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Great Generals
George S Patton - Danh tướng thiết giáp Hoa Kỳ trong thế chiến II
Alan Axelrod đã trình bày một di sản nhiều mảng màu sáng tối trong một cuốn tiểu sử phù hợp cho bất kỳ ai muốn tìm kiếm lời giới thiệu cô đọng về một vị tư lệnh mà Thống chế Đức Gerd von Rundstedt cho là vị tướng giỏi nhất của phe Đồng minh trong Thế chiến II.
George Smith Patton Jr. (1885-1945), còn được gọi là George Patton III, là nhà chỉ huy quân sự lỗi lạc. Trong Chiến tranh thế giới thứ nhất, ông là một trong những chỉ huy đầu tiên của binh chủng xe tăng Hoa Kỳ. Trong Chiến tranh thế giới thứ hai, ông nổi tiếng trong các chiến dịch ở Bắc Phi, Sicilia, Pháp và Đức.
Tướng Eisenhower từng nói: “Patton được sinh ra để làm một người lính.” Cuốn George S. Patton danh tướng thiết giáp Hoa Kỳ trong Thế chiến II giải thích rõ vì sao câu nói đó là sự thật. Khía cạnh kỹ thuật của chiến tranh được cô đọng tối đa, nhưng tác giả Axelrod vẫn có thể chuyển tải những phức tạp của cuộc chiến cũng như những phức tạp trong con người George S. Patton.
George Smith Patton Jr. (1885-1945), còn được gọi là George Patton III, là nhà chỉ huy quân sự lỗi lạc. Trong Chiến tranh thế giới thứ nhất, ông là một trong những chỉ huy đầu tiên của binh chủng xe tăng Hoa Kỳ. Trong Chiến tranh thế giới thứ hai, ông nổi tiếng trong các chiến dịch ở Bắc Phi, Sicilia, Pháp và Đức.
Tướng Eisenhower từng nói: “Patton được sinh ra để làm một người lính.” Cuốn George S. Patton danh tướng thiết giáp Hoa Kỳ trong Thế chiến II giải thích rõ vì sao câu nói đó là sự thật. Khía cạnh kỹ thuật của chiến tranh được cô đọng tối đa, nhưng tác giả Axelrod vẫn có thể chuyển tải những phức tạp của cuộc chiến cũng như những phức tạp trong con người George S. Patton.
Unknown Binding
First published February 7, 2006
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About the author
Alan Axelrod
173 books53 followersAlan Axelrod, Ph.D., is a prolific author of history, business and management books. As of October 2018, he had written more than 150 books, as noted in an online introduction by Lynn Ware Peek before an interview with Axelrod on the National Public Radio station KPCW. Axelrod resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
November 11, 2014
I have read a few of the Great General series books. This one on General George S. Patton, Jr. was superbly done by Alan Axelrod. Though brief it covered Patton's career and character in an easy flowing informative way. I was surprised how many of the incidents covered in the book were paralleled in Academy Award winning movie with George C. Scott as Hollywood can tweak things beyond recognition and truth in such productions. Despite all the controversy surrounding the general and his quirks and antics he delivered the goods on the battlefield. Somewhere between crackpot and genius Patton was truly one of a kind and aptly dubbed a true warrior. His innovations in tactics and leadership is still with us today and is his legacy in military annals
September 18, 2009
I feel a bit funny giving a 3 star rating to a book about a 4 star General. Anyway, Patton by Alan Axelrod is a more interesting book than his book on General Omar Bradley. Perhaps the two men are so very different that Axelrod was forced to write a rather dull account of Bradley's life but a much more lively account of Patton's life.
This book was less of a biography and more of a series of diary and letter quotes with respect to the timeline of events in Patton's life. Since much of the book's contents were created by Patton, you are left with a stronger connection to what he was thinking at the time of these events. (The Bradley book was mostly a biography from the "outside" of what was happening)
I was pleased to get a slightly different spin on some of the events of which Patton is so famous. Granted that you are mostly getting Patton's "spin" on things, it is still a valid point of view. I will give credit to Axelrod for presenting a well balanced story with clear distinction between Patton's thoughts and those of others.
