The Longest Day

June 6, 1944

By: Cornelius Ryan

Narrated by: Clive Chafer

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.

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)

Great Dday book

Great account of D-day. Narration was a bit dry. Loved hearing both side of the story. Need three more words

The classic version of the Normandy assault - 1944

Another great work from Cornelius Ryan. An excellent reading by Clive Chafer. The 1962 film borrowed much and changed around some of what really happened on that day of days. From the Leaders of the Axis and Allied powers down to the privates, NCOs, and company grade officers on both sides who struggled in this titanic battle to free Europe from the grip of Nazi terror or try to hold on to it. One of the saddest parts of the book comes near the end, the way the Nazis handled prisoners. Cornelius Ryan also wrote The Last Battle and A Bridge Too Far.

The Definitive Account of DDay

No fluff. Chilling facts. I thought I knew everything about DDay until I read this. A must for all folks interested in WW2.

LibreVox?

Pretty stodgy narration, reminiscent of a LibriVox recording. Despite the magnificent story, the almost droning pace lack of inflection were not what I had expected.

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.