The acclaimed author and preeminent military historian john keegan examines centuries of human conflict. The best onevolume treatment available, the second world war by john keegan is an outstanding synthesis of an enormous amount of material on the largest single event in human history. In this comprehensive history, john keegan explores both the technical and the human impact of the greatest war of all time. It says the book john keegan the second world war is not available. The reith lecturer in 1998, he is the author of many bestselling books including the face of battle, six armies in normandy, battle at sea, the second world war, a history of warfare awarded the duff cooper prize, warpaths, the battle for history, the first world war, and most. The latest book written by john keegan, currently the most widely read military historian on both sides of the atlantic, is a survey of the second world war. The book proceeds chronologically through the war, but chapters appearing at appropriate moments focus on particular themes, such as war production, occupation, bombing, resistance, and espionage. It is not a history of intelligence in war, it is a history of war with a bit of intelligence stuff thrown in for spice. He begins with a chapter on the major controversies in the history of this conflict, and follows with another on the more important books on the war. The second world war part 1 of 6 audiobook full by atony bevoor. The washington post if you want to know how it happened, read keegan s thoughtful and elegant prose. The former sandhurst lecturer the price of admiralty, the mask of command, soldiers, six armies in normandy, et al. John keegans books include the iraq war, intelligence in war, the first world war, the battle for history, the face of battle, war and our world, the masks of. This book is the 344th greatest nonfiction book of all time as determined by.
Second world war by john keegan the 344th greatest. The book was published in 1989, and this audio book was produced by books on tape, inc in 1990. All were excellent well written, interesting and informative and this book is no exception. Praised as the best military historian of our generation by tom clancy, john keegan reconsiders his masterful study of world war ii, the second world war, with a new foreword keegan examines each theater of the war, focusing on five crucial battles and offering new insights into the distinctive methods and motivations of modern warfare. A conflict of unprecedented ferocity, it abruptly ended the relative peace and prosperity of the victorian era, unleashing such demons of the twentieth century as mechanized warfare and mass death. An excellent look at the american civil war john keegan is one of my favorite authors of military history and i have read many of his books, including his biography of winston churchill which was a bit of a change for him. Intelligence in war ebook by john keegan 9781400041930. Audiobook the second world war by john keegan part 1 of 3. However, the woed brazil does not appear in a kindle search inside his book.
The second world war by sir john keegan, 9780143035732, available. He received a degree in history from balliol college, oxford in 1953. The best world war ii books, as recommended by one of the most distinguished. Complete summary of john keegans the second world war. The paperback of the the second world war by john keegan at. Harold nicolson 1967, the war years, 19391945, vol. John keegans points out in the second world war that supply of food, raw materials, of finished products, of weapons themselves, lies at root of war. Nov 21, 2012 john keegan s books include the iraq war, intelligence in war, the first world war, the battle for history, the face of battle, war and our world, the masks of command, fields of battle, and a history of warfare.
In this comprehensive history, john keegan explores both the. The very first historian to inspire me was john keegan, who i studied under at. He wrote many published works on the nature of combat between prehistory and the 21st century, covering land, air, maritime, intelligence warfare and the psychology of battle. It destroyed a century of relative peace and prosperity and saw a continent at the height of its success descend into slaughter. Keegan examines each theater of the war, focusing on five crucial battles and offering new insights into the. A history of warfare ebook by john keegan rakuten kobo. This page contains details about the nonfiction book second world war by john keegan published in 1990. John keegan s books include the iraq war, intelligence in war, the first world war, the battle for history, the face of battle, war and our world, the masks of command, fields of battle, and a history of warfare. Narrated by their authors best audiobook thrillers best history audiobooks. It is a deliberate act of literary homage to tolstoy as one can see in the title.
From primitive man in the bronze age to the end of the cold war in the twentieth century, keegan shows how armed conflict has been a primary preoccupation throughout the history of civilization and how deeply rooted its practice has become in our cultures. Sir john desmond patrick keegan, obe, frsl was a british military historian, lecturer and journalist. The first world war is one of historys greatest tragedies. These books essentially created the man, argues renowned military historian keegan the first world war, and churchills own words would, in turn, be the key to his greatness. Meyer draws on exhaustive research to bring to life the story of how the great war reduced europes mightiest empires to rubble, killed 20 million people, and cracked the foundations of the world we live in today. A conflict of unprecedented ferocity, it abruptly ended the relative peace and prosperity of the victorian era, unleashing such demons of the twentieth ce. Only 118 pages, and in it sir john keegan offers his readers a short introduction to the historiography the history of history of world war ii. A masterly look at the value and limitations of intelligence in the conduct of war from the premier military historian o. John keegan is the defence editor of the daily telegraph and britains foremost military historian. A fellow of the royal society of literature, keegan is the author of numerous books. John keegan s world war ii is a superb one volume history of the military aspects of world war ii. John keegan wrote in the 1985 introduction to the series that some deficiencies.
The book was published in 1989, and this audio book was produced by. The million who died in the siege of leningrad are a dependent clause. Complete summary of john keegan s the second world war. This book has 6 parts and 33 chapters, and was read by bill kelsey. Introduction to the second world war, volume 1, the gathering storm.
After graduation, he went to the united states on a grant to study the civil war. In his history of the second world war, john keegan manages to wrestle the global upheaval of 19391945 into a mere 608 pages. John keegan s the second world war 1989 is the apollonian counterpoint to max hastings inferno 2011. Praised as the best military historian of our generation by tom clancy, john keegan here reconsiders his masterful study of world war ii, the second world war, with a new foreword. The second world war book series project gutenberg self. John keegans latest book is another must read history tome by the master himself. The first world war by john keegan, read by simon prebble by. Buy the second world war by john keegan online at alibris. Historian john keegan packed all of the second world war in one book of 595 pages and did it well. The book was published in 1989, and this audio book was produced by books on tape, inc in 1990 and has 6 parts and 33 chapters.
The reith lecturer in 1998, he is the author of many bestselling books including the face of battle, six armies in normandy, battle at sea, the sec. The concise, cohesive narrative arc of this work demonstrates not only keegan s mastery of the endless particulars of the conflict that do not make their way into his description of it, but also his skill at plucking out of those myriad particulars those bits of. He published many works on the nature of combat between the 14th and 21st centuries concerning land, air, maritime and intelligence warfare as well as the psychology of battle. This audiobook has been out of print for many years and very hard to find. The book proceeds chronologically through the war, but chapters appearing at appropriate moments focus on particular themes, such as war production, occupation. I have read many wwii books but i have to say that i still learned a lot from keegans book both new things and tweekings of things already learned. The definitive account of the great war and a national bestseller from eminent military historian john keegan 2018 marks the centenary of the first world war the war that created the modern world. The first world war audiobook written by john keegan. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Aug 18, 2012 these books essentially created the man, argues renowned military historian keegan the first world war, and churchills own words would, in turn, be the key to his greatness. The first world war probes the mystery of how a civilization at the height of its achievement could have propelled itself into such a ruinous conflict and takes us behind the scenes of the negotiations among europes crowned heads all of them related to one another by blood and ministers, and their doomed efforts to defuse the crisis. John keegan s points out in the second world war that supply of food, raw materials, of finished products, of weapons themselves, lies at root of war.
This is the unabridged reading of the second world war by john keegan. Oct 20, 2009 the acclaimed author and preeminent military historian john keegan examines centuries of human conflict. This book is the literary having just seen the movie darkest hour, and after. John keegan, may 15, 1934 august 2, 2012 john keegan was born in london, england on may 15, 1934.
An extraordinary, definitive history, the second world war will be required reading for generations to come. The first world war was a tragic and unnecessary conflict. Some volumes in these editions share names, such as triumph and tragedy but the contents of the volumes differ, covering varying portions of the book. The 50th anniversary of ww iis onset has triggered a spate of books from british and american authors. It is an enjoyable book, but somewhat of a letdown if you are looking for the spy stuff. Oct 20, 2015 audiobook the second world war by john keegan part 1 of 3.
The american civil war is a dense book, but a quirky one as well. There are three primary strenghts to keegan s work. He is the defense editor of the daily telegraph london. John keegan winston churchill a life audio book youtube. The second world war has been issued in editions of six, twelve and four volumes, as well as a singlevolume abridgment. Unnecessary because the train of events that led to its outbreak might have been broken at any point during the five weeks of crisis that preceded the first clash of arms, had prudence or common goodwill found a voice. Keegan purges much of the blood and guts from the story. The second world war is a history of the period from the end of the first world war to july. While i prefer war novels such as the triumph and the glory, cold mountain, or the killer angels to nonfiction histories, keegans style is so readable i always make an exception for him. The second world war merits the acceptance as the standard work that it will surely recieve. The first world war is an excellent book by a world class military historian. Read intelligence in war knowledge of the enemy from napoleon to alqaeda by john keegan available from rakuten kobo. The second world war by john keegan overdrive rakuten. Few if any will be superior to keegan s lengthy 592pagebut concise overview.