Battle of Kursk?

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KevDen
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Battle of Kursk?

#1

Post by KevDen » 03 Feb 2021, 22:28

Was wondering if anyone here could recommend a 'good' readable book on the Battle of Kursk (1943)?

There seems to be a plethoria of them published, but how to sort the wheat from the chaff?
“We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it.” Capt. Tennant, HMS Repulse. 8 December 1941
“A review of the situation at about 11.00 was not encouraging.” Capt. Gordon, HMS Exeter. 1 March 1942

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ghost1275
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Re: Battle of Kursk?

#2

Post by ghost1275 » 03 Feb 2021, 22:48

I just finished listening to Armor and Blood The Battle for Kursk audio book by Dennis Showalter on YouTube for free.


KevDen
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Re: Battle of Kursk?

#3

Post by KevDen » 04 Feb 2021, 10:38

ghost1275 wrote:
03 Feb 2021, 22:48
I just finished listening to Armor and Blood The Battle for Kursk audio book by Dennis Showalter on YouTube for free.
Thanks, but..............I want something I can hold in my grubby little hands and have to actually exert myself and turn pages. :lol:
Colour me old fashioned I guess.
“We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it.” Capt. Tennant, HMS Repulse. 8 December 1941
“A review of the situation at about 11.00 was not encouraging.” Capt. Gordon, HMS Exeter. 1 March 1942

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matt78
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Re: Battle of Kursk?

#4

Post by matt78 » 15 Feb 2021, 06:10

How much can you afford to spend and what sought of book lots of pictures or a heavy hitter

KevDen
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Re: Battle of Kursk?

#5

Post by KevDen » 15 Feb 2021, 10:46

matt78 wrote:
15 Feb 2021, 06:10
How much can you afford to spend and what sought of book lots of pictures or a heavy hitter
Well, as least as possible. :D

I try only to buy 2nd hand books nowadays, so would not want to pay to much more than 20E or so, pref less.

And no no need for pics, just the story; but I do not need to know the minute details of every man, tank and horse that may have participated either. Just a good read that is factual and gives the overall story.

BTW, thanks for your input.
Last edited by KevDen on 15 Feb 2021, 17:01, edited 1 time in total.
“We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it.” Capt. Tennant, HMS Repulse. 8 December 1941
“A review of the situation at about 11.00 was not encouraging.” Capt. Gordon, HMS Exeter. 1 March 1942

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matt78
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Re: Battle of Kursk?

#6

Post by matt78 » 15 Feb 2021, 15:12

KevDen wrote:
15 Feb 2021, 10:46
matt78 wrote:
15 Feb 2021, 06:10
How much can you afford to spend and what sought of book lots of pictures or a heavy hitter
Well, as least as possible. :D

I try only to by 2nd hand books nowadays, so would not want to pay to much more than 20E or so, pref less.

And no no need for pics, just the story; but I do not need to know the minute details of every man, tank and horse that may have participated either. Just a good read that is factual and gives the overall story.

BTW, thanks for your input.
Sorry wasn't being smart Lloyd Clark Battle of the tanks the soviets did a couple of general staff studies there is a series of them or the mother of all books Kursk by Christopher A Lawrence he runs the dupuy institute

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Re: Battle of Kursk?

#7

Post by KevDen » 15 Feb 2021, 17:01

matt78 wrote:
15 Feb 2021, 15:12
Sorry wasn't being smart................
Didn't think you were sir, and I didn't mean to be flippant with my reply.

And thanks for the advice, much appreciated. I'll check out those couple of books you mention.

I guess what I am looking for is something along the lines / style of Antony Beevor's books.
“We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it.” Capt. Tennant, HMS Repulse. 8 December 1941
“A review of the situation at about 11.00 was not encouraging.” Capt. Gordon, HMS Exeter. 1 March 1942

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Re: Battle of Kursk?

#8

Post by KevDen » 15 Feb 2021, 21:16

matt78 wrote:
15 Feb 2021, 15:12
Lloyd Clark Battle of the tanks
Just ordered, and seems just what I was looking for and at 3 quid plus postage, my kinda price. :thumbsup:

Thanks again!
“We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it.” Capt. Tennant, HMS Repulse. 8 December 1941
“A review of the situation at about 11.00 was not encouraging.” Capt. Gordon, HMS Exeter. 1 March 1942

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Re: Battle of Kursk?

#9

Post by Mori » 15 Feb 2021, 21:23

KevDen wrote:
03 Feb 2021, 22:28
Was wondering if anyone here could recommend a 'good' readable book on the Battle of Kursk (1943)?

There seems to be a plethoria of them published, but how to sort the wheat from the chaff?
Reference titles are:
- Kursk 1943, by Roman Töppel. This recent volumes makes a lot previous things obsolete. It's easy to read and full of insights.

- The Battle of Kursk, by Glantz & House (1999). This is somewhat old now, but still one of the best. It includes nicely drawn maps for each single day. It is especially good for the Russian side, a bit less so for the German side (Glantz didn't use German primary sources)

- Das Gesetz des Handelns, by Ernst Klink (1966) Way older, but usually used by others when it comes to the chronology leading the Kursk. Never translated in English, unfortunately.

Most of other books I have checked were paraphrasing the above and/or the Memoirs of Manstein et al.

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matt78
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Re: Battle of Kursk?

#10

Post by matt78 » 15 Feb 2021, 23:26

KevDen wrote:
15 Feb 2021, 21:16
matt78 wrote:
15 Feb 2021, 15:12
Lloyd Clark Battle of the tanks
Just ordered, and seems just what I was looking for and at 3 quid plus postage, my kinda price. :thumbsup:

Thanks again!
Good book you will enjoy it glad to be able to assist :thumbsup:

KevDen
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Re: Battle of Kursk?

