Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege Review

Title of the Book: Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege: 1942-1943  
Author: Antony Beevor  
Number of Pages: 431
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Review:

The most important event in the 20th century only lasted a year, but is the reason europe is not currently led by a fascist dictator, and why the world is as free as it is today. This event i'm talking about is the Siege of Stalingrad, which most people forget about. Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege 1942-1943 by Antony Beevor tells the story of this moment through the eyes of Germans and Russians alike, using personal accounts of the year, but also creating an atmosphere like that of a storyteller. Detail by detail, over 421 pages, Beevor describes the stages of Stalingrad, blunders made by both sides, and how even civilians far away from the conflict were affected. This book is unbiased to tell the whole story with the most amount of truth possible, from the planning table to the downfall of the Third Reich.

This book is one of the most unique books I've ever read, as it uses storytelling techniques reminiscent of listening to your grandpa talking about the war. But unlike one soldier on one side, this book aims to give both sides of the story, frequently changing perspective from the big picture to one soldier's story. Beevors language isn't like a boring documentary that just states facts, rather, its personal and wanting to teach you in a way that everyone can understand, not just history professors. Some of the most memorable moments in the book is where Beevor described the setting of many battles, as his word choice painted a picture of particularly legendary battles.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the 20th century. This doesn't only pertain to war strategy, but rather the psychological effect on the soldier to Hitler and Stalin, how this affected people back home, and if you take many points out of context, you can apply them to the present day, and how world politics are playing out. For the type of book it is, I would rate it 5 stars, as it accurately describes the entire war on Russian soil while keeping the reader very intrigued the entire way through.