The War: An Intimate History, 1941-1945
Focusing on the citizens of four towns— Luverne, Minnesota; Sacramento, California; Waterbury, Connecticut; Mobile, Alabama;— The War follows more than forty people from 1941 to 1945. Woven largely from their memories, the compelling, unflinching narrative unfolds month by bloody month, with the outcome always in doubt. All the iconic events are here, from Pearl Harbor to the liberation of the concentration camps—but we also move among prisoners of war and Japanese American internees, defense workers and schoolchildren, and families who struggled simply to stay together while their men were shipped off to Europe, the Pacific, and North Africa.
Enriched by maps and hundreds of photographs, including many never published before, this is an intimate, profoundly affecting chronicle of the war that shaped our world.
Reviews (100)
A Compelling Account of the Second World War
Following in the tradition his previous books on the Civil War, Jazz, and Baseball, Ken Burns has written another compelling and informative volume, this time on the Second World War. This book is loaded with photographs, maps, and testimonials from civilians and service people alike. It encompasses both the European and Pacific theaters of war, as well as the home front. The narrative is rich and easy to read, and the photographs show just what it was like to be in battle or work on an assembly line back home. The personal accounts from the front add an element of actually being in the fighting to the book. Of particular interest to me was the story of the Army's 442nd infantry. This unit was composed entirely of Japanese-Americans who fought in the European theater. Other points of interest include an informative section on the movement of Japanese-Americans to relocation camps inside the United States, war bond drives conducted throughout the war, and, mainly, the brutality of combat in both the European and Pacific theaters. I've read Burns' books on Baseball and the Civil War, and I've seen the companion video series to them as well. Burns has a knack for bringing out the "human" side to a particular event or situation, and he maintains this quality with the personal stories and historical narrative contained in this book. The excellent photographs and maps add a true sense of what it was really like at home and overseas during World War II. I give this fine book my highest recommendation. Ken Burns has written a terrific piece of military history which will remain a staple of the genre for years to come. This book is a must read for World War II readers.
Beautifully written. Provides the background of how the US ...
WWII as seen through four families in four different towns of the US. Beautifully written. Provides the background of how the US really was changed by WWII from a rather provincial country to one in which ordinary citizens learned about places in Europe and Asia they had never previously heard. It also shows the incredible sacrifice of America's young people during that war, many of them in their teens and early 20ies...
May we never forget
Seen the doc when it came out, and just seen new doc from ken burns.so I order both. this book is very detail and goes with doc great photos if u are ex military or war in history it is a must.
... alive today needs to read this book and others like it, lest we forget the toll war takes ...
Every American alive today needs to read this book and others like it, lest we forget the toll war takes on those who fight, as well as those who wait for them and the innocents destroyed on all fronts. It is graphic and at times very upsetting. As in "The Civil War," Burns and Ward illustrate the suffering in detail, and give the reader a "warts and all" look at the commanders, whose egos and personal needs at times led to needless loss of lives. If you know someone who lived through The War, you owe it to yourself and to his/her memory to read this book.
Moving and well laid out
The first chapter of this book brought tears to my eyes. Sometimes I feel WWII is removed from my generation, reserved to memories of our grandparents and media like Band of Brothers and Call of Duty. My grandpa served and this book was a way for me to ever so slightly understand what he experienced and what the world was like in those days. When I see it I think of him and countless like him; may we never forget what they endured and accomplished. Highly recommend.
great book
I probably own and have read upwards of 60 books on military history. Some 30 plus are on WWII. Of those many many photos and quotes are repeated either by direct printing or reference. This book is unique as was the TV series containing several 'different' images and interviews with the 'common' soldier. It was interesting to see 'how things were' stateside and how resources were prioritized for a two front war. The book was also handy as a reference to details one might have missed while watching the series.
Ken burns at his best
The War is the Ken Burns treatment of WW2 that we've all been waiting for since his spectacular civil war series. It treats the twentieth century's most significant event in a very rational way, looking at the war's effect on individual people. It tells the story of a dehumaizing catastrophe in a very humane, sensitive manner. Bravo! For another look at the courage and perseverance of common people caught up in the ravages of war check out,
THE WAR - Excellent coffee table book on WWII
My husband is an avid WWII buff and has read numerous books on the subject including all of Stephen Ambrose's, which he swears are the best. Having been to Normandy twice in the past 5 years he feels as though he has walked through many of the situations described in the book. If you liked the DVD, you will love this book. Every WWII buff will love this book!
The War: An Intimate History 1941-1945
I found this book captivating in every respect. Written from close personal accounts from several different towns in the US, the reader gets a perspective like nothing I've read before. Not knowing very much about the War in the South Pacific, or the intimate details of the imprisoned in Manila, I found the accounts poignant, heartbreaking, and gratifying.
Genius!
After seeing "The World at War" and the Time-Life Series of WW2, I thought I had seen the most significant documentaries of the War. But this production is incredible in its technique of following the lives of the three men and their families through those horrible years. The way the music is chosen and interlaced with the mood of the scene at an instant in time is brilliant. At times it's hard to breathe or hold back tears. This documentary is truly a work of genius.
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