The Guns at Last Light

The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945

By: Rick Atkinson

Narrated by: L. J. Ganser

Length: 32 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

The eagerly awaited final volume in Pulitzer Prize-winner Rick Atkinson's New York Times best-selling Liberation Trilogy.

It is the 20th century's unrivaled epic: At a staggering price, the United States and its allies liberated Europe and vanquished Hitler. In the first two volumes of his best-selling Liberation Trilogy, Rick Atkinson recounted the history of how the American-led coalition fought its way from North Africa and Italy to the threshold of victory. Now he tells the most dramatic story of all - the titanic battle in Western Europe.

D-Day marked the commencement of the war's final campaign, and Atkinson's astonishingly fresh account of that enormous gamble sets the pace for the masterly narrative that follows. The brutal fight in Normandy, the liberation of Paris, the disaster that was Market Garden, the horrific Battle of the Bulge, and finally the thrust to the heart of the Third Reich - all these historic moments come utterly alive. Atkinson tells the tale from the perspective of participants at all levels, from presidents and prime ministers to ambitious generals, from war-weary lieutenants to terrified teenage riflemen. When Germany at last surrenders, we understand anew both the devastating cost of this global conflagration and the awe-inspiring effort that led to Germany's surrender.

With the stirring final volume of this monumental trilogy, Rick Atkinson's remarkable accomplishment is manifest. He has produced the definitive chronicle of the war that restored freedom to the West. His lively, occasionally lyric prose brings the vast theater of battle, from the beaches of Normandy deep into Germany, brilliantly alive. It is hard to imagine a better history of the western front's final phase.

©2013 Rich Atkinson (P)2013 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"Superb… The book is distinguished by its astonishing range of coverage… [Atkinson’s] lively, occasionally lyric prose brings the vast theater of battle, from the beaches of Normandy deep into Germany, brilliantly alive. It is hard to imagine a better history of the western front’s final phase." ( Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"[An] extraordinary accomplishment. This is a beautifully written, moving account of one of the most bittersweet chapters in modern history… The details build a stunning and precise account of major movements—from Normandy to Paris, from the South of France to Grenoble—and close-up portraits of famous figures that make them living, breathing beings." ( Smithsonian Magazine)

"Superb… The book is distinguished by its astonishing range of coverage… [Atkinson’s] lively, occasionally lyric prose brings the vast theater of battle, from the beaches of Normandy deep into Germany, brilliantly alive. It is hard to imagine a better history of the western front’s final phase." ( Publishers Weekly, starred review)

Excellent End to a Fantastic Series

Would you consider the audio edition of The Guns at Last Light to be better than the print version?

N/A... never read the print version!

What other book might you compare The Guns at Last Light to and why?

WWII books by Antony Beevor - same subject, though different styles.

What about L. J. Ganser’s performance did you like?

Great energy - his style fits the material.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

"Moved" isn't the right word... but I appreciate that I learned several new things about the Allies march across Western Europe.

Any additional comments?

If you have any interest in WWII, this is a no-brainer...

You Are There.. and will be a supply expert

Wow. Yet again, Mr. Atkinson does a superb job of taking the listener on a wide journey from D-Day to the end of the war. Cannot suggest this book high enough BUT be aware... you will listen to all of Rick's knowledge and findings about all the statistics about this crusade in Europe. You will feel like a soldier and boy will you be exhausted but way smarter. Excellent narration.

Outstanding

My dad flew as a nose gunner in a B24 from Italy on 50 bombing missions. He made his great personal effort for the country he loved and cherished.
Rick Atkinson connects the small dots of individual contributions into the mighty force of freedom that defeated the fascists. His three volume history on the Allied war in Europe is a masterpiece.

Worth a listen, as a good overview

While any book about as great a timeframe as the last 12 months in Western Europe during the Second World War is going to be by its very nature more of an overview, Atkinson does a very good job of making that overview informative and does not gloss over the horrible nature of the conflict, the atrocities committed by the axis, nor the misconduct and misbehavior that occurred on the allied side as the war in Europe came to its bloody close. It’s a subject touched over by historians again and again, and while much of the information isn’t new, it is told in a way that is digestible and engaging.

Very engaging..

Narrator is first rate, except for some difficulty in pronouncing French and German place names... Pace of the book is always fast and engaging, details from historical archives add colour and reality to the terrible war experiences recounted.

Poor reader

Reader mispronounced so many simple words I lost count. This was very distracting. Story was good.

Wonderful research, but where did it happen?

The author's scholarship and style is commendable. His book is an insightful, moving, and detailed account of these great moments in world history. But it is history. And history is linked to geography. The narrator phrases clearly but too often leaves you with no idea where these events take place because the proper pronunciation of too many of these foreign place names escapes him entirely. This production is sinfully sloppy. Do listen to the book, but check with a map and an audible source of foreign place names or your friends will laugh should you discuss what you've learned. And you will learn a lot.

Excellent book. Mediocre narration.

The narrator, who was good in every other respect, ruined this book for me with his constant mispronunciation of European place names or the names of some of the key generals. Honestly, if you don't do any research as a narrator, don't be a narrator. Funny enough, he did fine with the German names, but his butchery of Dutch, Flemish, and French still irks me a week after finishing this brilliant book.

Incredible book...exceptional narrator as well

A necessary read for any student of military history. Atkinson's book is well researched and compelling. The narration by Ganser immerses the reader directly into the war and the minds of those who lived it.

Five star finale

What did you love best about The Guns at Last Light?

Great end to the liberation trilogy

What did you like best about this story?

It combines discussions of grand strategy and the realities of the foxhole. It is a realistic (warts and all) story of the liberation of Western Europe. It illuminates the great heroism and wisdom, as well as the folly, of the victors. Many recent depictions of this familar story gloss over many instances of wate, foolishness and venality of the Western Allies. Making the Allies human does not diminish the heroism-it only enhances it.

What does L. J. Ganser bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great read. He understands the subjec matter which shows in the reading.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The many instances of the sheer (and unnecessary) waste of human life in all too many cases drove me to tears.