11 Books Behind Great War Movies

From non-fiction accounts to novels, books have inspired some of the greatest war films ever made.

By Stephen Lovely & Catherine Phelan | Published Oct 2, 2020

books that inspired war films — Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures

Buy Enemy at the Gates at Amazon

Enemy at the Gates

By William Craig

books that inspired war movies — Joseph Fiennes and Jude Law in Enemy at the Gates
Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures

Buy From Here to Eternity at Amazon

From Here to Eternity

By James Jones

books adapted to war movies — Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster in From Here to Eternity
Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures

Buy Casualties of War at Amazon

Casualties of War

By Daniel Lang

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Buy We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young at Amazon

We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young

By Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway

books that were adapted to war movies — Barry Pepper and Mel Gibson in We Were Soldiers
Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures

Buy Guadalcanal Diary at Amazon

Guadalcanal Diary

By Richard Tregaskis

Buy Heart of Darkness at Amazon

Heart of Darkness

By Joseph Conrad

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books adapted into war movies

American Sniper

By Chris Kyle

books adapted into war movies — Jake McDorman and Bradley Cooper in American Sniper
Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

books that were adapted into war movies

All Quiet on the Western Front

By Erich Maria Remarque

Buy Sophie's Choice at Amazon

Sophie's Choice

By William Styron

Buy Voyage of the Damned at Amazon

Voyage of the Damned

By Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts

Black and white photo of man with mustache and woman wearing glamorous hat — Photo Credit: EMI Studios

Buy The Thin Red Line at Amazon

The Thin Red Line

By James Jones

Movie Adaptations