York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2015. ISBN: 978-0-8021-2397-8
James Holland provides a very accessible account of the first two years of the war with multiple viewpoints, plenty of interesting but relevant details, and short chapters that allow the reader plenty of pausing spots. Interestingly, he is not afraid to skip within a chapter from one continent to another to keep the larger picture in focus. All the relevant battles are covered, but the fighting is not the major focus. Instead, the focus is on the synergy of supply, politics, human interaction, and decision making that lead to those battles and reacts to battle results.
A reader who has consumed numerous histories of World War II and its various battles/campaigns will find The Rise of Germany - 1939-1941 quite readable and relevant because of its focus on the operational level with personal insights providing the details that make the best histories come alive. There are some faults such as when James Holland puts in editorial comments on bad decision making, but these do not detract much from the enjoyment the book provides. Hopefully, volumes two and three will be as well written!
