Customer Reviews

Eclipse

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One of WWII's leading correspondents here describes the Allied push onto mainland Europe and the subsequent drive for Berlin. The book is not a blow-by-blow account of the military maneuvers, but rather a series of anecdotal impressions of the soldiers, the people, and the ebb and flow of war covering Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and finally Germany. Published in 1945, it's fairly interesting if only because Moorehead doesn't write from the armchair long after the fact. For anyone interested in the war, it's a worthwhile read, although it begs for more maps (which the new Soho edition may have).

I enjoyed this book immensely. Moorehead writes of his wartime experiences in a vivid and personal way. He has the ability to tell what is happening, his reaction to the events, and what he thinks the future holds. Fascinating reporting and reflectons. His prose flows and I was swept along by it.

Moorehead was first and foremost a supremely talented writer. This book is chiefly an account of his experiences following the Allied advance, as much memoir as reportage. The most vivid passages are set in Italy. No other book gives such an immediate feeling for the time and place.

This book is incredibly "readable" - that is it is in journalistic style. It is authentic - dates from WWII when the American and British troops drove into Italy, France and Germany offensively. It has so many interesting chapters it is truly a "page turner." Only one regret - it ends too soon. Read other Moorehead books - they are good but Eclipse is the best. My book club enjoyed it immensely. Eleanor Hannemann

Moorehead brings the risk and result of WWII's European Theatre warfare into clear and concise presentation. This work must be one of the most effective accounts of the fight, as it proves both accessible and deep. The author maintains an unbiased and wide-ranging perspective upon events while capturing the horror and heroism inherent to battle. While a fan of Stephen Ambrose's works, I must say that Moorehead -- as a first-hand witness -- provides landscapes and portraits of WWII unrivaled by any historical author.