Patton

November 28, 2005
Gen. George Patton, "a great and flawed figure" who still elicits strong feelings, makes an excellent choice for the initial volume in Palgrave's Great Generals series. Axelrod, a prolific business writer and historian (Patton on Leadership
; Elizabeth I, CEO
), delivers a solid if brief introduction to Patton's life and career. Seeking a "balanced appreciation" of Patton, Axelrod focuses on the contradictions that make the general such a controversial figure. A tactical genius who was instrumental in pioneering the concepts of modern maneuver and combined arms warfare, Patton often struggled to control his own personal demons and emotions. Thus, the man who conquered Sicily and turned "a stunning catastrophe" into an equally stunning victory at the Battle of the Bulge once set off a media storm—and was sidelined by General Eisenhower for 11 months—after he assaulted two soldiers suffering from battle fatigue. Restless in peace, the man who Eisenhower observed was "born to be a soldier," was killed in an automobile accident in occupied Germany in 1946. Axelrod has captured Patton's checkered legacy in a balanced biography suitable for anyone looking for a concise introduction to the commander German Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt pronounced the Allies' best.

Axelrod offers new and interesting insight into General George S. Patton, a figure often portrayed as larger than life. Axelrod focuses upon the emotional sides of Patton, drawing on both well-known and lesser-known events that led the General to greatness, and to personal destruction. Brian Emerson's reading mirrors the ebbs and flows that characterized Patton's life. At times, Emerson's style is understated, yet at other moments he sounds as though he inhabits Patton's psyche, capturing the General's insecurity, intensity, and brilliance. For example, readers who remember Patton's infamous "slap" may be surprised to learn that there were, in fact, two slaps, and that they took an enormous personal toll on the General. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine