Patton: Blood, Guts, and Prayer

You can read biographies of General George Patton that are much longer than this one but in 234 pages this book will provide you with a good background into the personality of the soldier. Both General Patton and General Custer shared a common trait namely what to do with themselves when there is no war going on.Author Michael Keane provides insight into the controversial incidents in General Patton's career, such as the slapping incidents that took place in Sicily in 1943 of shell-shocked soldiers. In fairness to Patton little was known of this disability at the time. Author Keane also provides insight into Patton's religious beliefs and the power of prayer. Patton was a believer in reincarnation and claims he remembered things from previous lives of his.General Patton was a man of many contradictions. He could be profane and still be moved easily to tears. He could be blunt with a pastor who couldn't get his message across in ten minutes and used his profanity as an emphasis to get the importance of his message across to his soldiers. He sorely tested the patience of General Eisenhower with his controversial remarks.If you would like to learn about General Patton without pioneering your way through a lengthy biography this book by Michael Keane would be an excellent choice for you.

OLD BLOOD & GUTS! (His nickname) General Patton was a fantastic and unbelievable soldier, and he was a professional. His men would follow him anywhere and he was up in the front along with his men! . He believed he was reincarnated and that he had fought in all the wars before since the beginning of time, practically. When he would arrive at a destination he would state that 'he had been there before' in another time, and he would know of the battle that had raged at that particular spot. The ONLY problem he had was his inability to be tactful, therefore his mouth got him into a LOT of trouble - he was TOO outspoken and it cost him. If you are a military enthusiast as I, then you will like and enjoy reading about and learning about one of the greatest soldiers of our or any time. I HIGHLY recommend the book!

Old Blood and Guts was more than the public image he portrayed. A lot of factors and moments in his life made him the man he became. This book takes a different approach from so many others and focuses on his spiritual side. Patton was more than the character portrayed by George C. Scott. He was exceptionally complex and singularly minded. He was also part Hollywood and part Cowboy as one of his contemporaries once noted.I thoroughly enjoyed the read. I bought the kindle book and also did the audio upgrade.

There is a lot of repeat material here and the book cannot approach the bio by Patton's grandson, but it is a good read nevertheless. I enjoyed it and I did learn some new things. And it is very easy to read. My only criticism is that there is not a lot here about Patton's faith, what I had been expecting given the title of the book. It would have been a better book it had undertaken a deeper analysis of Patton's faith and spirituality. Instead we are just given incidents in which Patton recited a prayer, the author never addressing the question of how sincere Patton's faith was.

Keane' s book revitalizes the great General's legacy, especially for his many casual fans who know him primarily as the character portrayed on-screen by George C. Scott.Less a biography than a character study, arranged by themes rather than chronologically, Keane' s work might confuse a reader entirely unfamiliar with Patton - but there are few military history readers in THAT category! Rich in anecdote, interesting in theme and temperate in interpretation; clearly sympathetic to its subject, but not flinching from portrayals of his flaws...an excellent addition to any military or leadership library.

The book reveals dimensions of Patton that have not been explored before. The result is a Patton even greater than first thought.The writer does an excellent job of maintaining your interest by using new stories of Patton yet not known. Finally, there is an intimacy of material letting the reader know facets of Patton's life not published before.Thank you for preserving the image of a great American hero.cmb

Mr Keane looks at Patton with an objective view with all his postives and negatives and allows the reader to draw their own conclusion about the man. What is new with this book is the prayer part which was in fact a big part of Patton's life. He is very clear with all his prejudices but if the person can do the job needed, he did not care. Also, infact, his views were very much the views of the time period.It is a very good book and revealing some new items about General Patton.

A great book focusing on Patton's rather quirky spiritual side. Despite Patton's unorthodox approach to the Christian faith, it is still inspiring and fascinating. His faith in prayer and God's plan for his life is also, nonetheless, inspirational.

Excellent quality, arrived very fast

An amazing book! I am going to read it again!