Rating: 
Summary: Ambrose is always good
Review: Although Ambrose is always good, this is not his best. It is interesting and tells the story of the American GI under Eisenhower's command, but leaves something to be desired.
We've been spoiled by Mr. Ambrose previous works and so this book lacks the full spectrum approach we've come to enjoy. Having said all of this, I will add that I was captivated by the personal stories of heroism and courage. While driving, I found myself fixed on the stories and nearly missed an exit! My greatest criticism for this audio book is Cotter Smith's reading of it. He is focussed and clear, but seems to miss opportunities for inflection and tone that would enhance the reading of this work. Listen, but realize other Ambrose works are much better.
Rating:
Summary: Synthesis of other Ambrose books
Review: As mentioned by almost every other review, this book is a synthesis of Ambrose's earlier works about WWII. Overall, it makes for a fine read, but the material will be redundant if you have already finished his other books. Having said that, this book would serve as a good intro to the writing style that Ambrose typically uses in his WWII books. He likes to focus on the people who actually fought the war. From the generals to the privates, he tries to cover all angles in order to tell the best story. And Ambrose is one of the better story tellers around these days. Unfortunately, he sometimes forgets to mention where he gets his stories from, as evidenced by the recent controversy. For those not very familiar with the ETO, this book could serve as a good primer of this theatre, mostly from the American and British perspective. Otherwise, I don't recommend it for anyone familiar with Ambrose's other books, or who is a serious student of WWII because there is not much new here. Lastly, if you decide to buy this book, don't pay full price for this book. It is in every used book store that I have visited recently, usually for a low price.
Rating:
Summary: Synthesis of other Ambrose books
Review: As mentioned by almost every other review, this book is a synthesis of Ambrose's earlier works about WWII. Overall, it makes for a fine read, but the material will be redundant if you have already finished his other books. Having said that, this book would serve as a good intro to the writing style that Ambrose typically uses in his WWII books. He likes to focus on the people who actually fought the war. From the generals to the privates, he tries to cover all angles in order to tell the best story. And Ambrose is one of the better story tellers around these days. Unfortunately, he sometimes forgets to mention where he gets his stories from, as evidenced by the recent controversy. For those not very familiar with the ETO, this book could serve as a good primer of this theatre, mostly from the American and British perspective. Otherwise, I don't recommend it for anyone familiar with Ambrose's other books, or who is a serious student of WWII because there is not much new here. Lastly, if you decide to buy this book, don't pay full price for this book. It is in every used book store that I have visited recently, usually for a low price.
Rating: 
Summary: I'm Not Sure Why Ambrose Bothered with this Book
Review: Being familiar with Ambrose's body of work, it is easy to understand why this book is taking up space on bargain racks from sea to shining sea, as well as space on Amazon's bargain shelves. There is simply little new here to recommend for anyone who has read Ambrose's biography of Ike, or his "Citizen Soldiers" book about the soldiers who fought and won the war. And if you haven't read those books, go read them -they're better than this work, which is mostly a rehash of earlier material. Ambrose doesn't hide his enthusuiasm for the marines who tumbled out of those landing craft on Omaha Beach and endured murderous fire from the well-entrenched German defenses. This was like Fredericksburg and Pickett's Charge rolled into one, except the suicidal attacking army attained their objectives in 1944. Ambrose also is unabashed in his admiration for Eisenhower, and at times one has to wonder why. Clearly Ike had a take charge personality and valiantly offered to take all of the blame if bad weather, low tides, or any other factor defeated his grand mission at Normandy. But was Eisenhower a brilliant tactition? Even Ambrose admits his first combat experience as a general, in North Africa, was a disaster. I think more than anything, Ambrose senses and admires Ike's dislike of war, his strength of character, and his genuine regard for the infantry that he was ordering to slaughter on those Normandy beaches. I must say that while accounts of battles often fascinate me, the painstaking detail of much of this book left me a little overwhelmed with minutae. I know that every one of these soldiers represent actual men who risked (and in many cases gave)their lives for their country, but I question the wisdom of telling us names, companies, nicknames, etc. of soldiers who jumped off the boats and were immediately killed. I think the author's aim was to personalize the conflict with information about the soldiers, to make them more than statistics. Even so, the information at times just becomes difficult to truly comprehend and absorb. Ambrose's heart is in the right place, but I think this one misses the mark.
