List Challenges
Movies Books Travel Food Other
Sign In
Trending
New
Popular
Sign In
 Make a List Browse Lists Search Lists Leaders Help / Contact Newsletter

100 Must-Read World War II Books

"This is by no means a comprehensive list. The number of World War II books available is vast. People love to read about one of the worst events in history. In a way, this makes no sense—the list below makes for some depressing reading. But in another way, the list contains reading that is compelling and essential: we need to know our history now, if ever."
981 users · 5,360 views
 
from bookriot.com · made by AnnaBoots
avg. score: 7 of 100 (7%)
required scores: 1, 2, 5, 7, 10 
type to search

How many have you read?

Page 1 of 3
1
All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr)
All the Light We Cannot See
Anthony Doerr
2
Atonement (Ian McEwan)
Atonement
Ian McEwan
3
Blackout (Connie Willis)
Blackout
Connie Willis
4
Das Boot (Lothar Gunther Buchheim)
Das Boot
Lothar Gunther Buchheim
5
The Caine Mutiny (Herman Wouk)
The Caine Mutiny
Herman Wouk
6
Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
Catch-22
Joseph Heller
7
China Dolls (Lisa See)
China Dolls
Lisa See
8
City of Thieves (David Benioff)
City of Thieves
David Benioff
9
Code Talker (Joseph Bruchac)
Code Talker
Joseph Bruchac
10
The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
The English Patient
Michael Ondaatje
11
The Gallery (John Horne Burns)
The Gallery
John Horne Burns
12
Gone to Soldiers (Marge Piercy)
Gone to Soldiers
Marge Piercy
13
Fortunes of War: The Great Fortune (Book 1)
Fortunes of War: The Great Fortune (Book 1)
14
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Mary Ann Shaffer)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mary Ann Shaffer
15
The Guns of Navarone (Alistair MacLean)
The Guns of Navarone
Alistair MacLean
16
Half-Blood Blues
Half-Blood Blues
17
Hhhh
Hhhh
18
The Investigation (J.M.Lee)
The Investigation
J.M.Lee
19
The Invisible Bridge (Julie Orringer)
The Invisible Bridge
Julie Orringer
20
Jackdaws
Jackdaws
21
The Kindly Ones (Jonathan Littell)
The Kindly Ones
Jonathan Littell
22
Life After Life (Kate Atkinson)
Life After Life
Kate Atkinson
23
Life and Fate by Vassily Grossman
Life and Fate by Vassily Grossman
24
A Long Long Time Ago and Essentially True (Brigid Pasulka)
A Long Long Time Ago and Essentially True
Brigid Pasulka
25
A Midnight Clear by William Wharton
A Midnight Clear by William Wharton
26
The Narrow Road to the Deep North (Richard Flanagan)
The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Richard Flanagan
27
The Night Watch (Sarah Waters)
The Night Watch
Sarah Waters
28
A Pledge of Silence (Flora J.Solomon)
A Pledge of Silence
Flora J.Solomon
29
The Postmistress
The Postmistress
30
Schindlers List (Thomas Keneally)
Schindlers List
Thomas Keneally
31
A Separate Peace (John Knowles)
A Separate Peace
John Knowles
32
The Seventh Cross (Anna Seghers)
The Seventh Cross
Anna Seghers
33
The Shawl
The Shawl
34
Slaughterhouse-Five (Kurt Vonnegut)
Slaughterhouse-Five
Kurt Vonnegut
35
Small Island (Andrea Levy)
Small Island
Andrea Levy
36
Sophie's Choice (William Styron)
Sophie's Choice
William Styron
37
Stones From the River (Ursula Hegi)
Stones From the River
Ursula Hegi
38
Suite Française (Irène Némirovsky)
Suite Française
Irène Némirovsky
39
The Sword of Honour Trilogy (Evelyn Waugh)
The Sword of Honour Trilogy
Evelyn Waugh
40
Those Who Save Us (Jenna Blum)
Those Who Save Us
Jenna Blum
Page 1 of 3
Your score: 0/100 · 0%  
Click books you've read
Lists Similar to '100 Must-Read World War II Books'
World War II Books Dave Has Read
World War II Books Dave Has Read
97
76
The Good War: Great Fiction About World War II
The Good War: Great Fiction About World War II
246
75
15 Must-Read Historical Mysteries Set During World War II
15 Must-Read Historical Mysteries Set During World War II
79
15
60 Books About World War II
60 Books About World War II
434
60
World War II Books for Numerous Ages
World War II Books for Numerous Ages
425
40
World War II in Books
World War II in Books
192
44
Stefanie's World War II Books
Stefanie's World War II Books
127
146
Stefanie's TBR World War II Books
Stefanie's TBR World War II Books
82
158
Rate Your Music: 50 Best Movies Released During World War II
Rate Your Music: 50 Best Movies Released During World War II
685
50
The 25 Best World War II Movies Ever Made According to Esquire
The 25 Best World War II Movies Ever Made According to Esquire
414
25
World War II Movies
World War II Movies
363
20
World War II
World War II
338
100
Submarine Movies in the World War II Period
Submarine Movies in the World War II Period
338
15
The Ultimate World War II Movie List
The Ultimate World War II Movie List
316
160
World War II (Fiction and Nonfiction)
World War II (Fiction and Nonfiction)
310
90
Historic World War II Places
Historic World War II Places
260
33
50 Great World War II Films
50 Great World War II Films
244
50
24 Certified Fresh World War II Movies
24 Certified Fresh World War II Movies
231
24
Films Set During World War II
Films Set During World War II
228
100
World War II Movies Ken Has Seen
World War II Movies Ken Has Seen
211
114
10 World War II Movies That Threw Realism Out the Window (Screenrant)
10 World War II Movies That Threw Realism Out the Window (Screenrant)
199
10
The 101 Greatest World War II Movies of All Time According to Ranker
The 101 Greatest World War II Movies of All Time According to Ranker
193
101
The 25 Best World War II (WWII) Movies of All Time, Ranked by Whatnerd
The 25 Best World War II (WWII) Movies of All Time, Ranked by Whatnerd
168
25
Movies About World War II
Movies About World War II
157
42
The 22 Best World War II Movies of All Time According to Entertainment Weekly
The 22 Best World War II Movies of All Time According to Entertainment Weekly
154
22
World War II Sites
World War II Sites
145
55
The 50 Best World War II Movies According to Stacker
The 50 Best World War II Movies According to Stacker
144
50
Whatculture's 10 Great World War II Movies You've Probably Never Seen
Whatculture's 10 Great World War II Movies You've Probably Never Seen
142
10
10 World War II Movies That Can Be Called Masterpieces According to Collider
10 World War II Movies That Can Be Called Masterpieces According to Collider
131
10
Whatculture: 10 Scariest Horror Movies Set During World War II
Whatculture: 10 Scariest Horror Movies Set During World War II
129
10
All Similar Lists
Newsletter · Help/Contact · Privacy · Copyright Claim   © 2025 App Spring, Inc. · This product uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb.
Seen It - Movies & TV 
Android & iOS
Seen It is a new app from the creators of List Challenges. You can view movies and shows in one place and filter by streaming provider, genre, release year, runtime, and rating (Rotten Tomatoes, Imdb, and/or Metacritic). Also, you can track what you've seen, want to see, like, or dislike, as well as track individual seasons or episodes of shows. In addition, you can see the most watched/liked stuff amongst your friends. Learn more at SEENIT.FUN