DavidS Posted December 8, 2000 Share Posted December 8, 2000 Any one read it? Any other suggestions for books covering the 'Beyond Overlord' period. Any good German narratives out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Clark Posted December 8, 2000 Share Posted December 8, 2000 No idea about German Narratives, but I highly suggest the following books, in the following order of preference: * Band of Brothers - The story of Easy Company (just a great, great book) * A Bridge Too Far - One of the best narratives you'll find. * Currahee! - a Screaming Eagle in Normandy. Same guy who wrote Seven Roads to Hell. Have yet to read his other book, Road to Arnhem. I've also been told that COMPANY COMMANDER is good, and am getting it for X-Mas. I do not suggest A Blood-Dimmed Tide. At first I thought it was good, but after reading more and more WWII books, I just think that the narrative of BDT jumps around too much, and becomes a little hard to follow. ------------------ "The truth was that the Germans were losing faster than the Allies could win." - A Bridge Too Far [This message has been edited by Mr. Clark (edited 12-08-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wwb_99 Posted December 8, 2000 Share Posted December 8, 2000 Yeah, I read it. Interesting book, gets a bit repetitive, but then again most front-line narratives get repetitive. I do in general reccomend it, as it does have its moments. WWB ------------------ Before battle, my digital soldiers turn to me and say, Ave, Caesar! Morituri te salutamus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chupacabra Posted December 8, 2000 Share Posted December 8, 2000 Best German narrative I've read is It Never Snows in September, about Market-Garden. ------------------ Grand Poobah of the fresh fire of Heh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Stars Posted December 8, 2000 Share Posted December 8, 2000 I also just finished Seven Roads to Hell; probably one of the better "Down and Dirty" books I've read. Here are some more: "If You Survive" by George Wilson A pretty good book about a Lieutenant in the U.S. 4th Infantry Div. from July 44 on. Good battle stories from the Company/Platoon Leader level and it even has its own CM Scenario "Grosshau Ridge". Also the only book I have ever found dealing with people and events from the 4th I.D., It was my Grandpa's Unit (8th Inf Reg.) and I have been dying to find more info. Anybody out there who knows more please post. "To Hell and Back" by Audie Murphy Definitely a favorite of mine, It far surpasses the Movie, with many changed or left out events and a COMPLETELY different mood. And hey, it's about the highest decorated U.S. soldier to boot. Grab it. "Roll me Over" by Raymond Gantter An OK book. From early fall 44 on with a G.I. with the Big Red One. Gantter is more then a little opinionated, and usually not a positive one, but if you can get past that it's still a decent read. "Heroes of WWII" by Edward F. Murphy Not a true narrative, but more stories and quick biographies of several Medal of Honor winners in all theatres. It definitely helps redefine the meaning of the word "sacrifice". That is most of my books, all the others have been mentioned. All the german ones on that scale I know are Russian Front, "Forgotten Soldier" ( very big, very somber book,reminds me of All Quiet on the Western Front in tone) and "Cross of Iron" (Fictional, but you don't get much dirtier...Wehrmacht Resivoir Hunden ) ------------------ "Life is pain. Anyone saying otherwise is selling something." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pak40 Posted December 9, 2000 Share Posted December 9, 2000 Great Great Book. It's very descriptive, as if he wrote it the week after the battle ended. One of the best 1st person accounts I've read. I have his newest book but havn't read it yet. His first book, Curahee, is excellent too. Other recommendations are: Company Commander Band of Brothers Panzer Commander Paracute Infantry Citizen Soldiers and D-Day are two excellent books by Ambrose and have lots of 1st person qoutes so that you get a real feel for the common soldier's point of view and not so much of the General's point of view like most history books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pak40 Posted December 9, 2000 Share Posted December 9, 2000 Oh yeah, Also from the german POV: The forgotten soldier (never read it but I've heard it's really good) The Black March (excellent book but there are rumors that it is fiction and not autobiographical) I think both of these only deal with the East Front, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevetherat Posted December 9, 2000 Share Posted December 9, 2000 A good book depends on your nationality. If you're British, don't buy anything by an American author. Sorry about this damning generalised remark, but that seems to be the opinion (damning and generalised - and for that, RACIST) of most American authors on the subject of WW2. Following suggestions from other members, I got a book from the library, D-Day by Stephen Ambrose. It was so racist I sent it back, disgusted. He proclaims that every other nationality, except Americans, are gutless fighters. AND (this is the most annoying bit) he and his contemporaries continually say that America won the war - completely dicounting the sacrifice and effort of the Commonwealth, European and Russian armies. I sincerely hope that not all Americans think this way, and from at least playing this game you are aware that you were not the only nation on the battlefield. While we're on the subject (sorry but I feel REALLY annoyed right now), are you SURE it was America that retreaved the Enigma machine from a German sub? I didn't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pak40 Posted December 9, 2000 Share Posted December 9, 2000 "He proclaims that every other nationality, except Americans, are gutless fighters. " Uhh, just where in the book did you read that? Can you support this remark? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Posted December 9, 2000 Share Posted December 9, 2000 While Ambrose is without question a huge "cheerleader" for the US forces, I too am interested to hear this exact quote. That's farther than I would expect him to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Fox Posted December 9, 2000 Share Posted December 9, 2000 Having read the book in question as well as others by Ambrose,I would say his writing is nationalistic as is much writing about WWII. to call him racist is at best a misreading of his work and at worst just down right wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crank_GS Posted December 9, 2000 Share Posted December 9, 2000 Hey bud: Brits and Yanks are the SAME RACE! Different nationalities, certainly, but the same race. And you are way off base with the remarks about Ambrose... or list some pages and quotes and prove me wrong. ------------------ Capt. Byron Crank, US Army Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2B Posted December 9, 2000 Share Posted December 9, 2000 A GREAT, (and I wouldn't say that lightly), book about the Russian Front from the German Perspective is "Cross of Iron" by Willie Heinrich. A must read, if you can find it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidS Posted December 11, 2000 Author Share Posted December 11, 2000 Thanks for the info guys, have managed to secure a copy of 'The Forgotten Soldier', which judging by the first couple of chapters will set the tone for the next combat mission chapter. Thanks once again for the input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochen Schmidt Posted December 11, 2000 Share Posted December 11, 2000 In German language, but i think it is alos translated to several languages: Paul Carell - "Sie kommen!" About the fighting in the Cean Area, it´s mixture of singel-stories and the great strategic situation. Paul Carell wrote several good books about the war: "Verbrannte Erde" (the withdrawing of the German Army in the East) "Unternehmen Barbarossa" (the German atteck against the Sovjets) "Die Gefangenen" (the german POWs and their faith - didn´t read it yet). Jochen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
englishvoodoo Posted December 11, 2000 Share Posted December 11, 2000 i had a look on amazon and there's some of paul carrell's stuff in english... it'd better be good for that price i can highly recommend "the guns of war" by g blackburn for a FOOs personal account of the war from normandy until peace. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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