Patton's Prayer: A True Story of Courage, Faith, and Victory in World War II

by Alex Kershaw

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Capturing the sights, sounds and adrenaline rush of combat, Patton's Prayer explores how faith helped shape one of the most famous battles in American history.

From Alex Kershaw, author of the New York Times bestseller Against All Odds, comes an epic story of courage, resilience, and faith during the Second World War

General George Patton needed a miracle. In December 1944, the Allies found themselves stuck. Rain had plagued the troops daily since September, turning roads into rivers of muck, slowing trucks and tanks to a crawl. A thick ceiling of clouds had grounded American warplanes, allowing the Germans to reinforce. The sprint to Berlin had become a muddy, bloody stalemate, costing thousands of American lives.

Patton seethed, desperate for some change, any change, in the weather. A devout Christian, he telephoned his head chaplain. "Do you have a good prayer for the weather?" he asked. The resulting prayer was soon printed and distributed to the 250,000 men under Patton's command. "Pray when driving," the men were told. "Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others. Pray by night and pray by day. Pray for the cessation of immoderate rains, for good weather for Battle. . . . Pray for victory. . . . Pray for Peace."

Then came the Battle of the Bulge. Amid frigid temperatures and heavy snow, 200,000 German troops overwhelmed the meager American lines in Belgium's Ardennes Forest, massacring thousands of soldiers as the attack converged on a vital crossroads town called Bastogne. There, the 101st Airborne was dug in, but the enemy were lurking, hidden in the thick blanket of fog that seemed to never dissipate. A hundred miles of frozen roads to the south, Patton needed an answer to his prayer, fast, before it was too late.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593862254
Publisher:	Diversified Publishing
Publication date:	06/04/2024
Edition description:	Large Print
Pages:	448
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Alex Kershaw is a journalist and a New York Times bestselling author of books on World War II, including Against All Odds and The First Wave. Born in York, England, he is a graduate of Oxford University and has lived in the United States since 1994.

Read an Excerpt

Prepare the Roast Beast and get set to feast your eyes on director Ron Howard's spectacular live-action film of the cherished Dr. Seuss story about a holiday-hating Grinch who tries to put the kibosh on Christmas. Even if the production misses the simple charm of Dr. Seuss' classic 1957 book or Chuck Jones's beloved 1966 animated adaptation, it is a dizzying wonder of over-the-top performances and creative set design. Howard's Whoville makes Blade Runner's vision of a future Los Angeles look like Mayberry, RFD. Jim Carrey, with an invaluable assist from Oscar-winning makeup maestro {|Rick Baker|}, brings the Grinch to roaring, ranting life in a bravura performance. A stellar ensemble cast lends able comic support: {|Christine Baranski|} is perfect as the Grinch's childhood sweetheart; {|Jeffrey Tambor|} ({|Larry Sanders|}) scores, too, as the mean green one's lifelong nemesis. {|Bill Irwin|} and {|Molly Shannon|} are the holiday-harried parents of the adorable Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen), who melts the Grinch's cold, cold heart, and {|Anthony Hopkins|} lends a touch of class as the film's narrator. Kids will delight in the antics of Max, the Grinch's dog and reluctant partner-in-crime. The Grinch is a perfect holiday gift, as the DVD offers a sleigh-load of extras, including deleted scenes, a gag outtake reel, segments on the film's production and character design, a Faith Hill music video, and "Max's Playhouse," which contains sing-along, read-along, and play-along activities for children.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Patton's Prayer:

"There is also no dearth of books on George Patton . . . But Mr. Kershaw has a way of digging out gripping individual stories in the context of larger drama and bringing pace and suspense to the telling." —The Wall Street Journal

"With careful research, Kershaw tells an engaging story, blending Patton’s virtues and flaws into a well-drawn portrait." —Kirkus Reviews

"Kershaw’s novelistic rendering of Patton’s exploits amuses with its punchy dialogue and propulsive action. WWII buffs will want to check this out." —Publishers Weekly

“Scintillating. . . . Kershaw writes . . . with verve, energy, and insight on every page of this book.” —New York Journal of Books

“Readers interested in World War II history, and Patton specifically, will enjoy.” —Library Journal

"Readers of all stripes will find something to enjoy in Patton’s Prayer. The faithful will love its religious overtones; military buffs will appreciate the vivid combat scenes and stories of weatherworn GIs; and lay readers will revel in a tale well told. For his efforts, Father O’Neill was rewarded by Patton with a medal. For his, Kershaw, too, deserves an award. This is a superlative contribution to World War II literature." —Washington Independent Review of Books

From the Publisher

2024-01-17
A detailed study of the critical role of Gen. George Patton and his Third Army in World War II.

Of the many colorful figures to emerge from WWII, Patton is one of the most remarkable and notorious. Pugnacious, ruthless, and impetuous, he was a skilled battlefield tactician and always had one eye on history—especially his own. The problem faced by Kershaw—a journalist who has written a number of books about the war, including The Liberator, The Longest Winter, and The First Wave—is that there is already a shelf of volumes on Patton. The author tries to get around this issue by combining an analysis of Patton as a person and military leader with an account of the Third Army, which Patton commanded in the final stretch of the war. When Patton’s troops were bogged down in the winter mud and rain, he asked the senior chaplain to come up with an inspirational message mixed with a prayer. He did, and Patton was so pleased with it that he ordered 250,000 copies printed and distributed. The tactic worked because most of the American soldiers fought hard to delay and frustrate the German Ardennes counteroffensive. Patton often made a point of visiting the front line, and he had a secret wish to die a warrior's death in battle. However, he died due to complications following a car accident shortly after the end of the conflict. Kershaw handles all the material with authority, and even if there is not much new to say, he lets the charisma and mercurial nature of Patton shine through. Readers unfamiliar with Patton will find this book to be a solid, unadorned account, which is, perhaps, what Patton would have appreciated.

With careful research, Kershaw tells an engaging story, blending Patton’s virtues and flaws into a well-drawn portrait.

Kirkus Reviews