9 Best World War 2 Books
We analyzed 6+ expert sources, curated book lists, and recommendations from successful people to find the 9 best world war 2 books according to the internet — not just one person's opinion. Each book on this list was mentioned by at least two independent sources, and the ranking is based on how frequently each title appears across all sources studied. This consensus-based approach ensures you get recommendations backed by multiple experts, not a single reviewer's bias.
Goal: Find the best World War 2 books according to the internet (not just one person's opinion).
Method:
- Search for "best world war 2 books" and study the top 6+ pages.
- Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
- Rank the results neatly here.
9 Best World War 2 Books
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you).
Catch-22
Catch 22, Book 1
Also recommended by
4 people
Shah Rukh Khan recommended this bookShah Rukh Khan
"I am re reading now." - Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan's recommendation of this book 
Larry Ellison recommended this bookLarry Ellison
"I think [Bill Gates] must be some kind of reincarnation of Milo Minderbinder from [this book]." - Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison's recommendation of this book 
Mark Bittman recommended this bookMark Bittman
"I used to buy [this book] for a lot of people because I just thought if you hadn’t read it, you had to but maybe that era is over." - Mark Bittman
Mark Bittman's recommendation of this book 
Fred Wilson recommended this bookFred Wilson
"A good one!" - Fred Wilson
Fred Wilson's recommendation of this book
The Splendid and the Vile
A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
Also recommended by
3 people
Keith Rabois recommended this bookKeith Rabois
"Books on Churchill in 1940-1941 take on wholly different meanings during a crisis vs studying during times of peace & prosperity." - Keith Rabois
Keith Rabois's recommendation of this book 
Bill Gates recommended this bookBill Gates
"A great addition to the literature focused on that [World War II] tragic period." - Bill Gates
Bill Gates's recommendation of this book 
Arnold Schwarzenegger recommended this bookArnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger recommended this book in his newsletter.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's recommendation of this book
All the Light We Cannot See
A Novel
Also recommended by
2 people
Barack Obama recommended this bookBarack Obama
Barack Obama's "2016 Summer Reading List."
Barack Obama's recommendation of this book 
Mike Maples, Jr. recommended this bookMike Maples, Jr.
"One of the best books of the last 10 years." - Mike Maples, Jr.
Mike Maples, Jr.'s recommendation of this book
Hitler
A Biography
Also recommended by
1 person
Brandon Stanton recommended this bookBrandon Stanton
Brandon Stanton mentioned this book on "The Tim Ferriss Show" podcast.
Brandon Stanton's recommendation of this book
Night
The Night Trilogy, Book 1
Also recommended by
1 person
Oprah Winfrey recommended this bookOprah Winfrey
"Required reading for all of humanity." - Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey's recommendation of this book
Stalingrad
The Fateful Siege: 1942-1943
Also recommended by
1 person
Richard Branson recommended this bookRichard Branson
Richard Branson recommended this book on his "70 must-read books" blog post.
Richard Branson's recommendation of this book
Code Name Verity
Code Name Verity, Book 1
The Longest Day
Unbroken
A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
Sources
- 1
Top 10 World War 2 Books
booklistqueen.com
- 2
50 Best Books About WW2 For World Travelers | The Uncorked Librarian
theuncorkedlibrarian.com
- 3
10 top nonfiction books about World War II
malwarwickonbooks.com
- 4
The Best Books on World War II - Five Books Expert Recommendations
fivebooks.com
- 5
The greatest books ever written about the Second World War
penguin.co.uk
- 6
30 Best World War II Books That Examine Every Angle of the Conflict
explorethearchive.com
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.
Comments
Did we miss something? Have feedback?
Help us improve this page by sharing your thoughts