Life Lessons from the Commander of the Band of Brothers Conversations with Major Dick Winters (Hardback) - Common

by Cole C. Kingseed

On the hellish battlefields of World War II Europe, Major Dick Winters led his Easy Company—the now-legendary Band of Brothers—from the confusion and chaos of the D-Day invasion to the final capture of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest.But Winters’s story didn’t end there. It was only the beginning.He was a quiet, reluctant hero whose modesty and strength drew the admiration of not only his men, but millions worldwide. Now comes the story of Dick Winters in his last years as witnessed and experienced by his good friend, Cole C. Kingseed.Kingseed shares the formative experiences that made Winters such an effective leader. He addresses Winters’s experiences and leadership during the war, his intense, unbreakable devotion to his men, his search for peace both without and within after the war, and how fame forced him to make adjustments to an international audience of well-wishers and admirers, even as he attempted to leave a lasting legacy before joining his fallen comrades. Following Winters’s death on January 2, 2011, the outpouring of grief and adulation for one of this nation’s preeminent leaders of character, courage, and competence shows just how much of an impact Dick Winters left on the world.This is a story of leadership, fame, and friendship, and the journey of one man’s struggle to find the peace that he promised himself if he survived World War II.

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

Hardcover

First published October 28, 2014

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much time by the Author spent on himself rather than the man.

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The easy review of Conversations with Major Dick Winters is this: If you have read Ambrose's Band of Brothers and Kingseed's Beyond Band of Brothers, Conversations is a slam-dunk read that will inform the other 2, make you laugh and cry, and wholly remind you what a magical group of Americans did 70+ years ago alongside a singular example of American courage and determination that was Major Dick Winters. Read it.

But absent those other reads? Standing alone as a "lesson in leadership"? I'm not sure. Maybe it holds? One of the things that made Winters so effective during the war and such a great citizen afterward was his simplicity: Say Follow Me, and the Be An Example. That's it. That's what he lived by. There is more to the book, but that is really all that matters. I suppose, as I search deeper, the rest of the book basically serves to prove to the reader that, yes, a man can truly live his life by that simplicity. Without the surrounding detail it might be easy to dismiss the words as mere slogan, a motto.

But at the close of Conversations with Major Dick Winters, an engaged reader will soundly know that it is real and it is possible to live that way. With any luck, there'll be enough of a spark to light a fire of doing the same for all of us who read it. I know I will try. Follow Me....

[Erin (Historical Fiction Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....

I asked for and received Conversations with Major Dick Winters: Life Lessons from the Commander of the Band of Brothers by Cole C. Kingseed for Christmas 2014, but I didn’t find time to dive into it until recently. One of the downsides of being a reviewer is that you work on a schedule and don’t always have time for the pieces no one asks you to review. Finding a gap was difficult, but when I did Kingseed’s work was at the top of my list.

Jumping into the first few chapters, I admit my first impressions were optimistic. The book started strong and I liked how Kingseed allowed Winters to speak for himself. The famed commander’s personality shines through his dialogue and I felt his reflections on his experience both during and after the war heartfelt, shrewd, and intuitive. Unfortunately, my admiration of the title was soon tainted by the author’s blatant hero worship, tendency toward repetition and overtly superior tone.

I don’t doubt the author’s sincerity, but as a reader I felt Kingseed’s sentimentality suffocating. It prevented him from impartiality and detracted from Winters’ views. Kingseed’s retirement ceremony and discussions with his daughter seemed superfluous and I often felt annoyed with how far the author wandered from the intimate one-on-one discussions he shared with Major.

When push comes to shove, Conversations with Major Dick Winters is not study on leadership, fame or struggle. It is a chronicle of Kingseed’s friendship with Winters and while I’ve nothing against that, I can’t help feeling disappointed that the publication failed to deliver the insights advocated on its jacket description. There are moments, quotes that I very much appreciated, but I don’t think the book compares to pieces like Easy Company Soldier or Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

If anything, this was more about the author's friendship (read: obsession) with Major Dick Winters during his final years. Kingseed repeats himself again and again in his words to Major Winters reminding him how much he values his friendship with him. I think it's great that he got involved in the life of such a truly great man, but the near constant patronizing is sometimes hard to read. Case in point, Kingseed's wife tells him that he is her best friend. Kingseed, in his adoration of Major Winters would only offer her that she was his "female best friend" with Major Winters holding the title of "best friend." What man uses the term "best friend" after grade school, or puts so much thought into who fills that role? Major Winters was undoubtedly an American hero worth noting at every given opportunity, but this book is just wasteful banter, and most of what was left on the editing room floor from the penning of 'Beyond Band of Brothers.' Kingseed's obsession is somewhat understandable, but perhaps he should have taken some of Winters' advice by not talking about himself so much.

[C.J. Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Put down your leadership book (if only for a bit) and just read this instead. This is probably the third or fourth book I've read on Dick Winters, and every time, I learn more real world applications, and my respect for the man he was only deepens. In this book, more than the others on him, Kingseed gives us a glimpse at what so many others thought of Major Winters, from his time serving in WWII to the very end of his life. I especially appreciated the chapter on his wife, Ethel, and the chapter on his funeral and memorial service.

[Gareth Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book didn’t necessarily give life lessons but it was a fascinating account of conversations with Major Dick Winters (of Band of Brothers fame). I loved it.

[Deb Lip · Rating 3 out of 5]

The content of the book is hardly worth the price. Sure there are some good lessons in leadership shared by Major Winters, but they probably could have been summarized in a much smaller book (and perhaps have been).


The author spends a great deal of time telling us how honored he is to be such good friends with Winters, assuring us that his motives in cultivating the friendship were pure yet his constant repetition of this information makes one wonder. He tells us that it is Winters' idea that he should publish a book of their conversations, but after endless pages of reporting on just how private Winters and his wife were about his life I just felt a little bit cynical.


I finished this book feeling like it was more of an opportunity for Kingseed to brag about his friendship without really telling us much more about Major Winters than we could have found on the Internet. The earnest conversations about leadership he recounts seem to be a way of reinforcing his pure intentions but give little additional depth to he man or understanding of the leader.


I wish I could wholeheartedly recommend this book, but I'd say get it in paper back if you must, but if you don't get it all, you won't really be missing much of interest concerning Major Winters.

[Babbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of the same material covered in Band of Brothers and Beyond Band of Brothers, with more insight into the later years of Major Winters' life, specifically his friendship with the author and how the two previously mentioned books came to be.

[Abby Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

They tell you never to meet your heroes, so I guess I should be content to have never gotten to shake Winters hand, look him in the eye, and say Thank you for your service, sir.

It is absolutely no exaggeration to say that each time I picked this book up out of my TBR pile just to look at it, I started crying. It is also no exaggeration to say that I cried through the whole book when I finally read it. I'm not overstating the matter.

Band of Brothers is probably my favorite TV show. Through it I found Easy Company. As I go along, I'm finding that there is a Band of Brothers Fandom that knows little to nothing of the real men the show is portraying. That's fine. I'm glad there are people who simply love the show. But it's like loving Lord of the Rings, except you've never read the book. The Fandom is great, but I keep a huge demarcation in my mind between the Fandom and the real stories, the real men, and the further I go along the more I love the real men, the real stories over the inaccurate media.

This book is a long eulogy to Winters. It is written by a man who befriended Winters in the autumn of his life. Everything about it was wonderful, dear, and sad. It made me love and admire Winters even more, if that's possible.

If the Lord had blessed me with children, sons or daughters, I would have used Winters as an example of what men should be, right up there with Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee.

I also greatly enjoyed getting to know Mrs. Winters. She was a loyal and remarkable woman. May I prove so in my husband’s autumnal years.

I'm so incredibly thankful I found Easy. I'm thankful I found Winters. He's blessed me so much in his example of courage, leadership, and character. Whenever I face something I don't want to deal with I think Hang Tough, do your best.

Now, I'm going to have to go back and read Beyond Band of Brothers.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls · Rating 3 out of 5]

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Like the title says, the book is all about the author's hero-worship conversations with Major Dick Winters who many will recognize as the lead character in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. There are a lot of insights about war and leadership, sometimes not much different than would be found in Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest by Stephen E. Ambrose, as well as some personal and family stories from both Winters and author Kingseed. The narration is a lot like the opening credits of Dragnet, so a little bit goes a long way.

Available for FREE on Audible to subscribers (your results may vary)

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was top notch. I was interested in this because I look up to Maj Winters as a leader, so was looking to glean some wisdom. Not only did this book deliver, but it scratched that same itch as the Band of Brothers show on HBO. It was like reading the behind the scenes/ extended cut of the show.

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Major Winters was a great man, a great leader, and a great American. What struck me so much was how humble he was. So grateful for our vets.

[sar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this if you wanna witness a grown man gloating over a friendship he formed with a famous WWII veteran for a few hundred pages. Not many “life lessons” learned as the title promises given that Winters’ quotes were scarce (scarce but fire, real Pennsylvania Dutch vibes). However— a fantastic opportunity to practice my discipline by not DNF’ing this book after the author calls his wife his “female best friend” and Dick Winters his “best friend.”

[Stephen B. Ferber · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved reading about the specific conversations with Dick Winters and the insights it gives you on what made him tick and his personality charcertistics. I loved the way the book was broken down into certain characteristics like leadership, character, etc...and some of the stories regarding the relationship the author had with him and his wife, also insight into his wife’s strength, personality and her role in his celebrity. The only reason for my 3-star rating is I found myself rushing through what I thought was a little too much excess background on the author and some repetitive subjects...some, just seemed a little out of scope. However, I completely understand why the author would err on the side of being overinclusive with the information based on his access to one of the Greatest men from our Greatest Generation. I am very happy he wrote the book and certainly glad I read it.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't read Dick Winters' memoirs, so I'm just guessing here, but it seems like since the author drew from his interviews with Dick during the co-writing of the memoirs, that everything in this book was already covered elsewhere. Maybe this gives you a good overview of the Dick Winters' career if you know nothing of the story of Easy Company, but the promise of the life lessons wasn't really fulfilled. However, no matter how many times Cole promised Dick that they were best friends and that's all that really mattered, this book seemed to mostly just show off how Cole got to be friends with Dick, and here's the proof that Dick liked him too.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

First time I've ever given a Band of Brothers book less than five stars..*sigh*

It wasn't anything to do with Major Winters, it's just that Mr. Kingseed personally got on my nerves a bit. And what he told his wife about her not being his best friend, but his best female friend annoyed me. I don't know Mr. Kingseed and I'm not judging him, or trying to, but that just didn't seem fair to his wife. That one little reason is not why I didn't like this book that well. For one thing, it didn't have a lot of dialogue from Major Winters in it. It was more about the friendship that Mr. Kingseed had with him.

A disappointing book.

[Joanne Fate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled with this review, but here it is:

I feel super disrespectful not giving this 5 stars all around, which why I waited so long to review it. While it is good, it doesn't have the same power as the other books about the Band of Brothers and the members of it. It is certainly worth reading or listening to, and I plan to further explore WWII, D-Day, and the Band of Brothers or Easy Company.

If it weren't for brave souls like Major Dick Winters who knows how long the war would have lasted and what the eventual outcome would have been. But still I give this a respectful 4 stars all around

[Liza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed looking further at Major Winters' expectations of leadership, but I really felt the ending dragged on. The book could have ended 50 pages before it did.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

"War is only attractive to those who know nothing about it. Wars do not make men great, but wars sometimes bring out the greatness in good men." Conversations with Major Dick Winters" (p.18)

Major Dick Winters for those who do not know him is a decorated war veteran who served as an officer in the United States Army during World War II. He is best known for having served with and later commanding Easy Company of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division. His story was chronicled by historian Stepehen E. Ambrose in "Band of Brothers," and HBO series "Band of Brothers." His memoirs were published by this author in the book "Beyond Band of Brothers."

I wouldn't choose this as my first book, if one were interested in Major Winters, his wartime experiences, or Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, or World War II. Even to fully get the meaning behind this book, reading "Beyond Band of Brothers", of "Band of Brothers", or one of the many good books on the subject is a prerequisite. This book is more of a tribute to a friend, and a reflection on friendship. It is not to be considered as an inside, personal look to Winters historic actions. There are some excellent anecdotal stories of Winters' time in the service, but this is to be considered just what the title says, "Conversations". It is primarily the content of the last 10 years of Winters' life, the time that the author got to know him. The topics vary, as conversations do. There is a chapter or two on his time in WWII, but not to the depth one would get from an intensely prepared biography. There are a few chapters where they casually discuss Winters' thoughts on Leadership, Character, Friendship, and Courage. These are the most valuable meat of this book. There is a bit that covers the preparation and execution of the HBO Band of Brothers series, as well as the book Beyond the Band of Brothers that followed. Then it finishes off with a few chapters about the family friendship between the author's family and Dick and Ethel Winters, and the events leading to his passing.

When I found this book, I was curious about the "conversations" it would cover. It was much more than I expected. This book is about leadership on its surface but on a deeper level it is about friendship. While it is not as meaty as one would find from a standard biography, it is far more personal. Little quips and response questions, that would not be as prevalent in a stiff biography, give a more human view of the man. For those of us who had a father who served in a unit that has never been heralded by books or the screen, this book is a splendid reminder of just what the members of a very special generation did for us so many years ago in lands far away from their homes. May they never be that far from our memories. "Hang Tough!"

[Jeff Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this read and hoped to get a little better insight into Major Dick Winters. I will say to a point, that was achieved. He was a nonsense leader who cared about his men but also knew the limits of being close to his men. If an officer lets himself get too close to those he commands it will be difficult to send them into battle. The other main lesson is leading from the front and not the rear. While many might think this is a novel idea need to brush up on their history.

What I didn’t like about the book is the repetition of events through the story. I lost count of “This has already been covered.” I appreciate the Dick Winters asked Cole Kingseed to write the final chapter in his life. Winters believed this would bring him full circle or so we are told. Too many times I felt Kingseed kept placing the emphasis on his self and the relation between him and the Major. Granted, it would be difficult to write the memoir without adding in his own thoughts which is fine.

One last note. As in most cases when talking about the Battle of the Bulge, why is there not mention of the 10th Armored Division that was the first to stem the tide of Von Manteuffel’s forces before the 101st arrived?

Came across several grammatical issues.

It’s not a bad read but I wouldn’t call it ground-breaking or a must read.

[Dee Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audible.com 7 hours 38 min. Narrated by Tom Weiner (A)

If you have read "Beyond Band of Brothers" written by Winters and Kingseed, the first eight chapters will be repetitious but set the background for the great friendship that developed between Major Winters, his wife Ethel and the family of Col. Kingseed and his wife and family especially Cole's teenage daughter. The two infantry men bonded and Ethel, who was very protective her husband,as he advanced in years came to rely on Cole for his personal visits, moral support and direction. The last eight chapters are more personal and how old soldiers never die, they just fade away. The aging process was hard for Winters as he became more housebound but his attitude was always positive. His motto was "Hang tough" and both he and Ether did this to his death in 2011. Kingseed paints respectful portrait of an aging man's battle with poor health as courageously as he his battles during WW Two. An introspective look into a great friendship, and bit of hero worship, written by the man who had come to know Dick Winters as well as Ethel, and was deeply affected by Winter's death.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll never get enough of the stories of this man. Aside from religious and family, I can’t think of anyone I look up to more. I’m continually inspired by the men of this generation. This book, while alluding to the stories from the war, goes beyond and deeper into the life of the great leader. It reveals his personality. Reveals his heart. Makes him somewhat mortal, more so than some of the other books and movies. This book is a simple book. Kind of a report on the authors experiences with co-writing the Beyond Band of Brothers Book. But it goes personal. It gets to the front room of the man we respect. It captures Major Dick Winters and how he was “sitting in the easy chair” of his home. Battlefields of the past are memories. Stories. This is a great book that provides a glimpse into the real. After the war. The twilight of life for one of America’s Greatest.

[Mercy Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The moral courage that any man displays is directly proportionate to his commitment and adherence to the values that govern his life.” Major Richard Winters

If you are a WW2 fan.. read this book. What an amazing picture and intimate sharing of the life of an American hero, Dick Winters. Though, he wouldn’t call himself a hero.. He’d give all credit to his men that he served with. But I almost cried a few times in this book. It is an easy read as far as flow goes.. it’s like you are sitting in Major Winter’s upstairs library with him and Cole (the author here) discussing his life and his stories. You’ll want to keep reading.👏💛

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this audiobook. Major Dick Winters is just someone I admire a lot from reading his memoirs along with Band of Brothers and various other Easy Company men’s books that mention him. His character is strong and dependable and overall the kind of guy you look up to and wonder why more men aren’t like him. This particular book reminded me of Tuesday’s With Morrie by Mitch Albom. I was captivated the whole way through. Highly recommend for any WWII enthusiasts or people who like to learn life lessons from generations before.

[David Devine · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent view into the life and mind of one of America's heroes. Col. Kingseed does a wonderful job of recounting the many interviews and conversations with Major Dick Winters, bringing to life this humble, yet strong and intelligent warrior. You can almost envision yourself sitting there in Winters' room, surrounded by his memories of the war and his men of Easy Company while speaking of his time before, during and after the war as well as the lessons he learned and his insight into true leadership.

[Brad · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s frustrating to only give two stars to a book about such a great topic. The author had a wonderful opportunity to get to know and evidently be trusted by an amazing soldier and leader from WW2. Sadly, the quality of writing and almost fawning tone detracts and distracts significantly from what might have been a fascinating peek at the reflections of such a hero in his sunset years. Winters was evidently a humble, determined leader whose character is almost eclipsed by the obtuseness of this author’s self-aggrandizing prose.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first learned about Major Dick Winters through Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers. I liked the fact that, like me, Major Winters hailed from Pennsylvania. I also liked his leadership style. I finally got around to reading his autobiography Beyond Band of Brothers and learned that Colonel Cole Kingseed had written Conversations with Major Dick Winters. I thought it would be prudent to read Kingseed's book first to gain his perspective on Major Winters. I'm glad that I did. Kingseed does an outstanding job of sharing Winter's views on life, war, and leadership.

[Bryan Millard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't your standard biography. It's written just as it is titled, as "conversations" dealing more with thematic elements rather than a chronological telling of Major Winter's life. I found it fascinating to get an intimate look into the man through his visits with the author. Once you get used to the more relaxed narrative style, you get a feel for the character of the man we came to know through a mini-series on television. It definitely gets a favored place in my collection.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't have the proper words to describe what this collection of conversations mean, but it moved me in a unique way. A treasure of wisdom and humility that one can only hope to live up to. An Era of men, while not perfect, that cannot be forgotten based on the sacrifices they made for country and each other. A window into the mind of a "good man made great" by the circumstances that is an invaluable resource to be returned to time and again.