Customer Reviews

Band Of Brothers

5 star:		(116)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

If you're coming to this book after seeing the Stephen Spielberg miniseries of the same name, know this: Yes, you will get a load of new information on the "characters" you grew to love in that series. And yes, you are likely to enjoy this book.

Stephen Ambrose wasn't the greatest pure writer in the world - he won't dazzle you with his prose - but he was adept at giving the reader revealing glimpses of life as a soldier in World War II. That's exactly what he does here in Band of Brothers, which inspired the dazzling 10-hour HBO miniseries of the same name. The day-to-day life of the WWII soldier comes alive in the pages of this book.

Crisp and fast-paced, Band of Brothers does not get as bogged down in detail his other best-known works WWII, D-Day and Citizen Soldier. For the researcher that might not be a good thing, but for the general reader (especially the casual reader simply looking for some insight into WWII) it provides a good read that educates AND entertains. That's a valuable mix in bringing history to the masses.

Those who have read both Citizen Solider and D-Day might appreciate the brief dip back into Ambrose waters, but they might also be turned off by the anecdotes from those books repeated here. It appears much of the research that went into those books was also used for Band of Brothers. That's not to say there is nothing new here. There is. This is a book smaller in scope because the focus is on one company - Easy Company of the 101st Airborne.

Ambrose takes us from training to the end of the war, following the successes and failings of Easy Company. We experience their story in their own voice, as remembered by the actual men of Easy Company. The book is a great standalone read, and makes for a fabulous supplement to the miniseries.

Band of Brothers is a good, solid World War II read that should satisfy all save the most scholarly of WWII readers. They would be better off avoiding this in lieu of a tome more dense with information. This is history for mass appeal. At its core, Band of Brothers is a book that allows a group of WWII vets to recount old war stories. And that makes for some enjoyable reading.

I cannot begin to say enough good things about Band of Brothers. It is one of the best books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. I'm not usually one to read a book over again but this one I have read 7 times. Its great because the book starts right at the begining with the men in training to be paratroopers. You get a chance to come to love these brave men right from the first pages. The battle scenes are really well described which gives you the feeling of what it must have been like for the men to be in combat. Band of Brothers is a great book that will make almost anyone a lover of the airborne and what else would you expect from such a great author like Ambrose.

After viewing last year the HBO special on the Dish Network I was moved by the film. My father was in the Canadian Army During WWII and although he is no longer with us..I can now really appreciate what they all did for us from every country. Band of Brothers made me cry and feel what my father went through. It was an emotional roller coaster that made me proud of what they all did. This book is excellent and so is the video which I purchased earlier this year. I also just pruchased the DVD set.

Gripping book. Can't wait for the November release of the HBO mini-series on DVD. But sadly, if it's anything like most television stuff, it will be missing the boat in some way. Read the book folks. I couldn't put it down. Seriously. I simply could not put it down. Cheers.

An entertaining book that lent itself well to an excellent miniseries. The brief and very shallow source section at the end of the book did little to enhance the text and made it impossible to know exactly what historical research was done other than oral interviews. My inquiring mind requires more substance concerning Ambrose's research. The book kept ones interest fairly well although I found it fairly basic. A good, light read. but if what you're looking for something with some real depth and historic data, this book isn't it. . .kind of like Ambrose gone Hollywood.

Although the movie was excellent, as always the book was much better. The additional details and characters and their descriptions and actions made it a difficult book to put down. If you enjoyed the movie or are interested in WWII history I recommend this book.

If you have seen the HBO series then read the book. This book has many extras that the series did not cover. The men of Easy Company knew what team work was about. Well worth the buy.

Stephen Ambrose is the most compelling historian ever and this book is proof. Because of this book I have read more into the 101st Airborne and actually more into WWII. The book is magnificent from cover to cover, from page to page. If you can buy this or even borrow it, do it. It will be a great book for decades to come.

This book provides some great insight into the events surrounding the D-Day invasion, the Battle of the Bulge, and the fall of Germany, all from the perspective of the 101st Airborne. I learned a lot about the events and the people, mostly things you don't learn in history classes. The lengthy personal interviews of those involved brought new light to the infantry/paratrooper's plight during WWII.

This was my first W W 2 book to read and it set the bar for eney other book I have read . I even compare Vietnam books to this one. Mr.Ambrose has out done himself on this one. It's like he takes you ito the war with the men of easy company almost like you went to CURAHEE and beyond with them.