Play Audiobook Sample
Is Paris Burning? Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(4.01) - 1,051 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
“Is Paris burning?” is the question Hitler asked over and over as the French Second and American Fourth Divisions battered their way into the city.
Few moments in history are as stirring as the Allied liberation of Paris, yet few people are aware of how narrowly—and how miraculously—the city escaped Hitler’s secret plan to reduce it to ashes. Is Paris Burning? reconstructs, in meticulous and riveting detail, the network of fateful events—day by day, moment by moment—that saved the City of Light.
Bestselling authors and renowned journalists Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre spent three years researching this book, drawing on French Resistance radio messages, German military records, countless interviews, and secret correspondence between de Gaulle, Churchill, Roosevelt, and Eisenhower. Here they re-create the drama, the fervor, and the triumph that heralded one of the most dramatic events of our time.
Download and start listening now!
"Yet another riveting foray into nonfiction. Prior to reading this book, I did not know much about the liberation of Paris during WWII. I was fascinated to learn how desperate Hitler was to have the city destroyed before the Allies could take control of it. And, had it not been for the refusal of Dietrich von Cholitz, the general in charge of Paris, to become a scapegoat of history, he would have had his wish. The Nazis had mined all the bridges in Paris and all of the famous landmarks (The Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral), and all it would have taken to decimate the city was the order from von Cholitz. Thank God he thought better of it!"
— Jennifer (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“Thanks to the authors, we can live every dramatic moment again. They have not only written history but an exciting thriller.”
— Art Buchwald, Pulitzer Prize–winning author and journalist -
“A great story…Dramatic, exciting, and intensely human.”
— New York Times -
“Extraordinary…Absorbing.”
— Time -
“The most readable book of the year…It is a measure of the accomplishment, that knowing the end of the story as all of us do, we are still so immersed that the mounting action is as powerful as it must have been to the participants. We are directly aware of the tension, suspense, and irony of the experience.”
— Los Angeles Times -
“One of the great cliff-hangers of all time…Heart-stopping!”
— Life -
“Dramatic…Hundreds of characters are introduced to lend color and authenticity.”
— Christian Science Monitor -
“One of the most dramatic stories of World War II…Exciting, stirring, skillfully dramatized, meticulously documented.”
— Saturday Review Syndicate -
“You will be moved by the descriptions and want to see Paris to witness what history allowed to survive. Is Paris Burning? is researched with meticulous and riveting detail, well narrated, and certain to keep you intrigued.”
— AudioFile
Is Paris Burning? Listener Reviews
-
—
Elizabeth James, 2/27/2018
-
" This book was recommended with an American I met in Paris. It provides a fascinating look at the Vichy occupation. While obviously our forebears here in the USA suffered during WWII, it is something else entirely to read about what was happening overseas, in the actual theaters of war. "
— Alisa, 2/17/2014 -
" I really loved this book.... "
— Margaretann, 2/15/2014 -
" Fantastic history! Very enjoyable as well as informative. "
— Jennifer, 2/6/2014 -
" If you like World War II history, this one is great. A lot of personal stories about the different people involved, all around an amazing story about how Paris was saved from being reduced to rubble in August 1944. "
— Ryan, 2/2/2014 -
" Another brilliant Dominique Lapierre & Larry Collins collaboration about the liberation of Paris in 1944. Captivating and gripping reading for anyone. This book will create fascination in you for the time and place, even if you thought you were not so interested! "
— Sandy, 1/19/2014 -
" A great history of the liberation of Paris. Like most good histories, this book is full stories that reinforce the axiom that the truth is stranger than fiction. "
— Mike, 1/15/2014 -
" I read this as a kid but I remember feeling breathless from the events described and amazed by the people involved. "
— Jaime, 1/9/2014 -
" Every few years I read this book again. It's not the writing that I give a 5: it's the comprehensive (non-fiction) telling of what life was like in occupied Paris that I can never get enough of. Makes my imagination go wild. "
— Amy, 1/4/2014 -
" Amazing story of what almost was durng WWII. "
— Jodi, 12/25/2013 -
" Fascinating account of the saving of Paris toward the end of WW 2 "
— Kai, 11/27/2013 -
" Gripping documentary-style nonfiction about the liberation of Paris during World War II, and how close the city came to be destroyed by the retreating German army. "
— Mark, 11/4/2013 -
" Fascinating historical account of a German officer's decisions in the months immediately preceding the liberation of Paris by the Allies. A must read for students of WWII. "
— Elizabeth, 11/3/2013 -
" Thank you mom, for recommending this great read. This is a must read for......everyone. "
— Kirk, 7/29/2013 -
" Read this book in college, got it from the college library (reissued like 10 times). Liked it lot. "
— Rohit, 4/22/2013 -
