Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945

Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945 (2011) by Max Hastings. Hastings has written a masterful history of World War II, using extensive anecdotes, excerpts from letters, and historical records to tell the story in the words of those who lived through it. At 650 pages, the book represents a substantial investment of time, but I found it to be worth it. The only quibble I have is that the maps furnished with the text are frequently sketchy and hard to decipher. It matters little, though, because the book presupposes a knowledge of European geography and of the main events of the war. Grade: A-