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Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters
They were called Easy Company—but their mission was never easy.Immortalized as the Band of Brothers, they suffered 150% casualties while liberating Europe—an unparalleled record of bravery under fire. Dick Winters was their commander—"the best combat leader in World War II" to his men. This is his story—told in his own words for the first time.
On D-Day, Dick Winters parachuted into France and assumed leadership of the Band of Brothers when their commander was killed. He led them through the Battle of the Bulge and into Germany, by which time each member had been wounded. They liberated an S.S. death camp from the horrors of the Holocaust and captured Berchtesgaden, Hitler's alpine retreat. After briefly serving during the Korean War, Winters was a highly successful businessman. Made famous by Stephen Ambrose's book Band of Brothers—and the subsequent award-winning HBO miniseries—he is the object of worldwide adulation, Beyond Band of Brothers is Winters's memoir—based on his wartime diary—but it also includes his comrades' untold stories. Virtually all this material is being released for the first time. Only Winters was present from the activation of Easy Company until the war's end. Winner of the Distinguished Service Cross, only he could pen this moving tribute to the human spirit.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published February 7, 2006
About the author
Dick Winters
5 books94 followersMajor Richard "Dick" D. Winters was a United States Army officer and decorated war veteran. He commanded Company "E", 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, during World War II.
Winters parachuted into Normandy in the early hours of D-Day, and fought across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and eventually into Germany. Later in the war, Winters rose to command the 2nd Battalion. Following the end of hostilities Winters was discharged from the army and returned to civilian life, working in New Jersey.
In 1951, during the Korean War, Winters was recalled to the Army from the inactive list and briefly served as a regimental planning and training officer on staff at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Although issued orders for deployment, he was not sent to Korea. After his discharge he worked at a few different jobs before founding his own company and selling farming products.
Winters was featured in a number of books and was portrayed in the 2001 HBO mini-series Band of Brothers by Damian Lewis. He was a regular guest lecturer at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He retired in 1997. He was the last of the Easy Company commanders to pass away.
Winters parachuted into Normandy in the early hours of D-Day, and fought across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and eventually into Germany. Later in the war, Winters rose to command the 2nd Battalion. Following the end of hostilities Winters was discharged from the army and returned to civilian life, working in New Jersey.
In 1951, during the Korean War, Winters was recalled to the Army from the inactive list and briefly served as a regimental planning and training officer on staff at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Although issued orders for deployment, he was not sent to Korea. After his discharge he worked at a few different jobs before founding his own company and selling farming products.
Winters was featured in a number of books and was portrayed in the 2001 HBO mini-series Band of Brothers by Damian Lewis. He was a regular guest lecturer at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He retired in 1997. He was the last of the Easy Company commanders to pass away.
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December 30, 2021
These impressively detailed memoirs recount Dick Winters’ extraordinary experiences in World War II while serving in the U.S. Army as an officer in Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Beginning with training at Camp Toccoa, Winters goes on to relate much of what he and his men endured throughout many historically significant events, most notably: D-Day and the Brécourt Manor Assault at Normandy, fighting at Carentan, Holland, and Bastogne (the Battle of the Bulge), and the eventual occupation of Germany and liberation of concentration camps. The book also includes information on Winters’ life after the war, a section about Stephen Ambrose (author of Band of Brothers, the book that inspired the outstanding HBO miniseries of the same name), and a concluding chapter which discusses leadership.
While at times the writing crosses the line from admirably precise and succinct to what I can only describe as terse to the point of aridity, being able to read Winters’ thoughts and insights was illuminating and immensely rewarding, and certainly made up for any lack of finesse with respect to his writing style. As to the book’s organization, the material is presented in a straightforward, yet fairly comprehensive manner. It contains a decent blend of his own experiences and impressions, personal details about his fellow soldiers, general historical and geographical facts, and pertinent information on the Army, all of which allow the reader to obtain a fuller picture of the overall significance of his part in the war.
Winters at Schoonderlogt, Holland, 1944
If you don’t already know Winters’ story from the Band of Brothers miniseries, you should definitely read this book. And if you are familiar with his story, well, you should still read this book. So, yeah, in case that was in any way ambiguous, the bottom line is: read the damn book. Winters was an inspirational, diligent officer who cared about his men tremendously; I have even more respect for him now than I did before. Humble, hardworking, earnest, and conscientious, he was a remarkable human being who took part in many likewise remarkable events. We should never forget his contributions and sacrifices, or those of the other men involved in these brutal yet necessary battles. Their fortitude, dedication, and strength of character continue to be examples for us all.
I’ll now conclude with a few excerpts from the book, to allow it to speak for itself.
On a rather humorous pre-D-Day occurrence:
On the D-Day jump:
On Brécourt Manor tactics and outcome:
On the devotion of the men in the unit:
On what it’s like to endure artillery fire for an extended time:
On an unexpected, rare moment of beauty amidst the horror:
On the amusing reason why no top-shelf liquor was to be found in Goering’s extensive wine cellar:
While at times the writing crosses the line from admirably precise and succinct to what I can only describe as terse to the point of aridity, being able to read Winters’ thoughts and insights was illuminating and immensely rewarding, and certainly made up for any lack of finesse with respect to his writing style. As to the book’s organization, the material is presented in a straightforward, yet fairly comprehensive manner. It contains a decent blend of his own experiences and impressions, personal details about his fellow soldiers, general historical and geographical facts, and pertinent information on the Army, all of which allow the reader to obtain a fuller picture of the overall significance of his part in the war.
Winters at Schoonderlogt, Holland, 1944
If you don’t already know Winters’ story from the Band of Brothers miniseries, you should definitely read this book. And if you are familiar with his story, well, you should still read this book. So, yeah, in case that was in any way ambiguous, the bottom line is: read the damn book. Winters was an inspirational, diligent officer who cared about his men tremendously; I have even more respect for him now than I did before. Humble, hardworking, earnest, and conscientious, he was a remarkable human being who took part in many likewise remarkable events. We should never forget his contributions and sacrifices, or those of the other men involved in these brutal yet necessary battles. Their fortitude, dedication, and strength of character continue to be examples for us all.
I’ll now conclude with a few excerpts from the book, to allow it to speak for itself.
On a rather humorous pre-D-Day occurrence:
“I distributed the ammunition and grandes to Easy Company on June 3 and the men took hot showers and were given extra cigarettes and candy rations. The tension finally got to Lieutenant Raymond Schmitz, one of Easy Company’s platoon leaders. In civilian life Schmitz had been a boxer of some distinction. To break the tension Schmitz had asked me to box him. I was no idiot and said, ‘No, thanks.’ During the afternoon he kept up the same baiting challenge and I continued giving him the same reply. Finally Schmitz said, ‘Let’s wrestle.’ Well, I had done a little wrestling in college, so I accepted the challenge. The match was very, very short and ended with Schmitz going to the hospital with two cracked vertebra. He, of course, was scratched from the manifest for the D-Day jump. The rest of that day and right up to the time we strapped on our parachutes, I had a constant line of requests from fellow soldiers asking me with a smile on their face, ‘Will you break my arm for five dollars?’”
On the D-Day jump:
“All of us had lost our leg bags containing most of our weapons in the initial blast when we exited the plane. Why we were experimenting with leg bags on this jump when we had never rehearsed with them during training was beyond me. I later discovered that in our small contingent from Easy Company, we all lost our leg bags and ended up using whatever weapons we could scrounge from dead troopers.”
On Brécourt Manor tactics and outcome:
“The battery was firing directly down causeway #2 in the direction of Utah Beach, where the initial waves of the 4th Infantry Division were already landing. Anticipating that is would be too costly to conduct a frontal attack across an open field, I determined our chances of success would be greatly enhanced if we could hit the enemy on the flank and silence one gun at a time.”
“In all, we had suffered four dead, six wounded, and had inflicted fifteen dead and twelve captured on the enemy. German forces in the vicinity of the battle had numbered about fifty. About three hours had passed since I had first received the order to dispose of the battery.”
On the devotion of the men in the unit:
“Rather than complaining that he was hit, he apologized, ‘I’m sorry, Lieutenant, I goofed. I goofed. I’m sorry.’ My God, it’s beautiful when you think of a guy so dedicated to his company that he apologizes for getting hit. Now, here was a soldier—hit by enemy fire in Normandy on D-Day, behind the German lines, and he is more upset that he had let his buddies down than he was concerned with his own injury.”
“To give you an idea how dedicated Nixon was to the 506th PIR, at Bastogne he had his name drawn from a hat in a lottery that would have given him a thirty-day leave to the United States. Nix refused the offer, saying he wanted to stay with the outfit on the line. How do you explain that kind of dedication? Such devotion is never discussed by the men, but it is never forgotten.”
On what it’s like to endure artillery fire for an extended time:
“When a soldier is subjected to a concentrated bombardment, he often finds himself bouncing on the ground from the force of the concussion. The big problem for a leader is keeping his wits and not freezing in fear—being able to think and, as soon as possible, talking to the men, and getting them to get up and think. The intensity of artillery fire over a protracted period has a dramatic impact on a unit in combat.”
On an unexpected, rare moment of beauty amidst the horror:
“After working at the Mourmelon hospital all day, the prisoners marched back to their stockade at dusk. As they passed their American captors, the prisoners sang their marching songs with the pride and vigor only found in units that had bonded in combat. It was absolutely beautiful. I always looked forward to that time of day and made it a point to stop and listen to a defeated foe still united in comradeship. Amid the chaos and butchery of war, I told myself that I would always remember this beautiful moment.”
