I recently finished The Last Battle by Steven Harding. It tells the story of the Battle for Castle Itter during World War II when a hodgepodge group of American troops, German Wehrmacht troops, and Austrian freedom fighters joined together to defend a collection of high profile French prisoners from an assault on the castle by SS troops.

The way that Harding explained not only the backstory of the Castle Itter but also who the French prisoners were and how they ended up at Castle Itter was a great way to draw me into the book. They included a famous tennis player, military leaders, former prime ministers, and even Charles de Gaulle’s sister.

The battle took place days after Hitler committed suicide, and the war in Europe was nearing the end. In fact, the German military surrendered unconditionally to the Allied forces just three days after the Battle for Castle Itter.

I generally read fiction; however, a non-fiction book with a good story to tell can easily be a home run. But, hey look, the stereotype of men getting into their late 30s and 40s and deciding to get really into either the Civil War or World War II exist for a reason. I try to avoid that trap and have hit books in the last year or so centered on various topics from the Alamo, to white supremacists overthrowing a city government in North Carolina, to homeless “street kids” in America, to the National Women’s Football League! Spread out your interests in historical subjects, find something that piques your curiosity, download it from your local library on the Libby app, and dive in!

At the end of the day, your interest in The Last Battle is going to hinge on if you have any interest in reading a book about a dollar battle in one of the most destructive wars in Earth’s history. I think it’s worth your time.