Soldier, Sailor, Frogman, Spy, Airman, Gangster, Kill or Die

November 1, 2018
Anecdotal history of D-Day, when Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy to liberate Nazi-occupied Europe.As historian and journalist Milton's (Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: The Mavericks Who Plotted Hitler's Defeat, 2017, etc.) busy title suggests, the Normandy landings involved a vast machinery hinging on conditions of weather and tides and the hope that the German enemy would be surprised. In this skillfully woven narrative, the author depicts the complexity of Operation Overlord. In the predawn hours of D-Day, for instance, the operational planning officer had to secure signoffs from several senior commanders involved, which "was more time-consuming than he expected," especially when the British air marshal began proofreading the orders, "sure that in detail lay victory." The British meteorologists were cautious, the Americans perhaps too optimistic, but somehow the invasion was launched. Meanwhile, on the German side of the Channel, an observer predicted the landings nearly to the minute only to have his intelligence ignored. When news arrived of massive airborne landings behind the German lines, an argument broke out over whether "the paratroopers were merely liaison parties sent to help the French resistance." For its part, the Resistance was present and active on the scene, while French civilians rendered aid as they were able--though in one memorable episode, a young French man had to turn over a badly wounded American paratrooper to the Germans in order to get him medical treatment. Milton's narrative is episodic, much in the spirit of the book that looms over the literature of Overlord, Cornelius Ryan's Longest Day (1959), populated by near-stock figures like a young American captain who "was a bulldozer of a man, with a thickset face and pronounced nose," and a British "bruiser built of sinew and muscle" who single-handedly stormed a German bunker, earning a Victoria Cross for his troubles. World War II buffs will be pleased to see the tradition continue here.A worthy commemoration of a key historical moment, the 75th anniversary of which falls in 2019.

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February 1, 2019

Cornelius Ryan and Stephen Ambrose have set the standard for D-Day historiography. It's safe to say that Milton (Nathaniel's Nutmeg) can be now added to that list with this refreshing portrayal of how the Allies prepared, fought, lost, and won on that fateful day in 1944. Milton conducted thorough research using multiple archives on two continents to give voices to the larger picture of D-Day. Most often, D-Day histories focus on the American operations, but here we get broader perspectives, including impressions of Canadian soldiers and gunners on American battleships, along with the daily life of English nurses and German defenders, all neatly woven into accessible writing. As the 75th anniversary of D-Day is commemorated in 2019, Milton has raised the bar for future histories of this pivotal event. VERDICT Highly recommended for World War II aficionados and those seeking a great read in military history. [See Prepub Alert, 7/20/18.]--Jacob Sherman, John Peace Lib., Univ. of Texas at San Antonio

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 20, 2019
This extensively researched collection of individual accounts of D-Day from historian Milton (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) is a labor of love and respect with some shortcomings. American, British, Canadian, French, and German voices are woven together to convey the scale of an attack that involved hundreds of thousands of troops, 7,000 ships, staggering numbers of aircraft, and a dizzying array of strategic objectives required to dislodge the Nazis from northwest France and begin the liberation of occupied Europe. British commandos on bicycles rush to the front lines in Benouville; American Col. Charles Canham has his rifle shot out of his hand and keeps advancing on Omaha Beach with only a pistol; American bombardier Al Corry’s life is miraculously saved as a pocket notebook blocks shrapnel from entering his chest. Though Milton’s writing is often vivid, it can be susceptible to cliché (he describes several different people as “adventurers” in Boys’ Own adventure style), and the decision to frequently omit military ranks obscures the important role played by junior officers, noncommissioned officers, and enlisted men in the victory. But readers will still be thrilled and moved by this sweeping mosaic. Agent: Georgia Garrett, Rogers, Coleridge and White Literary Agency.