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D-DAY: THE BATTLE FOR NORMANDY by Antony Beevor

Viking Adult (October 13, 2009, 608 pages

Yes, yet another book on D-Day, the epic invasion of Europe against Nazi Germany on June 6^th, 1944 - And if military history is of interest to you, Antony Beevor’s addition to the Normandy invasion library is a good one. The book chronicles the military operation from Eisenhower’s decision to “go” through the liberation of Paris. The majority of the book takes place on the battlefields, to a lesser extent inside Allied and Nazi Headquarters and very little time is spent with leaders and politicians – the exception being Adolf Hitler. The reader is with the armies on-board their landing craft, on the beaches of Normandy, in the bocage of the Normandy countryside, inside their tanks or in their planes – all the while the Allies advancing and the Nazis retreating towards Germany.

Beevor’s analyses are selective and at least to this reader I wish there were more. I must confess that battlefield scenes tend to blur in my mind. For instance the author does a very good job in portraying Hitler’s micro-managing of the army as well as his propensity to divide troops and their leadership – all evidenced by the infighting between SS troops and the Wehrmacht, infantry and tank divisions, and the individual commanders, specifically Erwin Rommel and Hitler’s headquarters. There is also a very good chapter on the Von Stauffenberg plot to assassinate Hitler on July 21^st, 1944.

Through the last third of the book there is also a very good narrative concerning the frictions within the French population – both military and civilian – Charles DeGaulle and the French Resistance and the fear of the communists – avid enemies of the Nazis but with a very different post-war plan for France than DeGaulle’s and the Allies’. The French squabbling beginning as soon as the Nazis were removed.

And last but not least, Bernard Montgomery, one of Great Britain’s top generals, draws much fire from the author – and in this reader’s mind deservedly so. Montgomery, very capable, was also egotistical, extraordinarily condescending, self-serving and at least in his mind - never wrong. With these not so endearing qualities he also had a unique talent for getting under the skin of virtually everyone he dealt with. Beevor provides a good analysis of Montgomery’s battle plans, the battles themselves and Monty’s post-battle explanations.

These are just highlights, there’s much more valuable info inside this very well-written book. Highly recommended.

THE GREATEST TRADE EVER By Gregory Zuckerman

Broadway Business (November 3, 2009), 304 pages

THE BIG SHORT by Michael Lewis

W. W. Norton & Company (March 15, 2010), 266 pages

If the recent resurgence of Wall Street news – Goldman Sachs and the mortgage backed securities market – has you scratching your head, these two recently published books will help you find your way through the cast of characters, the opaque terminology and provide a coherent narrative of the financial death spiral we’ve experienced. Since both books cover the same topics, comparison between the two is inevitable, and it’s not that Zuckerman’s is a bad book, but rather that Lewis’ is an excellent one. I am in total agreement with Jay’s review of The Big Short two weeks ago.

Both books do a very good job in describing the over-heated – and irresponsible – mortgage lending market of the early and mid-2000’s as well as explaining how Wall Street repackaged and resold these “financial instruments” in the secondary markets. And although at times it makes for some tough reading, both do a very good a job in defining the terms and mechanics involved in this process. So even if some of the jargon and financial hocus-pocus eludes you, it will become very clear to the reader that regardless as to how the financial crap we now know as sub-prime mortgage backed securities or collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) were wrapped – it was still crap.

What separates these two books is the telling of the tale and this is where Lewis’ narrative excels. He provides insight into the characters and their mind-set on both sides of the equation – those spreading the mortgage manure and those betting against these financial cow-pies – providing the reader a real-life story-line that reads like a novel.

The Greatest Trade Ever – as the sub-title suggests – focuses on John Paulson, a hedge fund manager who bet against the housing market and won – big. And although Paulson’s story is fascinating, it’s only one of the many covered in The Big Short. (Another hedge fund manager, Michael Burry, prominent in Lewis’ book is also in Zuckerman’s.) For this reader The Big Short provided a much wider narrative and thus more coherent picture of what transpired – and more importantly – what went wrong during the recent financial tsunami. Both books are engaging, interesting and valuable reads but if you are only going to read one – The Big Short is the one.

ONE MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT by Michael Dobbs

Knopf (June 3, 2008), 448 pages

The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 may be one of the most analyzed events of the Cold War and hence one more book on the topic could be considered redundant – One Minute to Midnight proves this is not so. Using a multitude of sources and written from a variety of perspectives, this book reads at times like one of Tom Clancy’s early books. The reader finds himself in the White House, the Kremlin, the cockpit of a U2 spy plane, a Russian submarine and the jungles of Cuba – most of this information provided by first-hand accounts. All the major events, decisions and personalities during this thirteen day crisis are covered here with Kennedy and Khrushchev trying to contain the situation while the nuclear Armageddon clock ticked away.

A few tidbits I learned from reading this book – although the quarantine was a successful ploy Khrushchev had all ready backed down once his bluff was called, recalling all of the ships en route to Cuba 24 hours prior to Kennedy’s decision to intercept them. Also – and this was scary – as the situation escalated, it was amazing to read about the number of nuclear weapons which were mobile during that time – being transported from caves in Cuba, on Russian submarines and freighters and in the bellies of B-52s. Lastly it was also startling how quickly Castro was delegated to the sidelines once nuclear war became a serious threat.

Regardless if you are new to this piece of history or well versed I would recommend this book - It’s great reading.

IN COMMAND OF HISTORY by David Reynolds

Random House, November 1, 2005, 656 pages

“We’ll have to let history judge – but remember I’ll be writing that history.” –

  Winston Churchill, numerous times.

As the author states in the Introduction, this is a book about a book – (actually six books) - specifically Winston Churchill’s six volume history of World War II. The author does this by first chronicling what happened during the war; then outlines the research and materials Churchill – and his many helpers – used after the war; and then highlights what was published in Churchill’s books.

Just Churchill’s negotiations for publishing rights, money and access to Top Secret information is a fascinating look into his character and the force of his personality - as Churchill consistently got exactly what he wanted from peers, the British Government, military men and publishers.

Reynolds also does an excellent job in pointing out the differences with what actually happened during this turbulent time with what Churchill subsequently wrote. This in itself is interesting as Churchill was still very active in British politics while writing the books – he would become Prime Minister again after completing this history – and many of the major players of World War II were still alive, i.e. Eisenhower was on his way to the Presidency and George Marshall was Secretary of State. So there was a fine line Churchill walked - while writing - with presenting himself in the best of lights without stepping on too many toes.

In writing his history it’s not that Churchill changed what happened; he just tended to omit things – especially when he was wrong and he was wrong a lot – and he also neglected people and their contributions - the most glaring example being his military Chief of Staff, Sir Alan Brooke who is not snubbed as much as forgotten. Brooke became CIGS, (Chief of the Imperial General Staff), in 1941, served throughout the war, was part of every Allied plan and really served as a buffer between Churchill and the rest of the world. A God-forsaken task if there ever was one. Brooke received minimal thanks from his countrymen and even less from Churchill. Churchill’s history also downplays the friction between the Allies, the most glaring example being the opening of a Second Front in Europe, i.e. the invasion of Europe culminating with D-Day in 1944 – which Churchill was always hesitant about.  

Although the contract/deadline negotiations Churchill had with his agents and publishers gets somewhat repetitive, I found this a fascinating read.  I do wonder though if someone who is not a Churchill or WWII buff will feel the same – that’s my only caveat in recommending this book.