so strictly speaking, it's not a novel. However, The Forgotten Soldier, by Guy Sajer, is one of my top 3 reads of all time.
Written by a half-French (hence the name), half-German man, it tells the story of how he, without speaking a word of German, was conscripted into the German army aged 17 (:eek , and sent to the Russian front. Needless to say, he survived the war, and his account of the war and is the most compelling I've ever read.
I rate the book so highly that I've bought countless copies and given it to people.
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What is your favorite World War Two Novel?
- parthianbow
- Compulsive Reader
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It's a true story...
Ben Kane
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.
http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.
http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
- Anna Elliott
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I love Edith Pargeter's semi-autobiographical She Goes to War. And of course more recently The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
Author of the Twilight of Avalon trilogy
new book: Dark Moon of Avalon, coming Sept 14 from Simon &Schuster (Touchstone)
http://www.annaelliottbooks.com
- parthianbow
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Call me cynical, but
we've never heard from either Douglas W. Jacobsen, the thread's originator, or Schultpe, another contributor, since. Could it, just could it, just could it possibly be - not Stickman (That's where the quote is from. Sorry, been reading too many kids' of late!), but because they were promoting their own novels?
Last edited by parthianbow on Fri February 5th, 2010, 2:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: addition
Reason: addition
Ben Kane
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.
http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.
http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
I really liked Mal Peet's YA novel, Tamar, about SOE agents stationed in Holland during the hunger winter of 44-45. Like Zusak's The Book Thief, it's an adult crossover novel that could have been marketed just as easily as an adult novel. I actually liked it much better than TBT (I'm in the minority for hating the gimmicky narrative device of Death as narrator in that one).
Good to hear. I've had that one in the TBR and have heard great things about it. I usually have to be in the right frame of mind to read a book like this, though.Parthianbow said: so strictly speaking, it's not a novel. However, The Forgotten Soldier, by Guy Sajer, is one of my top 3 reads of all time.
[quote=""parthianbow""]we've never heard from either Douglas W. Jacobsen, the thread's originator, or Schultpe, another contributor, since. Could it, just could it, just could it possibly be - not Stickman (That's where the quote is from. Sorry, been reading too many kids' of late!), but because they were promoting their own novels? [/quote]
surely not...
Read lots of good WW2 novels but the one that's really stuck around for me is Catch 22.
surely not...
Read lots of good WW2 novels but the one that's really stuck around for me is Catch 22.
- Anna Elliott
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[quote=""parthianbow""]we've never heard from either Douglas W. Jacobsen, the thread's originator, or Schultpe, another contributor, since. Could it, just could it, just could it possibly be - not Stickman (That's where the quote is from. Sorry, been reading too many kids' of late!), but because they were promoting their own novels? [/quote]
Stickman? Which kids' book is that? I spend my days reading to my three year old so have to ask.
Stickman? Which kids' book is that? I spend my days reading to my three year old so have to ask.
Author of the Twilight of Avalon trilogy
new book: Dark Moon of Avalon, coming Sept 14 from Simon &Schuster (Touchstone)
http://www.annaelliottbooks.com
- parthianbow
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Not a WW2 novel, Anna, but Stickman is an excellent book by the prolific author Julia Donaldson. She's the same person who wrote The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo's Child and Sharing A Shell, Tiddler, Room on the Broom and many others. Discover, if you haven't already, and enjoy! (Our son is 3 and a bit, and has been reared on all these.)
Ben Kane
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.
http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.
http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
- parthianbow
- Compulsive Reader
- Posts: 856
- Joined: April 2009
- Location: Nr. Bristol, SW England
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Escape from Warsaw
Thanks, Jack, for that recommendation. I will go out and look for it. Sounds right up my street, a la The Forgotten Soldier, the film The Pianist, Schindler's Ark/List etc.
Ben Kane
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.
http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.
http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor