Eusebius

I have read almost all of Anthony Beevor production, and i have to say that this is the one I have liked the most. The fact that I 'read' it in audio book form this time did not diminish the power of the narrative. The speaker is fluent, knows how to adapt his tone (and his pronunciation) to the story, and makes the many hours of the book pass quickly.

With his trademark mix of the macro events analysis, with the many minute details of the down to earth reality of the war, told in a matter of fact way, Beevor has composed a powerful picture of the unspeakable horrors of the war, and how life became so, so cheap. And at the same time he lets the reader appreciate the consequences of the different leadership styles, and the difficulty to make decisions with imperfect information while balancing conficting forces and interests.

So be aware, this book may leave you a strong impression that will stay with you for a long time.

My best audiobook so far. The well crafted story, cleverly told, and, above all, the excellent dramatization of the different characters, their accents and expressions, which made the whole book seem so real. I also appreciated the sense of irony when looking at our current world, and in this respect (social/geopolitical subtle critique) is a great sci-fi book. It made me think about countries, organizations, survival, etc. almost as much as my previous listen, the economics best seller 'Why nations fail'

I used to entertain myself during the long runs needed to train for my 14th marathon, and they have never been so enjoyable!

In short, I reccommend it warmly to everyone.