Patton

The Man Behind the Legend, 1885-1945

By: Martin Blumenson

Narrated by: William Lavelle

In paying final tribute to his Third Army commander, General Eisenhower said: "He was one of those men born to be a soldier...whose gallantry and dramatic personality inspired all he commanded to great deeds of valor." This detailed and persuasive study by the author of The Patton Papers was described by Patton's daughter Ruth as "an extraordinary book". It is widely considered the best biography ever written of the General, an American hero as compelling as he was complex.©1985 by Martin Blumenson (P)1990 by Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"A gem of a biography...No previous work on Patton can match it." (Stephen E. Ambrose)
"Blumenson makes [clear]... the contradictory elements in his character that caused him at times to be outrageously impossible but made him a winning commander." (Forrest Pogue)

Enjoyed learning about an American hero

I have long admired Patton but knew little about the mans life. This book provided great details about his leadership and desire to achieve. It also gives his moral flaws as well, reminding us Patton was a real person like any of us. We all have the ability to achieve great things.

An interesting highlight of an amazing person’s life.

Not an in-depth look but certainly a good look at an amazing general’s life. I’m not sure where the reader is from but he says Roosevelt in a very unusual way.

Insightful bio

Relatively short, like a Reader’s Digest version, of Patton’s life beginning with his ancestry. Just right, no excessive detail, which provided an excellent understanding of the man’s personality, limitations, foibles, and success. Like other reviewers have mentioned, there are audio flaws throughout the recording in which there are short gaps but it was no big deal.

Good listen

Really enjoyed this. Good insight into the man, dispelled some myths and verified others. If you like WWII history, or the history of individuals who made a difference in his/her time, you'll like this

Great but brief!

The performance is not as bad as other reviewers have said. Just old. This was a remarkable biography but too brief for me. Being from Martin Blumenson, I thought there would be more meat to this biography. Very satisfying to get a general idea of his character and motivations. This book will satisfy anyone who wants a brief history of Patton.