Any of Antony Beevor’s books are must-reads for the World War II canon, and The Battle of Arnhem (Viking, $35) is no exception. From page one, Beevor transports the reader, and no matter the scene—squabbling generals, Allies racing across Europe in tanks, “exultant Belgians” cheering for the liberators—you feel like a part of it. As the narrative progresses and Operation Market Garden looms closer, Beevor draws you in further—which is especially wrenching, as it gets clearer and clearer (knowledge of history aside) that this operation will not lead the war to a speedy conclusion. From the generals on high to the lowest-ranking paratroopers, from the German invaders to the Dutch civilians, Beevor presents all the dimensions and complications of Operation Market Garden. If you want an in-depth, thoughtful, and engaging account of this chapter of World War II history, Beevor’s book is exactly what you need.
