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: Masterful account of Operation "Market-Garden"
Review: "A Bridge Too Far" is the third in a series of books written by the late Cornelius Ryan about the major battles of the Second World War. In dramatic fashion, Ryan superbly tells the story of Operation "Market-Garden," biggest single airborne assault in history, and the largest and most costly Allied defeat since the earliest days of World War II. It is late summer, 1944. Adolf Hitler's armies in Western Europe have been retreating steadily from France, Belgium and the Netherlands ever since D-Day, when Allied forces invaded Nazi-occupied France and began moving like a juggernaut toward the German border. All signs point to a completely demoralized German army, made up primarily of old men and young boys. The German occupiers flee through the Low Countries on bicycles, in carts, and on foot. By September 1944, it seems only a matter of time before the Third Reich collapses under the relentless assault of the Allies. British Field Marshal Sir Bernard Law Montgomery persuades the Allied high command to adopt his bold plan to win the war in 1944. Called "Market-Garden," the plan calls for Allied forces to seize and hold a series of bridges spanning the Rhine River on the border between Germany and The Netherlands. The capture of these bridges will give the Allies the route they need for the invasion of the German homeland. If successful, "Market-Garden" could spell victory for the Allies in 1944. The plan is ambitious and, on the surface, well thought out. It will have two parts: "Market" will be the airborne assault. Allied forces will land and seize the bridges along the Rhine. The key bridge - the linchpin of the whole operation - will be the bridge at Arnhem. The "Garden" portion of the plan is an armored ground assault by a column of tanks that will travel 80 miles to provide relief to the paratroopers holding each of the bridges. However, Monty's plan has a fatal flaw: Allied intelligence has failed to reveal the presence of a seasoned German armored division hiding in the area. "Market-Garden" begins on September 17, 1944, and initially looks headed for success. Allied paratroopers quickly capture two of the four bridges, but the attacks on bridges at Nijmegen and Arnhem - the "Bridge Too Far" - soon run into trouble. The Nijmegen brige captured by Allied forces only after stubborn German resistance and heavy fighting. The British 1st Airborne Division lands in the wrong place and loses its communications. A British airborne battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John Frost captures the Arnhem bridge after heavy fighting. German Field Marshal Walter Model, who is in the area almost by accident, observes the assault as it begins to unfold, and quickly guesses its objectives. He assembles all German troops in the area and counterattacks. Near Arnhem, the 1st Airborne quickly comes under siege miles away from its objective. Frost's battalion also comes under heavy siege. Ultimately, the successful German counterattack and siege nearly destroys both Urquhart's and Frost's commands. The British are forced to withdraw, and "Market-Garden" ends in defeat. I found "A Bridge Too Far" to be one of the best books about World War II I've ever read - better, even, than Ryan's earlier book "The Longest Day." Ryan writes a masterful account of this tragic battle. His narrative is gripping and dramatic throughout. He incorporates many first-person accounts of the participants in the battle from all sides - Allied, German, civilian, and Dutch underground. With an historian's eye for factual interpretation, Ryan exposes the political wrangling which went on at the highest levels of the Allied command, and the false assumptions, miscalculations, blunders, and self-deceptions which marked the Allied planning and execution of "Market-Garden." With a journalist's unfailing eye for factual accuracy and detail, Ryan describes with spellbinding realism the fighing on the ground and in the air. Throughout the book, Ryan never loses sight of the human dimension - the sometimes superb and more often erroneous judgments made by Allied and German generals and colonels; the extraordinary valor of the ordinary soldier on both sides, officer and enlisted man alike; and the dedication and sacrifice of civilians and the Dutch underground. "A Bridge Too Far" is a wonderful work of history, one which I heartily recommend to all readers!
Rating:
Summary: A true classic
Review: Absolutely one of the best books that I have ever read. It is not so much a book about the tactics and strategy, although that is in it, but a story about ordinary men doing extraordinary things. It will make you laugh, put a lump in your throat, and shake your head in amazement at the bravery of men in the battle. For you war buffs, it will give you even more reason to wonder why Montgomery is held in such high esteem.
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: A Story Too Real
Review: This is my second read of Cornelius Ryan's, the first being The Longest Day. Let me tell you, this man is a remarkable writer. WOW! From reading his words, Mr. Ryan gives me the impression that everything he says, tells, or writes about is perfectly correct. The depth of research is astounding. The conviction to detail and to the exact words gave me the impression that he was there at all the events, no matter how small. From glider pilot seats to German General Staff meetings, he speaks with such authority it's as if he wrote the words, and everyone performed the play. Truly remarkable. Needless to say, Operation Market Garden was doomed and under prepared. If not for strong egos needing gratification, a better planned, less destructive operation may have been realized. The men and women of this book live on it's pages, telling the story for all the angles which will allow you to read and make your own decision as to the value of the operation. The bravery of the soldiers underscores the term Military Blunder as presented by the General Staff. And how it all lives in the print of this book. The 88's live, the Tigers rumble and terrify, the smells and sounds are all there. The arrogance, egotism and ignornace are also there too. Once again, WOW! If you haven't read this book, get it now. Don't see the movie, read the words. If you've read it before, then read it again. This is how history should be written, alive, strong and effective. Finally, this particular edition is a good size book. Heavy enough, but not too. It feels good in your hands, solid and firm. A great experience all around.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful tale of bravery in action...
Review: The bravery of the men on both sides of this battle was extrodinary. The blunder of the allied leadership inexcusable.
Read this book and find out how a battle like this takes place and how the fog of war affects leaderships decision making process.
Rating:
Summary: ALL THE WAY...
Review: As a Parratooper , I found that it was my duty to read this book. I am very glad that I did. I choose to read the book instead of watching the movie and I am glad that I did(the movie closely follows the book). As a memeber of the Airborne Corps, It was a honor putting those wings on my chest and looking everyday at the "All American" patch on my sleeve. Many brave men died, and the book gives great accounts of the Airborne divisions battles and the will to keep fighting. To many,it is just names on a map,Graves,Rhine.... but to many like myself whom have had the honor of meeting many of the men who where on those combat jumps, it means more to them than anything in the world...Airborne!!
Rating:
Summary: Set the mark.
Review: Cornelius Ryan's A Bridge Too Far set the mark impossibly high for books about Operation Market Garden. There have been several other excellent books written about this battle [Frost's A Bridge Too Many, Middlebrook's Arnhem 1944, and It Never Snows In September] but Ryan's remains just a cut above. I could not put this book down. As long as it is, I finished it in two days. Like another reviewer I knew little about the battle prior to reading this book. Had the operation been successful it would be mentioned in the same breath with Thermapolae and the Six Day War. The Allied Airborne troops displayed a level of bravery that is hard for people to comprehend today [as did the Germans.]Cornelius Ryan conveys this, and virtually every other aspect of the battle almost to perfection. If you never read any other piece of military history, read this one. I guarantee you will remember it for all time.
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.
Rating:
Summary: An Engrossing Account of an Over-looked Battle
Review: I don't know about you but I really didn't know much of anything about Operation Market Garden until I read this book. It was the last of the three WWII books by Ryan that I read (the others were "The Longest Day" and "The Last Battle"). It also was and is the best of the three. There is something extra about this book that seems to bring the reader even closer to the scene of action. As usual, Cornelius Ryan does an excellent job of interviewing a wide range of participants and observers and then weaving together a story that allows us to follow the action step by step; sometimes minute by minute. Unfortunately, the author can only report history; he can't change it. Market Garden still remains a failed mission and Ryan helps us to understand just why. There is plenty of detail here but it reads like a novel rather than a history. This is as engrossing account of any event in WWII as you will find.
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