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Patton: Genius for War, A
"Biography at its very best. Literate and meaty, incisive and balanced, detailed without being pedantic. Mr. D'Este's Patton takes its rightful place as the definitive biography of this American warrior." —Dallas Morning News
A comprehensive biography of General George Patton draws on hitherto unavailable letters, diaries, and memoirs, uncovering many new facts to create an insightful and definitive portrait of an American military hero.
Fifty years after his death, General George S. Patton Jr. remains one of the most colorful, charismatic, misunderstood, and controversial figures ever to set foot on the battlefields of World War II. And the image of the man has been not a little influenced by the 1970 film Patton, starring George C. Scott, in which he is portrayed as a swashbuckling, brash, profane, impetuous general who wore ivory-handled pistols into battle and slapped two hospitalized soldiers in Sicily.
It is one of the achievements of this riveting biography that it reveals the complex and contradictory personality that lay behind the facade. With full access to Patton's private and public papers, and the cooperation of the general's family, D'Este shows us not only the extrovert Patton of public perception but also the intensely private Patton - the devoted student of history, the poet, the humble man very unsure of his own abilities - who could burst into tears, be charming or insulting quite unexpectedly, and the Patton who trained himself for greatness with a determination matched by no other general in the twentieth century.
A comprehensive biography of General George Patton draws on hitherto unavailable letters, diaries, and memoirs, uncovering many new facts to create an insightful and definitive portrait of an American military hero.
Fifty years after his death, General George S. Patton Jr. remains one of the most colorful, charismatic, misunderstood, and controversial figures ever to set foot on the battlefields of World War II. And the image of the man has been not a little influenced by the 1970 film Patton, starring George C. Scott, in which he is portrayed as a swashbuckling, brash, profane, impetuous general who wore ivory-handled pistols into battle and slapped two hospitalized soldiers in Sicily.
It is one of the achievements of this riveting biography that it reveals the complex and contradictory personality that lay behind the facade. With full access to Patton's private and public papers, and the cooperation of the general's family, D'Este shows us not only the extrovert Patton of public perception but also the intensely private Patton - the devoted student of history, the poet, the humble man very unsure of his own abilities - who could burst into tears, be charming or insulting quite unexpectedly, and the Patton who trained himself for greatness with a determination matched by no other general in the twentieth century.
1826 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1995
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About the author
Carlo D'Este
24 books65 followersCarlo D'Este retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel in 1978, having served overseas in Germany, Vietnam, and England. Born in Oakland, California, he received his B.A. from Norwich University and his M.A. from the University of Richmond and an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters from Norwich in 1992.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
February 22, 2015
Where do I start?! Killing a gang member and tying his corpse to the hood of his car, slapping two soldiers in Sicily for being cowards, urinating in the Rhine. Sitting in the front row of a pew in church with a watch timing a chaplain's sermons when he said they should be no more than ten minutes. Exploits to get gas for his tanks. Repeatedly told his troops that if they failed he did not want see them alive. Soldiers would kidnap his dog in the middle of the month when they ran short of money and returned it for the $2.00 reward. The armed forces certainly have their share of drama queens and Patton is no exception. It certainly wasn't boring.
For all the outlandishness that was General George S Patton, D'Este does a great job of portraying the good with the bad. Patton was deeply religious, wrote poetry, and cared for his soldiers and never asked them to do what he was unwilling to do himself. His was a constant presence. I seriously think Patton could scare the devil. And I think he fell one to many times from his horse and it affected his brain. However, I share the opinion of his soldiers that were I going through the very depths of hell, there would be no one else I would want leading me.
For all the outlandishness that was General George S Patton, D'Este does a great job of portraying the good with the bad. Patton was deeply religious, wrote poetry, and cared for his soldiers and never asked them to do what he was unwilling to do himself. His was a constant presence. I seriously think Patton could scare the devil. And I think he fell one to many times from his horse and it affected his brain. However, I share the opinion of his soldiers that were I going through the very depths of hell, there would be no one else I would want leading me.
February 7, 2020
https://thebestbiographies.com/2020/0...
"Patton: A Genius For War" was published in 1995 and is the biography for which Carlo D'Este is best known. He is an author, military historian and a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. Three years ago I read and reviewed his 2002 biography of Dwight Eisenhower as part of my journey through the best presidential biographies.
There are few better pairings in the world of biography than George S. Patton - a wickedly complicated, imperious and colorful military mind - and Carlo D'Este. With 820 pages of text (and a treasure trove of uncommonly illuminating notes and bibliography) this book is comprehensive, balanced, unfailingly attentive and the product of meticulous research. What it is not, however, is efficient.
Published 50 years after Patton's death, this book features an excellent prologue and interesting early chapters which reveal his larger-than-life personality and delineate the courage-laden family tree which propelled him forward with such passion and fervor.
D'Este provides an appropriate balance between observation and analysis and makes frequent use of Patton's letters and diary entries to underscore important points. While the author's writing style tends to be dense, the narrative is well-paced, straightforward and often quite interesting. And despite frequent contradictions between Patton's public and private lives, D'Este valiantly attempts to get inside the mind of his subject in an effort to uncover what makes him tick.
Important supporting characters are always well-introduced and D'Este does a nice job comparing and contrasting Patton's personality and style to those of Dwight Eisenhower, John Marshall, Omar Bradley and Bernard Montgomery. And in a particularly fascinating way, the book's last chapters detail the tragic, final unraveling of Patton's professional career.
It is hard to imagine a more exhaustive or well-sourced biography of Patton, but many readers are likely to find the experience exhausting. Although this biography paints a compelling portrait of its subject, it does not make for light reading. The book could have been abbreviated substantially without losing much of its magic or its magisterial patina.
Chapters dedicated to Patton's life during World War I and World War II, in particular, can be cumbersome. This is not a book designed to shed clarifying light on those conflicts so readers unfamiliar with them will view them rather narrowly from Patton's perspective and may find them tedious to follow. In addition, D'Este is prone to frequent use of hyperbole (would General Pershing's intense work habits really "kill an ordinary man"?)
Overall, however, Carlo D'Este's "Patton: A Genius For War" is an extremely thorough and insightful review of one of the towering military minds of the 20th century. Fans of military history - or of Patton in particular - will find this assiduously assembled and authoritative biography excellent in nearly every respect. Other readers are likely to appreciate almost everything about this book...except its seemingly interminable length.
Overall rating: 4 stars
"Patton: A Genius For War" was published in 1995 and is the biography for which Carlo D'Este is best known. He is an author, military historian and a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. Three years ago I read and reviewed his 2002 biography of Dwight Eisenhower as part of my journey through the best presidential biographies.
There are few better pairings in the world of biography than George S. Patton - a wickedly complicated, imperious and colorful military mind - and Carlo D'Este. With 820 pages of text (and a treasure trove of uncommonly illuminating notes and bibliography) this book is comprehensive, balanced, unfailingly attentive and the product of meticulous research. What it is not, however, is efficient.
Published 50 years after Patton's death, this book features an excellent prologue and interesting early chapters which reveal his larger-than-life personality and delineate the courage-laden family tree which propelled him forward with such passion and fervor.
D'Este provides an appropriate balance between observation and analysis and makes frequent use of Patton's letters and diary entries to underscore important points. While the author's writing style tends to be dense, the narrative is well-paced, straightforward and often quite interesting. And despite frequent contradictions between Patton's public and private lives, D'Este valiantly attempts to get inside the mind of his subject in an effort to uncover what makes him tick.
Important supporting characters are always well-introduced and D'Este does a nice job comparing and contrasting Patton's personality and style to those of Dwight Eisenhower, John Marshall, Omar Bradley and Bernard Montgomery. And in a particularly fascinating way, the book's last chapters detail the tragic, final unraveling of Patton's professional career.
It is hard to imagine a more exhaustive or well-sourced biography of Patton, but many readers are likely to find the experience exhausting. Although this biography paints a compelling portrait of its subject, it does not make for light reading. The book could have been abbreviated substantially without losing much of its magic or its magisterial patina.
Chapters dedicated to Patton's life during World War I and World War II, in particular, can be cumbersome. This is not a book designed to shed clarifying light on those conflicts so readers unfamiliar with them will view them rather narrowly from Patton's perspective and may find them tedious to follow. In addition, D'Este is prone to frequent use of hyperbole (would General Pershing's intense work habits really "kill an ordinary man"?)
Overall, however, Carlo D'Este's "Patton: A Genius For War" is an extremely thorough and insightful review of one of the towering military minds of the 20th century. Fans of military history - or of Patton in particular - will find this assiduously assembled and authoritative biography excellent in nearly every respect. Other readers are likely to appreciate almost everything about this book...except its seemingly interminable length.
Overall rating: 4 stars
December 13, 2014
An outstanding 1996 biography, written so as to truly bring Patton to "life" for the reader. Though very long, there would be no way to cut it shorter without damaging the portrait of this soldier. Since I served in his Third Army during the Battle of the Bulge and onward east until we met with the Russians, it meant a great deal to me on the personal front.
He wrote poetry, he cried much and often, he read Thucydides, he road horses all his life - and fell off them, he often prayed in church, he was charming to polite society, married a strong wealthy woman, swore "like a trooper" before and at the men he led in battle, was acknowledged by German military leaders as clearly the most formidable general among English and French and American generals during WWII, died in Germany when not wearing a vehicular seat belt, and is remembered best for slapping a soldier in Sicily.
The book portrays General Patton with all his strengths, personal characteristics, human touches, religious dimension, forceful demanding leadership, and his several bad actions which brought down so much criticism on him right to the end of his life.
The book shows that a fine historian (a retired US military officer) can produce a fine biography fifty years after the death of his subject - much more complete, balanced, through and fair, than could have been written after a year or a few years.
One critic has written;-
More than anything his spiritual experience on the battle field at St. Mihiel in WW1 was a pivotal experience, in which momentarily he saw the wholeness of life, as encompassing life and death, and felt surrounded by a profound love that made everything good. Clearly this must have been the reservoir from which his otherwise incomprehensible courage and fearlessness stemmed, and which was therefore not bravura or recklessness in the final analysis. Many of his contemporaries, who lacked his depth, were completely puzzled, if not overwhelmed or intimidated by this dimension of his character. And, of course, this is not to say that he did not go overboard from time to time, as clearly he did.
The stories of him practicing his "warface" in front of the bathroom mirror, to unending amusement of his kids - all the while complaining that God had given him such a nice face, if he was clearly destined to be a fierce warrior, is another human interest dimension which lends a depth to his character which most biographers miss altogether.
Very pleased that my son Jeff gave this biography to me a month ago, and he must have known for certain that it would hold my interest from start to end - as it did.
He wrote poetry, he cried much and often, he read Thucydides, he road horses all his life - and fell off them, he often prayed in church, he was charming to polite society, married a strong wealthy woman, swore "like a trooper" before and at the men he led in battle, was acknowledged by German military leaders as clearly the most formidable general among English and French and American generals during WWII, died in Germany when not wearing a vehicular seat belt, and is remembered best for slapping a soldier in Sicily.
The book portrays General Patton with all his strengths, personal characteristics, human touches, religious dimension, forceful demanding leadership, and his several bad actions which brought down so much criticism on him right to the end of his life.
The book shows that a fine historian (a retired US military officer) can produce a fine biography fifty years after the death of his subject - much more complete, balanced, through and fair, than could have been written after a year or a few years.
One critic has written;-
More than anything his spiritual experience on the battle field at St. Mihiel in WW1 was a pivotal experience, in which momentarily he saw the wholeness of life, as encompassing life and death, and felt surrounded by a profound love that made everything good. Clearly this must have been the reservoir from which his otherwise incomprehensible courage and fearlessness stemmed, and which was therefore not bravura or recklessness in the final analysis. Many of his contemporaries, who lacked his depth, were completely puzzled, if not overwhelmed or intimidated by this dimension of his character. And, of course, this is not to say that he did not go overboard from time to time, as clearly he did.
The stories of him practicing his "warface" in front of the bathroom mirror, to unending amusement of his kids - all the while complaining that God had given him such a nice face, if he was clearly destined to be a fierce warrior, is another human interest dimension which lends a depth to his character which most biographers miss altogether.
Very pleased that my son Jeff gave this biography to me a month ago, and he must have known for certain that it would hold my interest from start to end - as it did.
February 23, 2008
Liked the movie? This book is so much deeper and more interesting than any film. Patton himself is so much more than George C. Scott could portray in film. D'Este captures the many sides of Patton. I appreciated, too, that D'Este recognizes that his family was a part of who he was, so his wife is not left out. I found her to be every bit as admirable as the General.
November 18, 2023
Definitely worth checking out. Carlo D'este also wrote a biography of Eisenhower which I read alongside this book. This one is a little bit better I think. I've been enjoying military history more than I used to. In the past I'd often get bogged down in battles, and excessive details of military engagements. Maybe it's an acquired taste. This is as much a biography as a military history. Very well balanced. The nice thing about this book is that it keeps getting better. I found it impossible to stop reading around the last hundred pages (though it's quite depressing). Patton sure was an extremely interesting character. Highly recommended.
February 23, 2008
This is a priceless biography, and it far and away dominates the field. Carlo D'Este had the capacity to capture the whole person including Patton's fascinating spiritual dimension, which hinged on a dual devotion to the Bible and the Bhagavadgita. He understood like no other that it was his dharma to be a soldier, and he was going to be the best soldier he could be, without holding back.
More than anything his spirtual experience on the battle field at St. Mihiel in WW1 was a pivotal expience, in which momentarily he saw the wholeness of life, as encompassing life and death, and felt surrounded by a profound love that made everything good. Clearly this must have been the reservoir from which his otherwise incomprehensible courage and fearlessness stemmed, and which was therefore not bravura or recklessness in the final analysis. Many of his contemporaries, who lacked his depth, were completely puzzled, if not overwhelmed or intimidated by this dimension of his character. And, of course, this is not to say that he did not go overboard from time to time, as clearly he did.
The stories of him practicing his "warface" in front of the bathroom mirror, to unending amusement of his kids - all the while complaining that God had given him such a nice face, if he was clearly destined to be a fierce warrior, is another human interest dimension which lends a depth to his character which most biographers miss altogether.
Recommended, a classic.
More than anything his spirtual experience on the battle field at St. Mihiel in WW1 was a pivotal expience, in which momentarily he saw the wholeness of life, as encompassing life and death, and felt surrounded by a profound love that made everything good. Clearly this must have been the reservoir from which his otherwise incomprehensible courage and fearlessness stemmed, and which was therefore not bravura or recklessness in the final analysis. Many of his contemporaries, who lacked his depth, were completely puzzled, if not overwhelmed or intimidated by this dimension of his character. And, of course, this is not to say that he did not go overboard from time to time, as clearly he did.
The stories of him practicing his "warface" in front of the bathroom mirror, to unending amusement of his kids - all the while complaining that God had given him such a nice face, if he was clearly destined to be a fierce warrior, is another human interest dimension which lends a depth to his character which most biographers miss altogether.
Recommended, a classic.
March 4, 2009
Packed with information but very readable. Patton was an arrogant, violent, self-absorbed asshole, that's for sure, but the United States was very lucky to have him. In that regard the title of the book describes him best. Actually, Patton had a soft side, especially for his dog, Willie. Much to Patton's chagrin, "William the Conqueror," turned out to be a coward, but Patton dearly loved that dog, even curling up with him every night. One of the most poignant pictures associated with Patton is the one of Willie moping after Patton’s death in a car accident in Germany.
http://www.olive-drab.com/gallery/des...
D’este did a beautiful job developing Patton’s personality from early childhood through the West Point years where the ambitious ‘Patton’ that we all know was solidified. The only slow part of the book was the interwar years of the 1920s and early 30s, and that is because it was in many ways the most inane periods in US history. Of course, it was the time of the Great Depression, and the fact that there is almost no mention of it speaks volumes about the wealth of the Patton family.
I think what I liked most about Patton was not his military genius and accomplishments but his love for reading and learning. This book is perhaps the best combination of biography and war history that I have ever read. If you are into that sort of book, then you will love this one.
http://www.olive-drab.com/gallery/des...
D’este did a beautiful job developing Patton’s personality from early childhood through the West Point years where the ambitious ‘Patton’ that we all know was solidified. The only slow part of the book was the interwar years of the 1920s and early 30s, and that is because it was in many ways the most inane periods in US history. Of course, it was the time of the Great Depression, and the fact that there is almost no mention of it speaks volumes about the wealth of the Patton family.
I think what I liked most about Patton was not his military genius and accomplishments but his love for reading and learning. This book is perhaps the best combination of biography and war history that I have ever read. If you are into that sort of book, then you will love this one.
September 6, 2018
This is a big, thorough biography, covering both the general’s achievements and blunders. I think the author is mostly a “Pattonphile,” but he does not cover up or gloss over Patton’s deficiencies and blunders. Myself, I wish there were more details on the campaigns. Exactly what did he do, what tactics did he employ, how did he train his soldiers to accomplish his and their victories? That, however, may well double the size of already a large book (and a good read). The author uses many sources, including other books, and gives credit for their insight. He also compares the real Patton to George C. Scott’s portrayal in the movie. Some interesting facts come out; for instance, there was no real competition between Patton and the British general Montgomery, both being consummate professionals in their craft. Patton's greatest achievement was likely his relief of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. General Omar Bradley does not come out well in this book, and it may make interesting reading to read the author’s 2002 book on General Eisenhower. Patton’s ancestry, youth, and between-the-wars experiences are well covered and will lend insight to his mindset; his dyslexia and head accidents may explain a lot as well. His wife deserves a lot of credit, and gets it here, for her loyalty and support (and family fortune). Enjoy the read.
May 29, 2018
George Smith Patton Jr was a man of many contrasts and many faces. He was an insecure dyslexic, obsessed with his glorious ancestors, a brash martinet, a genus of menouvre and made impulsive, reckless speeches that required his friends to get him out of trouble on frequent occasions (not that he was ever grateful).
