Today, June 6, 2024, marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the turning point of World War II that led to the liberation of France and ultimately paved the way for an Allied victory. It's an event that looms large in world history, one that continues to fascinate historians across generations, and inspires historical fiction, movies, and a myriad of art to this day. Part of what made the invasion of Normandy—also known as Operation Overlord—so remarkable was the sheer scale of the coordination among the Allies, military branches, and civilian groups, which allowed nearly 160,000 troops to converge on the beach on that fateful day.
Historians and journalists have examined D-Day from countless angles, and as more military records are unsealed and hidden accounts uncovered, we continue to learn more about the incredible work it took to organize such an effort. Below, we've gathered some of the best nonfiction audiobooks exploring the preparation, execution, and aftermath of D-Day, with perspectives ranging from military leaders who planned it to troops central to the attack's success. Whether you're already a WWII history buff or are relatively unfamiliar with specifics and curious to learn more, these audiobooks about D-Day are sure to teach you something new about one of the world's most important military events.
After eight decades, D-Day remains both the largest coordinated amphibious attack in history and one of the most recognizable turning points of the war. Yet the only way to truly understand the massive impact—both on the world at large and on the troops who executed the invasion—is through firsthand perspectives. Historian and bestselling author Garrett M. Graff (who previously won the Audie Award for 2019's The Only Plane in the Sky) has collected a comprehensive oral history of D-Day from thousands of official reports, interviews, letters, journals, speeches, and more. In the full-cast audio edition of When the Sea Came Alive, the story lives and breathes and you hear the perspective of folks of all ranks, military branches, allegiances, and backgrounds to get a broad picture of a world-shifting day.
World War II is the defining conflict of the 20th century, one that created a line in the sands of history, dividing the pre-war and post-war eras. In this epoch-defining conflict lies another definitive moment: the invasion of a 50-mile stretch of coast in Normandy, France. In the six lectures of D-Day Revisited: The Invasion of Normandy, Professor John C. McManus takes listeners back to this transformative moment in modern history and reveals the human cost behind the victory. With some 10,000 Allied casualties, including 2,501 American fatalities, June 6 was the deadliest day in World War II for the United States. As you reexamine this battle, you will see why we continue to remember D-Day not only for its crucial role in the defeat of the Nazi regime, but also for the immense sacrifices made to secure democracy in Europe.
One of the most important keys to Allied success on D-Day was the ability to arrive discreetly in Normandy via amphibious landings. And after a disastrous attempt at a surprise attack in Dieppe, France, two years prior, it was clear that technological developments were needed. Enter a group of English scientists determined to make quick advances in submarine technology to support the war effort, often by testing new devices and theories on themselves. Author and biomedical engineer Rachel Lance dives into the previously classified story of the group of researchers that shaped the future of submarines and diving in her new audiobook Chamber Divers, narrated by actor Alex Wyndham. It's a fascinating listen with a unique perspective on the scientific and technological advancements that made D-Day possible.
Written only 15 years after the fateful events of June 6, 1944, The Longest Day is among the most notable works of nonfiction about D-Day, later inspiring the 1962 film of the same name that has since become a classic in its own right. Author Cornelius Ryan has more than an academic interest in D-Day—he was an Irish-born war correspondent who witnessed the events of WWII firsthand. For this book, he collected input and perspectives from more than 1,000 people directly involved in D-Day, organizing them into the story of a singular 24-hour period that forever changed history. The audiobook is divided into three sections: "The Wait" includes the planning and lead-up to the invasion; "The Night" includes the actual arrivals in Normandy by air and sea; and "The Day" describes the battles that followed. Listen in to gather insight into the lived experiences of those involved that shaped our collective understanding of D-Day.
When you consider the role of women during WWII, the image of a flexing Rosie the Riveter might be the first thing to come to mind. But women certainly were not limited to shipyard and factory work. They participated in a myriad of ways during wartime, from espionage efforts to the frontlines. It goes without saying, then, that women were also instrumental to the planning and execution of D-Day. In the author-narrated D-Day Girls, Sarah Rose reveals the dangerous and thrilling story of three women recruited to join a secret agency organized by Winston Churchill to sabotage the Nazis and clear the way for D-Day success. A young mother, an aristocrat, and a political organizer each played a crucial role in gathering intelligence, tampering with phone lines, derailing trains, and destroying weapon supplies.
Before he became the 34th president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower was a five-star general of the US Army who was named Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force during WWII. As such, Eisenhower was at the epicenter of planning and executing D-Day, and his personal account of the attack on Normandy can teach us a lot about what happened behind closed doors. Eisenhower's 1948 memoir Crusade in Europe, published just four years after D-Day and four years before being elected to the Oval Office, is a fascinating look at the mind of a historic leader. The 2023 audiobook, narrated by AudioFile award-winning actor David Colacci, brings Eisenhower's words to life and shows us the immense challenges the general faced in leading the Allied forces.
While D-Day was underway in Europe, Jim Crow laws were in full effect in the United States, leaving thousands of African American soldiers to fight (and often die) overseas for freedoms they were actively denied at home. The 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion was comprised of Black soldiers tasked with landing on a Normandy beach and using a set of armed balloons to block enemy aircraft. Despite these heroic efforts, they received little recognition. In fact, no Black soldiers were awarded Medals of Honor during WWII. In Forgotten, journalist Linda Hervieux shares the story of this remarkable group of soldiers, gathered from military records and interviews with members of the battalion and their families. She also explores how their experiences and the lack of acknowledgment of their sacrifices helped shape the Civil Rights Movement to come.
Journalist and historian Rick Atkinson won many awards, including a Pulitzer Prize, for his work exploring the history of WWII in the Liberation Trilogy. The first book, An Army at Dawn, focuses on efforts in North Africa from 1942 to 1943. The second, The Day of Battle, centers around Italy in 1943 and 1944. And the final book in the series, The Guns at Last Light, covers D-Day and the battles that followed through the end of the war. Atkinson has a gift for making nuanced, complicated events into accessible, informative, and engrossing stories, even for those who might struggle with history books. Listening to the whole trilogy is an excellent way to explore the full scope of WWII and understand its lasting impacts on international relations today.
D-Day could have gone extremely differently if it weren't for the spies who deceived the Nazis about the date and location of the Allied attack. The Double Cross system turned German spies into double agents who reported false information about Operation Overlord back to Nazi intelligence, leading Germany to believe the planned attack would take place in Calais and Norway rather than Normandy. In Double Cross, author and journalist Ben Macintyre reveals the stories of these double agents and the pivotal role they played in clearing the way for D-Day success, while audiobook narrator John Lee brings to life all the twists and stunning moments that make this story so unforgettable.
Susie Dumond is the author of Queerly Beloved and Looking for a Sign. She is a Senior Contributor at Book Riot and a bookseller at Loyalty Bookstore in Washington, DC.
