Rating: 
Summary: THE GREATEST BOOK EVER WRITTNE ABOUT WAR!
Review: This book is the gripping account of World War Two's most tragic battle and thats the story of the Red Devils(British Paratroopers) at Arnhem. This book covers in wonderful detail of the events of Operation Market-Garden. Ryan writes his masterpiece with hundredes of accounts from te soldiers who were accutally there. This book is packed from cover to cover with stories of heroism, courage,and bravery. Like the story of Col. Frosts small band of tough Red Devils who hold Arnhem for four days against two S.S. Panzer Divisions, or the story of the 82nd Airbornes crossing of te Waal river 2 take Nimejan Bridge in daylight. If I could i would give it a 7 star rating!
Rating: 
Summary: A Bridge Too Far
Review: This is a gripping account of Operation Market-Garden and the tragic failure to reach the Arnhem bridge. Ryan's writing is detailed and reads like a novel. Montgomery's failure too reach Arnhem and take in to account the geography of Holland ...shows a complete disregard for common sense. He should have taken Antwerp first. How he convinced Eisenhower, I do not know. And the failure of the RAF to give air support is puzzling. The Germans got their planes in the air. Ryan discusses the failures without any real criticism for the commanders. He lets the facts speak for the themselves. I like that. His vivid accounts of the brave determination the British 1st Airborne division makes this book a must read. their defense of the perimeter and at the bridge is something I had not read about in much detail. The contrast between the British regular Army and the airborne is fascinating. I do have one criticism and I must agree with a previous reviewer: the lack of good, detailed maps of the battle and more photographs (ground level) are necessary to visualize properly. but it's worth finding your own while you read this wonderful book. It's a must for the military history buff. It is shame Mr. Ryan did not live to see his last book become a movie.
Rating:
Summary: Pure genius.Period
Review: This is Cornelius Ryan's masterpiece dealing with the ill-fated Allied invasion of Holland in 1944.Unlike most other works on the subject,which tend to focus primarily on the Battle of Arnhem and the role of the 1st Airborne Division,this gem of a book goes into tremendous detail about the whole affair,basically encompassing a three-week period in September 1944,from the inception of Operation "Market-Garden" to its bitter conclusion. All points of view are covered,from the Allied commanders who devised the attack and those who fought in the subsequent battle,their German counterparts,the ordinary front-line soldiers(who at times are bemused and then cynical regarding the decisions made by the "brass hats") and of course not forgetting the populace of Arnhem and Oostersbeek,who welcomed the paratroopers as liberators,only to be swiftly disillusioned and who would then bear the brunt of the Nazi reprisals in the bleak winter of 1944-45. Mr.Ryan skilfully blends narrative with first person accounts in order to keep the story flowing.His superb way of describing the scenarios encountered,in particular the arrival of the airborne armadas over Holland,will stick in the mind long afterwards.(My personal favourite is in the fourth part of the book,when in one awesome paragraph,beginning with 'From the smoking ruins of Arnhem...',he captures the moment when the second lift of the airborne forces materialises over the battlefront AND the psychological effect of this upon the combatants.Magnificent!). Naturally the book is not without its flaws.Mr.Ryan is somewhat overfond of the term 'bolstered' and sprinkles it around liberally.He also seems to lose count of the number of airborne troops involved,thus the total number of paratroopers mentioned seems well in excess of the 35000 who were actually dropped in over the nine days of the operation.Then there is the query over the odd fact or two(for instance,one of the recipients of the Victoria Cross,whom he describes as being killed in action,was actually captured and died later in a POW camp). However these are all minor quibbles and in no way detract from the storyline.To me though,the most staggering accomplishment about this book is that it was written while Mr.Ryan was terminally ill with cancer and towards the end,he was struggling to stay alive just to finish it.(He died shortly after its completion in 1974). By itself the book is excellent.Add to this that it was penned by a dying man(and was in fact his whole raison d'etre)and only one description will suffice:Pure Genius.Period
Rating:
Summary: Ryan's Masterwork
Review: This was Cornelius Ryan's last work which was published in his lifetime and his best. 'A Bridge Too Far' is the best account of Market-Garden ever written. And, just like his prior two works, 'The Longest Day' and 'The Last Battle' Ryan takes more of an interest in what happened to the people who experienced the greatest airborne operation of the war and its terrible aftermath.I always gathered that 'A Bridge Too Far' is a monument to human courage and that Ryan used Market-Garden as his canvas to make his eloquent point. The book starts of with the little town of Driel (as well as ends there) and we see the drama open and unfold as the Germans, having been routed from Normandy and France altogether, are withdrawing from Holland in chaotic fashion. The Dutch begin to wonder if the Allies are coming. The Germans eventually stabilize their lines in time to receive the landings. When the paratroopers finally land, they are in the fight for their lives as the Germans attack them ceaselessly. You will read with wonderment at the bravery of the Dutch who aid both liberators and occupiers with humanity, the valor of the troopers of Julian Cook's battalion as they cross the Waal River in rickety boats under heavy German fire, the magnificent stand of John Frost's battalion at Arnhem Bridge, the steadfast determination of Roy Urquhart's Red Devils, the dedication of the troops of Bittrich's II Panzer Korps in protecting what they believed was the direst threat to their homes. I can't praise this book highly enough. It completes an epic trilogy Mr. Ryan started with the Longest Day. It's tragic, but never weepy, it never engages in 'could have, should have' discussions, but let's the story do the talking (a sign of first rate reporting). This is the finest monument of Market-Garden we are ever likely to have.
Rating: 
Summary: Good detail but much too dry
Review: You can tell that Ryan has done tremendous research into Operation Market Garden. But his writing style comes off as much too dry for anyone but the most avid WW II enthusiast. I am very much interested in this topic, but am not a rabid WW II fanatic. As such, I have tried no less than 6 times to read this book and can never finish it. I usually get to about 1/3 of it and have to put it back on the shelf. So be forewarned, it will not appeal to people with a passing intereset in WW II.
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