Library Journal
This is but one of many volumes released to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Allied landing on the beaches of Normandy (see ``World War II: Fifty Years After D-Day,'' LJ 4/1/94, p. 110-111). Ryan gleaned the information for this 1959 volume (LJ 11/15/59) from American, British, and German war documents and diaries of the great generals as well as through interviews with hundreds of soldiers and civilians who were involved in the invasion. Besides being a solid history of the event, this is also a portrait of the people who lived it. One of the best books on the subject, this is essential for all academic and public libraries.
MAY 2012 - AudioFile
This presentation of Ryan's compelling reconstruction of the D-Day invasion is a particularly effective pairing of narrator with text. Clive Chafer's British accent and clear, unemotional delivery work well in what sounds like a contemporary BBC news report. Ryan's meticulously detailed work makes this a classic for history buffs, but it is the heartbreaking personal level he achieves by following actual participants on both sides of the conflict that makes this book so moving. Chafer's measured tone and pace provide the detachment necessary to recount the otherwise unspeakable chaos and carnage of this epic event. This book is difficult to listen to, and it’s a tribute to both author and narrator that it’s equally difficult to turn off. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
