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D-DAY The Oral History

The Turning Point of WWII By the People Who Were There

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D-DAY The Oral History

By: Garrett M. Graff
Narrated by: Adam Grupper, Billie Fulford Brown, Edoardo Ballerini, Elizabeth Lagalee, Eunice Wong, Fajer Al-Kaisi, Garrett M. Graff, Gary Furlong, Graham Halstead, Holter Graham, Imogen Church, Jacques Roy, James Langton, Kevin Free, Leon Nixon
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THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A LANDMARK NEW ACCOUNT OF THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT DAY OF WW2, IN THE WORDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IT

**** 'Comprehensive... from a large and wide range of witnesses on both sides' -The Telegraph

'A sprawling history of D-Day from the point of view of participants on both sides.' -Kirkus

'A masterpiece of oral history. Stirring, surprising, grim, joyous, moving and always riveting.' -Evan Thomas

'A new, complete portrait in time for the 80th anniversary [...] Graff uses a wide array and diversity of voices that give a fuller picture of the lead-up to the invasion, as well as the fighting itself.' -Associated Press

On 6th June 1944, the Allied invasion began. For hours, wave after wave of soldiers, sailors, and airmen crossed the channel and stormed the Normandy coast, fighting to gain a foothold in Nazi-occupied Northwest Europe. It was the largest combined air and seaborne invasion ever, involving over 150,000 Allied troops on the ground, and its eventual success became a critical turning point in the war, spelling the beginning of the end for the Third Reich.

As the events of that day fade from living memory, it's more important than ever to understand what it felt like to be there and to live through it, on both sides. In this definitive work, Garrett M. Graff, the bestselling author of The Only Plane in the Sky: The Oral History of 9/11, compiles over 600 US, Canadian, UK, French and German voices to tell the full story of exactly how that historic day unfolded, in visceral detail - as well as the weeks and months leading up to it. From paratroopers to fighter pilots to nurses, generals, French villagers, German Defenders to Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt, this is the most intimate re-telling of D-Day published to date.



Praise for THE ONLY PLANE IN THE SKY:

"The most moving and chilling oral history you will read." The Times

"Incredibly evocative and compelling." The Washington Post

"A hugely powerful new book." Dan Snow

"Astonishing book about an astonishing, terrifying atrocity, relived in real time by those who were there. I read it in one sitting & was utterly gripped from start to finish." Piers Morgan©2024 Garrett M. Graff Editors Select Europe France Great Britain Military Veteran Creators War Winston Churchill Air Force Aviation
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Editorial Review

Eight decades later, the voices of D-Day live on
It’s June 6, 1944, and along the beaches of Normandy, one of the most significant operations in military history is underway: Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France, and the beginning of the milestone campaign that would propel the Allies to victory in World War II. In When the Sea Came Alive, journalist Garrett M. Graff ventures to craft a comprehensive, compassionate portrait of the momentous event now known simply as “D-Day.” Graff curated the accounts of hundreds of folks intimately involved, from those who planned the assault, to those whose boots tread through the sand, to the French civilians who watched it all unfold. I’m really looking forward to hearing this one—like Graff’s Audie-winning The Only Plane in the Sky, this oral history is performed by a full cast including the author and decorated narrator Edoardo Ballerini, promising a chronicle that truly shines in audio.. — Alanna M., Audible Editor

Critic reviews

This is one of the greatest war stories ever told. Through the words of the people who made D-Day happen or bore the brunt, Garrett Graff has crafted a masterpiece of oral history. Stirring, surprising, grim, joyous, moving and always riveting.
A sprawling history of D-Day from the point of view of participants on both sides. . . . [and] a timely reminder of the cost of war, as well as the bravery of those who stormed the beaches all those decades ago.
This is truly an excellent read. Unique, in many ways, and thoroughly recommended.
The author of The Only Plane in the Sky has a knack for finding fresh ways to consider exhaustively rehashed historical episodes. . . . The oral-history template lends the tale a striking immediacy, and he excavates stories from a wide swath of people from both sides of the war whose testimonies recall immense bravery and utter devastation while reminding readers of the capriciousness of victory, not to mention survival. As one U.S. Navy veteran put it: 'Call it luck, divine providence, call it what you please, but here I am.
Absolutely gripping. . . . Graff, who was a Pulitzer finalist last year for Watergate, has collected thousands of short statements from soldiers, nurses, pilots, children, neighbors, sailors, politicians, volunteers, photographers, reporters and so many more and then woven them together to create a contemporaneous narrative of the Allied invasion on June 6, 1944. . . . Given the political situation in the United States today, when some of our leaders are so complacent, even enthusiastic, about the resurgence of fascism, the power of this story feels spiked with foreboding. . . . Never before have I approached Memorial Day in a state of such somber awe."
A new, complete portrait in time for the 80th anniversary commemorations [...] Graff uses a wide array and diversity of voices that give a fuller picture of the lead-up to the invasion, as well as the fighting itself... His skills at sifting through the accounts and documents propel the action throughout the book. [...] A testimony to the value in preserving memories from grand historical events, demonstrating how much can be unearthed from even the most familiar stories.
All stars
Most relevant
Terrified by the number of pages, I chose the audio version of this book. It’s a good history of D- Day from an American perspective. (German views are available on Amazon.)
The British accents are sometimes entertaining in a Dick Van Dyke’s cockney accent in Mary Poppins sort of way. Interesting to learn that even US military blood banks were racially segregated. Gratifying to hear black GIs were accepted so well in wartime Britain.

Better as an audiobook

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Really enjoyed the approach to this book and the diverse range of narrators helped to drive the story along. Some aspects like the fight for La Fiere were covered in excellent detail and really illuminated the subject. Well worth a listen.

Excellent first hand testimony

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I loved the effort the author went to in building a narrative out of the reports given by interconnected people at every stage of this momentous time.

Poignant stories of everyday people doing staggering things

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The book was ok, of course biased towards Americans. The irritating thing again was the voices affected to represent British people…Major John Howard was from a working class background…do the narrators not research the people they’re supposed to be representing? The narrator reading as Major John Howard sounded more like Terry-Thomas. Overall these ridiculous affected British voices spoiled what could have been a decent book

Another irritating narration

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