Rating: 
Summary: Wow
Review: I was so moved by this book I was compelled to write this review. James Bradley takes you on a well documented voyage from the homes of six young boys to boot campy to the bloody days at Iwo Jima. I earned a new respect for those who gave their lives for my freedom. To Mike, Doc, Rene, Ira, Franklin, and Harlon...Thanks.
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Summary: Six Lives Forever Changed by a Photograph
Review: A chance shot by a photographer of the raising of the American flag on Mt. Suribachi transformed six men from different walks of life into American icons. In this book, James Bradley, son of one of the flagraisers, traces the life stories of the men, the routes that brought them to the top of the craggy volcano at Iwo Jima, and how being in one of the most famous photographs of all time changed the survivors. Doc Bradley, the author's flag-raising father, gives the book its theme. "The heroes," he tells people, "are the ones who didn't come back." The three surviving men of the photo must live with the realization that the simple act of raising a flag has singled them out from the many, many men who fought and died on Iwo Jima and elsewhere. Each learns to deal with it in his own way: Bradley by refusing to speak about it to anyone (when someone calls, the family is instructed to tell the caller he has gone fishing in Canada), Ira Hayes, the Pima Indian from Arizona, by turning more and more to the solace of alchohol, and to Rene Gagnon, who tries to parlay his slice of fame into a better life, pushed by his glory-loving wife. The book has several levels. It is first and foremost a story of the effects of war on those who must fight it. It is also a son's tribute to his father, a character study of the motivations of the men who raised the flag, and a gripping account of one of America's bloodiest battles. It succeeds on all levels. The writing is at times sappy and repetitive, but this is none the less a powerful book and one that deserves to be read by all Americans. Bradley has written a fine tribute to his father and the other men who are immortalized in the photograph, as well as a fine war story. The coverage of the post-war lives of the three survivors is equally interesting, as they learn to deal with hero status they feel is undeserved and with the lingering horrors of war.
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Summary: This book was personal for me.
Review: I am the youngest daughter of a now-deceased Iwo Jima survivor. Like "Doc" Bradley, my father was from a small town in Wisconsin; like Bradley, he was a Navy corpsman, trained at Camp Pendleton and assigned to a Marine unit. He hit the beach early in the day on February 19th, 1945; like Bradley, he watched and listened to his friends die. He was temporarily paralyzed from the waist down in the blast that killed his partner (who was, incidentally, a man who had been injured earlier and was offered an opportunity to leave the battle, but declined).This book helped me to fully grasp the miracle of my father's survival. It brought into sharp focus the horrors he witnessed, and the fear he had to have experienced - although he never spoke of the fear. I fully expected "Flags of Our Fathers" to be an average read, because my only knowledge of James Bradley prior to purchasing the book was that his father was one of those who raised the flag on Suribachi. I was wrong. It is one of the most well-written, moving, and life-changing books I have ever encountered. I wish James Bradley continued success; he and his family have much to be proud of. He has reminded me that I do, too.
Rating: 
Summary: Vivid yet melodramatic
Review: This novel chronicles the lives of the six men pictured in Joe Rosenthal's famous photograph of the flag-raising on the island of Iwo Jim. It follows the men through their early years, describes their Marine and combat experiences, at concludes with the effects these men had on a world ready to embrace tangible heroes. Flags of our Fathers also dispels the many myths behind the photo. Flags of our Fathers plays strongly on the emotions of the reader. Because of this, the style is extremely melodramatic. The author used short, choppy sentences designed to make distinct impressions on the reader. He often used the same hyperbolized phrases from chapter to chapter, even from page to page. Bradley had an amazing story to tell that had no need of stylistic embellishment. This style actually decreased the credibility of the stories recounted in this book. The book revealed the men behind the iconistic image and emphasized the courageous actions of all the Marines in the taking of Iwo Jima. The reader was helped to understand the experiences of much of the country during WWII by highlighting those of just a few families. Also, the reader was imparted with understanding of what the horror of battle must have been like, yet the description refrained from being overwhelmingly graphic. Bradley's story of human trial is a overdramatic at times, but remains a poignant account of a few individuals involved in WWII.
Rating: 
Summary: Ambrose Was Right
Review: I definitely appreciate the authors ability to describe the battle in the way he did. It was this part of the book that really captivated me. Imagining (to the authors credit) the unspeakable experiences of these soldiers; the battle almost seems unreal.
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Summary: Stunning and extraordinary...Memorial Day reading!!!!!