Rating: 
Summary: The Victors
Review: From the very beginning of the book I was enticed. I thought it was very well written and an enjoyable read. It includes stories and things I would have never expected. I thought the relationship between Marshall and Eisenhower was most interesting. I had not learned much about Marshall and Eisenhower's personalities. They were opposites yet worked very well together. Their relationship was based on trust. It is inspirational to hear of all that our soldiers went through during World War II. As someone looking back it helped me to better understand what went on and what the soldiers experienced first hand. I thought "The Victors" was a wonderful book and spanned over a good period of time. I would highly recommend it to others as a World War II informative book.
Rating:
Summary: The Victors
Review: From the very beginning of the book I was enticed. I thought it was very well written and an enjoyable read. It includes stories and things I would have never expected. I thought the relationship between Marshall and Eisenhower was most interesting. I had not learned much about Marshall and Eisenhower's personalities. They were opposites yet worked very well together. Their relationship was based on trust. It is inspirational to hear of all that our soldiers went through during World War II. As someone looking back it helped me to better understand what went on and what the soldiers experienced first hand. I thought "The Victors" was a wonderful book and spanned over a good period of time. I would highly recommend it to others as a World War II informative book.
Rating:
Summary: Sort of a best of Stephen Ambrose
Review: I have read most of the books by Ambrose and the material in The Victors is covered better in his other works. It isn;t bad, but the only reader who might find it interesting is someone who was looking to get into Ambrose's WWII works. Anyone else but the completists will probably not enjoy this book.
Rating:
Summary: This book offers a little of everything...
Review: I was in awe while reading about the responsibilities of the NCO's and Junior Officers in D-Day and for that matter in the rest of the war. The book concentrates more on the typical GI of WWII rather then the higher commissioned officers, however there are some good stories of Patton, Bradley, Eisenhower, and Monty. Reading this book has made me take on other Ambrose novels such as D-Day, and Citizen Soldiers. There was never a lull in the book, always taught me something I didn't know before. Like all Ambrose novels, this is a must read, especially if you want a generalization of the war in Europe.
Rating:
Summary: Huh?
Review: Now admittedly and quite obviously this book covers much of what his other books, D-Day and Citizen Soldiers, covers. This may or may not be a good thing. One main difference is that in The Victors the book goes chronologically like the others; however, The Victors is not focused on the timeline of events. For example there is a section for each of the two American landing beaches at D-Day, and then there is a section for Hedgerows; neither of the sections are certain dates or times. I personally love reading WWII books so I do not believe that the repetitions are superfluous, as other casual readers may. In my opinion, it is a very well-written and truly great book.
Rating: 
Summary: The Story of Young Boys Becoming Men for the Defeat of Evil
Review: Stephen Ambrose has crafted a wonderful popular history of a tale that should, and must, be told to every generation of Americans and Europeans. This story must remain in our hearts and witness that there is such a thing as objective evil and that we, all of us, have an obligation to stand up for the good. To that end, Stephen Ambrose, has marvelously depicted the lives of Eisenhower's men in battle. This book is a complilation of several other books written by Ambrose. Therefore, if you have read the others, you may be disappointed by this book. Nonetheless, for the first time reader of an Ambrose book, I can say that this book needed to be written. The book ends with the following: "What I think of the GIs more than a half century after their victory was best said by Sgt. Mike Ranney of the 101st: 'In thinking back on the days of Easy Company, I'm treasuring my remark to a grandson who asked, 'Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?' No, I answered, but I served in a company of heroes.' So far as I am concerned, so did they all." Ambrose has compiled quite a compendium of oral histories and preserved the memories of these soldiers in print. The reader will not be disappointed by Ambrose's casual style because it conveys a sense of brotherhood, of victory. This is no stale tome of history which recites dates and facts ad nauseum. Rather, it is a story of boys becoming men for the defeat of evil. One soldier remarked as he entered a concentration camp and saw the harm and hate down to innocents that "Now I know why I am here." We should also know why this war was fought. Therefore, read this book, treasure it and pass it on to your children.
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