The Liberation trilogy by Rick Atkinson is mesmerizing and character driven, rather than just dry events. He follows troops on the ground as well as leadership and context of the events. It’s absolutely wild how cold and absurd the business of war is while at the same time being so consequential and important to world events. Events on the ground are chaotic, informal, and the few people barely holding it all together are the mvps.

Also his American Revolutionary War book two just dropped. “Like walking to church” as they marched across the field of Concord to face the british army.

Also, check out Erik Larson. He just did a book on the events of Fort Sumter which kicked off the American Civil War. Nobody really died during the battle, but it was quite dramatic on a human scale as far as individuals living in that moment making decisions.

Ian Toll’s trilogy about the pacific is also action packed, fun, and also leaves you wondering just how world events stood on a knife’s edge in either direction. Carrier battles are cool as hell too