Knight Publishing!.......2003-04-04

Christopher Bruce's encyclopaedic work is a magnificent compendium of all of the major 6th to 19th century Arthurian sources.

As a publisher of books and games based on the original Arthurian sources, I have turned to this book not as my 'Bible', but as a sort of 'Bible Concordance'. Which stories can I find Percival (or his many alternative names) occurring in?

I found this book to be worth ten, if not a hundred times its cover price in terms of compiling years of research into a single treasury of Arthurian knowledge.

A masterful melding of medieval lore!.......1999-02-26

I was amazed to discover how young this first time author is. He has produced a profoundly complete and thoroughly researched scholarly work that is a "must read" for any student of the Aurthurian Legends. Mr. Bruce has researched even the most obscure references and stories of Arthur and the other characters associated with the legend. Thank you for your excellent work.

Bravo!.......1999-01-17

Mr. Bruce has certainly done a wonderful job compiling volumes of information into one comprehensive work. It would be difficult to find a more complete reference. A must-have guide for any Arthurian-lover's library, as well as an interesting book for any reader to peruse.

Magnifique!.......1999-01-02

As an avid Arthurian reader, I am amazed at the completeness of this wonderful reference. Nowhere have I ever seen such a valid and thorough resource. My son has loaned me his copy but I am looking forward to adding one of my own to my library. It is hard to believe that anyone could compile such a great volume so masterfully! Bravo, Mr. Bruce!

CHAUCER NAME DICT HC (Garland Reference Library of the Humanities)

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CHAUCER NAME DICT HC (Garland Reference Library of the Humanities)
De Weever
Manufacturer: Garland Science
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0824083067

A Chaucer name dictionary: A guide to astrological, biblical, historical, literary, and mythological names in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer (Garland reference library of the humanities)

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A Chaucer name dictionary: A guide to astrological, biblical, historical, literary, and mythological names in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer (Garland reference library of the humanities)
Jacqueline De Weever
Manufacturer: Garland Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Book Description

Praised by reviewers as "highly recommended," "indispensable," and "thorough, comprehensive, usable, and unquestionably useful," theChaucer Name Dictionary is the ultimate A-Z guide to the writer who stands at the head of the English curriculum. It provides full information on all the hundreds of proper names mentioned throughout Chaucer and essential to an understanding of his works. Each entry provides historical and/or literary definition, references to occurrences in Chaucer's works with explanations of the context, a list of related words, etymology, and a bibliography of primary and secondary works.
Special Features
The only reference source that identifies the hundreds of historical, literary, and mythological names mentioned in Chaucer, Provides reliable background information essential to understanding Chaucer's text, Alphabetical arrangement and clear format allow quick answers to reference questions, Includes an important Glossary of Astronomical and Astrological Terms, along with six astrological maps
Suitable for courses in:Chaucer, Medieval English Poetry, Medieval Literature in Translation, Old and Middle English Literature, Glossary

Also includes maps.

The Emancipation of Massachusetts an Escape in the Name of Humanity from Tyranny in the Name of God

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The Emancipation of Massachusetts an Escape in the Name of Humanity from Tyranny in the Name of God
Brooks Adams
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000R39AFQ

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Happy Something
Evangelina Cifliganec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 9989255202

I Heard the Owl Call My Name : A Unit Plan (Litplans on CD)

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I Heard the Owl Call My Name : A Unit Plan (Litplans on CD)
Mary B. Collins
Manufacturer: Teachers Pet Pubns Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

High School | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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I Heard The Owl Call My Name

ASIN: 158337082X

Book Description

Complete lesson plans for teaching I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven. Includes introduction to the unit, unit objectives, reading assignments, unit outline, study questions (short answer), study/quiz questions (multiple choice), vocabulary worksheets, daily lessons planned, related nonfiction reading assignment, oral reading evaluation, biographical info about the author, three detailed writing assignments (inform, persuade, personal opinion), vocabulary review games & activities, unit review games & activities, at least one group activity assignment, discussion questions on all levels (factual, critical, interpretive, personal response), 2 short answer unit tests, 2 multiple choice unit tests, 1 advanced short answer unit test, unit and vocabulary crossword puzzles, unit and vocabulary extra worksheets & games, bulletin board ideas, ready-to-copy student materials, answer keys, and more!

In God's Name: A Question of Morality And Humanity

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In God's Name: A Question of Morality And Humanity
John Robinson
Manufacturer: Authorhouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Church & State | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1425908624

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