Who was the best WWII author?

[ChrisM.]

Another 2 cents I will add-While I realize he didn't write a bushel of books, I did wholeheartedly enjoy Albert Speer's memoirs "Inside the Third Reich." While we may never know if everything in the book is 100%factual, it is extremely entertaining. And for a 600 page book, it's a fast read.

To those who responded about Stephen Ambrose, I won't try to defend whether or not part of his info for his books was plagarized, as I don't know enough about the controversies. But I do ENJOY the books, which in my mind makes him the best WWII author that I have read thus far. Of course I want history to be factual, and don't condone plagarism, but his books to me just seem to read quickly and are extremly entertaining-especially BOB and the Wild Blue. I think saying he is "not a serious historian" is a bit harsh though, especially in lieu of the book D-Day.

[Ardennes]

Beevor for me! His book Stalingrad really captured me, I was entranced by his writing style and walked away from the book with a lot more information on the struggle than going in. I almost felt emotionally drained - the accounts and stories he added were superbly chosen for content and effect.

Beevor's The Fall of Berlin was just as good if not better. The one thing I've noticed is that despite his open writing, I walked away from that book with a low opinion of the Russians.

Beevor's book on Crete didn't capture me the way these two did - perhaps he wasn't as enveloped into the struggle like he had to be with these two subjects? Regardless, he is a very talented writer and historian.

[Sparky]

As I am an Airborne guy, I can really only speak on that.

My top Ten.


1. Mark Bando. All of his books are great! The latest "Vanguard of the Crusade" is my favorite to date.

2. Don Burgett. Again, all his books are great reads. Although it is hard to pick just one, "Currahee!" is my favorite.

3. Cornelius Ryan. "The Longest Day". The movie is enjoyable but pretty hokie!

4. James Brady. "Flags of our Fathers". Could not put it down.(Marine book too!)

5.George Koskimaki. "D-Day with the Screaming Eagles".

6. David Webster. "Parachute Infantry". A GREAT personal account.

7. Ambrose. "BoB" and "Pegasus Bridge". Enjoyable reads but his history of adding details etc. brings him down in my eyes.

8.Rapport and Norwood Jr. "Rendevous with Destiny" a must have for the serious Airborne enthusiast. LOTS of info in a thick book!

9.Phil Nordyke's books on the 82nd Airborne Division are must have's.

10. James Gavin. "On to Berlin". Very good personal account.

[petermac]

I went for Max Hastings having just finished his Armageddon which is an excellent read but he got my vote because he wrote a book called 'Bomber Command' about 20 years ago which was the first objective account of the British and US heavy bomber campaign in Europe. Still a good reaf after all these years.

I've never been keen on Stephen Ambrose, there's something about his style that really grates. I'd rather read Carlo D'Este whose book on Normandy is still a classic. I'd also like to mention Richard Overy, Corelli Barnett and Martin Gilbert as they are excellent historians AND very good story tellers.

Happy reading, Peter

[marcos cidade]

[For those of you who want proof without going out an buying his book- check out his fantastic website www.101airborneww2.com
and click on his section titled "Troop Carrier." http://www.101airborneww2.com/troopcarrier.html
Bando blows away a number of myths concerning the airborne drops into Normandy.

My two cents,
Allan[/QUOTE]

Thanks for posting this link Allan, it's fantastic and full of information you doesn't find in books very often. I have Bando's 101st Airborne book (from Holland to Hitler's Nest) and his website supplied me with a lot of information - it's not easy to find Bando's books here !!! - the souvenirs and troop carrier sections are the best I've read in the site so far. I'm still "exploring" it.

Just a note - Ambrose books D-day and Citizen Soldiers were best-sellers in Brasil - I didn't know about this accusation of plagerism upon him - unfortunately here there aren't much WWII books translations and to import them is very expensive (cursed taxes )

Regards

[Mark McShane]

I gave my vote to Charles Whiting, I find his books very hard to put down once you start reading them. Always enjoyable and he cover s many a good topic. Micheal Reynolds is excellent too and enjoyable.

Another really good author that should really be mentioned here is Martin Middlebrook. I have read a good few of his books and they are top class. Like M. Reynolds they are researched in detail with a huge wealth of eye witness reports on the actions. His last book on the loss of H.M.S. Prince of Wales & Repulse was fantastic.


Mark

[Terry K.]

Hi All,

My vote is for Paul Carrell! He is the best to me.
I have read most of the others listed and most are very good also.
Yours,

[behblc]

Votes

I did vote for another author having in mind Martin Middlebrook.

Middlebrook's first book was "The First day on the Somme" which was taken by Penquin / Allen LAne as soon as they read his manuscript and ist never been out of print since , that was in 1969.

