David Gorin rounds up the top novels and nonfiction, as well as a collection of short stories, to add to your summer break must-absorb list

After a 55-day siege, on May 7 1954, a small French-held stronghold fell to Vietnamese troops. The colonial power’s empire in the region was no more

The Night Trains etches the lives of millions of people into one’s mind

If you want to know a country, listen to its stories. What is written and what is read by that nation is a reflection of the anxieties and realities of the time

Saul David’s book traces the ‘catalogue of blunders’ that led to the fall of Singapore in 1942

The UK’s World War 2 victory over Germany had momentous consequences, but brought the island nation close to defeat

Melville’s beloved bookdealer won the accolade at the Sefika SA Book Awards

In fighting off an onslaught by huge Japanese forces the US won a crucial advantage

Now is your moment to either get reading madly, or do a quick swot of the nominees and their creations

David Gorin delves into the world of Holocaust-based fiction and discovers the good, the bad and the turgid

In 1941, Hitler made two fateful moves that cost him victory

Agriculture was waning, but people were happier and wages were rising

Thirty years on, Chernobyl still holds the imagination in thrall. A new book and series step back in time