A superb history of the second world war

This is a very long book, but I was gripped throughout by the fast-paced narrative that illuminated the horrors of war and the extraordinary heroism of the men and women who put up with unspeakable conditions in all the theatres of war. The basic details of the war are well-known but where this book excels is in combining the global/national facts with extensive material from letters and diaries that more than anything evoke what it was really like on the ground, in the air, and on and under the seas.

This is no jingoistic telling of WWII from the British perspective. The failings, mistakes and barbarities of all the protagonists are revealed, often with hindsight as the author acknowledges.

It’s not a book to be ‘enjoyed’ as the sheer number of people killed was enormous and the devastation of parts of the world catastrophic for many years after the war, however I finished the book feeling humbled by what the generation before mine had endured.

It’s a salutary reminder that megalomaniacs, such as Hitler and Stalin, can galvanise such monumental horrors in the 20th century and depressing that people are still enduring these tyrants and horrors on Europe’s doorstep.

The narrator is superb.

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32 people found this helpful

Truly enlightening, it will change how you see the world

Great pace, top notch narration, moving and humbling. Answered so many questions, an awesome book.

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9 people found this helpful

Very biased

great story but got sick of the continual degradation of the British troops as useless and how wonderful the other troops were

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1 person found this helpful

Sublimely Brilliant

informative, revealing, and wide ranging scope. It provides a view of the war I'd never considered. On top of this the narration is crisp and professional, without ever becoming mundane or boring.

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An overview punctuated with in-depth segments

I really enjoyed this book, I've not read/listened to a Max Hastings book before and found this to be a page-turner. It's an overview, ultimately, but it's punctuated with first-hand accounts from all sides of the war to give a glimpse into the mindset of the nations involved (from the mundane to the harrowing).

Thoroughly enjoyable, I'm giving 5 stars as it improved my understanding of WWII - as overviews go this is a goodie!

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Good in parts, but to much emphasis on politics.

Found it difficult to get through & some of the history provided is dubious. Overall a decent book, but not one I could fully recommend.

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Compelling

Very good look at the subject from a different perspective.
Uncomfortable at times as the author uses the word race during narrative to mean nationality or group far too frequently.

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This book is like a magic trick

You know something has just happened. The result is delightful, but you are not quite sure how it was done.

Somehow Hastings has successfully condensed the most catastrophic event of the 20th century, into one performance. Amazingly, he did a damned fine job.

If you would enjoy what is essentially a survey course on the entire second world war, I would heartily suggest this book.

In fact, this would make an excellent required senior year, high school text, in ALL of the participatory countries. God knows that many of the countries I have travelled in, and listened to the absolute and sometimes WILLFUL ignorance of the citizens (including my own), could stand such a clear and concise history.

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Personal sufferings

The account of personal experiences and especially suffering of individuals caught in the middle of the war makes this book a revelation

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A fantastic book

A fantastic book that I would highly recommend to anybody interestes in the Second World War

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