2023 was a vintage year for reading history and these five books made the biggest impression on me. 1/6
5. Men at War - Luke Turner
Luke Turner’s Men at War is not only beautifully written but provides a unique perspective on the masculinity and sexuality of troops in the SWW. Ordinary people experiencing the full gamut of human sexuality during extraordinary times. 2/6
4. Mosquito - Rowland White
Clearly the best Allied plane of the SWW, Rowland White’s Mosquito weaves a story around de Havilland’s versatile plane, Danish resistance, and Operation Carthage. I had no idea about the use of the Mosquito doing shuttle runs to Stockholm during the war. 3/6
3. Naples ‘44 - Norman Lewis
I read a lot of first-hand accounts of the war in 2023, but Norman Lewis’s Naples ‘44 stands out for its visceral, no-holds-barred memoir. It’s difficult to read at times and underlines the chaos of war and the suffering of the Italian population. 4/6
2. Fighting the People’s War - Jonathan Fennell
I was very impressed by Jonathan Fennell’s data-driven approach to measuring morale of the troops through the course of the SWW. By combining deep research of primary sources with cross-referencing hard data Fennell nails down the slippery topic of morale and sheds important insights into the experiences of the troops in the different theatres. 5/6
1. Raising Churchill’s Army - David French
The last book I read in 2023 is also my favourite book of the year. David French’s Raising Churchill’s Army is the motherlode for anyone trying to understand the performance and behaviour of the British Army in the SWW. Inspired by his depth of research, French has created numerous rabbit holes for me to explore during 2024! 6/6
Looking to 2024
My pile of shame is several feet tall, so I want to reduce its size in the coming 12 months. Close to the top of the pile will be Browned Off and Bloody Minded by Alan Allport and From Victory to Defeat by Robert Lyman and Lord Dannatt. I’m looking forward to reading new books by Sathnam Sanghera (Empireworld) and continuing to research entertainment and morale in the Second World War.