Rating: 
Summary: An interesting, well written book
Review: I enjoyed this book very much. Although long and detailed, I found its style engaging and well organized. It's an easy read. Being able to turn dense historical material into such an interesting book is a triumph.Writing a biography of a controversial personality like MacArthur is challenging and, overall, I think Perret has done a good job. It's too easy to fall in love with your subject and the author is able to resist the temptation to hurruh too much. I think, however, that there are a few areas, where the author seems to accept behaviors that are questionable and problematic. Into his assertion of MacArthur's greatness he never really factors in MacArthur's overly emotional temperament nor his lack of veracity. There is space for further debate here that I think the author missed.
Rating: 
Summary: The quintessential pop biography
Review: If you want to read an outstanding, scholarly and well-researched biography of Douglas MacArthur, the logical choice is William Manchester's "American Caesar," available on Amazon. The definitive treatment is C. Clayton Douglas's four-volume set. The book is not in the same league. Perret is once again overmatched with the topic and has created a facile, error-ridden and ultimately obtuse look at the insufferably arrogant yet brilliant MacArthur. He relies upon discredited sources and quotes them repeatedly. He also puts his own (inaccurate) spin on various pivotal characters, thus changing history. A primary example of this is when MacArthur's first wife claimed he was impotent and a dud in the sack. She repeated this on many occasions and was quite adamant on this point and one would think she was in a good position to know. But an impotent, un-virile Mac is not the portrait Perret wishes to create, so he viscerally attacks the credibility of Louise and states without equivocation that she was a liar. There are myriad problems with this analysis. MacArthur's Eurasian mistress also complained about the same things Louise did... again, Perret ignores this, or didn't do sufficient research to unearth this fact. Perret ignores many other foibles of MacArthur. There is nary a mention of his virulent racism or the reasons he ended up living the last 12 years of his life in a penthouse in the Waldorf Astoria. The weakest sections of the book are the pivotal World War II chapters. Errors too numerous to list litter the landscape. Perret's analysis of MacArthur's relationships with FDR, Truman and Marshall are wise of the mark and facile. Similarly, the years of MacArthur's Japan "dictatorship" and the Inchon landing are predictably flat. MacArthur's story is one of the most fascinating American stories of the 20th century. This is not the book to read if you are seriously interested in learning about this vainglorious, insufferable, yet charismatic and intellectual military man. This is a pop biography with no new information, novel and inaccurate analysis and an astounding lack of depth.
Rating:
Summary: The quintessential pop biography
Review: If you want to read an outstanding, scholarly and well-researched biography of Douglas MacArthur, the logical choice is William Manchester's "American Caesar," available on Amazon. The definitive treatment is C. Clayton Douglas's four-volume set. The book is not in the same league. Perret is once again overmatched with the topic and has created a facile, error-ridden and ultimately obtuse look at the insufferably arrogant yet brilliant MacArthur. He relies upon discredited sources and quotes them repeatedly. He also puts his own (inaccurate) spin on various pivotal characters, thus changing history. A primary example of this is when MacArthur's first wife claimed he was impotent and a dud in the sack. She repeated this on many occasions and was quite adamant on this point and one would think she was in a good position to know. But an impotent, un-virile Mac is not the portrait Perret wishes to create, so he viscerally attacks the credibility of Louise and states without equivocation that she was a liar. There are myriad problems with this analysis. MacArthur's Eurasian mistress also complained about the same things Louise did... again, Perret ignores this, or didn't do sufficient research to unearth this fact. Perret ignores many other foibles of MacArthur. There is nary a mention of his virulent racism or the reasons he ended up living the last 12 years of his life in a penthouse in the Waldorf Astoria. The weakest sections of the book are the pivotal World War II chapters. Errors too numerous to list litter the landscape. Perret's analysis of MacArthur's relationships with FDR, Truman and Marshall are wise of the mark and facile. Similarly, the years of MacArthur's Japan "dictatorship" and the Inchon landing are predictably flat. MacArthur's story is one of the most fascinating American stories of the 20th century. This is not the book to read if you are seriously interested in learning about this vainglorious, insufferable, yet charismatic and intellectual military man. This is a pop biography with no new information, novel and inaccurate analysis and an astounding lack of depth.
