David Kenyon Webster’s memoir is a clear-eyed, emotionally charged chronicle of youth, camaraderie, and the chaos of war. Relying on his own ...
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Aug 03, 2011
Sanna
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Interesting book. Offers a different view on the story of the famous paratroopers that are best known as the Band of Brothers. Webster wrote his story between the war and his death in 1961 so he never got any part of the fame the HBO series earned him and his fellow soldiers. Having read other
novels about Easy Company men and seen the tv series several times (thanks to my hubby who is an avid fan), I have to say that Webster's novel is the most realistic one; a very rough, down to earth tale of More...
novels about Easy Company men and seen the tv series several times (thanks to my hubby who is an avid fan), I have to say that Webster's novel is the most realistic one; a very rough, down to earth tale of More...
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Aug 01, 2011
Dachokie
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Band of Brothers ... before Ambrose and Hollywood Intervened ..., December 22, 2010
Ever since HBO glorified this group of men, I have made it a point ... well, now it's a mission, to read any/all of the books associated with Easy Company. Reading Ambrose's book prior to the release of the HBO miniseries served as an appetizer to the main course (the 10 part series), but there was still plenty of room left for desert as I was hungry for more information about these men, their upbringi More...
Ever since HBO glorified this group of men, I have made it a point ... well, now it's a mission, to read any/all of the books associated with Easy Company. Reading Ambrose's book prior to the release of the HBO miniseries served as an appetizer to the main course (the 10 part series), but there was still plenty of room left for desert as I was hungry for more information about these men, their upbringi More...
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Sep 21, 2010
Danny
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One of the largest supplements to Stephen Ambrose's book Band of Brothers is this hidden gem. It was relatively unknown before Ambrose published his book, but is now getting well deserved publicity. It is the personal war narrative of David Webster from boot camp all the way through to the occupation of Austria. A well read and educated soldier, he attended Harvard before the war but dropped out to serve. Webster goes through all the events in detail and gives a rare 1st person accounts of the w
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Feb 16, 2011
Nikie
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I'm a history nerd and proud of it! I love Stephen Ambrose's book, Band of Brothers,and I've always been intrigued by one of the men in the book, David Kenyon Webster. I found a little treasure of WWII books at the library and checked out Parachute Infantry. Webster, a wealthy, Harvard literature major, joined the paratroopers as a private. He volunteered because he felt it was his duty, but he hated the army and wasn't shy in letting everyone know it. He wrote his war memoirs in the late 1940
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Jul 12, 2009
Barry
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There is no better story of history than that written by a competent writer who was present when the history was being made. Such is the story told by David Kenyon Webster in his story of D-Day and the fall of Nazi Germany. Webster deals with the everyday battle for survival by the foot soldiers who won WWII. From surviving intense fire-fights to trying to secure food when hungry, shelter when cold and wet, and living to the end of the war, Webster's story is a must read from a man who was the
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May 23, 2011
Amit
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David belonged to rich society of that time. An intellectual but not a kind of typical soldier. He joined army for satisfying his desires to explore new things. In this book, he did not sing the praises for infantry. He highlighted a system which was more political but the series of events made it successful. He mentioned about casual approach of leaders and reprimanded them. He also mentioned about his own casualness very practically.
During the last pages; he became more frustrated More...
During the last pages; he became more frustrated More...
Jan 18, 2010
Mandie
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Another book by an Easy Company soldier, but what is different about this one is that the author, David Webster, died in 1961, long before the book and mini series "Band of Brothers" came out, so he did not experience the fame that many of his comrades recieved. His book is an unselfconscious reflection of his time fighting in Europe without any hint of revisionism. I found Webster's observational style narration reminicent of Meursault, the narrator of Albert Camus' "The Stranger
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Apr 28, 2009
Rob
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Excellent book. Text written well before Amborse's Band of Brothers appeared then re-released/released for first time as a complete book more or less concurrent with Band of Brothers book. Provides a different perspective from the HBO mini-series in which Webster was credited with actions that may have been added for dramatic effect or added to represent a composite experience through Webster.
Sep 19, 2011
Chong
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What I love about this book is the infantryman's viewpoint. Webster was an intelligent guy who hated the petty b.s. of the army. I read this after watching "Band of Brothers" but even though he was in most of those battles, Webster only saw glimpes of what was going on, which seems like a realistic perpective.
