The Poems of General George S. Patton, Jr.: Lines of Fire (Studies in American Literature) [Hardcover]

George S. Patton (Author), Carmine A. Prioli (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1991 | ISBN-10: 0889461627 | ISBN-13: 978-0889461628

A collection of poems written by the World War II general, George Patton. As well as reprinting 86 of Patton's poems, the work's editor describes the setting in which each was written and comments on his many allusions to mythology, literature, and barracks language of the time.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 232 pages
• Publisher: Edwin Mellen Pr (September 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0889461627
• ISBN-13: 978-0889461628
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,085,878 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars At That Price..., May 12, 2010

By 

Joseph A. Aycock (rome, georgia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Poems of General George S. Patton, Jr.: Lines of Fire (Studies in American Literature) (Hardcover)

Even though I think that it might be interesting to read some of Patton's poetry, at that price, I believe I'll wait for the paperback.

4 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Mainly Unscintillating and Type-Cast..., July 31, 2001

By 

"exile3" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Poems of General George S. Patton, Jr.: Lines of Fire (Studies in American Literature) (Hardcover)

Bearing none of the high diction of the best of military poetry, Patton is artistically unimpressive, especially when compared with the verse of his British contemporaries. He employs mostly sing-song, schoolboy-ish rhyme schemes. Of course this criticism must bear the caveat regarding differing cultures -- British and American, while considering the fact that America at large produced little quality poetry about the First World War (American soldier and airman-poets were much better concerning the Second War). Patton offers little of poignant or imagistic power, and no visceral sense of elegy, emotional resonance, nor prosaic beauty. It is difficult to see the man's poetry ever being quotable. Overall, there is too much 'war as glory' stuff, and I often wonder if Patton ever considered war a necessary evil, something that should be resorted to as a last resort, an event to be concluded as quickly as possible. Eisenhower said that the most horrible sight he ever saw in his life was the aftermath of the fighting in the Falaise pocket. One ponders how Eisenhower would have responded to the lines from a 1918 Patton poem about 'Knowing once more the whitehot joy / Of taking human life.'... Indeed, how could a combat veteran of one of history's most cataclysmic decimations of human life ever pen such lines?

Is there anything good or redeemable in his poetry? There are a few good things to say. First, he does speak to war's ugly brutality and terrible grandeur. Despite his bellicose lines it is ambiguous at best regarding whether he enjoyed killing people. He confessed his own depravity, and could make fun of himself. He amply quoted great men of the past, and he loved the classics and imaginative literature (something missing among many leaders today). He did acknowledge and respect the element of fear when anticipating battle, and in 1920 wrote a poem entitled, 'Fear', in order to help him confront that ubiquitous enemy. He made no claim to being a great poet; and, moreover perhaps, he gave the American public as well as his auditors what they wanted through those simple rhyme schemes.