Books that Hook: Killing Patton: The Strange Death of World War II’s Most Audacious General
Our senior book reviews are written with the understanding that mature, sensible, premium-aged people may not want the bother of searching for well-written, sleaze-free reading materials—that’s why we’ve done the searching for you. We hope you enjoy this month’s pick.
This Month’s Nonfiction Selection: Killing Patton: The Strange Death of World War II’s Most Audacious General
Author: Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Length: 352
The infamous Battle of the Bulge, the Nazi’s last attempt to push the Allies backwards across Europe in December 1944, is synonymous with the name General George S. Patton, one of the best-known generals in American history. In Killing Patton, Bill O’Reilly and his co-author Martin Dugard place readers on the front lines of this devilish confrontation. Hitler has sent nearly all of his army’s remaining resources, tanks, gasoline, ammunition, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers to achieve his objective: break through enemy lines and retake Antwerp, a strategic port city in Belgium. Wisely, Hitler orders this attack to begin when the forces he fears most—General Patton and the Third Army—are stationed many miles away in France.
But Patton, in his no-nonsense devil-may-care way, charges to the front lines of the skirmish and counterattacks the German forces. In a bloody battle that is now regarded as perhaps the greatest in American military history, the Allies regain the upper hand in the worldwide conflict and secure the conclusion of the war in just a few months to come. But just as Patton’s unexpected strategy, unorthodox manner, and uncensored views make him a brilliant commander, it is these same traits that mark him as a dangerous man in the eyes of his enemies.
Killing Patton follows the last few months of World War II, its pages peopled with the great commanders and leaders of the world, Patton among them. Patton was flawed and his commentary could be caustic, and when he turned his vitriol against the Soviets and Stalin’s Red Army, he marked himself as a target in the newly-evolving world of international espionage and intelligence. In compulsively readable narratives moving from Moscow to Washington D.C., from Bastogne to the Wolf’s Lair, the authors build a convincing case suggesting that the death of General Patton may not have been accidental.
Bill O’Reilly is the host of the political commentary program The O’Reilly Factor, which is the highest-rated show on U.S. television cable news. He is also a radio personality, author, and syndicated columnist. Martin Dugard is a writer and adventure enthusiast who has co-written four books with Bill O’Reilly. The books in their “Killing” series have sold more than six million copies and have been adapted as films by National Geographic. Killing Lincoln, published in 2011, was a #1 New York Times Bestseller. If you enjoy military history or larger-than-life biographies, Killing Patton is just the book for you.
You can borrow Killing Patton from your local library. Purchase it from a local bookseller or at www.amazon.com. Also available in e-book and audio book format.