Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, the Man Who Led the Band of Brothers

by Larry Alexander

The New York Times bestseller that tells the true story of the life of Major Dick Winters, the man who led the Band of Brothers in World War II.

Look for the Band of Brothers miniseries, now available to stream on Netflix!

In every band of brothers, there is always one who looks out for the others.

They were Easy Company, 101st Army Airborne—the World War II fighting unit legendary for their bravery against nearly insurmountable odds and their loyalty to one another in the face of death. Every soldier in this band of brothers looked to one man for leadership, devotion to duty, and the embodiment of Major Dick Winters.

This is the riveting story of an ordinary man who became an extraordinary hero. After he enlisted in the army’s arduous new Airborne division, Winters’s natural combat leadership helped him rise through the ranks, but he was never far from his men. Decades later, Stephen E. Ambrose’s Band of Brothers made him famous around the world.

Full of never-before-published photographs, interviews, and Winters’s candid insights, Biggest Brother is the fascinating, inspirational story of a man who became a soldier, a leader, and a living testament to the valor of the human spirit—and of America.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, World War II, War, Military Fiction, Military History

352 pages, Paperback

First published April 26, 2005

About the author

Larry Alexander is a journalist and military historian who has written a number of books about World War II, most notably about Easy Company of the 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army. Easy Company was made famous principally by Stephen Ambrose's book, Band of Brothers, and the television miniseries of that name.

For over a decade, Alexander has been a columnist for the "Intelligencer Journal", a newspaper in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His books include Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, the Man Who Led the Band of Brothers, In the Footsteps of the Band of Brothers: A Return to Easy Company's Battlefields with Sgt. Forrest Guth, and Shadows In The Jungle: The Alamo Scouts Behind Japanese Lines In World War II. Alexander participates in American Civil War re-enactments as "a living historian" with Company E of the 30th Pennsylvania Infantry, 1st Pennsylvania Reserves Civil War re-enactment unit.

He has also participated in the making of the motion pictures, Gettysburg and God and Generals. Alexander was nominated for a Pulitizer Prize in 2005 and had won state-level journalism awards. He lives in Ephrata, Pa. with his wife, Barbara.

Reviews

[Kirstine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say it is an excellent read. I can recommend it for everyone who wants to know more about Richard Winters, as a person, a soldier and a man.

I picked this book over Winters own (for now, I might still read that), simply because it seemed like it would be better, and perhaps because I often prefer biographies when they're written by someone other than the person they're about.

Larry Alexander did a great job. The book keeps you interested all the way through, it's brilliantly paced, sometimes downright funny and with some great quotes by Winters himself as he looks back on the particular event being retold. It's also a very reader friendly book, and does a good job at simplifying all the tactical and historial stuff that's bound to confuse the hell out of you. Despite having read and watched Band of Brothers prior to this, thereby knowing what happens and so on, it's still deeply interesting to read. Of course, it's first and foremost because it gives you a more personal account of the events (having letters Winters wrote during the war and Winters himself to refer to), but also because this book is not just about WWII.

It very much lives up to the book title. Larry Alexander doesn't just recount Winters years in the army, he recounts how Winters ended up in the army, and more specifically the paratroopers, and, something I very much appreciated, he tells you about his life after WWII. How he met his wife, his (somewhat brief) experience with the Korean war, what jobs he had and how he adjusted to a civilian life. It's excellent.

And then I read about something I've been dying to know ever since I watched the minseries the first time. How did it all start? What were Winters (and all the other veterans) thoughts on it? And how did Ambrose decide to write a book about Easy Company? All of that is answered and most of it (actually the entire book) left me teary eyed and with a heart that felt like it might burst.

There's no doubt Richard Winters was a great man, an exceptionally capable leader and a extraordinary human being. I admire him greatly and find him to be a true inspiration. A born leader and a very charismatic person.
I wouldn't call him humble, though. For some reason that word just doesn't fit him. Of course if I'd ever met him, I might have changed my mind, but from what I've read about him, he is many amiable things, but he just doesn't strike me as humble.

