Hey guys,

I'm looking for suggestions on reading material on WWII, particularly interesting stories, the history, battles, or tank information. I'm typically more interested in German or Russian stories/information. I recently ordered Tiger in the Mud, but I don't have much of a library of WWII books at all. I'm open to anything from historical accounts of tank production to historical fiction.

If anyone has suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks!!

Stalingrad-The Fateful Siege-Antony Beevor
The Last Battle-Berlin Cornelius Ryan

are two that I have enjoyed

There simply isn't much German stuff relative to UK or US authors because -- most potential authors are in the ground in Russia. Then, the number that have been translated to English -- you get even less.

However, these can be good:

Panzer Commander by Hans Von Luck
The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer
Panzer Battles By F.W. von Mellenthin

From a Russian war correspondent:
Life and Fate By Vassily Grossman (his description of Treblinka liberation is harrowing)


You can get these cheaply from www.bookfinder.com

As an aside, I conducted a very informative interview with a StuG commander years ago. Here's the transcript

http://amps-armor.org/BBS/bbsDetail.aspx?forum=5&ID=9882&page=0

A few more:.
He Rode Up Front for Patton by Albin F. Irzyk (US Tank Bn commander in the 4AD, NW Europe)


By Tank Into Normandy by Stuart Hills (UK tanker in NWE – only officer of his entire unit to come out un-wounded. His account of how his crew eventually lands on the Normandy beach is hilarious)

Another River, Another Town by John Irwin (US tanker in Germany ’45)

Galicia Division by Michael Logusz (read awhile ago. interesting history of Ukrainian volunteers in SS unit – many different loyalties)

Panzerjager: Tank Hunter by William J. Folkestad (read awhile ago – about German PAK gunners, I’m pretty sure)


A stinker to avoid: Tiger Ace: The Life Story of Panzer Commander Michael Wittmann by Gary Simpson. An insult to the intelligence of any reader. an AWFUL book -- "biography" but full of BS conjecture.

-Leningrad by Anna Reid
-In Deadly Combat by Gottlob Biderman (was leader of a PAK crew on Eastern Front)
-Hell's Gate: The Battle of the Cherkassy Pocket (seems to be only in hardcover and therefore a bit pricey)

There was much debate when this book came out about whether it was fact or fiction. There was a problem putting units in the combinations of time and place given. However, it was a very good read either way.

Seems like a lot of the memoir books often embellished the truth a bit too much.

I have a book called Blood Red Snow about a German on the Eastern Front that kept a secret journal. I'm hoping it's fairly accurate...or at least interesting enough to be good insight into the author's mind at the time.

Amazon works great for this. If you liked "Tigers in the mud" or any other, it will suggest several other similar titles with comments from readers so you have an idea of the book.

Apart from that, I second Hell's Gate as one of the best I have read.

Any one of Anthony Beevor's books is great if you like the style that combines high level strategy view with first person accounts from frontline soldiers. I have read most of his books.

I mostly read first person accounts from the US and UK, so I couldn't really say about eastern front other than Beevor.

Cheers!
Stefan

Not a hugely detailed account of battles per se, however "Patton, Montgomery, Rommel, Masters at War", by Terry Brighton is a fascinating account of how these three great generals with very different personalities and approaches to many things, were shaped by their early lives and by WW I, and how that affected the conduct of the encounters they had in WW II, in North Africa, and of course later in the European Theater.

Very interesting to see how each General's personality shaped the outcomes of the battles and how the bitter feuds EACH of these men had not only with their opponent on the battlefield, but with their own leadership (and each other in the case of Patton - Montgomery) shaped the outcome of the war.