• A Time for Trumpets

  • The Untold Story of the Battle of the Bulge
  • By: Charles B. MacDonald
  • Narrated by: Traber Burns
  • Length: 28 hrs and 39 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (497 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
A Time for Trumpets  By  cover art

A Time for Trumpets

By: Charles B. MacDonald
Narrated by: Traber Burns
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $23.36

Buy for $23.36

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

On December 16, 1944, the vanguard of three German armies, totaling half a million men, attacked US forces in the Ardennes region of Belgium and Luxembourg, achieving what had been considered impossible - total surprise. In the most abysmal failure of battlefield intelligence in the history of the US Army, 600,000 American soldiers found themselves facing Hitler's last desperate effort of the war.

The brutal confrontation that ensued became known as the Battle of the Bulge, the greatest battle ever fought by the US Army - a triumph of American ingenuity and dedication over an egregious failure in strategic intelligence. A Time for Trumpets is the definitive account of this dramatic victory, told by one of America's most respected military historians, who was also an eyewitness: MacDonald commanded a rifle company in the Battle of the Bulge. His account of this unique battle is exhaustively researched, honestly recounted, and movingly authentic in its depiction of hand-to-hand combat.

Mingling firsthand experience with the insights of a distinguished historian, MacDonald places this profound human drama unforgettably on the landscape of history.

©1985 Charles B. MacDonald (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about A Time for Trumpets

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    325
  • 4 Stars
    122
  • 3 Stars
    40
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    4
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    295
  • 4 Stars
    107
  • 3 Stars
    34
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    5
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    308
  • 4 Stars
    99
  • 3 Stars
    30
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding history

This is a highly detailed account of the Battle of the Bulge, perhaps the greatest single battle in American history. It incorporates grand strategy with individual accounts of soldiers and small units to make it both interesting and comprehensive.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The Battle of the Bulge 201

Being a Baby Boomer (1948), and having the honor of knowing many of the veterans of the Big One (WW II); I have had a burning curiosity of the war in the European and the Pacific fronts. Most veterans would not discuss their experiences when I was younger but would very occasionally tell of the heroics of others.
I knew some heroes from the Bulge campaign so it has held a special place. I thought I knew a lot about it until I listened to this book.
The history is direct, straightforward with just enough insight into heroes and goats to hold your interest. One of the best features is that it was written by a well published author who actually led a rifle group in the Bulge. He spent years in research. As a historian, this version is complete and outstanding. Enjoy.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Very detailed

Would you consider the audio edition of A Time for Trumpets to be better than the print version?

Have not read the printed version.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

You would have to be a serious historian of The Battle of the Bugle to keep up with all of the locations mentioned. Printed might be better so you could take the time to look at WWll maps of the battle.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Buy the written version

This book was well written and the audio version was well narrated BUT if you aren't in front of a map or are not intimately familiar with the geography and towns around the Ardennes you will find yourself completely lost. I'm usually out for a walk, run, or even on a stair climber while I listen to audiobooks and that did not work with this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very detailed and insightful!

Great read, especially if you're new to the subject or have studied it for years. I highly recommend this book and author.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding book about the Battle of the Bulge

Well done book by Charles McDonald about a part of WWII history I did not have a good understanding of.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Reader struggled with French and German

Reader had a hard time with French and German words, detracted somewhat and was distracting

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Read like a text book

I might need to listen to it again. I love Ww2 books and stories but this read like a documented account rather than a story. That said it was good enough for me to finish it and I still gave it 4/5 stars.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

A Time for Tedium

One of the most tedious audio books I have listened to. I am sure that this would make a fine text reference but it doesn’t translate to audio. The story is so burdened with trivial details that the event and chronology is lost. I am immensely interested is the subject but this book is like standing too close to a painting, it spends so much time on the pixels that you can’t see the picture. About the time that you accept the book as an “after action report” the writer throws in an odd metaphor to try to sound creative but they are so misplaced that they sound like dry humor. If I were a historian I would own this book as a hard copy but it never should have made it to the audio list. My sympathy to the narrator for getting through it without slurring words from boredom.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

On And On And On And On And...

Definitely not my cup of tea. Maybe a great read if you are a student at West Point.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful