Beyond Glory: Medal of Honor Heroes in Their Own Words [Hardcover]

Larry Smith (Author), H. Norman Schwarzkopf (Author), Eddie Adams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2003

This first oral history of living Medal of Honor winners evokes Flags of Our Fathers with stirring accounts of patriotic valor.

This epic account of legendary battlefield courage celebrates the larger-than-life sacrifices of those awarded the nation's highest honor for valor in combat. Exclusive interviews with these twenty-four men—firsthand accounts of battlefield sacrifice from the greatest generation to Vietnam, along with before-and-after stories—form the core of this book. The recipients, as portrayed here, represent a cross section as diverse as America itself—officers and enlisted men; African Americans, Japanese Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasians; men who went on to become famous (Daniel Inouye, James Stockdale, and Bob Kerrey), and others who returned proudly to small towns in Idaho, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Many of these men are nearing the end of their lives, and their candid and forthcoming recollections make for extremely compelling and emotional reading. Beyond Glory, in the voices of these heroes, thus becomes a work of living history, a testament to the courage of the American nation. 24 b/w photographs.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This collection of interviews with recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the military's highest recognition for valor, will benefit from cross-promotion on the cover of Parade, the Sunday newspaper magazine. Two dozen men from various races and walks of life talk about their battlefield experiences here. All exhibit a marked modesty about receiving their medals, as they uniformly regard their fighting actions as unexceptional under fearsome, noisy, blood-spattered conditions. They emphasize instead the men who didn't survive--a high proportion of Medals of Honor have been conferred posthumously--while expressing mild incredulity at being singled out for distinction. Nevertheless, the do-or-die details Smith induces from his interlocutors convey a quality of bravery beyond, as the citations state, the call of duty--nobody stages a bayonet charge, as Lewis Millett did in Korea, just because he is ordered to. A visceral volume that will arrest readers of military affairs. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

A book of powerful convictions and human values. (Michael Pakenham - Baltimore Sun )

These recollections are the raw stuff of history. They also provide valuable insight into the military, war and courage under fire. (John Whiteclay Chambers II - Washington Post Book World ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; First Edition edition (July 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039305134X
• ISBN-13: 978-0393051346
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #888,848 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good look at what MOH awardees went through, July 24, 2003

By 

Edwin B. Burgess "KS librarian" (Leavenworth, KS USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beyond Glory: Medal of Honor Heroes in Their Own Words (Hardcover)

Smith has interviewed twenty-three recipients of the Medal of Honor, and coupled the edited interviews with brief scene-setting passages describing the war and the individual's circumstances. Official citations are appended. Acts for which the Medal was awarded occurred in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Some of the names are familiar-Senators James Stockdale, Daniel Inouye, and Bob Kerry. Most are little-known. They are of varied races, education, and background. Some are eloquent, as is Sen. Kerry on patriotism, guilt and redemption; others are blunt and inarticulate. The one common thread is that they generally consider themselves to be ordinary men who rose to an occasion they did not seek. Several make the point that they are not "winners," since in no sense did they compete for the Medal: they prefer to refer to themselves as recipients of an award. Smith was an editor of Parade Magazine, and his analysis never rises above that level, but the stories of the recipients are powerful in themselves.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you miss Stephen Ambrose, this is even better, July 20, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Beyond Glory: Medal of Honor Heroes in Their Own Words (Hardcover)

This is an extraordinary book. Larry Smith has done a masterful job in getting Medal of Honor recipients to open up and share their incredible stories. What you get are their thoughts, feelings, and memories, honest and unvarnished. The understatement and the humility make their bravery and achievements all the more powerful. Smith doesn't embellish or over-write. Instead, he lets each man have a voice. The result is gripping, page-turning, and will often bring tears to your eyes. Without Stephen Ambrose to do justice to those who fight our wars, we should be even more grateful to have Larry Smith.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great book, July 2, 2003

By 

Enzo "_zj_" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond Glory: Medal of Honor Heroes in Their Own Words (Hardcover)

It's so refreshing in these turbulent times to read about these heroes.

Unlike other medal of honor books, which just offer the citations or summaries of the citations, this book offers unique looks into the heroes by way of interviews with them. They each have amazing stories and incredibly interesting lives.

Buy this book!