D-Day

June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of WW II

By: Stephen E. Ambrose

Narrated by: Jesse Boggs

Stephen E. Ambrose draws from hundreds of interviews with US Army veterans and the brave Allied soldiers who fought alongside them to create this exceptional account of the day that shaped the twentieth century. D-Day is above all the epic story of men at the most demanding moment of their existence, when the horrors, complexities and triumphs of life are laid bare and courage and heroism come to the fore.

©1994 Stephen E. Ambrose (P)2012 Simon & Schuster Audio

Critic reviews

" D-Day is mostly about people, but goes even further in evoking the horror, the endurance, the daring and indeed, the human failings at Omaha Beach... Outstanding." ( The New York Times Book Review)

"Packed with drama and information, never losing sight of the horrors of combat, Ambrose's D-Day is the best book yet on what many historians consider to be the most important day of the twentieth century." ( San Francisco Chronicle)

Great history read

Very informative no matter how w you think you already know. I would highly recommend

Stupendous!

This book is so well-written and exciting, that my husband can't stop listening -- akin to "I can't put it down." He has listened to many WWII books and been to Normandy, but Ambrose makes the action come alive. This is by far the best book that he has listened to.
I myself have caught part of the action, and it's exciting. Ambrose does a masterful job.

Lest we forget, lest we forget to honor

Brought tears to my eyes more than once. Personal portraits of individuals who did the impossible - both the minor and the magnificent. Acts of free men who acted not for themselves but to stop a maniacal tyrant. Ambrose tells the story complete with the horrific scenes of incomprehensible loss and the unimaginable perseverance in the face of death. The 75th anniversary of D-Day is less than 2 months away and few survivors now remain. Listening to this book reminds me to never forget these men - those who lived and those slain. This book has compelled me to travel to Normandy soon to honor these men in person. Generations of others will hopefully do the same.

worth all the praise

great great great. if you know about WW2 then this will fill in some blanks.
If you dont know about WW2 this will help you understand the precious generations.

great description of the battle

the book really described all the planning and hard work and wonderful men that went into this battle it was slightly long but still very interesting and I believe in important read

dday

loved every second of it. what it truly means to be an american and to make the ultimate sacrifice bc there's something larger than yourself.

Wow.

It's awesome. Start to finish. A good amount of primary sources to keep you from getting too much of a view from above. There is a great balance of macro strategy and the experience of the troops in combat - infantry, air, and naval. Well done.

worth the time

if you liked Saving Privste Rysn, youll love this...even though Ryan was a fictional story, chronologicaly follows this. Really just like being there.

Amazing book.

Amazing. Everyone should read this book to fully understand the sacrifices made by so many to protect freedom.

How many people live a lifetime, in one day?

I am half way through the book. It is addictive, and will take longer than 25 hours to listen to it. I don't recommend you binge this. There are some strong similarities to the movie "Saving Private Ryan". There are several references to "Band of Brothers".

Ike - smoked 4 packs of cigarettes a day. 80 cigs, in 18 hours. About 13 per hour. "Planning is everything until the battle is joined. Then, it's not."

They worked on this plan for 2 years. They did not have computers. And, there is an excellent explanation why the allied strategy worked and why the German plan(s) did not.

Although this is not a "Great Courses "book, it could be. And, a short PDF book with maps and a timeline would would make this exceptional, to the point of not needing any other source. It is a bit tough, trying to sort out the locations from memory.

When I finish, in a week, I'll add to this review. I will probably continue recommending this book in the strongest possible terms.