What makes him so good is his even handed and balance use of material which is researched in detail , to this he adds the accounts of the men who were actually there - nothing dry or uninteresting , he brings events and people to life.
Retired from writing he has written primarly about RAF Bomber Command -
"The Nuremberg Raid" ( March 44) , "The Peenemunde Raid" , "Hamburg" , "The Berlin Raids" , "The Schweinfurt- Regensburg Raid" , "Arnhem - The Airborne Battle", "Battleship-The Loss of Force Z" ,"The First day on The Somme" , "The Kaiser's battle" , "The Somme Battle Fields".
On a more modern theme , he has written two books about the Falklands war "Operatio Corporate" and the "Battle for the Malvinas" the latter looking at the war from the view of the Argintine soldier.

Few authors have shown his understanding of what war is , its cost and what it does to people.
For me he sets a benchmark a seriouly good historian and author - there are few better.

On the subject of other WW2 authors.
Charles Whiting - I could never quite warm to him , his book on Aachen I liked but others didn't really do anything for me , james Lucas as well.
Irving - a good researcher but beyond that I won't comment.

A few others not mentioned.
Norman Franks. His books on Coastal Command Experiences , excellent.
Alfred Price. " The Hardest day" Excellent.
Carlo D'este "Decision in Normandy."
Jak Showell. His writings on the U-boat arm are always worth reading.
(As are Lawerence Patterson's).
Michael Reynolds book on Normandy , good.
Finally a collective good word for the work of "After The Battle" an excellent range of publications and an excelelnt quarterly magazine which is a must buy.

[Aave Johns]

Charles Whiting

I like Whitings style, though his fiction is better that his fact sometimes. I loved the "Wotan" series under the guise of Leo Kessler, "the Devil's Shield" being my favourite. Antony Beevor's books, in particular "Stalingrad" and "The Fall of Berlin 1945" are excellant too.

Regards;
Johnsy

[fknorr]

Yikes Ambrose!!!!!

People who vote for Ambrose obviously do not read much REAL history...his books display nice, are OK if you have nothing better to read and are better suited for placement under a chair/table leg for the leveling thereof.

While I believe his literary works are average at best, I do commend him for his bringing WWII and the veterans to the forefront again...they truly were the "Greatest Generation" and their collective sacrifice to make the world a better place should not go unforgotten.

Yikes Ambrose!!!!!

[Kurt Barickman]

Bando Yes, Ambrose NO

I heartily agree with Sparky about Bando, Burgett and Koskimaki and totally concur with Fran about Ambrose, bad news and not very good and sloppy

Kurt Barickman

[fknorr]

I heartily agree with Sparky about Bando, Burgett and Koskimaki and totally concur with Fran about Ambrose, bad news and not very good and sloppy Kurt Barickman

Mark Bando is the man!

If you want to read a "history" book, look at one of his volumes. My Favorite is "Breakout at Normandy" (I do not think in print anymore). You will not get all the "flowery" Ambrose-esque type drivel, mostly taken from direct veteran's accounts...no BS, just the way things happened, told (mainly) by the people actually in the trenches...

Back to my Ambrose bashing for a second...I am currently reading "Eisenhower and the POWs"...Ambrose and the Eisenhower folks rebuttal to "Other Losses", by James Bacque. Gee, someone like Ambrose (the known allied apologist/white-washer and total Eisenhower sycophant) as well as the Eisenhower Library countering claims made by Bacque about Eisenhower and Allied POW camps. Isn't that like asking tobacco companies for truthful information about cigarettes and cancer?


I am halfway through and if you took out all the petty snipes @ Bacque and the authors trying to prove that if indeed there was a "policy" against the German POWs it was not Eisenhower that formulated it, only implementing it, there would barely be anything here at all. It does make some decent points but all the petty little stuff kind of clouds and real "good stuff" that may be found between the covers.

[Kurt Barickman]

Ambrose

Yes,

When the whole controversy broke about Ike and the German POWs, Ambrose was in agreement and then went totally against that contention. Bando's Breakout is a great book and is really the only work about what happened from the fall of St. Lo until the Breakout of the Bocage. As a result of Breakout, I have developed an interest in 2nd Armored and have interviewed a couple of local 2nd Armored men who remember those horrific battles beyond St. Lo.

Kurt Barickman

[Mark C. Yerger]

My interests are SS and Luftwaffe, and none of those listed in the poll are anywhere near my top 10 for original research, detail, being accurate in those areas.

Mark C. Yerger

[Jody]

My interests are SS and Luftwaffe, and none of those listed in the poll are anywhere near my top 10 for original research, detail, being accurate in those areas.

Mark C. Yerger

Hi Mark,
Not even Michael Reynolds?
Regards,
Jody