Rating: 
Summary: Thoughtful, entertaining, and important
Review: As Mr. Rooney states early in the work, writing it is was a cathartic exercise to lay some of his old ghosts to rest. This he certainly does, confessing to past sins, relating old jokes, and paying honor to some of World War II's unknown heroes. Being the grandson of two WWII veterans, I read with awe and began to understand the incredible and heroic actions that were standard behavior for the soldiers of this war. I also understand why they are reluctant to reopen those memories and discuss them. While reading this, I begin to realize the amount of history that is contained in, and dying with, the collective memories of these veterans.
Rating:
Summary: Honest, to the point.
Review: As someone who loves to read about history, this book encompassed all that I appreciate so much in an historical account: straight, to the point, no nonsense telling of the facts and emotions rellenvant to a time in history as seen through the eyes of an ordinary person. Rooney does an excellent job showing to the reader that there was nothing special about him or how the events unfolded for him. He was just any young man dragged into war and left to experience the events as they happened. That he was able to begin a long and enjoyable career in journalism thanks to the war is quite typical of how life seems to unfold (how many of us look at where we are in life and realize that just a slight curve in the road got us here?). Beyond that, it was a pleasure to read an account of WWII by a person who's honesty and intelligent wit are so looked foward to on sunday nights.
Rating: 
Summary: My War
Review: Combat is only part of war. Take it from an ex grunt,it's the hardships you endure between battles that is what war is about. Andy didn't spend time in a fox hole and doing without,it shows in his writing
Rating:
Summary: Typically Andy
Review: Depending upon your point of view, Andy Rooney is either a lovable curmudgeon or an overopinionated old goat. You have to give Rooney credit, he is absolutely honest. He freely admits he was once an overopinionated young smart aleck who just grew into an overopinionated old goat. The book is interesting and typically Rooney, quick and wity, and written like a series of newpaper reports rather than a developing story. He typically manages to get very cranky with the people, usually his superiors, whom he didn't like. Take General Patton. Rooney loathed Patton and went out of his way to make sure his readers are not left with any doubt. The problem is, his hate for Patton left him with a total lack of any sort of objectivity and his accounts are very different than most pieces written about the famous general. It sort of reminds me of James Carville writing about Conservatives--forget the objectivity, full agenda ahead. But as previously stated, Rooney is dead honest. That's what he thought of Patton and he starts the book by telling readers that his recollections don't always jive with history--but that's fine with him. My War is an easy read and worth the time. If you like Rooney, you'll love it. If you don't like Rooney, you'll get annoyed, but probably read it anyway.
Rating: 
Summary: Andy Rooney In World War II
Review: Didya ever wonder how the US Army -- that bureaucratic bungle of millions that made recruits do things they wouldn't do in peacetime, retained some officers who were jerks, took four days of paperwork to release men from the service at the end of the war and stupidly assigned a private whose only prior journalistic experience was a few weeks work on his high school yearbook to the post of reporter at "Stars and Stripes" -- didyaever wonder how these guys won the war? They were fighting other country's armies, that's how. Ok, enough of my attempt to parody Andy Rooney's style above. The guy who lampoons makers of personal care products for a few minutes ever Sunday night does sometimes lend his "what kind of idiot would do this" attitude toward the US Army, WWII version. In those moments, this book sometimes grates -- the same voice that illuminates follies with instant cereal advertising and electric tooth brushes sounds somewhat tinny applied against what was a great undertaking. Fortunately for this book, those moments are few enough that an interesting picture of the war as seen through Rooney's eyes is not subsumed with his sarcasm and general crankiness. In fact, he keeps those traits generally in check in what reads like an honest look at his service as a front line reporter during the war in Europe. Rooney's book "My War" is a collection of anecdotes. Fortunately, his travels over German skies in American B-17's, with advancing armor and infantry in France and Germany and to newly (as in a few hours ago) liberated nazi work and concentration camps makes for fascinating anecdotes. A sergeant in rank, Rooney was afforded the opportunity to meet with personalities and troops of all ranks as he covered the war for what I am sure was the largest circulation American daily newspaper during the early 1940's. His travel made great anecdotes and good stories. Rooney is poignant in this book. He has a great reverence for lives lost and is very honest about himself and his changing appreciation for war as a sometimes necessary thing (he entered the war with the words "any peace is better than any war" from a college professor ringing in his ears and came to learn after reflecting upon Nazi warfare that "any peace is not better than any war"). This book is somewhat a chronicle of Rooney's maturation as well as his war stories. The stories are for the most part entertaining and worth reading. His assignment as a reporter gave him a somewhat Zelig-like ability to be near many major events in the war. The reader benefits from these interesting first person accounts.
