Books About War That Focus on Civilian Lives

A siege can turn collecting water into the day’s most dangerous job. Occupation can change what it means to share a room, keep a diary, or care for a stranger. These novels, diaries, memoirs, first-person essays, and oral histories stay close to the people making those choices. Start with The Diary of a Young Girl for a record written in hiding or The Cellist of Sarajevo for a novel that follows the routines of a city under siege.