• The Longest Day

  • June 6, 1944
  • By: Cornelius Ryan
  • Narrated by: Clive Chafer
  • Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,164 ratings)

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The Longest Day  By  cover art

The Longest Day

By: Cornelius Ryan
Narrated by: Clive Chafer
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Publisher's summary

The classic account of the Allied invasion of Normandy....

The Longest Day is Cornelius Ryan’s unsurpassed account of D-day, a book that endures as a masterpiece of military history. In this compelling tale of courage and heroism, glory and tragedy, Ryan painstakingly re-creates the fateful hours that preceded and followed the massive invasion of Normandy to retell the story of an epic battle that would turn the tide against world fascism and free Europe from the grip of Nazi Germany.

This book, first published in 1959, is a must for anyone who loves history, as well as for anyone who wants to better understand how free nations prevailed at a time when darkness enshrouded the earth.

©1959 Cornelius Ryan; 1987 by Kathryn Morgan Ryan, Victoria Ryan Baida, and Geoffrey J. M. Ryan (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

“What I write about is not war but the courage of man.” (Cornelius Ryan)
“Fifty years from now, the history of D-day, I am sure, will lean heavily on this book.” ( New York Times Book Review)
“A dramatic, moving masterpiece, a living memorial to the men who died, and as suspenseful as the most gripping mystery story.” ( Chicago Sunday Tribune)

What listeners say about The Longest Day

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

Horrendous narration makes it impossible to listen

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A different narration.

What didn’t you like about Clive Chafer’s performance?

Every sentence dragged on with the exact same rhythm. How can you make such
interesting material so impossible to bear????

Any additional comments?

This is one of the saddest disappointments I have ever experienced on Audible.

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34 people found this helpful

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

Seen the movie? Read the book: it is worth it

Any additional comments?

Have you seen the movie? They make such a prominent statement in the opening credits that it is "based on the book by Cornelius Ryan" that I've always had a mind to read it.

After all, while the story is epic, the movie just "tries too hard" in parts. Isn't the breaching of Fortress Europe enough of a plot? No! Movie-goers also need a schmaltzy love story too. Surely the book can't be that contrived?

The good news is that it is not. It shares the "tell a story through a mosaic of slice-of-life vignettes" approach, yet does it with compelling integrity. It is gritty and unrelenting; sometimes poignant, but always authentic. The book's most rewarding and fascinating aspect is how it shows in rich detail the diverse impact of action and inaction, decision and indecision - and often just plain luck - in the final outcome of the day.

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21 people found this helpful

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

OMG....kill me now.....

Would you be willing to try another one of Clive Chafer’s performances?

NEVER!!!

Any additional comments?

I could not get past Chapter 2.... The narrator was sooooo monotone and drove me to rip my earphones out.....

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20 people found this helpful

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

An Unsurpassed Account of D-Day

The most surprising thing about Cornelius Ryan’s D-Day classic The Longest Day is how short it is. This, combined with Ryan’s novelistic writing style, made for a surprisingly quick read.

Ryan flew along on bomber missions with the U.S. Air Force and was later embedded with General Patton’s Third Army. When he decided to write about D-Day, he and a team of researchers sent questionnaires around the globe. These went to all manner of participant, from the German high command to French Resistance members to ordinary civilians. According to Ryan, a thousand interviews were collected, collated, cross-checked, and then bolstered with further questions.

The ground-level storytelling is so propulsive you don’t really stop to think how all these disparate anecdotes twine together to form a historical result. Ryan’s style is such that you can be absorbed into these accounts despite having no idea – spatially, temporally – where many of these individual actions are taking place.

Overall: The author does history a great service by showing it for the endlessly fascinating thing that it is. History should never be boring. History is life, only yesterday. Ryan’s version of D-Day will be read and reread as long as people care about World War II.

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18 people found this helpful

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

Excellent book, unpleasant narration voice

This is an exceptional written work. Unfortunately I found the narrator's voice to be so unpleasant that I was unable to listen to the entire book.

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16 people found this helpful

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

Great book

Had a little problem with the reader. He was much to slow and deliberate for me. Once I upped his speed to 1.25, everything was fine. Interesting story of one of the most important days in World War II history. Well researched as well as well written.


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9 people found this helpful

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

a different take

This book gives a different take on the d day landings. Using interviews and letter etc it tells the story from the thoughts and feelings of those involved. A very good listen.

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9 people found this helpful

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

Great story, infuriating narration

The narration was horribly, infuriatingly irritating! I somehow reached the end...driven by great story. But, wow, it was difficult!

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8 people found this helpful

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

Good Book, Performance So So

Excellent book, but the reading leaves much to be desired. Droning, without much inflection. Very moving, all the same.

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5 people found this helpful

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

A long awaited story now being told

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

All Americans need to understand the sacrifices made by our servicemen on 6 June 1944 as they stormed the beaches of Normandy. I have waited for many years to finally obtain an audio version of this book. A must for all students of History.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Longest Day?

Cornelius Ryan weaving the story of Private Arthur B.

What does Clive Chafer bring to the story that you wouldn???t experience if you just read the book?

His very distinct accent added to the narration.

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

Came very close to tears when listening to what happened to our guys at Sainte Mere Eglise.

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5 people found this helpful