Best D Day book

[Martin315]

With the 80th anniversary of D Day this year, I’m planning a trip to the D-Day beaches and associated sites.

I’d like to read up on D-Day itself (although I obviously know the basic story); can anyone recommend any good books covering it?

Edited by Martin315 on Thursday 7th March 19:59

[biggiles]

How long is a piece of string?!

Normandy '44 by James Holland is good, and easy to get into.

[and31]

biggiles said:

How long is a piece of string?!

Normandy '44 by James Holland is good, and easy to get into.

Great book

[Lefty]

D Day by Antony Beevor is excellent too

[Voldemort]

The Longest Day - Cornelius Ryan

Major & Mrs Holt's Definitive Guide to the D-Day Normandy Landing Beaches

[Harpoon]

Our summer holiday next year will include some time in Normandy, so I'm currently re-reading Overlord by Max Hastings as it was already on my bookshelf. May well grab some of the other recommendations in this thread for some (potentially) different opinions.

[hidetheelephants]

biggiles said:

How long is a piece of string?!

Normandy '44 by James Holland is good, and easy to get into.

Both of those things; there as many books about it as there were people in the first wave. Ambrose's Band of Brothers is very atmospheric but beware that he was literally a storyteller.

[Martin315]

That’s why I’m asking the question. There are so many books I’m hoping to get recommendations as to which ones are worth a read and any which are to be avoided.

Some good looking recommendations so far so thanks to all for the responses.

[ShredderXLE]

Brothers in Arms by James Holland is very good.

Its about a British tank regiment using Shermans which covers the end of their war in north Africa brreifly and the main body is the D Day landings and subsequent journey through France and Belgium to the end of the war

[phil-sti]

hidetheelephants said:

biggiles said:

How long is a piece of string?!

Normandy '44 by James Holland is good, and easy to get into.

Both of those things; there as many books about it as there were people in the first wave. Ambrose's Band of Brothers is very atmospheric but beware that he was literally a storyteller.

Donald Malarkeys book is good as is Dick Winters

[and31]

ShredderXLE said:

Brothers in Arms by James Holland is very good.

Its about a British tank regiment using Shermans which covers the end of their war in north Africa brreifly and the main body is the D Day landings and subsequent journey through France and Belgium to the end of the war

Yes I enjoyed this very much

[trevalvole]

and31 said:

ShredderXLE said:

Brothers in Arms by James Holland is very good.

Its about a British tank regiment using Shermans which covers the end of their war in north Africa brreifly and the main body is the D Day landings and subsequent journey through France and Belgium to the end of the war

Yes I enjoyed this very much

Was the regiment the Sherwood Rangers? If so, then that's the one that (car) sprint champion David Render served in as detailed in his book "Tank Action", which I can recommend. However D Day is only a small part of it.

[Halmyre]

Two I got years ago; Secrets of D-Day by Gilles Perrault, the background of the intelligence 'war' leading up to D-Day; and Invasion '44 by John Frayn Turner.

[and31]

trevalvole said:

and31 said:

ShredderXLE said:

Brothers in Arms by James Holland is very good.

Its about a British tank regiment using Shermans which covers the end of their war in north Africa brreifly and the main body is the D Day landings and subsequent journey through France and Belgium to the end of the war

Yes I enjoyed this very much

Was the regiment the Sherwood Rangers? If so, then that's the one that (car) sprint champion David Render served in as detailed in his book "Tank Action", which I can recommend. However D Day is only a small part of it.

Yes it is

[Truckosaurus]

biggiles said:

Normandy '44 by James Holland.

As the title suggests the book covers the whole of the Normandy campaign not just the first day of it.

All the better for it.

[Martin315]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Have ordered Normandy 44

[hidetheelephants]

Most Secret War by R V Jones covers the whole war from the perspective of a senior government scientific advisor but large sections of it are about the preparations for D Day.