Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II

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When World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle left for the Pacific Theater in 1945, he told friends and colleagues that he felt sure he would die there. Pyle was right; on April 18th, a Japanese machine gunner killed one of America's most beloved personalities, sending the entire nation into shock and mourning. In the years since Pyle's death, his particular brand of journalism has been criticized: he's been accused of ignoring the stupidity of generals, of downplaying the horror of battle, and of presenting the war in a better light than it actually deserved to be portrayed. James Tobin, author of the impressive biography Ernie Pyle's War, does not deny that his subject often smoothed the jagged facts of war, but he provides both the context--an era and a war in which correspondents were expected to be "team players" who helped their side to win hearts and minds at home--and the personal conflict raised for Pyle by the often irreconcilable demands of telling the truth and building morale.

In addition to detailing Pyle's mostly unhappy personal life, Tobin also includes samples of his columns, proving once and for all that Pyle was more than just a hick who fell into reporting; the man had real, substantial talent, evidenced by his ability to put words together and his sensitivity to the subjects he wrote about. More than just a biography, Ernie Pyle's War is also a study of war, and the peculiar, twilight world of suffering and half-told truths to which men like Ernie Pyle were drawn.

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WINNER OF A NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD

Ernie Pyle, better than any other World War II journalist, conveyed the triumphs and tribulations of the common soldier trying to survive a brutal conflict. From North Africa and Normandy, Anzio and Okinawa -- where he died -- Pyle brought the war home to America. James Tobin's "superbly documented and compassionate account" (Publishers Weekly) is a classic biography of an American icon.

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When a machine-gun bullet ended the life of war correspondent Ernie Pyle in the final days of World War II, Americans mourned him in the same breath as they mourned Franklin Roosevelt. To millions, the loss of this American folk hero seemed nearly and great as the loss of the wartime president. If the hidden horrors and valor of combat persist at all in the public mind, it is because of those writers who watched it and recorded it in the faith that war is too important to be confined to the private memories of the warriors. Above all these writers, Ernie Pyle towered as a giant. Through his words ad his compassion, Americans everywhere gleaned their understanding of what they came to call "The Good War". Pyle walked a troubled path to fame. Though insecure and anxious, he created a carefree and kindly public image in his popular prewar column - all the while struggling with inner demons and a tortured marriage. War, in fact, offered Pyle an escape hatch from his own personal hell. It also offered him a subject precisely suited to his talent - a shrewd understanding of human nature, an unmatched eye for detail, a profound capacity to identify with the suffering soldiers whom he adopted as his own, and a plain yet poetic style reminiscent of Mark Twain and Will Rogers. These he brought to bear on the Battle of Britain and all the great American campaigns of the war - North Africa, Sicily, Italy, D-Day and Normandy, the liberation of Paris, and finally Okinawa, where he felt compelled to go because of his enormous public stature despite premonitions of death.

Customer Reviews:

amazing story, wonderful details.......2007-08-26

This is a fascinating book, and this from a reader more into fiction than historical biography - but the best fiction writer would be hard pressed to come up with a character like Ernie Pyle.

A page turning look into World War II from someone who could have been your neighbor but was far more than what you would have expected.

I have no idea why a modern rendition of this story has not hit the big screen - it seems a natural, captivating story that would educate as well as entertain.

a life-changing read.......2007-06-19

this must be THE book to read on war - what it's really like in all of its aspects - his description of the beach, after D-Day was gripping and haunting and it has stayed with me many years later -

and how he relates the everyday and ordinary in war -

and how, in any group or organization, it's often a small percentage of the people who are carrying the load - that's just one example of the many insights and truths in this book that relate to all of life, not just life in a war zone -

and it is a great book for anyone to read - a stunning life achievement for ernie pyle -

America's Link to the Front Lines of World War II.......2004-01-09

James Toban has written a stunning book in "Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II". Toban has succeeded in giving readers the rare opportunity to see the human frailties concealed within one of America's greatest and most valuable World War II correspondents.

James Toban present a picture of the complex Ernie Pyle; a man that entered the World War II carrying only a broken Remington typewriter and a deep desire to describe the life and hardships of the horrific world of the infantrymen to the American public. The reader will learn of the contradictory Ernie Pyle. The Ernie Pyle who despised war, but who could not stay away from the physical and emotional anguish of battle. The Ernie Pyle who loved his wife, but who continually left her behind to travel to the front lines. Ernie Pyle, the seemingly frail and terrified journalist who demonstrated his bravery by traveling to the front lines to be with and write about "his boys". Ernie Pyle, a genius for writing about the common soldier, but who needed constant reminding that he was the best at what he did. His articles became legendary and the hope and news link for Americans with loved ones in the front lines.

