Rating: 
Summary: A day to remember
Review: World War II is one of the most fascinating periods of US and world history. To me, war is one of the most intriguing aspects of human society. Enter, Stephen E. Ambrose's D-Day book. If you are looking for a real good book about one of the most pivotal points in history, then I doubt you could find much better. Ambrose takes you everywhere, from the generals to the privates, from the offices to the beaches. He does it very factually, while still keeping it interesting. You can learn so much about D-Day from this book and still just love it for the read. It is a truly terrific book.
Rating: 
Summary: Common misconceptions with a touch of bias
Review: I am disapponited with this book. I must agree that the writings of Mr Ambrose do tend to be fanciful when extolling the vitues of the American war machine. I ask the question "How can you write an account of a battle when you write from one side's perspective?" This is one issue wherein Mr Ambrose falls down. Another is that he perpetuates various myths in the book which have proven to be incorrect eg the reason behind the delayed intro of the me262 and the alleged equipping of SS units with all the best equipment. His unhidden bias against the quality of the German troops is surprising - "And the Allied elite units,the airborne and Rangers and Commandos, were better than anything the Germans put into the field." I feel that perhaps patriotism has led to the writing of an unbalanced account of the battle. Whilst no-one will ever get it 100% "right", it gets a little tiring to read books such as this which are unbalanced and therefore disappointing when it comes to viewing this battle from an historical rather than patriotic viewpoint. Yes, the allies won the war, and the USA played a huge part in this. WE GET THE IDEA, GET OVER IT.For better accounts of this battle read texts by Hastings, Kershaw and Ryan. Whilst not as dramatic they are more balanced. Credit where due, "Pegasus Bridge" and "Band of Brothers" are well worth a look at. Perhaps Mr Ambrose's real talent lies in recounting small unit actions. Maybe one day he will write an account from an Axis unit's perspective. That would be quite an interesting read.
Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable
Review: The best book I have ever read. This book is definately a page turner. Not only is it packed of historic facts but contains some of the most heart wrenching stories ive ever read. After reading this book you will realize how much we owe the WWII generation. Buy this book!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful history of D-Day
Review: I found this book to be a real page turner. The stories of the men involved made it feel as if you were there on D-Day. Definitely recommended for anyone who wants to learn about D-Day.
Rating: 
Summary: SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO READ
Review: Mr. Ambrose did an excellent job interviewing veterans and including their harrowing stories, many of which were very touching and amazing. However, I had a hard time following the chronology and placing the battle geography. I understand that maps and photos increase the cost of a book, but there were too many references to towns and roads that I couldn't place, and it soon all became meaningless. The landing was detailed just as the movie "In Search of Private Ryan" depicted.
Rating:
Summary: Bad History
Review: This terrible book's problems begin with its title
and don't get a bit better. For the reviewer who cannot understand how anyone could flunk this book, it is called KNOWLEDGE and OBJECTIVITY. The book is flawed in its understanding of troops involved (of ALL nations), their training, motivation, experience levels. It is flawed in what so many others have pointed out as ethnocentricity....the author just cannot stand it that there were other, non-American participants in this action. It IS a decent collection of first-person accounts from American soldiers, but beyond that it is ... as factual history. The reviewer who bought this after seeing "Private Ryan"....I think it is wonderful that someone is motivated, for any reason, to pick up history books....not enough of that in the USA today...but please realize that, for the most part, both the movie and this book are largely fiction. Well, cold and unfeeling as it may be, at least this guy can no longer write trash like this any longer.
Rating:
Summary: Biased and jingoistic...
Review: ...All non-American combatants are ripped apart by Ambrose's pen, while the American GI is elevated to mythical heights. Nevermind the fact the British and Canadians stormed three of the five invasion beaches. Their contribution is glossed over as a near afterthought, while the bulk of the text centers on Omaha. ... It was Britain's refusal to give in and instead stand firm against the Nazi onslaught throughout 1940 and 1941 that ensured the future liberation of Europe. The British people endured six years of air raids and rocket attacks. To call them "gutless" is an insult of the most tasteless kind. He bad-mouths the British effort to take Caen, not once mentioning they faced the majority of German Panzers in Normandy (including Panzer veterans of the Eastern Front) at the time. He states the German soldier was inferior to the American GI in every way. He completely ignores the fact that by the time the Western Allies landed on French soil, the cream of the German armed forces had been decimated in Russia. Page after page he spews John Wayne-type bravado that does nothing to enhance any true understanding of Operation Overlord. ...
Rating:
Summary: The art of brilliant story telling
Review: This book proves that Stephen Ambrose is a brilliant story teller. What's so amazing about "D-Day" is despite the fact that readers know how the story comes out (I hope I'm not giving too much away by saying: we win!), he keeps them on the edge of their seats. One of the best books I've ever read about WWII (and folks, I've read a lot of 'em).
Rating: 
Summary: Overwhelming and Fascinating
Review: With my interest in the D-Day invasion peaked, after seeing the wonderful film "Saving Private Ryan," I purchased Mr. Ambrose's account of that incredible day. As a Gen-Xer, I grew up with a view of war as a fundamentally evil thing created by those who had allowed their arrogance and righteousness to lead to a tragic mistake in Vietnam. Mr. Ambrose, while often criticized for it, educated me on the heroic cause and accomplishment that was D-Day. I now have a new found understanding of the true power and capacity that a free people possess. I can also fully appreciate the commitment of those who fought to defend our democracy. Having said that, I found D-Day both fascintating and overwhelming. The complexity and size of the D-Day operation was mind boggling. The individual sacrifice was inspiring. However, reading it in this account was, at times, difficult. Ambrose valiantly describes a multitude of simultaneous events. The airborne missions, the points of attack on each of the beaches, the air support, and the bombardment of the beachhead by the Navy could each make up a single book on the day. To comprehend it in one account can be a challenge to the reader. In the end, D-Day is still a marvelous book that, if the reader is patient, will expand their understanding and appreciation for a turning point in American History.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Book on the Biggest Battle!
Review: I can't believe their are people who would actually give this book anything less than 4 stars. I first found out about this book when I was doing research on the Allied invasion of Europe in WWII. I had written a paper on the Allied strategy used for the invasion in an advanced history course in college. I recieved the paper back with a B grade. My professor wrote a little note one the back of the paper telling me that I could have gotten an A on the paper if I would have included Stephen Ambrose's D-Day as part of my research. I used 20 different books for this paper, but D-Day alone is a more valuable resource on this topic. For those who like to criticize Ambrose for not mentioning the British or the Canadians enough, well they must realize that the Americans did play a larger role in the invasion than Great Britain, Canada, and the other Allied countries involved. That's just fact. However, I feel that Ambrose is very fair at mentioning the role the Canadians and British played. Five chapters from the book are completely about the role the British and Canadians played on June 6, 1944, and there are at least ten other chapters that tell of the interaction between the Allied Armies, from the commanders to the planning to the training to the execution of the plans. To the reviewer who thinks Ambrose is anti-British, did you read a book on D-Day, or the War of 1812? Yes, Ambrose criticizes General Montgomery, but what historian hasn't. Ambrose clearly tries to point out that the British and the Canadians were very important in the invasion. Ambrose showed the importance of the "mulberries" and "Hobart's Funnies" (which he pointed out that the Americans should have used after the British used them with such success). He also points out the importance of the British Airborne troops who took Pegasus Bridge, in fact he has written a whole book on this subject. That doesn't sound very anti-British to me. Anyway, the book is fascinating and clearly points out the hardships faced by Allied soldiers on the Normandy beaches from none other than the personal accounts of those who witnessed them.
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