Review: This novel is an absolutely stunning work that tells the story of "ordinary" men in extraordinary circumstances and what they were capable of. This is an honest, open look at the lives of the men on Iwo Jima, and the harsh reality that they were a part of. The description of the slaughter on the small island is so real and so heart wrenching that you know that anyone who was not there can barely begin to truly perceive the battle conditions that went on beyond time. It is an in-depth story of those who raised the replacement flag on Iwo Jima and how that event touched their lives. The central figure in this amazing book is the author's father. The author was driven to write this book because until his father died he never really knew much about what his father had done in service to his country. His father's life should be an inspiration to all who read this book, or who knew him. He was a man who lived his life with no desire to seek after fame or glory even though he could have done otherwise. He saw the worst that mankind had to offer and seemed to decide that living a life focused on his family and friends and town was what was really important. He knew the word hero and believed that those who had given their lives were the true heroes. Fame due to an incidental raising of a flag, no matter how important this event was to the American public, did not give him the feeling of being a hero. He left too many dead friends behind for him to assume that his role was unique. The lives of the other men in the flag raising photograph are also detailed and it makes for a very special story. I come from a military family background and am married to a Marine. Does this make the book more intense for me, maybe. MAybe it makes it more real. I read this book and finished it by November 10th, the birthday of the Marine Corps, in order to really appreciate the birthday celebration more. During the Birthday Ball, the part of the ceremony where they say "We come from a long proud line of Marines and we are honored to be a part of this heritage.." it held new meaning for me, it isn't just words anymore. This book is open, honest, blunt and real. It is filled with hope, despair, fear,love, triumph, tragedy and faith. Some of the men came through it all, and pulled their lives together, and some, no matter how far from Iwo Jima they were, never really left. This is one of the most outstanding books I have ever read. It should be required reading in high schools across the country. There is now an abridged version put out for middle schoolers and up to fill this need. We all need to remember the brave and courageous Americans who have lived and died serving their country.
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Summary: What price Old Glory?
Review: The price paid to place our flag on Mount Suribachi was very steep indeed; over 80% casualty rate in E Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Division. There is irony in that the six men who raised the flag didn't necessarily see it as a glorious moment; they certainly were not seeking glory, and the publicity and fame that surrounded them after the photograph came out, was, they felt, better directed at those who they said earned it - their dead comrades on Iwo Jima. The facts of the battle of Iwo Jima bear testimony to the truth of this sentiment. > Of the 100,000 man landing force, over 80,000 were marines. 26,000 marines were either killed or wounded; in some units such as E Company, loss rates were well above what would normally have earned the men a respite - their units being rendered ineffective. Not so here. Withdraw to where? The narrow beach? That was where the Japaese were raining down their artillery and mortars. > In dislodging the Japanese defenders the Americans had to root them out of the burrows and warrens that the surface of Mount Suribachi had been converted into. It was made that much more difficult by the fact that the Japanese would not surrender. All 22,000 defenders were killed. > Medals of Honor are not given out lightly; they were earned on Iwo Jima; this battle had the highest rate of recipients for any single US engagement in WWII. > The marines had been training for this mission for nearly a year; they were well prepared and knew what they were getting into, yet the battle raged on for over 1 month and they suffered attrocious losses. These points are all brought out in FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS as it is in the description of the training, preparing for, and fighting of the battle of Iwo Jima where the book excells. The author is the son of the last of the six flag raisers to pass on. Former corpsman John Bradley died in 1994; three of the six never left Iwo Jima and Rene Gagnon and Ira Hayes died of natural causes back home. We learn their names because the book tells us about their lives. The well known photograph serves as the common thread connecting these six lives. The image is world famous; it captured a moment of bravery; it was used to promote war bonds, stir patriotism, and today, 56 years later, is used as an icon for pride and heroism. The book looks closely at the photograph, exploring the meaning of heroism and looking at the difference between the image and the reality of these men's lives. It is here we see a cruel irony arising. The sad postwar life of Hayes and Gagnon stands in stark contrast to all the positive emotions the photograph brings forth. Perhaps the real intention of this book is that by telling the story of these six men we should read it as a tribute to the many men who served their country well but received no recognition for it. Regardless of the postwar life they led, the men who served in WWII should know that their wartime life is recognized and appreciated for what it means to us today; going beyond tributes like FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, the reality is: "Books are good enough in their own way, but they are a mighty bloodless substitute for life." (Robert Louis Stevenson)
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Summary: "The heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who didn't come back"
Review: If you are looking to read a book about Japan in World War II, Flags of our Fathers is probably the most interesting and well-written account of Iwo Jima from someone who didn't experience the war itself. It describes the lives of 5 Marines and 1 Navy Corpsman who became famous and part of world history when they raised a flag on top of Mount Suribachi. It also details all the sacrifices the American Marines made when they launched a 36 day campaign against the Japanese at Iwo Jima. Some of those sacrifices were their lives and sanity. Marines had a devotion to their country and the word "surrender" was not in their vocabulary. They persisted until the last enemy gave up. Reading this book gave me a lot of knowledge I wouldn't have gotten from a history book. It will make you appreciate the lives of the men who died in World War II for a better tomorrow.
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Summary: One for all times
Review: Being a Marine might be the reason why this book had such an impact on me. But I believe that this book will have the same impact on everyone. I have read a few books about the War in the Pacific and this is by far the best. I am by no means an expert on the subject but this book tells the history as I imagined from the traditions and history I have learned from the Marines and of the other books I have read. All present, past and future Marines should read this to appreciate what Marines went through on that tiny, Japanese troop filled island, which was not known by almost all Americans until after the invasion started. The author brought life into the words written, not just text book facts but the truth as spoken from the Marines and Corpsman that were there and experienced it first hand. No other book on the subject of Iwo Jima comes close to this. If you want to learn facts and strategy of the battle this is not the book for you but if you want chilling details and first hand experiences, this is it!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: "Flags of Our Fathers" is simply one of the best books I have ever read. Well written, entertaining, and informative, Bradley does more than write a standard military history. He does a masterful job of weaving the lives of the six flag raisers together and tracing their lives after the battle. Furthermore, his description of the Japanese mindset of the time and how well fortified Iwo Jima was adds to the drama of this book. Whether you're a military historian or not, this is a must read.
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