StalingradStalingrad
Score Modern
What it's about
In the summer of 1942, Hitler's Sixth Army drove deep into the Soviet Union toward the city of Stalingrad on the Volga. The battle that followed lasted five months, fought street by street and building by building. Then the Red Army encircled the Germans, trapping more than a quarter of a million men in a freezing pocket. Antony Beevor, using Soviet and German archives, tells the story from both sides, from the generals to the starving soldiers.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Samuel Johnson Prize, now the Baillie Gifford Prize, and became an international bestseller. It's the definitive account of the turning point of World War II in Europe.
You'll love it if you liked
An Army at Dawn: The War in Africa, 1942-1943
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany
The Guns of AugustGood to know
It's grim, with descriptions of mass death, starvation and atrocities. A map helps.
By the numbers
- Readers92 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics54 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller18 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #67 of the 198 history books we rank
- #177 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #358 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is Stalingrad worth reading?
Yes. It won the Samuel Johnson Prize, now the Baillie Gifford Prize, and became an international bestseller. It ranks #358 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 80.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Stalingrad about?
In the summer of 1942, Hitler's Sixth Army drove deep into the Soviet Union toward the city of Stalingrad on the Volga. The battle that followed lasted five months, fought street by street and building by building. Then the Red Army encircled the Germans, trapping more than a quarter of a million men in a freezing pocket. Antony Beevor, using Soviet and German archives, tells the story from both sides, from the generals to the starving soldiers.
How long does it take to read Stalingrad?
About 15 hours (598 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Stalingrad won?
Baillie Gifford Prize winner (1999).
What should I read after Stalingrad?
If you liked it, try An Army at Dawn: The War in Africa, 1942-1943 by Rick Atkinson, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany by William L. Shirer or The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman.