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Are there many folks out there interested in participating in a group read of a WW2 book? It could be an old favourite or one of the many new titles currently in print.

Im in Rick

Excellent, just raise a few more interested readers and then we can start looking at some books :)

I'm interested.

Good :)

I'm in too Rick thanks.

Good to see Geevee, figured you would be able to stay away from a good read!

Ha anything to try and get my TBR down - although no chance the way you make me add to it :)

Goes both ways Geevee!

:)

Depending on when it is and if I already have the book (due to my year-long book buying ban), I might be in

Sounds interesting, if I like and own or can get a hold of the chosen book without too much hassle, I'm in.

Good to hear from you both Chrissy and Wilson. I will start putting out a few suggestions soon so we can work out which book to read.

I am interested. would try to join in depending on book and when.

Hi Tom, great, will try and pick out a book we all have access to and with lots of notice so we can work it in with all out different commitments.

To start off with here are a few books to consider as possibilities:



by Andrew Roberts
Description:
The Second World War lasted for 2,174 days, cost $1.5 trillion, and claimed the lives of more than 50 million people. What were the factors that affected the war's outcome? Why did the Axis lose? And could they, with a different strategy, have won? Andrew Roberts's acclaimed new history has been hailed as the finest single-volume account of this epic conflict. From the western front to North Africa, from the Baltic to the Far East, he tells the story of the war-the grand strategy and the individual experience, the cruelty and the heroism-as never before.In researching this magnificently vivid history, Roberts walked many of the key battlefields and wartimes sites in Russia, France, Italy, Germany, and the Far East, and drew on a number of never-before-published documents, such as a letter from Hitler's director of military operations explaining the reasoning behind the Führer's order to halt the Panzers outside Dunkirk-a delay that enabled British forces to evacuate. Roberts illuminates the principal actors on both sides and analyzes how they reached critical decisions. He also presents the tales of many little-known individuals whose experiences form a panoply of the extraordinary courage and self-sacrifice, as well as the terrible depravity and cruelty, of the Second World War.Meticulously researched and masterfully written, The Storm of War gives a dramatic account of this momentous event and shows in remarkable detail why the war took the course it did.

by Stephen G. Fritz
Drescription:
On June 22, 1941, Germany launched the greatest land assault in history on the Soviet Union, an attack that Adolf Hitler deemed crucial to ensure German economic and political survival. As the key theater of the war for the Germans, the eastern front consumed enormous levels of resources and accounted for 75 percent of all German casualties. Despite the significance of this campaign to Germany and to the war as a whole, few English-language publications of the last thirty-five years have addressed these pivotal events.

In Ostkrieg: Hitler’s War of Extermination in the East, Stephen G. Fritz bridges the gap in scholarship by incorporating historical research from the last several decades into an accessible, comprehensive, and coherent narrative. His analysis of the Russo-German War from a German perspective covers all aspects of the eastern front, demonstrating the interrelation of military events, economic policy, resource exploitation, and racial policy that first motivated the invasion. This in-depth account challenges accepted notions about World War II and promotes greater understanding of a topic that has been neglected by historians.

by Ian Kershaw
Description:
From the preeminent Hitler biographer, a fascinating and original exploration of how the Third Reich was willing and able to fight to the bitter end of World War II.

Countless books have been written about why Nazi Germany lost World War II, yet remarkably little attention has been paid to the equally vital question of how and why it was able to hold out as long as it did. The Third Reich did not surrender until Germany had been left in ruins and almost completely occupied. Even in the near-apocalyptic final months, when the war was plainly lost, the Nazis refused to sue for peace. Historically, this is extremely rare.

Drawing on original testimony from ordinary Germans and arch-Nazis alike, award-winning historian Ian Kershaw explores this fascinating question in a gripping and focused narrative that begins with the failed bomb plot in July 1944 and ends with the German capitulation in May 1945. Hitler, desperate to avoid a repeat of the "disgraceful" German surrender in 1918, was of course critical to the Third Reich's fanatical determination, but his power was sustained only because those below him were unable, or unwilling, to challenge it. Even as the military situation grew increasingly hopeless, Wehrmacht generals fought on, their orders largely obeyed, and the regime continued its ruthless persecution of Jews, prisoners, and foreign workers. Beneath the hail of allied bombing, German society maintained some semblance of normalcy in the very last months of the war. The Berlin Philharmonic even performed on April 12, 1945, less than three weeks before Hitler's suicide.