On the amusing reason why no top-shelf liquor was to be found in Goering’s extensive wine cellar:
“Private David Kenyon Webster penned a different account of Goering’s wine cellar. Webster was shocked to find that ‘Hitler’s champagne in the cellar was new and mediocre, no Napoleon brandy, no fine liqueurs.’ Webster was a Harvard man, a self-styled connoisseur of liquors. So was Nixon, who prided himself on being a Yale man. Before Webster reached the wine cellar, Nixon had already absconded with his personal booty and supervised the distribution of five truckloads for the troops. Once the troops had their share of the liquor, Nixon lifted the guards. On this occasion the Yale man pulled rank on the Harvard boy. Small wonder that Webster was disappointed in what remained. Nixon would have been first to attest that in the army, rank still had its privileges.”
August 22, 2008
I am a huge fan of Band of Brothers. That is why I was so excited about this book. It was a bit of a let down for three basic reasons.
1. It is obvious he is not a writer. I can't fault him for that.
2. He did not really get into much detail as to what he did during the war.
3. He is a very humble person, that is very obvious. But he talks too much about how humble he is to the point of he doesn't seem humble. I think this relates back to the first point.
If you enjoyed Band of Brothers, this is a nice read. There is one quote from the series that he states again in the book that always gives me chills.
When his grandchild asked if he was a hero, he said, "No, but I served with heros."
He is an unbelievable man who did heroic things with other great Americans.
1. It is obvious he is not a writer. I can't fault him for that.
2. He did not really get into much detail as to what he did during the war.
3. He is a very humble person, that is very obvious. But he talks too much about how humble he is to the point of he doesn't seem humble. I think this relates back to the first point.
If you enjoyed Band of Brothers, this is a nice read. There is one quote from the series that he states again in the book that always gives me chills.
When his grandchild asked if he was a hero, he said, "No, but I served with heros."
He is an unbelievable man who did heroic things with other great Americans.
September 26, 2017
Major Dick Winters was a diligent soldier, caring humanitarian and just who you'd want to lead a troop of men into the worst of war zones.
He is most well-known from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks' World War II miniseries Band of Brothers, which dramatized the valiant efforts of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division from D-Day through to the end of the European stage of the war.
Major Winters' memoir takes a brief glance at his youth before diving headlong into his time with the army and his involvement in WWII. It finishes just as briefly, rounding out his post-war career and retirement, with a coda comprising some of the leadership topics he lectured upon for audiences towards the end of his life.
Winters' friend, the historian Stephen E. Ambrose wrote a great book about Easy Company's accomplishments. It takes a broad view of the war and the company as a whole. Then there are memoirs by other company members, such as non-commissioned officer Sergeant Donald G. Malarkey, which focuses much more on the men, their personalities and individual achievements. Winter's book is somewhere in between.
Beyond Band of Brothers is an officer's look at the war, and a very competent officer he was! The prose is soldierly efficient. Winters lavishes praise upon the men he served with and only occasionally he is critical. You can tell how damn proud he was to serve with these men, even when he's not flat out telling you.
I've watched the miniseries a number of times. I've read a few books about this company. I know the men's names. I know their faces. It is truly amazing what the went through. I'll always be thankful.
He is most well-known from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks' World War II miniseries Band of Brothers, which dramatized the valiant efforts of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division from D-Day through to the end of the European stage of the war.
Major Winters' memoir takes a brief glance at his youth before diving headlong into his time with the army and his involvement in WWII. It finishes just as briefly, rounding out his post-war career and retirement, with a coda comprising some of the leadership topics he lectured upon for audiences towards the end of his life.
Winters' friend, the historian Stephen E. Ambrose wrote a great book about Easy Company's accomplishments. It takes a broad view of the war and the company as a whole. Then there are memoirs by other company members, such as non-commissioned officer Sergeant Donald G. Malarkey, which focuses much more on the men, their personalities and individual achievements. Winter's book is somewhere in between.
Beyond Band of Brothers is an officer's look at the war, and a very competent officer he was! The prose is soldierly efficient. Winters lavishes praise upon the men he served with and only occasionally he is critical. You can tell how damn proud he was to serve with these men, even when he's not flat out telling you.
I've watched the miniseries a number of times. I've read a few books about this company. I know the men's names. I know their faces. It is truly amazing what the went through. I'll always be thankful.
February 24, 2015
I really enjoyed reading the story of Easy Company through Major Winter's eyes. I can see why other people think he has false modesty, but I thought it was good anyway. But how could you write a story about yourself and your role in the war, and NOT tell what other people said about you? I think that was why he felt obliged to always say that he "never thought of himself" as hero. I have never read Band of Brothers, but am a big fan of the movie. I really enjoyed all the details not given in the movie and the plot holes that were filled in by his memoirs. I loved the fact that he had good character and was not the typical "I'm away from home I can do what I want" type. He had enough character and the guts to stick to his principles. I was disappointed in the language he used in the book. (God's name in vain, etc...) But that is just me, I am offended when anyone uses His name that way. I loved all the details about The Battle of Bastogne. I thoroughly enjoyed it overall and I would recommend it to anyone that loves WW2!
May 11, 2024
A good read overall. Realizing what previous generations sacrificed and endured makes oneself humble and grateful to say the least. Major Dick Winters' way of leading others in the harshest of circumstances can be defined in 2 words: "Follow me!"
Although the writing style of Kingseed does not attain the level of more renowned authors, he still manages to paint a very good picture of who Winters was. In the end I felt that the author might have done a better job at filtering the book to prevent certain repetetive statements. If It were possible, I would have given it a 4.5 star review, but being a huge band of brothers admirer, I felt it didn't deserve a 4 star rating and opted for 5 instead.
In the closing remarks, one passage sums it all up and will certainly stay with me:
"War brings out the best and worst in people. Wars do not make men great, but they do bring out the greatness in good men. War is romantic only to those who are far away from the sounds and turmoil of battle. For those of us who served in Easy Company and for those who served their country in other theatres, we came back as better men and women as a result of being in combat, and most would do it again if called upon. But each of us hoped that if we had learned anything from the experience, it is that war is unreal and we earnestly hoped that it would never happen again."
Although the writing style of Kingseed does not attain the level of more renowned authors, he still manages to paint a very good picture of who Winters was. In the end I felt that the author might have done a better job at filtering the book to prevent certain repetetive statements. If It were possible, I would have given it a 4.5 star review, but being a huge band of brothers admirer, I felt it didn't deserve a 4 star rating and opted for 5 instead.
In the closing remarks, one passage sums it all up and will certainly stay with me:
"War brings out the best and worst in people. Wars do not make men great, but they do bring out the greatness in good men. War is romantic only to those who are far away from the sounds and turmoil of battle. For those of us who served in Easy Company and for those who served their country in other theatres, we came back as better men and women as a result of being in combat, and most would do it again if called upon. But each of us hoped that if we had learned anything from the experience, it is that war is unreal and we earnestly hoped that it would never happen again."
December 30, 2008
I read this during a vacation in France... we were able to visit Normandy and had a personal tour of the beaches and the german and American cemetery. It was an extraordinary experience. I already new the Hollywood version of the story from the Band of Brothers mini-series (which I recommend for EVERYONE)... but I liked reading the actual story from Major Dick Winters. This man is a humble hero and served with heroes. Whether you want to go into the politics of whether it was the right decision to send in troops or not, what they did was heroic and it DID help the French. Some people in France believe that we just took their victory-- but if you talk to the French who lived in Normandy during that time or whose parents lived during that time, they are nothing but grateful. It's a fulfilling read and one that I'll definitely read again as well as encourage everyone else to read.
August 31, 2012
I am willing to grant, I guess, that Winters was a remarkable leader, but in this ghost-written autobiography he comes across as a sanctimonious prig. He gets leave in Paris then complains that he learns too much about the construction of the Eiffel Tower because it doesn't help him as an infantry officer. He refuses to drink or get laid or do all the things everyone else was doing because he didn;t want to disrespect his unit, his army, his family, his country, etc., etc. blah blah, blah.
Comparisons to Audio Murphy's autobiography will be inevitable. Ironically I think Murphy's is the more introspective and more humble. Winters, clearly a talented company commander and great leader, talks too much about how humble he was (as was noted by another reviewer.) Winters just isn't as good a writer as Murphy, either. That being said, as a companion book to the HBO series, it's almost a must for the real-life perspective on the events. Winters, without the HBO series, would have been lost to the dustbin of history. And that's a shame. I suspect there were lots of other very talented men who served by doing their jobs and getting wounded or killed in the process, who never received the recognition. So I like to think of this book as a memoir for all the troops.
I was a little puzzled by the lack of explanation about Winters' promotion to executive officer of the Battalion following the Ardennes. If he was such a great company commander, why would the powers that be kick him upstairs to where he had no command authority at all and whose job seemed to consist mostly of paperwork and presiding over courts martials of looters -- this was apparently a severe problem.
The biggest problem with this book, is its lack of broad perspective. It's really quite myopic. It's so clearly everything from the view of E Company, it's almost as if the rest of the world didn't exist. Now perhaps that's not fair because I suppose that's a reflection of the world as seen by a company commander during battle. I don't know, never having been one. It has been said that only if there are great challenges and crises, can presidents become truly great. I suspect that might be true of many war heroes as well. Without the crisis, they might have just been ordinary folks like the rest of us.