This is a fine biography of a very complex man. Lt Col Carlo D'Este walks the difficult line of showing Patton as a great war leader and a poor politician and an impulsive man.
It is interesting the conjecture that the author ends with as to how the war would have progressed had Patton rather than Bradley, his former subordinate, been in charge of the allied forces in the Western theatre in WW2. A very enjoyable biography.
Despite his personal failings, I still think of Patton as the best general in the West. I will be following the Third Army route in to Germany in three weeks and visiting Patton's grave. For all his flaws, we owe him and his troops much.
This is a fine biography of a very complex man. Lt Col Carlo D'Este walks the difficult line of showing Patton as a great war leader and a poor politician and an impulsive man.
It is interesting the conjecture that the author ends with as to how the war would have progressed had Patton rather than Bradley, his former subordinate, been in charge of the allied forces in the Western theatre in WW2. A very enjoyable biography.
Despite his personal failings, I still think of Patton as the best general in the West. I will be following the Third Army route in to Germany in three weeks and visiting Patton's grave. For all his flaws, we owe him and his troops much.
March 24, 2016
A good biography of a very complicated and fascinating figure in American military history. This book is surprisingly not boring or too overly detailed given its nearly 1,000 page length. The author presents Patton as a man who lived, breathed and thought almost solely of war and the glory inherent in it. While a great military leader and an innovative tactician, Patton was no doubt in many respects a man out of his time who might have felt more comfortable charging up the slopes at Gettysburg or following King Richard in the Third Crusade. The same militaristic spirit that made him a great fighter led him to struggle with containing his speech and passions, and eventually was his downfall. Patton was certainly in the right place at the right time in the European Theater of WW2, and the free world owes him a great debt as the general the Germans feared and respected more than any other Allied commander.
October 4, 2020
I began to focus on Georgie when I became a docent at the Banning Museum, as he married a Banning, his half-aunt married a Banning and his grandfather was very involved with the family. This bio was about as through and level as I think it could be, as old Georgie was a complicated fellow indeed. When he was good he was very very good and when he was bad he was horrid. And this book I think is very fair about both aspects of his character.
(I confess to struggling through the battle segments, but then I always do, maybe the part of the brain that grasps battle strategy is the same part that does math, in that case, I am missing that part. But that is not the fault of the book.)
(I confess to struggling through the battle segments, but then I always do, maybe the part of the brain that grasps battle strategy is the same part that does math, in that case, I am missing that part. But that is not the fault of the book.)
July 8, 2018
A wonderful look at a man who was always the professional soldier with a warrior-poet's heart.
April 28, 2016
FINAL: A most satisfying summer 2009 giant read. Impeccably and thoroughly researched. It digs deeply into its subject and gives a rounded and human portrait of a man who seemed larger than life and iconic and perhaps distant. "Old Blood and Guts" becomes flesh and blood in D'Este's capable hands. It's a grand portrait of an extraordinary individualist operating at the highest level in the most regimented and least individualistic of enterprises: the military. It tunnels into Patton's past, family life, spiritual life to get at what drove him. I was neutral to Patton when I started this, but have to admit but by the end I found that I kind of loved the man, despite his flaws and indiscretions, and his increasingly strident and senseless anti-semitism. He was the best that ever was at the job he had to do. There was probably never a man who knew more about military history than he. The Germans feared him more than any soldier on the Allied side. His career spanned military adventurism in Mexico, chasing Pancho Villa under Gen. Pershing, then serving again under him in World War I, where he ran the very first American tank forces, all the way to the end of World War II, where his inability to keep his opinions to himself finally relegated him to pasture. Patton's belief in reincarnation, his insistence that he had fought in historical battles (there's an uncanny anecdote about him disputing the official history of a Civil War battle, claiming he was there, and being corroborated by a grizzled old veteran) form part of his sense of destiny in reliving the battle triumphs of his past lives. I found the book overpowering, moving, and vastly informative. A first-rate biographical achievement.
-----
(earlier thoughts)
This is going to be my giant summer read for 2009. I'll give myself a couple of weeks on it, though I am always prone to tangent off into smaller books (I've already set this aside temporarily to notch two small books...)
Page 80: Initial impressions confirmed that this is an exceptional biography. It's one of those books where you think: How on Earth could someone get so much information about something that happened so long ago? Well, those were the days of letters. D'Este spends a good deal of time on Patton's ancestry, going three generations back. Normally I hate that, as I don't want that much detail. But in this instance it is necessary to understanding who Patton was. Many of his relatives fought in the Civil War, for the South, and heroically, and tales of those ancestors were ingrained in the family history and in the impressionable young "Georgie" Patton. His racial prejudice also stems from his lineage. A well-to-do grandfather, Don Benito, was Mexican. The very idea made the aristocratic WASPish Patton bristle. Patton's relationship with his doting spinster aunt Nannie has eerie echoes of Booth Tarkington's later novel (and Orson Welles' film), "The Magnificent Ambersons," right down the spoiled kid being named "Georgie." The Patton family life at the turn of the 19th/20th century is impeccably researched and detailed. There is genuine insight into Patton's agony and self-doubt; the nearly crippling effects of his dyslexia (misunderstood then) which meant he had to work harder than anyone else; his self-conscious decision to create his persona as a profane hardass to earn respect, etc.
When I was only five pages into this book, I realized that I had already learned more about Patton's true character than I got out of that whole movie with George C. Scott, which, in comparison to this book, was something of a cartoon with only the dialogue bubbles missing.
-----
(earlier thoughts)
This is going to be my giant summer read for 2009. I'll give myself a couple of weeks on it, though I am always prone to tangent off into smaller books (I've already set this aside temporarily to notch two small books...)
