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Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters
The immortalized Band of Brothers suffered huge casualties while liberating Europe, an unparalleled record of bravery under fire. Dick Winters was their commanders, and only he was present from the activation of Easy Company until the war's end. This is their story, told in his words for the first time.
Compact Disc, 8 pages
Published
April 1st 2006
by Blackstone Audiobooks
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I am a huge fan of Band of Brothers. That is why I was so excited about this book. It was a bit of a let down for three basic reasons.
1. It is obvious he is not a writer. I can't fault him for that.
2. He did not really get into much detail as to what he did during the war.
3. He is a very humble person, that is very obvious. But he talks too much about how humble he is to the point of he doesn't seem humble. I think this relates back to the first point.
...more
1. It is obvious he is not a writer. I can't fault him for that.
2. He did not really get into much detail as to what he did during the war.
3. He is a very humble person, that is very obvious. But he talks too much about how humble he is to the point of he doesn't seem humble. I think this relates back to the first point.
...more
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It's an excellent book! I always like to read books by or about great leaders, and this book is one of them. Major Winters story was first told by Stephen Ambrose in his book, Band of Brothers, and then Winters wrote this book from his own perspective. Winters' Ten Principles for Success, which he called Leadership at the Point of the Bayonet:
1. Strive to be a leader of character, competence, and courage.
2. Lead from the front. Say, "Follow me!" and then lead the way....more
1. Strive to be a leader of character, competence, and courage.
2. Lead from the front. Say, "Follow me!" and then lead the way....more
Doug DePew
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone interested in military history or leadership
Recommended to Doug by:
History Book Club
Major Dick Winters was a very humble man, and it is a pleasure to read the story of Easy Company in his own words. The writing and narrative are marvelous in this first person account of what it was like to serve in the proud unit. It is almost strictly an account of the military actions of E Company, 506th PIR in World War II, but it does delve more deeply into the personalities making up Easy Company. "Beyond Band of Brothers" shares many stories that were not included in the origina...more
This account of his World War II experiences by Richard Winters is often described as being rather dry. I've been told that he focuses mostly on military maneuvers, descriptions of battles and troop movements. I admit that despite my admiration for the man, I avoided reading his book for a long time because it sounded well, boring.
I was wrong. I hope anyone who reads this review who hasn't yet read the book will take my word for it that this is a fascinating memoir from a great and humbl...more
I was wrong. I hope anyone who reads this review who hasn't yet read the book will take my word for it that this is a fascinating memoir from a great and humbl...more
I have nothing but admiration for the soldiers around the world who put their lives on the line in the name of their government's orders. It's their job, what they get paid for, and theirs is perhaps the most dangerous of all occupations. To this, I'd add that WWII veterans receive my special respect because of the nature of the time in which they fought. America was a different country then, with different ways of doing things, and a different sense of what the word "patriotism" meant...more
The Humble Memoir of a Proven Leader ..., July 26, 2011
While Stephen Ambrose may have originally introduced Easy Company to the world, it was arguably the mini-series that endeared us to the individuals that became known as the "Band of Brothers". And although the extraordinary deeds of this particular group of men have brought well-deserved attention over the last decade, I often remind myself that they are probably no more or less extraordinary than many other groups of s...more
While Stephen Ambrose may have originally introduced Easy Company to the world, it was arguably the mini-series that endeared us to the individuals that became known as the "Band of Brothers". And although the extraordinary deeds of this particular group of men have brought well-deserved attention over the last decade, I often remind myself that they are probably no more or less extraordinary than many other groups of s...more
I read this during a vacation in France... we were able to visit Normandy and had a personal tour of the beaches and the german and American cemetery. It was an extraordinary experience. I already new the Hollywood version of the story from the Band of Brothers mini-series (which I recommend for EVERYONE)... but I liked reading the actual story from Major Dick Winters. This man is a humble hero and served with heroes. Whether you want to go into the politics of whether it was the right decision ...more
This memoir by Major Dick Winters is worth reading if you have any interest at all in World War II or simply enjoyed the the HBO series Band of Brothers (based on the book by Stephen Ambrose).
Major Winters goes into more detail about Easy Company's initial training than you will find in the Ambrose book. He also presents each of Easy Company's engagements in detail, providing a command perspective on each one.
Major Winters does his best to explain what made Easy Company so ...more
Major Winters goes into more detail about Easy Company's initial training than you will find in the Ambrose book. He also presents each of Easy Company's engagements in detail, providing a command perspective on each one.
