Play Book Tag discussion
February 2016: World War II
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Announcing the Tag: Share Your Reading Plans and Suggestions
Sara wrote: "Kristel wrote: "I would recommend Corelli's Mandolin or something by Primo Levi. I am going to read Midaq Alley which is set in Egypt in the early 1940's so LT has it tagged..."I never even thought to check!
Anita wrote: "Wow. This is tough. So many books I would like to read. I don't think I can add anything that hasn't already been mentioned as a recommendation, but I did especially love [book:The Book Thief|19063..."Where's the like button? (For the complete maus)
Michael wrote: "LibraryCin wrote: "Michael, I checked under Cornelius Ryan and also found The Last Battle. Have you read it?"Thanks for the recommendatio. The winding down of the war is less of a draw for me bec..."
Ahhh, ok. Sounds good, then! I've added both it and your recommendation to my tbr!
I'll recommend Night,The Book Thief, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,Suite Française, andSchindler's List, I will be reading Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption and The Greatest Generation
A lot of what I would recommend has already been mentioned so I think I'll say Skeletons at the Feast as my top recommendation.
Charlie wrote: I am going to try to read three books this month. They are as follows:- City of Women
- The Blue Star
- City of Thieves
I'll be watching for your review of The Blue Star. I enjoyed Jim the Boy when I read it years ago.
World War II is one of my largest shelves so I've much to choose from, but many have been already listedMy top choice isThe Investigation
Others which I recommend are:
Pentimento
Nanjing Requiem
In This Hospitable Land
Hart's War
Los Alamos
The Widow Killer
We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance
The Great Escape
The Great Escape: Nine Jews Who Fled Hitler and Changed the World
The Garden of Evening Mists
I may read one of the following:
From Here to Eternity
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
The Samurai's Garden
Booknblues wrote: "World War II is one of my largest shelves so I've much to choose from..."Of the books you are choosing from, I loved The Samurai's Garden, but I don't really remember it being about World War II. If that makes a difference yo you.
I also loved Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and it has a very strong World War II connection.
I plan to read: I think I'm going to read
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
by Ransom Riggs. It's been on my TBR list for a while and I already own it, so it would be easy.I may also reread The Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene. I've wanted to reread it for a while.
Recommendations: The Book Thief, Unbroken, or Between Shades of Gray
Michael wrote: "Sushicat wrote: "Michael wrote: "Top recommendation:Life and Fate--Vasily Grossman..."... I like that is was written from a different perspective..."
I like Alan Furst's spy series for that too. ..."
He is quite good. I've only read 2 of 3 of his, but the first one I read was set in Bulgaria, I believe.
A book you don't hear about often anymore about WW II is A Farewell To France
Nicole wrote: " I loved The Samurai's Garden, but I don't really remember it being about World War II. If that makes a difference yo you.I also loved Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and it has a very strong World War II connection. "
Thanks, that helps as Corner of Bitter and Sweet is easier for me to find. Someday, I'm going to develop some rhyme or reason to my TBR.
Michael wrote: "Sushicat wrote: "Michael wrote: "Top recommendation:Life and Fate--Vasily Grossman..."... I like that is was written from a different perspective..."
I like Alan Furst's spy series for that too. ..."
This sounds very interesting. I was thinking of Philip Kerr's Bernie Guenther series as well but the one I have on the tbr is set after the war.
Booknblues wrote: "World War II is one of my largest shelves so I've much to choose from, but many have been already listedMy top choice isThe Investigation
Others which I recommend are:
[book:Pent..."
I really hope this will fit into the month. I picked it up last year when we were voting on the 100 pbt fiction books.
Nicole wrote: "I recommend: All the Light We Cannot See! It was my favorite book of 2015 and I thought it was beautifully written. I know many people have read it, but if you haven't, then now may..."Yay! Have you read The Invisible Bridge? I have not read it but many people really like it.
LibraryCin wrote: "My top recommendation:The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan.
It's all about D-Day and was written in the 50s, so the author was able to interview and send questionnaires to people who ..."
