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11th out of 38 books
—
23 voters
Eisenhower: Soldier and President
Stephen E. Ambrose draws upon extensive sources, an unprecedented degree of scholarship, and numerous interviews with Eisenhower himself to offer the fullest, richest, most objective rendering yet of the soldier who became president. He gives us a masterly account of the European war theater and Eisenhower's magnificent leadership as Allied Supreme Commander. Ambrose's rec...more
Paperback, 640 pages
Published
October 15th 1991
by Simon & Schuster
(first published 1983)
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A very readable, enjoyable biography, yes. But more, this book is a profound, fascinating, challenging study of character and leadership. Both the amazing strengths and the appalling weaknesses in leadership that characterized Ike are honestly presented here to the reader. For any who function in a leadership role, this is a work that may be best read with a pen or pencil in hand to note its many valuable leadership lessons.
This book was the first biography I read on Eisenhower, and being an Ambrose fan I knew he worked with Ike on editing his memoirs back in the 60's. What better historian to tell the tale of Ike's life than the one who spent countless hours with the man himself?
The real value of this book is on the study of the man himself, and less about the facts, figures, and personalities Ike experienced in a truly remarkable life. Events and people are examined only in light of Ike's relationship to them. Wh...more
The real value of this book is on the study of the man himself, and less about the facts, figures, and personalities Ike experienced in a truly remarkable life. Events and people are examined only in light of Ike's relationship to them. Wh...more
I will admit, this has been hard to review. On the one hand, as you're reading it, this feels like a real blow-by-blow retelling of thirty years of history (if not more). On the other hand, if you want to get a sense of the government institutions, practices, and methods that came out of the Eisenhower administration, this is wholly lacking.
I get it. Stephen Ambrose and I may have a very different sense of "what's important" in history. He focuses on the man. The struggles, the family, the perso...more
I get it. Stephen Ambrose and I may have a very different sense of "what's important" in history. He focuses on the man. The struggles, the family, the perso...more
One is fortunate if one has the two separate volumes of DWIGHT EISENHOWER ' s biography , as originally written by the late STEPHEN AMBROSE . [ Short of finding the original two volumes via a used bookseller , I don ' t think one can expect to get any but the condensed one - volume book . ]
Titled , respectively , ' EISENHOWER : SOLDIER , GENERAL OF THE ARMY , PRESIDENT - ELECT ' and ' EISENHOWER THE PRESIDENT ' , the two separate books are more fitting a personage as consequential , as great and...more
Titled , respectively , ' EISENHOWER : SOLDIER , GENERAL OF THE ARMY , PRESIDENT - ELECT ' and ' EISENHOWER THE PRESIDENT ' , the two separate books are more fitting a personage as consequential , as great and...more
Every time I take a trip somewhere, I always buy a book to add to my library. As often as possible I try to get a book about the area I am visiting. About a year ago I took a trip to Washington DC for about the 12th time but since I've seen just about every tourist attraction there is to see there, I decided I would finally visit that which I had been putting off all this time...the Pentagon. I had never been all that excited about the Pentagon; when you get right down to it it's just one of the...more
As easy reading as one will find any biography, Ambrose does a great job at giving one an inside look at Eisenhower's making and the world he helped shape. Ambrose does a solid job at both distinctly pointing out Ike's highs and lows and the short and long term consequences of the plethora of very real, far-reaching decisions he made. He's forever the great General of the last great war so it's far more interesting to look at how a man resigned to being a mid-level Army lifer had a meteoric rise...more
Stephen E. Ambrose's 'Eisenhower-Soldier and President' is just an out and out five star biography.
The authors treatment of his subject is so well balanced, informative and well written. Published back in 1990, it's just a shame that it has taken me so long to find this six hundred page gem.
American politics of the 1950's was something I knew little about prior to this read, but I just thoroughly enjoyed Ambrose's guided tour through Ike's two term presidency. The decade of the 1950's may be the...more
The authors treatment of his subject is so well balanced, informative and well written. Published back in 1990, it's just a shame that it has taken me so long to find this six hundred page gem.
American politics of the 1950's was something I knew little about prior to this read, but I just thoroughly enjoyed Ambrose's guided tour through Ike's two term presidency. The decade of the 1950's may be the...more
Eisenhower's presidency is one of the last large pieces in my overall understanding of the Cold War; this book provides a fair assessment of not only Eisenhower the man but his stamp on American foreign policy of the 1960s and 1970s.
This is an abridged work; unsurprisingly, there are parts that are light on detail where I wished for more. (I'm thinking in particular Eisenhower's role in World War II: There's some much-needed detail and context; there's definitely some missing links in the events...more
This is an abridged work; unsurprisingly, there are parts that are light on detail where I wished for more. (I'm thinking in particular Eisenhower's role in World War II: There's some much-needed detail and context; there's definitely some missing links in the events...more
This book was interesting and informative. I learned about the man who was President the era before my birth.
Dwight Eisenhower (“Ike”) was born on October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas. His family moved to Abilene, Kansas in 1891, when a relative found his father a mechanic position at the Belle County Creamery. His parents ultimately had six boys and Dwight was the third oldest. His family was generally poor. Religion was important to his father, as he believed in hard work, and the strong sense o...more
Dwight Eisenhower (“Ike”) was born on October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas. His family moved to Abilene, Kansas in 1891, when a relative found his father a mechanic position at the Belle County Creamery. His parents ultimately had six boys and Dwight was the third oldest. His family was generally poor. Religion was important to his father, as he believed in hard work, and the strong sense o...more
Oct 24, 2007
Jim
added it
Much like the Tom Hanks movie 'saving private Ryan' but much more graphic.
Being both a political and historical junkie, it goes without saying that I enjoyed this book. I had decided last summer to read the biographies of every president from FDR to the current president over the course of the next couple of years. With the biographies of FDR and Truman I was able to get insight into the presidential decision making process during WW II, but with Eisenhower I got to see the view point of the top general during WW II which made for an interesting change of perspective....more
Ambrose does a nice job here. The difficulty in writing such a book is that his subject has been a fixture in our collective lives until recently. Ambrose does a magnificent job in the description and in such exceptional detail.
Ambrose captured the very essence of “The Supreme Commander,” from Ike’s modest beginnings to the man on which the free world held its hope, on his shoulders.
I been to France and visited many of the battle sites. I often wept for the lost of good men on both sides, yet se...more
Ambrose captured the very essence of “The Supreme Commander,” from Ike’s modest beginnings to the man on which the free world held its hope, on his shoulders.
I been to France and visited many of the battle sites. I often wept for the lost of good men on both sides, yet se...more
Stephen Ambrose is a favorite writer of mine--one of the most readable and insightful of the contemporary historians I've read. He's written extensively on World War II at all levels from the generals to the ordinary soldier serving on the battlefront, as well as writing a respected biography of Richard Nixon. I can't think of anyone more qualified to tackle questions of political and military leadership, this particular era, and Eisenhower as "soldier and president."
I didn't always agree with A...more
I didn't always agree with A...more
A great biography and a great history lesson. Like all Ambrose books I've ever read, it's well-written (but not perfect), flows well, and remains interesting throughout. Somewhat counter-intuitively this book actually diminished my opinion of Eisenhower, but that in no way detracts from the book itself.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you're like me and of the era where "history" class seldom made it past WW2. This book filled in huge gaps in my knowledge of the more recent past.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you're like me and of the era where "history" class seldom made it past WW2. This book filled in huge gaps in my knowledge of the more recent past.
Jan 11, 2009
April
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
history buffs, bio buffs, Cold War buffs
Recommended to April by:
Doug Andrew
i'm about halfway through this, and I'm loving it. Stephen Ambrose may well convince me that the best way to learn history is through one person's (Eisenhower) or one group's (Easy Company in Band of Brothers) story. Read either of these book, and I'll be he'll convince you too.
One thing I learned - surprisingly (to me in any event), Eisenhower was a major peace-nik. Nothing like seeing war first hand to convince you how horrible it is I guess.
One thing I learned - surprisingly (to me in any event), Eisenhower was a major peace-nik. Nothing like seeing war first hand to convince you how horrible it is I guess.
Some men become so iconic it is hard to get a sense that they are real people at all. I had previously put Eisenhower in this category and I loved getting a glimpse into this man who was made for his time. The supremely weighty decision of D-day alone would have turned lesser men to complete jelly. If ever there was an American in the 20th century that was prepared "for such a time as this", I believe it was Eisenhower.
This book was amazing! Eisenhower was a truly remarkable leader. I learned that he was a pacifist general with a heart of gold and backbone of iron. Always true to himself and his ideals. I don't think it was happenstance that he oversaw our nations most idyllic and prosperous time. Ambrose says that in comparing himself to Eisenhower, he has always fallen short, but so have all the other men whose lives he has studied.
As I write very few reviews, it can be said that I truly enjoyed this book. It was a fascinating look at not just the man, whom I knew very little about, but about his time. That time laid the ground work for everything we have to cope with today from foreign policy, to defense spending to the battle of Social Security. WWII and the era after redefined what America was and what it was going to be.
The fascinating part about Eisenhower was the fact that he walked the line. Usually, he was right do...more
The fascinating part about Eisenhower was the fact that he walked the line. Usually, he was right do...more
I like the way Ambrose writes; he is a great story teller. I have been super focused on the Russian front of WWII, this book took me through the US involovement in the war from N Africa to D Day and then onto Ike's assendency to the presidency. I really love to find a book which I enjoy a lot and painlessly learn a lot. This book does both well, at least for me.
I only listened to one lecture of Ambrose about Eishenhower (1 hour). It was very enlightening and it's refreshing to read about a president who equaled the honesty of Honest Abe. I really enjoyed learning about Ike. He was pressured to go to war several times in his presidency, but felt war (after having been the general for WWII) was almost never worth the cost.
This was such an amazing biography of Ike! It really gives you a feeling for what the man was like and some of the things he went through. He is portrayed as this strong leader who took America through very difficult times, but Ambrose portrays him more like an everyman who has to step up and face challenges he does not believe he can overcome.
As with all Presidents, he had his strengths and weaknesses but he presided over the most peaceful 8 years in the 20th century. He was also prophetic: "The congjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence - economic, political, even spiritual - is felt in every city, every statehouse, every office of the federal government. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influenc...more
It's been a while since I read this, but I remember it being a decent overview of Eisenhower's life. I think it focused mostly on his presidency. I remember being interested in his creation of the US highway system. That's about all I can say, since it's been so long....
It is more of a 4 start rating, but it is just so much better then some of the other stuff out there. It was excellent and very thorough on a lot of details of the man. The interesting part was that a little bit after him leaving office people regarded him as a poor president, but as time went by they viewed him as one of the best. He along with Washington and US Grant were the only presidents to be both Commander of the Army and Presidents.
I recommend to the those who like WWII.
One thing that I...more
I recommend to the those who like WWII.
One thing that I...more
A solid biography. A little dry at times, but highly informative. Ambrose makes the struggles at SHAEF come alive. I fell out of reading about half way through. I can not yet comment on the chapters chronicling his presidential years or retirement.
I started reading a book about Eisenhower but finished a book about leadership. "Ike" was not without his flaws but he was a leader. Whatever your field of endeavor if you are concerned about motivation, morale, leadership read this book. The principles he followed are applicable no matter what you do. Where are today's leaders? Where are today's leaders? I don't see any, especially in the White House.
I was so excited to read this book but could not get into it. After three weeks I haven't even hit his first term in office. It is a book I would have like to have read without actually having to read it.
This is one of the more enjoyable biographies I've read. Eisenhower is one of the few men who can say that 90% of their life was devoted to public service. I can't imagine giving the military the best years of life and away from your family only to turn around and run for President. One of my favorite bits is when both political parties were trying to recruit him for their nomination. Each party liked him and thought he spoke sense so he must be a member of their party. I think this can remind u...more
Great editorial on the European theater. But, Ambrose is heavily biased toward Eisenhower. It is almost as if he can do no wrong in Ambrose's eyes.
this felt like passing signposts, not giving us any real understanding of his mind and heart. But to hear all the politics behind normandy was neat,
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Stephen Edward Ambrose was an American historian and biographer of U.S. Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Richard M. Nixon. He received his Ph.D. in 1960 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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Mar 25, 2013 04:37pm