Favorite WWII Books: Ours and Yours

We thought it would be fun to share some of our favorite WWII books in case anyone needs some recommendations for the 2017 reading challenge. We’d also love for you to share some of your favorites in the comments to give us some ideas for our own reading!

It was really hard to pare down our lists, so we’ve chosen 5 individual favorites, and 5 books that we both read and loved.

Our shared favorites, in no particular order:

Anna’s review

Serena’s review

Anna’s review

Serena’s review

Anna’s review

Serena’s review

Anna’s review

Serena’s review

Anna’s review

Serena’s review

******

Anna’s favorites, in no particular order

(click the cover to read her review)

******

Serena’s favorites, in no particular order

(click cover to read her review)

******

We hope you’ll consider reading some of our favorites for the challenge. Please share your recommendations in the comments!

Save

Review: ALONE IN BERLIN by Hans Fallada

Tracey from A Book Sanctuary read Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada for the WWII reading challenge.  Here’s an excerpt from her review:

As I got further into the book, I found myself wondering if life was really like that under the nazi regime, where every word and action could be misconstrued, where fortunes can change in a moment,where you can’t as much as glance at a beaten man in the street for fear of being locked up as a sympathiser. How incredibly difficult to maintain any sort of integrity. Could daily life for the average citizen really have been that compromised. I came away with the uncomfortable feeling that it probably was.

Read her entire review here.

**Attention participants:  Remember to email us a link to your reviews, and we’ll post them here so we can see what everyone is reading!**

Review: EVERY MAN DIES ALONE by Hans Fallada

Sandy from You’ve GOTTA read this! reviewed Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada for the WWII reading challenge.  Here’s a little of what she had to say:

This story, which by the way, is loosely based on a true story, starts out as an interesting tale of intersecting lives. Lives of those not convinced of Hitler’s motives. Lives of lazy deadbeats who are always on the take. Lives of those just trying to survive. There are moments of humor – some of the personalities are priceless, and you chuckle. Then an innocent old woman, terrorized by a Hitler Youth punk, jumps out the window to her death. Zero to 60 in a few pages, then back again. The prose is rigid and unembellished, but about two-thirds the way through the book, uses its power to pull you into a dark, murky hole. The last hundred pages made my heart race, made me nautious and almost, I dare say, weepish. However, if you know me, you will know that this is a true sign of a masterpiece. I’m not moved easily in this way. It got to me.

To read the entire review, click here.

**Attention participants:  Remember to email us a link to your reviews, and we’ll post them here so we can see what everyone is reading!**