An Army at Dawn

Listener Reviews

1. 5.0(1)

   Less Known Fighting

   Any additional comments?

   This book sheds light on an area of WW2 that is less known. The fighting in D-Day was so much more covered. This is a really good book to fill in your knowledge of WW2.

   Rita Holloway · July 3, 2024

2. 4.0(1)

   A Very well researched Book of Military History

   This reading is for the casual observer of military history. It isn't for someone looking for a major in depth review of the Allied struggle in North Africa. It is abridged somewhat too much, even with a 7 plus hour length. If you really want to know the history of events in North Africa my recommendation is to read the book. Having said that, if you want to get an excellent outline of the North Africa campaign get this reading. raksBooks should offer the unabridged version.

   Pauline Oneal · April 27, 2024

3. 3.0(1)

   Why abridged?

   I thought the story EXCELLENT and the narration very well done, but the abridgment poorly handled. Many of the retained vignettes were brilliant, but they were placed within a bewilderingly choppy historical narrative.

   Carmen Mcmahon · December 19, 2023

4. 3.0(1)

   History - light

   If your looking for a quick and somewhat detailed history of the north African campaign, then this may work for you.
   It didn't for me. As an historical work, An Army at Dawn skips over too many details. But as a personal account it gets to dragged down into those same details. It is as if the author wanted to combine both a factual review and oral accounts into a single work. Unfortunately neither part worked that well.

   Brian Dickson · January 21, 2023

5. 5.0(1)

   An Army at Dawn (abridged)

   Rick Atkinson is a good historian digging out information that gives an insight to how things were on the ground. His handling of the generals is interesting.

   Ross Ashley · October 9, 2022

6. 5.0(1)

   The author provides context

   Addresses issues of attitude and interpersonal matters that influenced outcomes, as well as providing social context in theaters of the battles that are relevant today. Telling detail: a schedule of preset reparation payments for accidental civilian deaths.

   Regan Alvarez · September 18, 2021

7. 3.0(1)

   Abridging too far?

   As an avid WWII buff and raksBooks.com listener, I was looking forward to this history of the US Army in it's earliest campaign in the Atlantic Theater.

   The first part of the campaign was a near-disaster, and it was fortunate the Americans had barely motivated Vichy French forces as its first oppenents. The Americans improved, but unfortunately, the British Allied Command retained their negative first impressions of the American Army until very late in the war. Eventually, thanks as much to advantages in air superiority and cryptological intelligence (both subjects not brought up much, although touched on - it is a history of the Army , after all) as to improved fighting qualities, the Allied forces prevailed.

   The story is well told, albeit briefly. As someone who already knows the general outlines of the campaign, I was looking for detail and new analysis. I didn't get much, listening to this book.

   I was interested enough in the book to take a look at it in our local B&N, and I found that the book is far richer in detail - and also had some decent maps, always a help in understanding. So, in my case, I found the abridgment too severe.

   One other point: as the previous reviewer suggests, the author is not a professional narrator!

   In conclusion, "An Army at Dawn" is interesting, and worth a listen, but it could have been much more. beta inappVoteInfo

   Maria Watts · February 20, 2021

8. 3.0(1)

   Army at Dawn or Yawn

   Good informative war audio but lacking something. Maybe it's the
   narrator's somewhat monotone presentation or maybe it's in the
   repeating stories of conflict which sound familiarly the same.
   As a history lesson it's OK but not overally interesting.

   J. Hutchison · February 13, 2021