Author: Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard
Published: 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Number of Pages: 326
My Rating: 5
Summary from GoodReads.com:
Readers around the world have
thrilled to "Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy," and "Killing
Jesus"--riveting works of nonfiction that journey into the heart of the
most famous murders in history. Now from Bill O'Reilly, anchor of "The
O'Reilly Factor," comes the most epic book of all in this
multimillion-selling series: "Killing Patton."
General George S. Patton,
Jr. died under mysterious circumstances in the months following the end of
World War II. For almost seventy years, there has been suspicion that his death
was not an accident--and may very well have been an act of assassination.
"Killing Patton" takes readers inside the final year of the war and
recounts the events surrounding Patton's tragic demise, naming names of the
many powerful individuals who wanted him silenced.
All political views
aside... this is a great book.
While I have
not read any of the other famous books that Bill O'Reilly has written in this
series, I had heard many great things about them, especially Killing
Patton, and was intrigued about all of the hype. I am a sucker
for anything World War II related so for obvious reasons I
was instantly drawn to this specific book in the franchise and started it
right away.
One thing I
had heard people talking about regarding this book series, was the fact that
the author is a huge political commentator and that they wouldn't read it
strictly because they didn't agree with his views. If this is how you
feel, I strongly suggest you push those ideas aside and read the book anyway.
O'Reilly is not inserted in the book and his ideas and viewpoints aren't
secretly trying to sabotage the pages. He has done his research and has
created an amazing account of some of the greatest leaders of this
historic time period.
Another
thing that people have been debating over on social media and websites was the
fact that Bill O'Reilly is bringing up a crazy conspiracy theory about the idea
that Patton could have potentially been assassinated instead of dying
in a car crash. In reality, this idea doesn't have much room in the book and
isn't really pushed at all. While there are a couple of
pages about the odd circumstances this famous man died in and the
fact that a lot of the evidence has been lost concerning his death, there isn't
a whole lot else talking about this theory. I think these facts are vital to
bring up as they are that- facts. You can't really argue much that this
evidence is odd, but the idea that this entire book is one giant Republican
conspiracy theory is not true.
Once you get
past all of the extra stuff and actually get into the guts of the book, you
will find a historically accurate, unique portrayal of many of the
era's greatest war heroes as well as war villains. This book obviously
follows George S. Patton throughout his war experiences and journeys, but it
also follows the paths of other leaders such as Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin,
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Winston Churchill. I really
enjoyed this aspect of the book as it didn't feel like a heavy biography of one
man's life; it read like a thriller and I found myself quickly turning pages
late into the night to discover how all of the pieces fit together.
As I have
mentioned, I am a huge World War II fan and feel that I am pretty knowledgeable
about the subject matter as well as the different people involved. Considering
this, I still learned so much in this book that I didn't know before as it does
follow so many different people and their circumstances. I loved that it was a
smart read while at the same time never seeming too overbearing for the average
reader. The authors included many maps, pictures, and diagrams in the book
which was an added bonus as you were able to actually see the people they were
talking about as well as the battles and whereabouts of the troops at specific
times, which can be extremely confusing if you aren't familiar with the
geography of the region.
Overall,
this was a fast-paced book that, when considering the amount of
information that was in it, could have read like a history textbook,
but was literally a thriller that kept me entertained and wanting
more. If you are at all interested in this time period and about learning more
about these famous people, both good and bad, I highly recommend you read Killing
Patton. You will get a glimpse into the life of a great war hero and noble
man, as well as see how all of the other leaders of the time fit into his life
and his actions. You will find yourself wanting to read other books to continue
to find out about this important time period and the people in it.
This is the
first O'Reilly book I have read and it definitely won't be the last. Whether
you love the man or hate him, the historical research in this book is
impeccable and the writing is strong. He found the facts and shared them with
us, while providing a rare view into the lives of the most famous men and women
of World War II. If you trust me at all, you will pick up this page turning,
nonfiction work and start digesting it right away. Then you can
decide, is the history of World War II already all written? Or do some things
deserve a second look...
-Busy Brunette 
