A Traveler's Guide to D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (Paperback)

by Carl Shilleto (Author), Mike Tolhurst (Author) "MAJOR GENERAL DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, known as "Ike" to his friends and colleagues, received his third star on July 7, 1942..." (more)
Key Phrases: duplex drive, beach exit, beach defenses, Pointe du Hoc, Lieutenant General, Panzer Division (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
These insightful new titles represent a good start to a unique travel series that attempts to re-create some of the fiercest and most critical battles of World War II through photographs, maps, eyewitness quotes, and captivating narratives. Shilleto (The Fighting Fifty-Second) and Tolhurst (The Battle of the Bulge) reconstruct the scenes and mood of the crucial battles of Normandy, France, and tell the reader where to go and how to get there, providing information on museums, monuments, cemeteries, memorials, and statues. Whiting, a distinguished military writer and historian who saw combat himself, describes battles in which the resolve of the Allies was tested and a revitalized German army emerged amidst an elaborate system of defenses, eventually loosing to a superior allied force. He captures the flow of events and sentiments as he guides the tourist through selected sites on a battlefront 400 miles long and 70 miles deep. Both guides retain a historical sensitivity that one hopes will be a hallmark of the entire series; even though they are intended for tourists, they still succeed in fully conveying the ordeal of combat. Historically enlightening, touristically informative, educational, thorough, and enjoyable, these books are recommended for all libraries.DEdward K. Owusu-Ansah, Murray State Univ. Lib., KY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
The Traveller's Guides give information about museums, sites, memorials, statues and cemetaries; they tell you how to get there and what to see; they offer maps and photographs, and they contain comprehsenive accounts of major battles. But, more than that, the Traveller's Guides help us understand what it was like to have endured the ordeal of combat. Through their own words we learn the feelings of the young men of many nationalities who fought and died there. What were their private thoughts and fears? Their personal memories? Contemporary eyewitness accounts, woven into the fabric of each title give the series an immediacy and vividness that marks a new departure. A Traveller's Guide to D-Day and the Battle for Normandy covers the period from June to August 1944 when the Allies stormed ashore, fought their way through the bocage country of Normandy and eventually broke out to control much of northern France. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 191 pages
• Publisher: Interlink Books; 3 edition (April 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566565553
• ISBN-13: 978-1566565554
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #40,721 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #9 in	Books > History > Military > World War II > Normandy
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating read, June 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A Traveller's Guide to D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (The Traveller's Guides to the Battles & Battlefields of Ww II) (Paperback)

What makes this book stand out for me is the eyewitness reports, which are dotted throughout as you read this account of the D-Day landings. They bring alive the personal experiences of those who fought and help the reader appreciate the scarifices made.

The book is a nice mix of the history of this particular military campaign, and what the traveller to Normandy can hope to see today. This means the book is a good read for either the armchair military buff or the interested tourist.

Lots of photos and clear maps also add to this very good and highly readable book.

50 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Take this One With You, October 4, 2000

By	Tonya Graham (San Marcos, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Traveller's Guide to D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (The Traveller's Guides to the Battles & Battlefields of Ww II) (Paperback)

This is a great guide to take with you on a trip to Normandy. I carried it with me throughout my tours and was able to read aloud about the events that took place-standing on Omaha Beach and reading about the various divisions that struggled where I stood was of great value to myself and my husband.

The eyewitness accounts bring it to life as well.

If you plan on touring the D Day beaches and sites, bring this one with you!

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Help Along the Way of Liberty, April 17, 2004

By	Kelly L. Norman "lil rock & roller" (Plymouth, MI United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: A Traveler's Guide to D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (The Travellerªs Guides to the Battles & Battlefields of Wwii) (Paperback)

Mike Tolhurst's father fought in the battle for Normandy. Perhaps that is why the narrative portion of this book reads with such emotion, not just military matter-of-factness. This book would succeed, I believe, simply as an account of this part of the war, even without the "travel guide" aspects. Eyewitness accounts and quotes from German as well as Allied soldiers bring what was happening to life.

I had already decided to go to Normandy when I purchased this book. But it was invaluable in helping me decide which places to see, since I knew my time would be limited. Each chapter consists of a narrative of part of the battle, then an accompanying suggested tour which touches on cities and places mentioned in that chapter. I ended up not following the plans exactly, but still basing my choices of places to go on the authors' narratives.

I found Normandy to be beautiful and welcoming, and would recommend that every American, Canadian and UK native visit these sites if you can, most especially if a relative fought in the war. If you do you'll need some guidance as to what to see and where it is, and this book will help a great deal.