Rating:
Summary: Reflections of a World War II Soldier/Reporter
Review: Gripping, heart-rendering, Tragic stories of real people in a war which caused overwhelming human suffering... Presented in an 'almost conversational' format and which was easy to comprehend and learn of the many horrible aspects of this tragic period in the history of mankind.
Rating:
Summary: I heard Andy Rooney's voice in my head while I was reading
Review: his book. I have been watching him on "60 minutes" for so many years. This is my favorite subject, World War II, & this first person account is better than most. It should be, Rooney's a pro. He was mentored by the best writers of his time working as a reporter for "Stars & Stripe". Talk about on the job training.
He saw the the war on the western front up close & then was able to walk away from it & write about it. He wasn't in real danger on the front. The real challange was when he rode along on a B-17 bombing mission & they came under attack. Quite a life changing experience, I'd imagine. Also the best chapter in the book.
He recalls some of the people he had to deal with. He saves special scorn for General Patton. He mostly has high praise for the men he met, worked with & those who never got old . He was an enlisted man who had the best job in the war. He appreciated that, not being a particularly military type.
The best part about this book is that he writes it now while he still has all his marbles & is a much better writer than he was then. The drawback is he is writing this book with 50 years hindsight. Things might not have been as he now remember them. Still the book is as truthful, I believe as Andy Rooney could make it.
For us boomers who will never exprience such a time or place it is a fine read.
Rating:
Summary: Straight Talk from an eyewitness
Review: I am not a fan of 60 minutes but after reading this I will never see Andy Rooney in quite the same way. This is a very honest and humble account of one man's experience in WWII. An ordinary guy placed in extraordinary circumstances with the ability to record what he witnesses in straightfoward and honest language. Rooney's voice and style from his 60 minutes editorials is evident throughout and in this context the result is a combination of respect for the men Rooney encountered in combat situations and an ability to find humor and irony in those situations as well. Overall this is an excellent account of the European war from a journalists perspective. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Andy¿s Account
Review: I have long been an Andy Rooney fan and this was an interesting look at his war time experience. As others have said, Andy had a unique perspective in the Army by being assigned to the Stars and Stripes. His primary assignments were England covering the 8th Air force then Western Europe after the invasion. I find it strange that people would disparage him because he was "only" a reporter. The fact of the matter is that the majority of veterans, past and present, were/are rarely in harms way. Andy in no way embellishes his experience and pays due respect to those who fought and died in the war. His observations of the sometimes pettiness of military life ring true even to this 80s peace time vet. Note this book does read more like a column or a series of essays and Andy is not afraid of blatantly revealing his own opinion. Keep it up Andy!
Rating:
Summary: A good enjoyable book
Review: I really don't know if Andy Rooney is a great journalist. All I know of Andy is from his short 60 MINUTE pieces; and I was interested in reading him for the first time. I found his book pedestrian. He is no David Halberstam -- he's not even a David Brinkley. Pop memoirs, by a pop commentator, for a pop culture. I found this rather surprising, considering he chides Walter Cronkite for not being a good writer. Andy writes on a par with Cronkite. There is certainly nothing wrong with that. There are times we don't want to fully engage the brain. We only have a need to relax with a good story; and Andy writes a very good story of his adventures as a 'Stars and Stripes' reporter. For all I know, he is reflecting the style of reporting of the 30's and 40's. Report all you see and hear, and spell the names correctly. Andy is simply a good reporter. My only disappointment is, I have read better memoirs by combat veterans who are not professional writers. It is an interesting, enjoyable, and entertaining book to read. No serious issues, or new revelations presented; just Andy relating his war experiences. A page-turner that can be quickly read.
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