Images of War – SS Panzer Divisions on the Eastern Front – Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives

Images of War – SS Panzer Divisions on the Eastern Front – Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives
Bob Carruthers
Pen & Sword
Reviewed by Carl King

Firstly, let me say this is not a book I would normally go for. That being said, I found the background very informative, if somewhat short. I felt I wanted to know and learn more on the subject matter.  But then they do say, always leave them wanting more. Out of 144 pages, only 12 are text based.

The photographs certainly give you an insight into the harshness of war from the viewpoint of the soldier and his comrades, but I do feel that more info interspersed throughout the book would have been welcome.

Whilst I appreciate the book title explains what you will get for your ‘buck’, I think the author and publisher missed a trick here.

Personally I would have had more pages of text, with each perhaps kicking off a specific set of photographs depicting action, or the soldiers ‘everyday life’. To have 132 continuous pages of pictures, meant at times for me they blended together, and had less of an impact on me the ‘reader’ when showing the war in its raw state, which I assume is partly what the author wanted to convey.

In summing up, do I think this book will be of much help to a wargamer, not really.

This is in my view is a book for someone who is already interested in this particular area of the conflict, and wants to find out more about how things were for the men, and the harsh realities of a world war.

To that end, I also think that £14.99 is a bit overpriced for a paperback.