Review: Is Paris Burning?

Title: Is Paris Burning?
Authour: Larry Collins & Dominique Lapierre
ISBN: N/A
Library Congress Card: 65-15032
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Stars: 5 (out of 5)

I have always heard about this title and picked my copy up from a little bookstore in Maine last New Year ('05-06).
This book is only about the last few weeks of occupation of the city of Paris, France in '44. It starts off with the German General Dietrich von Choltitz being given command of Paris and his meeting with Hitler and what Hitler wanted him to do there. The chapters basically cover the beginning of the struggle, the acutal battle, the liberation but these are not the actual chapter titles. There are dates with some chapters so that you can follow the days.
There are some very interesting people that are introduced through out the book and then there ultimate fate of either being KIA or Surviving the battle. From the Communist Resistance leader to OSS agents to actual collaborators and individual German soldiers of all ranks.
The book goes into actual details that are fairly easy to follow along and the average reader will not get lost in. The map of Paris in the beginning of the book also helps too.
I found it interesting and informative that you are able to see how Hitler was obsessed with the destruction of Paris yet how certain factors played against him ie: Models holding back 2x SS Div from Choltitz until they were released to him in the "11th hour".
You are able to follow the hour by hour struggle of messages being passed from the resistance all the way up to General DeGaulle.
You are also able to see how arrogant De Gaulle was yet, how he was able to Power Play all his rivals out of post war France.
The book also covers some of the murders that both the FFI and Germans did to unarmed persons who had surrendered or were not in the battles. I was not aware of all the executions the French did to their German Prisoners after the liberation.
There are some small details that you will find incorrect like the authours calling Hitlers bunker in Poland being guarded by SS Div Gross Deutchland
HIGHLY recommended for all level of readers and can be found at a fair price even though it is a classic.