Thom reviewed A Bridge Too Far by Cornelius Ryan
Review of 'A Bridge Too Far' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Completed thirty years after the battle, A Bridge Too Far has complete coverage of Operation Market Garden, from the discussions leading up to it through the aftermath and results. This was Ryan's last book (cancer) and exceedingly well researched, though perhaps a little too complete.
Personal recollections, military records, and sources from both sides of the battle make this volume an excellent resource. Unfortunately, so much information can drag down the narrative a little; perhaps some of it belonged in an appendix or end notes. The author also used this platform to debunk other books written about the event that had or propagated erroneous information.
Some have reported that prior to the mid 1970s, this battle didn't get the sort of coverage or attention that others did, perhaps because it was not an allied win. I couldn't say before that point, but have seen plenty of coverage since, especially in …
Completed thirty years after the battle, A Bridge Too Far has complete coverage of Operation Market Garden, from the discussions leading up to it through the aftermath and results. This was Ryan's last book (cancer) and exceedingly well researched, though perhaps a little too complete.
Personal recollections, military records, and sources from both sides of the battle make this volume an excellent resource. Unfortunately, so much information can drag down the narrative a little; perhaps some of it belonged in an appendix or end notes. The author also used this platform to debunk other books written about the event that had or propagated erroneous information.
Some have reported that prior to the mid 1970s, this battle didn't get the sort of coverage or attention that others did, perhaps because it was not an allied win. I couldn't say before that point, but have seen plenty of coverage since, especially in excellent war games by Avalon Hill and others. Reading this book helped fill in some of the gaps, and it was well written with style and even humor. Recommended to those with an interest in the event.