Top 10 books about the iraq war ranging from forensic intelligence reports to biting reportage and searing fiction and memoir, these books lay bare the mistakes that drove the war, and reveal. Top 10 books about the cold war the long, nucleararmed standoff that followed the second world war was a terrifying parody of peace which inspired some brilliant literature francesca kay. Three concentrations of black and white photographs and a selection of quality maps accompany a superbly written narrative that expertly guides the. After sufficient time had elapsed to ease some of the war s psychic wounds, we saw a mini explosion of important books. He is the author of five previous books, including the next american nation 0684825031 and up. The reason why im insisting is that night is one of the most important books ever written. Nor is it asking if you like or agree with the content or message of the books it is merely asking for our suggestions for the most influential books.
Graylings three chapters on the history of war lead to the question of what causes war, an exploration not of the causes of this or that war but of war as a phenomenon. For any war that occurs, and even many that do not, there can be found people who believe at the time, and after, that each particular war is or was necessary. These 7 books are necessary reading for all creatives. The indian war of independence is an indian nationalist history of the 1857 revolt by vinayak damodar savarkar that was first published in 1909. No other book ive read takes us closer to the lives of the people there, breathing a muchneeded human dimension to understanding life in iraq. Today, though full of new sources and insights, it is a document of that. But often, the books that get the most coverage tend to focus on the same elite white men over and over again. He was well aware that his job was to kill as many people as possible and he tells this to the reader, who needs to know it. This book may be about war, but it is, like most of these books, mostly about people. Before vietnam, america fought in the korean war but its role in that conflict has been far less examined. The best civil war books of all time analysis civil. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war.
Search the worlds most comprehensive index of fulltext books. I, personally, have no religious beliefs whatever, but only an idiot would deny the importance and influence positive or negative of the bible and the koran. Best books of the ancient world add only books that were written in ancient times before year ad 399 in any genre. Although ferguson is young, clever, and ironic, there is. While the list of books about this conflict includes hundreds of enlightening works, we pick ten of the best texts offering illuminating perspectives on the war, its context and the effects it had on vietnam. Hes written over fifty books, so he knows a thing or two about the craft. The book is nontechnical and light on theory, which is largely reserved for the first and final chapters. Add only books that were written in ancient times before year ad 399 in any genre. The 17 best books on world war i of 2020 thoughtco. Keegans book has become a modernday classic, representing the most popular view of the great war. Youll notice that they change slightly throughout the war.
The book, initially written in marathi, was penned by savarkar in response to celebrations in britain of the 50th anniversary of the 1857 indian uprising with records from india office archives and the whole project received support from indian. A life of field marshall erwin rommel by david fraser. In this groundgreaking reinterpretation of americas most disatrous and controversial war, michael lind demolishes enduring myths and put the vietnam war in its proper context as part of the global conflict between the soviet union and the united states. No text has influenced western culture more, but might it be equally important to. Eisenhower describes both sides in the war, devoting important sections to mexican general santa anna and others, giving the book a wellbalanced feel. The first great book on war in all its aspects, and still one of the best. Yet even he was astonished by the success of his book the great illusion, in which he announced that war had put itself out of business. The english pen staff compiled a list of the best works not written in the english language. Top 10 books about the cold war books the guardian.
Some people are unconvinced by claims of necessity for many wars, but insist that one or two wars in the distant past were indeed necessary. In this way, among others, the oxford historian niall fergusons the pity of war is a very british book. Any recommended reading list therefore has to be highly selective and at least somewhat arbitrary. War of necessity, war of choice council on foreign relations. In this fastpaced biography sonia purnell tells the story of virginia hall, an american spy who worked undercover in france during world war ii for britains special operations executive soe. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. The 100 most influential books ever written 181 books. Sumida contends that clausewitzs central value lies in his method of reenacting the psychological difficulties of high command in order to promote the powers of. Its got a good paceintense enough to keep you turning the pages, but not so quick that anything important is missed or glossed over.
