Dunkirk

Starred review from October 15, 2011

It's tempting to compare Thompson's book to Barbara W. Tuchman's great The Guns of August, but that misses the point. Each follows the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) at the start of a world war, relating the trials of a small, determined force outnumbered by the sledgehammer of a larger foe. While Guns focuses on the big picture, Thompson is focused on the tactical angles and a BEF that is much different from that fielded in 1914. As a former general, Thompson (The Royal Marines) has the rare ability to translate the importance of movements, tactics, and minutiae for the layperson and make it exciting. He unblinkingly examines the strengths and failings of all combatants. VERDICT It's a rare thing to know the outcome of an event yet still feel suspense, frustration, and the gaining of new insight. A brilliant book, perfect for informed readers looking for the next great World War II history.--B.D.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2011
Much has been written about the 1940 evacuation of British troops from the beaches at Dunkirk, but this may be the most comprehensive retelling of the events leading up to the evacuation (during which the Belgian, French, and British forces were systematically beaten back to the coast by the numerically, if not necessarily strategically, superior German forces). Intensely detailedsometimes it reads like a minute-to-minute accountand fluidly written, the book is sure to appeal to readers of military history. But the author's compelling writing style and his clear analysis of strategy, human error, and government incompetence make it easily accessible and appealing to the general reader, too. Thompson occasionally allows his personal opinions to creep into the story (as when he says that there was no excuse for the British military's failure to prepare for WWII), but that's OK: Thompson is a long-serving military man and a military historian, and his opinions are worth hearing. The book is a far cry from dry, and that's a very good thing, too.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)