Norman Stone concisely relates the narrative of World War II, making the story utterly fresh and arresting. There is a compelling sense of something terrible unfolding, of a sceptical and humorous intelligence, and a wish to convey just how high the stakes were. Stone focuses both on key moments in the war and on the wider reasons it took the horrible course that it did - telling of the hopes and delusions of the leaders, faced with decisions that destroyed the lives of millions, and of the great military clashes that determined the outcome of the conflict.