I read a very sobering book a couple of years ago,a subject not talked about too much,but the scars run very deep.“The Spanish Holocost” by Paul Preston,dealing with the Spanish Civil War.
I mean everyone was murdering and massacring eveyone else.Right vs Left,Religious vs Secular,Rich vs Poor,everyone had blood on their hands.It was a fascinating read.
I don’t think the Art of war could be called controversial. I did find it an interesting read.
Josiah, I did make a start of On War, but for some reason didn’t complete it, I must try that one again. From memory, Hitler does mention Clausewitz, but it’s been a few years since I read it. Toland’s Biography of Hitler is a very good book.
If I may toss in my 2 cents, there are several good books concerning the Pacific during WWII. Shattered Sword covers the Japanese side of the battle of Midway. Lundstrom’s First Team books cover the air war from Pearl Harbor to the end of the Guadalcanal campaign. Neptune’s Inferno covers the naval warfare off of Guadalcanal. Fire in the Sky covers the air war in the South Pacific. Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors covers the events of Taffee 3. I am sure there are dozens of others, but this should get you started. Enjoy!
John
Hi ;
I don’t know about now , but when I was in eighth grade the books we were Required to read were as follows .Uncle Toms Cabin , Mein Kampf and the history of Japan . This type of reading requirement continued in high school . We were taught at an early age to read , disseminate and understand the world around us and why it was the way it was .
Turns out the Mein Kampf and another were supplied to me by my grandparents .They didn’t like the library edition . Grandpa said the translation was very bad . The other was a small book usually known to German born people . Remember , I wasn’t born Here . It was a small memoir by Erwin Rommel before he was murdered . By the Nazis .They feared him and for good reason ! Nuff said . Even at an early age , he was nuttier than a bad fruitcake !
That is funny because I too had started On War but never finished either. To be fair it was a bit heavy reading at the time I bought the book (I think I was 15, and I am 35 now, so it has been a while.) I think I still have my copy somewhere around here. I may have to give it another go. [:D]
And to go with what waynec mentioned about how things sort of snowball, interest-wise, when it comes to reading preferences…I am eyeballing a full set of “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.” I read Ancient Rome by Simon Baker some time ago, but after reading Rick Atkinsons’s second book of the Liberation Trilogy (and to some extent in his other two books) he is always referencing events and history from the Roman Empire, and that is what got me interested again in wanting to learn more of that long storied period of history.
Brian
I think I found it a bit heavy as well, must have been about 15 or so years ago.
I read that one as well Bob. Great book, but quite graphic.