Books about Military History

  1. We Were Soldiers Once... and Young: Ia Drang - The Battle that Changed the War in Vietnam

    by Harold G. Moore
    An account of the Battle of Ia Drang in Vietnam, told from the perspective of the soldiers who fought it.

    Each year, the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps selects one book that he believes is both relevant and timeless for reading by all Marines. The Commandant's choice for 1993 was We Were Soldiers ... (Goodreads)

  2. Beat to Quarters

    by C.S. Forester
    Naval officer's daring mission to track down a powerful enemy warship.

    In June 1808, Hornblower is in command of the 36-gun frigate HMS Lydia , with orders to sail to the Pacific coast of Nicaragua (near modern Choluteca, Choluteca ) and supply a local landowner, Don ... (Wikipedia)

  3. The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History

    by Robert M. Edsel
    A thrilling true story of a team of Allied soldiers tasked with saving Europe's greatest works of art during WWII.

    At the same time Adolf Hitler was attempting to take over the western world, his armies were methodically seeking and hoarding the finest art treasures in Europe. The Fuehrer had begun cataloguing ... (Goodreads)

  4. Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power

    by Rachel Maddow
    Investigation of the US military's unchecked growth and its consequences for American democracy.

    "One of my favorite ideas is, never to keep an unnecessary soldier," Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1792. Neither Jefferson nor the other Found­ers could ever have envisioned the modern national security ... (Goodreads)

  5. D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Battle for the Normandy Beaches

    by Stephen E. Ambrose
    A comprehensive account of the pivotal World War II invasion of Normandy.

    Now illustrated with an extraordinary collection of over 125 photos, Stephen E. Ambrose’s D-Day is the definitive history of World War II’s most pivotal battle, June 6, 1944, the day that changed the ... (Barnes & Noble)

  6. Dispatches

    by Michael Herr
    A journalist's account of the Vietnam War, depicting the brutality, confusion and chaos of the conflict.

    Written on the front lines in Vietnam, Dispatches became an immediate classic of war reportage when it was published in 1977. From its terrifying opening pages to its final eloquent words, Dispatches ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Winds of War

    by Herman Wouk
    The story of a family caught in the middle of World War II and their struggles to survive.

    Like no other masterpiece of historical fiction, Herman Wouk's sweeping epic of World War II is the great novel of America's Greatest Generation. , Wouk's spellbinding narrative captures the tide of ... (Barnes & Noble)

  8. Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West

    by Tom Holland
    A historical account of the Persian Empire and its conflicts with Greece, including the famous Battle of Marathon.

    In 480 B.C., Xerxes, the King of Persia, led an invasion of mainland Greece. Its success should have been a formality. For seventy years, victory—rapid, spectacular victory—had seemed the birthright ... (Goodreads)

  9. The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s Over Germany 1944-45

    by Stephen E. Ambrose
    A gripping account of the brave men who flew B-24s over Germany during WWII, facing danger and death every day.

    Stephen E. Ambrose, acclaimed author of Band of Brothers and Undaunted Courage , carries us along in the crowded and dangerous B-24s as their crews fought to destroy the German war machine during ... (Barnes & Noble)

  10. The Last Man

    by Vince Flynn
    A CIA operative's mission to stop a terrorist group from launching a devastating attack.

    #1, New York Times, bestselling author of, American Assassin,—now a major motion picture Mitch Rapp’s hunt for a missing CIA asset raises the stakes for his own survival—in Vince Flynn’s “tight, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  11. Washington: A Life

    by Ron Chernow
    Intimate biography of George Washington, the nation's first president.

    A gripping portrait of the first president of the United States from the author of, Alexander Hamilton, the New York Times bestselling biography that inspired the musical., Celebrated biographer Ron ... (Barnes & Noble)

  12. Oath of Swords

    by David Weber
    A noble swordsman is magically bound to defend his kingdom against evil forces. He must navigate politics and battle to fulfill his oath.

    Whom the gods would recruit, they first tick off... Our Hero: The unlikely Paladin, Bahzell Bahnakson of the Horse Stealer Hradani. He's no knight in shining armor. He's a hradani, a race known for ... (Goodreads)

  13. Grant

    by Ron Chernow
    Biography of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant, exploring his life and legacy.