I hope you can get to Boys in the Boat
Sara wrote: "So my number one recommendation is one I have seen others mention, Corelli's Mandolin.I also recommend:
The Book Thief
[book:Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet|336..."
I missed you started The Girls of Atomic City. Are you enjoying it?
Denizen wrote: "My top recommendation is: A Thread of Grace - achingly beautiful, wonderful characters, marvelous writingOther recommendations are:
City of Thieves (great audio)
[book..."
I know some Russell fans say this is the one book of hers they didn't enjoy. Like you, I really enjoyed it and recommend it.
AJ wrote: "I recommend: When Hitler Stole Pink RabbitThere are a lot of options for me this month:
The Book Thief
The Diary of a Young Girl
[book:The Hiding Place|5619..."
Neither art nor pink rabbits were safe in Hitler's Germany.
There are so many great recommendations already. I would like to recommend:The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
The Winds of War
The Nightingale
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
I think I'll read:
The Book Thief
I need to take a serious look at what else I already have on my TBR.
Booknblues wrote: "World War II is one of my largest shelves so I've much to choose from, but many have been already listed..."Bravo for coming up with a unique and worthy set. Like the group you founded, Crossroads, your books intersect so many other important rivers connected with this war, interior to the mind (Hellman) and spanning far off lands (Korea, Malaysia). I second your Los Alamos ( it kind of tied with my choice of Stallion Gate). I still want to read Hart's War and Garden of Evening Mists due to your reviews.
I hope your Crossroads makes the transition from Shelfari with the level of energy as PBT is showing. Godd time for recruiting as folks begin to see how unpersonal many of the groups on GR are due to size and limited vision.
Michael wrote: "I hope your Crossroads makes the transition from Shelfari with the level of energy as PBT is showing. ."I really need to get to work on that PBT has inspired me. I just need to stop fussing with my shelves here and focus on the group.
I will probably do the same with Maus, Anita. I couldn't figure out how to quote just that part of your text.
Olivermagnus wrote: "I think I'll read:The Book Thief"
I'm still thrilled when I see someone read a book I loved! Sometimes, I really hesitate to recommend these ones that have been around for so long because I feel like everyone who wanted to read it, has already read it.
But that's just in my mind . . .
Nicole wrote: "I will probably do the same with Maus, Anita. I couldn't figure out how to quote just that part of your text."Nicole, I just copy the part of Anita's response that I want to address and then replace the auto-generated italicized message truncation with what I want it to say.
Regina wrote: "Sara wrote: "So my number one recommendation is one I have seen others mention, Corelli's Mandolin.I also recommend:
The Book Thief
[book:Hotel on the Corner of Bitter ..."
Sorry, poor phrasing on my part. I started Boys in the Boat. I want to read Atomic City in February.
Booknblues wrote: "Nicole wrote: " I loved The Samurai's Garden, but I don't really remember it being about World War II. If that makes a difference yo you.I also loved Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and i..."
The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama does begin in WWII Tokyo.
From Nevil Shute, the author of A Town Like Alice, are The Chequer Board and Pastoral.The Bridge Over the River Kwai by Pierre Boulle
King Rat by James Clavell
Hiroshima by John Hersey
AJ wrote: "keep recommending those kinds of books. I find so often that books that "everyone" has read, I haven't even heard of. "This is good to know! And I will :)
Anita wrote: " Olivermagnus wrote: "I think I'll read:The Book Thief"
I'm still thrilled when I see someone read a book I loved! Sometimes, I really hesitate to recommend these ones that have been around for ..."
Actually I like recommendations to books I missed. The current bestsellers will get the necessary attention regardless. But the missed gems can be difficult to spot.
I'm going to read The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II since several of you seem to think highly of it
Margarette wrote: "I'm going to read The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II since several of you seem to think highly of it"Yay!
My number one recommendation since it is one the 100 PBT list and because I think it is an aspect of WWII most people are not aware of (it may also qualify as a micro-history for Shelfagories) is, no surprise, The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II. Now, watch everyone hate it.Other recommendations:
Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal
Every Man Dies Alone
The Rape of Nanking
The Forgotten 500: The Untold Story of the Men Who Risked All For the Greatest Rescue Mission of World War II
The Forger's Spell: A True Story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the Greatest Art Hoax of the Twentieth Century
A Train in Winter: An Extraordinary Story of Women, Friendship, and Resistance in Occupied France
Hunting Eichmann: How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World's Most Notorious Nazi
A Life in Secrets: Vera Atkins and the Missing Agents of WWII.
I will be reading
If This Is a Man / The Truce and The Hiding Place
Booknblues wrote: "Nicole wrote: " I loved The Samurai's Garden, but I don't really remember it being about World War II. If that makes a difference yo you.Nicole is right, TSG is actually set in the years leading up to WWII as Japan invades China. Probably in the 1930's
Linda wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Nicole wrote: " I loved The Samurai's Garden, but I don't really remember it being about World War II. If that makes a difference yo you.Nicole is right, TSG is actually set in..."
Rape of Nanking is the same, but I always tie it together because of the ramification of turning a blind eye to Japan's WWII atrocities in China and to WWII POW's. I might should have left that recommendation off.
Regina wrote: "My number one recommendation since it is one the 100 PBT list and because I think it is an aspect of WWII most people are not aware of (it may also qualify as a micro-history for Shelfagories) is, ..."I loved The Hiding Place when it first come out many years ago. There was also a movie, which I cried my way through.
Margarette wrote: "Regina wrote: "My number one recommendation since it is one the 100 PBT list and because I think it is an aspect of WWII most people are not aware of (it may also qualify as a micro-history for She..."That's good to hear! Thanks!
t
punxsygal wrote: "From Nevil Shute, the author of A Town Like Alice, are The Chequer Board and Pastoral.King Rat is one of my favorite books ever. My dad gave it to me to read my senior year in high school and it was one of a handful of books I read that year that solidified my lifetime love of books. Hope you like it as much as I did (if you choose to read it).
Regina wrote: "Linda wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Nicole wrote: " I loved The Samurai's Garden, but I don't really remember it being about World War II. If that makes a difference yo you.Regina wrote: Rape of Nanking is the same
Do we date the start of WW II by the standards of the country we are reading about?
From a National Geographic timeline, "For Americans, World War II began on December 7, 1941. But war had been going on for years elsewhere. For the Chinese, war began in 1931, when Japan invaded northeastern China, setting up a Japanese state called Manchukuo. By 1938 Japan occupied much of China and had taken Nanking, longtime capital of China, where Japanese troops killed more than 42,000 civilians. For Europeans, war began in 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. The war in Europe would end in May 1945 and in the Pacific in August 1945."
Denizen wrote: "Do we date the start of WW II by the standards of the country we are reading about? For Americans, World War II began on December 7, 1941. But war had been going on for years elsewhere. For the Chinese, war began in 1931, when Japan invaded northeastern China, setting up a Japanese state called Manchukuo. By 1938 Japan occupied much of China and had taken Nanking, longtime capital of China, where Japanese troops killed more than 42,000 civilians. For Europeans, war began in 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. The war in Europe would end in May 1945 and in the Pacific in August 1945Wow! That's a fascinating point! Do you think of WORLD war as the point at which most continents engaged? The actions that led to a multitude of continents engaging? Or motivation? That's a question I doubt most academic historian can agree upon.
If you take the stance of the first position it would be post-Pearl Harbor. If you take the second stance Nanking definitely falls into it. That's a hard stance to take because technically Hitler's rise would fall into that. If you take the latter everything back to invasion of Austria and Spanish Civil War is included. I think I, personally, lean toward the final (but don't know I realized that until you posed the question). I can't look at Guernica without tying it to WWII. While technically Nanking was about Japanese imperialism, it certainly has ties to WWII. In addition to what I posted earlier, much of Pearl Harbor was really ingrained in Japan's desire to be a world power.
