Book Reviews

In this section, I’d like to share with you my love for good books. Often I’m asked about my favorite books, and I firmly believe that every writer, teacher, educator, or lecturer should always have a ready list of books that they believe represent the best works in their field. As you’ll see, my list of book reviews is a mix of classics in American military history as well as some entries from more contemporary authors. All books should be available from your local bookstore or by ordering from one of the major wholesale booksellers on the Internet. In addition, we each have a short list of books that we admire or that have made a big impression upon us. I’d love to hear from you regarding you favorite books, and you can send me your short list at: bookreviews@michaeldoubler.com.

THE BIG FIVE

Like my Travel Log, I’d like to begin this section with those five great works that I believe have stood the test of time and are true giants in the field of military history. These books represent the gold standard in writings on military history and have created a model for researching, writing, and storytelling to which every author can aspire. Here they are in no particular order:

The Civil War: A Narrative (3 vols.) by Shelby Foote

A sweeping, majestic work that covers the entire American Civil War in depth, breadth, and context. As a youngster, I first developed a love for military history while reading Civil War books during the Civil War Centennial in the early 1960s. However, I did not fully comprehend all of the events of the Civil War, and their relationships to one another, until I read this multi-volume work in the early 1980s. In many places, Shelby Foote’s writing is Shakespearean as he weaves the personalities and events of the war into one seamless narrative that is both educational and entertaining. One great advantage of this series is that it is organized into discreet chapters that cover the main campaigns of the war. For example, the chapter on Gettysburg (“The Stars in Their Courses”) is the reading assignment I always recommend to tour groups before visiting the Gettysburg battlefield. This trilogy is required reading for any serious student of the Civil War. Don’t be intimidated by its length (@2000 pages); you’ll still be disappointed when it draws to a close.

At Dawn We Slept by Gordon W. Prange

The definitive, comprehensive account of the Pearl Harbor attack. To me, this book is the paragon of “hard” military history--a beautifully written, major work based on primary source materials. Despite its reliance on scholarly research in both Japanese and American sources, At Dawn We Slept reads like an adventure novel. The chapters on the actual attack and the damage it inflicted are emotional and gut wrenching. As an Army officer during the occupation of Japan following World War II, Prange had the good sense to seek out those places where Japanese records were stored and maintained. Many of these documents ended up in a repository at the University of Maryland at College Park where Prange was a faculty member. During the thirty-seven years of research and writing invested in this book, Prange interviewed the key participants on both sides. One day, I hope there is an equally impressive volume written on the horrendous events of September 11, 2001, that tells that day from all perspectives, just as Prange did for America’s first “day of infamy.” A truly great book!

Paul Revere’s Ride by David Hackett Fischer

A tour de force of historical research and writing on the opening events of the American Revolution. A splendid example of military history written in such a captivating manner that it takes the reader along on a thrilling journey through critical events in our nation’s history. Dispels many myths about Paul Revere’s ride and the battles of Lexington and Concord. Fischer successfully shows that the Patriot cause, and especially the militia, was a highly organized effort, and that the leaders in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, through their planning, communications, and preparations, were primed for a serious confrontation with the British Army and His Majesty’s government. Very strong on personal anecdotes that reflect the temperament, attitudes, and intellect of British and American leaders in the spring of 1775. The start point for any serious study of the American Revolution.

The Bitter Woods by John S. D. Eisenhower

The very best book written on the battle of the Bulge, the largest and bloodiest battle in the history of the U.S. Army. A comprehensive narrative that effectively examines the full spectrum of leadership on the American side from Supreme Allied Commander down to infantry squad leader. John Eisenhower (Ike’s son) masterfully shows how the American soldier performed in battle in order to overcome the failures of Allied intelligence and the overwhelming amount of combat power the Germans had amassed in the Ardennes. Excellent on the affects of terrain and weather on the battle’s outcome. One of the very best battle narratives written on American operations in the twentieth century. Should be near the top of anyone’s list of favorite books about the U.S. Army in the European Theater in World War II.

With the Old Breed on Peleliu and Okinawa by E. B. Sledge

The very best personal American soldier memoir yet to emerge from World War II. A gutsy yet introspective personal account of combat in the South Pacific. Sledge traces his progress from marine boot camp, to the bloody invasion of Peleliu, and finally, to the bloodletting on Okinawa. Gripping, graphic accounts of combat and the physical and psychological toll it inflicted on young marines. Vividly portrays the role racism and gratuitous violence played in the conduct of the war in the Pacific. I firmly believe that in terms of brutality and racism, the Pacific campaigns were for the American military nearly the same as the Eastern Front was for the German Wehrmacht. This book is especially recommended for enlisted men and junior officers interested in studying the strains and stresses of close combat.

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