    Ulysses S. Grant's life has typically been misunderstood. All too often he is caricatured as a chronic loser and inept businessman, fond of drinking to excess; or as the triumphant but brutal Union ... (Goodreads)

  14. Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10

    by Marcus Luttrell
    A riveting account of a heroic mission gone wrong, and the courage and strength of the Navy SEALS who faced impossible odds.

    On a clear night in late June 2005, four U.S. Navy SEALs left their base in northern Afghanistan for the mountainous Pakistani border. Their mission was to capture or kill a notorious al Qaeda leader ... (Goodreads)

  15. Citizen Soldiers: The US Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany

    by Stephen E. Ambrose
    A compelling account of courage, determination and sacrifice shown by the US Army during World War II.

    From Stephen E. Ambrose, bestselling author of, Band of Brothers, and, D-Day, the inspiring story of the ordinary men of the U.S. army in northwest Europe from the day after D-Day until the end of ... (Goodreads)

  16. The Lord of the Rings: Weapons and Warfare

    by Chris Smith
    Comprehensive study of the history and combat tactics of Middle-earth.

    Lavishly illustrated with 1,000 photos, paintings, maps, sculptures and sketches, most appearing here for the first time, Weapons and Warfare is an indispensable chronicle of The Lord of the Rings' ... (Goodreads)

  17. Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety

    by Eric Schlosser
    An exploration of nuclear weapon safety and the risk of catastrophic accidents.

    A myth-shattering exposé of America’s nuclear weapons Famed investigative journalist Eric Schlosser digs deep to uncover secrets about the management of America’s nuclear arsenal. A groundbreaking ... (Goodreads)

  18. Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege, 1942–1943

    by Antony Beevor
    The epic story of the Battle of Stalingrad and its devastating impact on WWII.

    The Battle of Stalingrad was not only the psychological turning point of World War II: it also changed the face of modern warfare. From Antony Beevor, the internationally bestselling author of, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  19. The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn

    by Nathaniel Philbrick
    A gripping account of the legendary battle between General Custer and the Lakota Sioux.

    "An engrossing and tautly written account of a critical chapter in American history." —,Los Angeles Times, Nathaniel Philbrick, author of In the Hurricane's Eye , Pulitzer Prize finalist Mayflower , ... (Barnes & Noble)

  20. Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII

    by Chester Nez
    The memoir of Chester Nez, one of the original Navajo code talkers of WWII, who used their language to create an unbreakable code that helped win the war.

    The first and only memoir by one of the original Navajo code talkers of WWII-includes the actual Navajo Code and rare photos. Although more than 400 Navajos served in the military during World War II ... (Goodreads)

  21. Crazy Horse and Custer

    by Stephen E. Ambrose
    A historical account of the lives and battles of two legendary figures in American history, Crazy Horse and George Armstrong Custer.

    The full story of what led Crazy Horse and Custer to that fateful day at the Little Bighorn, from bestselling historian Stephen E. Ambrose. On the sparkling morning of June 25, 1876, 611 U.S. Army ... (Barnes & Noble)

  22. D-Day: The Battle for Normandy

    by Antony Beevor
    A comprehensive account of the pivotal World War II battle and its lead-up.

    "Glorious, horrifying..., D-Day, is a vibrant work of history that honors the sacrifice of tens of thousands of men and women."—,Time,Renowned historian Antony Beevor, author of, Stalingrad, and, The ... (Barnes & Noble)

  23. Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq

    by Thomas E. Ricks
    A critical analysis of the US military's involvement in Iraq, highlighting the failures and missteps that led to a disastrous outcome.

    This is the Story of The American Military Adventure in Iraq. The Heart of the story Fiasco has to tell, which has never been told before, is that of a Military occupation whose leaders failed to see ... (Goodreads)

  24. Sharpe's Devil

    by Bernard Cornwell
    Richard Sharpe is tasked with finding a missing British agent in South America, but he soon finds himself embroiled in a dangerous plot involving a vengeful Spanish officer and a mysterious woman.

    Doña Louisa Vivar, whom Sharpe befriended in, Sharpe's Rifles, , visits the Sharpe farm and asks the former rifleman to sail to Chile in search of her husband, Don Blas Vivar, who has disappeared ... (Wikipedia)

  25. Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany

    by Donald L. Miller
    A detailed account of the American bomber crews who fought in the air war against Nazi Germany during World War II.