Page 80: Initial impressions confirmed that this is an exceptional biography. It's one of those books where you think: How on Earth could someone get so much information about something that happened so long ago? Well, those were the days of letters. D'Este spends a good deal of time on Patton's ancestry, going three generations back. Normally I hate that, as I don't want that much detail. But in this instance it is necessary to understanding who Patton was. Many of his relatives fought in the Civil War, for the South, and heroically, and tales of those ancestors were ingrained in the family history and in the impressionable young "Georgie" Patton. His racial prejudice also stems from his lineage. A well-to-do grandfather, Don Benito, was Mexican. The very idea made the aristocratic WASPish Patton bristle. Patton's relationship with his doting spinster aunt Nannie has eerie echoes of Booth Tarkington's later novel (and Orson Welles' film), "The Magnificent Ambersons," right down the spoiled kid being named "Georgie." The Patton family life at the turn of the 19th/20th century is impeccably researched and detailed. There is genuine insight into Patton's agony and self-doubt; the nearly crippling effects of his dyslexia (misunderstood then) which meant he had to work harder than anyone else; his self-conscious decision to create his persona as a profane hardass to earn respect, etc.
When I was only five pages into this book, I realized that I had already learned more about Patton's true character than I got out of that whole movie with George C. Scott, which, in comparison to this book, was something of a cartoon with only the dialogue bubbles missing.
January 12, 2018
“The end of war is, in short, a sort of massive hangover, a culture shock that often manifests itself in antisocial behavior, alcoholism, and severe depression.” A quote located on page 268 of this book. This was a statement that the author placed upon the conclusion of Colonel George S. Patton’s experience of the First World War. At the conclusion of the Second World War that same depressive feeling that Patton had in November 1918 would be only expounded exponentially in November of 1945.
This account of General Patton’s whole life is nothing short of excellent. Sources are well cited in each chapter and the overall work is a comprehensive and objective view on one of America’s best soldiers of either the First or Second World Wars.
Had General Patton lived longer it is quite possible that there would have been medical evidence to show he suffered from PTSD; though not something diagnosed as such during this particular time frame in history. The term “burn out” appears several times throughout the book, and as the book was published in 1995 the term “PTSD” was still to this point not a fully recognized condition of an effect upon persons who have been in a combat environment. The tragic death of General Patton came at a time when he had reached his destiny; his own efforts to reach that destiny never seemed to encompass what he would do after the destiny had been reached. I am a bit “on the fence” when it comes to any potential assassination plot; on the one hand there was an “accident” and yet, unlike the JFK assassination – this death seems to me to be more likely to have actually had a conspiracy behind it. Still, the author takes an objective, primary source review to dispel this myth and one cannot help but feel it is the truth in this sense.
General Patton was certainly one of a kind; and, a fellow Soldier I understood with each page and readily accepted on those surprise moments of his personal life.
This account of General Patton’s whole life is nothing short of excellent. Sources are well cited in each chapter and the overall work is a comprehensive and objective view on one of America’s best soldiers of either the First or Second World Wars.
Had General Patton lived longer it is quite possible that there would have been medical evidence to show he suffered from PTSD; though not something diagnosed as such during this particular time frame in history. The term “burn out” appears several times throughout the book, and as the book was published in 1995 the term “PTSD” was still to this point not a fully recognized condition of an effect upon persons who have been in a combat environment. The tragic death of General Patton came at a time when he had reached his destiny; his own efforts to reach that destiny never seemed to encompass what he would do after the destiny had been reached. I am a bit “on the fence” when it comes to any potential assassination plot; on the one hand there was an “accident” and yet, unlike the JFK assassination – this death seems to me to be more likely to have actually had a conspiracy behind it. Still, the author takes an objective, primary source review to dispel this myth and one cannot help but feel it is the truth in this sense.
General Patton was certainly one of a kind; and, a fellow Soldier I understood with each page and readily accepted on those surprise moments of his personal life.
March 10, 2016
This book was awesome! My son, a big Patton fan and WW2 buff, twisted my arm to get me to read this and I am so glad that I did! What an amazing story,and an amazing man! I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history!
October 7, 2014
The best biography I read so far this year.
August 7, 2018
I'm torn as to how to rate this book. Carlo D'Este has done a masterful job bringing to life the iconic Patton: the picture of this man presented here is truly nuanced and carefully drawn. Told in brilliant prose, D'Este was able to balance skillfully historical meticulousness with smooth and compelling narrative. Although, truth be told, even though it didn't get mind-bogglingly detailed, the battle parts were hard for me to get through (I'm not terribly interested in the movements of armies or the politics among the people moving those armies).
But - you knew it was coming - I have to say that I really did not enjoy reading about this particular man. I have a grudging respect for Patton's get-it-done, attention-to-detail outlook on life. He certainly worked hard, with immense accomplishment. He also had a generous and soft streak that could be quite touching. There were so many things about him, though, that were completely awful: his mercurial and explosive temper, his emotional abuse of those he loved (especially painful to read about how he treated his wife and children), his profane and uncontrolled tongue, his extreme vainness, and his willingness to blaspheme God on one side of his mouth and then pray to and reverence God out of the other side. He was such a strange and incomprehensible man - bigger than life bold, yet full of doubt and conflict. Deeply emotional and empathetic at times and then extremely bitter, cold, and vicious at others. It's so hard to understand what he really was at the core.
On the lighter side of things, I think Willie was the best character of this book. :) Willie, or William the Conqueror, was a little white bull terrier who probably understood Patton the best of any creature on this earth and who loved him anyway. Willie knew when to stay away, though. Like when his master was trying to stop smoking or was in a bad mood. He also knew the kind and doting side of his person. The things Willie could tell us.
I must say that this is a beautifully written biography but not one I can recommend. The latter half of this book has copious amounts of horrible language (every kind you can imagine). I started skipping over parts where the book quoted Patton directly. Given the immense profaneness of Patton, the book surprisingly does not feature it on every page, but there is still a LOT! There is also mention of sexual things (but nothing in detail). This is not an inspiring read and in the end it's more of a tale of caution and a lesson in how not to live life.
But - you knew it was coming - I have to say that I really did not enjoy reading about this particular man. I have a grudging respect for Patton's get-it-done, attention-to-detail outlook on life. He certainly worked hard, with immense accomplishment. He also had a generous and soft streak that could be quite touching. There were so many things about him, though, that were completely awful: his mercurial and explosive temper, his emotional abuse of those he loved (especially painful to read about how he treated his wife and children), his profane and uncontrolled tongue, his extreme vainness, and his willingness to blaspheme God on one side of his mouth and then pray to and reverence God out of the other side. He was such a strange and incomprehensible man - bigger than life bold, yet full of doubt and conflict. Deeply emotional and empathetic at times and then extremely bitter, cold, and vicious at others. It's so hard to understand what he really was at the core.
