Rating: 
Summary: Patton: Warts and All
Review: A decent book overall. I enjoyed the book exploring Patton's childhood and upbringing.
Rating:
Summary: An average biography
Review: As noted by other reviewers, the author has a forward where he pats himself on the back for the extensive research he has done with primary sources that other Patton biographers haven't. But most of the sources prove to be a waste of time. The detailed material he provides about the Patton's ancestors is completely irrelevant to an understanding of the man, it is filler that could be greatly abbreviated. We really don't need to read quotes from letters they sent each other.The author also pads the book by repeating, word for word, quotes or paragraphs contining conclusions he has made in diffgerent parts of the book. Does he really think we've forgotten what we've already read? His writing is also strangely stilted at times, using verb and adjectives that don't seem to fit the context of the paragraphs. I was not offended by the opinion that Patton's irrational, hyperbolic pep talks to the troops encouraged the atrocities that they committed, I think that it is a fair conclusion and part of Patton's character as shown by other statements, acknowledged by other biographers, and Patton, himself. He shot off his mouth without thinking. Another flaw of the book is the maps. The author gives great detail about the places attacked, passed through, avoided, etc. but the maps show only the larger towns. The author's conclusion is that Patton was a great tactical general with many character flaws, which seems to be an accurate assessment. It just isn't a well written book.
Rating:
Summary: Hirshson's Appetizer to D'Este's Main Course
Review: Books written on the life of the great American general, George S. Patton, prove the maxim that history is not objective, but interpretive. Certainly Hirshson's work is a new interpretation of mostly familiar facts, but does the reader accept Hirshson's version? After reading this book, I came to the conclusion that, while it is an admirable attempt by Hirshson, I still must consider D'Este's work THE Patton masterpiece. Hirshson does use new sources previously unused in other Patton biographies and his examination of the events occurring after Patton's death concerning his diary are intriguing. However, he lightly skims over, in my opinion, very significant moments in Patton's career and private life. Most disturbing to me is the emphasis on blaming Patton's "Blood and Guts" pre-battle speeches as the cause of atrocities committed by American troops in Sicily. I find that to be a real stretch on the author's part. However, the book is a good beginning for anyone discovering Patton, but I think it will leave them wanting more which, in that case, they should then feast on D'Este's deeply engossing magnum opus. I found the main difference in the two authors to be this: D'Este admires his subject; Hirshson does not.
Rating: 
Summary: Not quite as advertised
Review: Despite what Hirshson claims in his preface (over 12 yrs of archival research!), this book does not break new ground in Patton historiography. While he does uncover (or actually use) some new materials such as letters and diaries of John Wood, the 4th Armored div commander, most of his primary source is the same used by earlier biographers of Patton from D'Este all the way back to Farago. Unfortunately, his interpretations of the same materials are, to be kind, adventurous and certainly open to criticisms. One ex. is Hirshson uses Liddell Hart's claim that Patton didn't think mobile exploitation was possible in Normandy. From this bit (and as Mearsheimer showed, Liddell Hart was not above self-serving revisionist history), Hirshson claims that Patton was not nearly the armored warfare visionary his previous biographers claimed (a tough proposition to sell no doubt). He conveniently forgets the fact that Patton was talking about the terrain immediately after the beachhead (namely the bocage country) and the two month long struggle validated Patton's prediction. Another disturbing part of the book is Hirshson's claim that Patton's war speeches were responsible for American atrocities. This is just inane. Any serious reader of Patton's own works understands that Patton more than anyone else realized the difficulty of converting democratic citizenry into fighting men against an experienced Wehrmacht. Even more disturbing is Hirshson's focus on Patton's anti-Semitic views. While his views were deplorable and unjustifiable, they're hardly unrepresentative of his social peers (namely top American military generals). Considerable amount of this focus is present in his concluding chapter without really connecting how his views impacted his military conduct. He attempts to connect this to Patton's military governorship of Bavaria, but most Patton biographers and military historians would agree that it was Patton's political naivete and ignorance (after all, his political views were conservative to say the least) situated in a position where he was least suited. His work sheds some new light on John Wood, a Patton friend and his first 4th Armored commander. However, in the overall Patton historiography (despite Wood's accomplishments), Wood's importance is a minor one. Overall, a disappointing work that does not come close to superceding Blumenson's annotated Patton Papers or D'Este's monumental biography. However, I do believe there are plenty of Montgomery admirers in UK who would love to scoop up this book.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but not great
Review: Hirshson's Patton: A Soldier's Life is the only book I have read on the life of Gen. George Patton. Hirshson's book is a result of massive research and for that alone the author is to be commended. If the subject of the book were someone other than the colorful Patton, this would be a very arduous read. Like many who are drawn to the character of Patton, I think most would give credit to the movie in which Patton was wonderfully portrayed by the late George C. Scott. I can not intelligently say whether this book uncovers any new ground-breaking information on Patton, but the book is still worth reading. Patton believed he was destined to play some integral part in a major war. You get that sense from the book and the movie. It is hard to comprehend that someone could actually wish for war, but Patton probably more than anyone fits this description. Reading from letters written by Patton are all very informative as they would be about any figure in history. I especially was interested in what he thought of other generals. I knew he had some disdain for Gen. Montgomery, but he apparently was not too impressed with Eisenhower either. He even considered Gen. Bradley of the higher caliber of mediocrity. While this book likes to deal with Patton's faults and controversies, as any good book should, even Hirshson admits Patton was probably the greatest tactician of the allied commanders. Patton was clearly not a beloved general like a Washington or a Lee, but he was feared and respected. Patton had attributes that are worthy of rebuke, but he knew how to fight and strike fear into the hearts of the enemy.
