Literature recommendations for WW2

[Munindk]

I've picked up some Perry infantry for the 8th army and DAK, and now I'm looking for some literature to help maintain my interest in the project.

I've ordered SAS Rogue Heroes (because I like the tv show), and I'm eyeing With the Scots by Peter White, even though its for the late war period.

Any recommendations? I'm primarily looking for books on North Africa, but good books for other theaters are welcome.
I'm more into biographies and similar, than Ospreys and the like. I wont be button counting

[westwaller]

I picked this up in a second hand book shop and remember it being quite a good read.

[Harry Faversham]

Get a copy of 'Brazen Chariots'. Brilliant book about British tanks in North Africa.
 

[Tom Dulski]

 If you haven't read Eugene Sledge's "With the old breed at Peleliu and Okinawa" do yourself a favor and run out and buy it now! I've read loads of WW2 memoirs and this one stands head and shoulders above the rest.
 You will likely want to start a Pacific theater project after reading it

[Munindk]

I found a used copy of The Desert War for cheap online, the others will take a bit more searching.
As for Pacific theater, my 8th army chaps could work for that and I've got a ton of aquarium plants left over from a sci fi project...

[carlos marighela]

Probably one of the best written personal accounts of WW2 is John Master's The Road Past Mandalay. You don't need to read the earlier Bugles and a Tiger to enjoy it but that is a magnificent book and explains much about the Indian Army before the war. The two books track his progress from subaltern to Lt Colonel.

Nicholas Mosley's *Time of War is one of the better accounts of the Italian Campaign and throroughly readable.

My pick for the Desrt Campaign would be Keith Douglas' Alamein to Zem Zem. Douglas was a tank commander in the desert, later killed in Normandy so it's a really fresh and almost contemporary account, well worth digging out. It came out as a paperback so hunt through second hand bookshops.



*Yep, son of that Mosley but don't hold it against him.

[SJWi]

James Holland's "Together We Stand" is a great read anout 1942-43.

[frank xerox]

John Masters “The Road Past Mandalay” - memoir of his war from ghurka subaltern to chindit brigadier. Iraq/india/burma.
Also Allan Clarks The Fall of Crete and William Manchesters Goodbye Darkness.
Ok none of them have anything to do with the western desert, but…

[snitcythedog]

Not necessarily for the north African theater but Churchill's Toyshop is well worth the read.  It may give you some ideas. 

For the European theater, Alamo in the Ardenns is a very good read.

[Cat]

Iron Hulls Iron Hearts: Mussolini's Elite Armoured Divisions in North Africa gives a nice Italian perspective on things.  Warning: may lead to purchasing Italian forces.
 
Invasion Syria, 1941: Churchill and de Gaulle's Forgotten War is a good western desert adjacent history.  Warning: may lead to purchasing French forces for both sides.
 
: 3
 

[TacticalPainter]

For Western Desert I’d highly recommend the Barrie Pitt trilogy. Still in print I think and can often be picked up at a reasonable price second hand. Covers the whole war from East Africa to Tunisia. Very readable.

[Harry Faversham]

If you've an interest in NW Europe at all, these three are good. 'From the City from the Plough', 18 Platoon and 'Fear is the Foe'.

[2010sunburst]

To add to the NW Europe theme, “Mailed fist” and “Warriors for the working day” are worth a read.  Ostensibly novels, they are really the respective author’s wartime experiences.  Both are very easy reads and tie in with Harry’s “From the city, from the plough” recommendation.  “Tank” by Ken Tout is also excellent. 

[BeneathALeadMountain]

I’d highly recommend Panzer Commander by Hans Von Luck. It covers his whole career but a large portion of that is in Afrika and is generally a very interesting read (or listen it’s available as a great audiobook too).

Andrew
BeneathALeadMountain

[Tom Dulski]

  Keep the recommendations coming guys, I'm learning a lot. The vast majority of memoirs I've read are from American and a smattering of German authors. I've never considered the British perspective.