Again, I recommend this book to everyone who liked the Band of Brothers book, and the miniseries. (and to everyone who fell a little bit/a lot in love with Damian Lewis' portrayal of him). It's just a damn good book.

Rest in peace, Major.

[James Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biggest Brother: Major Dick Winters
Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, The Man Who Led the Band of Brothers

written by Larry Alexander, '09, (hist/bio)

Best read after reading "Band of Brothers" by Stephen Ambrose. Winters was an exceptional leader of Easy Company, 101st Army Airborne, from D-Day, Normandy, to Market Garden, Holland, to Battle of the Bulge, Bastogne, Belgium, on to Berchtesgaden, Austria. He was a non-drinker, non-fraternizer, no-nonsense man of Mennonite descent but no specific affiliation, who knew how to disassociate himself from the emotions associated with war (boxed them up to be addressed when he had the time and luxury of addressing them), thereby remaining calm, cool and focused on the job at hand. He worked very hard to study battle/fighting strategy and was considered without peer in being able to size up a situation and make the right decisions in the heat of battle. He was highly respected by his men and trusted implicitly because he treated them fairly, equally and while he would be friendly he always understood that it was his job to lead, not to befriend those serving under him . . . don't get to close because it will only hurt more when they die or are injured.

He was not a prude, but he valued standards of propriety, moral rectitude, honesty, integrity, etc in his own life. I especially liked how while the "boys" were partying or on leave he preferred to stay in camp/base to have quiet time to himself to read (often the Bible), ponder, unwind, let go of the pent up boxed emotions. Winters was not a saint and comes across at times as unfeeling (Germans deserved what they got and so no qualms about ousting them from their homes so that the troops would have a place to stay / when they came across a concentration camp he was instrumental in obliging the townspeople to clean up and tend to the prisoners, burn carcasses, etc. as they were complicit by their refusal to object to it camp or do anything about it). Initially I thought his lack of empathy or willingness to forgive (eg: Sobel, he never forgave him for his meanness and ineptitude) was a method of dealing with the rigours of war, but his feelings persist well into his '80s. I don't fault him, you would have to go through what he did before you could pass judgment on him. He was and still is opinionated and has no qualms about expressing them, but that is often a common characteristic of a strong and effective leader.

He was instrumental in getting Easy Company's story told to Stephen Ambrose, who was captivated by it and wrote Band of Brothers.

Life after the war was hard on Winters, it took him a number of years to adjust. Like returned LDS missionaries, it is difficult to transition from making life and death, or monumental decisions and choices, from having such significant influence over the lives of others and over monumental events, to trying to make a living and raise a family (seems pretty mundane in comparison). He adjusted and eventually got a good business in agricultural feed supplements going. For the most part he sought a peaceful lifestyle . . . the fulfilment of a promise he made to himself in Bastogne to find a plot of land and enjoy the quiet and peace he had fought for.

Winter's perceives his hero status as overstated and largely the consequence of the "Band of Brothers" book and HBO mini-series. He both enjoyed the recognition for himself and his company and regretted the over-the-top intrusion into his life.

A good read. Good insights not found in Band of Brothers.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will say straight out that this review is prejudiced since Dick Winters is one of my all time favourite heroes. Frankly the book could have been poorly written and I am not sure I would have cared but the book is well written and serves as a wonderful companion to anyone who loved "Band of Brothers". Dick Winters embodies what Tom Brokaw so aptly described as the 'Greatest Generation' and the world is a lesser place with his passing.

[Joanne Hattersley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many others before me, I had read my fair share of military books surrounding Easy Company.

My list so far:

Beyond Band of Brothers by Dick Winters.
Brothers in Battle by Bill Guarnere and Babe Heffron.
In the Footsteps of Band of Brothers by Larry Alexander.
Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose.
Conversations with Major Dick Winters by Colonel Cole. C. Kingseed.
Hang tough by Erik Dorr and Jared Frederick.
Parachute Infantry by David Webster.
Easy Company Soldier by Don Malarkey.
A Company of Heroes by Marcus Brotherton.
Call of Duty by Lynn ‘Buck Compton.
We who are alive and remain by Marcus Brotherton.
Saving my Enemy by Bob Welch.

