Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters
by Dick Winters, Cole C. Kingseed
List Price:
Our Price: $8.51
You Save: $6.49 (43%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $3.47 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Cole C. Kingseed, Dick WintersEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-05-06
ISBN: 0425213757
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780425213759
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters
Book Review: The best officers account of airborne action
Summary: 5 Stars
The cover notes this book was on the New York Times `bestseller' list and while this surely reflected his profile following the `Band of Brothers' miniseries, I am pleased to say it also had a lot to do with the quality of Winter's story as well.
As is widely known, Winters served with Easy Company of the 506th PIR of the 101st Airborne Division. He takes over the company at the outset in Normandy and finishes the war as commander of the 2nd Battalion. Throughout he is one excellent soldier, who it's widely felt should've won the Medal of Honor for his action against the Brecourt battery. He writes extensively of this action and is surprisingly detailed, given the normal reticence of veterans, regarding killing his opponents. Indeed, he is quite crisp in the way he describes his actions. He also writes extensively about the battle of the Island in Holland. His perspective on how his leadership was crucial is very interesting, as is his thoughts on the absence of German leadership here.
Winters writes at length on his training and time in England and in particular on his relationship with his company commander, Sobel. He essentially credits Sobel with creating the special bond that Easy company had - by driving everyone else together in mutual hatred of him. Winters describes many instances of petty bullying and Sobel's inadequacies, resulting in the NCO's `rebellion' prior to Normandy. It is amazing to read. Winters is also quite free with his thoughts on other characters, the material on Dike is fascinating but there is some wonderful stuff on Lt Spiers. Winters is forthright, more so than most of the authors on this list. He reveals much of interest, including the occasion when Spiers shot dead an NCO in Normandy for refusing to follow an order.
Winters didn't hold this against him. He recognised that men like Spiers were the ones required to win the war. He writes of how much he valued the `killers' in E Co, the ones he went to when he really needed things to be done right - and violently. I think this particular characteristic of his was not as apparent in the mini series. On these grounds alone, I can say that this book is not just a rehash of Ambrose's work. Winters clearly went into battle to kill and he is more detailed than most on the engagements he fought in. He tried to join the 13th Airborne to serve in the Pacific but was told he'd done enough. Amusingly, these positions were reversed for Korea.
I felt I really got to know Winters, certainly better than the other airborne officers listed here. His account, including his post war reflections, was many layered. For instance, he writes lovingly about the family he befriended in England, yet he also reveals he found battle exciting. So there are many dimensions to Winters and full credit to him for being so open about the extremes. In between there is lots of fascinating stuff about leadership in battle, being a soldier and about what made being in E company so special. He is also glowing in his praise of Ambrose. He updates the fates of many of his comrades and again, this is very interesting and even emotional. The special connection between these men is very evident. There is no false modesty, Winters is conscious of, and very proud of his achievements, not surprisingly the way he expresses this, is in terms that further reveal his veneration for his men.
I found it to be a very satisfying read indeed but because his story is so familiar it is fair to say it had less impact than some of the other books I have read here. This said, I think Winters (with Kingseed's help) has done such a good job of telling his story, that it is a very worthwhile read and I think there is a wonderful pay-off for those who are interested in the topic of Easy Co. Taking everything into account, I'm going to rank it just under Burgett and level with Wurst as the most interesting of the airborne accounts.
Summary of Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters
Now in paperback! The New York Times bestseller and war memoir from the commander of the legendary Band of Brothers??now with a new preface from Dick Winters.
They were called Easy Company?but their mission was never easy. Immortalized as the Band of Brothers, they suffered 150% casualties while liberating Europe?an unparalleled record of bravery under fire. Winner of the Distinguished Service Cross, Dick Winters was their legendary commander. This is his story?told in his own words for the first time.
On D-Day, Winters assumed leadership of the Band of Brothers when its commander was killed and led them through the Battle of the Bulge and into Germany?by which time each member had been wounded. Based on Winters?s wartime diary, Beyond Band of Brothers also includes his comrades? untold stories. This is a moving memoir by the man who earned the love and respect of Easy Company?and who is a hero to new generations worldwide.
They were called Easy Company?but their mission was never easy. Immortalized as the Band of Brothers, they suffered 150% casualties while liberating Europe?an unparalleled record of bravery under fire. Winner of the Distinguished Service Cross, Dick Winters was their legendary commander. This is his story?told in his own words for the first time.
On D-Day, Winters assumed leadership of the Band of Brothers when its commander was killed and led them through the Battle of the Bulge and into Germany?by which time each member had been wounded. Based on Winters?s wartime diary, Beyond Band of Brothers also includes his comrades? untold stories. This is a moving memoir by the man who earned the love and respect of Easy Company?and who is a hero to new generations worldwide.
Military Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Military Books
A Quiet American: The Secret War of Varian Fryby Andy Marino
St. Martin's Press; Published: 1999-10-29; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.76
Price in other shops:
Eva's Story: A Survivor's Tale by the Step-Sister of Anne Frankby Eva Schloss, Evelyn Julia Kent
St Martins Pr; Published: 1989-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $40.00
George Washington: A Biographyby Washington Irving
Da Capo Press; Published: 1994-08-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
Slavemaster President: The Double Career of James Polkby William Dusinberre
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2003-03-27; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $21.49
Price in other shops:
Hitler: Diagnosis of a Destructive Prophetby Fritz Redlich
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2000-05-18; Paperback; Book
Best price: $19.25
Alexander Hamiltonby Ron Chernow
Penguin Audio; Published: 2004-04-26; Audio Cassette; Book
Best price: $29.95
Price in other shops:
Alexander Hamiltonby Ron Chernow
Penguin Audio; Published: 2004-04-26; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $171.76
Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoirby John McCain, Mark Salter
Harper; Published: 2008-09-30; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Patton: A Genius for Warby Carlo D'Este, este, Carlo D'
Harpercollins; Published: 1995-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $49.94
Stonewall Jacksonby James Robertson
Macmillan Pub.; Published: 1997-02-18; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $47.66
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Citizen Soldiers: The U. S. Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germanyby Stephen E. Ambrose
Simon & Schuster; Published: 1998-09-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.81
Price in other shops:
Call of Duty: My Life Before, During and After the Band of Brothersby Lt. Lynn "Buck" Compton, Marcus Brotherton
Berkley Hardcover; Published: 2008-05-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.71
Price in other shops:
Parachute Infantry: An American Paratrooper's Memoir of D-Day and the Fall of the Third Reich (Dell War Series)by David Webster
Dell; Published: 2008-02-26; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.78
Price in other shops:
Shifty's War: The Authorized Biography of Sergeant Darrell "Shifty" Powers, the Legendary Sharpshooter from the Band of Brothersby Marcus Brotherton
Berkley Hardcover; Published: 2011-05-03; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.99
Price in other shops:
We Who Are Alive and Remain: Untold Stories from the Band of Brothersby Marcus Brotherton
Berkley Trade; Published: 2010-05-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.70
Price in other shops:
Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nestby Stephen E. Ambrose
HBO; Simon & Schuster; Published: 2001-09-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.03
Price in other shops:
Easy Company Soldier: The Legendary Battles of a Sergeant from World War II's "Band of Brothers"by Don Malarkey, Bob Welch
St. Martin's Griffin; Published: 2009-05-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.06
Price in other shops:
Brothers in Battle, Best of Friendsby William Guarnere, Edward Heffron, Robyn Post
Berkley Trade; Published: 2008-10-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.18
Price in other shops:
Biggest Brother: The Life Of Major Dick Winters, The Man Who Led The Band of Brothersby Larry Alexander
NAL Trade; Published: 2006-05-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.61
Price in other shops:
Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nestby Stephen E. Ambrose
Simon & Schuster; Published: 2001-08-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.73
Price in other shops: