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Arnhem cover art

Arnhem

By: Antony Beevor
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
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Summary

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Arnhem by Antony Beevor, read by Sean Barrett.

On 17 September 1944, General Kurt Student, the founder of Nazi Germany's parachute forces, heard the growing roar of aeroplane engines. He went out onto his balcony above the flat landscape of southern Holland to watch the air armada of Dakotas and gliders carrying the British 1st Airborne and the American 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions. He gazed up in envy at this massive demonstration of paratroop power.

Operation Market Garden, the plan to end the war by capturing the bridges leading to the Lower Rhine and beyond, was a bold concept: the Americans thought it unusually bold for Field Marshal Montgomery. But could it ever have worked? The cost of failure was horrendous, above all for the Dutch, who risked everything to help. German reprisals were pitiless and cruel and lasted until the end of the war.

The British fascination with heroic failure has clouded the story of Arnhem in myths. Antony Beevor, using often overlooked sources from Dutch, British, American, Polish and German archives, has reconstructed the terrible reality of the fighting, which General Student himself called 'The Last German Victory'. Yet this book, written in Beevor's inimitable and gripping narrative style, is about much more than a single dramatic battle. It looks into the very heart of war.

©2018 Antony Beevor (P)2018 Penguin Audio
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about Arnhem

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Sosabowski and the Poles vindicated

For years a lot of shameful nonsense had been written about the role of the Polish brigade and Gen. Sosabowski. In recent years it was the veterans of the British 1st Airborne that led the way in restoring the unfairly tarnished reputation of the General and his men (ironically Sosabowski was at one point asked to lead the division, but refused as he felt it would compromise the potential use of his brigade in Poland). This book does them justice.

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15 people found this helpful

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Excellent book

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Having studied Arnhem a little over the years, watched "A Bridge too Far" many times as well, this book really put some meat to the bone. If you have any interest in Market Garden then this book will not disappoint. I note an earlier comment on the accents within the book and personally I found them quite acceptable, just to address some balance there.

I'm going to listen to Stalingrad next.

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11 people found this helpful

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Wonderful story, irritating narration.

This is one of the most wonderful and underreported parts of WWII. It’s trademark Beevor; detailed and focused, but the totally unnecessary affected American and French accents when quoting key passages and quotes sounded both amateur and embarrassing. It was a real distraction that came up far too often. An utter mess of accents and dialogue.

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6 people found this helpful

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Clear, and insightful

The truly poor quality of Britain’s senior generals beggars belief.

While the high quality of field commanders, soldiers , and Dutch civilians is the exceptional. All the more poignant for the contras between the m.

The self grandisment at one end and incredible self sacrifice at the other.

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The best Market Garden Book?

Lots of books have been written but this must be one of the best with an even handed approach to the good and bad bits of the abilities of US, Brit and German forces ( Not forgetting the Dutch and Poles) . Its an easy listen as well ( I have only listened not read it ).

Make your own decisions was it a good plan or a really poor one?

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Time for the Truth....

Incredible story that portrays, the execution and the unfolding of Arnhem brought to life by Sean Barrett ( I can listen to this man all day). For all interested parties American, English, German and Polish this epic story presents all sides and worts an all, compelling listening, I loved it.

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Another Beevor classic

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in military history. Antony Beevor displays his formidable narrative and analytical skills in his account of the Arnhem offensive. The book is very well read by Sean Barrett.

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interesting but biased views

I've always been interested in the Arnhem battle so was keen to see how this book compared to the Cornelius Ryan book. the author sets out his views at the start of the book, mainly that it was all Monty's fault from the start, and that view influences the rest of the book. The wording used, the conclusions of events, all aimed at supporting his views.

The book is also filled with quotes from "unknown persons" which is strange if you've researched the subject for yourself rather than drawing on 3rd hand sources, add to this there are occasional quotes where, for example a tank is coming towards the person and says "oh <swearword>" am not sure why these sort of quotes has been included, it doesn't add anything to the story.

The narrator is so drool and boring, it sounds like listening to an old man who isn't a natural reader, he tries to put on accents for the different quotes but they all sound like his normal voice.

it does have a small amount of new information over the Cornelius Ryan book but for me it's the only positive.

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A very pleasant piece of work.. Great history.

A long overdue piece of excellent historic research and analysis all cooked up into a fascinating listen. I was very pleased to see the Polish Paratroopers finally admonished from the most awful reputation assigned to them and their commanders after the disastrous Market & Garden operations.
The reader is good and the German excellent. But he reads too slowly for me so I upped the speed to 1.05 and it worked a great deal better.
So many lives lost to save Europe. So many young lives...
And here we are at Brexit and do the Dutch and Belgians wish to help?
Not really.. . European memories are sadly so short..in terms of mankind's time here, those boys are still warm in their graves...
Which is most likely why the elderly in our country decided on mass to Exit the EU.

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Great rendition of a famous battle

Lots have been written about operation market-garden this is one of the best...... good narration and all the facts are there left me with a new understanding of the Dutch hardships and courage

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