Recommendations based on A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War IIby Adam Makos

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

    by Daniel James Brown
    An inspiring story of a rowing crew battling against the odds to win gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

    This novel is about the University of Washington eight-oared crew that represented the United States in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, and narrowly beat out Italy and Germany to win the gold medal. The ... (Wikipedia)

  2. With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa

    by Eugene B. Sledge
    A soldier's harrowing account of his experiences in World War II.

    In his own book, Wartime, Paul Fussell called With the Old Breed "one of the finest memoirs to emerge from any war." John Keegan referred to it in The Second World War as "one of the most arresting ... (Goodreads)

  3. Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II

    by Mitchell Zuckoff
    A gripping account of a WWII aircrew's crash and subsequent survival, and a modern-day investigation into the tragedy.

    Frozen in Time is a gripping true story of survival, bravery, and honor in the vast Arctic wilderness during World War II, from Mitchell Zuckoff, the author of New York Times bestseller Lost in ... (Barnes & Noble)

  4. Lost in Shangri-la: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II

    by Mitchell Zuckoff
    Epic story of a WWII air crash survivors' journey through a dangerous and uncharted jungle.

    “A lost world, man-eating tribesmen, lush andimpenetrable jungles, stranded American fliers (one of them a dame withgreat gams , for heaven's sake), a startling rescue mission. . . . This is atrue ... (Goodreads)

  5. Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest

    by Stephen E. Ambrose
    An epic narrative of the American soldiers of Easy Company during World War II.

    As good a rifle company as any, Easy Company, 506th Airborne Division, US Army, kept getting tough assignments–responsible for everything from parachuting into France early DDay morning to the ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History

    by Robert M. Edsel
    A thrilling true story of a team of Allied soldiers tasked with saving Europe's greatest works of art during WWII.

    At the same time Adolf Hitler was attempting to take over the western world, his armies were methodically seeking and hoarding the finest art treasures in Europe. The Fuehrer had begun cataloguing ... (Goodreads)

  7. Killing Patton: The Strange Death of World War II's Most Audacious General

    by Bill O'Reilly
    Investigation into the mysterious death of General George S. Patton, and the implications of its cover-up.

    Readers around the world have thrilled to, Killing Lincoln,, Killing Kennedy, and, Killing Jesus,—riveting works of nonfiction that journey into the heart of the most famous murders in history. Now ... (Goodreads)

  8. American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History

    by Chris Kyle
    An inside look at the life of the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history.

    From 1999 to 2009, U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle recorded the most career sniper kills in United States military history. The Pentagon has officially confirmed more than 150 of Kyle's kills (the previous ... (Goodreads)

  9. Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War

    by Mark Bowden
    A detailed account of the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, where US soldiers fought Somali militia in a brutal urban warfare.

    On October 3, 1993, about a hundred U.S. soldiers were dropped by helicopter into a teeming market in the heart of Mogadishu, Somalia, to abduct two top lieutenants of a Somali warlord. The action ... (Goodreads)

  10. Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission

    by Hampton Sides
    True story of the remarkable rescue of prisoners of war in the Philippines during WWII.

    On January 28, 1945, 121 hand-selected U.S. troops slipped behind enemy lines in the Philippines. Their mission: March thirty rugged miles to rescue 513 POWs languishing in a hellish camp, among them ... (Goodreads)

  11. Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory

    by Ben Macintyre
    True story of a WWII deception operation involving a dead body, fake documents, and a daring plan to mislead the Nazis.

    “Pure catnip to fans of World War II thrillers and a lot of fun for everyone else.”—Joseph Kanon,, Washington Post Book World, “Thrilling . . . What makes, Operation Mincemeat, so winning, in ... (Barnes & Noble)

  12. Flyboys: A True Story of Courage

    by James D. Bradley
    The story of nine American airmen shot down over Chichi Jima during World War II and their brutal treatment by the Japanese.

    Over the remote Pacific island of Chichi Jima, nine American flyers-Navy and Marine pilots sent to bomb Japanese communications towers there-were shot down., Flyboys, a story of war and horror but ... (Goodreads)

  13. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania

    by Erik Larson
    Exploration of Lusitania's fateful voyage and its lasting impact on World War I.

    #1 New York Times Bestseller,From the bestselling author and master of narrative nonfiction comes the enthralling story of the sinking of the, Lusitania, On May 1, 1915, with WWI entering its tenth ... (Barnes & Noble)

  14. John Adams

    by David McCullough
    Biography of the second President of the United States and his contributions to the founding of the nation.

    The enthralling, often surprising story of John Adams, one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived. In this powerful, epic biography, David McCullough unfolds the adventurous ... (Goodreads)

  15. An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943

    by Rick Atkinson
    An account of the US Army's involvement in North Africa during WWII.

    WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE AND, NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER,, In the first volume of his monumental trilogy about the liberation of Europe in WW II, Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Atkinson tells the ... (Goodreads)

  16. The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom

    by Corrie ten Boom
    A remarkable testament to faith and courage in the face of unfathomable odds and unspeakable horrors.

    The book begins with the ten Boom family celebrating the 100th anniversary of the family business; they sell and repair watches under the family's elderly father, Casper ten Boom . The business takes ... (Wikipedia)

  17. The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944

    by Rick Atkinson
    A comprehensive and gripping account of the Allies' campaign in the Mediterranean during World War II.

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Majestic... Atkinson's achievement is to marry prodigious research with a superbly organized narrative and then to overlay the whole with writing as powerful and elegant as ... (Barnes & Noble)

  18. The Wright Brothers

    by David McCullough
    The story of the Wright brothers and their pioneering invention of the airplane.

    Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found, here, Two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize David McCullough tells the dramatic story-behind-the-story about the courageous brothers who ... (Goodreads)

  19. Killing Reagan: The Violent Assault That Changed a Presidency

    by Bill O'Reilly
    An examination of the attempted assassination of President Reagan and its aftermath.

    In 1981, after delivering a speech at the Washington Hilton Hotel on March 30, President Reagan is shot by John Hinckley, Jr. . Near death, Reagan's life is in the balance in the hands of doctors at ... (Wikipedia)

  20. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

    by Bill Bryson
    A humorous account of a man's attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail, reflecting on the beauty and history of the American wilderness.

    The book starts with Bryson explaining his curiosity about the Appalachian Trail near his house. He and his old friend Stephen Katz start hiking the trail from Georgia in the South , and stumble in ... (Wikipedia)

  21. The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn

    by Nathaniel Philbrick
    A gripping account of the legendary battle between General Custer and the Lakota Sioux.

    "An engrossing and tautly written account of a critical chapter in American history." —,Los Angeles Times, Nathaniel Philbrick, author of In the Hurricane's Eye , Pulitzer Prize finalist Mayflower , ... (Barnes & Noble)

  22. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

    by Jon Krakauer
    A gripping narrative of the 1996 expedition on Mount Everest that resulted in tragedy.

    When Jon Krakauer reached the summit of Mt. Everest in the early afternoon of May 10, 1996, he hadn't slept in fifty-seven hours and was reeling from the brain-altering effects of oxygen depletion. ... (Goodreads)

  23. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin

    by Erik Larson
    A family's struggle to cope with the darkness of Nazi Germany, as seen through one man's courage.

    The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America's first ambassador to Hitler's Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history. A mild-mannered professor from ... (Goodreads)

  24. The Longest Day

    by Cornelius Ryan
    A riveting account of the Allied forces' D-Day invasion of Normandy during WWII.

    First published in 1959,, The Longest Day, is one of the bestselling military history books of all time, and the inspiration for the legendary 1962 film. Cornelius Ryan pioneered a new style of ... (Barnes & Noble)

  25. Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters

    by Dick Winters
    An account of World War II by a decorated officer who led the legendary Easy Company.

    They were called Easy Company—but their mission was never easy., Immortalized as the Band of Brothers , they suffered 150% casualties while liberating Europe—an unparalleled record of bravery under ... (Goodreads)

  26. Seabiscuit: An American Legend

    by Laura Hillenbrand
    An inspiring story of the rise of champion racehorse Seabiscuit and his unlikely jockey.

    There's an alternate cover edition, here, Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more ... (Goodreads)

  27. Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

    by Candice Millard
    The riveting story of the assassination of President Garfield, a tragedy of medical science and mistake.

    James A. Garfield was one of the most extraordinary men ever elected president. Born into abject poverty, he rose to become a wunderkind scholar, a Civil War hero, and a renowned and admired ... (Goodreads)

  28. The Forgotten 500: The Untold Story of the Men Who Risked All For the Greatest Rescue Mission of World War II

    by Gregory A. Freeman
    The true story of a daring rescue mission during WWII to save downed American airmen in Yugoslavia.

    In 1944 the OSS set out to recover more than 500 airmen trapped and sheltered for months by villagers behind enemy lines in Yugoslavia. Classified for over half a century for political reasons, this ... (Goodreads)

  29. Undaunted Courage: The Pioneering First Mission to Explore America's Wild Frontier

    by Stephen E. Ambrose
    Epic tale of exploration and adventure as Lewis and Clark traverse the American wilderness.

    'This was much more than a bunch of guys out on an exploring and collecting expedition. This was a military expedition into hostile territory'. In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson selected his ... (Goodreads)

  30. Washington: A Life

    by Ron Chernow
    Intimate biography of George Washington, the nation's first president.

    A gripping portrait of the first president of the United States from the author of, Alexander Hamilton, the New York Times bestselling biography that inspired the musical., Celebrated biographer Ron ... (Barnes & Noble)