Hey there, all book lovers! We all love how the greatest war books of all time have transported us to the time and place mentioned in them. Some books have tackled the heart-wrenching war realities in the most gripping way. The best war novels capture our imaginations uniquely, challenge our perceptions about politics and world order, and touch our hearts.
But there are so many historical non-fiction books with the stories of battlefields, and it’s really not possible to pick the best war novels of all time. However, our team has agreed to a certain selection process that we will share below so that you know why these novels are worth reading!
What Is A Good War Book, According To Us
First of all, we evaluated what’s so special about these war novels that makes them stand out. For us, the top war books of all time have the following key characteristics:
Accurate Portrayal Of The Battlefields:
All our picks for war novels paint the most realistic picture of war, battlefields, front line, loss and grief.
Offer Perspectives To Generate Hope In Adversity:
It’s really important to include diverse and unique perspectives to spark hope in adversity, whether they’re from civilians, soldiers, or those affected by wars.
They’re Excellently Written:
These novels have outstanding writing, stories, character development, and themes.
Their Impact Of These Novels:
The impact and influence of novels on literary non-fiction are still relevant due to several significant factors.
How Do We List the Greatest War Books Of All Time?
So, how did we pick these war books? It involved reading a lot of books, extensive research, and discussing with experts. Here’s a glimpse into our process:
Extensive Research:
We dove deeper into the pool of classic and contemporary war novels, asked for recommendations, and sifted through literary reviews.
Reviews From The Readers:
For us, popular opinions matter the most! We have checked out readers’ reviews and also considered readers’ polls.
Discussion With The Experts:
We reached out to historians, literature critics, and war prisoners and veterans to get their take on the selected books.
Listing Greatest War Books Of All Time Here
There may be chances that you won’t find some novels in this list that are not well-known; we have read them all and have decided to list them here because they are outstanding. Here’s the list:
A.W.O.L By John Hatch
John Hatch’s A.W.O.L (Absent Without Leave) is a war memoir. The author has documented this book to share his experience in the US Navy back in the Vietnam War era. The memoir of Author John Hatch is not only thought-provoking but also has a gripping story that reveals the horrors of war. John has also talked about his awakening that leads him to make a moral choice.
A.W.O.L is a historical non-fiction war book that documents John Hatch’s memories from his Navy service days. The author comes up with a book with dynamic storytelling, full of real-life experiences, and the history of the US-Vietnam War. The book will take you to the US in the 1960s, and the author has talked about Long Beach, Hollywood, and the USS Yorktown as well.
The story:
The A.W.O.L book walks you through the life of the author, John Hatch. He was a young sailor who joined the US Navy during the Vietnam War. The reasons were simple: family and societal expectations and a sense of duty. His days were full of challenges. As he left behind his pregnant girlfriend, he was full of guilt as well. All these circumstances led him to question the purpose of the war and his active role in it as a Navy Sailor.
He decided to go on A.W.O.L, and spent his life jumping from one city to another; from Long Beach to Hollywood, exploring the counterculture of the 1960s USA. He hid himself among hippies, rolled on the street and stayed in parks. He used his time to figure out how he could survive with little to no money, dodge military authorities, and evaluate his moral choices.
Why You Should Read A.W.O.L?
- It gives a first-hand glimpse at life on the front line during the Vietnam War era.
- Honest and relatable storytelling about love, loss, and tough choices.
- Readers get to know about the emotional toll the war takes.
- From military life to counterculture, it captures the essence of the human spirit of 1960s America.
The author has thoughtfully mixed the history, memories, fate and destiny.
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
It is a powerful anti-war novel that created a stir in the world of war books. It does not glorify the war in the name of patriotism. Instead, it makes readers feel the devastating effects of war. The author wrote this book in the context of World War I based on his experiences.
We have included this international bestseller war book for all the right reasons here. It defines a new genre, i.e., veterans’ literature. The book has also been adapted for a blockbuster film with the same title. The strong anti-war theme sends out a great message to the world, i.e., patriotism is the heaviest on the mothers with the boys fighting in the trenches.
The story:
To sum up the story of All Quiet on the Western Front, we’ll just quote a line from the book here
“One by one, the boys begin to fall…”
The narrative transports the readers to 1914. The story starts from a room full of German schoolboys with the fire in their hearts ignited by the war propaganda and patriotism. They are all fresh-faced and idealistic, and they are forced to be a part of the ‘glorious war’ by their schoolmaster. Little did they know how horrifying family separation is and how their life would be in the trenches on the Western Front.
The author has portrayed trench warfare during World War I in a heart-wrenching way, making it one of the greatest war novels of all time. You’ll be surprise to find out that the book is all about Remarque’s first-hand experience as a soldier, and that’s why this war book has a deeply haunting authenticity.
Why You Should Read All Quiet on the Western Front?
- A strong anti-war message of this book has made it the best war book with the message of peace.
- An authentic and realistic portrayal of the horrors of trench warfare and the resilience of soldiers makes its story incredibly impactful.
- The book is timelessly relevant with the real portrayal of human suffering in the name of nationalism.
- The book offers an emotional depth, with horrifying battlefield experiences of soldiers.
Redeployment by Phil Klay
Here we are with the most interesting war book written by Phil Klay. The author is an ex-Marine who has participated in the Iraq war; however, Redeployment proves that he is not just a veteran but also has a God-given storytelling skill. The story of Redeployment is not linear; it is the collection of interconnected stories that take readers to Iraq’s and Afghanistan’s frontlines.
It is one of the books written with equal realism and has a profound emotional depth. Redeployment is actually a brilliant effort by Phil Klay to tell about a soldier’s life defined by bureaucracy and violence, and how isolation and loss follow.
The Story:
Redeployment by Phil Klay is actually a curated collection of connected short stories. The book documents words from the soldiers, leaders, and civilians to let readers explore the terrible realities of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. All the stories in Redeployment have unique perspectives and highlight life in the war-torn countries. It talks about moral conflicts, redemption, and the aftermath of modern warfare.
Here are some of the stories from Redeployment that have touched our hearts:
Redeployment:
A soldier struggling with the normal life routine after returning to the US from Iraq. The haunting memories of war are shattering him.
Prayer in the Furnace:
A troubled chaplain who is stuck in the war and is dealing with faith, war horrors, and morality.
Money as a Weapons System:
A story with dark humor pointed at the slipups and contradictions in the reconstruction efforts of the USA in Iraq.
Why You Should Read Redeployment?
- The book offers multiple perspectives through different stories told by Marines, chaplains, and civilians.
- The author has written Redeployment with raw honesty. Not anywhere, the author has tried to sugarcoat the war.
- Although the book is about war stories, a clever use of dark humor makes it a light read to some extent.
That’s It, Fellas…
It’s time to wrap up the discussion about the greatest war books of all time. Although our team was really confused while picking the best war books of all time, the list here has the most favorite ones. Do read them and let us know your opinion in the comments.
