The Greatest Generation

Rating:
Summary: I Got To Read The Stories My Dad Wouldn't/Couldn'Talk Of!
Review: I had seen Mr. Brokaw with Tim Russert, talking of the book. I started crying. I knew "The Greatest Generation" was a "must read". It took forever to read the first 40 pages ( couldnt see thru the tears )

I am a 49year old USMC Nam veteran. I thought I "had gotten" it.

After reading "The Greatest Generation", I now know I wasn't even close to "getting" it! My dad spent 18 months in Northern Italy. Whenever I asked, he would kinda smile and talk about the troop ship trip home! He then would tell me his brother had more time overseas than he had in the service, go talk to him! My uncle served 40+ months in the Pacific & Aleutian Islands. 40 months overseas and my uncle would talk about a Fillipino he had befriended. My grandfather, who rode with Pershing and served in WW1 wouldnt/couldnt talk about it either!

I now understand a little bit better! Mabe I am starting to "get it". Tom Brokaw graphically relates uncommon valor & values by common people! Americans who stood/stand up and took/take responsiblity by the horns. My gosh, where are todays heroes that do this ? This really isint a book about war, but an insight into the lives and the perseverance of a generation of Americans !

What saddens me is that America will probablly never have another WWII era American as President. What saddens me even further, after reading this book, is the night and day difference between then and now. I do feel some kinship with the WWII generation, because this country don't owe me a thing ! I owe it everything! I owe them everything!

My daughter recently put on a Christmas show at a Veterans hospital. She related that a WWII Medal of Honor winner was introduced, and the vets went nuts, saluting, cheering ! My daughter didn't quite understand. I had just finished "The Greatest Generation"..I explained the vets reaction to the Medal Of Honor winner to her. My daughter now wants to read this book! You know what ? She'll "get it" too!

Rating:
Summary: This is destined to be an American Classic
Review: This is a touching book that touches the very core of what it is to be an American. It is something the people of younger generations should read to realize how good we have it and how the World War Two generation persevered and literally saved the world. This book is testimony to rugged individualism, morality, honor, and duty--and makes the reader realize how silly some of our "beefs" with world today really are. Like Stephen Ambrose, my hat is off to Tom Brokaw for putting together this superb collection about the Greatest Generation! Read it and tell someone from the World War Two how much you appreciate their sacrifice!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book that is eloquently written.
Review: Tom Brokaw does a wonderful job of highlighting the lives of the heroes he includes in the book. In an age where no one seems to be held responsible for their own actions, Brokaw shows the incredible commitment, bravery, and responsibility that the WWII soldiers (both men and women) showed during the war and in their lives after the war. The book is a valuable history lesson as well as a lesson for the future. You will want to make this book a permanent part of your library collection.

Rating:
Summary: Brokaw hits the bullseye - a must read for all baby boomers!
Review: At age 48 I often wondered how our country ever made it through the Great Depression and WWII to become such a great superpower. Many pundits and authors have offered various socilological and economic threories on this topic. Brokaw makes a simple but powerful statment - America is where it is today for one basic reason, our parents were tough, hard working and had a vision of the future they wanted for their children.

I just wish my father was still alive today, so I could stop by his house, sit at the kithchen table and tell him that I now understand why he and mom sacrificed so much for us kids and harped on us constantly to get an education and succeed in life.

Brokaw captures the energy and passsion of a generation that created the "American Dream" and we now face the task of preserving what they gave us for our children.

Rating:
Summary: Great intriguing tribute to the "Greatest Generation"
Review: Tom Brokaw -- anchor of the NBC Nightly News -- writes a great book! His reverence for "The Greatest Generation," people born in the 1920's, is clear, compelling and powerful. With a strong base of historical insights and information, Brokaw builds a puissant argument: people born in the 1920's, who came to age during the depression, fought WWII in their twenties, came home and fostered the babie boomer generation and continued to become great and humble leaders (on whole, each in their own right) are members of the greatest generation that any society has ever produced. A great book for anyone interested in 1920+ history, stories of triumph (some of famous persons (eg. George Bush, Ben Bradlee, Andy Rooney) -- some not), and brillance.

Rating:
Summary: JUST LIKE THE NEWS
Review: As a student of World War Two, and the son and nephew of servicemen in that conflict,I eagerly awaited this book.What I got was the same shallow, one-dimensional and incomplete story that Brokaw(and the others)present day after day on the News.

In his book, Brokaw focuses unfairly on only a small segment of this wonderful generation--those that have made it big financially and by reputation.I quickly found the book to contain a rather elitist cast that did not resonate with me.

And, as is the style these days, Brokaw focused only on "Ike's Boys" which is the same complaint I have with Stephen Ambrose:that many Americans volunteered for the military and were drafted during the Depression to ease the pain of family hardships, and wound up suffering and dying in places like Pearl Harbor, Bataan, Corregidor and Iwo Jima. Why did he choose to ignore these brave and selfless young Americans? They endured even more ghastly torment!

Also, if you look at the demographics, many people came from cities like New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Francisco--yet the author chose to ignore the sacrifice these people made as well.

I found the chapter heading narratives to be very superficial and almost repetitious.

There are much better writers like Toland, Manchester,Weinstein or Halberstam who would do justice to the topic.

I am sorry to say that this book does not do justice to what indeed has been "The Greatest Generation."

Rating:
Summary: Heard Tim Russert interview Tom Brokaw...Stunning!
Review: Since the book is not available yet..it hasn't been read,HOWEVER, the interview by Tim Russert was so unbelievably good I rushed here to order...I am so pleased to know Tom will do a reading on CD..that will be all the more pleasurable.

Rating:
Summary: This book is a great tribute to the men and women of WW II.
Review: Tom Brokaw tells us of the everyday people who went to war and served their country. They return to build the United States as a superpower. This book captures the greatness of the generation and what we can learn from them. Duty, honor and hardwork has made this country great and makes me proud the accomplishments of my grandparents.

Rating:
Summary: It was high time that vets of ww2 got some notice,well done
Review: Having served in the 76th., inf.div. this book brings back many memories of my youth.

Rating:
Summary: Joe Sixpack at his best.
Review: Common men, doing uncommon things.This theme is sprinkled throughout Tom Brokaw's book "The greatest generation". After reading it I realized why. Its twenty something Joe Sixpack at his best. The people portrayed in this collection of partial biographies show what the human spirit is capable of when faced with an overwhelming task. These men and women sacrificed for a common cause, the country was truly united.They display as much patriotism,unselfishness, and faith in God today as during World War II, if not more.The book is not only on the war and its hero's, there are stories of the struggle of women on the homefront taking jobs left vacant by men going to war. Also, the stories of African American soldiers fighting a battle on two fronts, one against Hitler the other against a racist military, are particularly compelling. Foot soldiers, medical troops, flying aces its all here in an extremely readable text. The stories are separated out so it can be picked up and read off and on at ones leisure. The likelyhood of putting it down too often is remote. As a twenty two-year-old college student, I am keenly interested in what my grandfather, a WWII veteran, might have been involved in. My grandfather, like most veterans in the book, does not furnish his past war experiences freely. I can read this book and discover what he and others of his generation, the "greatest generation", endured.