"Mark Zuehlke has produced by far the best series of books about Canada's war on the ground in Italy and Northwest Europe. The River Battles only adds further proof. And perhaps final proof, because this might be the end of the line for the Canadian Battle series, unless it extends eventually to Hong Kong or perhaps the garrison of Iceland. Last installment in the series or not, this is another excellent book. Zuehlke should be proud of it, and readers should be sure to take a look. Recommended." - Stone & Stone "Exceedingly detailed, impressively comprehensive, exceptionally informed and informative, The River Battles: Canada's Final Campaign in World War II Italy is an inherently compelling read and a simply outstanding contribution to the growing library of World War II histories. Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a seven page Bibliography, twenty-six pages of Notes, a four page Index of Formations, Units, and Corps, and a nine page General Index, The River Battles is unequivocally and unreservedly recommended for personal, community and academic library World War II collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

" -- Midwest Book Review "As a Canadian military historian, Mark Zuehlke stands with Tim Cook, Ted Barris and David O'Keefe. He belongs to the elite. To write this fifth and final volume in his Canadian Battle Series, Zuehlke assimilated an astonishing amount of detailed information from a multiplicity of primary sources. Building on the focused unities of time and place - six months in 1944-45 and a waterlogged plain called Emilia-Romagna - he has delivered a vivid, hard-slogging narrative.total casualties were 26,254. Such numbers make one wary of lightly going to war. Perhaps that is the greatest achievement of books like The River Battles ." --Ken McGoogan, The Globe & Mail.