Once an Eagle: A Novel
By Anton Myrer
3.5/5
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About this ebook
The phenomenal #1 New York Times bestseller that captured the imagination of a generation
"A remarkable novel. . . utterly engrossing. . . . It is an astute study of the mind and character of a good general and a good man. And it is a brilliant inside view of the life of a career officer in peace and war." — New York Times
“Simply the best work of fiction on leadership in print.” —General Martin E. Dempsey, 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Required reading for West Point and Marine Corps cadets, Once An Eagle is the story of one special man, a soldier named Sam Damon, and his adversary over a lifetime, fellow officer Courtney Massengale. Damon is a professional who puts duty, honor, and the men he commands above self-interest. Massengale, however, brilliantly advances by making the right connections behind the lines and in Washington's corridors of power. Beginning in the French countryside during the Great War, the conflict between these adversaries solidifies in the isolated garrison life marking peacetime, intensifies in the deadly Pacific jungles of World War II, and reaches its treacherous conclusion in the last major battleground of the Cold War—Vietnam.
Now with a new foreword by acclaimed historian Carlo D'Este, here is an unforgettable story of a man who embodies the best in our nation—and in us all.
Anton Myrer
While attending Harvard University, Anton Myrer (1922-1996) enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps immediately after the Pearl Harbor attacks. He served for three years during World War II until he was wounded in the Pacific. He is also the author of the novels The Big War, The Last Convertible, and A Green Desire.
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Reviews for Once an Eagle
12 ratings6 reviews
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5It's the second book about navy seals in Vietnam I read and while this author appears to revel in the killing less it's still a very similar story devoid of any introspection. At no point does the author considered what he was doing or the conduct of the troops. Closest he gets is to mention that soldiers in Vietnam stole from the military (of course the author did not) and that Vietnamese soldiers were cowardly and officers corrupt. Project phoenix? Total success! No idea what all the fuss was about.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is an incredible book. It is one of the most informative and well told personal accounts of the Vietnam War. It's easily the best book I've read, on the subject, since "Chicken Hawk".
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The only thing I can say about this book is that it was the best novel I have ever read.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I was both delighted and disappointed with this book. The archetypal solemn, midwestern hero was a compelling character. The military and historical anecdotes and clever dialogue where enjoyable. However, the book followed the same old pattern throughout, action scenes where only the hero had the wisdom and fortitude to pull out a victory for the good guys with pages on end of painful, shallow relationships impacted by the military lifestyle. There is one thing that the book really does well, it leads you to fully realize the horrors of war and the greed and unthinking selfishness of men that brings us there.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Great book if you can't sleep! It put me to sleep within a page or two every time I tried to read it!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I feel as if I should've been drawn into this book more than I was and that it should've affected me more than it did. A great story of war, leadership, and human relationships, but I just felt as if I never became immersed in the story and the characters the way I thought I would be - something held me back, but I don't know whether it was me, or something in the writing.