    Masters of the Air is the deeply personal story of the American bomber boys in World War II who brought the war to Hitler's doorstep. With the narrative power of fiction, Donald Miller takes readers ... (Goodreads)

  26. Killing Patton: The Strange Death of World War II's Most Audacious General

    by Bill O'Reilly
    Investigation into the mysterious death of General George S. Patton, and the implications of its cover-up.

    Readers around the world have thrilled to, Killing Lincoln,, Killing Kennedy, and, Killing Jesus,—riveting works of nonfiction that journey into the heart of the most famous murders in history. Now ... (Goodreads)

  27. The Face of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo and the Somme

    by John Keegan
    A detailed analysis of three historical battles, exploring the experiences of soldiers and the impact of technology on warfare.

    The Face of Battle is military history from the battlefield: a look at the direct experience of individuals at 'the point of maximum danger'. It examines the physical conditions of fighting, the ... (Goodreads)

  28. Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies

    by Ben Macintyre
    A detailed account of British spies and their role in the secret operations of WWII.

    In his celebrated bestsellers, Agent Zigzag, and, Operation Mincemeat, Ben Macintyre told the dazzling true stories of a remarkable WWII double agent and of how the Allies employed a corpse to fool ... (Goodreads)

  29. The Emperor's Revenge

    by Clive Cussler
    Juan Cabrillo and his team race against time to stop a group of terrorists from unleashing a deadly biological weapon on the world.

    The new, Oregon Files, adventure from the #1, New York Times,–bestselling grand master of adventure., Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon face their toughest challenge yet when a violent bank ... (Goodreads)

  30. Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942

    by Ian W. Toll
    A detailed account of the early years of the Pacific War, highlighting the naval battles and strategies that shaped the outcome of the conflict.

    Winner of the Northern California Book Award for Nonfiction "Both a serious work of history…and a marvelously readable dramatic narrative." — San Francisco Chronicle On the first Sunday in December ... (Barnes & Noble)

  31. The Greatest Generation

    by Tom Brokaw
    A narrative of the WWII generation and their struggles and triumphs in an uncertain world.

    "In the spring of 1984, I went to the northwest of France, to Normandy, to prepare an NBC documentary on the fortieth anniversary of D-Day, the massive and daring Allied invasion of Europe that ... (Goodreads)

  32. The Gathering Storm

    by Winston S. Churchill
    The sixth volume of Churchill's memoirs, detailing the events leading up to World War II. A gripping account of a pivotal moment in history.

    Winston Churchill was not only a statesman and leader of historic proportions, he also possessed substantial literary talents. These two factors combine to make The Gathering Storm a unique work. The ... (Goodreads)

  33. Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War

    by Robert Coram
    The story of John Boyd, a fighter pilot who revolutionized military strategy and decision-making through his innovative theories and teachings.

    John Boyd may be the most remarkable unsung hero in all of American military history. Some remember him as the greatest U.S. fighter pilot ever – the man who, in simulated air-to-air combat, defeated ... (Goodreads)

  34. Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual

    by Jocko Willink
    A comprehensive guide to developing mental and physical discipline towards achieving success.

    In this expanded edition of the 2017 mega-bestseller, updated with brand new sections like DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY, SUGAR COATED LIES and DON'T NEGOTIATE WITH WEAKNESS, readers will discover new ways ... (Barnes & Noble)

  35. Overlord: D-Day and the Battle for Normandy

    by Max Hastings
    A detailed account of the D-Day invasion and the ensuing Battle for Normandy, highlighting the experiences of soldiers and civilians alike.

    Max Hastings’s “exceptional” (,Kirkus Reviews, starred review) account of the famous World War II D-Day landings “[will] stand with that of the best journalists and writers who witnessed it” (,The ... (Barnes & Noble)

  36. Rogue Heroes: A History of the SAS, Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit That Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War

    by Ben Macintyre
    The story of the SAS, a secret British military unit that played a crucial role in World War II by conducting daring raids behind enemy lines.

    The incredible untold story of WWII’s greatest secret fighting force, as told by our great modern master of wartime intrigue Britain’s Special Air Service—or SAS—was the brainchild of David Stirling, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  37. In the Company of Heroes: The Personal Story Behind Black Hawk Down

    by Michael J. Durant
    A firsthand account of the Battle of Mogadishu, revealing the bravery and sacrifice of soldiers in the face of danger.

