Mord Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 I am making my Christmas list and need some ideas for some reading. Yeah, I know there was a thread a while back but I have a particular criteria for what I am looking for. I am interested in reading some first person/memoirs from the Soviet side, infantry or armor. Any books that have lots of fighting/action. I haven't been able to find many on Amazon and the ones I have didn't have very good ratings as far as what I am looking for. Also I'd like some recommendations for some books on battles/operations but not anything stuffy. Something "readable" that gets into the big and little picture without being stale. In essence an East Front version of The Longest Day, The Day of Battle, or The Germans In Normandy (which I am reading now), they have nice accounts at all levels seasoned with quotes and anecdotes from infantry and tank crews. I've enjoyed them a lot. So, whatever you guys can come up with would be great. Thanks. Mord. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanir Ausf B Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 I am interested in reading some first person/memoirs from the Soviet side, infantry or armor. Any books that have lots of fighting/action. I haven't been able to find many on Amazon and the ones I have didn't have very good ratings as far as what I am looking for. I have recently read three. In order of recommendation: Panzer Destroyer. The most action-y and the best written of the 3, IMO. Tank Rider. Not the greatest writing, but if you want to see the war from the perspective of a tank rider platoon leader, it will scratch that itch. Commanding the Red Army's Sherman Tanks. This has the highest rating on Amazon (with all of 6 reviews) but I was frankly disappointed. The book has it's moments and insights, but the narrative is disjointed, with it sometimes not clear if the author is describing events he witnessed or that were told to him. He also tries to give extensive operational background, but I found it more confusing and uninteresting than informative, including one glaring historical inaccuracy. But if you want to know what the Soviets thought of the Sherman tank there isn't much else out there. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
76mm Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 I'm trying to post some suggestions, but how to I insert a link with a descriptive name rather than the URL?? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanir Ausf B Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Descriptive text[/url ], but without the space at the end. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
76mm Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 In addition to Vanir's suggestions: Books I've read: Red Road from Stalingrad 800 Days on the Eastern Front Penalty Strike: The Memiors of a Red Army Penal Company Commander Stalingrad: How the Red Army Survived the German Onslaught Bloody Triangle Barbarossa Through Soviet Eyes Stalin's Folly: The first 10 days of WWII on the Eastern Front The Viaz'ma Castatrophe Writer at War: A Soviet Journalist with the Red Army Russia at War Have not yet read: Love and War v1 Love and War v2 Through the Maelstrom The reviews on Amazon should provide a decent understanding of what's in the books, but for the books I've read I can try to answer any questions that you have. The "Love and War" books look interesting, the memiors of an American who served in a Red Army tank unit. To be frank, most of these books are not great writing, but many of them are pretty interesting for someone interested in the Soviet perspective. Several (most?) of the memoirs spend a fair bit of time talking about non-military stuff, such as how the author met their future wife at the front, etc.--the war was by far the biggest event in these guys' lives--not just a few years of their life but a defining experience. Others talk about JasonC's favorite topic, potatoes, etc.--I guess this might be boring to some, but for me most accounts of their experiences are interesting to some extent. I've also read many books that I've not listed above because I thought they were bad--if you're thinking about buying something, you can ask here. Finally, I'm not sure that any of the books fall into the "Longest Day", etc. category. Check out the books about Stalingrad and Viazma abvove, they are probably closest. Finally, I've left out some excellent books that are more from the German perspective, which I understand is not really what you're look for. Let us know if you'd in fact be interested in those as well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Mord, Blood On the Shores From Stalingrad to Pillau The best short course I know of for the Eastern Front is the first 60% or so of Clark's book Tank Battle: Kursk 1943. It is a masterful setting of the stage for Kursk and begins a year or so before Barbarossa. Clark's book has quite a few quotes from Russian participants, including Litvin (800 Days), who was a 45 mm ATG gunner at Kursk. Bellamy's eminently readable tome Absolute War is simply phenomenal, very approachable and engaging. It also has some excellent operational-strategic maps. Which cry out for 8.5" x 11.5" format. Info rich maps, but tiny type. Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipanderson Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Hi, Lots of very good books here from lots of people. However.. I agree with Vanir that Panzer Destroyer by Vasiliy Krysov is the best of the personal memoirs. All the best, Kip. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincere Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Mord can I use your thread to ask for recommendations for books on tactical level for the German or Soviet side... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipanderson Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Vince, hi, Here we go.. http://www.allworldwars.com/Small-Unit-Actions-During-German-Campaign-in-Russia.html Dry stuff I am afraid... but very much the real deal. Will be out there in book form too. Also.. Panzer Warfare on the Eastern Front by Hans Schaufler. Nothing special.. but each chapter is a good account of some battalion or company sized action. All the best, Kip. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mord Posted November 29, 2014 Author Share Posted November 29, 2014 Thanks for the recs thus far, fellas. I am gonna obsess on this list for a while so keep them coming. LOL. It's pretty much a tradition I go through every year when making my Christmas list. Finally, I've left out some excellent books that are more from the German perspective, which I understand is not really what you're look for. Let us know if you'd in fact be interested in those as well. I have Armor Battles of the Waffen SS, The Forgotten Soldier, Panzer Warfare on the Eastern Front, Blood Red Snow, In Deadly Combat, Black Edelweiss, Soldat, Steel Storm, Steel Rain, and Panzer Commander for EF German perspective books. But if you have any really good ones other than those feel free. Mord can I use your thread to ask for recommendations for books on tactical level for the German or Soviet side... Yeah, those would probably even fall under what I am looking for anyway. As long as there's good descriptions of the actual fighting. I am guessing "tactical level" would be along the lines of No Better Place To Die? Mord. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
