War books
recommended by historians and philosophers
Last updated: April 27, 2025
The best books on Love, War, and Longing, recommended by Janine di Giovanni
War reporter tells us that her life is permeated with sense of loss and longing. She quotes her heroine Martha Gellhorn: “I have a sudden notion of why history is such a mess. Human beings do not live long enough”
The best books on Cambodia, recommended by David Chandler
David Chandler, one of the foremost western scholars on Cambodian history—and author of the first study of S-21, the Khmer Rouge interrogation centre—recommends the best books on Cambodia.
The best books on Sri Lanka’s Civil War, recommended by Ahilan Kadirgamar
In one of the saddest interviews on our site, Sri Lankan activist Ahilan Kadirgamar talks us through the books he hopes will be a source of inspiration to the next generation. He picks the best books on Sri Lanka and its tragic civil war.
The best books on Divided Cities, recommended by Jon Calame
The architectural teacher and writer explores the origins and consequences of urban partition along ethnic lines and selects five books that focus on divided cities such as Jerusalem, Belfast and Beirut
The best books on Failed States, recommended by Clare Lockhart
The director of The Institute for State Effectiveness, Clare Lockhart, questions the role of the state and discusses the effects of failed states on both neighbouring and local populations. She picks the best books on failed states.