James Toban's "Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II " is a must read for World War II readers and all readers who wish to know about the human spirit and about a plain old fashion brave American.

Ernie Pyle's War: Thorough and Entertaining Read.......2003-11-18

"Ernie Pyle's War" by James Tobin was a thorough read. Tobin described Pyle down to the very last detail, uncovering almost every aspect of his life. After reading this book, the reader had a clear view into Pyle's mind and was able to recognize the feelings he possessed about his professional and private life. The way Tobin intertwined Pyle's messages home with biographical details along with interviews of acquaintances, made this story an easy read. "Ernie Pyle's War" earned five "stars."
Tobin's style of writing was one reason this book was so effective. He used partial quotes from Pyle to title his chapters, which brought an immediate sense of intimacy to the story. Tobin began the book with a chronological introduction to Pyle. This style of writing, although typical for biographies, was well suited for this story and not at all cliché. Readers were able to become acquainted with Pyle as a young man and then mature along with him as he grew into an established adult. By describing Pyle as a young man, readers were able to understand more clearly why he was the way he was as an adult.
Tobin used vivid descriptions to paint a picture of Pyle in the minds of the readers. This was an important aspect because Pyle's physical demeanor was one of the main problems and/or benefits in his life. As a child and young adult, his size hindered his relationships. But, as a war correspondent, the people saw Pyle as more of a hometown boy rather than a studious journalist. This added to his success as a war correspondent.
After transitioning into Pyle's career as a war correspondent, the story line became more tedious. Pyle was in and out of combat and the surface facts of his life were boring. Tobin, understanding the paleness of biographical data, used Pyle's messages home to spice up the story. Like most people, Pyle's life was not what it seemed to be. Besides leading a "glorified" life as a war correspondent, he had major problems at home. Tobin showed the audience this by weaving together Pyle's biographical information with the messages he sent home. This gave the reader a sense of what Pyle was actually feeling. Using these messages instead of his columns allowed reader's to see the "real" Pyle.
Tobin uncovered personal feelings about his professional and personal life, which gave the reader a feeling of empathy toward Pyle. Showing that he did not feel like an outstanding reporter, let readers see Pyle was human. Tobin successfully showed the man behind the pen by opening up Pyle's mind to the audience. He did this by using Pyle's own letters and messages home that contained intimate details of his life. Without the added touch of Pyle's actual writing, the story would have failed to be as successful.

Ernie Pyle's War: A Thorough Read.......2003-11-18

Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II.(Book Review) : An article from: Air & Space Power Journal

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Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II.(Book Review) : An article from: Air & Space Power Journal
Michael Pierson
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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This digital document is an article from Air & Space Power Journal, published by Thomson Gale on March 22, 2005. The length of the article is 1041 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II.(Book Review)
Author: Michael Pierson
Publication: Air & Space Power Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 22, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Page: 119(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II.: An article from: American Journalism Review

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Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II.: An article from: American Journalism Review
Carl Sessions Stepp
Manufacturer: University of Maryland
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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This digital document is an article from American Journalism Review, published by University of Maryland on September 1, 1997. The length of the article is 964 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II.
Author: Carl Sessions Stepp
Publication: American Journalism Review (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 1997
Publisher: University of Maryland
Volume: v19 Issue: n7 Page: p53(1)

Article Type: Book Review

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Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II.: An article from: Columbia Journalism Review

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Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II.: An article from: Columbia Journalism Review
Raymond A. Schroth
Manufacturer: Columbia University, Graduate School of Journalism
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00097RQP6
Release Date: 2005-07-28

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This digital document is an article from Columbia Journalism Review, published by Columbia University, Graduate School of Journalism on November 1, 1997. The length of the article is 1549 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II.
Author: Raymond A. Schroth
Publication: Columbia Journalism Review (Refereed)
Date: November 1, 1997
Publisher: Columbia University, Graduate School of Journalism
Volume: v36 Issue: n4 Page: p66(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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Ernie Pyle's War - America's Eyewitness To World War Ii

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Ernie Pyle's War - America's Eyewitness To World War Ii
James Tobin
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K1Q1ZW