76mm Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 I have Armor Battles of the Waffen SS, The Forgotten Soldier, Panzer Warfare on the Eastern Front, Blood Red Snow, In Deadly Combat, Black Edelweiss, Soldat, Steel Storm, Steel Rain, and Panzer Commander for EF German perspective books. But if you have any really good ones other than those feel free. The four that spring to mind are: Hell's Gate (Korsun) Barbarossa Unleashed Island of Fire (Stalingrad) Enemy at the Gates (Stalingrad) All are chock full of personal reminisces. For strategic level stuff, I really recommend John Erickson's books, they are very well written, if a bit dated by now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazing 88's Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Panzer Aces, II, III Infantry Aces Grenadiers Micheal Wittmann vol. I, II Tigers In The Mud Panzer Tactics Panzer Commander Panzer Battles Brazen Chariots Tobruk El Alamein Death Traps... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincere Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Vince, hi, Here we go.. http://www.allworldwars.com/Small-Unit-Actions-During-German-Campaign-in-Russia.html Dry stuff I am afraid... but very much the real deal. Will be out there in book form too. Also.. Panzer Warfare on the Eastern Front by Hans Schaufler. Nothing special.. but each chapter is a good account of some battalion or company sized action. All the best, Kip. Thank Kip, both of those look good. Started read the web resource already. But I still love books for bed-time, and travelling :-) Thanks Mord, yes like those. Another Theatre but I really enjoyed "Steel Inferno: I Panzer Corps in Normandy." Blazing 88's: Amazon have two authors with different books titled "Infantry Aces", is you recommendation FRANZ KUROWSKI ? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mord Posted November 29, 2014 Author Share Posted November 29, 2014 My guess is he means the Stackpole book seeing they have a bunch of "Aces" books. Mord. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazing 88's Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 ...Blazing 88's: Amazon have two authors with different books titled "Infantry Aces", is you recommendation FRANZ KUROWSKI ? Yes. My guess is he means the Stackpole book seeing they have a bunch of "Aces" books. Mord. Yes it is from the Stackpole series of books. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincere Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Yes. Yes it is from the Stackpole series of books. Thanks, it's in the post to me :-) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wodin Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I can also recommend all of 76mm read list! Front-Line Stalingrad by V Nekrasov From the German side anything by Jason D Mark is a must own. Esp Island of Fire, Into Oblivion or Cholm. THESE ARE MUST OWNS AND ARE SUPERB!! WORTH EVERY PENNY. I WOULDN'T SELL MY COPIES FOR ANY PRICE. Battle for Budapest: 100 Days in World War II by Krisztian Ungvary Italian side on the East front: Sacrifice On The Steppe by Hope Hamilton Few Returned: Diary of Twenty-eight Days on the Russian Front, Winter, 1942-43 by E Corti (and his novel The Red Horse) Mussolini's Death March: Eyewitness Accounts of Italian Soldiers on the Eastern Front by N Revelli In addition to Vanir's suggestions: Books I've read: Red Road from Stalingrad 800 Days on the Eastern Front Penalty Strike: The Memiors of a Red Army Penal Company Commander Stalingrad: How the Red Army Survived the German Onslaught Bloody Triangle Barbarossa Through Soviet Eyes Stalin's Folly: The first 10 days of WWII on the Eastern Front The Viaz'ma Castatrophe Writer at War: A Soviet Journalist with the Red Army Russia at War Have not yet read: Love and War v1 Love and War v2 Through the Maelstrom The reviews on Amazon should provide a decent understanding of what's in the books, but for the books I've read I can try to answer any questions that you have. The "Love and War" books look interesting, the memiors of an American who served in a Red Army tank unit. To be frank, most of these books are not great writing, but many of them are pretty interesting for someone interested in the Soviet perspective. Several (most?) of the memoirs spend a fair bit of time talking about non-military stuff, such as how the author met their future wife at the front, etc.--the war was by far the biggest event in these guys' lives--not just a few years of their life but a defining experience. Others talk about JasonC's favorite topic, potatoes, etc.--I guess this might be boring to some, but for me most accounts of their experiences are interesting to some extent. I've also read many books that I've not listed above because I thought they were bad--if you're thinking about buying something, you can ask here. Finally, I'm not sure that any of the books fall into the "Longest Day", etc. category. Check out the books about Stalingrad and Viazma abvove, they are probably closest. Finally, I've left out some excellent books that are more from the German perspective, which I understand is not really what you're look for. Let us know if you'd in fact be interested in those as well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umlaut Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Tank Rider. Not the greatest writing Oooh, that´s putting it mildly, in my opinion. The writer has surely experienced some exciting battles, but he has a very hard time relating it. What ever happened to editors in the publishing business? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankster65 Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Two books I would highly recommend are from an author named Walter S. Dunn Jr. Stalin's Keys to Victory http://www.amazon.com/Stalins-Keys-Victory-Stackpole-Military/dp/0811734234/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417546091&sr=1-1&keywords=stalin%27s+keys+to+victory Soviet Blitzkrieg (Battle for White Russia) http://www.amazon.com/Soviet-Blitzkrieg-Stackpole-Military-History/dp/081173482X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y Two of the best books I've ever read on the eastern front, particularly operation Bagration and why the Russians did so well on that operation. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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