I can recommend this book. It is a good study of an important person in our history
This book was less of a biography and more of a series of diary and letter quotes with respect to the timeline of events in Patton's life. Since much of the book's contents were created by Patton, you are left with a stronger connection to what he was thinking at the time of these events. (The Bradley book was mostly a biography from the "outside" of what was happening)
I was pleased to get a slightly different spin on some of the events of which Patton is so famous. Granted that you are mostly getting Patton's "spin" on things, it is still a valid point of view. I will give credit to Axelrod for presenting a well balanced story with clear distinction between Patton's thoughts and those of others.
I can recommend this book. It is a good study of an important person in our history
June 12, 2020
A very interesting personality, to say it the least. (He would not last for long in today’s atmosphere of political correctness)
However, I enjoyed the audio book immensely. And can only recommend it.
However, I enjoyed the audio book immensely. And can only recommend it.
May 26, 2022
Audible.com 7 hours 8 min. Narrated by Brian Emerson (A)
After listening to three books on the heroics of 101 Airborne's defense of Bastogne and the life of Major Dick Winters, I concluded with reading a biography from The Great Generals Series about George Smith Patton whose quick response to their plight relieved them to live to fight another day. This was an interesting look into the life of a man who felt from youth that he was destined to be a great leader of men in warfare, prepared himself through study despite having deslexia,, and served his country ably. He was a man of great complexity and came under reproach for words and actions away from the battlefield, but was a most superior leader of the divisions under his command. This is a good conclusion to three books I've read on the battle of Bastogne where Patton had recognized a weakness but was ignored by those in command. He was under utilized as a general and felt it deeply. Patton and his wife had a tumultuous marriage, but she stood supportive by his side though his highs and lows. She saw to his needs even as he lay dying due to a freak fender bender in which he broke his neck. Tragically his wife died a few years later after being thrown from a horse.
This looks like an interesting series to read.
After listening to three books on the heroics of 101 Airborne's defense of Bastogne and the life of Major Dick Winters, I concluded with reading a biography from The Great Generals Series about George Smith Patton whose quick response to their plight relieved them to live to fight another day. This was an interesting look into the life of a man who felt from youth that he was destined to be a great leader of men in warfare, prepared himself through study despite having deslexia,, and served his country ably. He was a man of great complexity and came under reproach for words and actions away from the battlefield, but was a most superior leader of the divisions under his command. This is a good conclusion to three books I've read on the battle of Bastogne where Patton had recognized a weakness but was ignored by those in command. He was under utilized as a general and felt it deeply. Patton and his wife had a tumultuous marriage, but she stood supportive by his side though his highs and lows. She saw to his needs even as he lay dying due to a freak fender bender in which he broke his neck. Tragically his wife died a few years later after being thrown from a horse.
This looks like an interesting series to read.
February 9, 2022
While Axelrod's book on Patton does not include anything groundbreaking (at least for those familiar with World War II), it is a well-written and solidly-researched book. Given the nature of the series of which it is a part, this book is intended as an introduction to Patton for the general reader. Axelrod's book fulfills that purpose very well!
July 15, 2016
Summing up an entire person's life is always a challenge. Patton, like many leaders and Generals before him was much more nuanced than how he is often portrayed. His biography reminded me a lot of General Sherman, another extremely capable and competent leader. The shocking similarity is that both Patton and Sherman on the surface appeared confident but under the surface were both deeply insecure. Patton worked hard to keep a lid on those insecurities by presenting a polished image, however they often leaked through the cracks in his facade and when they escaped it was usually in the form of some damning outburst. Many people and soldiers love Patton for his "Tough Guy" image but if that is all you see than you miss the more human part. Patton suffered from depression and fought to keep his intense emotions and deep feelings at bay. He hurt, ached and suffered over the dead and wounded under his command. He believed that taking and keeping combat initiative would ultimately save more lives than the more cautious approach taken by his superiors. So it might be odd to think that he saw constant aggression as a more compassionate way to fight because it would bring the fight to a close quicker. His thinking has left a permanent mark on the American military and his fighting spirit and model of leadership is still emulated.
March 9, 2009
A concise yet insightful biography of the triumphant American WWII battlefield commander, General George S. Patton Jr.
General George Smith Patton Jr. was a bold, inspirational American World War II military leader. Known as “Old Blood and Guts” to his troops in Europe, Patton had no equal as a military tactician. As military historian Eric Larrabee put it, Patton had the unique ability to “think like an army” and possessed a nearly mystical, intuitive understanding of battlefield tactics. As commander of America’s Third Army, Patton achieved notable successes on the European battlefield in the war against Hitler. The Germans established blitzkrieg (lightning) warfare when they conquered Poland in 1939. But Patton shoved this concept down their throats as his Third Army swept across Europe after the Normandy invasion. Alan Axelrod ably tells Patton’s life story in this concise, masterful biography. getAbstract highly recommends this outstanding book about one of America’s greatest, most colorful military heroes.
General George Smith Patton Jr. was a bold, inspirational American World War II military leader. Known as “Old Blood and Guts” to his troops in Europe, Patton had no equal as a military tactician. As military historian Eric Larrabee put it, Patton had the unique ability to “think like an army” and possessed a nearly mystical, intuitive understanding of battlefield tactics. As commander of America’s Third Army, Patton achieved notable successes on the European battlefield in the war against Hitler. The Germans established blitzkrieg (lightning) warfare when they conquered Poland in 1939. But Patton shoved this concept down their throats as his Third Army swept across Europe after the Normandy invasion. Alan Axelrod ably tells Patton’s life story in this concise, masterful biography. getAbstract highly recommends this outstanding book about one of America’s greatest, most colorful military heroes.
September 15, 2015
Alan Axelrod's "Patton: A Biography" is a quick & definitive look at the life of General George S. Patton, Jr who is perhaps one of the more complicated people to ever fight in a major US war. The book goes in depth about Patton's "elitist" upbringing from his days at VMI to West Point & gets into his lust for being in war & fighting for something he believed in. Throughout this relatively brief biography, Axelrod goes in depth about the personality & the tactics of Patton as well as the temper of his which got him into trouble w/ the infamous slapping incidents in Sicily. The book itself is for the most part an easy read & while it's probably not the most in depth biography of the general, it serves as a decent way to understand the life of "Old Blood & Guts".
April 28, 2015
"He was one of those men born to be a soldier." Dwight D. Eisenhower's assessment of General George Smith Patton, Jr. In Axelrod's concise biography of Patton, I saw very powerfully this cradle-to-grave certitude. Both the gung-ho warrior and the complex human being Patton was are on full display. This contradiction shines most brightly in Axelrod's description and analyses of the military campaigns Patton either led or fought in (or both). Patton was the greatest military LEADER since Ulysses Simpson Grant (one of Yours Truly's heroes). Not bad for a (seemingly) born soldier.
August 23, 2020
VOLTAIRE & PATTON (& Nike) AGREE: "Just Do It!"
Voltaire once wrote, "Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien," meaning
"The best is the enemy of good," or, in other words, that "perfect is the enemy of the good."
Similarly, General George S. Patton is reported to have said, "A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan next week."
This was the secret to Patton's lightening quick battlefield tactics, quick and precise recalibration decisions, in the middle of the ongoing battle itself. He did it in North Africa. He did it across Sicily. He did it leading the invasion across France to pick up where D-Day left off. And he did it again at the Battle of the Bulge.
A leader. A big thinker with big ideas, and with a bigger historical perspective, AND with a keen intuition, Patton had a 6th Sense about war tactics. For instance, he "felt" after WWI that "quick war" (what the Germans independently developed as "Blitzkrieg") would play a part in all future wars. He was right. And we were ready.
They NEVER taught history like this in high school. And that is unfortunate. I recommend this book!
Voltaire once wrote, "Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien," meaning
"The best is the enemy of good," or, in other words, that "perfect is the enemy of the good."
Similarly, General George S. Patton is reported to have said, "A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan next week."
This was the secret to Patton's lightening quick battlefield tactics, quick and precise recalibration decisions, in the middle of the ongoing battle itself. He did it in North Africa. He did it across Sicily. He did it leading the invasion across France to pick up where D-Day left off. And he did it again at the Battle of the Bulge.
A leader. A big thinker with big ideas, and with a bigger historical perspective, AND with a keen intuition, Patton had a 6th Sense about war tactics. For instance, he "felt" after WWI that "quick war" (what the Germans independently developed as "Blitzkrieg") would play a part in all future wars. He was right. And we were ready.
They NEVER taught history like this in high school. And that is unfortunate. I recommend this book!
July 20, 2025
As part of the Greatest Generals series, Patton: A Biography is the first book I’ve picked up from this collection, and it’s convinced me to keep going with the rest. Axelrod manages to cover nearly every key aspect of Patton’s life—his upbringing, career, and even the events beyond his death—with a steady balance of detail and readability.
What I appreciated most is how the book doesn’t shy away from giving a full picture. It highlights Patton’s brilliance as a strategist and leader while also calling out the flaws in his personality that, for better or worse, shaped the man behind the legend. It doesn’t feel like hero worship, but it doesn’t downplay his incredible impact either.
The writing is clear, well-paced, and never bogged down by unnecessary detail. It gives enough depth to truly understand Patton’s evolution without ever feeling like a dense history text. By the end, I felt like I had a well-rounded understanding of Patton—not just as a general, but as a person—and it left me curious to keep exploring the series.
A solid, engaging read for anyone wanting a complete yet approachable look at one of history’s greatest generals.
What I appreciated most is how the book doesn’t shy away from giving a full picture. It highlights Patton’s brilliance as a strategist and leader while also calling out the flaws in his personality that, for better or worse, shaped the man behind the legend. It doesn’t feel like hero worship, but it doesn’t downplay his incredible impact either.
The writing is clear, well-paced, and never bogged down by unnecessary detail. It gives enough depth to truly understand Patton’s evolution without ever feeling like a dense history text. By the end, I felt like I had a well-rounded understanding of Patton—not just as a general, but as a person—and it left me curious to keep exploring the series.
A solid, engaging read for anyone wanting a complete yet approachable look at one of history’s greatest generals.
September 16, 2022
I am giving this book 4 stars not because I liked Patton as a historical or military figure. To the contrary, I am giving this book 4 stars because of the author’s written word alone.
I wouldn’t say I’m a Patton-hater, however I really cannot see the appeal to this man as a semi mythical legend. His military innovations, foresight, and tactics were certainly noteworthy and forward thinking for his time. The man, oh man is a different story entirely… Please tell me what the appeal is in a man who cannot exist in peace, craves death and war, is brutal and intemperate, cusses and makes crass jokes, and puts mens life in grave danger at times for the sake of moving forward. I don’t know… this guy just didn’t strike me as a man or military general to go down in the pages of history as one of the greats…
I wouldn’t say I’m a Patton-hater, however I really cannot see the appeal to this man as a semi mythical legend. His military innovations, foresight, and tactics were certainly noteworthy and forward thinking for his time. The man, oh man is a different story entirely… Please tell me what the appeal is in a man who cannot exist in peace, craves death and war, is brutal and intemperate, cusses and makes crass jokes, and puts mens life in grave danger at times for the sake of moving forward. I don’t know… this guy just didn’t strike me as a man or military general to go down in the pages of history as one of the greats…
May 4, 2024
This book is in no way like Patton: ordeal & triumph by Farago. It’s a brief summation of Patton’s career, mediocre at best, and seemed repetitive to Farago’s book. It does include what contributions Patton’s techniques made to other modern wars since this book was published in 2006. Unfortunately, this book held several liberal & “woke” ideals. I hate when an author wants to rewrite history based on modern liberal, woke concepts that canning be compared to the historical past. This was a fairly decent book to read a summary of Patton’s life if one overlooks the insertion of liberalism. However, I would recommend Farago’s book over this one.
