Any reader will be richly rewarded, regardless of whether they have read a single paragraph of Stephen Ambrose's* Band of Brothers* or seen any of the Tom Hanks/Steven Speilberg HBO award winning mini-series, by this well told story of an American life. Don Malarkey's autobiography poignantly tells how the legacy of the first World War, the devastating impact of the Great Depression on his father and his family, and other events molded his character and provided the drive and discipline that took a young man from a small town at the mouth of the Columbia River to a decorated war hero. It is a tale of honor, courage and loyalty to his comrades, love challenged by the isolation of war and the toll of battle and its scars, invisible yet no less haunting.
Co-author, longtime Oregon newspaper columnist and author Bob Welch, does a fine job of crafting Malarkey's journey through war and remembrance.
Malarkey's love of his home state Oregon is an ever present theme conveyed through vivid description providing the reader with a shared sense of place with the author.
As a member of Easy Company, experiencing the highest number of days on the front line in the company, Malarkey tells not only the battlefield events in fine detail, and there are many, but also the war as seen through the eyes of a compassionate comrade. He revels in his deep bonds with those Easy Company members whose heroism was not included in previous books, such as Rod Bain, Tom Burgess and others. The loss of best friend Skip Muck looms large. Malarkey also seeks to set the record straight on soldiers ballyhooed in other tomes at the expense of heroes who have gone unrecognized..
As one of Malarkey's own heroes, Winston Churchill said "...never, never, never, never give up", the reader will readily understand that Malarkey never did. This book will serve as an inspiration to all. After reading it, I realized that no challenge I will probably ever face be as great or horrific as those encountered by Easy Company in battle or Don Malarkey in life.
When you open this book, be prepared for a long read; I found it impossible to put down until the final page.
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Easy Company Soldier: The Legendary Battles of a Sergeant from World War II's "Band of Brothers" by Don Malarkey and Bob Welch
Finario, May 1, 2008
Any reader will be richly rewarded, regardless of whether they have read a single paragraph of Stephen Ambrose's* Band of Brothers* or seen any of the Tom Hanks/Steven Speilberg HBO award winning mini-series, by this well told story of an American life. Don Malarkey's autobiography poignantly tells how the legacy of the first World War, the devastating impact of the Great Depression on his father and his family, and other events molded his character and provided the drive and discipline that took a young man from a small town at the mouth of the Columbia River to a decorated war hero. It is a tale of honor, courage and loyalty to his comrades, love challenged by the isolation of war and the toll of battle and its scars, invisible yet no less haunting.Co-author, longtime Oregon newspaper columnist and author Bob Welch, does a fine job of crafting Malarkey's journey through war and remembrance.
Malarkey's love of his home state Oregon is an ever present theme conveyed through vivid description providing the reader with a shared sense of place with the author.
As a member of Easy Company, experiencing the highest number of days on the front line in the company, Malarkey tells not only the battlefield events in fine detail, and there are many, but also the war as seen through the eyes of a compassionate comrade. He revels in his deep bonds with those Easy Company members whose heroism was not included in previous books, such as Rod Bain, Tom Burgess and others. The loss of best friend Skip Muck looms large. Malarkey also seeks to set the record straight on soldiers ballyhooed in other tomes at the expense of heroes who have gone unrecognized..
As one of Malarkey's own heroes, Winston Churchill said "...never, never, never, never give up", the reader will readily understand that Malarkey never did. This book will serve as an inspiration to all. After reading it, I realized that no challenge I will probably ever face be as great or horrific as those encountered by Easy Company in battle or Don Malarkey in life.
When you open this book, be prepared for a long read; I found it impossible to put down until the final page.
(5 of 8 readers found this comment helpful)