From the City, From the Plough cover art

From the City, From the Plough

War Trilogy, Book 1

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About this listen

Spring 1944, the south coast of England. The Fifth Battalion, Wessex Regiment, wait patiently and nervously for the order to embark. There is boredom and fear, comedy and pathos as the men all drawn from different walks of life await the order to move.

With an economy of language that belies its emotional impact, From the City, from the Plough is a vivid and moving account of the fate of these men as they embark for the beaches of Normandy and advance into France, where the battalion suffers devastating casualties.

Based on Alexander Baron's own wartime experience, From the City, from the Plough was originally published to wide acclaim and reportedly sold over one million copies. This new edition of the 1948 classic includes a contextual introduction from IWM which sheds new light on the dramatic true events that so inspired its author.

©2019 Alexander Baron, The Imperial War Museums (P)2019 Headline Publishing Group Ltd 20th Century Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Military Thriller & Suspense War & Military War
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A book that makes you think and reflect. Especially with the scourge of war in Europe again.

The utter waste of War

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Well written, uncomplicated, linear.
The atmosphere of the allies at war really good. The camaraderie, and yet the full horrors, of war all there.
A great read.
And narration top drawer.
I'm sure I'll listen to this again sometime.

A great book.

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Matt Addis is a name unknown to me, but this performance has shown what a perfect piece of casting resulted from his selection. His narrative is sensitively intoned, his command of different voices and accents is impressive.
Also just perfect is the pacing of his delivery. Seldom do I say this, but change one aspect of this book's reading and there would be diminishment of this or that sort. Baron must have lived through these horrible experiences or at least something very similar in his combat times in WW2 to have drawn such utterly believable character-sketches and cameo designs.
In my take on books here in Audible after several hundred listens, this one's a Perfect Storm. Style, characters, and performance. Eleven out of ten, if you like.

Incapable of being improved?

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From the City, from the Plough tells the story of a British infantry battalion in the weeks leading up to and immediately following D-Day. Told mainly from the perspective of the ordinary soldier it brilliantly evokes the hopes and fears of the men.

An uncompromising and tragic story of battle

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brilliantly read and a great story that gives an insight into everyday life in the British army in a way that's only usual narrated from the perspective of the US.

a truly fantastic reading

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