Review: A Bridge Too Far

Full title: A Bridge Too Far - The Classic History of the Greatest Battle of World War II
Author: Cornelius Ryan
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 670

Perhaps better known as a movie bearing the same title, A Bridge Too Far is tale of the struggle of the Allies to reach Germany in an effort to end World War II as quickly as possible.  Their plan calls for an aggressive strategy, capturing and holding a number of bridgeheads that will allow them access into Germany.  The story ultimately centers on the Dutch town of Arnhem and the struggle that was waged there for one bridge.

Ryan begins his telling of this event through the eyes of the Dutch people, who will, in a manner of speaking, host this battle.  From there, he expands to include the German and Allied planning up to the launch of Operation Market-Garden, which will have a major impact both on the war and the Dutch.  The author includes first hand accounts from participant on all sides, including civilians. In his writing, Ryan beautifully recreates the conditions during this time and allows the reader to easily identify with the people he is writing about. As the story unfolds, Ryan moves seamlessly from the viewpoint of one group to another.

Because so much of this story is told within the context of military action and the effort to move large groups of men over vast expanses of territory, the fact that the book contains many, many maps is very helpful to the reader.  Due to the sheer enormity of this battle and Ryan's efforts to provide as much information as possible, the number of people included in the book is quite large.  While it does become a bit difficult remembering who is who (especially two British officers who share the same surname), the book does include pictures of some of the more notable and note-worthy participants, which does help.  One of my favorite features (if you haven't already picked up on this from other entries) included in this book is a comprehensive list of what all those mentioned throughout were doing as of publication.

I came away from this book extremely impressed with Ryan as an author and having learned quite a bit about a part of World War II I was not previously familiar with.  While a tad long, it is an easy, riveting read and another instance in which the movie adaptation truly does not do the book justice.

Bottom line:

Would I read it again? Yes

Would I recommend this book to someone else? Yes

Review: Agent Zigzag

Full title: Agent Zigzag - A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal
Author: Ben Macintyre
Publisher: Harmony Books
Total Pages: 364

It has been said that sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. The story of Agent Zigzag is one such instance. Ben Macintyre tells the story of Eddie Chapman, a suave and debonair petty criminal, who began World War II as a prisoner and nearly ended it as one of Britain's top secret agents.

Macintyre takes the reader through the escapades of Chapman the criminal up to his arrest by the Germans. It is shortly after this point that Chapman is recruited, not by his homeland, but by the Nazis to act as a secret agent for Germany. Chapman is sent back to England with orders to sabotage a factory and to record as much useful intelligence information as possible. Upon his arrival, Chapman promptly reports himself to the British authorities as a German spy. Ever the patriot, Chapman volunteers to work as a double-agent, spying on the Germans. With the help of many within the British government, an elaborate ruse makes him appear to have accomplished his mission and he returns to the Germans, who are none the wiser. The book goes on to detail Chapman's time with the Germans and his return (a second time) to England, as well as his tangled love life.

Throughout this work, Macintyre paints an intriguing profile of a man who could be both extraordinarily likable yet decidedly deceitful. This contrast is on display throughout. Written from many first-hand accounts from those who knew or worked with Chapman, as well as Chapman himself, the book contains much research, including an interesting appendix on coding for radio messages. The book also contains an interesting assortment of pictures, both of main characters in the story, as well as prominent locations. Finally, the book concludes with a brief recounting of the lives of the main characters from the end of the war to the present.

While the story itself is, on the surface, an intriguing one, for whatever reason, I had a very difficult time reading this book. I never felt truly engaged in the story or by its characters. While it is well-written, with great description, there seemed to be almost a lack of urgency. There are several points where the plot slowed to a crawl. I did not find myself turning the pages, anxious to see what would happen next. I will admit that it is certainly possible that I entered this book with unrealistic expectations and, as such, also left it feeling unfulfilled.

Bottom line:

Would I read it again? No
Would I recommend this book to someone else? Only to those who are truly interested in espionage and/or British history.

Review: Enemy At The Gates

Full title: Enemy At The Gates - The Battle For Stalingrad
Author: William Craig
Publisher: Konekcy & Konecky
Total Pages: 457

William Craig takes readers inside one of the most infamous battles of World War II with this work. After laying some groundwork, explaining the events that lead to the battler itself, Craig meticulously lays out the events that unfolded in and around Stalingrad from August of 1942 through early February of 1943. Using first-hand accounts, this work weaves a tapestry of emotions of the military men and women who fought on both sides and also the civilians caught in the middle while presenting the facts of the battle itself.

Some may remember the movie of this same title that was released several years ago. While I am sometimes wary of reading books that have been made into major motion pictures, I was quite pleasantly surprised by Enemy At The Gates. The movie simply didn't do the book justice. I'll admit that it's been some time since I've seen the movie, but my memory is that it is primarily the story of two snipers battling in the cauldron that was Stalingrad. What took Hollywood nearly two hours to portray takes place over the course of just 4 pages in this book. There is so much more to this story outside of that duel. Craig's treatment of the battle goes far beyond and includes a wide array of participants, but not so many that the reader can't remember who is who (something I have encountered in other books). Craig does his best to tell the tale from both the German and Russian perspective. Both sides are well represented.

The author's writing style is very easy to read, even 38 plus years after its initial publication. The book contains several maps, which are helpful in illustrating troop movements and the lines that made up the front throughout the conflict, as well as pictures of the city and several key participants. Additionally, the book ends with one of my favorite features, a epilogue, which describes what happened to the survivors who were introduced to the reader throughout the book after the conclusion of the battle.

There are some graphic descriptions, both of injuries suffered by participants and of living conditions in the battle zones, that some readers may find disturbing. That being said, these details are not merely for shock value, but to help paint a true picture of the toll this battle took on all involved.

Bottom line:

Would I read it again? Yes
Would I recommend this book to someone else? Yes