Rating: 
Summary: Old heroes never die
Review: If you want to read good history (not great) you need to pick this book up. I think you will absolutely find the book to be a good book, but I found the last chapter to be great. I love when the author chronicles the general giving his last speech at West Point. Talk about a dying man's last play on the stage! The way that the author details this speech leaves one with an exceptional feeling. MacArthur was a man dedicated to his principles and to the army. Still, I like the way he finishes that speech and turns to his wife to blow her a kiss. He could be an officer and a gentlemen even with all of his flaws. Stanley Weintraub's book, "MacArthur's War" is also a good piece of writing. I would recommend both of these books if you want to get a balanced picture of the man and his life. I think Peret is successful (as Weintraub is) in showing the contrasts and character flaws of this great man. Also, for other information on the general, check out the MacArthur center website.
Rating:
Summary: Old heroes never die
Review: If you want to read good history (not great) you need to pick this book up. I think you will absolutely find the book to be a good book, but I found the last chapter to be great. I love when the author chronicles the general giving his last speech at West Point. Talk about a dying man's last play on the stage! The way that the author details this speech leaves one with an exceptional feeling. MacArthur was a man dedicated to his principles and to the army. Still, I like the way he finishes that speech and turns to his wife to blow her a kiss. He could be an officer and a gentlemen even with all of his flaws. Stanley Weintraub's book, "MacArthur's War" is also a good piece of writing. I would recommend both of these books if you want to get a balanced picture of the man and his life. I think Peret is successful (as Weintraub is) in showing the contrasts and character flaws of this great man. Also, for other information on the general, check out the MacArthur center website.
Rating:
Summary: A definitive window in the MacArthur House
Review: the author takes you through practically every step in this great American patriot"s life, despite how one defines the Army"s greatest tactition ever! Controversy abounds with all his military victories, but it is clearly defined, minimum casualties was MacArthur"s hallmark to his military genius. Japan"s re;emergence as a reliable nation owes all to this military /governor [1945-1951] with unique visionary acumen regardless to his detracters in the U.N. & USA. Sad to state, why author"s lack of indepth coverage between Truman-MacArthur rift was not fully addressed; afterall, that was the bombastic climax in the life of General [5] Douglas MacArthur. Required reading for all generations who call themselves--Americans.
Rating:
Summary: To people who history is a avocation & not a vocation,
Review: the life of Douglas MacArthur is known but in fairly broad strokes. For 688 pages (31 hrs on cassette) Mr. Parett fills in the blanks.
First he spends sometime on Arthur MacArthur, Douglas MacArthur's father & hero. This first Gemeral MacArthur was quite an important historical figure himself. Everything Douglas did in his life he measured against his father & the standards he had set.
Many biographies deal with just his involvement is World War II, Korea & maybe World War I. This whole life biography covers his West Point years, the Phillipines, Vera Cruz, Mexico, & his pre-World War I relationship with General Pershing & his mistress.
It is apparent that even one large volume gives brevity to MacArthur's life but Mr. Parrett does an excellent job. He also seems to have a slight bias towards MacArthur. He takes MacArthur's side in most instances except after Inchon when his judgement became questionable. But he does not shrink from his faults such as his huge ego, thin skin, inability to take advice or criticism & his foolhardy courage. Many times these character faults actually served him. His daily routine in the many places he served, his women, his only son, the many military leaders, presidents of many countries & his feelings about them are covered in this book.
A very complex man we were lucky to have as Supreme Commander in the Pacific. The Japanese were lucky to have him as their virtual ruler during the occupation of Japan. We were lucky again to have him in Korea--to a point. Inchon was the crowning achievement of his career. If he had died at that point he never would have descended to the status of mere mortals. His legend would have grown forever. His fall was swift & sad.
We were also lucky that he never became president. He toyed with the idea of running in 1944, 1948 & 1952. In 1951 he had not set foot on the mainland of the United States for 14 years. He was hopelessly out of touch with the people of the United States by that time.
