Russ may shoot me for saying this, but I have always thought Beevor's Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege is an excellent and highly readable version of the battle. Sure it has some mistakes, but most standard histories do. Craig's classic, Enemy at the Gates, although a little dated, is still a standard work (and should not be confused with the dreadful film of the same name). After those two, you can get into all sorts of more scholarly works where the shortcomings of the more popular works are discussed. Once you have a basic understanding of the battle, I would recommend Jones' Stalingrad: How the Red Army Triumphed and Mark's Island of Fire for more detailed treatment.

--Previous Message--
: I would like recommendations for books
: (English language) that cover the
: overall history of the battle. What
: might the best of the best be?
:
: With thanks,
: Steve
: