An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa (1942-1943)

The Liberation Trilogy, Volume 1

By: Rick Atkinson

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 26 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

Pulitzer Prize, History, 2003

The liberation of Europe and the destruction of the Third Reich is a story of courage and enduring triumph, of calamity and miscalculation. In this first volume of the Liberation Trilogy, Rick Atkinson shows why no modern learner can understand the ultimate victory of the Allied powers without a grasp of the great drama that unfolded in North Africa in 1942 and 1943. That first year of the Allied war was a pivotal point in American history, the moment when the United States began to act like a great power.

Beginning with the daring amphibious invasion in November 1942, An Army at Dawn follows the American and British armies as they fight the French in Morocco and Algeria, and then take on the Germans and Italians in Tunisia. Battle by battle, an inexperienced and sometimes poorly led army gradually becomes a superb fighting force. Central to the tale are the extraordinary but fallible commanders who come to dominate the battlefield: Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley, Montgomery, and Rommel.

Brilliantly researched, rich with new material and vivid insights, Atkinson's narrative provides the definitive history of the war in North Africa.

An Army at Dawn is the winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for History.

©2002 Rick Atkinson; 2013 Simon and Schuster

Thanks

Excellently researched and superbly written. Thank you for demonstrating the tremendous growth of the American army in WWII.

Informative and well presented.

Excellent background to the unfolding War. I’m impressed how well the author bound together both facts and persons. And George Guidell is a master presenter. Moving on now to books Two and Three.

Horrendous performance!

The narrator's lisping, slurring, stumbling performance, accompanied by his inability to pronounce foreign names correctly, or even consistently, coupled with a mocking, sneering tone, do no justice to this excellent story.

Amazing story told by a great author

Mr Atkinson does a great job telling the story. I also loved his analysis of some of the major players on what they learned and didn't learn from battles. This is a must read for any soldier, marine, airman and seaman. Mr Atkinson gives you a lot of knowledge about leadership and other aspects of command.

Pulitzer Prize winning spectacle

The North African campaign is one filled intrigue. Rick Atkinson’s incredibly detailed explanation of this momentous undertaking is unparalleled. It’s enthralling, heartbreaking, and hilarious at times. It encompasses all that makes is human, as all war does. George Guidall’s expert narration adds clarity and depth. One cannot recommend this highly enough. Now on to volume 2 right away!!

breathtaking

This book is beautifully written with poetic prose, exceptionally researched with graphic dense details, and gorgeously narrated by an impeccable narrator. I laughed at Patterns quotes, I cried at the soldiers' experiences and I stood in awe at the end at how it all came to together only to carry on. it was an amazing journey. I feel so much closer to my grandfather and am thankful for the opportunity to hear this book that I would have otherwise never had the time to read.

Worth a few readings!

I've listened twice now. it's a fantastic introduction to the Tunisian campaign. Highly Recommend and worth the time.

great history

excellent information and I love this narrator kept the story flowing and really set the tone for the story

One of my favorite WWII history writers

As with others in his trilogy, this is very readable and keeps your attention throughout the long book. I especially enjoyed the information on the various generals, their strengths and weaknesses. Atkinson does a great job of including quotes from letters and diaries. It was interesting to learn how the Allies felt about each other and their fighting capabilities.

A must for understanding America in WWII.

This is a gripping, entertaining and heart-wrenching epic that paints the picture of the budding Anglo-American alliance and America’s baptism by fire in the Second World War. As a military member, I find so much of its content relevant to me as a member of the profession of arms. I learned much about this oft forgotten campaign, it’s human cost, and the eventual glory of good triumphing over evil. War isn’t clean cut or in a vacuum-it affects people worldwide. I recommend this for anyone who desires to expand their knowledge of armed conflict and the great cost of war.