Band Of Brothers

Abridged
Author: Stephen E. Ambrose
Narrator: Cotter Smith
Genres: History, Military
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date: July 2001
Length: 5 hours
Ratings:
  • Book Rating: 4/5
Formats:
  • CD
  • MP3

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Overview

Easy Company, 506th Airborne Division, U.S. Army, was as good a rifle company as any in the world. From their rigorous training in Georgia in 1942 to D-Day and victory, Ambrose tells the story of this remarkable company, which kept getting the tough assignments. Easy Company was responsible for everything from parachuting into France early D-Day morning to the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden.

Band of Brothers is the account of the men of this remarkable unit who fought, went hungry, froze, and died, a company that took 150 percent casualities and considered the Purple Heart a badge of office. Drawing on hours of interviews with survivors as well as the soldiers' journals and letters, Stephen Ambrose tell the stories -- often in the men's own words -- of these American hereoes.

Selected Reviews

Band of Brothers (abridged)

by Bruce Curson
  • Book Rating: 3/5

riveting...

by Anthony
  • Book Rating: 4/5

More...

Read All 9

Reviews (9)

Band of Brothers (abridged)

Written by Bruce Curson from Slidell, LA on September 17th, 2009

  • Book Rating: 3/5

I hate abridged versions but this was all that was available ... and after listedning, my opinion on abridged work still remains solidly intact. There is no doubt that the story and characters would have been much more developed for the listener if the whole book wasn't crammed into 5 CD's. In this "abridged review", I admit that I got the jist of the story and am sure this version did not give the Mr. Ambrose's full work its due justice.

riveting...

Written by Anthony on August 2nd, 2007

  • Book Rating: 4/5

Fascinating and riveting. A terrific story, well researched and well read. I foolishly listened to the abridged version, and it seemed too short. Highly recommended, but savor the unabridged version.

Band of Brothers

Written by Anonymous on June 18th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 5/5

Highly recommended! Well written and researched this book tells a story everone who didn't live through World War Two should read.Mr. Ambrose effectively and movingly tells the stories of true American hereoes.

Band of Brothers

Written by Janice Church on January 26th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 5/5

Dramatic - difficult to stop listening. Vivid descriptions of being in the front lines of WWII in France, Holland, Germany. Interesting how France and US competed to get to Hitler's Eagle's Nest in Berechtesgaden first so they could plunder first. Some things never change. Glad that Easy Company at least got some of Hitler's silverware -- small reward for so much death and suffering. I highly recommend if you want to experience firsthand like it really was for Easy Company.

Pretty Good

Written by Anonymous from Yuma, AZ on October 12th, 2006

  • Book Rating: 3/5

Maybe it's because it was abridged, maybe it's because I am a girl... but I was disappointed in this book - and I never even saw the mini-series. They were a "Band of Brothers," but the author spent most of the time describing the battles and not developing the relationships between the soldiers that made one feel they were actually brothers. I am in the Navy, so could appreciate the horrors of war I will never have to face; but there are plenty of books that describe war. I was hoping for more character development.

Let down

Written by KC Pollak on August 21st, 2006

  • Book Rating: 3/5

I was a little let down by this book, not because of the book itself but because of this particular narrator. I thought he did a lousy job of conveying emotion and subtleties. His read was dry and somewhat emotionless in what could have been such a great book. I would have enjoyed it so much more otherwise. I found myself drifing in and out and having a hard time concentrating.

Band of Brothers

Written by Autumn Young on November 18th, 2004

  • Book Rating: 3/5

It was interesting and then not and then interesting and so on. It was not without it's moments but the names and places were hard to follow since they changed a lot. But I feel I gained personal insight to the inner personal workings of the EZ company and the perspective of the war heros and combatants.

Band of Brothers

Written by Warren Boroson from Hackensack, NJ on November 2nd, 2004

  • Book Rating: 4/5

Vividly conveyed the horror of war -- and the experience of fighting in World War II.

Band of Brothers

Written by Aubree U. on October 21st, 2004

  • Book Rating: 5/5

Fabulous! Stephen Ambrose is amazing at presenting facts in ways that paint beautiful stories. If you've watched the movie before listening to the book, however, you are in for a slight let-down.

Selected Reviews

Band of Brothers (abridged)

by Bruce Curson
  • Book Rating: 3/5

riveting...

by Anthony
  • Book Rating: 4/5

More...

Read All 9

Author Details

Author Details

Ambrose, Stephen E.

"Dr. Stephen Ambrose was a renowned historian, biographer, and acclaimed author of more than 30 books. Among his New York Times best-sellers were: NOTHING LIKE IT IN THE WORLD, CITIZEN SOLDIERS, BAND OF BROTHERS, D-DAY - JUNE 6, 1944, UNDAUNTED COURAGE, and WILD BLUE. TO AMERICA: Personal Reflections of an Historian is his latest book; and coming out in the winter 2002 is MERIWETHER LEWIS, THOMAS JEFFERSON, AND THE OPENING OF THE AMERICAN WEST: The Climactic Battle of World War II.

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 demonstrated how leaders use trust, friendship and shared experiences to work together and thrive during conflict and change. His philosophy about audience engagement was best put 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 did not go unnoticed by the film industry. Dr. Ambrose was the historical consultant for Steven Spielberg's movie Saving Private Ryan. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks also purchased the film rights to his books CITIZEN SOLDIERS and BAND OF BROTHERS, which resulted in a 13-hour HBO mini-series in 2001.

Ambrose also participated in numerous national television programs, including ones for the History Channel and National Geographic."