Ordinary Heroes

A Novel

By: Scott Turow

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann

Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Stewart Dubinsky knew his father had served in World War II. And he'd been told how David Dubin (as his father had Americanized the name that Stewart later reclaimed) had rescued Stewart's mother from the horror of the Balingen concentration camp. But when he discovers, after his father's death, a packet of wartime letters to a former fiancée, and learns of his father's court-martial and imprisonment, he is plunged into the mystery of his family's secret history and driven to uncover the truth about this enigmatic, distant man who'd always refused to talk about his war.

As he pieces together his father's past through military archives, letters, and, finally, notes from a memoir his father wrote while in prison, secretly preserved by the officer who defended him, Stewart starts to assemble a dramatic and baffling chain of events. He learns how Dubin, a JAG lawyer attached to Patton's Third Army and desperate for combat experience, got more than he bargained for when he was ordered to arrest Robert Martin, a wayward OSS officer who, despite his spectacular bravery with the French Resistance, appeared to be acting on orders other than his commanders'. In pursuit of Martin, Dubin and his sergeant are parachuted into Bastogne just as the Battle of the Bulge reaches its apex. Pressed into the leadership of a desperately depleted rifle company, the men are forced to abandon their quest for Martin and his fiery, maddeningly elusive comrade, Gita, as they fight for their lives through carnage and chaos, the likes of which Dubin could never have imagined.

In reconstructing the terrible events and agonizing choices his father faced on the battlefield, in the courtroom, and in love, Stewart gains a closer understanding of his past, of his father's character, and of the brutal nature of war itself.

©2005 Scott Turow (P)2005 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[Turow has] set new standards for the genre, most notably in the depth and subtlety of his characterizations...the kind of reading pleasure that only the best novelists, genre or otherwise, can provide." (The New York Times)
"Turow makes the leap from courtroom to battlefield effortlessly." (Publishers Weekly)
"No one writes better mystery suspense novels than Scott Turow." (Los Angeles Times)
"Scott Turow not only knows what his readers want, he delivers just about perfectly...Turow is the closest we have to a Balzac of the fin de siecle professional class." (Chicago Tribune)

Awesome!

This books is so well written and suspenseful. I have been an audible listener for a long time and this is the first book I found worthy of a full 5 stars. I particularly like this book because I am a WWII buff. Great book!

Absorbing, moving

This is a wonderful story whose characters come alive and the listener is full of awe for the writer who was able to write such a tale. It makes real life seem very pale by comparison.

Ordinary Heroes, by Scott Turow

I couldn't stop listening to this book! Mr. Turow slowly unfolds the mystery life of a lawyer who served in Europe during World War II, returning to the US and living an ordinary life. Following his death, his son is surprised to learn that this reserved, proper attorney had been court-martialed during the war. Uncovering the secret life of his father becomes a quest. The story of the "ordinary" lawyer's actions during the 1940s is riveting.

Disappointed with story, despite good narration

Looked forward to this Turow book, however story was hard to follow, didn't even finish.

UNLIKE ANY OTHER WWII BOOK

What made the experience of listening to Ordinary Heroes the most enjoyable?

The characters are vivid and it was like I knew them. The end is unexpected and beautifully ties up all loose ends.Turow's description never disappoints and the interview at the end of the book really enriched my listening experience.

What did you like best about this story?

The humanity of it all. ALL the characters have complex motivations and are beautifully brought to life.

What does Edward Herrmann bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He is a genius with character voices. There are so many voices in this book, both men and women, and I could tell from one or two words, which was which.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Ordinary heroes is the perfect title. I can't think of a tag line.

Excellent Turow Novel

Would you consider the audio edition of Ordinary Heroes to be better than the print version?

Suspenseful war story interlaced with a son finding his father in a secret diary. Great plot, excellent character development. The narration works well and adds to the suspense

Which character – as performed by Edward Herrmann – was your favorite?

The father

Excellent! Not the usual Turow...

I loved it! Such an important story and not a courtroom drama. A must read!

A touching, eye opening story

I really enjoyed this story of the war and its participants. Alot of insight to conditions and the effects the those involved.

Ordianry Heroes not ordinary at all

Turow has captured the intensity of WWII in the actions of his characters. Though fictional, its adherence to real events makes the story vibrant and believable. The narrator and his voices make the novel come to life. Ordinary Heroes is a tribute to those that fought and suffered during those terrible years.

Excellent book

I'm usually a Turow fan, but this was above my high expectations. Good story, and good reader. Don't pass this up.