#11

Post by KevDen » 16 Feb 2021, 12:29

Mori wrote:
15 Feb 2021, 21:23
KevDen wrote:
03 Feb 2021, 22:28
Was wondering if anyone here could recommend a 'good' readable book on the Battle of Kursk (1943)?

There seems to be a plethoria of them published, but how to sort the wheat from the chaff?
Reference titles are:
- Kursk 1943, by Roman Töppel. This recent volumes makes a lot previous things obsolete. It's easy to read and full of insights.

- The Battle of Kursk, by Glantz & House (1999). This is somewhat old now, but still one of the best. It includes nicely drawn maps for each single day. It is especially good for the Russian side, a bit less so for the German side (Glantz didn't use German primary sources)

- Das Gesetz des Handelns, by Ernst Klink (1966) Way older, but usually used by others when it comes to the chronology leading the Kursk. Never translated in English, unfortunately.

Most of other books I have checked were paraphrasing the above and/or the Memoirs of Manstein et al.

Thanks for the info Mori. I'll see how I go with the book I have ordered for now, but Toppel's looks good, if a bit more than I'd really care to pay. Glantz's may be a bit too detailed for my level of interest though. After all I am a swabbie at heart, so the navy is my thing, and the Pacific theater my real domain, but thought I should look into some of the more famous actions in the 'European' land campaigns as it were seeing as I now reside in Europe.
“We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it.” Capt. Tennant, HMS Repulse. 8 December 1941
“A review of the situation at about 11.00 was not encouraging.” Capt. Gordon, HMS Exeter. 1 March 1942

KevDen
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Re: Battle of Kursk?

#12

Post by KevDen » 10 Mar 2021, 18:55

matt78 wrote:
15 Feb 2021, 23:26
KevDen wrote:
15 Feb 2021, 21:16
matt78 wrote:
15 Feb 2021, 15:12
Lloyd Clark Battle of the tanks
Just ordered, and seems just what I was looking for and at 3 quid plus postage, my kinda price. :thumbsup:
Thanks again!
Good book you will enjoy it glad to be able to assist :thumbsup:
Well I have to say again, THANKS!

Have just read the first two chapters describing Hitler's and Stalin's rise respectively. Very enlightening, and with a very good 'writing style' by the author.

An even better book than I expected. :D Well so far anyway, but if those two chapters are anything to go by I expect I am not going to be disappointed.
“We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it.” Capt. Tennant, HMS Repulse. 8 December 1941
“A review of the situation at about 11.00 was not encouraging.” Capt. Gordon, HMS Exeter. 1 March 1942

KevDen
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Location: East of Woodstock, west of Vietnam

Re: Battle of Kursk?

#13

Post by KevDen » 17 Mar 2021, 11:02

I posted the following on another forum so thought I'd post it here also for anyone who may be thinking of buying this (excellent) book.

Well, I have gotten further into the book, which is excellent by the way - but the more detailed and place specific the fighting gets - I find it has six star text with, unfortunately, two star maps. So make sure you have either 1) a magnifying glass or 2) an atlas / Google Earth at hand (but don't let that detract from buying the book).

UPDATE from the above info: Let me now add that even further into the book one gets - especially once the fighting really starts south and south east of Kursk - the more the need for more detailed maps that one can actually read the small print for the names of the various towns the fighting is around (but as I said above, don't let that put you off as the descriptions / text is excellent; so I have simply been using Google Earth on my tablet as a companion piece...........)

I have the following book with detailed maps on order, as am on a bit of an Easter Front binge at moment, but alas it has not arrived in time for when I could have really used it. :oops:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eastern-Front- ... 366&sr=8-1
“We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it.” Capt. Tennant, HMS Repulse. 8 December 1941
“A review of the situation at about 11.00 was not encouraging.” Capt. Gordon, HMS Exeter. 1 March 1942

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matt78
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Re: Battle of Kursk?

#14

Post by matt78 » 17 Mar 2021, 15:41

KevDen wrote:
17 Mar 2021, 11:02
I posted the following on another forum so thought I'd post it here also for anyone who may be thinking of buying this (excellent) book.

Well, I have gotten further into the book, which is excellent by the way - but the more detailed and place specific the fighting gets - I find it has six star text with, unfortunately, two star maps. So make sure you have either 1) a magnifying glass or 2) an atlas / Google Earth at hand (but don't let that detract from buying the book).

UPDATE from the above info: Let me now add that even further into the book one gets - especially once the fighting really starts south and south east of Kursk - the more the need for more detailed maps that one can actually read the small print for the names of the various towns the fighting is around (but as I said above, don't let that put you off as the descriptions / text is excellent; so I have simply been using Google Earth on my tablet as a companion piece...........)

I have the following book with detailed maps on order, as am on a bit of an Easter Front binge at moment, but alas it has not arrived in time for when I could have really used it. :oops:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eastern-Front- ... 366&sr=8-1
Glad its worked out

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stg 44
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Re: Battle of Kursk?

#15

Post by stg 44 » 24 Mar 2021, 15:25

Anything by Valeriy Zamulin is excellent about the Soviet side of the hill. His books though are more supplementary to books that provide an overview of the campaign and about specific parts of the battle, but he does deep dives into archival material.

I'd also supplement older books with more recent research that has just come out:
https://twitter.com/DrBenWheatley/statu ... 7801064450

The articles are free for now so get them while you can!

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