Reddit reviews The Second World War

I read finished Volume 5 of Churchill's WW2 memoirs, and then took a break and read the first three trades of The Wicked + The Divine and The Rise And Fall of D.O.D.O.

Churchill remains an extremely rewarding read, even though it's taken me ages, I'm really glad I've done it. It really gives a strong perspective on the period, supported by so many documents.

Wicked and Divine is fantastic from the stuff I've read so far. Definitely gonna continue reading it when I get a chance.

Rise and Fall of DODO was kind of disappointing, but it was a halfway decent novel. Just not as good as I was hoping. Having Stephenson co-write is probably a good idea, because there are actual coherent characters other than the Competent Nerd Dude. In point of fact, the Competent Nerd Dude is a super-minor character, and the book is actually written partially first person from a lady's perspective!

Definitely looking forward to August or so, when I finish up the Churchill memoirs and read a whole stack of novels for a break.

If you can find Churchill's chronicles of the World War II, they are thoroughly enjoyable. Maybe he read them already:

http://www.amazon.com/Second-World-War-Six-Boxed/dp/039541685X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324409954&sr=8-1

I read an abridged version (still 2000 pages long in 2 volumes) and felt I was missing out on the whole thing.

There's this great documentary about his life, absolutely insightful. Also his books are interesting to read, e.g.

• The Second World War
  
• A History of the English-Speaking Peoples

Fiction-wise: The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer is generally considered a classic and perhaps the first novel to come out of the Second World War. I would also recommend James Jones' From Here to Eternity. As for the Korean War, the best two pieces of fiction I can suggest, from my experience, are Richard Hooker's MASH, yes, the the book that launched the television show. This book is enjoyable, and it's more informative than you think. Also, William Styron's novella The Long March.

As for non-fiction: The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany by William L. Shirer, and Winston Churchill's The Second World War available here in a box set (a bit pricey but worth it).

try this one http://www.amazon.com/The-Second-World-Winston-Churchill/dp/039541685X

I haven't read it myself, so I can't comment, but Winston Churchill himself wrote a six-part series called, simply, The Second World War. It is available on Amazon in a styling box-set for $75. Bit pricy but seems like a wonderful gift.

This is what I'm talking about: abridged version on Amazon vs. the six volume set on Amazon

Well, there's always Winston Churchill's six-volume work on the subject, The Second World War: https://www.amazon.com/dp/039541685X/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_-ovzybAE3R3F1

My recollection of Churchill's account of this event from his (excellent) history of WW2 roughly matches your description.

I think the imminence of the fall of Singapore was far more evident to the commander on the scene than to Churchill, who seemed certain that the fortress city could withstand a long siege and was shocked when it fell so rapidly.

Agree. Why, when I had history in high school, did no one think to mention that one of the primary figures of WWII wrote a history that earned him the Nobel prize in LITERATURE??? http://www.amazon.com/Second-World-War-Winston-Churchill/dp/039541685X

Can you do a better job summing up WWII in one pithy sentence? If you want the more detailed version here you go.