It's perhaps ironic but I kept getting the sense that had Sobel, the hated company commander during training, not made their collective lives so miserable in his attempts to wash individuals out, that perhaps they might not have become such a cohesive unit before and later in combat.
For perhaps another perspective: Biggest Brother The Life Of Major Dick Winters, The Man Who Led The Band of Brothers
Comparisons to Audio Murphy's autobiography will be inevitable. Ironically I think Murphy's is the more introspective and more humble. Winters, clearly a talented company commander and great leader, talks too much about how humble he was (as was noted by another reviewer.) Winters just isn't as good a writer as Murphy, either. That being said, as a companion book to the HBO series, it's almost a must for the real-life perspective on the events. Winters, without the HBO series, would have been lost to the dustbin of history. And that's a shame. I suspect there were lots of other very talented men who served by doing their jobs and getting wounded or killed in the process, who never received the recognition. So I like to think of this book as a memoir for all the troops.
I was a little puzzled by the lack of explanation about Winters' promotion to executive officer of the Battalion following the Ardennes. If he was such a great company commander, why would the powers that be kick him upstairs to where he had no command authority at all and whose job seemed to consist mostly of paperwork and presiding over courts martials of looters -- this was apparently a severe problem.
The biggest problem with this book, is its lack of broad perspective. It's really quite myopic. It's so clearly everything from the view of E Company, it's almost as if the rest of the world didn't exist. Now perhaps that's not fair because I suppose that's a reflection of the world as seen by a company commander during battle. I don't know, never having been one. It has been said that only if there are great challenges and crises, can presidents become truly great. I suspect that might be true of many war heroes as well. Without the crisis, they might have just been ordinary folks like the rest of us.
It's perhaps ironic but I kept getting the sense that had Sobel, the hated company commander during training, not made their collective lives so miserable in his attempts to wash individuals out, that perhaps they might not have become such a cohesive unit before and later in combat.
For perhaps another perspective: Biggest Brother The Life Of Major Dick Winters, The Man Who Led The Band of Brothers
April 5, 2020
This was hard to rate independently from Band Of Brothers, in that having just read that book, much of this felt like review. I do think Beyond was a good read and added additional information, or in some portions clarified statements made in Band Of Brothers. I particularly enjoyed Winters’ describing what it felt like stepping out into nothing on his first jump, and how he spent his time between missions, which I feel is unique to his first hand account.
Major Winters was an inspiring individual, so I rounded my rating up with the expectation that if I had read this book first it would have had a higher rating.
Major Winters was an inspiring individual, so I rounded my rating up with the expectation that if I had read this book first it would have had a higher rating.
February 3, 2020
The rumours I'd heard about Dick Winters' WWII memoir were true for the most part: he is no writer, and he does often sound like he's humble-bragging. His account is very interesting, and valuable, but it reads as if he dictated it all on a recorder and then a secretary wrote it from the recording. Some veterans got a journalist or someone else to help with their memoirs, and such a help would have been great for Winters.
May 23, 2023
Great book expanding on the men of East Company. Great for fans of the HBO series.
July 18, 2011
Major Dick Winters was a very humble man, and it is a pleasure to read the story of Easy Company in his own words. The writing and narrative are marvelous in this first person account of what it was like to serve in the proud unit. It is almost strictly an account of the military actions of E Company, 506th PIR in World War II, but it does delve more deeply into the personalities making up Easy Company. "Beyond Band of Brothers" shares many stories that were not included in the original book or series. It also expands on stories that were in both giving more personal insight. It is not simply a re-hashing of what's already been said. It is a great work in and of itself.
I think any of us can learn lessons from Major Winters. He was a true leader put into an impossible situation. He gives all the credit to the men he served with which is the sign of any great leader. "Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters" is a must have for any collection of military books, World War II books, or leadership books. I recommend it highly.
I think any of us can learn lessons from Major Winters. He was a true leader put into an impossible situation. He gives all the credit to the men he served with which is the sign of any great leader. "Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters" is a must have for any collection of military books, World War II books, or leadership books. I recommend it highly.
January 6, 2014
As other reviews have said, Winters is not a writer by training; anyone who has seen Band of Brothers remember the typing the scene as he is trying to do after action reports. However, as a complement to Ambrose's book, this memoir serves its purpose. I think it is clear from interviews Winters did prior to his death, he never saw himself as a hero and he was never out to make this story of the Screaming Eagles and Easy Company about him. it was about the men with which he served. He did them justice. It's a good memoir and it tells us about the men, who in wartime, were asked to do impossible things as if they were normal everyday activities. I don't get the feeling as one reviewer wrote that he was a "sanctimonious" prig, but rather his time in Paris seemed to be purposeless, given what he had been through.