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The Spanish Inquisition remains a fearful symbol of state terror. Its principal target was the conversos, descendants of Spanish Jews who had been forced to convert to Christianity some three generations earlier. Since thousands of them confessed to charges of practicing Judaism in secret, historians have long understood the Inquisition as an attempt to suppress the Jews of Spain. In this magisterial reexamination of the origins of the Inquisition, Netanyahu argues for a different view: that the conversos were in fact almost all genuine Christians who were persecuted for political ends. The Inquisition's attacks not only on the conversos' religious beliefs but also on their "impure blood" gave birth to an anti-Semitism based on race that would have terrible consequences for centuries to come.

This book has become essential reading and an indispensable reference book for both the interested layman and the scholar of history and religion.

Customer Reviews:

The Inquisition as a crime of racism.......2005-12-20

The 'Inquistion' was one of the great disasters of Jewish history, involving the slaughter and torture of tens of thousands of innocent people. In this work of historical narrative and analysis the origins of the racist anti- Semitism that characterize the behavior of late fifteenth century Spain the beginning of the process is traced to the Egypt of 525 A.D.
The long story of Spanish Jewry is told here including that of the Conversos who left Judaism for Christianity, and who were nonetheless persecuted by the Inquistion. The fact that these people were Christian and still persecuted is the strong indication that the persecution was done on a racial basis.
The disastrous destruction of one of the great Jewish communities of history is shown to be the result of a warped ideology , an evil and cruel racism.

highly speculative.......2005-11-22

Of the many books and periodical articles that I have read concerning the Spanish Inquisition, this is the most biased and speculative and opinionated. I would not recommend this book to anyone. It is extremely long and tedious. We realize that the Inquisition was shameful. However, this work substitutes one prejudice for another.

Even less confusion.......2004-05-07

It's true that Benzion Netanyahu is not the former Israeli PM; the former Israeli PM, however, is his son. Notice the poignant dedication to his other son, Jonathan, who was one of the Israeli commandos on the Entebbe raid.

To avoid confusion..........2004-02-25

This book is written by Benzion Netanyahu, the Cornell professor and not the former Israel PM... it's a good read either way though.

Origins of the Inquisition et al. by PM Benjamin Netanyahu.......2003-12-15

This is an excellent work from beginning to end. It outlines in
detail, a history of anti-semitism dating back to Egypt in the
BC era. The focus of the work is on the brutal anti-semitism
of the Inquisition in Spain. The main argument seems to place
the process of anti-semitism within a racial context rather than
a religious one. This context may have served as a basis for
a continued persecution of Jews up through the 20th century.
There is a brilliant work which deals with the protection of
the Jewish community against harm. It is "The Keeper of the Gate"
published by the Jerusalem Publishing Company/House. The
"Keeper of the Gate" teaches how Jews protected neighborhoods
from harassing raids by marauders during the Middle Ages.
In fact, Benjamin, Daniel and Joseph have been the historical
gatekeepers of the Jewish community. PM Netanyahu's work
provides a thorough delineation of the foundations of hatred
against Jews. In so doing,the author has provided a wealth of
information to reshape hostile attitudes . [...]
For now, I plan to re-read this work in even greater depth
when the time affords. The author has gained a wealth of
knowledge as a diplomat, Prime Minister and scholar at MIT.
As such, he must be considered a top world scholar of our time.

The Origins of the Inquisition in Fifteenth Century Spain

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The Origins of the Inquisition in Fifteenth Century Spain
Benzion Netanyahu
Manufacturer: NY Review Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXMTW6

The Origins of the Inquisition in Fifteenth Century Spain: 2 Volume Set

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The Origins of the Inquisition in Fifteenth Century Spain: 2 Volume Set
B. Netanyahu
Manufacturer: Random House, New York
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: B000RGZU48

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Whether you're a polar bear giving birth to cubs in an Arctic winter, a camel going days without water in the desert heat, or merely a suburbanite without air conditioning in a heat wave, your comfort and even survival depend on how well you adapt to extreme temperatures.

In this entertaining and illuminating book, biopsychologist Mark Blumberg explores the many ways that temperature rules the lives of all animals (including us). He moves from the physical principles that govern the flow of heat in and out of our bodies to the many complex evolutionary devices animals use to exploit those principles for their own benefit.