    Piloting a U.S. Army Special Operations Blackhawk over Somalia, Michael Durant was shot down with a rocket-propelled grenade on October 3, 1993. With devastating injuries, he was taken prisoner by a ... (Goodreads)

  38. Sharpe's Prey

    by Bernard Cornwell
    Richard Sharpe is sent to Denmark to protect a British fleet from Napoleon's forces. He must navigate political intrigue and battle enemies on land and sea.

    The year is 1807, and Richard Sharpe is at a very low point in his life. His beloved aristocratic lover, Lady Grace Hale, has died in childbirth, along with their newborn son. Her family's lawyers ... (Wikipedia)

  39. Halo: The Fall of Reach

    by Eric S. Nylund
    A first-person account of the human-Covenant War, exploring the origins of the Master Chief.

    As the bloody Human-Covenant War rages on Halo, the fate of humankind may rest with one warrior, the lone SPARTAN survivor of another legendary battle... the desperate, take-no-prisoners struggle ... (Goodreads)

  40. A Stillness at Appomattox

    by Bruce Catton
    A detailed account of the final year of the American Civil War, culminating in the surrender of Confederate forces at Appomattox.

    When first published in 1953, Bruce Catton, our foremost Civil War historian was awarded both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award for excellence in nonfiction. This final volume of The ... (Goodreads)

  41. Catastrophe 1914: Europe Goes to War

    by Max Hastings
    A detailed account of the events leading up to World War I, the battles, and the impact on society.

    From the acclaimed military historian, a new history of the outbreak of World War I: the dramatic stretch from the breakdown of diplomacy to the battles - the Marne, Ypres, Tannenberg - that marked ... (Goodreads)

  42. American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964

    by William Manchester
    A biography of the military leader, tracing his long and complicated career in the U.S. Army.

    MacArthur, the public figure, the private man, the soldier-hero whose mystery and appeal created a uniquely American legend, portrayed in a biography that will challenge the cherished myths of ... (Goodreads)

  43. Holcroft Covenant, The

    by Robert Ludlum
    A man inherits a vast fortune and a dangerous legacy from his father, leading him on a perilous journey to uncover the truth.

    The novel concerns Noel Holcroft, New York City architect and secretly the son of Heinrich Clausen, chief economic adviser to the Third Reich . At some point in the 1970s, Holcroft is contacted by ... (Wikipedia)

  44. To Hell And Back

    by Audie Murphy
    Autobiography of Audie Murphy, the most decorated American soldier of World War II, detailing his experiences in combat and struggles with PTSD.

    The classic bestselling war memoir by the most decorated American soldier in World War II, back in print in a trade paperback Originally published in 1949, To Hell and Back was a smash bestseller for ... (Goodreads)

  45. Goodbye, Darkness: A Memoir of the Pacific War

    by William Manchester
    A personal account of the author's experiences as a Marine in the Pacific during World War II.

    This emotional and honest novel recounts a young man's experiences during World War II and digs deep into what he and his fellow soldiers lived through during those dark times. The nightmares began ... (Goodreads)

  46. Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters

    by Dick Winters
    An account of World War II by a decorated officer who led the legendary Easy Company.

    They were called Easy Company—but their mission was never easy., Immortalized as the Band of Brothers , they suffered 150% casualties while liberating Europe—an unparalleled record of bravery under ... (Goodreads)

  47. The Eagle's Conquest

    by Simon Scarrow
    Roman soldiers Cato and Macro fight to conquer Britain, facing fierce resistance from the native tribes.

    The book opens immediately after the events of, Under the Eagle, , with the troops relaxing and watching prisoners of war fight to the death in a makeshift arena., Optio, Cato is bequeathed an ... (Wikipedia)

  48. An Autumn War

    by Daniel Abraham
    The third book in the Long Price Quartet series, where war breaks out between two nations and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

    , ,, Daniel Abraham delighted fantasy readers with his brilliantly original and engaging first novel, and in his second penned a tragedy as darkly personal and violent as Shakespeare's, King Lear,. ... (Goodreads)

  49. Pegasus Bridge

    by Stephen E. Ambrose
    Account of the daring mission to capture Pegasus Bridge during D-Day, a pivotal moment in WWII.

    In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, a small detachment of British airborne troops stormed the German defense forces and paved the way for the Allied invasion of Europe. Pegasus Bridge was the ... (Goodreads)

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