The Longest Day: The Classic Epic of D-Day | Cornelius Ryan

The Longest Day: The Classic Epic of D-Day | Cornelius Ryan | The classic for eyewitness accounts of D-Day

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The Longest Day: T...

	The Longest Day: The Classic Epic of D-Day Cornelius Ryan Simon & Schuster, 1994 - 352 pages average customer review:based on 76 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Never-ending Day.

Cornelius Ryan's "The Longest Day" is assembled as a mosaic of scenes occurring at both sides of the Channel and afterwards on France. It shows all the main actors in action, ranging from Generals and Marshals thru Privates to Civilians.

It is divided into three parts: "The Waiting" encompassing since the first invasion planning thru Eisenhower's decision to launch the assault against meteorological odds.
This section reviews German defense plans, displaying Rommel's ingenuity in devising obstacles to the assault; the enormous Allied effort to secretly reunite troops and baggage; the failure of German High Command to acknowledge intelligence of the eminent invasion and finally the hair-raising suspense introduced by stormy weather.
"The Night" describes the massive paratroop and glider-bound troop's assault and how the scattered soldiers, fighting their own fear and disorientation, pushed ahead to conquer their targets.
"The Day" focuses on the beaches' assault, reviewing from "Bloody Omaha" till more calm (comparatively) "Juno".

Based on eye witness accounts the book gives the reader a vibrant relation of the momentous Day. Especially thrilling are the portrayals of American Brig. Generals Theodore Roosevelt and Norman Cotta; the German Maj. Werner Pluskat and the British Lord Lovat and his blow-piper side kick.
Those 24 hours should had seemed, as the title implies, an eternity to everyone involved!

This book stands on par with two more remarkable ones: Toland's "The Battle of the Bulge" and Collins and Lapierre's "Is Paris Burning?"
I warmly recommend this work to WWII buffs and readers interested in first hand accounts of crucial events!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

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The classic for eyewitness accounts of D-Day

This book is one which can truly be called "classic". Mr. Ryan's writing never seems stale or tired or, on the other hand, overblown. His topic is epic: the greatest sea-borne invasion ever attempted. On June 6, 1944 the western allies invaded Hitler's Europe across the beaches of Normandy, France, catching Germany in a pincher between themselves in the west and the Soviets in the east. In less than a year, World War II would be over in Europe and Hitler's dream of a thousand-year Reich would die with him in the ruins of Berlin.

The focus of this book is purely on D-Day, together with the few days leading up to it. The story relies almost exclusively on eyewitness accounts. There is enough background to provide context; however, anyone looking for information about the broader war should not use this book as their primary source. Although there is a great deal of factual information, "The Longest Day" is primarily emotional - it evokes, through the words of the participants, the feel of paratroopers jumping into darkness, of seasick infantrymen struggling across endless beaches into enemy fire, of generals having to make decisions affecting tens of thousands of lives based on guesses and gut instinct.

The book is well-balanced between the antagonists. There is considerable material from the German side, giving the perspective from the other side of the beach, and from the headquarters of the defenders as they try to make sense of the reports coming in to them, and as they try to determine whether or not what they are facing is in fact the long-awaited invasion.

One small criticism I have of the book is the lack of maps. Mr. Ryan is meticulous in identifying where each episode occured. Unfortunately, in the absense of maps, the reader is left with no idea where any of these places are, other than generally in Normandy.

This book is highly recommended for anyone who wants D-Day to come alive.

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Still one of the Best

Mr Ryan does a masterful job of telling the thrilling and personall story of the "day of days" June 6th 1944, the allied assault on Normandy by the British, Canadiens, and Americans. I read the book when I was in high school many years ago and it was just as enjoyable when I re-read it recently. The story of the greatest amphibious assault in the history of the world as seen through the eyes and memroies of so many men on both sides make it a book that can not be put down. As we celebrated the 60th aniversary of this world changing battle that was the beginning of the end of Nazi Europe this past June it was only fitting that we read this classic tale again. Oh yes, it is still better than the movie.

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The Three Year Day

There are those who would argue that Hitler's turn to the east and the bloody beating he received at the hands of the Russians at Stalingrad in the early '40's marked the funeral dirge for 'the thousand year Reich.' Possibly.

Still in all the invasion of Europe was desperately needed and these were the days and Normandy was the place that was selected.

It is fitting that this book endure a revival of sorts when now we are challenged by questions of purpose and courage. Certainly America's sacrifice in WWII was stupendous, paling only in comparison with the mindless slaughter of the communists under Stalin and the nazis under Hitler and his band of bottom dwellers.

This book is one of the early treatises that differentiates between the thuggery of the Reich Masters and the bravery of the German soldier, certainly a courageous step by Mr. Ryan in 1959 when there was a more pronounced sense of xenophobia by the country at large.

If you go to Normandy now you will see that the graves of the Americans, Canadiens, British and French, Chritians and Jews, now have German soldiers alongside. My Father, a WWII vet, wept when he saw this, not out of a belief that "our" side should be kept pristine and that to not do so was to villify them, but rather out of respect for all men and women who, in Tennyson's words, "died because their fathers lied."

A brilliant book, still highly respected, still cited, still a must read for any WWII scholar.

The Day which it was, certainly one day in history that may have changed the fate of the world, was the longest day. A brilliant biography of an event, carrying with it hundreds of interviews while the occurrences were still fresh in the minds of the bloodied participants.

5 stars is not enough. Larry Scantlebury

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The best book I've ever read about D-day.

This is an excellent book that you could easily read twice. It gives a perspective of both sides of that historical day. Definitely a book you can't put down.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, page 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

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