Jun 19, 2010
Ava
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Usually I'm not big on military literature but I read this autobiography after watching the excellent HBO series 'Band of Brothers' and I was blown away by it. David Kenyon Webster has a tremendous talent for describing situations and emotions in a way that is at once heart wrenching and unsentimental.
Jul 02, 2009
Kurt
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Having seen the Band of Brothers series and read every available book by Easy Company veterans, I already knew a little about Webster going into the book. Overall, the book provided some good insight into the everyday life and mindset of the WWII paratrooper.
Jun 03, 2010
Holly
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Excellent supplement to Ambrose's Band of Brothers (in which Ambrose uses excerpts for Websters book frequently). While Webster's account of events may be difficult to follow for those not familiar with Easy Company's exploits it sheds light on some passed over characters in BoB as well as gives a different perspective on events.
Jun 22, 2008
Andy
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This book covers the same events(and with a number of the same people)as "Band of Brothers" so I almost felt like I had read this before. His writing has an observational style that conveys the monotony of Army life and his view of the people around him. You don't get a good sense of the bigger picture of the war, just his firsthand observations. I felt the pace fizzle out about halfway through as the fighting slowed down, the last 100 pages take place after VE day and mostly concerns
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Aug 05, 2010
Sarita
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this was a great way to begin my foray into reading all the memoirs of easy company. awesome read. just sorry it took me so long.
May 22, 2008
Matt
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This book is about what an English major from Harvard endured during World War II. He could have spent World War II as an officer or in a combat support branch. Instead, he volunteered to serve as a combat infantryman in the U.S. Army airborne forces. His desire to fight the Nazis was more than fulfilled through combat jumps on D-Day and later behind German lines. Himself wounded, Webster buried more than a few of his close friends. Webster brings this world alive for the reader with his amazing
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Dec 23, 2007
Meirav
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Aah, Webster, how I love thee and thine writing style. If you want to clean your head from the Spanks cheesy American kitsch about perfect hero soldiers, Parachute Infantry is the right book for you. Webster's eye misses nothing and his writing shies away from no cock up, no chicken shit behavior and no silly soldierly mischief. It's a wonderful introduction to David K. Webster and his wonderful style of writing as well as a personal testimony of an American paratrooper in the second world war.
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Apr 09, 2008
Lindsay
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So when I was living in a motel and needed to kill some time but the only place to buy a book was the Fred Meyer rack, this was my choice. It's not a book I'm ever excited to pick up and read, but for some reason whenever I start reading, I find it more interesting than I remember. Of course, it might be more interesting to someone who has an interest in WWII and might actually know the names of tanks and planes and guns...but I'm a chick...soooo yeah...
Apr 26, 2007
Chris
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This is an excellent book. It is written in a style I think is very easy for people in today's world to connect to because of it's journal style... it's not unlike reading a blog.
The experiences and imagery Webster captures as a young man facing a world encompassing war hit right to the core of what it is to be an ordinary person in an extraordinary situation.
It's more than just a book for WWII buffs. It is a book about the human experience.
The experiences and imagery Webster captures as a young man facing a world encompassing war hit right to the core of what it is to be an ordinary person in an extraordinary situation.
It's more than just a book for WWII buffs. It is a book about the human experience.
Aug 25, 2010
Josh
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A very good pre-band of brothers look at E company and it's exploits. The heroism is toned down dramatically and certain events take on a different light. This really is a good look at the life of a private in the paratroops.
Dec 16, 2009
Becca
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Though Webster's writing is quite good, this book would probably be most appealing to people familiar with the Band of Brothers series or book. I enjoyed his honest voice and his utter refusal to glamorize what they were doing.
Dec 16, 2009
Tex
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An excelent first person perspective of living through one of the hardest times of the 20th century. It is the author's personal experiences untainted by hindsight bravery or cleverness.
Jun 29, 2009
Ed
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Worth reading just for the passage where he describes what it is like to sit through an artillery bombardment.
Oct 18, 2007
Brooke
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Beautifully written. The book flows well and Webster's view on the war is interesting and unique.
Dec 17, 2007
Lucas
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this is a 'i was there' account of the normandy invasion. an awesome read.
Jun 05, 2007
Jonelle
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A good companion read for _Band of Brothers_ or one of the Burgett books.
Feb 12, 2012