I knew that there are other titles I have not read. Shifty’s War being one of them and this one was another. I ordered “Biggest Brother” with the intention of it joining the incredibly long queue of books to read on my kindle. You know that queue of “to-read” books that we all have…..However it jumped the queue.

While Dick Winters book, Beyond Band of Brothers, was based on his wartime diaries, this book gives you more. Its in this book you find out how he came to have the diary!

‘Biggest Brother’ talks through generations of the Winters family. The influences that Dick Winters had, that made him the man he was.

The book examines his youth and schooling. It looks at the expectations that his parents had of him.

Naturally, there is much discussion the book around the campaigns fought and how the war played out for Easy Company. This book focused on Dick Winters personal reactions to aspects of war. One part that stands out for me, (and has been in other books) is how Winters never typed a report using the phrase “I”. He always used “we”. The outcomes were reflective on the companies actions as opposed to one mans decisions.

I loved reading in this book, of Dick Winters relationship with Ambrose. Through the words on the page, it was easy to see how trust was built between Winters and Ambrose. The trust that was needed to tell the story with the honesty and integrity that it required. The memories being shared of how Easy Company veterans brought the Band of Brothers book together, were beautiful to read about. Particularly as I read how one member of Easy Company, sharing his own memories for the book , would always be one campaign behind everyone else!

Dicks life after the war, including meeting Tom Hanks & Steven Spielberg have been documented in this book. The honesty and tenacity of these meetings comes through clearly on the page. Our author has portrayed it beautifully. It was delightful to read about the filming of Band of Brothers and Dick Winters involvement.

One particular incident I noted was where Dick had sent a letter to Tom the use of foul language. Dick went further and suggested he could “shun” Tom Hanks. Winters explained how “Here in Mennonite country, we don’t get mad. We don’t through a tantrum. We just shun you. We stop having anything to do with you”. Dick won that battle.


Having read several books on the men of Easy Company and their leader, Richard Winters, each book will always have that underlying similarity. Almost like an underlying score of war. However, Biggest Brother is one of the best I have read. Now you want to know why, here goes:

It covers Winters life. From his birth, through to 2002.
It talks more than I have read before about influences in his life, and how they influenced him.
It looks at the campaigns Easy fought.
It looks at how he met those who would change his life. Ambrose, Hanks and Spielberg.
It talks of his feelings as his comrades passed away.
This book allowed the reader to understand the input of Dick Winters into the HBO series ‘Band of Brothers’. the input from Dick Winters allowed us to know some truths that had been ‘over-dramatised’.

This book is beautifully written. It is factual with feeling. Our author has not been afraid to address the good, the bad and the ugly of war and loss. It has honesty and integrity. Two vital elements when addressing the life of someone, who at the time of publication, was still living.

To our author, Thank you for your time and compassion in this work.

To Easy Company, Thank you for your service.

Currahee.

[John Majors · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved band of brothers but I think I liked this even more.