Major Winters does his best to explain what made Easy Company so ...more
All in all, this is a terrific testament to the fighting prowess and comradeship of Easy Company (101 PIR). Still, I found it a bit of a slog; if you don't have a mind attuned to military campaigns and battles, then you might find the same thing to be true. What I thought was most interesting were the passages where Major Winters discussed various decisions in and out of battle, and provided his rationale and defense of those decisions. Also, if you read nothing else, read the last two chapte...more
The writing style is a bit simple and at times even bad, but the combat descriptions while Winters was still on the front lines are great. The book loses steam when he is promoted to more of a non-combat role, although there are some humorous stories that take place when the war in the European theater is winding down that gave me a good laugh. In my opinion the book should have ended well sooner than it actually does, as the post-war reflections and follow-ups are somewhat dull. Finally, there ...more
There's nothing quite like a first-hand account of war-time combat. Dick Winters is no writer, or I would've given his book 5*, his story is so compelling. I did watch the series "Band of Brothers" years ago, so many of the scenes came back to me as I read - which made me realize how closely the film followed the facts. Dick Winters is a fascinating person, to say the least. I was taken aback by the realization that the man who lead his men though those harrowing battles was only 27 y...more
I just rewatched the mini series, Band of Brothers DVD's from the library, and this book is a great accompaniment to the movie. It is the story of the 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment, through the eyes of Major Dick Winters. This book just made me understand so much of what my father went through during WWII, and I just cried though so much of it, because of the sacrifices of these men, to let us live the way we do now in this great country of ours. This book basically talks you though what wa...more
Strip away the glamor of Easy Company and their well deserved accolades and Dick Winters is still worthy of recognition as an ideal leader. Any person in position to lead people will benefit from reading what Winters has documented here about what it takes to be a competent leader and what is required to mold a group of people into a cohesive team. A true American hero.
Also if you have watched the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers the book also adds some nice detail and additional st...more
Also if you have watched the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers the book also adds some nice detail and additional st...more
I've read few books as quickly as I read Major Winters' memoirs, and all of those have been fiction until now. That in itself I believe is a testament to the quality of the book in the sense that if it is material that you enjoy on a regular basis it is rather difficult to put down. That being said, that is partially due to the writing style being so pedestrian, but that is no fault of Winters' - the man is not a writer.
When I purchased this book, I was hoping to get a more personal ac...more
When I purchased this book, I was hoping to get a more personal ac...more
Pretty decent insights from a true hero...and leader. Better insights than most books on leadership.
Like: "An officer should never put himself in a position where he takes anything from the men. Never abuse them by act or omission. As a commander, a leader must be prepared to give everything, including himself, to the people he leads. You give your time and you strive to be consistently fair, never demonstrating favoritism."
Like: "When...you realize t...more
Like: "An officer should never put himself in a position where he takes anything from the men. Never abuse them by act or omission. As a commander, a leader must be prepared to give everything, including himself, to the people he leads. You give your time and you strive to be consistently fair, never demonstrating favoritism."
Like: "When...you realize t...more
I am willing to grant, I guess, that Winters was a remarkable leader, but in this ghost-written autobiography he comes across as a sanctimonious prig. He gets leave in Paris then complains that he learns too much about the construction of the Eiffel Tower because it doesn't help him as an infantry officer. He refuses to drink or get laid or do all the things everyone else was doing because he didn;t want to disrespect his unit, his army, his family, his country, etc., etc. blah blah, blah.