" Terrifiic and well researched account by a team of wonderful writers. "
— Louise, 3/26/2013 -
" Insanely well-researched play-by-play account of Paris' liberation from the 3rd Reich. The story is suspenseful and gripping. Sometimes the details became burdensome, but not enough to prevent a solid endorsement. I had no idea how close Paris was to destruction. "
— Mark, 12/3/2012 -
" Deep characters, riveting narrative, suspenseful plot: And it's non-fiction! One of the great, true tales of WWII! "
— Garnett, 8/7/2012 -
" Outstanding story of the liberation of Paris. reminiscent of The Longest Day to me with more political and social context. "
— James, 6/5/2012 -
" Fascinating look at the German occupation of Paris that loses steam as the city nears liberation. "
— J, 5/24/2012 -
" Dominique LaPierre Hitler's death sentence to the city of Paris in 1944 nearly happened. An extraordinary series of events, fastidiously researched here, saved the city from what Hitler wanted to leave to the Allies "nothing but a field of ruins." "
— Eddy, 3/19/2012 -
" Another 5 star from collins and La pierre. This is a spectacular book about the liberation of Paris during World War II and is thrilling and all true. I loved it. "
— Caroline, 2/16/2012 -
" Authors brought a really good "historical fiction" narrative/voice to this non-fiction history. Made the book very readable.. to the point that I nearly sympathized with a Nazi. "
— Matthew, 1/31/2012 -
" This was a great book about the liberation of France during WWII. It started off slow but I was drawn in by this amazing piece of history. Ernest Hemingway is also part of this extraordinary time. "
— Carlos, 12/19/2011 -
" Fascinating story of how Paris escaped destruction at the hands of the Army of the Third Reich. So well written that I still remember it after more than 40 years since last reading. Fictionalized history from the end of WWII. "
— Peter, 12/7/2011 -
" In reading the last part of the book, it was fun to discover that the German general in Paris surrendered the city of Paris to the great uncle of my then boss. My boss and I had something fun to discuss. "
— John, 12/3/2011 -
" Interesting subject but waaaay too much detail...couldn't finish! "
— Amy, 7/1/2011 -
" Gripping documentary-style nonfiction about the liberation of Paris during World War II, and how close the city came to be destroyed by the retreating German forces. "
— Mark, 5/1/2011 -
" Just started this most recent pick for book club. So far, I'm not riveted but we'll see how it goes... <br/> <br/>I made it about 60 pages or so before I gave up on this one. "
— Christine, 4/5/2011 -
" Just a great read; a non-fictional account of the liberation of Paris that reads like the best thriller. "
— Edmond, 3/24/2011 -
" Thank you mom, for recommending this great read. This is a must read for......everyone. "
— Kirk, 3/21/2011 -
" Insanely well-researched play-by-play account of Paris' liberation from the 3rd Reich. The story is suspenseful and gripping. Sometimes the details became burdensome, but not enough to prevent a solid endorsement. I had no idea how close Paris was to destruction. "
— Mark, 3/19/2011 -
" Great story, great book! "
— Karel, 12/5/2010 -
" In reading the last part of the book, it was fun to discover that the German general in Paris surrendered the city of Paris to the great uncle of my then boss. My boss and I had something fun to discuss. "
— John, 10/7/2010 -
" Every few years I read this book again. It's not the writing that I give a 5: it's the comprehensive (non-fiction) telling of what life was like in occupied Paris that I can never get enough of. Makes my imagination go wild. "
— Amy, 7/21/2010 -
" Authors brought a really good "historical fiction" narrative/voice to this non-fiction history. Made the book very readable.. to the point that I nearly sympathized with a Nazi. "
— Matthew, 1/8/2010 -
" Deep characters, riveting narrative, suspenseful plot: And it's non-fiction! One of the great, true tales of WWII! "
— Garnett, 12/2/2009 -
" I read this as a kid but I remember feeling breathless from the events described and amazed by the people involved. "
— Jaime, 10/2/2009 -
" Interesting subject but waaaay too much detail...couldn't finish! "
— Amy, 8/20/2009
About the Authors
Larry Collins (1929–2005) was born and raised in West Hartford, Connecticut, and was a graduate of Yale University. He was for more than ten years a foreign correspondent in North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, first for UPI and then for Newsweek, for which he was Paris bureau chief.
Dominique Lapierre was for many years senior reporter and editor for Paris Match. He is the author of several earlier books published in France, some of them based on his knowledge of the United States, where he attended Lafayette College and where his father served with the French diplomatic service.
About Frederick Davidson
Frederick Davidson (1932–2005), also known as David Case, was one of the most prolific readers in the audiobook industry, recording more than eight hundred audiobooks in his lifetime, including over two hundred for Blackstone Audio. Born in London, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and performed for many years in radio plays for the British Broadcasting Company before coming to America in 1976. He received AudioFile’s Golden Voice Award and numerous Earphones Awards and was nominated for a Grammy for his readings.