The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War

The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War
by Andrew Roberts Adult Nonfiction – Upper Level 940.54 R

Single-volume histories of major events often get bogged down in the "what" "when" and "who" without devoting much attention to the "why". Andrew Roberts in "Storm of War" devotes much of his attention to the "why" in his history and analysis of World War II. He relates events clearly and concisely, but the most interesting parts of the book are his explanations of the reasons behind the decisions made. (Hint: Nazi ideology was a double-edged sword.)

One Caveat: Pacific theater buffs may prefer to pass on this book. Roberts is an Englishman who pays only cursory attention to the fight against Japan. He tells readers what happened but does not interpret it, to the extent that Japan is mentioned only twice in his conclusive analysis.