...more
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Major Dick Winters gives a more technical, tactical description of some of the stories Easy Company fans and followers know; the qualities that put him in charge of teaching others and leading them shine through the book, and his experience is certainly worth reading about. I enjoyed reading this book quite a lot, it gave quite a lot of insight to the way Winters worked and thought. He's also full of advice that applies to life in general, not simply life in battle -- and that's always valuabl...more
This book really is better than a 3-star read, but I couldn't quite click 4 stars even though I liked it a lot. I DO HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WITH AN INTEREST IN THE HISTORY OF EASY COMPANY AND THE PARATROOPERS IN WWII. Through the first 90 pages I thought, "tell me something I didn't already learn from the HBO mini-series." But from that point forward the author reveals his inner thoughts and why/how he came up with his now famous and heroic tactics in the midst of Nazi battles a...more
Luke Kolley
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
somone looking for the other side of war
This was a great book, you can learn a lot from Beyond Band of Brothers. The book is about the wartime life of Major Dick Winters. It mainly focuses around the tactical detail of war rather than the sensatory detail. For example, for the assault on Brecourt Manor, Major Winters goes through the entire tactical process that is associated with preparing for assault. He wrote about who he wants where and when he wants them there. I believe that it was better to do this because people are better abl...more
This book is a memoir that tells of the unbelievable sacrifices of one group of American paratroopers in Easy Company as they fought to liberate Europe from the Nazis. The book chronicles their training and eventually the D-Day invasion, as told by their commanding officer, Major Dick Winters. Although few of them would consider themselves to be heroes, they are in my book. The conditions they suffered through were brutal. It is sad that there were so many times when the soldiers didn't have ...more
I started reading this book while watching the series "Band of Brothers." It is written by Maj. Dick Winters, and follows pretty closely along with the movie. From this man's life, I learned qualities of true leadership. Interesting to note is that a few months after finishing this book, Maj. Winters passed away. When I read the news article telling of his death, I actually cried! I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fine example of what a true leader does.
This was a gift from my wonderful mother-in-law. I read it in 3 days because I could not put it down. MAJ Winters is a true combat leader in ever sense of the word. He is bold, decisive and acts with a sense of overwhelming violence. Richard Winters, the man, is articulate, considerate and perceptive. He focuses on the men of his command that made him successful and acknowledges his mistakes in combat and in life. This book is a must read if you appreciate the true bond that exists between m...more
A recounting of Easy Company's role in Europe during World War II, concluding with an update on the subsequent lives of many of the men from that unit of paratroopers. This book seemed to be written as a supplement to Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers, and I probably would have enjoyed it more had I read Ambrose's book first. Winters indicates a lot of reflection on his part in the war, and the quality of leadership. I learned of this memoir from its four-month stay on the New York Times best s...more
Pretty interesting, but I liked Band of Brothers better. Both books cover the exact same events, but Stephen E. Ambrose just had a wonderful knack of telling you events with their full impact. Dick Winters' memoir, even though it was personal, lacked a little bit of emotion. I still enjoyed this book thoroughly, but I liked Band of Brothers a little more.
Great companion to Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers and the TV series. Major Winters tells his story in an easy, matter of fact style. For those that have seen the TV series, it is interesting how events from Winters' book were worked into the over all story. Even as a pacifist, I've got to wonder if I had joined up in World War II could I have done the extraordinary things these seemingly ordinary men accomplished.
Winter's probably thinks the way the way this book reads....very succinct and to the point. There isn't a lot of literary nuance here, but he isn't a writer. Too bad that his story couldn't have been given a better voice. Other than that, I feel it is not the best of the memoirs of the surviving members....Bill G. comes first, then Malarkey.
Excellent book. This book is definitely a good addition to the Band of Brothers book. The side of the story directly from someone who actually did it, instead of a researcher, is always going to be interesting. A war story is still a war story though, no two people, even if they were side by side, are going to tell the same thing.
Amazing book about and amazing man who led a company of heroes! If you've read this presumably you've read Band of Brothers or seen the mini-series! It's hard not to watch and become rapt in their lives. I bought this book for my brother as a Christmas gift and read it one day. I laughed, I cried and I thanked God for men like this!
Dick Winters is one of America's few remaining hero's. He has outlived all other officers from Easy Company and most of the enlisted men as well. If you are a fan of the epic mini-series "Band of Brothers" from HBO then you will enjoy this book. Although Winters writing is not the best, he does have a compelling story to tell.
As much a literary companion to the Band of Brothers miniseries as was the Ambrose book (written 14 years prior). In fact, much of the writing matches dialog and interviews from the series, though it was released 5 years later.
Dick Winters and the story of E Company might run the risk of being over-exposed after multiple books, a $120 million dollar television show, and countless appearances and interviews. But it is testament to how truly heroic those men were that it all feels fre...more
Dick Winters and the story of E Company might run the risk of being over-exposed after multiple books, a $120 million dollar television show, and countless appearances and interviews. But it is testament to how truly heroic those men were that it all feels fre...more
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Major Richard "Dick" D. Winters (January 21, 1918 – January 2, 2011) was a United States Army officer and decorated war veteran. He commanded Company "E", 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, during World War II.
Winters parachuted into Normandy in the early hours of D-Day, and fought across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and ...more
More about Dick Winters...
Winters parachuted into Normandy in the early hours of D-Day, and fought across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and ...more
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