The classic account of one of the most dramatic battles of World War II.A Bridge Too Far is Cornelius Ryan's masterly chronicle of the Battle of Arnhem; which marshalled the greatest armada of troop-carrying aircraft ever assembled and cost the Allies nearly twice as many casualties as D-Day. In this compelling work of history; Ryan narrates the Allied effort to end the war in Europe in 1944 by dropping the combined airborne forces of the American and British armies behind German lines to capture the crucial bridge across the Rhine at Arnhem. Focusing on a vast cast of characters—from Dutch civilians to British and American strategists to common soldiers and commanders—Ryan brings to life one of the most daring and ill-fated operations of the war. A Bridge Too Far superbly recreates the terror and suspense; the heroism and tragedy of this epic operation; which ended in bitter defeat for the Allies.
#2683 in Books Isabel Wilkerson 2011-10-04 2011-10-04Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.20 x 1.60 x 6.10l; 2.00 #File Name: 0679763880640 pagesThe Warmth of Other Suns The Epic Story of America s Great Migration
Review
654 of 670 people found the following review helpful. Deep; richly rewarding; heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.By WulfstanIsabel Wilkerson; the Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper writer; has now come back to write a fascinating and sweeping book on what she calls ""the biggest underreported story of the twentieth century."This is the story... no- make that the stories... of the "Great Migration"; the migration of sharecroppers and others from the Cotton Belt to the Big Cities: New York; Chicago; Detroit; LA and etc in the period between the World Wars. Over one million blacks left the South and went North (or West). Of course we all know the tale of the "Dust Bowl" and the "Okies"; as captured by Steinbeck in words; by Dorothea Lange in photographs; and even in song by Woody Guthrie. But this was as big or even bigger (estimates vary); and to this day the story has not been covered anywhere near as well as the "Dust Bowl" migrations.Wilkerson's book has more than ten years of research in its making; and thus is a large and weighty volume at more than 600 pages. It is also personally researched; the author having interviewed over 1;200 people. She picked three dozen of those to interview in great depth; and choose but three of those stories to present to you here.The title of this book is taken from Richard Wright's "Black Boy: A Record of Childhood and Youth": "I was taking a part of the South to transplant in alien soil; to see if it could grow differently; if it could drink of new and cool rains; bend in strange winds; respond to the warmth of other suns; and; perhaps; to bloom."http://www..com/Black-Boy-Record-Childhood-Youth/dp/0060834005 This book is a not an easy summer read; mind you. At times both heartwarming and heartbreaking; at times so riveting you won't be able to put it down- but at other times so moving that you'll need to put it down for a while.The author peppers her book with interesting side notes and anecdotes; such as when some of the migrants; being unfamiliar with a Northern accent; would mistakenly get off at the cry of "Penn Station; Newark;" the stop just before Penn Station; New York. Many decided to stay there;according to Isabel ; giving Newark "a good portion of its black population."A personal note: My Dad got his Masters on the GI Bill; then took us to Los Angeles to be a teacher. He was partnered with a more experienced teacher- a lady we called "Miz Edna" who had migrated to LA from the South. Our families became friends; as also "Miz Edna's" husband had served in New Guinea with my father (as a cook; however; remember the WWII Army was still segregated) . I remember many of her stories; and especially her rich melodic voice; with just enough of the South remaining. Thus; I "heard" many of the quotations and personal stories here in "Miz Edna's" voice.This is a deep and great book; I highly recommend it.Further reading:Arnesen; Eric. Black Protest and the Great Migration: A Brief History with DocumentsGrossman; James R. Land of Hope: Chicago; Black Southerners; and the Great MigrationLemann; Nicholas. The Promised Land: The Great Black Migration and How It Changed America0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Respect for the WriterBy Merrill PetersI have enormous respect for the author; Ms. Wilkerson's; writing style; depth of research and emotional intelligence. She so thoughtfully and thoroughly entwines history's impact or the other way around of time; culture and empathy creating almost sub-categories of immigrants that some how include us all; excepting native Americans.I should quit while I'm ahead.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. I loved it when I read it a few years agoBy Georgia ButlerThis book should be required reading for every person in the US! I loved it when I read it a few years ago; got to hear Isabel WIlkerson speak about the book and loved it even more! This book was purchased as a birthday present for a 15 year old white male.