In the process Blumberg tells wonderful stories of evolutionary and scientific ingenuity--how penguins withstand Antarctic winters by huddling together by the thousands, how vulnerable embryos of many species are to extremes of temperature during their development, why people survive hour-long drowning accidents in winter but not in summer, how certain plants generate heat (the skunk cabbage enough to melt snow around it). We also hear of systems gone awry--how desert species given too much water can drink themselves into bloated immobility, why anorexics often complain of feeling cold, and why you can't sleep if the room is too hot or too cold. After reading this book, you'll never look at a thermostat in quite the same way again.

Customer Reviews:

Packed with important scientific insights and a lively style.......2005-02-09

In Body Heat : Temperature And Life On Earth, biophysicist Mark Blumberg's exploration of temperature in the world considers the many ways temperature rules the lives of animals, from how penguins survive Antarctic winters to why people survive drowning accidents in winter, but not in summer. Packed with important scientific insights and a lively style which lends to leisure browsing, Body Heat is a remarkable survey and a highly recommended selection for Environmental Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Interesting topic but oversimplified.......2003-10-15

Body Heat is an introduction to how living things regulate their internal temperature in the face of changing external circumstances. It is aimed at a general readership and written in a non-technical style. Although published by the Harvard University Press and handsomely presented, this is not as rigorously scientific as one might like.

First of all there are no footnotes so that some of University of Iowa psychology Professor Mark Blumberg's assertions are without reference. In a work aimed at the general public this is perhaps acceptable, even preferable; however when some of the assertions are a bit puzzling, it would be agreeable to have some attribution.

For example, Blumberg claims that the ancestors of the Pima Indians of southern Arizona (whom he is writing about because they have low levels of leptin which "predisposes them to fat storage") "have lived in North America for 30,000 years." (p. 182) From everything I know about the settlements in North America, there are none that go back 30,000 years. Perhaps this is a very recent discovery. If so, he should cite the source.

Or, consider Figure 8 on page 179. This is a black and white photo of two mice, "one bred for obesity (left) and the other a normal mouse..." On the facing page 178 the obese "mouse" is identified as a db/db (for diabetes) mouse, yet the text suggests that it is more likely a ob/ob (for obese) mouse. Maybe I have this wrong, but what REALLY bothers me about the photo is that I think those white mice are really white RATS and the wrong picture (or text) was used!

Or, on page 175 Blumberg writes that "a pound of fat holds twice as much energy as does a pound of sugar or protein." Actually it holds more like 2.25 times as much energy. There are nine calories in a gram of fat and four in either a gram of sugar or protein. Since I'm sure Blumberg knows this I can only attribute his expression to either a desire on the part of his publisher to "keep it simple" and avoid fractions, or because in the metabolism of fat some energy is lost. If the former is the reason, he should have insisted in the interest of accuracy on the more precise expression; and if the latter, he should have told us so. In either case, we are left wondering if we are being "dumbed down."

This simplistic approach, a kind of creeping casualness about what is and what isn't so, may lead the reader to wonder about the strict accuracy of other statements in the book. For example, on page 158 we learn that the psychologist Craig Anderson asserts that in high heat conditions (hot days) there is an increase in human violence and aggression. This seems reasonable enough. However Blumberg then cites Anderson as suggesting that "if global warming trends continue, an increase in average temperature by" two degrees fahrenheit "will result in 24,000 additional murders each year in the United States." This is startling, so much so I would like to have some of the evidence and the reasoning leading to his conclusion. But Blumberg does not provide any. He does however cite a research paper by Anderson in the bibliography.

Another example of Blumberg really needing to tell us more than he does is from page 188 where he writes that on a "practical level" leptin is not likely to help the average overweight person because "leptin costs nearly $200 per milligram." Problem here is, how much leptin would one need--a milligram a month or perhaps a milligram a day? Again Blumberg doesn't say.

This casualness of expression is really a shame because in perhaps the most interesting part of the book, in the chapter entitled "Livin' Off the Fat," Blumberg presents some evidence that anorexia nervosa may to some degree be a disease caused by a thermoregulatory dysfunction. (pp. 191-196) Unfortunately before he presents this argument he writes that the "discrepancy between the physical realities faced by most women and the messages portrayed by a minority of women who are so thin that many of them no longer have menstrual cycles has helped to generate a steady increase in the incidence of anorexia nervosa over the last twenty years." (p. 188)

I'm not sure what this means, except it sounds a lot like the usual lament about how the fashion media is in some sense responsible for anorexia. Yet, he doesn't exactly say that, does he? What he really says is that some "women" have "helped to... increase" anorexia!

