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| Authors: Don Malarkey, Bob Welch
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $14.28
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Avg. Customer Rating:  25 reviews
Sales Rank: 6104
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6 x 1.1
ISBN: 0312378491
Dewey Decimal Number: 940.541273092
EAN: 9780312378493
ASIN: 0312378491
Publication Date: May 13, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Heartfelt and memorable July 15, 2008
As a niece of Warren "Skip" Muck I owe a debt of gratitude to Don Malarkey for telling not only his story, but a good portion of my uncle's story as well. His honesty, integrity and intelligence shine throughout the book. I feel honored to know the men of Easy Company and be a part of the Easy "family". This book is truly a window into the heart and spirit of these men.
Best of the best-books that is. July 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'll admit when I first saw this I thought "Yeah another Easy company survivor jumpin' on the ol' book bandwagon" but having read the book, I'd be happy to apologise to "Malark'" to his face. When an author starts his autobiography by confessing how he seriously though about shooting himself in the foot to get out of battle, he has your attention.
The book follows Donald Malarky from his childhood in Oregon through his adventures in WW2 and beyond but it is so well written I found myself wishing he'd written more about his youth. Not because I felt he was skipping stuff, but because I enjoyed it so much.
The guiding force in his life seems to have been two fold, the ghosts of his uncles, killed by the first Wrold War "The Malarky boys have unfinished business with the Germans" he says, and the drive not to be a quitter, a fate he sees in his father. This leads the man to have the longest stretch on the front line of any member of E company 506 PIR, even when offered a chance off the line, he wouldn't quit.
If you are not familiar with the "Band of Brothers" then this is the book of a veteran of WW2. That dwindling generation of men sharing their experiences in humanitie's darkest hours. If you are familiar with Band of Brothers you will get more from the book. Malarky touches on some things that other books have skipped over and gives a different view of some well established events such as the mutiny against Captain Sobel in 1944.
Of all the books written by the men of the 506th's E company this seems to have the most heart. The excellent books by Winters, Guerneire and Heffron each seem to have their goals. Winters explaining leadership, Heffron and 'Wild Bill' seem like two old soldiers recounting their adventures to their grandchildren but Malarky, a self described 'Oregon Hermit" has spent his time well in his hermitage. The book looks at events warts and all even at people for whom he obviously still has great affection.
More than a remincience of his war days actions for which we should all say 'thank you', on the pages of his book Donald Malarky pours out his heart and shares his thoughts, dreams and fears, not in what makes up a soldier, but what makes up a man and for that sharing, we should also say "thank you."
Easy Company Soldier by Bob Welch July 1, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Easy Company Soldier
By Don Malarkey/Bob Welch
This book has it all -- action, loyalty, bravery, sorrow, faith, heroism, fear, hardship, loss, camaraderie, desperation and humor. It's the best and worst of World War II. In his quest to succeed Sgt. Malarkey fought two wars. The first was against the Germans and the second, against himself. Both a gripping human interest and violent war story, this is a must read for everyone.
First off, I'm a comparatively slow reader with a short attention span. I usually read in short bursts of about 30 or 40 minutes, often tire, get bored or lose interest to the point where reading actually becomes a chore. Rarely, does a book come along that I just cannot put down. Easy Company Soldier is one of the very few.
I started reading Easy Company Soldier at about 7:30 pm, six hours and seven chapters later I went to bed, got up an hour later and read for another two hours. The next day I finished the book. For me, that's a record only equaled once before.
The story begins with Don Malarkey growing up in Astoria, a city on the North Oregon coast during the Great Depression (not an easy life). His college life at the University of Oregon abruptly came to a halt in 1942 when he joined the army. Malarkey volunteered to be part of what he considered the toughest, most challenging unit in the American Army, the 101st Screaming Eagles Airborne Division. On June 6th 1944 D-Day, they jumped into Normandy, France.
Once again author Bob Welch captivates his audience. In his first WW II book, "American Nightingale" published in 2004, he poignantly captures the horror of war in the powerful biography of Frances Slanger and her courageous struggle to become a combat nurse with the 45th Field Hospital.
Easy Company Soldier is the remarkable story of Don Malarkey, who was originally made famous by Stephen Ambrose in Band of Brothers. With every word Bob Welch continues to envelope you in his dramatic story. Welch's unique writing ability enables the reader to hear every sound, to see the action, to smell the cordite and be a part of the general emotion of battle from France into The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, all the way from D-Day to Victory in Europe.
Don Malarkey has beaten all the odds. He survived 177 days of combat and fighting in many of the fiercest battles in Europe. Most of his outfit, Easy Company, were killed or severely wounded, yet Malarkey came through with only minor wounds. Now at 87, he has beaten the odds again and survived the calendar. After reading Easy Company Soldier I think you will agree, Don Malarkey is and always will be part of our "Greatest Generation".
Brings it all together July 1, 2008
As much as I love Major Winters writing and of course the exploits of Babe and Bill, THIS ONE gives you the heart and SOUL of a warrior. Taking you into his world and lets you see the human side of the day to day fear/terror/heartbreak. If you ever watch B.O.B., and think I wonder what was going thru Malark's mind at that moment, wonder no more, he seems to answer all the unasked questions. A++ and thanks Don.
Thank you Don June 23, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I received Don's book immediately after it was released. He did send me a signed copy.
Don was my guest in Eindhoven for a couple of nights and I enjoyed talking with him very much.
Reading the book now it feels like hearing his voice while he is telling me the stories.
He is a great friend. Not only because he was one of those who liberated us after almost five years of German occupation but most of all as a human being. I sure hope Don will be in Eindhoven again in the nearby future.
My house is his house. Don thank you for sharing your life story with us.
I know for sure your Irene is proud of you, watching you from above together with your buddies.
Peter van de Wal
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