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Summary: Leadership Primer
Review: Simply the finest book I have ever read, and re-read. I first read this book as a homework assignment at West Point over 15 years ago. It changed the whole way I looked at leadership and personal integrity. I re-read it when Army life gets a little overwhelming, to re-learn those valuable lessons about keeping grounded in who you are and what is really important in life. The leadership lessons here are applicable to any walk of life, and the main characters represent the extremes of Army life without being the least bit campy. There are no pure Sam Damons or Courtney Massengales out there; they represent the polar extremes on the scale of leadership and integrity. The trick is to figure out where on the scale you want to be. You may be suprised at where you place yourself. As a WWII vet, Mr. Myrer has painted a portrait of small unit combat in a vivid style that will grip you. Combat Veterans consistently rate it as the most authentic description they've read. More Stephen Crane than Tom Clancy, it makes you an intimate part of the story.
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Summary: Service is its Own Reward
Review: If you serve, that is your reward.Don't expect anything else. A lesson upheld by Sam Damon, hero of the novel. For anyone considering service, you must read this novel and its painful and very often true lessons.
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Summary: ROTC cadet rates top book
Review: I am an Army ROTC cadet and will soon be an officer. This is absolutely the best book I have read concerning the science of warfare and the art of leadership. I highly recommend it to anyone charged with the responsibility of the nation and the populace.
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Summary: A Depressing Argument Against Making It A Career
Review: In college, while I was still gung-ho about the military, I read this book and it inspired me. This overdone novel centers around the life and times of its protagonist, Sam Damon. An athlete, scholar, and leader cut from the finest cloth, Damon epitomizes everything the military wants in its leadership. He is "a soldier's soldier," able to see things from the point of view of the common joe. As he climbs through the ranks, we are able to see everything the Army went through in the first half of the 20th century. Chasing Pancho Villa in Mexico with "Black Jack" Pershing, WWI, the deterioration during the inter-war period, WWII, and Vietnam are all covered. We also witness the dichotomy between a humanist leader (Damon) and his nemesis, the careerist Courtney Massengale. Myrer also illustrates family life in the Army. The choices Damon makes in the battle between Army and family demands seem to indicate that in order to go to the top, Army comes first. Since entering active service, I have re-read this novel. It seems that Myrer makes an excellent argument against making a career in the military. Damon, the perfect leader, experiences nothing but frustration the higher he rises. Army politics and an "old boy" network are too much. There are some who argue that idealists should stay in and try to make a difference. On the personal front, Damon alienates his lovely wife, Tommy. During their marriage, he passes up several chances to leave the service and take on a normal civilian life in a lucrative field. At least Damon had the oppurtunity to go to war and prove his manhood. Not that I'm eager to test my mettle, but today's military is almost run like a business. Why devote your life to a profession that no longer maintains its honor? Meetings are conducted regularly to talk about budgets and readiness rates. Having spent time on staff, and knowing several staff officers, I can say that units regularly fudge their numbers to make commanding officers look better. The Courtney Massengales of the world are crushing the Sam Damons. Perhaps this is what happens when an army is at peace too long.
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Summary: An emotional, realistic and engaging a book as ever written.
Review: In the military or not, this book captivates you. I have read it several times over the past 10 years, and the parallels to my business-life are uncanny. My whole point in writing this reveiw was the result of seeing one person who rated it with 2 stars. I appreciate one's opinion, but wanted to make sure the overwhelming positive reviews stood out!
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Summary: A must read for all those who would lead.
Review: As a young man in a USMC commissioning program, I can say that Once an Eagle is the finest leadership lesson I have been exposed to. It should be instituted in all officer ascension programs. Unlike some of the clinical, and impersonal leadership training I have recieved, Once an Eagle humanizes leadership. Myrer artfully shows how Damon becomes a great leader. To put it simply, he cares about his men. This book has helped me clarify my goals for my future military career. The excerpt from when he is preparing for an amphibious assault is especially moving. "Sad Sam" prays: "Help me be wise and full of courage and sound judgement. Harden my heart to the sights that I must see so soon again, grant me only the power to think clearly, boldly, resolutely, no matter how unnerving the peril. Let me not fail them." I suggest reading Once an Eagle if you want to serve in the armed forces of this great land. God help us that we can all be like the "Night Clerk."
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Summary: Anton Myrer's novel accounts for more than just the military
Review: "Once An Eagle" deserves an intellectual analysis that goes beyond any military perspective. The novel depicts the humnan condition as seen through history as a whole, whether its in reference to ancient Greek comedy or Asian spheres of influence. Anton Myrer brings to life a vast assortment of cultures proving that by no means is this literary work biased in any fashion. I recommend this book for anyone interested in international affairs, psychology, political science, philisophy, womens' studies or the human condition in general. The importance of this novel cannot be stressed enough for it reveals the truth about the culture of our world, and not just that of the United States.
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Summary: One of the finest novels of any kind I have ever read
Review: I ordered this book as a result of the recent NY Times article and after having read the rave reviews here. But I couldn't anticipate the profound effect this book would have on me. I have read many novels, but few have pulled me into the world of a character so proundly as this one, and made me care about someone as much as I did about Sam Damon. We do forget about what it means to be a person of principle and compassion, and all the reviews about Sam's character are spot on. But the book is also such a gread story, with many profound and moving moments. I have to say the most powerful sustained portion of the book for me is the World War II section ... I made the mistake of starting this section late in the evening and read all night to finish the book. This book has everything: a great hero and a fully developed and despicable villian, excellent supporting characters, compelling scenes. It's not a stretch to compare it to Tolstoy in its sweep and majesty. Finally, my thanks to the War College for the reprint.
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Summary: Very useful
Review: Very informative. Once an Eagle explains in concise prose the maxims of leadership and relates military truths that are so much the dramatic foundation of popular military fiction titles like The Triumph and Glory or superb films like Saving Private Ryan.
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Summary: A truly inspirational book
Review: This is one of the finest books I've read. Killer Angels is the only book I can think of that comes close to it. But I believe this book is better, because Sam Damon puts his duty to his country ahead of everything. This should be required reading in schools so that the citizens in our country will know that war is possible and horrible. The only remedy is preparation and vigilance. It is apalling that our military cannot even enlist the required number of men it needs to keep up to strength. It is apalling that our country lacks a missle defense system to protect our shores. We can thank the ultimate Courtenay Massengale-William Jefferson Clinton and the other ignorant social welfare planners of his ilk. We all need to do our duty as citizens to force the politicians to do what is right.
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