Rating: 
Summary: A Heroic Story
Review: I think this book is a very good account of the men who took Pegasus Bridge on June 5th, 1944 on the eve of D-day. I especially like the way the book is written in that the author goes from the event, to before the event, to after the event to present day. I like how detailed the book is also.
Rating:
Summary: Gripping account of the War's pivotal battle
Review: I'm a firm believer that no one can weave together a battle, invasion or engagement that took place in the European Theater quite like Stephen Ambrose. He has a knack for understanding the soldiers, getting inside their minds and allowing them to tell the tale for him. Pegasus Bridge is no different. It's a fascinating account of how one British unit seized the most critical objective in the wee hours just prior to D-Day. Much like Band of Brothers, Ambrose starts with the beginning of the unit -- how it was formed, its commanders, its training regiment and it soldiers -- transitions to the climax of seizing the bridge and holding it and finally flows into the denouement of D-Day plus one. I highly recommend this book as well as Ambrose's other works on the subject of WWII. As a twentysomething who has never experienced combat or war on a worldwide scale, I personally credit Ambrose for my newfound respect for the fighting men and women who have participated in all of our wars.
Rating:
Summary: Reads like a novel, you'll wish it was longer
Review: I'm not sure history books can be decribed as fast-paced, but this one certainly is. My only regret is that the book isn't the same length as CITIZEN SOLDIERS OR D-DAY by the same author. Those are excellent, too.
Rating:
Summary: The first battle of invasion vividly recounted
Review: If you've seen "The Longest Day" you may recall the scene in which a small band of glider-borne commandos seizes a bridge and defends it until relieved by Lord Lovett and his commandos. What you may not know is that this was a singular event- the very first combat engagement of D-Day and the first and only use of this technique by the Allies in the war. Ambrose is one of the best contemporary historians to write about World War 2, always managing to be both accurate and entertaining. Here, he gives us profiles of the men involved on both sides of the battle, the development of the glider assault technique, a detailed minute-by-minute account of the fighting, and the story of the aftermath of the battle and the lives of the men (and women) after the war, up to the 50th Anneversary D-Day ceremonies in France. If you're a history buff, this book is a must-have for your library. If you're interested in a more accurate verison of the details surrounding the battle than the movie presented, read the book. And if you simply want to understand a little better how ordinary men can acheive the extraordinary when called on to do so, read this book.
Rating:
Summary: The first battle of invasion vividly recounted
Review: If you've seen "The Longest Day" you may recall the scene in which a small band of glider-borne commandos seizes a bridge and defends it until relieved by Lord Lovett and his commandos. What you may not know is that this was a singular event- the very first combat engagement of D-Day and the first and only use of this technique by the Allies in the war. Ambrose is one of the best contemporary historians to write about World War 2, always managing to be both accurate and entertaining. Here, he gives us profiles of the men involved on both sides of the battle, the development of the glider assault technique, a detailed minute-by-minute account of the fighting, and the story of the aftermath of the battle and the lives of the men (and women) after the war, up to the 50th Anneversary D-Day ceremonies in France. If you're a history buff, this book is a must-have for your library. If you're interested in a more accurate verison of the details surrounding the battle than the movie presented, read the book. And if you simply want to understand a little better how ordinary men can acheive the extraordinary when called on to do so, read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Pegasus Bridge review
Review: June 6, 1944 - zero hour! This book set the tone for one of the great invasions in WWII. The book is directly to the point and leaves out none of the details. One night I hope to make the journey and be at the bridge at zero hour to pay my respect to all involved in this very important operation.
Rating: 
Summary: A story in search of an author
Review: My goodness, but here is a terrific bit of history desperately in need of a decent author. Told properly, the final product should be one of those rare books you simply cannot put down. Alas, Professor Ambrose was the one to take up the challenge and what he has wrought is a most amateurish work. His narrative style can be wincingly painful. His is the kind of storytelling I used to read in grade school. At any moment I half-expected Frank and Joe Hardy to appear on the scene. You would be better served by watching THE LONGEST DAY. Darryl F. Zanuck "told" the story much better.
Rating:
Summary: A real story about real heroes
Review: My wife's uncle recommended this book to me. Really, so what I hear you say. Well, he was one of the Paras who landed in the gliders at Pegasus Bridge. He landed on the night of 5th/6th of June at the river bridge now known as Horsa.
His recommendation was good enough for me!
Rating:
Summary: Read It!
Review: One of the best military history books I have read. Stephen Ambrose keeps you addicted to turning the pages. I did not put the book down until I turned the last page.
Rating:
Summary: A lot to ask 181 men.
Review: Securing the eastern flank of Overlord (D-Day) was the British Airborne. Between them and the British 3rd Infantry Division coming ashore on Sword Beach were two bridges fifty years apart across the Orne Waterways. These bridges had to be held or the airborne troops would have been cut off from relief coming inland. Pegasus Bridge has been at times called the Caen Canal Bridge, the Orne Canal Bridge and the Benouville Bridge. Now it bears the proud name Pegasus Bridge in honor of the valiant men who took it, held it, died on it and who wore that emblem on their shoulder: The 2nd Ox and Bucks. Lead by Major John Howard after months of detailed rehearsals, D Company landed in Horsa gliders minutes after midnight on D-day. Landing within yards of the enemy held bridge they seized it in a short, well-rehearsed and bloody firefight. This extremely brave action was just the beginning of a daylong, tense struggle to hold out against seasoned troops and tanks with only small arms. They held and later joined the other Ox and Bucks near Escoville. When finally relieved on Sept.5th, D Company had fallen from its D-day strength of 181 men to 40. Colonel Von Luck, 21st Panzer, contends that had those bridges been available to him, his regiment would have been able to join the 192nd Regiment of the 21st Panzer and their combined strength would have surely allowed them to drive to the beaches. And the result of that could have spelled disaster for the beachhead troops if not the entire invasion. As expected, Ambrose weaves his talent for detailed research, oral histories and gifted writing into a great account of this major link in D-Day's chain. Richard Todd, the actor, was a Captain in the 1th Airborne and is mentioned several times retelling some of the activities of that unit on the other side of the Orne River. In the movie "The Longest Day", he portrayed Major John Howard.
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