Panzer Leader Posted June 19, 2002 Share Posted June 19, 2002 (No disrespect to BTS who has a fledgling book-shelf) Ack! I basically have $50 to spend at a well known online book store that starts with the letter 'A' so I am trying to spend it, on WW2 books of course! I'm having a hard time though... (I have many of the basic and well-known books already) Here are some options: Grenadiers (Kurt Meyer) Frontsoldaten : The German Soldier in World War II (S. Fritz) **Seven Days in January: With the 6th SS-Mountain Division in Operation NORDWIND (W. Zoepf) - This one looks GOOD! Kharkov 1942 : Anatomy of a Military Disaster (Glantz) Panzers on the Eastern Front : General Erhard Raus and His Panzer Divisions in Russia, 1941-1945 (P. Tsouras) Disaster at D-Day : The Germans Defeat the Allies, June 1944 (Greenhill Military Paperbacks) (Tsouras) Okay, just a little alt-history! Hell's Gate (Nash) Lost Victories (Manstein) Grandfathers tale (Tim Erenberger) -- Anyone read this novel? Now, I understand, I can't get them all, that's why I'm having such a hard tiime! Anyone have opinions on the above books, or could name a few more? Must buy books! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonS Posted June 19, 2002 Share Posted June 19, 2002 PL, Check the online reviews at Amazon, and those at Stone & Stone. You could also try ePinions. Personally, I tend to give more weight to the negative reviews - anyway can see "gee willakers, this is the greatest book ever", but to write a reasonable and coherent review with a negative slant means - generally - that the reviewer knows what they're talking about and thus can pick out the bad points in the book*. If you feel comfortable with the points that the reviewer dislikes about the book, you can be pretty sure you will like the book as a whole. YMMV From your list, my picks would be in the following order: 1) Seven Days 2) Kharkov 1942 3) Hell's Gate 4) Panzers on the Eastern Front 5) Lost Victories 6) Grandfathers Tale 7) Grenadiers 8) Frontsoldaten 9) Disaster at D-Day Of course, ask me next week and the order will have changed ... Regards JonS * Or any product for that matter. I used the same approach last time I bought a cell phone and have been very happy with the result Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwolf Posted June 19, 2002 Share Posted June 19, 2002 Originally posted by Panzer Leader: Frontsoldaten : The German Soldier in World War II (S. Fritz) Crap. Only quotes incompletely and without understanding from books you can buy elsewhere. Kharkov 1942 : Anatomy of a Military Disaster (Glantz) Extremly dry and high-level. Couldn't read it although I started a few times. Disaster at D-Day : The Germans Defeat the Allies, June 1944 (Greenhill Military Paperbacks) (Tsouras) Okay, just a little alt-history! I'm really curious how that is. Lost Victories (Manstein) Worth having and good read, but shouldn't be the only book on the subject. If you want to be near CMBO, there is a small booklet "Panzerjaeger - tank hunter" by folkestadt or so. Very rough book (production-wise), but a good impression of the buys behind the Pak40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted June 19, 2002 Share Posted June 19, 2002 FRONTSOLDATEN is an ABOMINATION, do NOT buy that one. Read my review at Amazon; he quotes Guy Sajer most of the time and makes elementary errors that even an undergrad student wouldn't, such as quoting the same source 3 or 4 times in a row. Ick. You have some GD books to be catching up on, too, young man... [ June 18, 2002, 11:03 PM: Message edited by: Michael Dorosh ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchy Posted June 19, 2002 Share Posted June 19, 2002 Seven Days in January is a must. Excellent account of the Battle of Wingen-sur-Moder. Includes background information on 6th SS fighting in Russia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John D Salt Posted June 19, 2002 Share Posted June 19, 2002 Originally posted by Michael Dorosh: FRONTSOLDATEN is an ABOMINATION, do NOT buy that one. Read my review at Amazon; he quotes Guy Sajer most of the time and makes elementary errors that even an undergrad student wouldn't, such as quoting the same source 3 or 4 times in a row. Ick. [snips]I've just finished "Frontsoldaten", and though I have read worse, I'm glad it's not just my