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

by Larry Alexander

Book Overview

The New York Times bestseller that tells the true story of the life of Major Dick Winters, the man who led the Band of Brothers in World War II. Look for the Band of Brothers miniseries, now available... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451218396
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Riveting--I could not put it down

Alexander has cooperated with Richard Winters to produce a deep, sensitive biography of a truly gifted military leader. I suggest readers set aside a few days to spend with the two of them while they tell their story; I could not put it down. Frankly, I think this should be on the reading list for all junior officers, at Annapolis, West Point, the Air Force Academy and ROTC. I doubt if one could emulate Richard Winters but you might gain insight into what goes on in the head of a leader under pressure. The author begins with Winter's upbringing near Lancaster Pennsylvania, his experiences during the depression and college and as private in the Army just before Pearl Harbor. There are many early signs of the strong character that would keep Easy Company and 2nd Battalion together during the darkest days of WWII: an ability to size up people, a rigorous discipline and yet an acceptance of human faults and a strong work ethic. There is pride, and the unavoidable errors that result, but there is also acceptance and willingness to learn from mistakes and recover quickly. These are the properties of great leadership and they can be taught. Character is something good leaders build into their men: by example, by sharing their situation and by leading in front. Easy company was instilled with Richard Winters' character. What cannot be taught is military tactical ability. Though Winters studied hard, he no doubt had a natural ability to formulate tactical solutions accurately and decisively. This is why so many of his tactics are still taught at West Point. Towards the end of the war I found it interesting that Winters found fault with the military upper management who ran the war,with the exception of Colonel Sink. This was my experience in the military in general. Sink, like Winters, seemed to be one of those rare leaders that seem to know, almost instinctively, how to lead men. Thankfully, American has always been able to draw on such men. Richard Winters seemed to have a tough time adjusting to civilian life. After his awesome responsibility in war it was hard to settle in. He did eventually, unlike many vets. As a vet myself, it is hard to understand how civilians manage to get anything done without the honor that develops between people serving in uniform. The story behind the book and the movie were interesting but the story of Winters himself is what matters to the author. These veterans are mostly gone now but I am glad we have the opportunity to get to know them, or at least one of them, before they take their last jump. If this review was helpful, please vote.

Darn good book about a darn good leader.

Bottom line up front. If you like books on the 101st airborne and the US military then you will like this book. Actually, this book enhances Stephen Ambrose's book "Band of Brothers" and is like Stephen's book, "Undaunted Courage" which is about Lewis and Clark. How is this book an improvement on those two books? A good army unit is a team and the team as a whole is greater than the sum of its individual parts. Lewis and Clark was a team that explored America's west. Easy company of the 506th was a great team of soldiers who helped beat some of the best soldiers in Hitler's army. The soldiers, NCOs, and officers of Easy Company of the 506th Infantry Regiment built an outstanding team. This book really goes along with Band of Brothers and gives a good bit of background information on personnel in the book. Dick Winters did give a big stash of Herman Goering's wine to Nixon. Personally, I think Nixon gave the job of personnel supervisor to Major Winters as a sort of buddy pay off for a truckload of excellent alcohol. Why not? I really liked the interaction between Nixon and Winters. Nixon was a night owl and he would keep the guys of Easy and the 506th on their toes on night inspections. Winter's said he took a bit of trash from Nixon that he never would have taken from an enlisted man. However, you don't throw away a good jump qualified officer who can get things done. Nixon could get things done. You want a fair officer with problems rather than a career climber who didn't know what they were doing. One of those officers who didn't know what they were doing was Lieutenant Dyke. People who don't know what they are doing in combat get other people killed. I really liked Winter's attitude on Sobel: Sobel made the training harder than it had to be. Hard core military training is one thing. Before combat it's good. However, Mickey-mouse inspections are just that, Mickey-mouse. You want your men physically and mentally challenged. The German Army in WWII was never Mickey-mouse and Winter's admired their training (He thought they were personally scum bags after seeing the camps but he admired them as soldiers). I also liked finding out information about Sergeant Garnier. It was interesting to find out he was a wizard with a mortar. It was also interesting to find out the man nearly needed Velcro because he was busted so much. Dick Winter's really didn't have a great civilian career. He sold organic products produced by Hershey's foods as feed for animals. The poor guy never got rich. It's weird. A fantastic leader in war, a guy who's actions at knocking out a German gun battery on D-Day and saving hundreds of American's landing on the invasion beaches never got his due as a great hero until the near twilight of his life. There are three books you should read to really get to know the 506th. First, there is Band of Brothers. Next is this book, Biggest Brother. Last, you should read the series of 506th book

Winters of our content; a man for all seasons

This is a fascinating story about a man who may have become to the World War II generation what Joshua Chamberlain was to the Civil War: A quiet, competent, personable, spiritual and serious man who shows uncommon leadership under unforgiving circumstances. And what makes Dick Winters so special is how ordinary his life has been, before and after the war. Most of the book covers the time period, story, and even the dialogue from Stephen Ambrose's and HBO's "Band of brothers". The first twelve chapters draw heavily from the written and video record produced by Ambrose and Tom Hanks, respectively. Ambrose did the important job of making this long, dangerous journey accessible to the American public. A storyteller, Ambrose had the intuition to find the elements of a story he needed to tell, and he made Dick Winters the focal character. Hanks, riding the success of "Saving Private Ryan," saw the substance in Ambrose's book. Ambrose feared for a brief time that Hanks wanted to play Winters in the HBO miniseries; Ambrose thought Hanks would be a better Herbert Sobel, the "chickens**t" officer who drove the men of Easy Company through much of their training. Fortunately, Hanks played neither. While Ambrose wrote the story and Hanks made the miniseries, Winters made it all possible. And "Biggest brother" provides the focus and intimacy that neither of these preceding works could. There are some additional elements worth noting. Winters' 117 letters to Annie DeEtta Almon provide some detailed, contemporaneous memories. Also, we learn that Sobel tried to commit suicide in 1971; his family thinks he was mistreated in the book and miniseries. Winters continued to show disdain for Sobel years later. The ubiquitous, alcoholic Lewis Nixon fades away after offering Winters a start in business after the war, based on their deep if inexplicable friendship during the war. Winters admires - however reluctantly -- Ronald Spiers and Bill Guarnere for their soldierly skills and leadership, while acknowledging that they killed prisoners. Winters himself admits to his deceit when he declines to send out a useless patrol, highlighted in an episode in the miniseries. The book mentions but gives short shrift to Winters' leadership style. A three-page Appendix offers some insights, but it includes a section on how living with a family in England gave him time for reflection and self-analysis. There is much more about his leadership embedded in his book. Winters entered the army, in part, to beat the draft in the run up to the war in August 1941. In less than four years he worked - really worked - his way from private to major. Read carefully and you'll see how. First, he had a college education and real work experience before he went into the army. He worked hard at learning the tradecraft of techniques and leadership. Reading a map, choosing a strategy, selecting cover, preparing his weapons, are reading the field manual helped make him an `expert'. He offers observatio

An Honorable Book for an Honorable Man

I am sorry that some people believe that this book was just a recap of Band of Brothers because it is not. This book tells how Major Winters started and worked his way from a young man to where he is now. The focusing of the one man filled in the holes that the book and movie Band of Brothers left me with. This man did not have goals of granduer but just wanted to do his job and he wanted to do his job well. I think that lesson is still applicable for today. Well written book that adds to what we already knew about the man. Yes some of what we read is seen in the book and the movie but it is much more personal and focused. I hope Richard Winters can finish his life in peace because he deserves it.