I need some time to digest that. Thanks!!!!!!!!
Regina wrote: "Denizen wrote: "Do we date the start of WW II by the standards of the country we are reading about? For Americans, World War II began on December 7, 1941. But war had been going on for years elsewh..."I think the definition of a World War means when the entire world was engulfed in the fight. There were many years leading up to the entire world being involved, which of course Pearl Harbor was a huge turning point. But I am not an historian, that is just my take. At what point in time was it WWII? When did that label come into play? Until WWII the previous "World War"was called the Great War. It's an interesting question.
I don't know that it matters to readers planning to read it because it is a FABULOUS read, but, IMHO, The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics is set during the era but it is not about WWII. I only bring this up because I don't want people reading if they are thinking it will be about WWII. It is an AMAZING read and technically fits the tag. I only offer that as additional information. If you are looking for an excuse to read it this month's tag is the perfect excuse.
Regina wrote: "I don't know that it matters to readers planning to read it because it is a FABULOUS read, but, IMHO, [book:The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Oly..."I thought the same thing at first, but I think it informs a very important aspect of the war. In truth I think the book is more about the Great Depression than the war.
Linda wrote: "Regina wrote: "I don't know that it matters to readers planning to read it because it is a FABULOUS read, but, IMHO, [book:The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the ..."With the rules you all have for the group I don't know that it really matters what I think. I just wouldn't want someone thinking they were going to get some big insight to an Olympic game, that has huge significance, and be disappointed. I agree, the tie to the Depression is hugely importantly. It is simply an inspirational read. I ADORE it.
Funny how the Listopia list for nesr WW2 historical fiction has a lot with top votes that remains to be touched on our lists. For example the top 30 includes:Suite Francaise
Sophies Choice
Memoirs of a Geisha
War and Remembrance
Code Name Verity
The Last Boat
Against the Tide
Blackout
HHhH
The Night Watch
The Secret Keeper
Those Who Save Us
Wimter of the World
( of 4 of these I've read only Sophie's Choice comes close for me as a top rating)
Maybe this tag is so huge we should do it for two months.
Linda wrote: "I think the definition of a World War means when the entire world was engulfed in the fight. ..."This makes sense to me. Also, generally WWII is considered to have happened between 1939 and 1945, so I would use those dates.
Regina wrote: "I don't know that it matters to readers planning to read it because it is a FABULOUS read, but, IMHO, [book:The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Oly..."Thank you for this info, Regina! It was one I was considering (also because it's part of the top 100), but maybe I'll consider something else. I certainly have enough to choose from! :-) (Although we'll see...)
Denizen wrote: "Do we date the start of WW II by the standards of the country we are reading about?"My thoughts about it are fairly similar to Regina's. All of these events that individually were not part of the war are what allowed it to become what the all encompasing conflagration that engulfed the planet. In my mind you cannot consider the war without considering the events that triggered it, thus when I make recommendations, mine will include those events that precipitated the war.
Sara wrote: " In my mind you cannot consider the war without considering the events that triggered itI agree with that as well.
Booknblues wrote: "Sara wrote: " In my mind you cannot consider the war without considering the events that triggered itI agree with that as well."
I guess you could consider the Treaty of Versaille as the beginning of the war. --Just kidding. The aftermath of the war still legitimately deserves the tag too, e.g. James Jones' Whistle, Arendt's Eichmann in Jeruslem, Levi's The Reawakening.
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
Life After Life (other topics)The Book Thief (other topics)
Mudbound (other topics)
Address Unknown (other topics)
The Nightingale (other topics)
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Markus Zusak (other topics)Markus Zusak (other topics)
Kathrine Kressmann Taylor (other topics)
Kristin Hannah (other topics)
Alan Furst (other topics)
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Life and Fate--Vasily Grossman..."... I like that is was written from a different perspective..."
I like Alan Furst's spy series for that too. Though Paris tends to be a setting for many of them, the main action is set in a variety of countires, such as Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Romania.