New Anthony Beevor book! (1 Viewer)

[jazzeum]

Just got word that the new Beevor book has just been shipped from the UK.

 

[damian]

Hi Damian

If it's Peter Fitzsimons' book you've seen, it is excellent!

Best

Todd

PS Peter Fitzsimons was a Wallaby. This may mean little to most Forum readers, but Damian will understand!

Todd it is the Fitzsimons book.
You say it is good.
It looks good and has great reviews.
I found a great second hand /book last week.
The Australians and the Boer War
Written by RL Wallace.
I will order the Tobruk book from AMazon.
Regards

 

[Rob]

Just got word that the new Beevor book has just been shipped from the UK.

Was hoping it would be here for my birthday today,guess i'll have to try a little patience

Rob

 

[forlornhoper]

Beevers new book has been given rave reviews,apparently contains unpublished personal accounts of the horrors of battle,if the book is in his usual style it will be a good one,i have already placed an order with my good lady as a birthday present.Hope its as good as DECISION in NORMANDY,one of the best books i have ever read in 38 years of reading military history.If you get a chance buy it and drool and if your are really fortunate to buy REMEMBER ARNHEM by john fairley,you will be in military history heaven.

 

[lancer]

Was "Decision in Normandy" the book by Carlo D'Este? -- lancer

 

[jazzeum]

Al,

It was and it's a great book. Thank you for metioning it forlornhoper. I've mentioned that book so many times without nary a comment. It's a very even handed book (vis a vis Montgomery).

 

[lancer]

Al,

It was and it's a great book. Thank you for metioning it forlornhoper. I've mentioned that book so many times without nary a comment. It's a very even handed book (vis a vis Montgomery).

Hi Brad. I like D'Este and thought his was the best book on Normandy on it's own. Also liked his book on Sicily. Made a mistake years ago, violated one of my rules and lent the Decision book to a "friend". Never saw it again, naturally. I shall now pursue another copy, having been reminded of it. -- lancer

 

[jazzeum]

Al,

Lending books to a friend and never getting back has happened to me more than I care to remember Oh, well. The Hastings book and the D'Este are my two favorite books on Normandy. I'm really looking forward to the Beevor one and, then a couple of years down the road, the Atkinson book (third part of his trilogy).

 

[lancer]

Al,

Lending books to a friend and never getting back has happened to me more than I care to remember Oh, well. The Hastings book and the D'Este are my two favorite books on Normandy. I'm really looking forward to the Beevor one and, then a couple of years down the road, the Atkinson book (third part of his trilogy).

I was really impressed by the Hastings book. As an odd coincidence I started re-reading it yesterday. Gets to the point very rapidly and doesn't pull it's punches. I am also awaiting Atkinson's third volume. The first two were great reads. I am also still quite fond of Ryan's "The Longest Day" and Marshall's "Night Drop". Good stuff. -- lancer

 

[Rob]

Guys,for a book full of only personal statements of British experiences on D Day i cannot recommend highly enough 'Forgotten voices of D Day' from the imperial war museum.A Wonderful book full of harrowing,shocking accounts of the Horror of 6th June.Pegasus,Merville,Sword Gold and Juno are all covered in fascinating,gripping and terribly sad detail.

You sit there and read this stuff and just think my god!!.Anyone who thinks the British beaches were a walk over will be shocked by this book.Experiences such as the guy who had to call up a Sherman which put a solid shot through the embrasure of a Pillbox,and then had to go inside and see the results.Or the guy who watched in awe as a landing craft unleashed a fearful rocket barrage only to look on in horror as a Spitfire flew straight into the rockets.The accounts make you wince in sympathy,one guy had five fractures in one leg,he was laid on a stretcher on the ground between two M7 Priests.Everytime they fired at the same time the ground shock lifted him on his stretcher off the ground and slammed him down again!.

As i say its not a History of D Day just simply the accounts of individuals,well worth reading to get a sense of the human cost and sacrafice made so we can live in freedom.

Rob

 

[Rob]

Just finished one and starting another.Well worth reading 'Voices' guys.

Rob

 

[jazzeum]

I like the Beevor book but I don't think it's as good as the D'Este book, which has better analysis of the actions taken and why they were taken. The D'Este book, as well as the Hastings book, give a fuller picture of Allied planning leading up to the decision to attempt the cross channel invasion in spring 1944.

 

[jazzeum]

I just finished this as I had some time while in Dublin and enjoyed it. He has a chapter on the liberation of Paris that is not in the other two books. He has a good description of the Germans' attempt to escape from the
Falaise Gap and uses soldiers accounts to draw sympathy for their plight; one British soldier after it was all over saw a photo of a dead German soldier with his parents before he went off to war and remarks that he was some mother's son.

He's also quite ****ing of Monty and holds him responsible for many a US general coming to dislike the British (but not forgetting to point that many British officers were his harshest critics).

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Went to Chapters book store yesterday to get Beevor book on Stalingrad and found 2 others on sale. Large format books called "The Essential Vehicle Identification Guide: One was on Wehrmacht Divisions 1939 -1945 and the other was Waffen SS Divisions 1939 -1945. Each book is subdivided by division and by each stage of each division's history. They have colour drawings of the AFVs and transport used by each division at each stage of the division's history, the numbers and types of vehicles, the camo patterns in colour (sometimes several camo patterns at the same time) and the combat history of the division for each stage.

Even luckier, there was also a buy 3 books (even sale ones) and get a 4th book free. So I got the Beevor book on the fall of Berlin. Lots of reading ahead.

Terry

 

[jazzeum]

I just saw the new Hastings book about Churchill on Amazon UK but it doesn't seem to be available for pre order. I will have to wait for awhile before doing so.

I just got word that this book has now shipped. Hope to have it in a couple of weeks.