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Six Armies in Normandy: From D-Day to the Liberation of Paris, June 6th–August 25th, 1944 Audiobook
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(3.01) - 1,694 listener ratings
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In burnished, driving prose, John Keegan chronicles the 1944 invasion of Normandy, from D-day to the liberation of Paris. At the same time, he furthers his exploration of the "role which warfare and its institutions play in social life" by showing how each of the six armies, while resembling one another in purpose and authority, is a mirror of its own nation's values. Each army is shown at successive stages of the invasion in a battle sequence testing them to the utmost: the Americans in their terrifying night drop on the eve of landings, the Canadians at the Omaha beachhead, the English savagely fighting their way inland, the Germans in their surprisingly strong resistance, the Poles in exile desperately blocking the German escape route, and the French at last liberating their City of Light. This extraordinary book is a shining addition to the dramatic literature of men at war.
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"A book about the armies that invaded and then liberated France in the 2nd world war. This book paints a good picture of everyday life of soldiers and officiers during the war and illustrates some of the strategic points made by the generals (both axis and allies) at that time."
— Collin (4 out of 5 stars)
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“[An] innovative approach…Keegan is a skilled writer and his battle accounts are stirring. But beyond the vivid battle stories, this is also a book that will engage intellectually those who study battles and tactics, as well as the diplomatic activity that was necessary for the Allied victory in the Second World War’s European theater of operations.”
— Robert McNamara (Amazon.com, editorial review) -
“Very dramatic…Very well done…A book which conjures romance from some very hard fighting.”
— New York Review of Books -
“[John Keegan] writes about war better than almost anyone in our century.”
— Washington Post Book World -
“The story of this vast, complex, and risky amphibious assault, and the campaign which followed, has been told many times but never better than by John Keegan.”
— Wall Street Journal -
“Keegan’s brilliantly written account of the Allied invasion of France in 1944 is peppered with the author’s childhood recollections, memorable prose, inspiring vocabulary, and expert commentary on the experience of and strategies behind this vital campaign.”
— AudioFile -
“Williams superbly makes an intelligent and humane piece of scholarship come alive.”
— Booklist -
“The oft-told story of the British-American Second Front debate is recast, compellingly, in terms of salient individuals…The character of national armies, the play of chance and circumstance, the imperatives of technology and strategy—all are brilliantly interwoven and elaborated. If anyone can convert the thoughtful reader to ‘war books,’ it will be Keegan.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Six Armies in Normandy Listener Reviews
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Eric Keevel, 7/5/2021
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" John Keegan one of the most respected historians of the II World War gives a breakdown of what the six armies who fought the battle of Normandy did and how they performed. A book that is a must for those interested in the Battle of Normandy. "
— Lawrence, 1/18/2014 -
" Disappointing. Had some good moments but this schematic structure is obtrusive. The French section seemed particularly unheroic. "
— Mejix, 1/11/2014 -
" John Keegan one of the most respected historians of the II World War gives a breakdown of what the six armies who fought the battle of Normandy did and how they performed. A book that is a must for those interested in the Battle of Normandy. "
— Lawrence, 12/20/2013 -
" These are the unvarnished facts! "
— Daniel, 9/16/2013 -
" World War II and the D-Day invasion seem so pat nowadays - a sort of grand inevitability - but it took a huge maount of coalition building and horse trading among FDR, Churchil, Marshall, Malenkov, and Brit generals to make it happen. "
— George, 8/13/2013 -
" Begining was slow and the end in French was hard to follow sometimes, but the middle was good and interesting. "
— Stephen, 8/4/2013 -
" Keegan's good, just a little dry. "
— Edward, 6/11/2013 -
" These are the unvarnished facts! "
— Daniel, 5/13/2013 -
" World War II and the D-Day invasion seem so pat nowadays - a sort of grand inevitability - but it took a huge maount of coalition building and horse trading among FDR, Churchil, Marshall, Malenkov, and Brit generals to make it happen. "
— George, 3/10/2013 -
" Disappointing. Had some good moments but this schematic structure is obtrusive. The French section seemed particularly unheroic. "
— Mejix, 2/12/2013 -
" Begining was slow and the end in French was hard to follow sometimes, but the middle was good and interesting. "
— Stephen, 1/18/2013 -
" The organization of the book is a bit clunky, but one of the sections does a good job describing the Canadian contribution. Keegan is not Canadian; his approach is more dispassionate than more home-spun and gushing/patriotic stories I've read about Juno and the Falaise Gap. "
— Dave, 11/27/2012 -
" A book about the armies that invaded and then liberated France in the 2nd world war. This book paints a good picture of everyday life of soldiers and officiers during the war and illustrates some of the strategic points made by the generals (both axis and allies) at that time. "
— Collin, 5/1/2011 -
" The organization of the book is a bit clunky, but one of the sections does a good job describing the Canadian contribution. Keegan is not Canadian; his approach is more dispassionate than more home-spun and gushing/patriotic stories I've read about Juno and the Falaise Gap. "
— Dave, 11/21/2010 -
" Keegan's good, just a little dry. "
— Edward, 5/22/2010 -
" Begining was slow and the end in French was hard to follow sometimes, but the middle was good and interesting. "
— Stephen, 3/17/2010 -
" World War II and the D-Day invasion seem so pat nowadays - a sort of grand inevitability - but it took a huge maount of coalition building and horse trading among FDR, Churchil, Marshall, Malenkov, and Brit generals to make it happen. "
— George, 11/15/2009 -
" These are the unvarnished facts! "
— Daniel, 12/8/2007 -
" The organization of the book is a bit clunky, but one of the sections does a good job describing the Canadian contribution. Keegan is not Canadian; his approach is more dispassionate than more home-spun and gushing/patriotic stories I've read about Juno and the Falaise Gap. "
— Dave, 6/21/2007
About John Keegan
John Keegan is the defense editor of the Daily Telegraph (London) and Britain’s foremost military historian. He is the author of many bestselling books, including The First World War, Intelligence in War, and The Battle for History. He lives in Wiltshire, England.
About Fred Williams
Fred Williams, a graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, works in theater, film, television, and radio in England, Ireland, and America. Besides narrating audiobooks, he is a performer in living-history reenactments, an archer, and a poet.