War Books

Ep 035 – Nonfiction. In 1990, East Germany, a country born from war, ceased to exist. Katja Hoyer joins me to discuss East Germany's evolution during the Cold War & her fantastic new book, "Beyond the Wall: A History of East Germany." Support local bookstores & buy Katja's book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9781541602571 Subscribe to the War Books podcast here: YouTube: https://www.yo...

Ep 034 – Fiction. There aren't many books that give the perspective of the fight against ISIS from an Iranian perspective. Salar Abdoh joins me to discuss his extraordinary new novel, "Out of Mesopotamia." Support local bookstores & buy Salar’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9781617758607 Subscribe to the War Books podcast here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@warbookspodcast Apple:...

Ep 033 – Nonfiction. Why did Putin opt for regime change in Ukraine, rather than a smaller-scale intervention in Donbas? Samuel Ramani joins me to discuss his new book, "Putin's War on Ukraine: Russia's Campaign for Global Counter-Revolution." Support local bookstores & buy Samuel’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9781787388512 Subscribe to the War Books podcast here: YouTube: https://...

Ep 032 – Nonfiction. What is the importance of Eastern Europe, and how has it been defined by warfare? Jacob Mikanowski joins me to discuss his insightful new book, "Goodbye, Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of a Divided Land." Support local bookstores & buy Jacob’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9781524748500 Subscribe to the War Books podcast here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.co...

Ep 031 – Nonfiction. As a journalist, Christopher Miller was on the ground in Ukraine when the first Russian missiles struck and troops crossed the border. He joins me to discuss his fascinating new book, "The War Came To Us: Life and Death in Ukraine." Support local bookstores & buy Christopher’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9781399406857 Subscribe to the War Books podcast here: Yo...

Ep 030 – Nonfiction. What do America's modern wars say about us as a country, and how should we respond as citizens? Phil Klay joins me to discuss his incredible new book, "Uncertain Ground: Citizenship in an Age of Endless, Invisible War." Support local bookstores & buy Phil’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9780593299241 Subscribe to the War Books podcast here: YouTube: https://www.y...

Ep 029 – Nonfiction. 500 years ago, a Spanish flotilla reached the Yucatán under the command of Hérnan Cortés, leading to the fall of Tenochtitlan. Stefan Rinke joins me to discuss his new book, "Conquistadors and Aztecs: A History of the Fall of Tenochtitlan." Buy Stefan’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Conquistadors-Aztecs-History-Fall-Tenochtitlan/dp/0197552463 Subscribe to the War Books pod...

Ep 028 – Nonfiction. Why aren't ordinary Russians more outraged by Putin's invasion of Ukraine? Jade McGlynn joins me to discuss why & to talk about her fascinating new book, "Memory Makers: The Politics of the Past in Putin's Russia." Support local bookstores & buy Jade’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9781350280762 Subscribe to the War Books podcast here: YouTube: https://www.yo...

Ep 027 – Nonfiction. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, when considering history, shouldn't have been such a surprise. Harvard Professor of Ukrainian History, Serhii Plokhy, joins me to discuss his new book, "The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History." Support local bookstores & buy Serhii’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9781324051190 Subscribe to the War Books podcast here: YouTube:...

Ep 026 – Fiction. In wartime Berlin, intelligence & spying was anything if not complicated— both morally and in practice. Peter Mann’s excellent new novel, “The Torqued Man,” explores the contorted lives of two German spies in the final years of World War II. Support local bookstores & buy Peter’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9780063072114 Subscribe to the War Books podcast here...

Ep 025 – Nonfiction. Before the outbreak of World War II, the U.S. military was about the same size as Bulgaria's-- far too small to take on Hitler’s Germany. Craig Nelson discusses how FDR set out to change this in his new book, "V Is For Victory: Franklin Roosevelt's American Revolution & the Triumph of World War II." Support local bookstores & buy Craig’s book here: https://bookshop.org...

Ep 024 – Fiction. In 2003, a postcard arrived at Anne's home with 4 names written on it, all of them family members who died at Auschwitz. In a fascinating English-language interview, acclaimed French author Anne Berest discusses her new World War II autobiographical novel, "The Postcard." Support local bookstores & buy Anne’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9781609458386 Subscribe to...

Ep 023 – Nonfiction. Is there a uniquely German way of war? Oxford historian Peter H. Wilson joins me to challenge this notion & discuss 500 years of German military history in his new book, "Iron and Blood: A Military History of the German-Speaking Peoples since 1500." Support local bookstores & buy Peter’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9780674987623 Subscribe to the War Books p...

Ep 022 - Nonfiction. “If we understand the violence of reconstruction, we can understand the violence of today.” Kidada E. Williams joins me to discuss her illuminating new book, 'I Saw Death Coming: A History of Terror and Survival in the War Against Reconstruction.' Support local bookstores & buy Kidada’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9781635576634 Subscribe to the War Books podcas...

Ep 021 - Nonfiction. No engines, no guns, and no second chances. For our U.S. Memorial Day episode, Scott McGaugh joins me to talk about the American glider pilots of World War II & his terrific new book, "Brotherhood of the Flying Coffin: The Glider Pilots of World War II." Support local bookstores & buy Scott’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9781472852946 Subscribe to the War Bo...

Ep 020 - Nonfiction. 20 years later, the Iraq War still lingers. "All the civil wars in Iraq & Syria had the spark from that chaos." Ghaith Abdul-Ahad joins me to discuss his fantastic new book, 'A Stranger in Your Own City: Travels in the Middle East's Long War.' Support local bookstores & buy Ghaith’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9780593536889 Subscribe to the War Books podcas...

Ep 019 - Nonfiction. How dangerous are things right now? In a first for the War Books Podcast, we discuss the future of war. Andrew Hoehn and Thom Shanker join me to chat about their terrific new book, "Age of Danger: Keeping America Safe in an Era of New Superpowers, New Weapons, and New Threats." Support local bookstores & buy Andrew and Thom’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9780306...

Ep 018 - Fiction. What can World War One, one of the world's most destructive conflicts, teach us about language, love, & same-sex partnerships? Aleksandar Hemon joins me to discuss his incredible new novel, "The World and All That It Holds." Support local bookstores & buy Aleksandar’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9780374287702 Subscribe to the War Books podcast here: YouTube: h...

Ep 017 - Nonfiction. “Ukraine is very different from all the other wars... it’s one in which Putin involves himself much more personally.” Mark Galeotti demystifies Russia's wars since the 1990s & discusses his incredible new book, "Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine." Support local bookstores & buy Mark’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9781472847546 Subscribe to the War Books...

Ep 016 - Nonfiction. The Bangladesh Liberation War is sometimes called the world's first climate war. How did a mild cyclone lead to a violent genocide? Scott Carney talks about his book, co-written with Jason Miklian, "The Vortex: A True Story of History's Deadliest Storm, an Unspeakable War, and Liberation." Support local bookstores & buy Scott and Jason’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/9...

Ep 015 - Nonfiction. An incredible story of Vietnam, Agent Orange, & the post-war experience for veterans. My interview with George Black on his fantastic new book, "The Long Reckoning: A Story of War, Peace, and Redemption in Vietnam." Support local bookstores & buy George’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9780593534106 Subscribe to the War Books podcast here: YouTube: https://www...

Ep 014 - Nonfiction. In 1776, rumors abounded that George Washington would rather burn New York City than let it fall. The British invaded. Then, the city burned. My chat with Prof. Benjamin Carp about his captivating new book, "The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution." Support local bookstores & buy Benjamin’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92235/9780300246...

Ep 013 - Nonfiction. Glowing foxes, bat bombs, explosive baking flour, and more. My fascinating interview with John Lisle on his new book, "The Dirty Tricks Department: Stanley Lovell, the OSS, and the Masterminds of World War II Secret Warfare." We dive deep into the creative ways American intelligence sought to win World War II. Support local bookstores & buy John’s book here: https://booksh...

Ep 012 - Nonfiction. Jeff’s latest book, “The Mercenary: A Story of Brotherhood and Terror in the Afghanistan War,” is a nonfiction novel about his time in Afghanistan as a war correspondent & the friendship he forms with his Afghani driver. This book is a page-turner, and Jeff does a terrific job exploring what it means to be a reporter, but also a human being, in a war zone. Support local bo...

Ep 011 - Nonfiction. “He might’ve been of the youngest generation in that war.” At the age of 13, Heidi Langbein-Allen's father was forced from his home to become a child soldier in Hitler's army. A fascinating discussion from her extraordinary new book, "Save the Last Bullet: Memoir of a Boy Soldier in Hitler's Army." Support local bookstores & buy Heidi’s book here: https://bookshop.org/a/92...