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A Bridge Too Far Audiobook
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(4.00) - 6,012 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The classic account of one of the most dramatic battles of World War II
A Bridge Too Far is Cornelius Ryan’s masterly chronicle of the Battle of Arnhem, which marshaled the greatest armada of troop-carrying aircraft ever assembled and cost the Allies nearly twice as many casualties as D-day.
In this compelling work of history, Ryan narrates the Allied effort to end the war in Europe in 1944 by dropping the combined airborne forces of the American and British armies behind German lines to capture the crucial bridge across the Rhine at Arnhem. Focusing on a vast cast of characters—from Dutch civilians to British and American strategists to common soldiers and commanders—Ryan brings to life one of the most daring and ill-fated operations of the war. A Bridge Too Far superbly recreates the terror, suspense, heroism, and tragedy of this epic operation, which ended in bitter defeat for the Allies.
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"A well written account of Operation Market Garden which occurred in September 1944. Market Garden was an allied military operation involving the airborne invasion of Holland coupled with a mechanized dash to seize and hold bridges across that country from the Belgian border to the city of Arnhem. Although the ultimate objective was not achieved, the operation was characterized by many incredible acts of courage and impressive military operations in the face of very difficult and uncertain conditions. The book is filled with first hand accounts of many people, interviewed by the author, who participated in the battles, or were present during the actions that took place. The edition that I read was also filled with many pertinent photographs and a number of maps that provided worthwhile reference material. The book was certainly very well worth reading and it left me with an interest to look for other books about the events of the period."
— Arcticvet (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“I know of no other work of literature of World War II as moving, as awesome, and as accurate in its portrayal of human courage.”
— General James M. Gavin -
“Originally published in 1974, this classic work of military history details the Battle of Arnhem in the Netherlands, a major Allied attack meant to end WWII in 1944. It’s a great book and deserves wide readership among the new generation. Narrator Clive Chafer has an elegant, silky smooth English accent that makes the book sound as if it’s straight out of the ‘World at War’ series from the BBC. Chafer does a creditable job reading the military details, and his crystal-clear diction makes the work understandable.”
— AudioFile -
“Ryan masters a spare, strong style to deliver a battle that has much of the majesty and beauty of classic tragedy.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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Winner of the 1974 Cornelius Ryan Award
A Bridge Too Far Listener Reviews
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" Wonderful work on a failed battle. "
— Mark, 2/7/2014 -
" An interesting book about the liberation of Holland in WW2. Filled with first hand accounts. "
— Jeff, 2/4/2014 -
" See it if you love war movies and then read the book so that you can understand the concept of what is to go-on in the storyline. Very complex and mundane of the sentiment of war one feels like what dregs are unleashed upon troops and civilians alike: pure Hell. There is even a suprise Spitfire lawn-mowing scene with the fighter plane getting a close look at a bicyclist on a road. "
— Chris, 1/22/2014 -
" I've only read one war book before, but loved the film. As usually, the book was richer but lacked none of the suspense. Great. "
— Titus, 1/10/2014 -
" If anything this is even better than The Longest Day. "
— George, 12/27/2013 -
" I remember ready this, traveling through Italy on a cozy sleeper car "
— Edmond, 12/9/2013 -
" Portrays Montgomery as an overrated idiot. Four stars. "
— Ben, 12/8/2013 -
" One of the more interesting events on the western front. "
— Kazmo, 12/2/2013 -
" This is one of the best accounts of WWII, or combat operations in general that you can read. The story is incredibly well written, from the best human perspectives, and superbly researched. A purely fictional novel could not make a better story or read any better than this book. "
— Joe, 11/21/2013 -
" Maybe the best World War II novel. "
— John, 11/14/2013 -
" It just wasn't worth the month long investment I was going to have to make. I've seen the movie (awesome!) so I know how it ends. I'm going to save my energy/focus for The Last Battle, which will be my last Cornelius Ryan read. "
— J.C., 9/13/2013 -
" I only seem to like WWII books when they are written by Cornelius Ryan. I try to like those written by others, and don't find them half as engrossing. "
— Laini, 8/5/2013 -
" Amazing account of Operation Market Garden. Easily readable with accounts of all of the individual actions and forces involved. Highly recommended. "
— Mike, 6/16/2013 -
" Read this many years ago as a teenager. My dad and I share a love of military history and he passed this on to me. Very riveting even for a teenaged girl. "
— Jacqueline, 6/3/2013 -
" Really rather embarrassed at not having previously read this. Fantastic read. I knew that Operation Market-Garden was a failure, but I didn't realize just how massive a failure it truly was. "
— Cliff, 3/16/2013 -
" Another fantastic WWII book by Cornelius Ryan. While I think this book is even better than The Longest Day, it is a much more somber read knowing the outcome of the battle, and how so many little things could have gone differently and affected a different outcome. "
— Don, 2/27/2013 -
" Well-told, detailed history from multiple perspectives - Allied and Axis, officers and enlisted men, military and civilians. The author was a journalist in the war and it shows in his use of testimony from interviews. "
— Tom, 1/20/2013 -
" History of the biggest airborne assault failure....in Northern Europe WWII "
— Thamrong, 1/3/2013 -
" Excellent recounting of a little-known WWII battle. It's long, though, and the plot is pretty dense. "
— Matt, 11/8/2012 -
" outstanding telling of the biggest airborne drop of the war and why it failed so badly, besides the fact that Montgomery was a complete idiot "
— Ray, 11/6/2012 -
" An historical account of Operation Market Garden, at the height of WWII in mainland Germany, provides a narrow but precise insight into a very large war . "
— Caleb, 8/1/2012
About Cornelius Ryan
Cornelius Ryan (1920–1974), born in Dublin, Ireland, became one of the preeminent war correspondents of his time, flying fourteen bombing missions with the US Eighth and Ninth Air Forces. He is the author of numerous books, including several classics of military history, which have appeared throughout the world in nineteen languages. He was awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government in 1973.
About Clive Chafer
Clive Chafer is a professional actor, director, producer, and theater instructor. Originally from England and educated at Leeds and Exeter universities, he has performed and directed at many theaters in the San Francisco area, where he makes his home, and elsewhere in the US. In 1993 he founded TheatreFIRST, Oakland’s professional theater company, where he served as artistic director until 2008.