Customer Reviews

The Pattons: A Personal History of an American Family

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am myself admittedly a Patton aficionado, and I must say, this book reveals an even more complicated man and colorful family history than I realized. But what in my view truly distinguishes this book from other recent studies of General Patton is that its fascinating subject matter does not obscure the author's smooth, beautiful, often funny - but always precise and deliberate - literary style. Unlike so many of our more popular modern historians: this guy can actually write!

Robert Patton has written a great work not only for general readership but a lasting legacy to the Patton descendants. He delves into family history & writes about more than just names & dates. This book tells the story of the Patton ancestors that shaped the life of General George S. Patton Jr.

After reading this book you can clearly see the values & mindsets that drove 'Old Blood & Guts' & made him a legendary figure. It would be inappropriate to just read the military career of Patton & try to form an opinion of him without understanding the inner workings of the family & circumstances that shaped him. This book fills in so many gaps that are left out by other authors & extends past the general's death by following up with other family members.

Robert Patton should be commended for telling the whole story without leaving out the negative incidents. He tells the story, good & bad. To leave out negative incidents would be to ignore the occurences that were as much a part of Patton as were his glorious successes on the battlefield. It has been said that "We are the sum total of all our experiences". This clearly explains the man behind the legend & Robert Patton has done him justice.

A truly inspiring work -- when I heard that Jonathan Yardley had dubbed it on the best books of that year, I had to read it... And it is. Should be required reading for anyone interested in history, especially their own.

In writing "The Patton's" Robert Patton has succeeded in an area where most of the previous biographers of his famous Grandfather have failed, namely he manages to humanize the legend and reveal the man behind the myth. This is not a Biography in the strictest sense, rather it's a genealogical history. Here "Georgie" is viewed in the context of his ancestors, and through the prism of his family. Evaluating him in this light, the reader gets a much truer understanding of the part that his upbringing played in formulating the various aspects of his character. As a family member, the author surely has his own opinions of the people involved, but he keeps these to a minimum, letting the rich array of family sources speak for themselves, and presents an amazingly well-balanced, concise portrait of his subjects, he doesn't go out of his way to trash his Grandfather's reputation (as so many tell-all books written by relatives of celebrities today seem only too happy to do) nor does he seek to glorify his accomplishments. He merely sought to chronicle one family's devotion to public service, but most importantly to each other.

Although this book can stand quite nicely on its own, those looking for an in-depth analysis of Patton's military campaigns should be warned, this book gives only a general overview of Patton's wartime service. Therefore, it is my humble opinion that this book will be best appreciated when read in conjunction with other books such as:

War As I Knew It The Patton Papers, 1885-1940 The Patton Papers 1940-1945 Patton: The Man Behind the Legend, 1885-1945 Patton: A Genius for War The Button Box: A Daughter's Loving Memoir Of Mrs. George S. Patton

to get a more complete picture of this legendary and controversial figure.

I enjoy reading biographies of men and women who truly accomplished something of significance in their lifetimes, and this is one such book. What makes this one special is that the author, being General Patton's grandson, had access to previously unpublished family records - mementos, letters, notes, and diaries, etc. These keepsakes gave him great insight into his family's history, an insight which he shares with his readers, allowing them to sense what the Patton family members saw, felt, and experienced down through the years from the time of the American Revolution up to the time of General Patton's death in 1945. In essence, we get to peek ever so caringly into their minds, hearts, and private lives.

As you might imagine, this book isn't much about war and killing. That wasn't the author's intent. Rather, he tells the personal stories of his ancestors and of his very human, psychologically frail, grandfather, as he sees them. In doing so, he paints a remarkable picture of his grandfather, "Georgie," as a boy and man driven to succeed by family myths and legends, out for glory at all costs, frequently remote, sometimes childish, often uncertain, and usually his own worst enemy. Best of all: He tells this story with such clarity, insight, honesty, and candor, and paints such an intimate portrait of General Patton and his forebears that it is hard to put this book down.

In reading it, I couldn't help but wonder if, perhaps, Robert Patton wrote it to help him gain some understanding of his own grandfather and if he succeeded. And, curiously, I also wondered if he was proud of the general or even liked him. Only the author would know. In any case, this book ranks right up there with the best biographies that I have read in recent years.

Despite being written by a relative, this book is a stunningly even-handed story of several generations of the Patton family and their interaction with American history. Of course, the background and ancestory leads up to providing what is - to this reviewer - as clear an understanding of what made George S. Patton what he was as will ever be written.

But, do not skip through those early chapters because it is essential to learn and understand not just how thse men and women shaped him, but how they themselves contributed to what America became. Patton's mysticism was not unique to him. Many of his ancestors were equally in thrall to similar views and actions such as seeking to view a long dead relative in his coffin.

George Patton was a product of his family and upbringing; as such, his actions were driven by his need to live up to what the family expected as well as his perception of those expectations.nIn that aspect, all his actions, each and every one of them, was done with the impliciti belief that what he did and how he did it was subject to inspection and approval of those ancestors. Thus, this vainglorious and arrogant man, this womanizer, this loud-mouthed bully was also at times a most insecure individual who feared not just the disapproval of fanmily but also his country.

The author also makes it clear his own conflicts arising from his ancestory. It seems he - along with one brother - sought to break with the family military past by not going to West Point or join the service. At the same time, he admits an element of guilt about his choice. Late, very late, in the narrative, Mr. Patton provides an update on his siblings and himself. I'll not let the notional cat-out-of-the-bag, but it does provide at least one possible reason for a modicum of regret.

A marvelous story told with love, respect and honesty.

Anyone interested in General Patton and his family will not be disapointed by this well written, candid account.

Mr Patton is obviously affected by his relationship to his famous grandfather, the legendary General George S. Patton Jr. The author reveals that he is in the minority within his family for not pursuing a military path. This informative and richly entertaining history of the family of one of America's legends turns out to be a catharsis. It is apparent in his thesis that the Patton forefathers were not a model for General Patton, but a crescendo. It was well written; the author has ensured that his research did not contain gaps. In reading the Pattons, a Personal History of an American Family, one feels like the question has been answered, "Why was Patton such a jerk." He had the original rendezvous with destiny.

It was very sad to read the terrible words about George Patton. It seems Robert has an enormous inferiority complex and decided to take it out on this famous family member. In order to further his agenda, he goes as far as to imply Patton had a mental problem ("West Point sometimes accepted students from other colleges 'without the usual mental exam'."). He characterizes Patton's messages in his letters to his family as "scolding" ("I have not had a letter from home for four days. Are you all dead?"). And any West Point cadet (or any man for that matter!) would see "scenes of rejoicing" as "embarrassing" and abhor them! My husband, who was in a Military Academy told me that if a cadet was kissed by his mother in public, he could be reprimanded for "public display of affection." Imagine West Point at the beginning of the XX century?!

That George Patton was a controversial figure, there is no doubt, but after reading this book, I believe Robert Patton's problem is that he is not even a shadow of what his relative was. This book is an excuse for Robert's failure in life (he begins by excusing himself for not following a military career), so he goes on to attack a successful man. That is how this book came to life.

I wish I could give it -1 star!