Patton: A Genius for War

Most Everything You wanted to Know about Patton

This book while not the best on the Legend Patton was very informative on who Patton really was. The biggest downfall of this book was that Omar Bradley provided insight. Little do most people know Bradley was not a big fan of Patton thus his opinion was biased. If you want to know about the man this is a must read.

Patton- A Genius for War is a Carlo D'este Masterpiece

Most everyone has seen the movie, "Patton", starring George C. Scott, portraying the infamous US General. But, if one wants to get the full story of this great man and what was going on in his head, Carlos D'Este's, Patton-A Genius for War is a must read. This 900 plus page book, covers the early Patton family history in the 1700's, their part in the Civil War and a full history of George Patton from birth to his death in 1945-with everything in between. This American icon was predestined to greatness from his early childhood, and he more than anyone, knew it. A true believer in God, Patton not only was at the right place at the right time, but worked hard to achieve greatness, and escaped death many times during two world wars.
D' Estes takes us from his early days where the dyslexic Patton had troubles in school and thus, had to settle for the Virginia Military Academy instead of the coveted West Point. He later would get his appointment and start to shine at an early age as the Cadet Adjutant. With the help of his his wife Beatrice, Patton would make early strides as a junior officer in many of his first assignments. His involvement in the Punitive Expedition, make an early name for himself serving under General Pershing, as he vigorously fought against the Mexican revolutionist in an early triumph. Later Patton would become a student of the sword and horsemanship and quickly became an expert in both. Little is know about his greatness in sports, where he competed in the Olympic games in Sweden in 1912. Patton was also a student of military history and studied it quite thoroughly, something that would help him in the later years during the heat of battle.
A pioneer of the tank corps, Patton showed his early greatness in World War One, again under General Pershing, and rose quickly in rank and notoriety. We learn about his life between the wars and how he was preparing for the next war, that he knew would come soon. When it did, Patton showed the world how to fight like nobody else. From his early arrival in Morocco during Operation Torch, across North Africa and Sicily, his impact during the Normandy Invasion, France, the Battle of the Bulge and finally into Germany, we learn how Patton thought and acted during times of trouble and turmoil. We are given a very detailed account of the politics and bickering's between the generals, his hidden and most deep thoughts on them and other war issues, and how he molded his armies to fight against all odds. Also important is the Patton "slap" incident and how it almost destroyed his career. But, unlike most others, Patton knew that he had a larger role to play in the war, and it was his destiny to fulfill it. A strong believer in reincarnation, Patton believed he was a warrior in past lives and was on a mission in this one, to complete his destiny of being a great soldier. How true it was. This may seem far fetched to some, but it is documented that he would know about places and things, mainly at battlefields, that he had never visited before.
Many World War Two books give much mention to him, but this is the book to read if one wants to learn more. I believe that he is one of the more important key players and interesting personalities of the Second World War, thus I decided to buy the book. At first I was a little apprehensive about reading such a thick book, but it was a fast read. Robert Glasker

The Man Behind the Myth

This book provides a detailed look at what made George S. Patton Jr the general he was. A must read for students of World War II.

EXCELLENT BIOGRAPHY of Patton

Don't let the size of this volume intimidate you, this biography is readable and moves quickly. An OUTSTANDING and BALANCED work on one of America's greatest generals. This book should be read by those aspiring for leadership and those in leadership positions. A great book!

the review above mine is very poor

while he has some points that do spark some controversy,his approach to it all isnt very strong and can be easily explained. the reasons why the accounts between Patton and his aunt are known might be because other relatives were there with patton and his aunt. and if that is your only reason why you thought the book was a dissapointment then i suggest you red read it and then figure if it isnt great. D'Este's book is the best representation of the real Patton, not because it is the most indepth, but it goes intot he thinking of patton's mind, uses different viewpoints and even uses the written accounts of other patton biographers.

Awesome book about one of the greatest generals of all time

This is one of the best books i have ever read on military history, which i have been reading since i was 7. This book tells both the good and bad sides of Patton which is what made him the person and general he was. By the end of the book you will feel as if you know Patton.

Fact or fantasy?

This is a very easy book to read. It flows along rather well. D'Este attempts to present all sides of a complex person, but I really question if this book is attempting to present fact or fiction. For example, D'Este gives the reader conversations between Patton and his Aunt as if you are right there. A very captivating tool, but where did this come from? Is there some record, oral or written, that D'Este had access too? There is a chapter dedicated to Patton's alleged belief in reincarnation. Grossly misquoting Billy Graham, of all people, to lend support to this allegeation. Only detractors of Patton such as Fargo and Bradley have fostered this allegation. For example, Bradley's book 'A soldier's story' has the exact word for word sentence in it that D'Este uses to refer to Patton's belief in reincarnation. You will also recognize it from the movie 'Patton': Gen Alexander states,'George you would make a great marshall for Napolean'. Patton replies, 'I did....' I enjoyed 'A Bitter Victory' by D'Este, but I would leave this one on the shelf. There are other more factual books on Patton well worth reading.

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