Eisenhower: Soldier, General of the Army, President-Elect, 1890-1952 [Hardcover]

Stephen E. Ambrose (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1983

Dwight Eisenhower was not exactly born into poverty, but the family's circumstances were at least austere. He was one of seven children; his father, a railway worker. But the family was strong and unified, the youngsters energetic and ambitious.

Ike made it to West Point, where he excelled in sports. He was a natural leader. But it was at Leavenworth years later, as a student at the war college, that his intellectual talent showed itself. He graduated first in his class.

The author draws in a wealth of previously unpublished information to give us this beautiful portrait. As a result Eisenhower emerges as complex, one who as the author states, ". . .was a good and great man."

--This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

15 1.5-hour cassettes --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 637 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First edition (September 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671440691
• ISBN-13: 978-0671440695
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #661,897 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Stephen Ambrose was a renowned historian and acclaimed author of more than 30 books. Among his New York Times best-sellers are: Nothing Like It in the World, Citizen Soldiers, Band of Brothers, D-Day - June 6, 1944, and Undaunted Courage.He was not only a great author, but also a captivating speaker, with the unique ability to provide insight into the future by employing his profound knowledge of the past. His stories demonstrate how leaders use trust, friendship and shared experiences to work together and thrive during conflict and change. His philosophy about keeping an audience engaged is put best in his own words: "As I sit at my computer, or stand at the podium, I think of myself as sitting around the campfire after a day on the trail, telling stories that I hope will have the members of the audience, or the readers, leaning forward just a bit, wanting to know what happens next." Dr. Ambrose was a retired Boyd Professor of History at the University of New Orleans. He was the Director Emeritus of the Eisenhower Center in New Orleans, and the founder of the National D-Day Museum. He was also a contributing editor for the Quarterly Journal of Military History, a member of the board of directors for American Rivers, and a member of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council Board. His talents have not gone unnoticed by the film industry. Dr. Ambrose was the historical consultant for Steven Spielberg's movie Saving Private Ryan. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks purchased the film rights to his books Citizen Soldiers and Band of Brothers to make the 13-hour HBO mini-series Band of Brothers. He has also participated in numerous national television programs, including ones for the History Channel and National Geographic.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A first-rate biography, February 11, 2002

By 

mrliteral - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Eisenhower: Soldier, General of the Army, President-Elect, 1890-1952 (Hardcover)

After reading Ambrose's so-so history of the transcontinental railroad, I was admittedly looking at reading this book with low expectations. Fortunately, this book is far superior to Ambrose's more recent work.

Ambrose does a great job at showing what Eisenhower was like prior to his election as President. Although a generally affectionate work, Ambrose also points out the flaws in the man. The book shows the value of hard work and intelligence, as Ike was essentially a self-made man who got where he was without any special family or friend connections.

This book also depicts the dangers of politics. As Eisenhower gets more involved in the political arena, he becomes a less admirable person, succumbing to the hypocrisy that seems inherent in that field.

This is a well-written portrait of one of the more significant people of the last century. I look forward to reading the second volume and learning more about Eisenhower the President.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding historical work on the 34th President, July 31, 1998

By 

Michael Bussio [e-mail] (Scotts Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eisenhower: Soldier, General of the Army, President-Elect, 1890-1952 (Hardcover)

Stephen Ambrose, America's most dynamic, truthful and objective historian, has given us the clearest picture of one of the most incredible personalities of the 20th Century. From General Eisenhower's birth to the the election of 1952, Ambrose covers the life of this man in such detail, and with such clear objectivity, that one can hardly put it down. As a former teacher, I believe it, along with Volumne II, should be required reading of all students, from the 12th grade on into the college ranks.

1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Dull bio of an interesting man, October 25, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Eisenhower: Soldier, General of the Army, President-Elect, 1890-1952 (Hardcover)

Ambrose doesn't manage to totally bore me to death, but I find him highly overrated, judging from this work. He manages to turn the life of a great man into your typical boring biography. It really doesn't compare with the biographies written by Remini or the other top historians. Still, it does a fairly good job of covering Eisenhower's life and times, based very much on Ike's own writings. Moderately recommended.