The Battle of Arnhem

The Deadliest Airborne Operation of World War II

By: Antony Beevor

Narrated by: Sean Barrett

The prizewinning historian and internationally best-selling author of D-Day reconstructs the devastating airborne battle of Arnhem in this gripping new account.

On September 17, 1944, General Kurt Student, the founder of Nazi Germany's parachute forces, heard the groaning roar of airplane engines. He went out onto his balcony above the flat landscape of southern Holland to watch the air armada of Dakotas and gliders, carrying the legendary American 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions and the British 1st Airborne Division.

Operation Market Garden, the plan to end the war by capturing the bridges leading to the Lower Rhine and beyond, was a bold concept, but could it have ever worked? The cost of failure was horrendous, above all for the Dutch who risked everything to help. German reprisals were pitiless and cruel, and lasted until the end of the war.

Antony Beevor, using often overlooked sources from Dutch, American, British, Polish, and German archives, has reconstructed the terrible reality of the fighting, which General Student called "The Last German Victory." Yet The Battle of Arnhem, written with Beevor's inimitable style and gripping narrative, is about much more than a single dramatic battle - it looks into the very heart of war.

©2018 Antony Beevor (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Beevor conveys a clear sense of what was happening in each fight and the knock-on consequences for the others. What’s more, the compressed time scale and limited strategic scope of Market Garden ideally suit the author’s testimony-rich approach.... Mr. Beevor is a highly accomplished architect of what the American literary scholar Samuel Hynes calls 'battlefield gothic': the nightmarish horrors and absurdities of combat which themselves become a badge of authenticity for war stories...no one could be better placed to explore these topics.” (The Wall Street Journal)

“[The Battle of Arnhem] is destined to be a World War II military history classic.... Excellent maps make the action easy to follow, and the author’s clear, quick prose makes for fascinating, informative reading.... Beevor’s superb latest offering, in keeping with his established record of excellence, is a must-read for the general military history enthusiast and the WWII history expert.” (Publishers Weekly)

“The Battle of Arnhem brings a wealth of new detail to a major World War II disaster.... Beevor brings to the familiar story a vast amount of research in German, British, American, Polish, and Dutch archives. As usual, his narrative bristles with specifics, including countless observations gleaned from eyewitnesses to every stage of Market Garden. Devoted readers of military history will enjoy the wealth of details." (Christian Science Monitor)

Interesting

I was able to gain so much knowledge in had not previously known! Great read!

Not Ryan But Its Okay

Sean Barrett's performance reading this book is probably what saved this book for me. It is not nearly as good as Ryan's book A Bridge Too Far, but it is definitely worth getting if you enjoyed Ryan's book. It is not Clive Chafer, but Sean Barrett again tackles the tough German language without fail, having an almost French/German flare to his reading of the book. I was blown away with his ability to get through the hard to even spell German titles, and enjoyed the way he just leads you along through the whole story. Granted he is no Derek Perkins, but he did an amazing job none the less. If you have read/listened to A Bridge Too Far, this is a great follow up novel, but if not, start with that one then get this one.

Excellent with personal touch but British view

I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because I was expecting a more balanced approach to the entire alliance forces. All are touched upon but by no means in any way balanced. For a definitive book on the war it is seriously lacking essential information about this battle and I am not going to be able to use it as a resource for my class but for personal purposes I found it very detailed and the personal diaries made it very easy to remember that these were not just battles but lives at stake and I am very impressed with how he manages to make sure that you are aware of this through the entire book.

Heartbreaking

I learned a lot that A Bridge too Far never mentioned. This is very detailed and very sad...God Bless the poor Dutch that loved our troops like their own.

Exceptionally well written and performed

There have been a LOT of books about Market Garden but this one adds a new perspective. Most books cover all the details from the german and allied side. Mr Beevor made a point of telling part of the story through the eyes of the dutch people. Very eye opening and makes the suffering of the French sound like a joke in comparison. As a veteran paratrooper myself, Mr Beevor captured what it's like to dangle under a parachute.

God bless Nederlands

Having been stationed in the Netherlands, the only thing that would make this better is a map to keep up with some of the locations.

Added much perspective to Market Garden

I became very aware of the impact of battle on Dutch people. Their active help and the shocking German reaction. It is amazing to me that the Dutch have any respect for the Germans. Many details were new to my reading experiences.

Very Good War Story

Very good audiobook, well performed. In addition to great perspectives from the Allied troops, great details about the experiences of the local residents and especially the medical personnel. Nearly impossible to follow author’s geographical movements (would really help to have a map, e.g. “chapter 7 occurred here”) and which bridges were where. Once I gave up trying to follow, it was a better listen. Author and narrator did excellent job helping convey the soldier experience.

Netherlands nightmare

As a 28 year military veteran, I think admitting that this operation was a huge mistake does not take away from the heroism and sacrifice of the combatants involved. This was truly a case of lions being led by donkeys. And the wonder of it all is that despite their unmitigated suffering before and after Market Garden, the Dutch people continue to celebrate those who took part and did their utmost to save them from the Nazi yoke. A thought provoking book.

Great but typically Beevorish.

A great book but you have to accept Beevor on his terms. He’s a HIGHLY detailed storyteller and sometimes you have to pause to recollect the overall train of events.