Rating: 
Summary: Glory seeker
Review: I would like to say this is a good book, but how can it be when you go against your father's wishes by writing about his experiences that he tried so hard to keep private while alive. It strikes me that his son jumped on the band wagon of WW2 money grabbers. Anything to make a buck.
If his father wanted the book written he would have done it himself and better.
WITH THE OLD BREED is a superior book written by a been there done that combat Marine who freely and honestly shared his experiences with the world.
At the end of the day FOOF is just another reconstruction of what it must have been like by a civilian and morally bankrupt by violating the sanctity of the father-son relationship.
Rating: 
Summary: A Heroic Tale
Review: Yet another outstanding book about W.W.II. Whether as a companion piece to other books of it's genre, or on it's own; this book is an exceptionally moving account of the battle for Iwo Jima. More specifically, it traces the lives of a few of the boys who fought on that island, and how they were forever changed. The focus of the book is on the lives of the boys involved in the famous "flag raising" photo. The fact that one of the author's is a "flag raisers" son, only makes this moving book even more poingent. Highly reccomended.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: This book is majestic - I could hardly make it through the first chapter, fighting back tears. He done us proud.
Rating:
Summary: Best Book of 2001
Review: Most biographies written by close family members are too close to the subject to be objective or scholarly. Not so with "Flags of Our Fathers," the best work of non-fiction, of history and biography to come out of 2001.Using a well-known event-- the raising of the flag by a small group of U.S. Marines at Mount Surabachi at Iwo Jima ("Sulfur Island") in the closing stages of World War II-- Bradley identifies each of the men, including his own father, and tells their story. It's a heart-felt, moving and insightful look at America before and during World War II, and a telling look at the problems faced by "the survivors." Don't let the cover or the premise of this book fool you. Believing it to be another "fluff" book about World War II and the U.S. Marines, I passed it by-- but when several of my friends said "You GOTTA read this book," well-- I took the plunge myself. Why did I wait so long? Wow.
Rating: 
Summary: Highly readable, but slightly amateurish for WWII buffs
Review: This book is very easy to read, making it an excellent introduction to those new to WWII books before advancing to Stephen Ambrose, Cornelius Ryan etc. The author clearly admits somewhere in the book that he's no researcher nor historian, so those who are extremely put-off by the book's lack of statistics and historical data can hardly blame him. The book has a very personal and intimate tone to it, those looking for heavy-duty history would be disappointed. It is basically the result of the author's personal quest to find out more about his father's role in the Iwo Jima spectacle, through reading some popular WWII volumes and interviews with survivors. The writing flows nicely, but for serious WWII/military history buffs, it is very clear that Bradley is not at par with other writers like Ambrose. In fact, I've read most of the books in Bradley's bibliography, and throughout various parts of the book, I had a strange sense of deja-vu that I was reading rehashed material. Nevertheless, as I mentioned before, if you're not heavily into books like these, or just don't feel like using up too many brain cells, this book makes for great reading. For one, you won't be bogged down by all the military jargon that's typical of many history books. One more tiny complaint... Bradley seems completely IN AWE of Marines, which is totally fine (I am too) but I get the feeling that he does it to the point where he tries REALLY REALLY HARD to portray his own father as one. In fact, he sounds a little like a Marine-wannabe throughout most of the book. Contrary to what some reviewers have mistakenly believed, Bradley's father was a NAVY corpsman, despite having worn the Marine uniform while on the Iwo Jima campaign. The Marines are awesome, no doubt about that, but it almost seems like the author wishes that his father had been a Marine instead of a Navy man. I don't think that his father would've been ashamed of being in the Navy. Having said all that, I still think that this book is a great INTRODUCTION to WWII in the Pacific theater. I think that it would've been a perfect piece of work if Bradley himself had been a military man, then it wouldn't have some across as being so "wannabe-like" which gets annoying at times. For serious readers of military history, it would take only the first few pages to realize that the author has no new knowledge to offer except for the information on the personal lives of the 6 flagraisers.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful story; poor writing and balance
Review: I've seen the picture and the statue. I always thought that they raised the flag and the battle (if not the war) was over. Perhaps the most powerful message of "Flags of Our Fathers" was that the flag raising came at the beginning of the battle for Iwo Jima and that three of those six young men never left the island (let alone became fathers). The book is well worth reading the get the straight story of the the photograph (not posed but also not the first flag raising that day) and the stories of each of the six men. It's powerful stuff. HOWEVER, I'm withholding one star (and considered two) because of two significant problems with the book. The first is the writing and editing. Many reviewers have complained about excessive redundancies in the book. Well, I listened to the abridged tape and it still swims in redundancies. You'd think after two editings.... Also, as the child of a member of the Army Corps of Engineers in the Pacific Front, I second the comments concerning Bradley's Marine bias. The other services also played important roles in the Pacific theater. Bottom-line: Worth reading if you remember that this is primarily the story of one Marine and his five companions in a fluke moment when a picture was taken. If this book can get a person born after 1970 to appreciate the sacrifices of WWII then it has served an important purpose.
Rating:
Summary: Superb Tale, Engrossingly Told
Review: Lately, there has been a spate of books celebrating the valor and courage of those who fought in WWII. Without getting into a debate as to whether this is a lot of people jumping on a popular bandwagon, let me simply say that "Flags of our Fathers" is a superb addition to any library. Not only is it a fascinating story, it is exceedingly well-written. The author clearly approached this as a labor of love and it shows on every page. His feelings for the characters he describes is apparent and I don't mean just the six men who raised the flag. He makes all of those who fought on Iwo Jima come alive and he does a wonderful job of putting the reader in the action. But as good as that portion of the book is, it gets even better when he tells of the events that transpired later as the nation fell in love with the Photograph and all that it represented. Amazingly, Bradley has written a book that is very inspiring yet profoundly sad at the same time. I highly recommend the book and can guarantee that no one can put it aside once they begin.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT!
Review: Best account of the battle of Iwo Jima I've read so far. A truly moving work. Easy and quick read, you don't want to put it down once you start. Absolute masterpiece, best writing I've read lately. Though it is primarily focused on a military subject it's just as much a guide on how to be a man, a husband and a father. Should be required reading for all military professionals. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Rating:
Summary: Best History Story Ever Told!
Review: This is the kind of book that makes history fun! I was born in 1949 a baby boomer and heard stories from fathers, uncles, friends parents about the Second World War. My five kids ages 18 to 6 years old, hardly even know there was a Second World War. This gripping book brings it all home, and puts a face and poinient story to something abstract. I absolutely loved the way Mr. Bardley made this book into a personal story of his father and the other 5 flag raisers. Reading it, I felt as if I was out on the porch one Sunday afternoon listening to Mr. Bradley tell his father's riviting but terrifying story of his experiences in the Pacific on Iwo Jima island with the U.S. Marines and tough Japanese soldiers. Not only is the book well written and easy to read. It holds your attention from page one. If you want to find out something about the Pacific theater of WWII, or want a great story read this book! Joe Seckelman
Rating:
Summary: Flags of our Fathers
Review: This book is very good, and highly readable to a general audience, which is just what Bradley wanted. I enjoyed the book, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention the drawbacks to the book. The most important is that Bradley is not a historian...he is a proud son. Don't expect to find any real historical perspective here. Another is that he romanticizes the event to a small degree, so watch out for it. All in all, however, it's a good read. I recommend it.
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