Finally on page 204 Blumberg notes that there are "many theories, some of them silly and some of them intriguing" as to why we behave as we do in REM sleep. However, he just leaves it at that without mentioning any of them except to say that temperature is a factor.

On the plus side, there is a lot of interesting information in the book about how heat and cold affect us and other animals, and plants. I was surprised to learn that plants can heat themselves, that the skunk cabbage, for example, can melt snow (p. 92), and that some plants may be using heat instead of aroma or color to attract pollinating insects (p. 93). Also interesting is the little known fact that the skin of polar bears is actually black (to absorb as much of the sun's heat as possible) while its fur of course appears white to match the snow and ice of its environment.

Bottom line: this is definitely worth reading; however I think the decision to avoid being technical and explanatory work against the value of the book.

An interesting book.......2002-09-18

The author writes in a clear manner and fits a lot of interesting information into a fairly small book (about 50,000 words in 215 5X7 inch pages). He gets slightly technical -- about the right amount for a tyro like me.
I found his defense of evolution in chapter 3 to be particularly thought provoking. The author makes the point that there is no single cause, no essence, and no blue print for some complex processes -- "There are only the parts and their interactions". The mathematically inclined may wish to see a half-million word expansion of this theme in S. Wolfram's "A New Kind of Science".
I noticed a couple of errors:

- Latitude and longitude get swapped from page 65 to page 67.

- Page 30 states that dogs breathe at 30-40 breaths/minute or pant at 300-400 breaths/minute, and they do not breathe at any in between rate. I timed my dog panting at about 180 breaths per minute.

Fascinating and fun.......2002-08-12

Get ready to embark on a truly exciting and entertaining round-the-world voyage of discovery. And it won't take 80 days, either. In just 215 pages and in beautiful prose, Mark Blumberg explains the vitally important connection between temperature and life on Earth.

Body Heat not only answers questions that I've always wondered about but also answers questions that I've never even thought to ask. For example, before I read this book, I didn't know how Antarctic fish survive (answer: antifreeze in their blood) or how male penguins manage to incubate eggs while enduring temperatures of -76 degrees F (answer: I won't spoil it for you). On the opposite end of the thermometer-at 185 degrees F-is the bacterium that thrives within hydrothermal vents more than one mile below the surface of the ocean. As the author so rightly puts it, "These are the true athletes of the extreme." And then there are the enlightening discussions about those aspects of our lives that are much closer to home - thermostats, peppers, sleep, fevers, dogs, obesity, anorexia, language, behavior, and babies, just to name a few. It's amazing how much information can be shared when the language is clear and purposeful.

As told in this treasure of a book - with humor ("Pluto is cold; Chicago in January is merely inconvenient"), a passion for his subject, and a marvelous ability to draw on diverse subjects as well as personal experiences to tell this story - the tale of temperature and life on Earth is fascinating indeed.

Thoroughly Enjoyable.......2002-07-22

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book. The publisher's weekly reviewer's criticism is misdirected. I guarantee that you will enjoy this book, and annoy the hell out of your friends/family quoting them little tidbits. I particularly enjoyed the author's discussion of the design of experiments, in his lab and in the lab's of other scientists, for various purposes. Highly recommended.

Evolution by degrees.(BODY HEAT: TEMPERATURE AND LIFE ON EARTH) (book review): An article from: American Scholar

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Evolution by degrees.(BODY HEAT: TEMPERATURE AND LIFE ON EARTH) (book review): An article from: American Scholar
Chris Mooney
Manufacturer: Phi Beta Kappa Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0009FPF8I
Release Date: 2005-07-30

Book Description

This digital document is an article from American Scholar, published by Phi Beta Kappa Society on June 22, 2002. The length of the article is 1336 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Evolution by degrees.(BODY HEAT: TEMPERATURE AND LIFE ON EARTH) (book review)
Author: Chris Mooney
Publication: American Scholar (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 2002
Publisher: Phi Beta Kappa Society
Volume: 71 Issue: 3 Page: 149(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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Thermal musings. (Physics).: An article from: American Scientist

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Thermal musings. (Physics).: An article from: American Scientist
Philip Morrison
Manufacturer: Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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