Tag: World War II

  • Vanishing Point by Tom Wilber

    I am so happy a book like this exists. Tom Wilber documents a search for a B-24 bomber which disappeared on a training mission in the northeast U.S. during World War II. There is something so visceral about this story which had me captivated from the first page. It might be the veteran in me,…

  • Shadow Before the Flame by Catherine Grace Katz

    There are two types of disaster books in my mind. The first, and much less interesting, is laser-focused on the event. The narrative revolves around the event itself and the carnage and drama around the tragedy. It is about setting things up only as far as necessary to get to the calamity. The second, and…

  • The Nazi Ghost Train by Greg Lewis

    I am going to read a lot of books in 2026, but I doubt any will have a better title than The Nazi Ghost Train by Greg Lewis. I mean, come on! Yes, you might be holding back a little bit because of one word in that title, but I assure you they lose in…

  • Ortiz’s War by Nicholas Reynolds and Katie Sanders

    There is a lot of World War II literature. It is the nature of the game currently that they just sell better than most nonfiction, so the publishers pump them out. This is in and of itself is not a problem. There are plenty of stories from World War II which need to be told.…

  • Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn

    I think most people have wondered if their family is harboring a deep, dark secret. Rarely, though, does it ever include Nazi spies. For Christine Kuehn, it actually did mean Nazi spies. And a bunch of them at that! She recounts the story in her book, Family of Spies, which is quite literally correct as…

  • Empire of Ashes by James M. Scott

    I have a weird hesitation before I start James M. Scott’s books. There are thicker books while there are others which are going to be more emotionally fraught. It’s not either of those things, but rather that I know his books end up so immersive that I need to be in the right headspace to…

  • The American School of Spies by Stephan Talty

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The American School of Spies: If you can’t run with it, then bury it. Quick synopsis: The spies who protected Greek treasures in World War II. Fact for Non-History People: Many of the spies were Ivy Leaguers with backgrounds in the classics and archaeology. Fact for History Nerds: One member was…

  • Stalin’s Apostles by Antonia Senior

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Stalin’s Apostles: Traitors be thy name. Quick synopsis: The story of the Soviet spies embedded in the U.K during World War II and the Cold War. Fact for Non-History People: One of the apostles, Kim Philby, was put in charge of the MI6 section which focused on finding…Soviet spies. Fact for…

  • Running Deep by Tom Clavin

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Running Deep: One too many dives. Quick synopsis: The story of the deadliest submarine in World War II, the USS Tang. Fact for Non-History People: When World War II began, Japan had at least 15 more subs than the U.S. with 64 ready for deployment. Fact for History Nerds: One out…