Beyond Band of Brothers

The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters

By: Dick Winters, Cole C. Kingseed

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

“Tells the tales left untold by Stephen Ambrose, whose Band of Brothers was the inspiration for the HBO miniseries…laced with Winters’s soldierly exaltations of pride in his comrades’ bravery.”—Publishers Weekly

In war, great commanders lead soldiers into hell to do the impossible.

They were called Easy Company—but their mission was never easy. Immortalized as the Band of Brothers, they suffered huge casualties while liberating Europe in an unparalleled record of bravery under fire. Dick Winters led them through the Battle of the Bulge, the attack on Foy—where Easy Company reached its breaking point—and finally into Germany, by which time each member had been wounded. Outside Munich, they liberated an SS death camp and captured Berchtesgaden, Hitler’s alpine retreat.

Beyond Band of Brothers is Winters’s memoir, based on his wartime diary, but it also includes his comrades’ untold stories. Only Winters was present from the activation of Easy Company until the war’s end. This is their story, told in his words for the first time.

©2006 Major Dick Winters and Brecourt Leadership Experience, Inc. (P)2006 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Winters tells the tales left untold by Stephen Ambrose, whose Band of Brothers was the inspiration for the HBO miniseries." (Publishers Weekly)

I listen to this over and over

You just won't find many books like this in the world. An honest and sincere story from an American hero that has no agenda other than to capture the reality of Easy Company's unbelievable campaign through World War II. This is neither a glorification of war, nor a regretful reflection, but a clear narrative of dignity and purpose. Dick Winters is the most decent man I wish I knew.

Not a repeat of Ambrose writings

I bought this book for my husband to listen to the following is his review....a review from a
Vietnam combat infantryman's point of view.
Major Winter's writings relates his personal feelings of Easy Co.;his trials as he lead men into loss of life,wounds and civilized life left behind forever.He did not feel he was born to lead but leadership came about on his experiences prior to the war. It is the infantryman who bears the harsh cruelty of war.Winter's gives insight into the infantryman and the men who must make the decisions.Those that have been in war will have moments of reflection,understanding and a quiet nod of the head.Brotherhood of infantryman is better understood,closer than blood family.It is men at their best hoping no one will ever have to do the same.Their duty is ultimatley to each other. Ambrose's writings are not repeated. Winter's gives deeper clarification.Europe was freed and ultimately us. Byron Adams

A decent listen

Although this title does offer more insight into Maj. Winters personal experiences it also repeats a lot of what was in Band of Brothers.
The beginning states that one of the purposes of the book was to get more of the stories from the members of E Company, that Ambrose left out of his book for whatever reason, into print so that they would be told, well there are some very short quips and quotes but I don't remember any real stories other than what Mr. Winters relates about his own experiences.
Don't however get me wrong about the content it is informative and I think anyone interested in the history of WW2 and Easy Company will enjoy the book but I would have really liked to hear stories by other members related through Winters like Lipton, Compton, Rendleman, or any number of other members who I am sure have told stories to Winters and others but we have not heard them, maybe not but I am sure there are some.
Finally the end of the book and I don't want to spoil it for anyone but it really saddens me to learn of the passing of so many of these men in the past few years and I hope that thier families and friends were able to get to know what these men went through and to understand just what they did for us and everyone who lives in freedom today. Unfortunatly for me my father who served in WW2 passed away before I was old enough to ask about what he went through and all of his information was lost in the fire at the St. Louis archives back in the seventies. So if you have a relative who served talk to them listen to them and learn.

Beyond the Band

If you think you knew who Dick Winters was, and admired him in Band of Brothers, you will truely enjoy this book... He introduces you to himself and then takes you on his journey with the men inside and out of Easy Company. A great inside look at the mind of genuine American Patriot.

There's Nothing Personal about Combat

I've watched the HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers" so many times that I can say the lines along with some of the soldiers. One of my favorite scenes is when Captain Herbert Sobel (David Schwimmer) doesn't salute Major Richard "Dick" Winters (Damien Lewis). Winters tells Sobel, "We salute the rank, not the man" and Sobel reluctantly salutes. The 10 episode miniseries was based on the eponymous 1992 Stephen Ambrose 336 page book, so it had to contain dramatizations. Did this happen? Major Winters' 2006 book "Beyond Band of Brothers," written with Colonel Cole C. Kingseed, describes the whole episode in satisfying detail.

Major Winters (1918 - 2011) commanded Easy Company of the 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division for a good portion of World War II. Winters was a soldier's soldier, the kind of leader every GI wants to follow. Sobel was an earlier much hated commander whose studied punctiliousness and overbearing micromanagement at Taccoa, paratrooper training school in Georgia, thoroughly trained Easy Company - while giving them a common despised enemy to coalesce around. Winters loathed Sobel, who was inept at actual command and tried to have Winters court martialled - and throughout "Beyond Band of Brothers" recognizes how important Sobel was to its success.

It's a rare military officer who has the insight to determine what makes a group of soldiers true fighters, the modesty to recognize the contribution of others, and the bravery and tenacity to lead - and Winters had all that. It's a combination that makes troops want to follow their officers into battles - like D-Day (Normandy, France, June 6, 1944) and makes them willing to give their lives. It's also a rare combination, and I speak from experience: I was Army enlisted. I only remember serving under one officer who came close to Major Winters' high standards.

As wonderful as Ambrose' book is, I hope anyone who wants to understand how to lead in combat will read "Beyond Band of Brothers" and follow Major Winters' advice. Ambrose tells a great story, but Winters talks about specific training and what he was thinking. Winters frequently lectured at the US Military Academy at West Point for good reason. There are two lines in the book that crystallize how he lead. "Later, I found a laundry and had everyone's clothes washed. I footed the bill."

Tom Weiner is the narrator, and he is prolific. While I was fact checking this review (writing Audible reviews is a hobby, but it's a serious hobby) I ran across a book about Dick Winters book in his catalog, Kingseed's "Conversations with Dick Winters" (2014). I plan to listen to that soon.

The title of the review is a quote from the book.

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Still a good read

Much has been written about Easy Company of the 506 PIR. Although, Dick Winters restates alot of previous information, it was good hearing it in his own words. The best part of the book is after the war in Europe ends. This is all new material.

Fantastic Companion to Band of Brothers

I've listened to this book several times. Since it chronicles the same events as Band of Brothers, it had potential to be tedious, but it is not. It amplifies and clarifies Ambrose's book. It helps you "get into the head" of MAJ Winters.

It is well written and performed. I'm retired Army myself, but I was a "fobbit" -- I rarely had to do anything dangerous. These guys lived with danger, did their jobs and saved the world. I am glad there is a record of their deeds.

Beyond Band of Brothers

Wonderful book. Made me feel like I really know the men of "Easy" company.

Amazing book about an amazing man!

I'd watched the HBO series "Band of Brothers" so I was already familiar Easy Company and Major Dick Winters. I'd recommend that you watch that first but even if you don't this is still a great book.

Major Winters was the rarest of men. He hails from a time where service to country was viewed differently. The book is worth listening to just to experience that different perspective but it is so much more than that.

This is one of my most often recommended audio books.

Do yourself a favor and pick this up, you'll enjoy it and be better for the experience.

Great Book

What did you love best about Beyond Band of Brothers?

After watching Band of Brothers, I didn't think this book would be much different, but it is. It filled in a lot of what we weren't shown, without wasting time on what we did see.

What about Tom Weiner’s performance did you like?

He wasn't distracting.

Any additional comments?

This book made me want to go for long drives, just so that I could listen to it longer. I never had to stop and take a nap, when it was on.