“Alamein and the Desert War” is a collection of articles by participants in and students of the 1942-3 War in the North African Desert.  Anchored by a memoir by Field Marshal Montgomery, it provides the reader with a view of the North African theatre through the warriors’ eyes.  I did find some of the anecdotes, such as the collection of war slang, to be interesting.  The analyses of the battles and the generals involved, primarily Montgomery and Rommel, provide perspectives lacking in other books.  The section dealing with the political pressures on King Farouk of Egypt introduces the readers to insights into the backroom politics that shaped, and were shaped, by the war and which influence the region to this day.

As is the case with any work produced by several authors, the writing quality is inconsistent and the book lacks cohesiveness.  The pictures many pictures add understanding to the text to reality and the maps provide orientation. It is a good supplemental read for War History Network members with a general understanding of the British involvement in the North African campaigns, but not a place to start.