Island Of Fire: The Battle For the Barrikady Gun Factory In Stalingrad November 1942 – February 1943

I've just finished this book and wanted to give it the excellent review that it deserves.

The author has apparently done an incredible amount of research to pull together a practically hour-by-hour account of the battle for the Barrikady. Besides the basic facts--such as which companies and small units were involved in each action--the author litters the text with quotes from letters home, post-war interviews, memiors, etc. Probably most impressive, the author has included a huge quantity of maps and photos illustrating the battlefield and useful in understanding the text.

I should add that the book is beautifully printed, with an excellent binding on first-quality paper.

The only potential criticism about the book is that it is totally focused on the battle at the Barrikady, to the extent that there is virtually no mention at all of what is going on in other parts of Stalingrad, much less the wider war effort. But this is a quibble--overall, this is one of the most impressive, and interesting, historical works that I've read.