A Soldier's Way : An Autobiography

by Colin Powell, Joseph E. Persico

The Number One International Bestseller.

Colin Powell is the embodiment of the American dream. He was born in Harlem to immigrant parents from Jamaica. He knew the rough life of the streets. He overcame a barely average start at school. Then he joined the Army. The rest is history - Vietnam, the Pentagon, Panama, Desert Storm - but a history that until now has been known only on the surface.

A Soldier's Way is the powerful story of a life well lived and well told. At a time when Americans feel disenchanted with their leaders, Powell's passionate views on family, personal responsibility, and, in his own words, 'the greatness of America and the opportunities it offers' inspire hope and present a blueprint for the future. An utterly absorbing account, it is history with a vision

Genres: Biography, Military Fiction, Autobiography, Nonfiction, Politics, History

656 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2001

About the author

General Colin Luther Powell, United States Army (Ret.) KCB (Honorary) was an American politician. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State (2001-2005), serving under President George W. Bush. He was the first Jamaican American appointed to that position. As a General in the United States Army, Powell also served as National Security Advisor (1987–1989) and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989–1993), holding the latter position during the Gulf War.

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an Australian I found this book gave me great insight to the person that Colin Powell is as well as American politics. I suspect that if I were American I would have rated it as 5 stars as I would have had knowledge of some of the events/people that are discussed. Occasionally it lapsed into a 'how to' management book but overall it was very entertaining and I took a few things away from it.

[John Nicholson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read on an interesting man.

[Aubrey Dustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first biography. It made a lasting impression and helped to begin my readying hobby.

[Judy Willard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would You Please Consider Colonel Powel As President On Character Merits & Colonel Schwarzkopf For His Character & Merits To That Was With Him During The Six- Day War I Seen One Of Their Speeches One Day On TheTV I Truly Had A Lump In My Throat And My Chest Swelled Up with Pride For Them For Take Great Care And Attention To Stop The Vilance During The Six-Day War American's Let's Come Together As A Country And Help Colonel Colin Powell As President & Colonel Schwarzkopf That Was With Him During The Six-Day War To Be Vice President They Was Great Military Leader's Now Let's Make Them Great For Our Country Let's Help Pay For Their Candidacy So We Can Have Another Great President And Vice President We Can Proud Of Them Greatly During The Six Day War And 10-11 Now Make Us Proud By Make Them President And Vice President Like Franklin Delano Roosevelt The Wheel Chair President That Stood On Splints During His. Speeches And The Rest Of The Time In A Wheelchair With Polio Going To Veterans Hospitals To Help Our Veterans After War With Kind Word's And Compassion For Our Military Veterans In Veterans Hospitals People Read History It Was The Democrats That Made Our Country Great Let Me Remind You Wasn't It Franklin Delano Roosevelt That Created Our United Nations And Quote Said "Be Not Fear But Fear Itself"I Can See Both Candidates Say That We Give Them The Chance They Deserve They Have A Firm Footing On Our Military Now Let Them Have A Firm Footing On Our Country We Would All Cry Happy Tears If We Give Them Just One Chance It Would Be All It Take To Pull Us Out Of This Propaganda In Our Country It Would Stop The Watergate Like Nixon Had I Remember History Well I Had That Driven In My Head As A Teenager In School We Need Another Moral President To Make A Moral Country & Bring Christianity Back In Full Swing I Let The God Head Put The Words In My Mouth What He Wanted Me To Say It's Was His Will Not My Will For Me To Say This I Listen When God Tries To Talk To Me I Read A Book Call The Upper Room To Give Me My Understanding The Book I Keep Sacred Into My Heart Because It Tells Of The True Resuscitation Of Jesus Christ Our True Saver I Wasn't Going To Voice My Opinion On Politics But Our Money Says "In God We Trust" Will Let's Make Those Two Great Leaders Our President & Vice President So We Can Still Say In God We Trust Colonel Colin Powell and Colonel Schwarzkopf Truly Respect For Both Military Colonel's All Sincerity Please Remind Our Country That You Know What "Simplify" Means In The Military I Have Two Great Marines That Taught Me That I Worked With Please Show Our Country What Simplify Means To You "Simply" State In A Way To Be Easier To Be Understand" I Can See You Doing That For Our Country Because You Did That During The Six-Day War & 10-11 Both Colonel Colin Powell And Colonel Schwarzkopf They Can Simpfi For Our Country Everything It Needs Like. During The Six-Day War & 10-11 You can Take It For What It's Worth "Like With God & Our Country" Like It Should Be Now Like Forest Gump Would Say Tom Hanks In The Movie Forest Gump Another Proud Marine Character In The Move That Deserve's Great Respect "That's All I Have To Say"

[Matthew Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent. For those who don’t know, this book is the British version of Powell’s autobiography. My American Journey is the same book with a different cover.

This is a great book to read for those who want to understand the Powell Doctrine and tactical victories with strategic failures

[Joseph Grassi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible learning experience; especially in leading men in combat and integrity.

[Jackim · Rating 5 out of 5]

It will look better in the morning.

[Deborah Cleaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

A long book about a man to be admired. Honest. Names the good people who cross his path, castigates those to be reviled.

[Ty Wyman · Rating 3 out of 5]

An estimable career, to be sure, but the story taught me little of substance.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd wanted to read this for a long time, well before he became Secretary of State. Reading it now obviously brings through questions about (and some insight into) his (and that of others) work in the George W Bush Administration, but I mostly managed to put that aside, and read it as it was written (in the 1990s). I found it fascinating.

He doesn't go into much emotion, his private life is largely kept private. But his experiences, his attitudes, and the major world events - where he played a part or simply observed - all kept me reading avidly.

[Jaye Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Colin Powell's book made me hold him in very high esteem. He's honest, forthright and incredibly interesting. The first two thirds of the book I found amazing. It goes through his mediocre beginning in life, a lost boy with no direction, until he joined the ROTC. From there he had an amazing journey and met some fantastic people. I really enjoyed the personal aspects of this book. The last part was just too political for my liking, which is why I gave it three stars instead of four. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Toby White · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long book but worth the read for anyone interested in America or military history, or both.