Rating: 
Summary: I am apalled
Review: I am apalled at the tone that this book sets. While admittedly well researched, the author has gone to utmost lengths to disparge the memory of one of the greatest ever combat generals on all fronts.
The ultimate accolade is when one's enemy admits to your greatness. In this "Georgie" was fortuanete. The German Army High Command thought him dangerous, Stalin was impressed, Eisenhower and Marshall repeatedly "saved" him for greater things, but Professor Hirshon is not impressed.
Prior to D-Day, his presence in pretended planning tied up German divisions that could have been used in D-Day. His breakout and pursuit post D-Day was beyond compare. Turning the Third Army around and getting onto the offensive during the Battle of the Bulge even today is considered the ultimate in handling and Army at War. But that doesn't cut ice with Professor Hirshon either.
One presumes that the decision to install his statue at west Point was made by a committee of morons.
We are indeed luck that Patton's nanny and her closest blood relations to whom some form of oral history could have been passed on are long dead or not accessible to Professor Hirshon, or else he might have raked up something about how Patton didn't eat his food when he was three or maybe wet his bed.
Whether Professor Hirshon likes it or not, George Smith Patton Jr., General, USA was and will remain a military icon, one of the best combat generals that the world has ever seen. A master in exploiting and executing the expanding torrent theory.
The only reason this bok gets one star is because of it's subject. PATTON
Rating:
Summary: Very thorough book, but not to the point
Review: I had to stop reading this book after about 60 pages, due to the exauhsting format of reading about everyone other than Patton. This book would be good for those with a lot of patience, and those that are interested in Patton's parent's, grand parents (as well as learning about their life, careers, likes/dislikes, ect)and the pain staking, very lengthy details of the background of every senario in Patton's life.
I would simply like a very intriguing book, that gets to the damn point, but can keep my attention.
Rating: 
Summary: I liked it very much
Review: I really enjoyed reading this work. I thought the style was very readable and the of course the subject matter was very interesting. The other reviewers of this work dislike the fact that Hirshson blames Patton's speeches for the atrocities in Italy. Agreed the assertion is silly but it is clearly opinion. The author also clearly thinks that the general was too dismissive of academcs and reporters etc. All in all I think it is well worth the read. As with any work this ones shows the reader much about the author in addition to the subject. I learned much about WWII and WWI. I found the Tank/Calvary intellectual battle that went on throughout Patton's career very interesting. I would recomend the book. I would also note that the author is not a "Blood and Guts" kinda guy.
Rating:
Summary: GSP JR
Review: I'll admit, I'm an avid admirer of George S Patton Jr and it was for that reason I was enthusiatic about reading "General Patton: A Soldier's Life." I was very disappointed. I thought the author went out of his way to disparage GEN Patton but even when he sighted failures and controversial events, I was unimpressed with his supporting arguments. I also thought the book was poorly organized and at times confusing. The author would unexpectly jump forward or backward in time with little warning or explanation. I found it very distracting. Finally, I was confused by the author's seeming "love affair" w/Maj.-Gen. John S. Wood, CG 4th Armor Div. The book was about GEN Patton yet the author seemed to go out of his way to praise GEN Wood even when it didn't seem to have any connection with what he was relating about GEN Patton. I'm probably being generous by giving the book 2 stars but any book on GEN Patton starts out with 1. Read it if you've read all the other excellent books on GEN Patton and you have the time.
Rating:
Summary: Mr. Hirshson does NOT like Gen G S Patton.
Review: Mr. Hirshson tells us that he took some years to research the book. Well I guess when you try to find all the skeletons in ones closet, look long enough and you will find them. What really surprised me was the very short mention of G S Pattons so called accident that brought on his untimely death.
A four star General has an accident and so little is written. Mr. Hirshson did not find any more or did not want to write more about it, we shall never know. Maybe it is better so. But the book is not worth riding.
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