Rating: 
Summary: Sign me up in Easy Company
Review: From the instant I began this book, I felt like one of Easy Company going through the basic training, the drilling, all the way to that fateful day of jumping into Normandy on D-Day. The men are corageous. I could never have had the courage they did and they should be remembered until time immemorial. I found Ambrose's writing fresh and smooth. He sucks you into the action and gives you the feel of how a soldier thinks. He makes you really believe that a soldier doesn't have time to mourn over his friend who just got his head shot off in the heat of battle. That in itself is an amazing trait that only comes with a soldier, something that people who have never fought in a war will never understand, but Ambrose attempts to give us that, and he succeeded with me. An important book to read, not just for the stories involved, but for the history.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing Hagiography
Review: A rather silly and superficial telling of a military group of paratroupers. Names come and go and an officer named Winters is idolized. He doesn't drink, doesn't curse, kills Germans by the dozens and even takes time to comfort new replacements. Save your money and check out the TV series.
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Summary: Great Book!
Review: This book is the best WW2 book I ever read. Stephen Ambrose tells the story from the paratroopers view. This book is a must buy and wonderful book!
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Summary: Band of Brothers
Review: This is the best book I have read on small unit actions in World War II. Ambrose has set the standard for others to follow. The soldiers in this book are real, I had the pleasure of meeting the 1SG while stationed at Fort Bragg, NC. With 18 years of service in the Army with experience in Armor, Infantry, Artillery and a History Degree this book is flawless. I had the honor of commanding a company in the 82nd Airborne Division and made this book a manditory read for my Lieutenants professional development. The brilliance of Ambrose as an author is his blending of accurate history and technical authenticity without sacrificing the bond between soldiers; the human side often missing in history books. If you love this book you must read Pegasus Bridge and Citizen Soldiers by the same author. Can't wait until his next book!
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Summary: A Realistic Account
Review: Band of Brothers is one of the best books I've read on the Normandy invasion. I have personally met many of the brave men who members of Easy company, and have just returned from Normandy to watch the HBO premiere of "Band of Brothers". Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and crew did an excellent job capturing the mood of what happened to these men on and since June 6, 1944. I highly recommend this book!
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Summary: Read This Book
Review: This is the book that hooked me on military history. History comes alive! I still think about the men in this book, the sacrifices that they made. Every freezing day in December, I remember the men who fought the battle of the Bulge. Every D-Day, I wonder if i would have had enough strength or just plain guts to jump out of the plane.I don't usually review books because anyone can be a critic, few can write. Ambrose can write. Because of this book, I talk to every Vet I meet and ask them about their experiences. You'd be suprized at what the tell me. So go ahead, read this book. It just might make you stop and think...and be grateful. And if Dick Winters reads this review, I just want him to know that he is one of my personal heros.
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Summary: War: Smack Dab in your Face!
Review: This book no doubt is a must read for those who have enjoyed Ambrose's previous books: "D-Day" and "Citizen Soldiers". It seems to be the pivotal thread that ties the other two books together. In fact, if you havent read either "D-Day" or "Citizen Soldiers", then "Band of Brothers" is just the book to give you a taste of what Ambrose's others two books are filled with. Either way, the reader of this great book will come out a winner. The more I read Ambrose's books, the more I can attest that he is by far, one, if not the best, WWII writers to pen the greatest testimonials to this great war out there. "Band of Brothers" like his other books, truly creates such a realistic atmosphere, one can actually relate to the soldiers fighting the war. His rich details and use of firsthand accounts allows you to feel what it must have been like for an everyday citizen soldier to inflict pain and be the source of it. The reader is taken to the streets of Antwerp where ferocious street battles are being fought, or to the resting camps where these brave soldiers reflect on what their eyes have seen, both terrible and humanistic. What I especially like about this book was its relative ease in reading. The book is not very long, which makes it fairly quick to finish. Even though the content may not be as long as his other books, Ambrose in no way skips on the vivid images he allows our eyes, minds and hearts to see and feel. I look forward to the HBO movie based off this book. In closure, upon finishing this book, the reader will once again see how horrible war is and how much death and destruction it creates. However, you will also gain a deep appreciation for the sacrifice these everyday soldiers gave to ensure Hitler's tyranny ended. By closely following the tight knit group of soldiers this book describes, we can see their lives unfold from the early days of bootcamp, to the capture and victory felt in drinking Hitler's captured champaign. Enjoy!
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Summary: Thoroughly enjoyable!
Review: I can't say that I couldn't put it down since I didn't read the book, I listened to it. But I will say that I didn't want to get out of my car. It was thoroughly engrossing. I'm not *INTO* war stories, but this was exceptional. Now I'll have to actually read the unabridged version.
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Summary: Brothers in arms
Review: Shakespeare had it right: "we few, we happy few". Ambrose's band of brothers -- the 506th Regiment -- illustrates the success of the common citizen soldier model, drawn from all walks of life, committed to a common ideal, and forged into a unit technically proficient and even more committed to one another. These men loved one another more than they loved life itself, and they made the supreme sacrifice in the name of brotherhood. The story is riveting and tense. Ambrose weaves a great story. He knows soldiering, if only as a historian. He takes you from basic training for the 101st in 1942, through (...)Army procedures, to embarking for Europe, where these men learned that leadership is critical and that it can be measured where it matters most (in the battlefield), as well as in the day-to-day actions of superiors devoted to leading citizen soldiers. One can only marvel at the preparation and courage required to launch an airborne invasion of Europe. For Ambrose's heroes, two years of training led them to one year of fighting across western Europe. Normandy, Market Garden ("A bridge too far"), the Bulge. Sometimes the leadership isn't immediately apparent. One (...)leader, despised by the men for years, earns their begrudging respect years later, even after an attempted mutiny and a conspiracy to frag (him). And even the softer, comical side of soldiering emerges. The brothers are all human. They make mistakes. They loot. They act on impulse. Yet the closing comment from one of the brothers to his grandson explains it best: "I wasn't a hero in the war, but I fought with a lot of them." I can't wait for the HBO mini-series.
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Summary: What your Grandfather couldn't express
Review: Band of Brothers is another classic work by Steven Ambrose. I firmly believe that Steven Ambrose is a living national tresure and should be revered for recording the history of World War Two in a manner that goes beyond dates and events. Where Band of Brothers differs from other accounts of World War Two, is that it delivers a clear and concise account of what it means to be a foot soldier, from basic trainning to combat. Another important difference is that Ambrose identifies the value of freedom in the defeat of Germany. No other author express the importance of freedom for the success of an army better than Ambrose. Ambrose rules supreme in his ability to cut through the Hollywood image of war, to instruct his reader as to the importance of character, leadership, devotion and duty to a solider. By intermixing personal accounts and historical data, the reader gains a much deeper appreciation for the event and the men's emotions. There are no heroes in war, only buddies serving eachother and surviving despite the worst conditions. Where other authors, less talented, fall back on shock literature, Ambrose somehow finds a way to communicate at a level that everyone will apreciate and remember. My respect for the men of E company, is beyond words. I owe them all my best efforts for the rest of my life. Without their sacrifices I am sure my reality would be significantly different. I am indebted to Steven Ambrose for his work, and know you'll feel the same after reading this excellent book. "When you are in the service of your fellow man, you are only in the service of your God." Hoo Yah Easy Company!!
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