As Kershaw shows, the structure of Hitler's "charismatic rule" created a powerful negative bond between him and the Nazi leadership- they had no future without him, and so their fates were inextricably tied. Terror also helped the Third Reich maintain its grip on power as the regime began to wage war not only on its ideologically defined enemies but also on the German people themselves. Yet even as each month brought fresh horrors for civilians, popular support for the regime remained linked to a patriotic support of Germany and a terrible fear of the enemy closing in.
Based on prodigious new research, Kershaw's The End is a harrowing yet enthralling portrait of the Third Reich in its last desperate gasps.

(UK Ed.) (US Ed.) by Max Hastings
Description:
From one of our finest military historians, a monumental work that shows us at once the truly global reach of World War II and its deeply personal consequences.

World War II involved tens of millions of soldiers and cost sixty million lives—an average of twenty-seven thousand a day. For thirty-five years, Max Hastings has researched and written about different aspects of the war. Now, for the first time, he gives us a magnificent, single-volume history of the entire war.

Through his strikingly detailed stories of everyday people—of soldiers, sailors and airmen; British housewives and Indian peasants; SS killers and the citizens of Leningrad, some of whom resorted to cannibalism during the two-year siege; Japanese suicide pilots and American carrier crews—Hastings provides a singularly intimate portrait of the world at war. He simultaneously traces the major developments—Hitler’s refusal to retreat from the Soviet Union until it was too late; Stalin’s ruthlessness in using his greater population to wear down the German army; Churchill’s leadership in the dark days of 1940 and 1941; Roosevelt’s steady hand before and after the United States entered the war—and puts them in real human context.

Hastings also illuminates some of the darker and less explored regions under the war’s penumbra, including the conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland, during which the Finns fiercely and surprisingly resisted Stalin’s invading Red Army; and the Bengal famine in 1943 and 1944, when at least one million people died in what turned out to be, in Nehru’s words, “the final epitaph of British rule� in India.

Remarkably informed and wide-ranging, Inferno is both elegantly written and cogently argued. Above all, it is a new and essential understanding of one of the greatest and bloodiest events of the twentieth century.

Im keen for and or .

Was wondering was I the only one confused for a while by the dual titles & or is it only me?

I tend to use the UK version but may have to put both down next time, thanks for picking that up Michael.

No worries Rick took me a bit a time to figure it out the other week when I was going through the Hasting books I was yet to read.

I was also a bit confused by the US and UK editions of Hasting's book (which is excellent by the way)
and are the books I haven't read yet among the ones proposed. Either one is ok by me (although I already have a copy of The Storm of war waiting to be read and would prefer this one).
Can we also bring suggestions to the table? If so, these are mine: and

Hi Wilson I would also be keen for ..so many good books out there on WWII.

Hi Michael, we do have tons of books to pick from! This book in particular is outstanding if you want to learn about the Third Reich internal dynamics regarding their rule in the east (a mess Hitler devised in order to keep subordinates fighting each other and to keep them from becoming a threat to his hold on power).
I tend to prefer books that deal with the grand scheme of things more than books about tactics and military minutae like Osprey books often do.

Thanks Wilson added to the TBR. I am a sucker for all thing Thrid Reich.

looks like some nice choices

'Eagle Against the Sun' is already on me TBR pile so i would also be interested in reading it.

by Ronald H. Spector

a few others that may be of interest

by Alex Kershaw

by Richard B. Frank

Some very interesting ones already suggested and aside from by Andrew Roberts which I've read I'll happily go with any of the above. NB Storm of War is very good indeed.

I liked Wilson's suggestion as I have by Mark Mazower had this on my shelves since it was published.

To add the the great selection might I suggest by Andrew Roberts

Michael wrote: "Was wondering was I the only one confused for a while by the dual titles & or is it only me?..."

Gents to add to the mix, my copy is a UK one bought when first released in 2011 and its this version:

by Max Hastings

Some interesting choices.

