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.The Great War and Modern Memory
City Travel Guides > Books > Wars- Battles and Campaigns
by: Paul Fussell

June 01, 2000
The study of war literature does not end with Fussell. Things went on in the Anglospeaking world and elsewhere. Now there are many essays on war and literature, some with sounder judgements on single authors and books, though probably not as well written as The Great War and Modern Memory. However, no one can deny the simple fact that we wouldn't be discussing the issue of war and literature hadn't Fussell published this essay in the 1970s.

Having said that, I'd like to point out what aspects of the book are dated, since other readers have listed its merits.

First of all, the purely British canon Fussell analysed led him to some conclusions which are highly questionable when one takes into account the French, Italian, ... Read More:
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.Our Longest Days: A People's History of the Second World War
City Travel Guides > Books > Wars- Battles and Campaigns
by: The Writers of Mass Observation

March 06, 2008
Our Longest Days is a collection of excerpts from just a handful of the diarists who participated in the Mass Observation Project during the Second World War; a broad mix of housewives, conscientious objectors, students, voluntary service workers, land girls, those with army and air-force backgrounds, young and old; those who had seen the First World War, and those to whom the deprivations and horrors were altogether new. The collection covers the war from beginning to end, and each significant event of those six years is touched on by more than one diarist.

Nella Last's diary was published (and filmed) separately, and this is unsurprising when you read these excerpts next to the others... although regularly domestic in nature, her ... Read More:
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.The Operators: On the Streets with Britain's Most Secret Service (Pen & Sword Military Classics)
City Travel Guides > Books > Wars- Battles and Campaigns
by: James Rennie

July 30, 2004
This book appears to be written by someone who worked in Northern Ireland but there are a number of anomolies which indicate they were not as involved as they claim.

Beware the first three quarters of the book is taken up with extremely dull detail about special forces training which will be nothing new to you if you have any of the SAS books previously.


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.Nemesis: The Battle for Japan, 1944-45
City Travel Guides > Books > Wars- Battles and Campaigns
by: Max Hastings

October 01, 2007
At the Winchester Festival, reviewing his book, Hastings made a misguided and alarming remark, "that the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm, other than Taranto Raid, played no significant part in WW2". It is therefore no wonder that he has omitted to include in his book the British Pacific Forces's successful attack on the Japanese oil refineries at Palembang (Java) in January 1945. Four British fleet carriers with 244 aircraft embarked disabled the refineries that were supplying Japan precious aviation fuel. Glancing through the book Hastings does not do justice to the Royal Navy in the Far East during 1944-45 period, until he educates himselve on the Fleet Air Arm's war effort, I will stay clear of his books. Question for you Max, which allied torpedo bomber aircraft ... Read More:
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.Scars Upon My Heart
City Travel Guides > Books > Wars- Battles and Campaigns
from: Virago Press Ltd

February 02, 2006
A long overdue anthology of women's poetry from a time that seemed for along while, to belong exclusively to the more famous and tragic male war poets. This collection is a poignant answer to Wilfred Owen's condemnation of women as almost extraneous to the horror taking place around them. There are poems which reflect loss and the fear of loss. Poems by nurses and VAD's about the terrible injuries they treat and witness. Poems which are valid social statements by women working in munitions factories and as clippies. Poems by mothers, sisters, sweethearts and wives. The overwhelming feeling of being part of Vera Britain's 'lost generation', and the bitterness of losing their own claim on the future through the loss of their menfolk. Most of these poems are moving, some of them truly ... Read More:
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.Hitler's Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust
City Travel Guides > Books > Wars- Battles and Campaigns
by: Daniel Jonah Goldhagen

March 03, 1997
This book is truly exceptional. An original. Just read it and digest this man's irresitable logic. Goldhagen is a genius. He has married the science of history to those of psychoanalysis and psychiatry.

What is clever about this book is how he makes the reader start thinking about the subject afresh from an analytical view point. Those without some background in psychiatry will have difficulty in accepting Goldhagen's descriptions of the delusions that underlay the actions of Germans and other Jew haters. The very concept of delusion is one that most people are ignorant of or if they are aware of will only ascribe to the obviously mentally ill. Goldhagen's argument is that Germans and others did the things they did willingly because they believed certain things ... Read More:
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.It Never Snows in September: The German View of Market-Garden and the Battle of Arnhem September 1944:: 1
City Travel Guides > Books > Wars- Battles and Campaigns
by: Robert Kershaw

June 05, 2008
A must read for anyone interested in Operation "Market Garden" and the great battles of WW II in general. Superbly researched and well-written, it demolishes the myth of the allegedly German material "superiority" during that epic battle.
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.Soldier's War: The Great War Through Veterans' Eyes
City Travel Guides > Books > Wars- Battles and Campaigns
by: Richard Van Emden

October 06, 2008
A must read for anyone interested in Operation "Market Garden" and the great battles of WW II in general. Superbly researched and well-written, it demolishes the myth of the allegedly German material "superiority" during that epic battle.
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.The Gods of War (Emperor)
City Travel Guides > Books > Wars- Battles and Campaigns
by: Conn Iggulden

2007-03

This is the last book in the series charting the life of Julius Caesar. I found them all very readable and very enjoyable. Perhaps falling a little short of Colleen McCullough's Roman series of books, but there is no shame in that and these books are extremely enjoyable.

Much has been written about Julius Caesar, but like all great men he had his Achilles heel, in more ways than one. Although history portrays him as a very fair minded man, much loved by his soldiers and the common people. He had a terrible temper, which could be vented at any time and woe betide anyone who was in close proximity when this happened. He also had great problems with the `falling sickness' He did everything in his power to hide this from everyone except his closest confidants and friends.

Caesar has ... Read More:
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.Five Chimneys: A Woman Survivor's True Story of Auschwitz
City Travel Guides > Books > Wars- Battles and Campaigns
by: Olga Lengyel

August 15, 1995
Buy this book is all I can say, I have read many books on the holocaust, and life within the concentration camps, and 'Five Chimneys' is one well worth reading......... it will stay with you forever, I also highly recommend 'Is this a man' by Primo Levi. God Bless all the survivors, and all those who died such tragic deaths, under such unbelievable, hellish circumstances. It certainly puts ones life into perspective!
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