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Normandy ‘44

D-Day and the Battle for France

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Normandy ‘44

By: James Holland
Narrated by: John Sackville
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About this listen

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Normandy '44 by James Holland, read by John Sackville.
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Renowned World War Two historian James Holland presents an entirely new perspective on one of the most important moments in recent history. Unflinchingly examining the brutality and violence that characterised the campaign, it's time to draw some radically different conclusions.
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D-Day
and the 76 days of bitter fighting in Normandy that followed have come to be seen as a defining episode in the Second World War. Its story has been endlessly retold, and yet it remains a narrative burdened by both myth and assumed knowledge.

In this reexamined history, James Holland presents a broader overview, one that challenges much of what we think we know about D-Day and the Normandy campaign. The sheer size and scale of the Allies’ war machine ultimately dominates the strategic, operational and tactical limitations of the German forces.

This was a brutal campaign. In terms of daily casualties, the numbers were worse than for any one battle during the First World War.

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·Drawing on unseen archives and testimonies from around the world

·Introducing a cast of eye-witnesses that includes foot soldiers, tank men, fighter pilots and bomber crews, sailors, civilians, resistance fighters and those directing the action

·An epic telling that will profoundly recalibrate our understanding of its true place in the tide of human history

20th Century Europe France Germany Great Britain Military Modern War Scary Thought-Provoking Imperialism Air Force Submarine

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Critic reviews

As an account of this mighty and vitally significant clash of armies, Normandy ’44 stands as richly impressive, hard to surpass
A superb account of the invasions that deserves immense praise…To convey the human drama of Normandy requires great knowledge and sensitivity. Holland has both in spades
An invigorating new history of the Allied invasion of France
A readable account of one of the 20th century's most defining battles provides a strategic overview enlivened by personal accounts of the horror ... for the general reader there are plenty of surprises
An impressive new account of D-Day ... Holland knows his stuff when it comes to military matters ... he reads the minds of the generals, their tactics, their blunders - on both sides
Laced with firsthand accounts...the book provides an invaluable narrative
A powerful account of the invasion
Any past criticism of General Montgomery’s leadership and tactics is put into a fresh focus … armed with the newly-presented facts we are able to make sense of the broader picture
All stars
Most relevant
In this book James Holland reviews another aspect of WWII and sheds new light on a well documented time in our history. The book is interesting as it combines views from the strategic planning level with those of people at the front and, importantly, fills in some of the vast gap in the middle. In this way he gives the reader a much clearer understanding of what took place before, during and after the invasion. One negative, I did have to refer to maps, which I assume are in the book, to ensure I understood the movement on the ground but otherwise it was very enlightening and I recommend it to anyone interested in D-Day.

New perspectives on D-Day

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Well researched, combining strategic big picture awareness with tactical and operational level insights. Making good arguments for some common misconceptions, I especially enjoyed the authors appraisals of the combatants weapons systems.

My only criticism is of the narrator. His reading can descend into near whispers, a very low tone. So if you have tinnitus, trouble with hearing low tones and or you would like to listen to the book in an environment with loads of ambient noise, like on hands free whilst driving, you will find his narration hard to hear and annoying.

Otherwise, fantastic, book 1 of the authors 3 part WW2 series is my next listen.

Excellent Book

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Excellent book and well narrated. Thoroughly recommend to anyone interested in WW2 history. James Holland always puts a different side to the story and this is no different.

Another excellent James Holland book

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Yet another excellent book by James Holland. Superbly read by Jack Sackville. Thoroughly recommend to anyone interested in WW2 history and the D Day landings. More of the same please!

Superb

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Holland takes on one of the most wrote about wartime operations in the history of mankind, in a captivating way, told through the memoirs of the people who fought in Normandy.

The narration is spot on, and the book is a grand testament to the people, who took part in battles in the Normandy campaign.

Insightful and captivating

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