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)

Ordinary Heroes

13 great hours of listening enjoyment. The story is well told, the characters unigue and the feelings are real. The death camp chapter should be manatory reading for all in favor of war as a solution to our problems. Robert Martin should be the lead in a great adventure movie, a better James Bond then James Bond. I wasn't a Scott Turdow fan but this book makes me a #1 fan.

One genius magnifies another

I am a white-knuckle flyer who desperately needs a distraction while in the air, but who gets a headache when he tries to read. This gem of a book and its narration by a talented actor of the highest caliber gave me flight without fear. I got so engrossed in the story that the thunk of retracting/deploying landing gear, the bumps of clear air turbulence and the whine of revving engines faded into the background of my consciousness. After my arrival at the Thanksgiving gathering I probably did not spend as much time with my dear in-laws as I should have because I kept trekking back to the guest room to listen to what would happen next. I agree with those who appreciate Mr. Herrmann's voicings which for me required no more than the usual suspension of disbelief in my theater of the mind. Once this was accomplished the story flowed seamlessly from beginning to end. Mr. Herrmann has on occassion expressed his concern about being typecast as a comic actor. I can see why, for some of the scenes he portrayed caused me to laugh out loud (much to the consternation of those around me.) There was a contextual problem in voicing this book which made it almost impossible for the narrator to avoid giving away one of the surprises in advance, but it was more of an "Aha, I knew it!" than a spoiler. For me this audio was a bargain even at the premium price. I wish you all the happy and satisfying listening experience that I believe this audio will provide.

Amazing

Most well written book i have listened to. The Author is amazing

Outstanding

A very moving novel, superbly read. As many other listeners have commented Turow has written engrossing legal thrillers, so this book is a surprising departure and a very fine one indeed.

Scott Turow’s best work yet

Great story, wonderful characters. You think you may have read all the WWII novels and there’s nothing new to add, but if you miss this one, you’d have missed one of the best.

Remniscent of Hemingway..

I have read all of Turow's novels. My son just graduated from law school and so I thorougly enjoyed the account of Scott's year as a first year law student at Harvard. I went to Harvard medical school.

This book though is far more complex with ideas and characters and plot than any of the previous Turow novels. It goes through WW2 including the concentration camps. I kept thinking of Hemingway since there is that sort of wartime sexuality and thinking about maleness and heros that were very much a part of Hemingway's war novels.
this is unusual since I haven't though about the Hemingway novels for quite a few years. I suspect that Scott Turow might have thought of them too in the writing.

The audio edition is well read with accents that seem true, but I am not a good judge of this. I'll be interested in seeing what others write since the novel is newly out.

I enjoyed this more than I have any recent novel that I have read/oopd, listened to... and it has left me thinking about human nature and war as well as reconfirming love.

Engaging

I've so far read/listened to most of Turow's books, and am glad to say I didn't pass this one up, either. The narrator did an excellent job, catching the nuances perfectly, making it anything but dull to listen to the book. I was sometimes reminded of "Band of Brothers" as regards circumstances described, but this is, of course, no real surprise as Bastogne makes for a big part in both stories/biographies. The added bonus of hearing Turow himself talk about the book proper and his family at the end was a welcome surprise.

Moving your family history forward

I enjoy books that mesh the past and present as someone seeks to mesh the eras and learn from them. Turow did this well on Ordinary Heros and added a different view of the struggles of WWII.

Fantastic

This was an unexpected delight since I didn't realize it would be totally a WW2 story. The narration is beyond good - Edward Herrmann is genius and is by far one of the best narrators I have ever listened to. The story is from the Battle of the Bulge and beyond and has a wonderful cast of characters that come alive. It is a mystery in a sense too. I give this book a full 10 on a scale of 1-10. If you are a fan of WW2 stories based on historical reality you will love this.

Engaging

Where does Ordinary Heroes rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the top 25.

What did you like best about this story?

This story moves through more than one story. There is the main story of David which is intensely interesting. Then there is the story of his son Stewart's quest to know more about his father. Both stories keep the reader involved in the story.

What about Edward Herrmann’s performance did you like?

Hermann is engaged in the story he is reading. A narrator that is interested in the book conveys feeling behind the reading.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I would have gladly listened all in one sitting. It was not possible for me to do, but I would have liked to do so.

Any additional comments?

This is a book I would recommend to anyone who likes mystery, legal thriller, historical fiction, or just a good story.