My picks would be , , or

Another one to throw in the mix is by Nathan Greenfield

I'll throw in a few books that are on my shelves waiting to be read:

I am happy to read either of the Roberts books ("Storm of War" or "Masters and Commanders") or the Hastings book - regardless of title. I will also read The End or either of the books on the Pacific (Eagle Against the Sun, Guadalcanal). All of the books referenced are on my TBR list, but these ones are particularly high on that list. Just let me know, Aussie Rick, when the assignments are doled out.

All of the books referenced by Chrissy above would be suitable for me, also. :)

LOOKS LIKE A GREAT GROUP! Hope all are well!

i'm game. i'll go w/the group suggestion, i always
pick what i get to read otherwise ...

How about after a few more suggestions I put a list together that we can all vote on?

Sounds good.

I will through two more into the mix Target Tirpitz: The Epic Quest to Sink Hitler's Last Battleship. by Patrick Bishop by Patrick Bishop and byNiklas Zetterling

Alex wrote: "LOOKS LIKE A GREAT GROUP! Hope all are well!"

Hi Alex, good to see you here, one of your titles has been mentioned for the group read already :)

For those who may join the group read I was thinking of kicking it off on July 1st which should allow everyone to get themselves organised book wise and reserve a few weeks to complete the nominated book. Does this sound OK to most folks?

I am in, most definately.

And at the same time would like to propose this book

good idea, having a little 'get organized time'.


'Aussie Rick' wrote: "For those who may join the group read I was thinking of kicking it off on July 1st which should allow everyone to get themselves organised book wise and reserve a few weeks to complete the nominate..."

Paul wrote: "I am happy to read either of the Roberts books ("Storm of War" or "Masters and Commanders") or the Hastings book - regardless of title. I will also read The End or either of the books on the Pacifi..."

I have a brand new copy of Masters and Commanders sitting on my bookshelf just dying to be read, so I'll cast a vote for that one also. May I also suggest



Written from the perspective of the war against Germany being decided mainly on the eastern front, but not based solely on that front, but on the ETO as a whole. Sounds like an interesting read.

All good suggestions and will add additional books to the next poll with will go out next week for voting.

I was wondering what others thought about this idea:

The one problem I find with group reads that many people don't always get their choice of book to read. At the moment this is how things are looking in regards to the poll:

The End: The Defiance & Destruction of Hitler's Germany 1944-45 - 3 votes

All Hell Let Loose: The World at War, 1939-1945 - 2 votes

Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin - 2 votes

Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad - 2 votes

Would it be suitable for us to have a group 'buddy' read in that we could run 3-4 books at the same time and people could read whichever of the books they like and we could post comments on all the books in the one thread.

So basically we could run the 4 books above with 2-3 people reading and commenting on their book as a group, that way everyone gets to read the book they want and we share the reading experience across 4 books which may entice others to grab one of the other books to read at a later date, what do people here think of that idea?

Otherwise we can run some more polls and just go with one book, thoughts and comments?

It is not a bad idea as far as I'm concerned, since I read the first two books you mention above a few months ago and feel that it's rather soon for a reread.

I haven't read any of them and all look interesting so I'm not particularly beholden to my choice. So I'm good for a buddy read or to go with whatever the group decides.

Thanks for your comments Wilson and Nicole, lets see what the rest of the group say.

Sounds interesting, might get a little confusing with a single thread.

The problem is too many books an to few people, hard to even do a run off poll with the top two or three.

Are people interested in reading multiple books on the list?
Maybe start a read in June?

Hi Tom, we will have to work out the mechanics for this group read but we have a bit of time to do it I suppose :)

It could be if we have 3 different books with 2-3 people reading a different one we could still have them on the same thread but when you post you need to identify which book you are discussing and we could use the spoiler function as well?

Thinking about Tom's comment in regards to confusion in running 2-3 books on a single thread maybe we could run 3 sub folders off a Group read folder for three nominated books and people can join and post on the most appropriate thread?

That would be a good idea. I would perhaps like to read two books at the same time, not a problem.
We should also read the book in parts and not rush through it all at one go. That would work out better for discussing the book I guess.

(A ;) for Rick)