Key underpinning of moral framework of Western world. Often blamed for poor choices made by bad leadership.
A children’s story? Yes, but there a very sinister very serious subtext in my opinion. Make your own place in the world, build a family, be willing to fight to the death for this or you won’t have a place in the world other than as a slave in an authoritarian system.
One of the very few books, I return to and reread learning something new each time. Most adults laugh at the idea this book has a serious message but they aren’t understanding the subtext.
Classic of the Eastern Front. The book that made the WW2 interesting and brought the Wehrmacht to life for me in elementary school. Had so profound an impact, I can recall the day I bought the book at pharmacy in town with my grandmother. Recall waiting on my grandmother and uncle while sitting in a hot 
car in July, reading this book so absorbed in it I didn’t realize it was blazing hot. My uncle opened the car door and broke my enthralled trance.
Second reading as an adult wasn’t meaningful.
Quality and what matters in life. Thinking about thinking with the frames removed. Outstanding book.
Classic work about authoritarian government, the ignorant too lazy to learn any critical thinking skills and the results. Perfect book on politics that everyone should a couple of times in their life.
#6 Has to be listed as well…
While now frowned upon harshly back in the Cold War this was the book. Read by many US Army officers etc. It’s mentioned by as an influence on operation Desert Storm etc.
Anyway, read this in 7th grade. Read it several times. Read so much the book binding fell apart. So I bought a new copy. My dad pretty upset seeing me read and rereading this constantly.
“You worn that book out and it fell apart?! When was the last time you read the Holy Bible?!?!??!”
The Bible wasn’t going to help me win playing Germany in Avalon Hill’s Classic wargame “Rise and Decline of the Third Reich” or PanzerBlitz on Saturday with my friends.
The book is dry and most would say down right boring…but my win ratio at Wargaming Greatly improved and it improved quickly…at least for all the operational level Avalon Hill, GDW, SPI etc WW2/Modern wargames involving tanks and Infantry that we were playing in the 1970’s.
Yes, I did end up buying a third copy that’s never been read for the bookshelf. It’s in good condition. Despite the controversy, to me this book was one of the books to read to learn how to win 
at military conflict in the Cold War era.
Probably not what’s expected from a military modeler focused on WW2 AFV’s.
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