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A review by soundracer
D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Battle for the Normandy Beaches by Stephen E. Ambrose
5.0
Seventeen years after it was first published, it's hard to conceive that there could be a better book about D-Day. Stephen Ambrose skillfully combines the "macro" and the "micro" into a narrative that moves fast enough to cover the entire scope of the battle without bogging down. And that scope includes the preparation as well as the assault on June 6.
Ambrose opens with a description of the strategic situation in 1944, and then proceeds with chapters devoted to organization, planning, training, and preparations. The book is organized into chapters, each of which deals with a specific aspect of the battle. Each of the five beach assaults is given one (or several) chapters, as are the paratroopers, naval and air forces. This divides the book into several shorter, but intense, narratives.
But most of the intensity comes from the numerous eyewitness accounts that Ambrose sprinkles liberally throughout. These oral histories add grit and realism to the descriptions of the action. Ambrose never lingers too long with these accounts -- they are well-edited and make their contribution quickly.
The cumulative effect of these first person accounts is to increase the reader's appreciation for the immensity of what was accomplished. Not just by armies, but by individuals. You'll want to seek out a D-Day veteran -- and thank them.
Ambrose opens with a description of the strategic situation in 1944, and then proceeds with chapters devoted to organization, planning, training, and preparations. The book is organized into chapters, each of which deals with a specific aspect of the battle. Each of the five beach assaults is given one (or several) chapters, as are the paratroopers, naval and air forces. This divides the book into several shorter, but intense, narratives.
But most of the intensity comes from the numerous eyewitness accounts that Ambrose sprinkles liberally throughout. These oral histories add grit and realism to the descriptions of the action. Ambrose never lingers too long with these accounts -- they are well-edited and make their contribution quickly.
The cumulative effect of these first person accounts is to increase the reader's appreciation for the immensity of what was accomplished. Not just by armies, but by individuals. You'll want to seek out a D-Day veteran -- and thank them.