December 12, 2024
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There were parts of this that were very interesting. I didn't realize that Patton had so many negative thoughts. Previously, I only thought of him as a strong leader. I had no idea he was so hard on his troops and had some soldiers parents turn against him for his treatment of their sons. I also learned that it is probably a good thing that he died when he did. There were parts of this book that were boring but, overall, I did learn a lot about Patton and history.
There were parts of this that were very interesting. I didn't realize that Patton had so many negative thoughts. Previously, I only thought of him as a strong leader. I had no idea he was so hard on his troops and had some soldiers parents turn against him for his treatment of their sons. I also learned that it is probably a good thing that he died when he did. There were parts of this book that were boring but, overall, I did learn a lot about Patton and history.
July 27, 2022
Nicely done Bio. Seemed thorough and not too sensational. Did not talk much about Patton's tactical planning? Perhaps his diaries don't contain that type of detail or maybe that wasn't his focus with the book but I found that lacking. For such a brilliant tactical general, there is very little discussion of his actual tactics other than "Hold the enemy nose and kick them in the ass". Recommended.
June 22, 2023
An outstanding book, easily readable in a short time. Patton was a unique and colorful general that was not a statesman. If Bradley and Eisenhower had given him more support the war in Europe could have ended much earlier with less loss of American lives. To be clear, Eisenhower did support Patton but was, by nature, less aggressive. Strongly recommend anyone wanting to learn about Patton read this book.
September 23, 2022
I listened to this on Audible. It is a fascinating and well balanced account of Pattons life. It's nice to read a biography that is willing to tell the unvarnished truth about a well know hero. Patton was a fierce warrior, but he had some major character flaws. There is a lot to learn from his leadership and overall generalship.
It is well worth a read. Highly recommended.
It is well worth a read. Highly recommended.
March 11, 2020
This is a great, short biography of one of America's greatest generals. If you're unfamiliar with his life and role in WWII, you'll love it. If you already know a bit about Patton, skip this one, as it's very short and just summarizes his life.
June 11, 2022
Many of us no doubt remember the film, Patton. This book added to my knowledge of the man and his story. There are so many great quotes that I ordered another bio on Kindle so that I could highlight them.
December 22, 2022
This is really well told biography of General Patton.
Does a great job of exploring the soul and themes of his life, as well as telling the narrative brilliantly.
Also sets so much context that someone who knows next to nothing about WW1 and WW2 can still appreciate the magnitude of his wins.
Does a great job of exploring the soul and themes of his life, as well as telling the narrative brilliantly.
Also sets so much context that someone who knows next to nothing about WW1 and WW2 can still appreciate the magnitude of his wins.
May 9, 2018
Ok
It was okay. Short on detailed technical examination of his campaigns. It was fast moving and written well but lacked.detail
It was okay. Short on detailed technical examination of his campaigns. It was fast moving and written well but lacked.detail
August 5, 2018
Excellent
August 12, 2019
He’s amazing.
January 25, 2020
Very easy read! I love zooming in on prominent people and this was a great biography.
Read
March 7, 2021Healthy history of a Warrior.
October 24, 2021
I didn’t know much about Patton prior to reading this book. After the book, I definitely want to explore the Patton legacy further.
The book provided a general overview but not much depth.
The book provided a general overview but not much depth.
February 6, 2022
Axelrod's book was an excellent bio of George Patton. It revealed his strengths and weaknesses as a leader and a human being.
May 9, 2022
I listened to the book on audible. Superbly written and well narrated. Worth a listen.
October 9, 2024
Audio wasn’t it.
December 29, 2024
One of the first military history books I read, a good overview of Patton.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews