Delivered from Evil: The Saga of World War II: The First Complete One-Volume History [Paperback]

Robert Leckie (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0060915358 | ISBN-13: 978-0060915353 | Publication Date: September 28, 1988 | Edition: First Edition

"A first-class popular history of the war, lively, entertaining, and continuously informative."--Publishers Weekly "His ability to recreate the emotions of war makes this monumental work a living history."--Booklist

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A one-volume retelling of World War II may seem a dubious proposition, but this veteran writer of popular history has done an outstanding job. Wisely beginning with Versailles, he uses a topical approach to illuminate his vast canvas. There is more storytelling than serious analysis here, but the wartime drama is related with deftness and enticing detail. His portrayal of personalities is excellent. This work is more mature than the author's vaguely unsatisfying Wars of America (1968). He does for World War II what John Costello did for The Pacific War (LJ 12/1/81). Recommended for public libraries. Raymond L. Puffer, U.S. Air Force History Prog., Los Angeles
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"His ability to recreate the emotions of war makes this monumental work a living history." -- --Booklist

Product Details

• Paperback: 1024 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; First Edition edition (September 28, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060915358
• ISBN-13: 978-0060915353
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,659 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An In-Depth History That Reads Like A Novel, February 8, 1998

By 

Michael Jacobs (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Delivered from Evil: The Saga of World War II: The First Complete One-Volume History (Paperback)

This book was actually used as a text in a history course at UW-Madison, and one of my college buddies was dismayed at its length when he enrolled in it. I took a look at its thickness and sympathized. Later I began to develop a more than passing interest in World War II, to the point where I now consider myself an amateur historian in my own right. Part of this passion and obsession means I'm compelled to read dozens of histories. It wasn't long before I stumbled on Delivered From Evil, remembered it from my friend's college days, and purchased it. I was amazed, first of all, at how easily Leckie relates the deep strategies and motivations behind the events with a novelist's flair for storytelling and drama. Though this is a long book, it actually is very tightly written, as must be any text that focuses on the entire war (D-Day is given two small chapters, for example). Yet it is far from superficial. After reading it one feels that he has much more than a surface understanding of what happened and why. Leckie also (accurately) gives most of the credit for winning the war in Europe to the Russians, a point of view which all serious historians recognize, but one that is given short shrift in the West. The difficult to explain Pacific Campaign is also handled masterfully. There are other books that explain these events in greater detail, but few that make the deeper causes and consequences so accessible to the non-historian. A truly great book and one that must be read by even those with a casual interest in the topic.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best WWII Book on the Market, December 20, 1999

By 

"the-moose" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Delivered from Evil: The Saga of World War II: The First Complete One-Volume History (Paperback)

I've studied this war for many years and have read over 100 books on it - this is the best single volume out there. For the incredible scope, the detail it covers rival's Ambrose's works. This is and absolute must for any WWII buff.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Monumental task eloquently done..., September 21, 2003

By 

Thomas Moody - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Delivered from Evil: The Saga of World War II: The First Complete One-Volume History (Paperback)

An extremely courageous undertaking...many detailed volumes have previously been written on World War II at the specific battle level that to imagine a one-volume account of the whole war which is not only useful but also readable seems initially to be a ridiculous proposition. Robert Leckie, however, pulls it off marvelously and earns his reputation as a "masterful historian" with this epic work.

Starting at Versaille following the dreadful end of World War I and ending on the deck of the Missouri battleship for the formal Japanese surrender, this account (in over 900 pages of extremely small type) covers all the major details with surprising comprehensiveness while at the same time not sacrificing that important readability component. If one were to combine this book with the DVD issue of the classic WWII saga "The World at War", you'd get a beguiling experience of the events that continue to shape our world today.

Leckie's experience at extolling just the right amount of battle detail while balancing the "human" side of the struggle is really masterful...each period of the War is told in easily read chapters and paragraphs and although at times episodic, makes this work one that can easily be started and stopped at short intervals.

The post WWI German and Italian economies are the main impetus for the development of Fascism and Leckie develops this plot with wonderful biographies of Mussolini and Hitler...the rise of the Third Reich follows and Leckie explains this with deft political discussion as well as with many first-hand accounts from Generals down to the every-day Berliner. The English and French make little attempt at interdiction and Hitler is off on his dillusional nationalism...the invasion of Poland is just the start of the "empire building" that lasts for almost six more years.

The Japanese rise and ultimate invasion of Pearl Harbor are integrated as well and the reader really gets a true feeling of the coming of war. Leckie's previously published works on the Southwest Pacific theatre are obviously used here and thus makes for enticing reading at the battles for Guadalcanal and the Phillipines...also, his depiction of MacArthur goes against the "standard" history and is a refreshing point in this story.

The Allied invasion of Europe and the "island hopping" in the Pacific are discussed in full military detail (again, just the right amount) as are the many first hand soldier accounts of those battles that add depth and immediacy. The highlights of this work (in my opinion) are the fall of the Third Reich and the subsequent Hitler suicide; the American homefront and what it meant to a struggling American economy; the Normandy invasions and subsequent breakout and, finally, a completely comprehensive and disturbing summary of the Holocaust. Leckie adroitly mixes details with his amazing story-telling ability that leaves the reader with a pleasingly full knowledgable experience. This truly is THE text to start any study of WWII. The only criticism I'd add is the lack of maps...the afore mentioned Pacific theatre discussion would have been exceedingly better had Leckie included maps...

For an initial undertaking of serious study of this conflict, I'd challenge anyone to find a better starting point than "Deliverd from Evil"...I give this a very high recommendation.