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Summary: A sweeping, humane wartime epic
Review: Upon being absolutely blown-away by the expert HBO mini-series adaptation of this book I was eager to read through and learn more about the remarkable cast of characters who made up the 506 Regiment's 'Easy' Company. Ambrose does not disappoint and the bulk of this book - dealing with the training processes, descriptions of personality, psyche along with numerous humourous anecdotes are as well written as anything that i've seen in any combat/military book around. While the recounting of Easy Company's battles and detailed breakdown of squad/tactical manuevers are important and given equal attention they thankfully take a backseat to the more captivating storyline on how esprit de corp was developed over time and the value of the camarederie and brotherhood that the surviving members valued most of all. If you were a fan of the HBO mini-series and had even the tiniest inkling in learning more about this 'Band of Brothers,' you can't go wrong with this very well-written, detailed account of their story.
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Summary: Ambrose's Tribute to the Screaming Eagles
Review: After reading the late Stephen Ambrose's book about D-Day, I became an instant fan of his books about American soldiers in the European Theater of Operations. Ambrose's focus on the GIs is, throughout his books, balanced with glimpses of the larger picture, giving the reader a fascinating insight into what the last 11 months of World War II were like for the soldiers.Band of Brothers tells the story of a single company of paratroopers in the 101st Airborne Division from training in the United States and England to the end of the European campaign in May of 1945. The book depicts Co. E's personnel with an unblinking eye, depicting its first commander as a humorless martinet who nevertheless made Easy Company into a unit. It also tells how Richard Winters, the exec, took command of the company after its second commander became a casualty. From Normandy's hedgerows to Hitler's Alpine hideaway, Ambrose follows the 120 or so men of this small elite outfit, taking readers along on an unforgettable journey.
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Summary: Simply Wonderful
Review: This is one of the best books i have ever read in my life. It was wonderful from start to finish. I felt like i connected to these boys from Tocca training camp to the harsh winter at Bastonge. I felt there pain, there joy and all the other feelings these guys went through on there journey through WWII in the best light infantry unit in the world, Easy Company. If you havent read this book, buy it, its worth the money.
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Summary: Saga of the Airborne Brotherhood
Review: Airborne troopers have a special bond. Not to say that legs (non-jumpers) do not share the same camaraderie of soldiers everywhere. This book gives a good account on how the American airborne, a concept executed by the Germans, developed into an effective military strategy by war's end. A group of average American boys become Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment and go from green troops in Toccoa Georgia to seasoned veterans capturing the eagle nest of Hitler. Read it then buy the companion HBO miniseries. Former 101st Airborne troopers can stand proud because of this book. I had the pleasure of sharing a beer with Colonel Sink at the 82nd Airborne Assoication convention in New York in 1958 (he served in the 82nd after the war). He was as crusty and highly admired as the character in the HBO role. If you like D-Day history, especially first hand accounts on the night of 5 June 1944 as troopers stood up and hooked up to float or crash into Forteress Europia, you'll love this book.
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Summary: A Personal History
Review: As you would expect from the title, this book is focused on the stories of the individuals who made up this "band of brothers". Stephen Ambrose based his account on personal interviews and diaries and letters written at the time, occasionally moving back to a larger view when he quotes from an official history or other text. This is the story of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101 Airborne Division. A famous group in a famous unit, fighting from Normandy in the early hours of D-Day, through Holland in the spectacular failure of Operation Market-Garden and Belgium in a gallant stand at Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge, all the way to Hitler's "Eagle's Nest" in the Austrian mountains, where the victors had a well-deserved feast of wine, women and song. This is an incredible story, told mainly in the words of those who were there, and you can feel the fear, exhilaration, killing fury, bitter cold and biting hunger along the way. But ost of all you can feel the camaraderie of soldiers thrown together in a remote training camp in 1942, who trained and fought as a band of brothers and now, sixty years on, still maintain their closest friendships with each other. In another sense it is a story of an amazing soldier - Second Lieutenant Winters, one of the founding officers of Easy Company, who ended up a Major commanding the battalion. He led his troops with coolness and courage, intelligence and humanity. He gained more than respect, he gained the love of these warriors, and he earnt it through common sense decisions in training and in combat. His decisions saved the lives of his men and cost the enemy dearly, and his small unit actions are still cited as textbook examples. This book is chockablock full of infantry minor actions. Advance, assault, defence, withdrawal, patrolling and raiding - all told from multiple viewpoints in stark detail - the war in microcosm as seen by airborne infantrymen. There are maps and pictures, an index and an epilogue describing the postwar careers of the men of Easy. This book stands alone as totally engrossing war story, but is also an essential companion to the magnificent HBO miniseries. As a brutally, touchingly honest story of men at war, I cannot recommend this book too highly. It is an instant classic.
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Summary: War and Camaraderie
Review: I bought and read this book after watching the History Channel's recent re-broadcast of the HBO miniseries by the same name. While watching the mini-series, I was genuinely moved by the stories of Easy Company and wanted to read the book so that I could learn even more. The mini-series did an excellent job of recreating what Easy Company went through, from the airborne training in the US to the battles fought in Europe. The series also did a good job of giving the viewer a good sense of the camaraderie experienced by each member within Easy Company. The book, however, only did a good job of conveying the camaraderie aspect of Easy. Yes, the book does include maps of the campaigns fought by Easy and first hand accounts of the battles on D-Day, Caretan, Bastogne and Germany.
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Summary: War from the personal side
Review: Stephen Ambrose is my favorite historian. I am somewhat of a military historian myself and am mostly interested in tactic and strategy, technology and leadership. Band of Brothers taught me about the soul of the men going into combat. They are more than pawns on a general's map plot or a target in an enemy's scope. This book brings the thoughts and relationships of volunteers to the forefront of the battlefield. These men from a generation that we all need to learn from understood that their life was less important then the overall good of the world. Because of how they cared for each other, relied on each other, and believed in each other led them to a victory that assured the future of our democracy and allowed a future for millions to experience freedom. Ambrose weaves the interpersonal details with the situations of battle they where thrown into. One of the most interesting aspects of the GI relationship is that of the replacement. The men who were called to the frontlines later in the conflict were not welcomed into the "brotherhood" to the same extent as those who had been together for so many months/years. A personal attachment to someone new would take time to develop, something that was impossible on the front line. And something that could end in heartache as replacements died with greater frequency than their more experienced brothers. If you want a book that chronicles a timeline of events or an execution of strategy, do not go with Band of Brothers. If you want a book that introduces you to the character of an American, buy Band of Brothers. Though the mini-series is brilliant, read the book... there's so much more to it than even 10 hours of TV can recreate.
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Summary: A great read
Review: I bought and read this book several years ago, and loved it. It is an easy read (no pun intended), and really describes the bond between these elite citizen soldiers. And it is a wonderful homage to these great men. After buying the DVD series "Band Of Brothers" I decided to re-read Ambrose's book. This book was even better the second time around. True accounts are much better than fiction, and the late Stephen Ambrose will stand as one of the great American historians. I recommend reading this book, then watching the mini-series and then re-reading the book. If you were stirred by the mini-series, you will be inspired by the book.
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Summary: "We Stand Alone Together..."
Review: The words "we stand alone together..." come from the Curahee scrapbook of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (506 PIR). Band of Brothers highlights the journey of E Company from the 506 PIR in the 101st Airborne Division. This fabulous book higlights the success and failures of the men that served in this honored and famous company. Ambrose beautifully shows us what it was like to live through the time period and the hell of war. While reading the book, I felt like I was running along with Captain Winters while he captured two 88 Flak guns from the Germans at Normandy, digging in the foxholes and experiencing life as a medic with Doc Roe at Bastogne and sharing Webster's pain when he didn't have enough points to be sent home at the end of Europe Invansion. Spielberg magically catches the wonders of this book and made one of the best mini-series I have ever seen. After reading this book, I highly suggest seeing the movie and buying the collector's edition Tin Set. Trust me, both the book and mini-series are well worth the money.
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Summary: We few, we happy few... human beings
Review: "Band of brothers" is the story of Easy Company, a division of the 101st Airborne Regiment of Paratroopers. During the decisive moments of the Second World War, from D-Day in Normandy to the takeover of Hitler's Eagle's Nest in Austria, Easy Comnpany was present in many important battles, conquests, and even some failures (like Market Garden). Stephen Ambrose wrote this book after several interviews with the remaining members of Easy Company. Although "Band of brothers" is fundamented and researched in actual history, this book feels more like a collection of chronicles and memoirs of the Company paratroopers. That's why it reads more like a society history than a lesson in history. (...) Band of brothers" is based on human memories and recollections, and it was intended to be so from the start, not a detailed account of battles, war tactics, etc. Ambrose's writing is light and makes the reader comfortable with what he's reading. I think some readers mistake this book for a war story; however, it is a story about PEOPLE that happen to be fighting in a war, and should be read like this. That's the way to read it, and appreciate it in a rightly way. Grade 8.8/10
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