Rating: 
Summary: A lot of effort, but it's not the perfect biography
Review: Fraser obviously did a lot of research for this work and it shows. To my knowledge, he's the one who best summed up Rommel's implication in the assassination attempt on Hitler. The books has, however, a number of failings. It sheds very little light on Rommel's early years and family life. Generally, I can't say this book made me feel 'acquainted' with Rommel, he remains a distant and mysterious figure. The author seems to be even handed in his discussion of Rommel and this is a merit. But the description of Rommel's campaigns is, in my opinion, not very good from a technical viewpoint. The author included too few maps, and they are of so poor quality that the reader can hardly follow the action. The description often is one-sided, focussing only on Rommel, so that you frquently do not get any thorough, balanced discussion of his opponent's options and behaviour. In short, this book is a well-researched biography, with little psychological insight, but it's worth very little as a military history of Rommelò's campaigns.
Rating: 
Summary: A War Genius, A Gentleman
Review: Fraser puts together a masterpiece on the great German Field Marshal. Not only was he a brilliant leader over the Afrika Corps in the North African Campaign, but he was brilliant in World War I. It is unfortunate that he was on the wrong side of the War. He treated the enemy soilders with respect and never participated in unruly activity toward prisoners. He was a good father, and loving, faithful husband. This book is a great investment on Rommel, one of the greatest minds in warfare during the 20th Century.
Rating:
Summary: Dignity and endeavor
Review: Fraser's book shows that even inside the Nazi empire , a man can mantain his dignity. Besides Rommel outstanding military performance, I think it was his character that invigorate his troops
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as it should be...
Review: I am a big fan of biographies, and read them a lot, especially of historical figures. but I was disappointed with this book. It had very little information on the young Rommel -- what he thought and why -- or the motivations of the older Rommel. Most of the book is more of a narrative history of WWII in Africa and Europe, and not a very good one at that. It has very poor (and very few) maps to follow the action, and, to me, some mind-numbing narrative of hard-to-follow battles. In my opinion, the best biographies are the ones that really give you insight into the thought processes of the subject (e.g., the David Cullough "Truman" or the Stephen Ambrose "Eisenhower"). This book did not do that -- I feel that I don't really have much more of an understanding of Rommel now than before I read it. I guess I'll have to continue my search for the definitive Rommel biography.
Rating:
Summary: Great Bio of "Desert Fox"
Review: I have not read any other bios of Rommel, but I have no doubt that this is probably the best bio of Rommel written. Fraser obviously did a ton of research and the book is great. I especially enjoyed the chapters on Rommel's service in WWI. One can see his command style coming out in his days in WWI. The chapters on France, North Africa, and D-Day are all very interesting as well. Another great chapter is Fraser's look at Rommel's part or non-part in the plot to kill Hitler. I won't give away Fraser's conclusions, but it is the most in-depth description I have ever seen. Overall, this is just a great biography, probably the best written on Rommel. However, Frasers style can be annoying at times and he goes into a ton of depth, which can be a bother to non-avid military history or WWII buffs.
Rating:
Summary: Could Have Been Much Better
Review: Most striking is the book's lack of maps showing theatres of operation and troop movements. Unless you already have a detailed knowledge of every city and town in which Rommel fought, you will find yourself frustrated at trying to visualize what the author is inartfully explaining. They would have been so easy to add! What also jumped out at me was the author's transparent attempt to put Britain on a pedestal to the exclusion of the U.S. I expected a hint of this in light of the author being British but at points it was over done to the point of being silly. If you came into the book with little or no knowledge of WWII, you'd come away with the belief that the U.S. provided, at best, some assistance to Britain in bringing the Third Reich to its knees.
Rating:
Summary: Could Have Been Much Better
Review: Most striking is the book's lack of maps showing theatres of operation and troop movements. Unless you already have a detailed knowledge of every city and town in which Rommel fought, you will find yourself frustrated at trying to visualize what the author is inartfully explaining. They would have been so easy to add! What also jumped out at me was the author's transparent attempt to put Britain on a pedestal to the exclusion of the U.S. I expected a hint of this in light of the author being British but at points it was over done to the point of being silly. If you came into the book with little or no knowledge of WWII, you'd come away with the belief that the U.S. provided, at best, some assistance to Britain in bringing the Third Reich to its knees.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing biography of an amazing man
Review: Not many times am I really grabbed by a new book almost immediately. Usually it takes a bit for me to really get into a book, as it usually takes awhile for an author to introduce the reader to the individual who is being written about. For me though, by the time I had finished the first two or three pages, I was hooked. Frasier from the very beginning displays an amazing ability to describe people and events. From Rommel's late teen cadet school period, to his absolutely astounding adventures as the commander of an infantry company in the first world war,to his peace time duty as an infantry school instructor, to his role in the lightning defeat of French and English forces in France, and his victories against amazing odds in Africa, to his part in the defense of 'Fortress Europe' along the Normandy coast and Finaly his part in the 'Plot' to remove Hitler and end the war which in turn ended Rommel's own life, this book is a top-notch page turner. By the time I had finished reading this book, all I could think of was how much I would have liked to have met and gotten to know this man. He was a great warrior, loving-dedicated husband and father and, most importantly, a man of honor. My only complaint at all is that it was too short. That may seem surprising for a 500+ page book, but this one, like a great film, just seemed to end too soon.
Rating:
Summary: Definite Buy!!!
Review: Perhaps one of the best biographies on one of the most famous (infamous?) generals of World War II. Beginning with Rommel's early life, his involvement in World War I, his entire World War 2 career with extensive coverage of the entire North African campaign, culminating in his suicide shortly after the Allied invasion of Normandy, this book is a classic!Buy it...you will love it!
Rating:
Summary: An excellent biography of a Great General
Review: There is not much one can add to the other reviews of this very interesting book. The author, David Fraser, offers the reader a well researched and honest account on the life of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in 562 pages (hardback version). This has been one of the better biographies on Rommel I have read in some time and one of the best military biographies I have read in the last couple of years. I don't think that too many people would not enjoy this account, the author certianly portrays Rommel with his faults as well as his great points and I believe he has tried to present his subject as honestly as possible. A very enjoyable book to read and well researched and presented.
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