What are your top ten books written about WWII?

[Bizman]

In no particular order:

Tuntematon sotilas by Väinö Linna
Ryhmy ja Romppainen books by Armas J. Pulla.

That makes 15, but the last five aren't that much about WW2...

[Curval]

Flyboys - James Bradley Not the WW1 movie.
Stalingrad - Anthony Beevor
The Retreat - Hitler's First Retreat - Michael Jones

Not 10, but 3 that stuck with me and which I think about a lot.

[AKQwik]

Twelve O'Clock High (Bartlett and Lay)

That's my favorite.  It will make you feel like you are part of a B17 crew.

When I read it the book was out of print, I found it at a book fair.  When I was done with it I passed it on.

[OldNitro]

WW2 in general? Most of my books are more specific to a given WW2 topic.

In no particular order.

Inside the Third Reich, Albert Speer
Adolf Hitler, John Toland
Rising Sun, John Toland
Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, Liddel-Hart
Incredible Victory, Walter Lord
Day of Infamy, Walter Lord
Loyalty is my Honor, Gordon Williamson
The Blood Soaked Soil, Gordon Williamson

The Complete WW2 set, Time Life books
The Complete Third Reich set, Time Life books

[WpnX]

In order:
1. Unbroken (May be my favorite book WW2 or any era).
2. A Higher Call
3. Enemy at the Gates
4. Masters of the Air

[Oldman731]

<smacks Oldman>. The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer

Ouch!  That hurt!

....well-deserved, though....apologies to Omar Bradley...

- oldman

[Ramesis]

Catch-22 - Joseph Heller 

I agree Bozon but I would add
The Lady Be Good
 

[Vraciu]

In no particular order...


Samurai!

Stuka Pilot

To Hell and Back

The First and the Last

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

Yeager

Shattered Sword

The Other Battle

Tale of a Guinea Pig

Sea of Thunder

(Fate is the Hunter -- Listed as an aside since World War II is part of it any way...)



Fiction Honorable Mentions:


Goodbye, Mickey Mouse

Bomber

The Gray Eagles

[Gman]

Hah, TYVM Brooke, I've been trying to remember the name/author of this book -
Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, by Hornfischer.  Has a great passage about the 5" guns fire control, and a gunnery officer training all 5 guns on a can at a Japanese officer on a beach with sword in air, and him obliterating him with one volley (discussion on WW2 gunnery systems and accuracy).

One book I haven't seen mentioned, A Thousand Shall Fall, by Murray Peden, Canadian who flew bombers for the RAF, Stirlings, Lancs, and B17s.  Best bomber from WW2 book I've read.

[Vraciu]

Hah, TYVM Brooke, I've been trying to remember the name/author of this book -
Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, by Hornfischer.  Has a great passage about the 5" guns fire control, and a gunnery officer training all 5 guns on a can at a Japanese officer on a beach with sword in air, and him obliterating him with one volley (discussion on WW2 gunnery systems and accuracy).

One book I haven't seen mentioned, A Thousand Shall Fall, by Murray Peden, Canadian who flew bombers for the RAF, Stirlings, Lancs, and B17s.  Best bomber from WW2 book I've read.

Take a look at THE OTHER BATTLE.   Written by a Lanc Navigator.  Really in depth account of the RAF vs LW nighttime air war.   Amazing.

[Blooz]

Panzer Battles
A Bridge Too Far
The Longest Day
The Last Battle
One Square Mile of Hell
The Lucky Ones
No Surrender
An Army At Dawn
The Day of Battle
The Guns At Last Light
War As I Knew It
The Longest Battle
Guadalcanal Diary
The Rising Sun
Brazen Chariots

[Brooke]

Nanette-Edwards Park  <---- I bought and read that one based on Guppy's suggestion.  It was great.  What a great writer that guy was, too.  He went on to be an editor and writer for Smithsonian magazine.

My favorite line was him talking about the color green in jungles of New Guinea. 

[Brooke]

To Hell and Back  <--- I've read that one.  I, too, think it's great.

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo <--- This is a great movie, too.

[Brooke]

A Bridge Too Far <--- that one is a great movie, too.

Also, Theirs is the Glory.  A movie on the same topic, but everyone in it is a veteran of the real battle.  Outstanding.

[redcatcherb412]

As a kid I read my copy of 'Reach for the Sky' until it literally fell apart.