On the lighter side of things, I think Willie was the best character of this book. :) Willie, or William the Conqueror, was a little white bull terrier who probably understood Patton the best of any creature on this earth and who loved him anyway. Willie knew when to stay away, though. Like when his master was trying to stop smoking or was in a bad mood. He also knew the kind and doting side of his person. The things Willie could tell us.
I must say that this is a beautifully written biography but not one I can recommend. The latter half of this book has copious amounts of horrible language (every kind you can imagine). I started skipping over parts where the book quoted Patton directly. Given the immense profaneness of Patton, the book surprisingly does not feature it on every page, but there is still a LOT! There is also mention of sexual things (but nothing in detail). This is not an inspiring read and in the end it's more of a tale of caution and a lesson in how not to live life.
January 7, 2013
I recently rewatched the bio-pic 'Patton' staring George C. Scott. The bombastic, comic-tragic, larger than life character in the movie was all I knew of Patton. I was intrigued and surprised to learn that Omar Bradly served as a consultant on the movie and that he hated Patton. I wanted to go get a deeper and, hopefully, unbiased, picture of Patton.
This weighty tome is reputed to be the authoritative biography of Patton. I am not familiar with the range of Patton biographies that are available, so can't evaluate that reputation from a comparative perspective. However, I can say that book is extremely well researched and thorough. Perhaps most importantly, the biographer's position on and feelings about Patton are largely hidden and Patton's life, influence and importance are revealed through Patton's writings and the words of his contemporaries.
Comparing the book to the movie, one finds that there is one, major, glaring error in the latter. The movie significantly plays up the rivalry between Patton and Montgomery during the Sicily campaign. It suggests that Patton ignored orders and charged off on an unapproved thrust to capture Palermo and Messina. It is implied that Patton launched these attacks out of pure vanity and that in doing so he needlessly endangered and squandered the lives of his men. Patton's thrust, the Sicily campaign, the interaction of Patton and Montgomery as the senior allied tactical commanders, and of Alexander as the campaign's senior Allied commander are much more complicated than that. It seems accurate to say that Patton's ego sometimes vied with his extraordinary tactical and command expertise. It may also be true that his ego was among the motivating factors in his actions in Sicily. But, it does not appear that he ignored or exceeded his orders, or that his actions had a significantly negative impact on Montgomery's hard slog to Messina. This seems a significant failing of the movie and one wonders how much Omar Bradly might be responsible for the movie's interpretation.
In other respects, the movie is accurate, but the medium is fatally ill-suited to telling Patton's story. Patton is an extraordinarily complex subject. Publicly, the man was bellicose and obscene. His detractors portrayed him as a mad popinjay, unconcerned with the lives of his soldiers, an American fascist, and an average tactical commander. Yet, many of his soldiers took pride in him and their accomplishments while serving under his commend and the senior military leadership, Eisenhower and Marshall worked to protect him from his own excesses to keep him in command on the battlefield. His enemies considered him the most dangerous allied general in the theater. His staff, who had the opportunity to observe him most intimately, considered is public persona a show to set a high standard and motivate the troops and suggest that out of the public eye, Patton was a much deeper and more feeling man than people understand. They maintain that the popular picture of him and the movie portrayal fail to capture his true complexity and genius. For a man with all of these contradictions, who from the age of 7 considered himself to be destined to be a great general, who served in both world wards and played a key role in the development of the first U.S. armored command during WWI, the movie should have been at least 3 times as long to even begin to tell his story.
While I was working through this book, I set it aside for a few weeks to read Thomas Ricks' new book, The Generals. Reading these two books together was an extremely rewarding exercise. In his book, Ricks argues that since the end of WWII there have been significant failings in US Army leadership and an almost criminal lack of accountability for those failings. Ricks argues that the US Army no longer trains or tolerates leaders to lead aggressively, and who take calculated risks, which may sometimes lead to failure, but whose success can make critical tactical and strategic differences. Ricks makes the argument that During WWII, George Marshall, recognized and promoted key Army leaders, gave them opportunities to be successful, but relieved them if they failed to deliver. Ricks argues that Marshall's understanding of the skills he needed in his commanders, his ability to recognize and promote individuals with those skills was unparalleled.
In his book, Ricks highlights the fact that one of the skills Marshall prized most was an ability to cooperate both with other US commanders and with Allied commanders from other nations. Ricks recognizes that this focus on cooperation was at odds with the blunt and aggressive personalities of commanders like Patton and Terry Allen, who led the 1st infantry division in N. Africa and Sicily before being relieved by Eisenhower and then subsequently sent back into the theater by Marshall.
It is very interesting to explore Patton's career through the binary lens of cooperation vs aggressiveness.
Reading about how Patton's big mouth and stupid comments rain headlong into civilian political sensibilities and into the political sensibilities of his military superiors, and resulted in his relief from multiple commands and, most likely, from ground command of the initial Overlord invasion, then about his successes on the battlefield makes one wonder if we need to fundamentally examine whether we want military leaders who can give a press briefing or military leaders who win wars. And reading of Eisenhower and Bradley's opinions and treatment of Patton forces one to question whether it was Marshall's focus on cooperation that is at the heart of the lack of aggressiveness and accountability that Ricks' as critical failings of today's military.
As a military leader, Patton is not without his faults. He is not an infallible tactician, nor an omniscient commander of men. However, one could make the case that he was the most talented and able Allied Army commander. It is interesting to speculate about the greater impact he might have had if he'd been given the chance.
Many have said that Patton was crazy. In fact, D'Este explores the question of whether or not Patton took too many falls from his horse and whether or not that might have resulted in a mental condition. It is certainly possible that Patton was crazy and that his excesses were the result of mental incapacity. However, it must also be noted, that there are many people who spend so much time and are so focused on becoming experts in their field that they loose the ability to focus or understand anything outside of their narrow field of vision. For example, there is the classic example of the hapless economist who can't balance his own checkbook. It may simply be that having worked so long and hard at being a soldier, Patton tuned out everything else.
