Rating: 
Summary: An epic story of American soldiers
Review: "Once an Eagle," by Anton Myrer, is a huge book: the main text is 1291 pages long in the paperback edition. The book tells the story of Sam Damon, a Nebraska man who enlists in the Army and gradually rises up the ranks; his career spans a great portion of the 20th century. His story is intertwined with that of his rival, fellow soldier Courtney Massengale. The men are polar opposites: Damon is a down-to-earth guy who genuinely cares about his soldiers, whereas Massengale is a cold, ruthless puppetmaster with grand dreams of power and conquest.Myrer brilliantly focuses his vast story on these two archetypal characters. In the end he creates a sweeping tapestry into which he weaves many relevant issues: leadership, love, marriage, racism, courage, politics, etc. He offers an intriguing look at such things as the role of military wives, officer-enlisted relations, the relationship between the military and civilian political authorities, etc. The book is full of memorable characters, vivid scenes, and powerful dialogue. Myrer has a real skill at descriptive writing. Ultimately, this is a novel of ideas which never loses touch of the humanity (or inhumanity) of its characters. I especially liked the fact that Myrer creates compelling female, as well as male, characters. It's really like an epic TV mini-series in book form. Recommended as companion texts: "A Narrative of a Revolutionary Soldier," by Joseph Plumb Martin, "Bridges at Toko-Ri," by James Michener, and "Starship Troopers," by Robert Heinlein. All are excellent books in particular for military leaders, or for anyone with an interest in the military.
Rating:
Summary: An American Classic
Review: Although it's difficult to add much of anything original to the voluminous reviews which testify to the greatness of this novel, I feel compelled to add my thoughts as well. Though I have never served in the military (I grew up surrounded by military personnel and spent a lot of my early years on and around Andrews Air Force Base, however), I can see why so many military folks treasure this book. Still, I do not believe that a military background is in any way essential to an appreciation of this work. It is simply a great novel which happens to focus on the lives of men in the military. I first read Once An Eagle in the '70s and have re-read it two or three times since then, and it is probably my all-time favorite novel. We get an imperfect hero for the ages in Sam Damon, battle scenes of unforgettable impact from two world wars, a trip through six decades of American history and a fascinating morality tale all rolled into one wonderful read. Supporting characters, as well as Damon's primary antagonist throughout his career, Courtney Massengale, are richly drawn and equally memorable; I have always been particularly struck by Gen. George Caldwell, Damon's father-in-law, and have long assumed that he is a fictional representation of one of the 20th Century's greatest soldier-statesmen, General George Catlett Marshall. A truly great book in every respect and one I would recommend to anyone, regardless of age, gender or professional background. An American novel for the ages.
Rating:
Summary: A classic on leadership and integrity!
Review: This was one of the best books I've ever read. Lengthy, but at times engrossing. The lead character is terrific, you really believe that this guy actually lived. From a literary perspective, the ending is a masterpiece, but I HATED it. Felt like I'd actually lost a friend, almost cried, for pete's sake, and I'm not the sentimental type. A picture of what man can aspire to be. Gritty battle scenes give some idea of what war is really like, why it's something to be avoided. But it also clearly demonstrates that as John Stewart Mill has said, "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." I highly recommend Myrer's epic tale of being a soldier, but more than that, being a man.
Rating:
Summary: A leader's guide and a story of life
Review: Having served my country I understand many of the things that occur in this book. This is not just the story of war, death, and destruction, but of honor, integrity, bravery, sacrifice, infidelity and many other things. This is the story of the making of a great man through the ups and downs. Everyone can learn from this book, no matter what you do or what you plan to accomplish in the future.
Rating:
Summary: On a par with "We were Soldiers..."
Review: This book is written by a writer who smelled the cordite, and experienced the savagey and the horror of the random death that is war. The rise thru the ranks of the book's principal character, Sam Damon, from private to general, is a story well told. Anton Myrer's work is on a par with James Webb's "Fields of Fire", William Manchester's "Goodbye Darkness", and Galloway and Moore's "We Were Soldiers Once, And Young". If you like reading of military tales and history don't miss this book. It won't let you put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Monster account of 20th century war
Review: This was a monster of a book; i'd never heard of Myrer until I heard this advertised on the radio. I've never read such a vivid and compelling description of war; it was more realistic and horrifying than any movie. It was gripping from start to finish and completely absorbed me for the several days it took to read it. When it was over I was emotionally exhausted; that is how evocative and powerful it is.
Rating: 
Summary: It's boring. The dialog is insipid.
Review: If you are in a position in the military where you are forced to read this book and you wonder why you find it boring when so many others love it, you may rest assured that it truly is boring. I slugged it out to page 137 in the 938 page hardcover version and I give up. I cannot stand to hear another word from that corny character named Raebyrne. Here are the problems with this book. The dialog is insipid. The character development is shallow, much like the science fiction genre. There is not much action. It is a pokey, slow moving book that offers little else except perhaps a depiction of military life and action that is accurate enough to please those who have been there. I have not been in the military, but I have enjoyed many books on military history that are far more stimulating than this novel. If you love this book, fine. If you don't love this book, you are not alone.
Rating:
Summary: Doing things right vs. Politically expedient
Review: To some, Once An Eagle is a story of an idealistic boy scout, named Sam Damon, who fights (stupidly) against the Army establishment in the vain hope of making a better world. Well, this book isn't written for them. The hero of Once an Eagle, Sam Damon, is not a boy scout nor is he some wishy washy do gooder who dreams of the impossible. Sam Damon is a man who I would want as my commanding officer or manager or political leader--honest, loyal, brave, wise, strong and most of all, compassionate. Sam leaves his Nebraska home to join the Army and serve in two world wars. By the end, he goes to a South East Asian country that sounds a lot like Vietnam. Sam's nemesis is a Courtney Massingale, a man who is almost the polar opposite of Sam, who rises through the ranks faster than Sam does because he is skilled in the art of office politics rather than the art of war. Their paths cross with deadly consequences over the two world wars until things come to a head in the faux-Vietnam of Anton Myrer's world. This is one of a classic of military literature and if you enjoyed The Thin Red Line (not the movie) or The Naked And The Damned then this is worth buying. BTW, the person who wrote that Massingale was actually MacArthur is dead wrong. Massingale seems more like the 1st Marine Division's apparent Korean War nemesis, Ned Almond (X Corps Commander durng the 1950 Chosin Resevoir battle and protege of MacArthur.) Anton Myrer did his research well. Although I suspect that Sam Damon is a composite of two Marine legends, Marine Raider Commanders Carlson and Edson. (In real life Edson despised Carlson, but that's another story.)
Rating:
Summary: Not long enough!
Review: Yeah, I admit. When I first bought it I wasn't sure I could handle a 1300 page book like this. But after reading it, I wish it had been two or three thousand pages! It is basically a history of the Army and the nation from Pershing's Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa to the beginnings of the Vietnam conflict. The protagonist is everything a combat commander should be. He has trouble advancing in peace time however, because he's not a good politician. Balanced against him is an officer who knows staff work back to front, and is good at persuading people to do what he wants. Unfortunately, he is more interested in advancing himself than in serving his country. In the end though, he is not evil, just bad. If there were a combination of this kind of soldier...
Rating:
Summary: Where have I been to have missed hearing about this guy!
Review: Anton Myrer has pulled off the stunning feet of putting the reader in battle and through death. In between, he lets you live the life of an unsung hero. Virtual reality camoflaged as a novel.
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