The Longest Day: June 6, 1944

It was 40 years ago that I saw the movie, but my memory remembers the movie better than the book. This is still an excellent book.

Famed author Cornelius Ryan has a unique and appealing way of telling a story that makes his books quite unique, and this huge best seller is no exception. Here he sets the stage for his brilliant trilogy on the war in Europe by chronicling the events surrounding the fabled Allied sea-borne assault in Normandy on June 6, 1944. Its total cost in terms of human life and unnecessary destruction is a cautionary lesson for history. Like his other books, this is a story told at every level, but concentrating on the faithful recollections of the actual participants in the action. Thus, the reader is wept into the action as we get a voyeur's view of the moment-to-moment development of the story as it unfolds in all its horrific detail.There is a virtual cornucopia of information presented here, and Ryan's approach is scrupulously faithful to the facts, all of them, regardless of the source. Therefore, there is a great deal of attention paid not only to the recollections and experiences of the Allied assault troops, but to German defenders and French civilians caught in the terrible crossfire of the opposing forces. This was the book that originated the man-on-the-ground perspective that has been subsequently used to such advantage both by Ryan and number of notable others. There is little apparent effort here to color the results and make the Allies more circumspect and less provocative in making and activating their star-crossed assault. One gets the sense on reading this, as with each of Ryan's three books on the European campaign, that this is the whole story as best he could determine it, and he makes an extraordinary effort to include as much relevant information by way of using both recollection and contextual data to bolster a comprehensive picture of the battles as they unfolded all over Normandy and its environs. The late author Ryan was one of a handful of masterful storytellers and historians who emerged from the Second World War to chronicle its events so masterfully. Like John Toland, William Shirer, and a number of notable others, Ryan illuminated and familiarized a generation of readers with the human stories of war and destruction, and brought these otherwise unbelievable and incomprehensible experiences home to a waiting world of ordinary and otherwise bewildered citizens. This is one of the best of the efforts, shining the light of truth on one of the greatest moments in modern history, when the Allies stood fatefully in the breach, about to take the European continent back by force of arms from the terrible totalitarian forces that had stolen it so cruelly and violently four years before.

There is little to add about this classic book describing the D-Day landings in Normandy. The book itself is a landmark account of the action, with an effective mix of strategic, tactical, and personal information about the world-changing events. It's not the most deeply moving WWII account that I've read, but it is clearly and coherently told, and the chaos and horrors of war are well described. I would have appreciated a few maps as the action was described. In this review, I will focus on the Kindle edition. Since I have not seen the printed edition, I might be pointing to "flaws" in the Kindle presentation that are related to limitations of the print copy. Feel free to comment if you have read the print edition.The Kindle edition is a solid version of the text. I detected a few typos, but, overall, the transfer to electronic form has been highly successful.My reservations about the Kindle edition are in the placement and quality of the figures. The figures are grouped at the end of the text. I much prefer having the figures placed within the text at the points where they are directly relevant. Also, the figures are displayed too small to be appreciated in much detail. I would like to see a second Kindle edition with the figures enlarged, if the originals are of sufficient quality. You might want to check out the paper edition(s) to see if reproduction of the figures is better than that of the Kindle edition.I highly recommend this 4.5-star book to all readers. The accounts of WWII in my high school history books were completely inadequate, and this book should be part of the education of all Americans (not to mention Europeans). The current Kindle version is very good, but the figures are too small and would be better if appropriately interspersed with the text.

This book, later brilliantly made into a film of the same name, is the definitive eye-witness account of the day and its preparations. With most of the participants now gone, it will forever be so. Cornelius Ryan took years to research and write this book, showing how this crucial day, which everyone knew was coming, was feared, seen, and fought by both sides. Of the leaders, Eisenhower was the most troubled, and who wouldn't be? He had to give the order to go. What terrible responsibility rested on his shoulders. And who would've criticised him if he'd delayed again what with bad weather hampering air cover, and the previous disasters of Dieppe and Arnhem? He was the one who had to decide to send hundreds of thousands of brave men to take Fortress Europe and finally destroy the most evil thought in history, Nazism, and Hitler, the evil monster who spawned it. Now Ike can rest easy, it was a job well done. At the time though it was touch and go, a real battle of minds where Rommel, the Desert Fox, was indeed out-foxed, and away from the Atlantic Wall celebrating his wife's birthday, just one of many key commanders and units away from the front on that crucial day, which far too many would never see the end of. The book is a masterpiece and a truly gallant tribute to the men and women who fought, died, and were mutilated body and soul to guarantee a world, that while far from perfect- was it ever so?- is still here at least. Let us treasure their memory for all time. The Longest Day, so it was, as Rommel acutely said. Go on, buy this book. You won't regret it. One to keep and give to your children.

This is the classic book about D-Day. They're a lot of books out there about this most important day in the 20th century, and I have read most of them, and, in my opinion, this is the best one. If you want to read just one book on D-Day, I suggest that you read this one.

The author was a well-trained reporter at the time of D-Day, so he knew how to properly find and preserve evidence and testimonials. Couple that with fantastic storytelling expertise, and you have a VERY gripping recounting of the events of the single most important battle day of World War 2. I can see why a movie was made based on this big, and where the script writers of Saving Private Ryan got much of their material. I read it in a very small number of long could-not-put-it-down sessions, and then my wife did also. HIGHLY recommended.

One of the most informative book written by Sir Cornelius Ryan. Really this books tell us the sacrifice and heroism of both the Allies and Axis soldiers who fought in the Normandy Beaches in 1944.This is the story of D-Day told through the voices of over 1000 survivors - from high-ranking Allied and German officers, to the paratroopers who landed in Normandy before dawn, the infantry who struggled ashore and the German troops who defended the coast."The Longest Day " is a story not of war, but of the courage of man.At last I am giving thanks and honour to Sir Cornelius Ryan to provide such an informative and heart touching book to the world. And I salute for them who had sacrificed their life for their nation in the longest day battle, the battle of D-Day , June 6, 1944.

A great read for anyone interested in the history of WW2.

There won't be enough words in our language to describe the bravery and courage of Allies troops on such day. Every time that I grabbed a book related to WWII, I cannot imagine the fear and the courage feelings that each private and officer experienced in such conditions. This is a real master piece.

I've enjoyed another other WWII story (Bridge too Far) from Cornelius Ryan, and this is just as good. The book arrived on time and well packed - I'll do business with this vendor again.