Books like Left to Die — picked by fans

I love an underdog story, and this book tells the story of a small, desperately outnumbered U.S. fleet facing down a much larger Japanese force off Samar during World War II—perhaps the ultimate underdog tale, with life-or-death stakes.

I broke down in tears at multiple points reading this book, a true account of absolute heroism in the face of overwhelming odds. This is one of the very best nonfiction World War II books I have ever read. It’s exhaustively-researched and detailed, but is not in any way boring—it reads like a vintage Tom Clancy novel.

Although the title of this non-fiction book suggests the level is for teenagers, as a baby boomer, I thoroughly appreciated the author’s portrayal of the historical arc of the war.

Hands down, it’s a great book for adults as well. Mack-Jackson’s timelines and descriptions of the major battles and military strategies, including the prelude to World War II, are very well researched and written for easy comprehension of a worldwide war.

The allegiance to country and sacrifices to a cause beyond self of the Greatest Generation American soldiers, pilots, and sailors can never be doubted after reading this book.

It’s been a long time since I’ve cried at the end of a book. But I did with this one.

Gail Kittleson weaves a tapestry of characters, plot, and historical events like no other book I’ve ever read. The realistic and down-to-earth characters bring this story to life amidst the alluring backdrop of WWII, Great Britain, and Texas. The author’s unique literary style and judicious research are compelling.

I found myself so entrenched with Everett, Donnie, William, and Lillian that every time I picked up this book to read, my heart reverberated with them with every turn of the page. The twist at the end of the book is captivating for sure.

I love anything WWII, and especially books devoted to this era. When I heard about a book by Cleo Lampos and Gail Kittleson that was dedicated to food research during WWII, I purchased it, very curious. And I have not been disappointed!

With twenty-four fact-filled chapters covering the home front, the military, and European challenges, I have come to appreciate how food played a valuable role in the war, bringing the Greatest Generation, especially women, together in America. I had never heard of the role potatoes, M&Ms, and spam played in the war, plus much more.

The photographs and recipes enrich the authenticity of this well-researched book.

This book is generally considered the definitive account of the events of 14th-15th April, 1912, covering what happened on both Titanic and Carpathia.

It was first published in 1955 when of course many of the survivors would still have been alive. It’s short, and written in a wonderful, easy-to-read style, and has never been out of print. Rightly so – it’s practically required reading for any novelist or filmmaker taking on the topic of Titanic.

And for anyone fascinated by the story of Titanic, there is no better book.

Kristóf (1935-2011) was a Hungarian writer who fled to Switzerland during the war and wrote in French.

The Notebook (the first in the trilogy) is currently number one on my list of all-time favourites. It has all the elements of storytelling that I love: deep, psychological insight into the human heart; adroit use of archetypes, which give the book a timeless, folkloric feel; concision (no waffling) and a poetic, pared-back language that creates a sense of startling immediacy.

Kristóf writes about World War II through the eyes of two young brothers in a Nazi-occupied country (unnamed), and she shocks us awake not through sensationalised violence but through matter-of-fact narration.

It reads like a cross-between dramatic monologue and biblical parable – she stretches the novel form and opens up new possibilities for writing. 

Published ten years apart (1984 and 1994), John Lundstrom’s two-volume set was well worth the wait. 

His first installment set an exceptionally high bar with minutely detailed analysis—often including cockpit-to-cockpit matchups—of U.S. and Japanese aerial encounters. Volume One rightly peaks with the vital Battle of Midway in June 1942, while the second covers land and carrier-based operations at Guadalcanal from August to November.

Both volumes place the combatants in the context of time and place including their institutional backgrounds. With numerous veteran contributions dating from the 1970s, neither book could be written today.

I read this book as a boy, and I couldn’t put it down. It’s the story of American PT boats in the South Pacific during World War II, and the story behind the title captivated me. Every soldier knows that he or she might be sacrificed by a commander to gain time for a retreat or as part of a super-dangerous mission.

The sailors on the boats in White’s story were living examples of how they could be expendable. Even as a boy, this book made me grateful for what I had and grateful to the members of the uniformed services who protected us. That they would make such a commitment makes me love America even more. 

An unforgettable collection of linked stories, Heirlooms follows one Jewish family escaping Holocaust-era St. Malo, France through to present-day America and Israel. Hall depicts with masterful, exquisite prose just what it means to be a refugee, to rebuild a life outside one’s own country, to survive and endure. I recently taught Heirlooms to a class of fiction writing students who deeply appreciated this stunning collection and what they could learn from it about storytelling, and about resilience.

Technically about World War II, this work covers Chim’s work depicting culture, politics, and life before and after the war, so the circumstances leading to conflict and its aftermath. Chim was the co-founder of Magnum Photos, so his contribution to photojournalism is immense, and his photos are beautifully lit and composed even as they capture fleeting moments: Polish school children waiting for a bus in the rain, a baby reaching for bread at a displaced person’s camp or a boy playing in the ruins of a bombed building. The book also includes later photos of celebrities and movie stars, which, when seen alongside his earlier work creates an interesting narrative of a world putting itself back together and once again seeking out joy and beauty.