I would recommend this book; it is readable and one can learn a great deal about what the common paratrooper, infantry man dealt with as well as those, like Winters, who found themselves promoted and called upon to lead other men when they themselves had lrecent experience.
I would recommend this book; it is readable and one can learn a great deal about what the common paratrooper, infantry man dealt with as well as those, like Winters, who found themselves promoted and called upon to lead other men when they themselves had lrecent experience.
April 3, 2017
This is Major Dick Winters' war memoirs. A first hand account of Easy Company (E Company) of the US Army, 101st Airborne as they trained, traveled to England, readied for D-Day and parachuted into Normandy. Winters, as company commander, led his Band of Brothers through Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge and on to capture Berchtesgaden, Hitler's Bavarian retreat at the end of the war. Many people know of "The Band of Brothers" book by Stephen Ambrose and the movie of the same name. This book is Dick Winters' chance to correct many of the misrepresentations of his men.
October 30, 2020
It's no surprise whatsoever that I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir. The Band of Brothers miniseries is still one of my favorite miniseries, particularly the depiction of Dick Winters. You know watching the series that he was special man for a special time and it only becomes more apparent the more I've dug into his life, including this book. Some men were simply born to lead, Winters is just one of these men. It's clear he's also a man of reflection, which made this memoir all the more interesting as he wrote it not only after the war, but after the miniseries as he felt there was more to say, and there truly is. The trust and friendship he had with Stephen Ambrose (Writer of Band of Brothers) shows deeply in this book, as does his reverence for the men he served with, particularly those that never came home. There are many wonderful memoirs from World War 2, but this is one of the best I've read. I think it stands out from the perspective Winters had of serving the entire war as well as how his views evolved as he went up in rank. I'm happy to see he got to live the long life of peace he hoped for after the war, living to his mid 90s and passing away just a decade ago. I can't recommend this book or any of the materials related to the Band of Brothers and Easy Company enough, it's simply a story of some incredible men that needs to be told.
August 5, 2016
I enjoyed Band of Brothers - the book and HBO mini-series - so I was interested in reading more about Richard Winters and Easy Company.
The book held some interesting content particularly the first three chapters before the invasion and the last few chapters detailing life after the war. Some other reflections on decision making as a military leader and on being a leader in general sprinkled throughout the book were also of interest. However, stylisticaly the book is a little boring as both a war memior and autobiography. The reiteration of the humbleness and modesty of the author also was a little overbearing.
This, of course, takes nothing away from Richard Winters and his many accomplishments; however, I wish that the book either focused more inward on decision-making or more outward on Company E as the author's voice never felt very comfortable talking about himself.
Read the first few chapters and the last few chapters or better yet find an interview with Richard Winters.
The book held some interesting content particularly the first three chapters before the invasion and the last few chapters detailing life after the war. Some other reflections on decision making as a military leader and on being a leader in general sprinkled throughout the book were also of interest. However, stylisticaly the book is a little boring as both a war memior and autobiography. The reiteration of the humbleness and modesty of the author also was a little overbearing.
This, of course, takes nothing away from Richard Winters and his many accomplishments; however, I wish that the book either focused more inward on decision-making or more outward on Company E as the author's voice never felt very comfortable talking about himself.
Read the first few chapters and the last few chapters or better yet find an interview with Richard Winters.
June 22, 2008
If I could only read one book about Band of Brothers, this surprisingly would NOT be it. Though I admire Winters and believe he truly loved the men he served with, I don't think he conveys himself or his story very well in his writing. At times, he even seems to patronize his men. Though it was an interesting read, it is not a book that I would reread or recommend unless you are very interested in Band of Brothers. I would suggest the book by Bill Guarnere and Babe Heffron over this one.
April 21, 2024
This really isn't a complicated book to review. It came out 5 years after Band of Brothers aired and over 10 years after Steven Ambrose's book. The title literally describes that this book is "beyond" what those two items covered. The book serves as an extension to what actually happened. It corrects some minor inaccuracies, tells a few extra stories, and explains a few decisions/actions not explored in the show or book.
If you really like Band of Brothers and the Ambrose book you'll almost certainly like this. If you're expecting a serious and rigid amount of Winters experiences and thoughts in a nuanced light, you're missing the point (IMO, and not saying that criticism isn't warranted/shouldn't happen).
My thoughts on specific common criticisms:
1) Winters preaches being humble and how humble he is which seems contradictory.
- I listened to the book which may explain why I didn't get the sentiment. The book is written in the first person, but feels largely like it was Winters speaking with Kingseed who was trying to get the point across. I don't think this is unreasonable.
2) It wasn't a proper reflection of the war in its totality, it was too focused on Easy company and their perspective.
- I may need to read other members of E Company's memoirs to understand this better. But again, it seems silly to make this claim about a book that is basically an addendum to another book. As well as from the leader of said group who was explicit in his priority of doing what was always in the best interest of those he leads.
3) You can tell Winters isn't a very good writer.
- I listened to the book so that changes the intonation of the words, it wasn't the most artistically written but it was to the point and clear which I personally like.
If you really like Band of Brothers and the Ambrose book you'll almost certainly like this. If you're expecting a serious and rigid amount of Winters experiences and thoughts in a nuanced light, you're missing the point (IMO, and not saying that criticism isn't warranted/shouldn't happen).
My thoughts on specific common criticisms:
1) Winters preaches being humble and how humble he is which seems contradictory.
- I listened to the book which may explain why I didn't get the sentiment. The book is written in the first person, but feels largely like it was Winters speaking with Kingseed who was trying to get the point across. I don't think this is unreasonable.
2) It wasn't a proper reflection of the war in its totality, it was too focused on Easy company and their perspective.
- I may need to read other members of E Company's memoirs to understand this better. But again, it seems silly to make this claim about a book that is basically an addendum to another book. As well as from the leader of said group who was explicit in his priority of doing what was always in the best interest of those he leads.
3) You can tell Winters isn't a very good writer.
- I listened to the book so that changes the intonation of the words, it wasn't the most artistically written but it was to the point and clear which I personally like.
August 22, 2024
It feels wrong to rate this book as average when the man’s story is truly nothing short of spectacular. Dick Winters was a superb, professional soldier who changed the outcomes of battle with his ability to see and adapt to battlefield situations in real time. He took manuals about battle strategy to the front to keep learning. I loved reading about an excellent commander whose troops loved him and fought for him. He saved so many lives of his men. When the war in Europe ended, he signed up to go to the Pacific and help lead more soldiers and hopefully save lives. His response to his mother and commanding officer was, “Those boys have mothers that want them to come home, too.” That made me do a double take. Straight fire. And he lived his life that way, amazing man. He transitioned into civilian life and made a go of that too. Inspirational.
The negative side is the story slowed down in weird places and altered the way I was processing the information. Another review said Winters wasn’t an author, so it is excused. I have to agree. The story and the man is not diminished because the book couldn’t grasp the totality of his experience.
The negative side is the story slowed down in weird places and altered the way I was processing the information. Another review said Winters wasn’t an author, so it is excused. I have to agree. The story and the man is not diminished because the book couldn’t grasp the totality of his experience.
November 28, 2023
The stories behind the story everyone knows from the book/miniseries holds up just as riveting as what made those final cuts. A unique retelling given its viewpoint strictly from one of the greatest tactical leaders of all time and the reasoning behind some of the decisions during the actions he lead.
October 30, 2019
Excellent book! Definitely worth the read!
May 20, 2021
So good! I read this just after finishing Band of Brothers. It was really awesome to read some more of the insights about Winter's perspective on some events.
April 10, 2024
Well written book by an incredible man.
October 26, 2019
Excellent book!
August 8, 2024
Listened on audiobook. Insight into the reflections and thought process of an amazing man
October 16, 2023
Amazing book. I cannot thank the men (and now their families) of Easy Company enough for their sacrifices.
June 3, 2018
I read this book to commemorate Memorial Day. Although MAJ Winters isn’t a writer, as many other reviews state...I thought this was an excellent memoir. Although, if you’ve read or watched Band of Brothers you may be familiar with some Easy Co stories.
This memoir gives you more insight into what kind of man Dick Winters was. I loved that he is utterly perplexed why people continually ask him about leadership and how he came to be so effective. His advice is: don’t ask people to do what you wouldn’t, and be where the critical decisions are...aka the front.
I love hearing about these men of character and moral and physical courage.
This Memorial Day I’ve heard many people chafing at sales and advertising campaigns around the holiday. While I also find this insensitive I believe it comes from being uneducated. These people probably have not suffered loss or experienced the crucible of war. It’s a dichotomy. Because although those of us who have served and lost don’t wish this experience upon others...this insensitivity is the consequence.
With this in mind, I implore you to do an act of remembrance each and every Memorial Day. Visit a cemetery, lay a wreath, attend a parade or ceremony. Remember someone you lost to war or service. If you haven’t been personally touched by this, research a veteran from your town...I’m sure there is a bridge, or highway or a memorial somewhere named for someone you can learn about. Sharing these stories of heroism keeps the legacy alive. Just my two cents.
This memoir gives you more insight into what kind of man Dick Winters was. I loved that he is utterly perplexed why people continually ask him about leadership and how he came to be so effective. His advice is: don’t ask people to do what you wouldn’t, and be where the critical decisions are...aka the front.
I love hearing about these men of character and moral and physical courage.
This Memorial Day I’ve heard many people chafing at sales and advertising campaigns around the holiday. While I also find this insensitive I believe it comes from being uneducated. These people probably have not suffered loss or experienced the crucible of war. It’s a dichotomy. Because although those of us who have served and lost don’t wish this experience upon others...this insensitivity is the consequence.
With this in mind, I implore you to do an act of remembrance each and every Memorial Day. Visit a cemetery, lay a wreath, attend a parade or ceremony. Remember someone you lost to war or service. If you haven’t been personally touched by this, research a veteran from your town...I’m sure there is a bridge, or highway or a memorial somewhere named for someone you can learn about. Sharing these stories of heroism keeps the legacy alive. Just my two cents.
May 3, 2021
I could have sworn I'd read this before, but it is not on my Goodreads. So, maybe I read it most of the way and never finished it? Weird.
In any event, it's a great read--miles above Ambrose's Band of Brothers book, which I think is a terrible book about a fascinating story. I love the miniseries Band of Brothers (I watch it at least once, if not twice, a year) and have really enjoyed the various memoirs produced by the members of Easy Company since Band of Brothers was released.
Winters' memoir is well-written, but it is a bit dry, especially as action-packed as it really is. I think that's more a consequence of Winters being very analytical than anything, but he's especially interested in discussing his WWII experiences in relation to the concept of leadership, and that is unique. I did really enjoy the parts where Winters was less guarded and even a little petty, such as when he admits to being sort of snarky with his wartime penpal because he was just not in the mood to be nice after combat and when he notes that his paratroopers were notoriously hellraisers on leave, but he most certainly was not!
In any event, it's a great read--miles above Ambrose's Band of Brothers book, which I think is a terrible book about a fascinating story. I love the miniseries Band of Brothers (I watch it at least once, if not twice, a year) and have really enjoyed the various memoirs produced by the members of Easy Company since Band of Brothers was released.
Winters' memoir is well-written, but it is a bit dry, especially as action-packed as it really is. I think that's more a consequence of Winters being very analytical than anything, but he's especially interested in discussing his WWII experiences in relation to the concept of leadership, and that is unique. I did really enjoy the parts where Winters was less guarded and even a little petty, such as when he admits to being sort of snarky with his wartime penpal because he was just not in the mood to be nice after combat and when he notes that his paratroopers were notoriously hellraisers on leave, but he most certainly was not!
September 5, 2014
After reading Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose and watching the HBO series based on it I gained an even greater respect for the men and women on the front lines, and I was truly fascinated by the courage portrayed by the men of Easy Company and their leader Major Winters. I always found Major Winters to be particularly fascinating and I was curious about how he was able to be so comforting to his men when they needed it and yet so completely unwavering in the face of death. Beyond Band of Brothers helped show how Major Winters cared about nothing more than his men and gave a much more intimate explanation of the emotional and strategic aspects of the battles instead of just the most exciting moments. This detailed depiction of each struggle that Winters and Easy Company went through made Beyond Band of Brothers a emotional and thought provoking book that I would strongly recommend to anyone.
March 15, 2017
I read this for a book club focused on leadership and am inclined to review it in that light. I have not read or watched Band of Brothers, and that plus Winters's very spare prose left me feeling disconnected with the men of Easy Company, beyond the extraordinary nature of their deeds. And although Winters writes from the vantage of a man leading other men into battle on the frontlines of Europe, the book reads more as a set of case studies for a military history course than a compelling narrative about the visceral experience of war as seen in, say, The Killer Angels.
However, from the vantage of modeling leadership, there is so much to learn. First there is the necessity of personal integrity and honesty, followed by competence. Leadership is a set of behaviors that requires you to lead by doing, by demonstrating that even the difficult or terrifying is possible. Winters is clear that dedication to the craft (in his case, small infantry tactics and physical fitness) and regular preparation are key. Once events are moving, a knowledge of your people's strengths and the bonds built previously between the team must carry the day. Winters is honest and practical- there is no silver bullet. You show up every day and work hard, and go from there, or you are no where.
However, from the vantage of modeling leadership, there is so much to learn. First there is the necessity of personal integrity and honesty, followed by competence. Leadership is a set of behaviors that requires you to lead by doing, by demonstrating that even the difficult or terrifying is possible. Winters is clear that dedication to the craft (in his case, small infantry tactics and physical fitness) and regular preparation are key. Once events are moving, a knowledge of your people's strengths and the bonds built previously between the team must carry the day. Winters is honest and practical- there is no silver bullet. You show up every day and work hard, and go from there, or you are no where.
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