[Darcey McKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Larry Alexander's recount of the life and time of Major Dick Winters is well told and free-flowing, while still preserving the details necessary for a successful history of war time events. Stephen Ambrose's 'Band of Brothers' was extremely successful but critically and commercially, and led to the HBO mini-series of the same name and garnered much attention on the men of Easy Company, including Winters. With 'Biggest Brother', Alexander was able to match what Ambrose was able to do, with his work being at the same caliber as Ambrose's.
In the Author's Note, Alexander describes the style in which he originally intended to tell this story, and the style which he eventually used. I think the change from first person was a smart move and adds a little bit more credibility to the story.
I don't think I've ever read a non-fiction "page turner" before but that changes with this. Alexander's style of writing leads to you never wanting to put it down and this is unique in the non-fiction realm, or at least in what I have read from it.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up with the fictional accounts of Easy Co. from movies and comics. Then Band of Brothers came along. I was floored. I have the book but haven't read it yet.
I started with this one about Major Winters.
It was a decent and factual read. And you do get a bit more into the history of the man, Easy Co., and their missions. It flows pretty much like the mini-series/book but bookended with little biography of Winters before and after the war.
I really wished the author included a map so you could see the path they were taking. And his Glossary was OK yet surely not inclusive. I know some terminology just read reading/movies. But I surely don't know everything and I wish Larry Alexander would have taken that ("that" being that many people don't know all the terms) into consideration. A simple parenthetical reference would have been great or even footnotes.
There were bits and pieces of Winters that struck me differently.
Without a doubt, he was an amazing leader. And being in his shoes, I don't think I could have survived Capt. Sobel without getting kicked out of the Army.

[Paul Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This biography of Dick Winters, made famous for his role in the events told by “Band of Brothers”, is a superb complement to that book and miniseries. Alexander adeptly fills in the gaps from before and after World War II, telling both familiar and unfamiliar stories from Winters’ perspective, as he relates the events that shaped a great leader of men. Winters enlightens even the known narratives, adding greater context and a personal touch to the European theater with his thoughts and original letters from the time. The tail end of the book is particularly enjoyable. The 1992 publication of “Band of Brothers” and the 2001 HBO miniseries drastically changed Winters’ life, and reading about the aftermath adds a heartwarming epilogue to his story. I love the “Band of Brothers” book and miniseries, and I highly recommend this book to anyone who has similar feelings.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written, easy to pick up, hard to put down book. An account of one of the greatest officers in WW2 before, during and after. A must read for any WW2 era junkie.

[Yasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was basically a reread of Band of Brothers, but with more of Winters’ internal dialogue. I gave BoB four stars so this book gets it too.

[Andrew Cowart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed account of Major Winters’ account of the war and the events following. This book details Winters’ side of things more thoroughly than his own autobiography, mostly because of the mans own humility and hesitancy to speak of battles in anything more than militarized robotic speech.

[Matt Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top notch book!

[bkwurm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a biography of Major Richard Winters, the commanding officer of Easy Company.

An interesting book to read after Band of Brothers as it deals largely with the same events but from Winters' perspectives. You learn what he thought about, for example, Speirs, the officer believed to have killed POWs in cold blood and who eventually took over command of Easy Company.

One interesting factoid I picked up was the fact that Operation Market Garden may have failed, not because Montgomery ignored warnings that German Panzer divisions were in the area but because Horrocks XXX Corps were dilatory in their drive to Arnhem. This was apparent from Winters' shock at the British tankers stopping for tea.

It also follows Winters through his civilian life and how he met Stephen Ambrose and, later, Tom Hanks and how both the book and mini series were made and his subsequent fame and the impact that had on his life.

In the present day world of instant celebrity, it is gratifying to read of someone who actually earned that celebrity but who never sought it. The only pity is that it came to Major Winters and the men of Easy Company so late.

[Mandie · Rating 3 out of 5]

By the time that I read "Biggest Brother", I had already finished reading "Band of Brothers", "Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters" and many of the other fine books written by and about Easy Company, and I was worried that it would just re-hash facts that I was already familiar with. There was a bit of repetition from the other books, but there was so much more! For me, the letters between Winters and his pen pal DeEtta were the best part. I thought that they served to show another side of the stoic warrior and battle hardened leader who lead his men through D-day, Market Garden and Bastogne. We tend to forget that these larger than life figures were men in their twenties, whose young lives were essentially put on hold to fight for the freedoms that we take for granted today, and reading "Biggest Brother" helped me to realize this.

[Abby Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard for me to not automatically give everything relating to Band of Brothers five stars, but this book truly deserves it. It tracks in great detail Winters childhood, time at war, and life after the war. If you've read some of the memoirs of other Easy Company men and wished they had spent more time on battles than read this book. It's filled with detailed information about each battle from beginning to end. But more than that it is about the man who led Easy and then worked to preserve it afterwards. I loved that Winters made it a point to keep all the documents about Easy Company organized and preserved. I was also touched by his reactions to the show. Very moving. Again, like I say with most Band of Brothers stuff, this is ideal reading for young men. Winters is the kind of man you would want as a hero for your sons.

[Meirav Rath · Rating 1 out of 5]

You were perfect, weren't you, Mr Winters? Nothing you ever did was wrong (rather, General Taylor was always wrong) and everyone loved you. The Brits were appalling, the French and the Russians never existed; it was only you and the whole American army who won that war. The whole D-Day invasion lay on the balance of your action in Bercot Mannor.
Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh. If you're easily sickened by American kitsch you better leave this book alone; someone's been praised way, way too many times to b able to tell a straight story.

[Gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another book on an American Hero Major Richard Winters. The author of this book was a little star struck but he certainly gets his message across and the story of Dick Winters never gets old. If you are interested in the lives of servicemen and women from the Second World War then this book is for you.

[Corey Rudd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is another entry in the collection of real life accounts of Easy Company, the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division during the Second World War. This particular account focuses on the life of Major Dick Winters, the archetypal hero immortalized in Stephen Ambrose’s Band of Brothers, and played on screen by Damien Lewis in the show of the same name (which I’m sure most people are familiar with). However, what elevates this book to more than simply a re-hashing of the Band of Brothers story is the message it builds regarding the importance of good leadership.

Through Dick Winters, we are shown a man of incredible work ethic, unwavering principles, and painstaking devotion to his obligations (both to his superiors and inferiors). Truly an exemplar of a good leader, his incredible strength of character and humble attitude foretell of an amazing valour that seems a natural byproduct of these unique and extraordinary qualities. As a protagonist, Winters is so perfect he would seem the creation of a lazy author in any fictional universe: he’s cool, disciplined, tough, honourable, and humble, but also nuanced and suffering. He was the glue that held this remarkable group of men together, and—like all great leaders—he knew how to best utilize his group. He possessed that innate sense of being able to size up potential and tap into it when needed. A true leader at the toughest of times, Winters put his head down and did his job, repeatedly quarterbacking his men though a string of incredible triumphs.

By way of juxtaposition, we are also shown the ill effects of bad leadership—always frustrating, but during times of war, also quite devastating in their consequence. These inadequate leaders were complacent and disconnected, and sometimes downright cowardly and incompetent. What made Winters so successful is that he placed himself right in the battle. Being a man of integrity, he detested not being in the thick of it while his men were being asked to put their lives on the line; in this way, he avoided senseless mistakes and also garnered a strong mutual respect.

There were only a couple points of contention I had with the novel. One, being someone unfamiliar with military ranking and hierarchy, it was difficult to keep track of all the men and their constantly shifting ranks (though it helped that I had previously seen BoB and could match an actor’s face to the real life soldier they portrayed). Two, the vast majority of the book focused on details already covered by both the show and the source book (albeit, from Winters’ perspective). And three—and I know you aren’t supposed to do this, but—the book had such a terrible cover.

I loved the background on the making of the book and miniseries (enter Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Stephen Ambrose), and the effects it had on the aging veteran, swiftly thrown into the limelight. As well, there is an anniversary visit they make to the scenes of the battles where they encounter a bus full of German veterans, which made me wonder how they might have received these stories.

The central theme of this book is leadership. Winters was an incredible leader, bred from a remarkable man being thrust into a position of great responsibility in a time of horror. He shared the frustrations of his men—who were no longer in control of their own mortality—especially as disconnected orders came from on high. Really, this is what fosters the strong bonds—both of soldierly brotherhood and empathy on the part of the reader. As they say in easy company: "currahee!” (We stand alone, together.)

[Kendall · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is significant mostly for the material not covered by the book or HBO mini-series. Unfortunately, the amount of that material is not as much as it could have or should have been.

The primary source material for the book is the same "bible" of records that Winters gave to Steven Ambrose, author of the book, and Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg, the producers of the HBO mini-series. Thus, the book tracks both with alarming consistency. Indeed, one suspects the author, a local journalist, used the TV series as a crutch for his primary source material.

The main contribution beyond what has come before is Winters' wartime correspondence with the (platonic) girl he left behind. Winters was so disciplined and self-controlled that he had no reservations about having his wife transcribe the handwritten correspondence with the other-woman-that-never was. This and his diary paint a somewhat a clearer portrait of what we would today recognize as an introverted (and yet powerful) leader.

Of greatest interest, Winters' correspondence anticipates potential problems reintegrating into society after becoming a hardened killer for his country in a time that "battle fatigue" was barely talked about and PTSD was an unknown diagnosis. The events that follow, up to and including Winters' difficulty in watching the HBO series or traveling back to the locations where the events took place, betray the presence of PTSD in a generation of men that just didn't talk about it, but got on with life as best they could.

Granted, there is not going to be much source material on the early life of someone who grew up in the 1920s and was not a public person until after he turned 80. But still, not enough was made of the new source material or interviews to fill in Winters' interior life or his years after leaving the army.

Interesting, but only that.

[Brook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biggest brother is another biography of Major Dick Winters. Contrary to Beyond Band of Brothers published several years later, this one is written in third person. Its contents ranges from elder generations of Winters family and childhood and youth of Dick Winters, to present, when the book was finished. The military life of Winters, also the highlight, is most familiar to us in this book. This section has almost the same timeline as Band of Brothers book, while only concentrating on viewpoint of Winters.

The book reveals some unique details that never appear on both Band of Brothers and Beyond Band of Brothers. Starting with chapter 13, the author wrote Winters' postwar life. After returning to US, Winters accepted Nixon's job offer and become a personnel manager in Nixon Nitration, during when he met his wife and got married. Then in 1951 he was recalled by the Army. He trained inexperienced officers at first, and later transferred to U.S. Army Ranger school. Before being sent to Korea, Winters took advantage of the new order and honorably discharged. He lived a peaceful life since then, until the release of Band of Brother miniseries in 2001. He participated in the creation of Band of Brothers book by joining interviews and providing notes. He also gave comments on the creation of miniseries later. The miniseries changed his and other Easy Company soldiers' life forever, and they found themselves engaged in various social activities.

This book successfully described the life of Major Winters, especially postwar life. If you are a fan of him after reading or watching Band of Brothers, this book is for you.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little book about the "Star" of "Band of Brothers", Major Dick Winters. Covers all the ground of the series, the war in Europe as seen through the eyes of a Company of US Army Paras, plus more depth on his private life and fame crest after the Series became iconic.

Written in the American Journalist breathless style, this hagiography is frankly less well written and less interesting than the man's own autiobiography, except for the bits about the development of the series itself. But the familiar elements fly past, Toccoa, Aldbourne, Normandy, Holland, Batogne, and then the Occupation. We do get a closer look into Winters' romantic aspirations, but that's about all the new material.

This is a fine choice for the Junior reader, with little other than the war itself that will be too adult. Modellers/Gamers/Military Enthusiasts may want to read this for background, but will find that all the scenes in the book are largely in the series, so there is little new to improve Diorama/Scenarios. This is a fine book, but not required reading.

[Francis X DuFour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Until the release of HBO’s “Band of Brothers” the name of Maj. Richard Winters was relatively unknown. This book corrects that shortcoming. Dick Winters was a small town (Hershey, PA) boy who joined the Army as a junior Lieutenant and signed on to the elite (and relatively unknown) paratroopers. Following training in the backwoods of Georgia, he and his men entered WWII early on D-Day with a parachute drop behind enemy lines. Winters led the successful destruction of a German artillery battery, an action that later became part of the curriculum at West Point. Following his 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the troopers took part in many of the major engagements up to the end of the war (i.e. the assault on Arnhem in Holland, the Battle of the Bulge, etc.) and their eventual capture of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in the Bavarian Alps. This book is a MUST read for any student of the history of WWII or anyone looking for a great American hero.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of biography of Dick Winters, pretty much from when he joined the army (little detail before that) till late in his retirement.

An undeniably brave and valiant leader. The book covers a lot of the ground already covered in Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brother book (& the HBO miniseries). It does concentrate a lot on Easy company. As expected it does diss some of the efforts by other allies (& often other outfits within the US armed forces),

Apparently vets in the USA retain their rank once they've left the army. They keep that rank until their death - even though they're no longer serving. I found that really odd.

On the whole interesting but a lot of what's in here has been covered before.

[Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

After spending a good part of September watching "Band of Brothers" again, I decided to take my journey further by reading "Biggest Brother". While most of the book closely echoes the outstanding HBO mini-series, "Biggest Brother" closely follows Dick Winters' life before, during, and after the war and offers some insights not depicted on screen. The last 75 pages provide an interesting account of how Easy Company's story ended up in the hands of Stephen Ambrose, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. It is, overall, the story of a very humble man with incredible leadership skills who guided his men through some of the bloodiest battles in World War II. Whether you're familiar with "Band of Brothers" or not, "Biggest Brother" is still a harrowing account of war and how men perform at their best level.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book while I rewatched Band of Brothers. Easy read and Larry Alexander can write. I really enjoyed the story about how he started with the book and meeting Richard Winters. Learned a lot of facts that were were not in the show and the glaring mistakes they made. There's one confusion for me though because I always knew the concentration camp scene was made for the show and did not occur. Winter's company didn't liberate a camp however in this book it mentions them going inside a camp. My problem with the book is the font used. I discovered it was responsible for giving me terrible headaches during the days I was reading it.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly the Greatest Generation encapsulated in one man. Like everyone else, I was introduced to this hero through the Band of Brother series. I think what keeps everyone wanting more of the Major, is his amazing decision making during times of absolute terror. He always seem to make the right decision and avoid a possibly horrible outcome. What I like about the man was his humility and integrity. In a time of wild parties and soldiers taken to drink and women, he was a bible reader, a churchgoer, and teetotaler. He always stayed true to himself and his morals. Many more like him are needed in the world today.

[Michael M · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Biggest Brother" by Larry Alexander is a compelling and emotional read that offers insights into the leadership and camaraderie that drove the soldiers of Easy Company in World War II. This book complements HBO's "Band of Brothers" as it goes deeper into the experiences of the company's commanding officer, Major Richard Winters, and his influence on the men under his command.

A strength of the book is its ability to bring us closer to the human side of war. The author doesn't shy away from depicting the intense and often horrific experiences that the soldiers went through, even if it's uncomfortable to read. We also get soldiers at their most petty and vicious alongside heroic deeds.

[Neil Fidler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent companion to Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose. This is an excellent biography of Major Richard Winters who led Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne. We follow Winters from birth, through his WWII service, postwar career and then a very busy retirement once the Band of Brothers book was published and the subsequent TV miniseries. Winters' military service is a study of great leadership and exhibiting coolness under faire. The book was published prior to Winters' death in 2011.

[Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story, well written about the E Company of the 506 Parachute Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. These men spent an inordinate amount of time in combat after jumping into France on the eve of D Day. At one time they had been in combat for 72 consecutive days.

The part about how the documentary Band of Brothers is very interesting. Stephen Ambrose was a master writer and teaming with
Tom Hanks was a master stroke. Well written, a lot of follow up on many of the men is always an important part in any documentary about military stories to me.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

War makes you different than when you entered the battle. Some of the changes are beyond your control but much is determined by what you believe about yourself and others.
Major Dick Winters will make an impact upon himself, his men and even on the battlefield.
This book by Larry Alexander and the Band of Brothers by Steve Ambrose and the miniseries will give you an opportunity to look within yourself and determine if what you see makes you happy what kind of person you are.
Your character will be revealed in the battles you face in your life.