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Summary: Cornelius Ryan's The Longest Day
Review: The other reviewers, especially Barron, have done such an outstanding job that there is not much left to say. I am very impressed by Ryan as a reporter and an outstanding writer who is able to simultaneously tell the stories of hundreds of people (and indirectly hundreds of thousands). Faith of Our Fathers did this for six people, and that was hard enough. Whether six or hundreds, I think that this is a mark of Creative Genius, the kind of thing that a Beethoven or Haydn or Mozart wove together into a masterpiece of many parts, many men, many women. Ryan was one of the best.
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Summary: The Single Best Book On D-Day Yet Written!
Review: 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.
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Summary: My first WW2 book.
Review: I read this book when I was 12 after seeing the movie on TV. Ryan takes the complex planning and battle and humanizes it. By focusing on the men and women of both sides Ryan allows the reader to identify with the participants and understand the significance of D-Day on a new level.
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Summary: the gold standard
Review: This is the gold standard among military history books, the masterful story of D-Day, the first day of the Allies' climactic invasion of Normandy. This is an eminently readable book, one that most readers -- even those without interest in military or history books -- will find impossible to put down, even though the outcome is well known. Cornelius Ryan brings surprising clarity to the multi-faceted D-Day operation, allowing us to view the events of June 6, 1944 from many perspectives: German, French, British, Canadian and American. My only complaint with "The Longest Day" -- a quibble, really -- is that the soft-cover version I purchased lacked any maps, which would have been useful for a geographically-challenged reader such as me. If you've seen the movie, I'd encourage you to read the book. If you haven't seen the movie, read the book and then rent the movie. You'll find it an enjoyable experience, worthy of all the 5-star ratings you see here.
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Summary: An Excellent World War II Novel
Review: I typically enjoy novels which push you straight into the face of war- and this novel was no exception! This work of art puts you into the role of dozens of soldiers, and lets you feel the war as it unfolds in front of you. You occasionally even forget that your reading as you watch D-Day wind up and explode in your face. This book might be a bit much for younger readers out their, but if your in the 9th grade or above, this book'll have you wishing for more! BUY IT NOW! (If you want a book that's as good as this one, check out "The Killer Angels", you'll love it!)
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Summary: Great Book about the first twenty-four hours of D-Day
Review: A masterful account of the first twenty-four hours of the D-Day invasion. Mr. Ryan transports the reader all over the battlefield, giving numerous perspectives (both allies and axis) to the events that unfolded on June 6, 1944. When I was a company commander serving in Germany, I required all my company officers to read this book as part of their professional development. They all thanked me afterwards for introducing them to one of Mr. Ryan's classic WWII books. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has an interest in WWII, or has read any of Mr. Ryan's other books (A Bridge Too Far, The Last Battle). Personally, I read this book and viewed the film (which is also a classic) before visiting the Normandy beaches. I felt this preparation made my trip to Normandy more meaningful and enjoyable.
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Summary: Book for all to read
Review: This is a book I my self picked to do on an english report. I found the book entertaining it kept you in suspese in most parts to what was going to happen to the Allies and the Natzis . It talks about how nerveous everyone was for the preperation of the invasion. There was lots of detail in the wait, the night,and the day. It's a must read if you like war stories its very intising to all readers
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Summary: A true classic
Review: There can never be enough films or books about WWII. In terms of realism, suspense, and relentless action, The Longest Day ranks right up there with the best of the genre, I put it on an equal level with classics like the Brotherhood of War novels and The Triumph and the Glory.
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Summary: An excellent book that inspired me to learn more about WWII.
Review: This book was truly excellent and inspiring to me. It takes you through D-Day and everything that happened during this epic battle. The Longest Day also takes you through the many steps the Allies were forced to accomplish. A very descriptive book that I would have never read if it wasn't so highly praised. I enjoyed it very much and request that you take your self through the pages of this book.
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Summary: A historic classic - Should be read in all schools
Review: The Longest Day was the best book I have ever and probably will ever read. It depicts the struggles of U.S. soldiers as well as others. It is a tribute to the memory of all those that died on the beaches of Normandy, and to all the others that died to secure freedom for the rest of the world. I recommend this book to anyone, and highly suggest teacher to have their students read this book and others of Cornelius Ryan.
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