History scholars/buffs: please tell me...
August 9, 2014 3:07 AM Subscribe
...your favourite books about the Normandy Invasion. This is purely for my own interest. If you can recommend something with a Canadian perspective, all the better, but not absolutely necessary. Thanks so much.
Best answer: There is an endless number of books about D-Day, but Beevor's is pretty comprehensive. It's really good. My only complaint with Beevor is that his prose can be pretty bland.
On the other hand, a book that I keep coming back to over and over again is John Keegan's Six Armies in Normandy.
For one thing, Keegan (RIP) is an excellent writer, not only in terms of his prose style, but because he also spends a lot of time writing about the psychology and motivations of his subjects, from the commanding generals to the foot soldiers.
With Six Armies in Normandy, he also writes about the Canadians in Normandy (they're one of those "six armies"). It is a fantastic book and Beevor and Keegan's books can be read together, with Beevor filling in some of the more fine details.
As I recall, Beevor studied under Keegan at either Sandhurst, so there is definitely some Keegan DNA in all of Beevor's books.
posted by Nevin at 10:18 AM on August 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
On the other hand, a book that I keep coming back to over and over again is John Keegan's Six Armies in Normandy.
For one thing, Keegan (RIP) is an excellent writer, not only in terms of his prose style, but because he also spends a lot of time writing about the psychology and motivations of his subjects, from the commanding generals to the foot soldiers.
With Six Armies in Normandy, he also writes about the Canadians in Normandy (they're one of those "six armies"). It is a fantastic book and Beevor and Keegan's books can be read together, with Beevor filling in some of the more fine details.
As I recall, Beevor studied under Keegan at either Sandhurst, so there is definitely some Keegan DNA in all of Beevor's books.
posted by Nevin at 10:18 AM on August 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you very much, jillithd and Nevin!
I will def. check out Beevor and Keegan.
posted by SpecialSpaghettiBowl at 3:16 PM on August 9, 2014
I will def. check out Beevor and Keegan.
posted by SpecialSpaghettiBowl at 3:16 PM on August 9, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jillithd at 8:52 AM on August 9, 2014