Best D Day book

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Discussion

Martin315

Original Poster:

331 posts

24 months

Thursday 7th March 2024
quotequote all
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

1,924 posts

240 months

Thursday 7th March 2024
quotequote all
How long is a piece of string?!

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

and31

4,157 posts

142 months

Thursday 7th March 2024
quotequote all
biggiles said:
How long is a piece of string?!

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

Lefty

18,153 posts

217 months

Thursday 7th March 2024
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D Day by Antony Beevor is excellent too

Voldemort

6,876 posts

293 months

Thursday 7th March 2024
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The Longest Day - Cornelius Ryan

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

Harpoon

2,196 posts

229 months

Thursday 7th March 2024
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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

30,228 posts

208 months

Thursday 7th March 2024
quotequote all
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. hehe Ambrose's Band of Brothers is very atmospheric but beware that he was literally a storyteller.

Martin315

Original Poster:

331 posts

24 months

Thursday 7th March 2024
quotequote all
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

694 posts

174 months

Friday 8th March 2024
quotequote all
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

2,891 posts

194 months

Friday 8th March 2024
quotequote all
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. hehe 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

4,157 posts

142 months

Friday 8th March 2024
quotequote all
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

1,491 posts

48 months

Friday 8th March 2024
quotequote all
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

11,920 posts

154 months

Friday 8th March 2024
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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

4,157 posts

142 months

Friday 8th March 2024
quotequote all
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

12,641 posts

299 months

Monday 11th March 2024
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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

Original Poster:

331 posts

24 months

Wednesday 13th March 2024
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Thanks for all the suggestions.

Have ordered Normandy 44

hidetheelephants

30,228 posts

208 months

Wednesday 13th March 2024
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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.