opinion that it's a very poor book. Not only does he use the same source several times in a row, but on occasion he quotes from the same passage only a few pages later. This produces an odd sort of "deja-lu" effect, which causes the reader to flick frantically backwards for the previous reference while temporarily doubting his sanity. The technique might perhaps appeal as a literary device to people who liked Alain Robbe-Grillet's "Dans le Labyrinthe". It's a bit bloody stupid in what's supposed to be a history book, though. Likewise, some kind of thematic arrangement of chapters might have been a better move than the apparent "stream of consciousness" the writer adopted. All the best, John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pak40 Posted June 19, 2002 Share Posted June 19, 2002 If you're looking for a true first person narrative with increadible detail, then you have to get Donald Burgett's books: Currahee: A Screaming Eagle in Normandy! Seven Roads to Hell The Road to Arnhem Beyond the Rhine (I havn't read this one yet) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GillFish Posted June 19, 2002 Share Posted June 19, 2002 Some quick comments: Grenadiers: A good read, but if memory serves it's a bit sensational. Covers his service through Greece, the East & West front, and his prison time. Don't expect any discussions about strategy, tactics, or politics: this is strictly a personal account with lots of action sequences. Every D-Day book I've ever read quotes this book. I'd wait for a paperback version. Lost Victories: Very dry reading. IIRC, it contains an interesting chapter on Hitler as a strategist and comments on operation 'Sea Lion'. Stays mostly on the high level strategic view, but sometimes drops down to the operational. Contains little personal information. Recommendations: Decision in Normandy (Carlo D'Este). Best D-Day account I've read. Excellent balance between what the allies expected and planned for, what actually happened, and how the allies reacted. Also discusses the relationships and feuds between the Allied commanders. Emphasis on the allied view point. Of course, these are just my opinions: I could be wrong. P.S. I second Pak40 suggestions. Great reading! Could not put these down, especially 'Seven Roads to Hell'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer Leader Posted June 20, 2002 Author Share Posted June 20, 2002 Anybody have info on Gebirsjaeger or Fallschirmjaer units, preferably fighting in the East (or north, or even the Balkans for that matter)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonS Posted June 20, 2002 Share Posted June 20, 2002 Originally posted by Panzer Leader: Anybody have info on Gebirsjaeger or Fallschirmjaer units, preferably fighting in the East (or north, or even the Balkans for that matter)?http://www.gebirgsjaeger.4mg.com/ and http://www.eagle19.freeserve.co.uk/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawyer Posted June 20, 2002 Share Posted June 20, 2002 After much research, I recently spent real money at Amazon to buy "Men of Steel" by Michael Reynolds concerning the 1st SS Panzer Corps in the Ardennes and east front in 1944-45. I also bought "War on the Eastern Front: The German Soldier in Russia 1941-45", an interesting collection of pieces about different aspects of war for the Germans there. They both look good, but I haven't had time to read them yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackhorse Posted June 20, 2002 Share Posted June 20, 2002 I just looked at Panzers on the Eastern Front this week. It looks to be a great book. From what I read it is at the unit level describing low level actions as opposed to ecehelons above reality stuff found in some of the other books you mentioned **cough**Lost Victories**cough**. I believe it was originally written for the Armor School in the early 50s. The maps are superb, btw. As for must buy books? 1. Forgotten Soldier 2. Enemy at the Gates 3. Hitler Moves East 4. Scorched Earth 5. The Black March 6. Cross of Iron 7. Panzer an der Weichsel (German only) 8. Wenn alle Bruder Schweigen 9. Der Panzerdivision 'Wiking' im Bild 10. Small Unit Actions During the German Campaign in Russia That should get you started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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