This was the book Ambrose was born to write. He is best when he takes a smaller peice of the battlefield and fewer men to tell their story. This is his masterpiece.

His earlier work looking at history at grand scale is weak since he is clearly only interested in the Americans. As a Canadian I find his writing on D-day, when he takes a broad look, insulting to the Canadians. But that is because (understandably) he identifies with American soldiers. I have to laugh each time he justifies the debacle of the Normandy airborne operations by stating the US paprtroopers did great things because they were all over the place miles off target.

Ambrose takes a romantic view of the young warriors he shows us in this book, but the title makes that clear from the start. He is not going to give an objective view with the good and the bad. These are his heroes and he writes an apt tribute.

At times the way he sweeps aside the looting with "everyone loots" and his negative portrayal of the British get a bit tiresome. ( )

This was the first Ambrose book that I picked up back in '01, and I enjoyed the work he put into it quite a bit, subsequent to the mini-series being made by Tom Hanks. ( )

A great book relating the stories of the men of the 101st Airborne Easy Company during the WWII campaign. It's a well written history of the company by a gifted author. Ambrose has a good knack for story telling, and obviously did due diligence in his research. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the men who served in WWII. ( )

Having seen the series on DVD (more than once), I was interested in delving deeper with Ambrose’s book. I was not disappointed: as with the series, Band of Brothers follows Easy Company’s WWII tour from Basic Training, (running Curahee under the petty and demanding Captain Sobel) and their drop into Normandy, through moments of incredible bravery and tactical brilliance (and moments of human and bureaucratic failing) to their eventual arrival in the German Alps.

There is a compromise between the book and the TV series: Ambrose’s book contains more information and more historical accounting; with the TV series, of course, Hanks and Spielberg had more of a license to entertain and build stories (the discrepancies were startlingly rare, a testament to the fact that the producers began their research with the book). That’s not to say that Ambrose doesn’t engage the reader in the character and individual stories of the men; indeed, given the number of men involved, the book encompasses an impressive overview of the war as seen by the men of the 101st, and Easy Company in particular.

The history of E. Company is harrowing, incomprehensible on any real level to anyone who had not been in combat; what Ambrose manages to do which is so important, is bring the war that these men experienced to the reader in an accessible, unpatronising way; he gives us not only the facts, but the reactions as relayed by the men themselves, evening a few well-placed excepts from books on the psychology of war, and post-war responses, opening up the emotional world that lay under the day-to-day bombardment and skirmishes.

To someone who could not imagine having the bravery necessary to jump out of a plane, the strength of character and resourcefulness of the majority of E. Company’s men in the face of every conceivable war-time threat of the time is humbling. The matter-of-factness with which they faced each new situation, the amazing leadership (at both ends of the scale) that they followed into battle, the humour and comradeship that got them through is inspiring.

This is a remarkable story, well told. I would recommend seeing the series as well, but although rather dryer, the book Band of Brothers is a page turner, an education and a reminder that our soldiers – today as much as then – are human beings tested beyond the edge of endurance often with only the twin incentives of remaining alive and not letting down the man beside them. ( )

Great book that details the 101st Airborne Regiment during WWII, form thier time in taining camp, to D-Day, Holland, Bastogne, Liberating a concentration camp, and taking Hitler's Eagle nest. This book goes above and beyong HBO's miniseries that was based on this book. The telling engages the reader to give one uinsight into the troops that fought for Europe's freedom. A must read for and History buff and WWII enthusiast! 5 stars! ( )

Band of Brothers, by Stephen Ambrose follows Easy Company of the 101st Airborne in World War 2. Interviewed in the 1990's, the surviving men of Easy Company share their stories. Stephen Ambrose does an incredible job capturing the scenes from men like Dick Winters, Nixon, Malarkey, Webster, Compton, Guarnere, and Shifty. Known as the greatest rifle company of their time, Easy went from rigorous trainging at Toccoa to dropping behind enemy lines at D-Day, taking towns such as Carentan and Foye, and reaching the Eagle’s nest. With a 150% casualty rate, Easy Company seemed to get all the tough jobs. I recommend this book to everyone and especially World War 2 fans. TA

A compelling story that is as good a small unit account as exists. It has received tremendous (well deserved) acclaim due to the mini-series. Ambrose is first rate at telling the story of the American soldier. ( )

I read this book twice and plan to read it again. It is easy to become attached to the characters as they bond through various situations and pull together into a tightly knit, cohesive group. It's an amazing book because instead of viewing the war from the strategist board where men are plastic markers to be shoved about, they become alive and suddenly their struggles to survive bring home the reality of war. There are many amazing tales told here and one cannot help but fall in love with Major Dick Winters. ( )

read half of book - an account of WWII

Fascinating account of Easy Company's endeavours during World War II. The writing style was good, although not all the quotations were referenced. ( )

What a fantastic story, as told by the men of Easy Company. I dinged it 1/2 a point because it's a little disjointed, but it's such an awe-inspiring glimpse at some true heroes. How they were able to survive in such awful circumstances, depending on each other and caring more about their unit than they did about themselves, is truly an inspiration. ( )

6.5

From beginning to end this book fascinated me. The men of Easy Company were dedicated to the job and to each other. This book starts with the training they received for a new kind of soldier -- the paratrooper. Throughout the their training and the war the men form bond that makes them a family. You learn about the men, their background, personality, triumphs and tragedies. It's a history worth reading and knowing. These are heroes, and the story should never be forgotten. ( )

This book looks at the 101st Airborne from D-Day until the war ended. The men are a tight group but as men die and are injured the group loses some of the tightness and unity in the group. Many men receive battlefield commissions. The D-Day landing is a stunning story of what happens during the invasion and is part of the begging of "Saving Private Ryan". ( )

This single company of WWII 101st paratroopers was put into a glare of publicity by the publishing of Band of Brothers in 1992 by Stephen Ambrose. The book was followed by a TV miniseries of some acclaim as well as books published by individuals within the company, one as recently as 2008. Ambrose met some of the men of the company during a reunion in New Orleans and immediately sensed a good book. A great deal of the success of the book was due to the character and personality of the eventual Commander of E Company, Dick Winters, who gave extensive interviews himself and drew in the other members of the company to tell their stories. The book unfolds like a novel as we follow the men in training, to England, the drop on the eve of D-Day, the Holland drop, Bastogne and the end of the war in Berchtesgaden. Having become well acquainted with the men before battle, we then see later how they face the tests which come to each. We see how men from widely divergent backgrounds form the cohesion necessary to effective battle and yet might fail with poor leadership. A very well-written book giving a wide window into the role of leadership, training, and effective battle. ( )

This book definitely reads like a novel, though it very clearly depicts the experiences of Easy Company during WWII. The amazing story of the 147 men in the company at one time or another is rich enough as it is, but Ambrose really succeeds in drawing the reader in with his fluent prose. Fascinating. ( )

2774 Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne From Normandy to Hitler's Eagle Nest, by Stephen E. Ambrose (read 13 Aug 1995) This is an excellent book. E Company was formed at Camp Toccoa, Ga., in 1942, went to Fort Benning, Camps Mackall, Bragg, Shanks, and in Sept 1943 to England, and before dawn on June 6, 1944, into Normandy, and into Belgium, was in the Battle of the Bulge, and ended occupying Berchtesgarden. It is excellently told, and often is extremely poignant. Ambrose puts in commentary which is very good. ( )

On the bloody battlefields of World War II Europe, Easy Company, 506th Airborne Division, U.S. Army, got the toughest missions. As good a rifle company as any in the world, Easy was always in the thick of the fight -- from parachuting into France under a hellish crossfire early D-Day morning, to the final capture of Hitler's supposedly impregnable Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden.

New York Times bestselling author Stephen E. Ambrose tells of the men in this brave unit who fought, went hungry, froze, and died for their country, and for one another -- taking 150 percent casualties and earning Purple Hearts as combat pay. Drawing on interviews with survivors as well as the soldiers' journals and letters, Ambrose chronicles the gripping true stories of these American heroes.

As a history buff, particularly World War II, it should be no surprise to find this book on my shelf. However, it was difficult for me to get started on it even after watching the fabulous mini series because it was...oh no...non-fiction!

I started the book on a road trip and I do not think that I even got out of the car after reading the first page. I probably read this book in record time.

After seeing the mini series, or as a prerequisite to the mini series, reading this book is a MUST.

I can not think of a more inspiring group of people.

(Also, if you've read and enjoyed this book I highly recommend "Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends" by Bill Guarnere and Babe Heffron.)

So, I suppose I have learned my lesson, non-fiction is not the alternate title for boring. ( )

This story is about the 101st airborn during WWII. It is the one of the best war books I have ever read. ( )

I read this after watching the amazing miniseries on HBO. The book did not disappoint and it gave greater depth to the show. ( )

Worth reading. I'm not a huge Stephen Ambrose fan, but I liked this book nonetheless. ( )

This is a great book. Stephen E. Ambrose was a great historian who recently passed away. This is his time period and this is one of the best World War II books I have ever read. It was eventually adapted into an HBO miniseries so if you don't want to read the book, watch the miniseries because the miniseries sticks very close to the book. The book is not that long, nor is it that dense but the reader comes to know and love the 101st Airborne Easy company. Those men were so brave and did so much for our country and that shows through this book. ( )

After having seen the first part of the HBO series, I had to read this book, and once I got it, I couldn't put it down. This has got to be one of the most honest books about war that deals with the tragedy of war, but without dismissing the need to fight for what is right.

Unfortunately, the fighting is done by Everyman. But, as Band of Brothers shows us, Everyman is capable of the heroic. ( )

Excellent book, very similar to the movie. ( )