Execution Hollow
A place for odd or rarely told stories about pre-WWI West Point & the Hudson Valley.
A place for odd or rarely told stories about pre-WWI West Point & the Hudson Valley.
This is a developing list, so bookmark and check back periodically.
Text-Heavy Overviews for Readers
West Point: A Bicentennial History by Theodore J. Crackel
Crackel is one of the standard West Point histories and you’ll learn a lot. There’s an illustrated, coffee-table version of this in a couple versions, one from the Bicentennial and one that is earlier, that is a bit lighter on history but has tons of photos. The version linked here is the paperback.
Duty, Honor, Country: A History of West Point by Stephen E. Ambrose
Ambrose is famous despite some criticisms and this is another good overview of Academy history up to the end of the 20th century. If you don’t want to buy it here it’s probably available in almost any library because of his fame. Used copies on Amazon start at about $6.
To the Point by George Pappas
My favorite West Point history is pretty comprehensive and has details that other books miss. It’s out of print and therefore more expensive. It’s got more of a focus on little details about Academy operations and cadet life while other historians love to focus on key personalities and big events like the Civil War. Find it in a library or find a new or used copy.
Illustrated, Coffee-Table Books
West Point: Two Centuries of Honor & Tradition
This is an edited volume produced for the Bicentennial with an intro by Stormin’ Norman and lots of photos. Used copies can be found fairly cheaply.
The River and the Rock by Dave Palmer
An absolute classic by former Superintendent LTG Dave Palmer published a few decades ago and focused on West Point during the Revolution. The book is an oversize history, sometimes with a cardboard slipcover, with maps and illustrations discussing the location and construction of West Point forts and redoubts. This is a must for serious Revolutionary War West Point scholars. But it’s expensive. Used copies start at about $100 and are relatively rare. Check your library as well.
Specialty Histories
The Best School: West Point 1833-1866 by James L. Morrison, Jr.
Morrison dives into the West Point curriculum and cadet life during the era that produced the generals of the Civil War. This is a more serious, in-the-weeds history with a lot of specifics. Both the Kindle and paperback are under $15!
Last in Their Class: Custer, Pickett, and the Goats of West Point by James Robbins
Everyone loves the idea of the West Point goat, the cadet last in class. Robbins focuses just on these often famous grads. Again, under $15, Kindle for $10, and used copies for less sometimes. A fun read at times.
Mark Twain & West Point by Philip W. Leon
This admittedly a niche book, but Twain visited West Point 10 times and this book documents his relationship with the Academy through archival materials. A nice addition to a West Point library if you have the basics. And inexpensive. Seems to have never got a Kindle version.