Review by Booklist Review
The World Generals series puts the leading British commander of WWII in competent hands. Royle offers a balanced view of Monty's 50-year career, including both his gifts (organizing and training troops and inspiring them to do their best, as well as sound strategic and tactical concepts) and his failings. These include somewhat rigid planning (possibly influenced by his WWI experience; he wanted to get set-piece battles done right) and a singular lack of tact and diplomacy with not only his own superiors and enemies but also his American allies. Whatever effect this last attribute had on American evaluations of him (which may remain hostile for another century), Monty was a thoroughly professional soldier who loathed sloppiness and made a badly needed and substantially successful effort to rout it out of every British formation he commanded. He earned his baton.--Green, Roland Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Royle, an editor at The Sunday Herald, curiously chose Bernard Law Montgomery for Palgrave's World Generals series. Monty had two big successes: he took over a disheartened British Eighth army in North Africa, binged them up-one of Montgomery's favorite terms-and gave the Allies their first major victories over the Nazis at El Alamein, defeating Field Marshal Irwin Rommel. Montgomery also played a key role in defeating the Nazis in the Battle of the Bulge. But Montgomery was also a highly flawed military leader. Few American generals could stand his arrogance and egotism and it took all of Eisenhower's tact to keep him in line. In Sicily, Montgomery overrated the capacity of his own troops and underrated that of the Americans. Montgomery's tendency to over-plan also led to lost opportunities. Royle races through Montgomery's life and battles, often trying to excuse Montgomery's bad behavior or bad press. Other than Montgomery's fame for inspiring his own soldiers, Royle finds few leadership lessons (aside from, perhaps, what not to do). Montgomery was a more fascinating figure than this volume can capture. (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by Library Journal Review
This is a short military biography of British Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, who first came to prominence in North Africa, earning a reputation as a brilliant general and leader despite a fractious and spiteful personality that set nearly every commander in Europe on edge. The much-published Royle gives a balanced account of him, not shrinking from the defects and giving full credit for the successes. Most useful to readers wishing to supplement their collection of more general histories; a good introductory biography. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Booklist Review
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Review by Library Journal Review
