My War [Paperback]

On July 7, 1941, a young Colgate University football player named Andy Rooney reported for U.S. Army training. He was, Rooney allows, not prime military material. He had a knack for enraging the drill instructors with his wisecracks, and for pulling harsh assignments as a result, and his shenanigans got him disqualified from officer candidacy. Still, Rooney survived boot camp and served for a time as an artilleryman until being reassigned to the daily newspaper Stars and Stripes. Lucky for him, too: in 1942 his old outfit ran into trouble in North Africa, fighting against Erwin Rommel, and although few of them were killed, Rooney writes, "there's a good possibility I would have spent all of 1943, 1944, and six months of 1945 in a German prison camp."

In My War, a fine and wholeheartedly irreverent memoir, Rooney--later to gain fame as a 60 Minutes commentator--recounts what happened instead. As a correspondent, he saw combat up-close while honing his craft alongside such fellow chroniclers as Ernie Pyle and Bill Mauldin. What he witnessed will perhaps not please some survivors and students of the war, especially those who revere Gen. George S. Patton--whom Rooney charges with having committed improprieties, injustices, and even war crimes in the quest to secure personal fame.

Though the book is a personal memoir, Rooney has taken pains to square his anecdotes with the historical record. However, he writes, "It is distressing for me to note how infrequently the facts concur with my memory of what happened." (In such cases, he adds, he assumes that the facts are wrong.) Affecting, occasionally disturbing, and thoroughly well-written, Rooney's memoir is a welcome addition to the literature of "the good war." --Gregory McNamee --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Rooney (Not That You Asked), commentator on 60 Minutes, here with sardonic self-effacement relates how he became a notable combat journalist in WWII, a war he calls "the ultimate experience for anyone in it." For the Army newspaper Stars and Stripes, he covered the air war over Germany, the D-Day invasion of Normandy and the Allied drive into Germany. Rooney's simple, ruminative style?"The long slow death spiral of a bomber with its crew on board is a terrible thing to see"?grips the reader as he describes famous events of the war: the liberation of Paris, the Battle of the Bulge, the stirring union of American and Russian troops at the German town of Torgau on the Elbe. The author states that "This is a memoir, not a history book," and he goes on to say that though he checked his facts in writing it, he assumes that when they conflict with memory, the facts must be wrong. Photos. Author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Sixty Minutes commentator Rooney recalls his World War II army experiences.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Rooney's biography of his World War II days as a reporter for the military newspaper Stars and Stripes is filled with the voice familiar from his 60 Minutes commentaries. There are declarations, effusive compliments, and complaints about others' incompetency. He grumbles about Patton, spies, and his early writing assignments. He raves about the bravery of the pilots and the clairvoyance of some of his editors. Flying bomber missions, arriving in France during the D-Day invasion, and crossing the Rhine with the Allied forces, Rooney saw a good deal of the war. He frequently reminds his readers and himself that he was not a hero (despite being awarded a Bronze Star) and that he only followed along writing about the brave people who actually did the fighting. Solid reporting from the popular commentator Denise Perry Donavin --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

<B>Andy Rooney</B> is a nationally syndicated columnist and a regular commentator on 60 Minutes. He is the author of numerous best-selling books. He lives in Rowayton, Connecticut.