Amber, 2003, $?, ISBN 0-9544356-5-6, 192 pgs., hardback

The hook for this book purports to look at the first 24 hours of the battle, with “specially commissioned full-coloured maps” and “first had accounts of combat” from both sides. The reality is that this book is cobbled together from secondary sources--that’s right, not a single primary document, file, or source is listed in the bibliography.

Even worse, the first 85 pages have nothing to do with the first 24 hours of the battle. It starts at D-Day, goes through France, and ends up just prior to the battle with a quick examination of plans and forces. Nothing wrong with that, but I’ve read this so many times before, it’s nothing new under the sun.

When you finally get into the three chapters that deal with the 24 hours, you can see the other sources’ passages rewritten for this book. They’re not bad, just uninspired --or maybe it’s because I’ve just read 5 pages of anecdotes from other books. MacDonald and Parker are far better at this, for example.

As for the maps, Peter Harper’s efforts are equally uninspiring. They’re better than nothing, but pale compared to Osprey’s efforts.

Saving Grace

Is there anything worthwhile about this book? Yes. The photographs. The photo editor seems to be the only one to do any research. The collected photos are superb. I found myself going back to examine photos several times.

I’m not sure why this was published, for it does nothing to advance our understanding of the battle, and most certainly little of its first 24 hours. The maps are a bust, the first-hand accounts nicked from other books, and its British author apparently never set foot in an archive. Only those marvelous photos receive my admiration, and tremendous admiration it is. You’ll peer into every square inch looking at uniform details, ground cover, village settings, vehicle accoutrements, and other items of interest.