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4.37 AVERAGE
4.37 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
Eighty years ago, the combined forces of the Allies stormed five beaches in Normandy, France. Canadians, Brits, Frenchmen, Poles, Czechs, Americans, and many more nationalities participated in the first bloody battle to liberate Western Europe from the grip of fascism. It was not the first Allied campaign on the European continent. British, French, Polish, Greek, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Belgian, Canadian, and American troops had already fought in the fields of Poland and Denmark, the mountains of Greece and Italy, and the beaches of southern France. However, D-Day remains synonymous with World War II for many people. It is etched into our minds by blockbuster films, stupendous books, and best-selling video games. Last month, the Allies (sans Russia) celebrated the eightieth anniversary of D-Day with great fanfare. It is likely the last time that veterans of that storied battle will celebrate a major anniversary alongside us.
Garrett Graff did a good job compiling this book. The first-person recollections are candid in their awe and terror. The tone of the book is somber and respectful. The first third of this book is spent setting the stage and then the events of the invasion roll out chronologically afterward. I thought the organization of this book was excellent.
Now, I have read a lot of World War II history. I figure that I have read about forty books on the subject in the past eight years. (I once read that men must pick one of two hobby trajectories upon their thirtieth birthday: they may either get really into smoking meat or they can become amateur World War II historians. I'd say 80+% of the men I know fall into one of these two camps.) Because I am probably more familiar with the war than most folks, "When the Sea Came Alive" wasn't as poignant and dramatic as it would be for others. Because this is an oral history, the focus is on the events as they felt to the men and women who experienced it.
In 2017, Christopher Nolan released a film called "Dunkirk." It is one of my all-time favorite war films. Unlike most war epics, you never learn the names of the men depicted. It isn't "Saving Private Ryan," nor is it "Band of Brothers." Instead of telling a straightforward story, Nolan chose to convey emotion. "Dunkirk" is more akin to an orchestral movement than a blockbuster because it is all about helping people understand how the battle felt. "When the Sea Came Alive" is cut from the same cloth. You, as the reader, are meant to feel it rather than understand it.
I don't think this book was perfect, and I think Graff has published better works, but this was still an excellent addition to the library of literature that surrounds this historic day.
Garrett Graff did a good job compiling this book. The first-person recollections are candid in their awe and terror. The tone of the book is somber and respectful. The first third of this book is spent setting the stage and then the events of the invasion roll out chronologically afterward. I thought the organization of this book was excellent.
Now, I have read a lot of World War II history. I figure that I have read about forty books on the subject in the past eight years. (I once read that men must pick one of two hobby trajectories upon their thirtieth birthday: they may either get really into smoking meat or they can become amateur World War II historians. I'd say 80+% of the men I know fall into one of these two camps.) Because I am probably more familiar with the war than most folks, "When the Sea Came Alive" wasn't as poignant and dramatic as it would be for others. Because this is an oral history, the focus is on the events as they felt to the men and women who experienced it.
In 2017, Christopher Nolan released a film called "Dunkirk." It is one of my all-time favorite war films. Unlike most war epics, you never learn the names of the men depicted. It isn't "Saving Private Ryan," nor is it "Band of Brothers." Instead of telling a straightforward story, Nolan chose to convey emotion. "Dunkirk" is more akin to an orchestral movement than a blockbuster because it is all about helping people understand how the battle felt. "When the Sea Came Alive" is cut from the same cloth. You, as the reader, are meant to feel it rather than understand it.
I don't think this book was perfect, and I think Graff has published better works, but this was still an excellent addition to the library of literature that surrounds this historic day.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
An eye-opening look into the entire D-Day operation.
inspiring
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced