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"A fine and lucid book, teeming with vitality... Schwarzkopf is a compelling storyteller.—Los Angeles Times.
"A must-read... a riveting reminder that one man can influence major events."—Detroit Free Press.
"An excellent book by an excellent man."—The Wall Street Journal
Anonymous
Posted August 14, 2003
A must read for anyone who really wants to understand the inner workings of the Gulf War. General Schwarzkopf provides a hands on insight to the struggles that a commander must face. It is a excellent read on the life of a truly great American hero. Many have been quick to criticize the Gulf War command, but upon reading this book they will learn Schwarzkopf knew of all the elements of their criticizim and made his judgments based on the saftey of his soldiers not for the history books. The book provides the best look at the Gulf War and of being a commander that I have read. It is a must read for anyone who wants the real story about the Gulf War and what it means to be a real military hero. The General is a great commander and an inspiration to everyone. I give the book five stars, which Schwarzkopf deserved.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted September 26, 2001
Military leaders often have statues raised to them. Some go on to become U.S. presidents (including Washington, Grant, and Eisenhower). When General H. Norman Schwarzkopf retired from the U.S. Army, there was not even a ceremony -- unless you call getting handed your retirement papers a ceremony. Although that seems ungrateful for a man who led the allied troops so well in Desert Storm, it somehow seems fitting for the man. In this appropriately titled autobiography, It Doesn¿t Take a Hero, General Schwarzkopf shows himself to be a man focused on the tasks ahead of him as a servant leader rather than as a man searching for a hero¿s accolade. Although General Schwarzkopf accomplished a lot, you get the sense from this book that these accomplishments were heavily influenced by a father, also a West Pointer and U.S. general by the same name. From the time he was quite young, his father and mother made it clear that he was to go to West Point. Clearly, being a dutiful, good son was his primary priority throughout his life. While many will excuse any failings in their own lives by having had a dysfunctional family, General Schwarzkopf seemed to roll with the punches. His mother suffered from alcoholism, no doubt influenced by his father¿s long overseas assignments in Iran. Two particular elements of his life story particularly affected me. While a young officer, he often encountered older, senior officers who disgusted him with their lack of attention to duty and lying. Rather than fleeing from this corrupt connection, he soldiered on encouraged by good officers who pointed out that the system could only be cleansed by good officers rising to the top. He also liked virtually nothing about what he saw in the Vietnam War (either in Vietnam or on the home front), and internalized those lessons for running his own combat commands in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. As a result, loss of life was kept to a minimum, the culture of our Saudi hosts was honored, and politics was kept from shortchanging the troops. I had a chance to hear General Schwarzkopf speak a few years ago. I¿ll always remember his advice to the audience about leadership. ¿Be the leader you would like to have.¿ I would rather have that kind of leader than a hero any day. Understanding that General Schwarzkopf had extensive experience in Iran and Europe as a youngster helped me to appreciate how lucky we were to have a talented general who also knew and appreciated Arabs and their culture. If you are like me, you will enjoy his reactions to the first times he was honored with foods that Americans normally don¿t eat. Like a good soldier, he popped them right down. I also appreciate the candor in the book about his own failings and losses of temper, especially. Some autobiographies airbrush out any flaws or blemishes. That¿s essential to the myth of the hero. Showing the realities, on the other hand, legitimately can inspire all of us to overcome our faults to accomplish what needs to be done. I recently read Stephen Ambrose¿s book, Citizen Soldiers, about the battles in northwestern France following D-Day through to the surrender of Germany. I was struck by how much of the top general¿s job involved diplomacy both with politicians and field commanders. I hope that lesson will be remembered as we begin our new task of stopping terrorism, and as we educate the next generation of military leaders. After you read this book, think about a leader in your organization. What lessons from this book would apply to helping that leader? How can you assist that leader in being able to uncover and benefit from those lessons? ¿Be the leader you would like to have.¿ Donald Mitchell, co-author of The Irresistible Growth Enterprise and The 2,000 Percent Solution
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 23, 2001
A fascinating life that leaves a legacy of service & sacrifice. I found it an enjoyable read as well as an inspiring witness for others.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 21, 2001
Strormin' Norman tackled the logistics of moving a fighting force thousands of miles from home and held together a coalition of countries who weren't the best of friends. He also took a caring stance to the men and women who served under him, treated us with respect and dignity, and looked after us when other leaders would have been looking after themselves. A great auto from a great leader.
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Posted February 25, 2013
A real John Wayne.
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Posted October 27, 2009
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