Book Club of War

  As the interest in World War 2 continues to flower.   People begin to realise it is far more than battles and tactics and some of the more fascinating stories are the personal stories, the individuals from all nations and how they contributed to this worldwide conflict. In Moro Warrior, the author, Thomas McKenna has captured a truly remarkable story of a Philippine Chieftain, an American School Master, and the remarkable story of resistance fighters in the Pacific. Remarkable is a great word to use with this book.    It is a story of friendship, of tragedy, of differing cultures.     Though it is a story of war it is far more than that, it captures at its heart the human nature of war and how friendships are developed. The author has obviously undertaken immense detailed research and that is reflected in the passionate writing that weaves a stunning story from start to finish.   What I really loved was that this is a narrative history, not onl...

  This is the second of my book reviews on the German soldiers’ experiences in World War II. Erhard Steinigers autobiography ‘Radio Operator on the Eastern Front’ takes you on a journey from Conscription through Barbarossa to the battle of Leningrad and finally to being a prisoner of the Soviets. Steiniger’s reflections saw him serve in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Russia as a signaler in the 151 st Infantry Regiment.   As a signaler he had to be at the forefront of the battle with the soldiers and this is very much a first-hand account of what that experience was like.    The horrors of war on the Eastern Front are really drawn out. This book is exceptional well written and translated.   The autobiography does not glorify war but shows what war was like for a soldier on the ground right at the forefront of a battle.   The life and horrors that were experienced.     The over 110 illustrations and photographs throughout the book...

  On the day, the Falklands War started 2 nd April 1982 I had just turned 14.   I was becoming aware of the world around me and a little bit addicted to the news. San Carlos, Goose Green, Bluff Cove, Tumbledown, Kent, The Belgrano, HMS Sheffield, Atlantic Conveyor, HMS Coventry.   These are all names that have passed into recent history and will always be a part of that 14-year-olds life and memory. The Falklands War was perhaps the greatest crisis in Britain’s post war history and with no social media, the news reports each day were hung on to with every word analysed and every image scrutinised.   I first read The Battle for the Falklands book in 1983 as I had received it as a present that year.   I have since read the book numerous times to check my understanding of events and simply because I like this book. The book is written from two perspectives, those of Max Hastings a journalist who travelled with the task force and was at the front line of th...