It reveals demand for romance and jane austen in particular but little interest in adventure novels. He came near one of my friends and asked for money to buy food. The vietnam war was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of north vietnam against south vietnam and its principal ally, the united states. So its no surprise that even today, war books comprise a growth segment in the publishing industry, with more titles appearing each year than any one reader could possibly get through.
After we posted this article, times readers weighed in with their favorite books on the vietnam war. Riveting novel of the gradual unravelling of a civil war veteran turned town marshalclearly suffering from ptsdas a forest fire and a deadly epidemic threatens his small town in 1870s wisconsin. Known in english as the bridge on the drina, this novel sweeps through 300 years in a small town near the mehmed pasha. The american revolution is among the mostwrittenabout, moststudied eras of u. Night is one of the most important books ever bustle. Six books on the civil war these six histories of the civil war that are mustreads if you want to better understand the conflict. Awardwinning historian bruce cumings talks about the misconceptions many people still hold, and how they distort our understanding of the current north korean regime. Books are not just important to me, its very important to all of us. Here our critics ceri radford and chris harvey pick the books you.
The first two images explain how ration books were to be used. A book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. The transcription, however, is the result of my research and hard work. War memory, horror, and a vivid portrayal of postwar life are all crowded into this brisk, 200page book. All that said, this book is a beautiful love story and is also quite funny. Best war and history books of all time the telegraph selects the best war and history books ever written best war and history books of all time clockwise from left. The part they played in the american revolution is interesting, sure, but they arent even close to the entire story. The art of manliness hey, why not 100 mustread books.
The best books on the korean war five books expert. Top 10 books about the iraq war books the guardian. It is an important, thorough, dispassionate, and easy to read book all in one. He seamlessly weaves together stories about his college days and a neardeath. Posts may contain affiliate links, meaning cwba might get a commission from purchases made through those links, at no cost to you. The war illustrated article explains what is wanted there is the friendly companionship of a good and kindly book to take the mind away from the contemplation of the terrible environment.
Tls, the times literary supplement, october 6, 1995, p. In the long run, wars make us safer and richer the. As a matter of fact, when a gallup poll on march 5, 1943, asked americans, do you understand how the food point rationing system works. Bolanos masterpiece but also one of the finest and most important novels of.
The best books on the korean war recommended by bruce cumings. This is perhaps the most important recent book for anyone seeking to understand clausewitzs thinking. Far more books have been written about the civil war than about any other event in american history, and lincolns stack of books towers over that of any other american figure. A new approach to on war university press of kansas, 2008. Two book editors for the present their list of the 16 greatest books of all time, with a list of runnerups as well. Considered one of the definitive memoirs of the vietnam war, it is, simply a story about war, about the things men do in war and the things war does to them. Twenty years ago, this thoroughly documented book would have rocked the publishing world. In the short history of vietnam war literature, publishers would hardly touch a book on the war until the late 1970s and early 1980sa part of the selfinduced national amnesia about that conflict and its outcome.
It might be weird to admit this but if i recall correctly the book nearly made me cry seriously. The truly powerful books, though, the ones that enlighten and move us, are few in number. From actionpacked eyewitness accounts such as guadalcanal diary to devastating holocaust memoirs like the diary of anne frank and night to the thrilling espionage tale of operation mincemeat, world war ii is the subject of some of the most fascinating and influential nonfiction books ever written each year, seemingly dozens of new titles emerge to offer fresh perspectives and uncover. Michael lind lives in washington dc and is the washington editor of harpers magazine. Ive read all here except the republic of suffering i enjoyed the differing perspectives between foote, cotton, and mcphereson as they covered the same ground. The history of thought from ancient times to today 1998 is a book of intellectual history written by martin seymoursmith, a british poet, critic, and biographer. Absolutely essential for understanding the human phenomenon of war.
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