Rating: 
Summary: Hard to put down
Review: This book does an excellent job of bringing to light the trials and troubles assoicated with war, and more importantly when we should go to war and why war is neccesary. People in today's social climate need to read this book for the part alone. However this book offers much more.Powell is truly an inspiration. His journey to Sec of State is remarkable,(although this book is only written up to his stint with George Bush Sr and his short relationship with Bill Clinton.) Powell is humble in his approach yet there are times where he sounds off against some of the people he has ran across during his carrer. He reveals a Ronald Regan who was not always there, who listened to Nancy maybe too much, and put to much faith into astrology. Powell stands up for what he thinks right, despite what others say. You get the idea that Powell is neither confident calling himself a Rep or Dem. He is what he is and perhaps, that, more than anything, is why he did not run for president. However, after reading this book I would certainly have no qualms about casting my vote for Powell for President if he ever decides to run. A lengthy book with perhaps too much detail in some parts. Some parts are hard to stay focused in on, however all in all a very good book. One of the best points of the book cover how you must have an objective going into a war. You have to quantify objectives so you know when results are achieved. Iraqi Freedom is an execellent display of this, and perhaps is why this war did what Desert Storm could not: topple Saddam.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't wait for the sequel
Review: I first picked up this book in the months after 9-11. Like many other Americans, I wanted to know more about the people directly involved in our response to the attacks. I found it to be an enjoyable read, suitable for historical-minded young adults and interesting enough to hold the attention of anyone with a desire to know more about "An American Hero." Powell states in his memoirs that he felt obligated to write this book, because he was witness to so many of the important events/people of the late twentieth century. Even a cursory glance at the book's content shows his feelings of obligation were warranted. Not only does Mr. Powell have stories to tell about Iraq and Vietnam, he also gives detailed insight into subjects like the invasion of Panama and his brief tenure with Bill Clinton. What makes this man fascinating is his political individuality. Many people will find paradoxical beliefs at work in his interior commentary. He is free to criticize members of his own party and the policies they promote, showing he is his own man (contrary to recent criticism from Harry Belafonte).
He also has a tender heart (some will say that also distinguishes him from other members of his party). His poignant reflections of his childhood and the fondness with which he speaks of his wife will only add to the admiration most readers already have for this man. The biggest problem with this book is that it is very obsolete (and a little slow between Vietnam and Desert Storm). Powell will be remembered for the work he does after the book finishes. He speaks as though he is at the end of a great journey, but recent history shows he was only getting started.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty good
Review: I always wanted to know more about Colin Powell, so I finally took the time to read his autobiography. I liked learning more about his upbringing, and about his parents, but the rest was boring, and had too much about the military for me.
Rating:
Summary: A journey not yet finished.
Review: "My American Journey," by Colin Powell, with Joseph E. Persico is the story of Colin Powell... so far. Born in Harlem to Jamaican immigrant parents, he started out as a totally average child, but through sheer hard work and dogged determination, he now walks with Kings and Presidents. The book is well written, and, if a little dry at times, does exhibit flashes of self-depreciating humor on the part of Colin Powell, such as the story of his running out of gas on the Washington Beltway. This happened when he had become a publicly recognized figure, and, at the time, desperately tried to hide his identity from the traffic cop who gave him a pint of gas to help get him off the road! (He ran out of gas again before he could find a gas station!) Or the time he was "arrested" as a suspected terrorist in the Pentagon car park... he was showing a colleague an antique WWII Japanese rifle in the trunk of his car! But Colin Powell, although now a seasoned and practiced political mover and shaker, is first and foremost a soldier who loves his country, but is not blind to it's faults. His military career started in the ROTC, and it was there that he discovered something in himself that told him a career in the service of his country was his calling. Powell came from an ethnically diverse neighborhood, and was shocked at his first taste of racial discrimination in his late teens, but he was determined that he would not let the bigotry of some of his fellow Americans dictate the course of his life. The Military was an equal opportunities employer, a situation he took full advantage of, and he rose rapidly through the ranks. He served in Germany, helping to hold back the "Red Hoards," and in his early 20's was part of a detail sent to guard the Army's pride and joy... an Atomic Cannon! Army life is presented honestly and forthrightly, from grunt work, to training, to accomplishments small and large, the forced separation from his wife and family, to his first shattering experience of having a fellow soldier die in his arms - the result of a "Friendly Fire" incident - to the political maneuvering that often accompanies high office. He has harsh words to say about the Vietnam War, mostly aimed at the political "leadership" of the time who blundered into the conflict without any clear goals or expectations. He has been, and still is, at the heart of the decision making process that has shaped our World, for better or ill. I would describe Colin Powell as a genuine Patriot; he has put himself in the firing line to state his views and thoughts about the Armed Services and their place in American life. He has campaigned for recognition of the tens of thousands of black and ethnic soldiers who have served this country in its time of need, many of whom were disgracefully ignored, and he has campaigned to cut away at the wasteful practices that have bedeviled the services without improving its ability to function. His political observations are also of great interest. He had served directly, at the time of writing, three Presidents, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and Bill Clinton. One of the most interesting, and extensive, parts of the book, is his telling of the events that led up to, and the prosecution of, the Gulf War. I learnt a great deal that I had not known before about the war, even though it had received saturation coverage in the UK media. Something that was confirmed for me was - a very strong rumor at the time - that Margaret Thatcher played a pivotal role in bolstering President Bush's resolve to go to war, and not to rely on sanctions and diplomacy alone, to oust the Iraqi forces from Kuwait. The logistics of modern warfare are explored in some detail, and you really get a sense of what it took to assemble the multinational force. The only thing that disappointed about this part of the book was that there was very little exploration of the politics involved, which must have been hellish. There's some about the relationship between Bush and Thatcher, and even John Major, Margaret Thatcher's successor as British Prime Minister during the War, and quite a bit about the almost full-time political arm-twisting that went on to stop the Israeli's from getting involved. No Arab country could possibly have stood by and watched the Israeli's beating [up one] another Arab nation... even the despot Saddam! He also shares with us the agonies he went through, trying to ensure that US forces weren't bogged down in the twin hellholes of Bosnia and Mogadishu. He saw them both as Vietnam-like situations, where the US could be sucked into internecine struggles that date back hundreds, if not thousands, of years. He could see no military "solution" to the age-old grievances, just an exercise in keeping the combatants apart, that could, and to an extent was, paid for with American blood. And once the mighty Americans had left? Well, the combatants would then cheerfully return to slaughtering each other as they had done for centuries. The story of Colin Powell is not yet finished; he is, after all, the present Bush administration's Secretary of State! It is a fascinating tale, and one I would recommend highly.
Rating:
Summary: Stay on Your Journey
Review: Here's man who rose from the South Bronx to a rightful place in leading foreign policy. This biography was written before his becoming Secretary of State. And it probably contributed well to his political career.
But as an army veteran, I was more drawn to the many challenges that Colin Powell had in Vietnam, and with conflict amongst the ranks. I was also compelled to ask myself about the challenges that his wife must have had, and probably still has in being his better half. There is such a role to play out, to be part of this journey.
And while Powell doesn't go into depth about this, he does address the commitment that he made to his wife, regarding a stable home life. I also noticed, in between the lines, so to speak, that, like Norman Schwartkoff, Colin Powell grew up with some pretty "strict" parents. And it was not what he experienced, but what he did with what he experienced that has made Colin Powell one of the most loved leaders of this world. Read this biography to be part of his journey, and in turn to add value to your own dreams.
Rating:
Summary: Highly enjoyable.
Review: This book is not only Colin Powell's life story (incomplete, of course), it takes the reader through the times of Vietnam and Korea, and on into the era of the Reagan and Bush, Sr. administrations. I do not claim to be highly educated in the ways of politics and the running of countries. However, I feel I can follow the news more ably now after reading this book. Mr. Powell's descriptions of his job duties has given me a better understanding of all of those positions, no matter who holds them. His behind the scenes observations of recent events have given me insight that have helped me to see those events more clearly. His modest sense of humor and clear descriptions of people and their reasoning and motivations helped me in my understanding of many Washington figures. The book has been absorbing, and one should not be intimidated by it's number of pages; you will want to finish this book!
Rating:
Summary: Look forward to a new book
Review: Great insight into the life of Colin Powell. I enjoyed reading this book while on the beach in Jamaica, only later to read that Colin Powell's parents were from Jamaica! I am an avid reader of books that have insight to the Gulf War, and found the chapters regarding the war with Iraq very interesting. A good book to follow this up with is "The General's War" by Bernard Trainor. It's amazing how many different perspectives there are about one event. Hopefully, Powell adds to this book once he is out of office as the Secretary of State in the Bush Administration.
Rating: 
Summary: Spin, Spin, Spin
Review: My American Journey covers the familiar ground in Powell's life: Jamaican heritage, New York City, army, and Washington. It is such a transparent spin job that it's almost laughable. Powell blames everyone else for failures in Iraq, in Somalia, in Bosnia. His unwillingness to intervene in Bosnia, or even to understand the conflict there, was an appalling personal failure that led to thousands and thousands of pointless deaths. Powell has those corpses on his conscience. If the whitewash in this book is merely his way to manipulate the public and try to massage history, then its just duplicitous. But if it truly is his own distorted perception of events, then Colin Powell needs to pray hard for forgiveness.
Rating:
Summary: Weak and Dishonest
Review: Colin Powell is a politician. Figure it out. Like most politicians he uses his book to hide his flaws, backstab his enemies (even those who have passed away), smarm up to his friends and potential allies, and spin his career for public consumption. It was Powell whose decisions led to those boys deaths in Somalia. It was Powell who failed to go after Saddam. It was Powell who didn't even see any reason to attack Iraq, though Saddam would have controlled the majority of the oil in the entire world. It was Powell who was willing to blithely condemn thousands of Bosnian citizens to rape, torture, and murder. Powell is a politician, and if this book is so transparent, why is there still a cult of personality around this vain dishonest man?
Rating:
Summary: VERY CHARISMATIC AND HUMOROUS
Review: I was positively surprised to find myself laughing about his sarcasm on almost every single page of the book. Needless to mention that admire Colin Powell for his ability to juggle a down-to-earth personality, a family, America's Promise Foundation and a heroic career. Whatever he touches turns into gold.
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