I didn't know that FDR coined the phrase "dugout Doug".
Rating:
Summary: To people who history is a avocation & not a vocation,
Review: the life of Douglas MacArthur is known but in fairly broad strokes. For 688 pages (31 hrs on cassette) Mr. Parett fills in the blanks.
First he spends sometime on Arthur MacArthur, Douglas MacArthur's father & hero. This first Gemeral MacArthur was quite an important historical figure himself. Everything Douglas did in his life he measured against his father & the standards he had set.
Many biographies deal with just his involvement is World War II, Korea & maybe World War I. This whole life biography covers his West Point years, the Phillipines, Vera Cruz, Mexico, & his pre-World War I relationship with General Pershing & his mistress.
It is apparent that even one large volume gives brevity to MacArthur's life but Mr. Parrett does an excellent job. He also seems to have a slight bias towards MacArthur. He takes MacArthur's side in most instances except after Inchon when his judgement became questionable. But he does not shrink from his faults such as his huge ego, thin skin, inability to take advice or criticism & his foolhardy courage. Many times these character faults actually served him. His daily routine in the many places he served, his women, his only son, the many military leaders, presidents of many countries & his feelings about them are covered in this book.
A very complex man we were lucky to have as Supreme Commander in the Pacific. The Japanese were lucky to have him as their virtual ruler during the occupation of Japan. We were lucky again to have him in Korea--to a point. Inchon was the crowning achievement of his career. If he had died at that point he never would have descended to the status of mere mortals. His legend would have grown forever. His fall was swift & sad.
We were also lucky that he never became president. He toyed with the idea of running in 1944, 1948 & 1952. In 1951 he had not set foot on the mainland of the United States for 14 years. He was hopelessly out of touch with the people of the United States by that time.
I didn't know that FDR coined the phrase "dugout Doug".
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating but flawed
Review: There is little doubt that MacArthur as a young soldier in the first world war was a brave man. Later at West Point he tried to remove the rather barbaric initiation practices which had been part of the initiation of young men. In later life he went on to administer Japan following its defeat and contributed to the development of a nation which successfully adopted a democratic constitution and put aside its militaristic past. These achievement's make MacArthur an important figure. This book however greatly inflates his military reputation. After his retirement from the American military between the wars he was put in charge and given the role of creating the Philippines armed forces. When the Japanese invaded the Philippines in the first year of the Pacific War, MacArthur's forces were five times as strong as the Japanese. Not only was he not able to prevent the Japanese landings and advance but he organized a retreat of his own troops to a position in which there were not enough food reserves to continue resistance for any period. Whilst his large army suffered defeat after defeat inflicted by the small and poorly armed Japanese Army he sent of telegrams which dishonestly bragged of non existent battles and victories. Later in the war he achieved considerable success. This was due to having well supplied American and Australian troops who fought against Japanese troops who were cut off from supply and who fought short of food and ammunition. Most were infected and suffering from malaria. His military reputation did not derive from what he did but the need at the time for hero's to be created to inspire the troops and to keep the home front happy. This book is interesting and readable. MacArthur perhaps because of his faults is an interesting figure and his life is in some respects more colorful than that of a figure of fiction. The writers of biography usually pick a subject because they are impressed by it or have some love for it. This tends to lead them to be blind to the faults of their subject. This book is fascinating although it is taken in by the legend that MacArthur made for himself.
Rating:
Summary: Very comprehensive study of a complex hero.
Review: There is no doubt that Douglas MacArthur will always be acknowledged as one of our greatest military minds, however Mr. Perret tells us of his mistakes and shortcomings. This book has been well researched and despite its length (688 pages) it is easy to read and hard to put down. The General's long and sometimes controversial career gave the author plenty to write about and he does so while keeping the subject very interesting. Despite Gen.MacArthur's many flaws, what impressed me was his loyalty to his staff and his concern for his troops. Only once (New Guinea) did he order a frontal assault. This strategy saved many American lives and casualties. You will especially enjoy the MacArthur/Truman debate over US policy and military authority. Don't miss reading this great American saga.
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