Would I want a Patton as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs? No. I wouldn't even want him as a senior theater commander, his excesses are unpredictable and need to be checked. But if I was going to send one of my sons to war, I would feel better about our chances of victory and their chances to return home if they served under Patton.
This weighty tome is reputed to be the authoritative biography of Patton. I am not familiar with the range of Patton biographies that are available, so can't evaluate that reputation from a comparative perspective. However, I can say that book is extremely well researched and thorough. Perhaps most importantly, the biographer's position on and feelings about Patton are largely hidden and Patton's life, influence and importance are revealed through Patton's writings and the words of his contemporaries.
Comparing the book to the movie, one finds that there is one, major, glaring error in the latter. The movie significantly plays up the rivalry between Patton and Montgomery during the Sicily campaign. It suggests that Patton ignored orders and charged off on an unapproved thrust to capture Palermo and Messina. It is implied that Patton launched these attacks out of pure vanity and that in doing so he needlessly endangered and squandered the lives of his men. Patton's thrust, the Sicily campaign, the interaction of Patton and Montgomery as the senior allied tactical commanders, and of Alexander as the campaign's senior Allied commander are much more complicated than that. It seems accurate to say that Patton's ego sometimes vied with his extraordinary tactical and command expertise. It may also be true that his ego was among the motivating factors in his actions in Sicily. But, it does not appear that he ignored or exceeded his orders, or that his actions had a significantly negative impact on Montgomery's hard slog to Messina. This seems a significant failing of the movie and one wonders how much Omar Bradly might be responsible for the movie's interpretation.
In other respects, the movie is accurate, but the medium is fatally ill-suited to telling Patton's story. Patton is an extraordinarily complex subject. Publicly, the man was bellicose and obscene. His detractors portrayed him as a mad popinjay, unconcerned with the lives of his soldiers, an American fascist, and an average tactical commander. Yet, many of his soldiers took pride in him and their accomplishments while serving under his commend and the senior military leadership, Eisenhower and Marshall worked to protect him from his own excesses to keep him in command on the battlefield. His enemies considered him the most dangerous allied general in the theater. His staff, who had the opportunity to observe him most intimately, considered is public persona a show to set a high standard and motivate the troops and suggest that out of the public eye, Patton was a much deeper and more feeling man than people understand. They maintain that the popular picture of him and the movie portrayal fail to capture his true complexity and genius. For a man with all of these contradictions, who from the age of 7 considered himself to be destined to be a great general, who served in both world wards and played a key role in the development of the first U.S. armored command during WWI, the movie should have been at least 3 times as long to even begin to tell his story.
While I was working through this book, I set it aside for a few weeks to read Thomas Ricks' new book, The Generals. Reading these two books together was an extremely rewarding exercise. In his book, Ricks argues that since the end of WWII there have been significant failings in US Army leadership and an almost criminal lack of accountability for those failings. Ricks argues that the US Army no longer trains or tolerates leaders to lead aggressively, and who take calculated risks, which may sometimes lead to failure, but whose success can make critical tactical and strategic differences. Ricks makes the argument that During WWII, George Marshall, recognized and promoted key Army leaders, gave them opportunities to be successful, but relieved them if they failed to deliver. Ricks argues that Marshall's understanding of the skills he needed in his commanders, his ability to recognize and promote individuals with those skills was unparalleled.
In his book, Ricks highlights the fact that one of the skills Marshall prized most was an ability to cooperate both with other US commanders and with Allied commanders from other nations. Ricks recognizes that this focus on cooperation was at odds with the blunt and aggressive personalities of commanders like Patton and Terry Allen, who led the 1st infantry division in N. Africa and Sicily before being relieved by Eisenhower and then subsequently sent back into the theater by Marshall.
It is very interesting to explore Patton's career through the binary lens of cooperation vs aggressiveness.
Reading about how Patton's big mouth and stupid comments rain headlong into civilian political sensibilities and into the political sensibilities of his military superiors, and resulted in his relief from multiple commands and, most likely, from ground command of the initial Overlord invasion, then about his successes on the battlefield makes one wonder if we need to fundamentally examine whether we want military leaders who can give a press briefing or military leaders who win wars. And reading of Eisenhower and Bradley's opinions and treatment of Patton forces one to question whether it was Marshall's focus on cooperation that is at the heart of the lack of aggressiveness and accountability that Ricks' as critical failings of today's military.
As a military leader, Patton is not without his faults. He is not an infallible tactician, nor an omniscient commander of men. However, one could make the case that he was the most talented and able Allied Army commander. It is interesting to speculate about the greater impact he might have had if he'd been given the chance.
Many have said that Patton was crazy. In fact, D'Este explores the question of whether or not Patton took too many falls from his horse and whether or not that might have resulted in a mental condition. It is certainly possible that Patton was crazy and that his excesses were the result of mental incapacity. However, it must also be noted, that there are many people who spend so much time and are so focused on becoming experts in their field that they loose the ability to focus or understand anything outside of their narrow field of vision. For example, there is the classic example of the hapless economist who can't balance his own checkbook. It may simply be that having worked so long and hard at being a soldier, Patton tuned out everything else.
Would I want a Patton as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs? No. I wouldn't even want him as a senior theater commander, his excesses are unpredictable and need to be checked. But if I was going to send one of my sons to war, I would feel better about our chances of victory and their chances to return home if they served under Patton.
August 14, 2023
Carlo D'Este served on the Italian front during World War II, and that is the chief merit of this exhaustive yet somehow not wholly satisfying biography. D'Este knows what a commander must submit himself and submit his men to in order to win. Patton was biologically and historically born for warfare. His genius lay in adapting himself to twentieth-century tactics while remaining tied to a noble past when warriors formed a special caste, much like Rommel or his counterpart, and personal enemy MacArthur. Yet, this vast volume lacks the poetry of Ladilas Farrago's PATTON: ORDEAL AND TRIUMPH, which is the basis of the film. Farrago captured the dreamer in Patton, the failed artist turned professional soldier. If ORDEAL AND TRIUMPH missed some important elements, for example Patton's long-running affair with his wife's niece (included here) his flawed hero was still an American icon who died at just the right moment, though not in the way he wanted or deserved. D'Este I recommend for those who want the final word on Patton, just not the most eloquent.
February 26, 2017
The definitive Patton biography, and written in an engaging style. Before returning to West Point, Patton wrote himself guidance that made it clear he sought the heroic life, did not fear death, and believed himself capable of immense deeds. He had read deeply, with a lot of Homer, and also of Frederick the Great imploring his men, "Come on men, do you want to live forever."
After WWI, Patton, while still fascinated by the horse cavalry, recognized the need for the tank to both break through, and to pursue.
He also read Shakespeare and Measure for Measure:
Our doubts are traitors,
And make us lose the good we oft might win,
By fearing to attempt.
D'Este claims that Patton's greatest triumph was turning 3 divisions north to counter the German offensive in the Bulge - he saw opportunity where others saw risk
The highest compliment - soldiers would say later, "I served with Patton."
After WWI, Patton, while still fascinated by the horse cavalry, recognized the need for the tank to both break through, and to pursue.
He also read Shakespeare and Measure for Measure:
Our doubts are traitors,
And make us lose the good we oft might win,
By fearing to attempt.
D'Este claims that Patton's greatest triumph was turning 3 divisions north to counter the German offensive in the Bulge - he saw opportunity where others saw risk
The highest compliment - soldiers would say later, "I served with Patton."
January 22, 2018
Just an outstanding book on the man, George Patton. The author's research is impressive, and his writing is fair and balanced. He gives you both the hero and the flawed human being, worts and all. This is not the Patton of the movie, but a well-rounded presentation of the man--not only what he was really like, but the background details that help you understand why he was that way. This is quite a long book because it is so well researched and there is much ground to cover--including Patton's childhood, his years at West Point, and his early career in the U.S. Army cavalry, as well as the two world wars and the years in between. There is much here that I did not know about Patton. And if you are familiar with the movie, you will recognize a lot of the dialogue--but now placed in its proper context. If you are willing to invest the time to read 820 pages, it is well worth it.
October 19, 2024
This long biography confirms what you think you know about the man George S. Patton.
He was every bit as gruff as you would imagine.
What surprised me was the twenty years of being in the army, waiting for WWII.
Also, then, despite his hard work and decades of study, his problems all stemmed from peccadillos that don't seem nearly as important from the distance of seventy years. It more seems like a great man was hamstrung by lesser men such as Eisenhower or Bradley. It also reminded me that no person achieves greatness without enduring the friction of lesser souls.
He was every bit as gruff as you would imagine.
What surprised me was the twenty years of being in the army, waiting for WWII.
Also, then, despite his hard work and decades of study, his problems all stemmed from peccadillos that don't seem nearly as important from the distance of seventy years. It more seems like a great man was hamstrung by lesser men such as Eisenhower or Bradley. It also reminded me that no person achieves greatness without enduring the friction of lesser souls.
April 10, 2021
This is a brilliant biography of one of WWII’s most controversial and divisive figures whose exploits on the battlefield is perhaps only overshadowed by his many faux pas’ and of course his untimely death after a car accident in a post war Germany. Informative and insightful this further emphasises that Patton was a brilliant commander of troops, but thoroughly not suited to peacetime operations.
July 21, 2025
A majesterial book, the definitive biography of America's greatest fighting general, the only Allied commander the Nazis truly feared.
He presciently warned us about the Soviet threat post WW II and was rewarded for his prescience by being sacked.
In a decidedly unmasculine age, every man seeking to understand his own masculinity would do well to read about Patton, and learn from his example.
He presciently warned us about the Soviet threat post WW II and was rewarded for his prescience by being sacked.
In a decidedly unmasculine age, every man seeking to understand his own masculinity would do well to read about Patton, and learn from his example.
August 7, 2025
Having read most books about General Patton, I can honestly say that this one was one of the best and most comprehensive. In his Postscript Carlo D'este quotes another author as stating " The history books will never do right by you" meaning the legacy of General Patton - after devouring this massive tome, I will now hsve to respectfully disagree, you have done so Mr. D'este.
Thank you. Needless to say, highly recommended.
Thank you. Needless to say, highly recommended.
November 2, 2023
I always wanted to go beyond the story told by that famous movie.
Patton was a very complex man. Driven, religious, spiritual. I was saddened by his death. It was almost ignominious that he was struck by a car. What was worse, he was paralyzed - not killed outright, but lived for some days in an incapacitated state, yet fully aware.
Patton was a very complex man. Driven, religious, spiritual. I was saddened by his death. It was almost ignominious that he was struck by a car. What was worse, he was paralyzed - not killed outright, but lived for some days in an incapacitated state, yet fully aware.
November 24, 2023
When written, it was the premier book on Patton and I would have given it five stars.
Hymel's research, though renders some info obsolete, so I would start with Hymel's work in preference to this. Of course Hymel's work is 3 volumes, with the 3d due shortly so it's a more serious commitment of time and money.
Hymel's research, though renders some info obsolete, so I would start with Hymel's work in preference to this. Of course Hymel's work is 3 volumes, with the 3d due shortly so it's a more serious commitment of time and money.
December 5, 2023
Very interesting (and long) bio on a very ... complicated man. The movie only portrays his public, swashbuckling persona, which was mostly an act for the average GI. Anyway, took me 20-ish years to finally tackle this sucker. I would have rated this five stars but he references David Irving, and is a little too credulous about Patton's supernatural claims.
December 18, 2018
A wonderful and complex portrait of the most colorful of all WWII generals. D'Este doesn't hesitate to credit Patton for his glories and criticize him for his errors; the only particular narrative he pushes is that of a great, but more complicated man than what initially appears. I could have used more about Patton's actual battle tactics, yet the man himself is so fascinating I don't much care.
June 24, 2021
Very long but brilliantly detailed. It took me 9 months to read but reveals the emotions of war and peaceful times. Those that are spoken of as heroes in battle never are talked about for their empathetic side.
Fantastic read if you are a war history buff with time on your hands.
Fantastic read if you are a war history buff with time on your hands.
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