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headrook's review against another edition
5.0
I am sure it is rare enough to come across a story born of war and yet speaking of the human capacity of compassion. But it is rarer still to have the story culminate in a time just a few years ago in such a catharsis. A Higher Call is such a story and it is truly amazing that the two heroes were able to tell it in the end. Read it and know some of the horrors of war while appreciating the humanity behind it. Great book.
kimball_hansen's review against another edition
4.0
This story was pretty neat and started off really captivating. It's so full of detail, you can tell the author put a ton of work in it (even if he didn't say so himself). It reminds me of [b:Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies|4122|Built to Last Successful Habits of Visionary Companies|James C. Collins|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1412047084s/4122.jpg|147916] and how that book is worth more than it's weight in gold because of all the time and effort put into it.
A few things I realized/learned:
- You could be in the German military and not be a Nazi or a member of The Party.
- Hitler didn't smoke or drink.
- Germans hated German pilots after the war and blamed them for losing.
- There was an unofficial agreement to not shoot soldiers that were parachuting from burning planes. They were very civil/respectful towards other enemy pilots.
- German pilots (and maybe others) wore ties while flying fighter planes.
I like how his dad taught him the importance of integrity. That's probably what shaped him as a good person and lead his decision to not shoot down the American B-17 Bomber plane. Franz is an ideal person to look up to. Solid and full of goodness.
The narrator sounds like a mix of Dieter F. Uchtdorf and Optimus Prime.
A few things I realized/learned:
- You could be in the German military and not be a Nazi or a member of The Party.
- Hitler didn't smoke or drink.
- Germans hated German pilots after the war and blamed them for losing.
- There was an unofficial agreement to not shoot soldiers that were parachuting from burning planes. They were very civil/respectful towards other enemy pilots.
- German pilots (and maybe others) wore ties while flying fighter planes.
I like how his dad taught him the importance of integrity. That's probably what shaped him as a good person and lead his decision to not shoot down the American B-17 Bomber plane. Franz is an ideal person to look up to. Solid and full of goodness.
The narrator sounds like a mix of Dieter F. Uchtdorf and Optimus Prime.
papidoc's review against another edition
5.0
While I am generally more interested in "serious" history and biography, I was thoroughly enthralled by Adam Makos' It is historically factual in that the events actually happened, but Makos has included dialogue and small details that he couldn't possibly know and that, even after interviewing the people involved, is probably at best a combination of fact, fiction, and perception in their minds. Nonetheless, the account is accurate enough. I usually listen to audiobooks while driving, and this one was so gripping that I sometimes found myself continuing to listen even after arriving at my destination.
The story dives into the background and history surrounding the two major players, 2nd Lt. Charlie Brown, an American B-17 pilot in WWII, and 2nd Lt. Franz Stigler, a German fighter pilot, an ace with dozens of downed planes to his credit, but one who flew with honor and integrity. It is a remarkable story, and one worth telling and retelling, not just for the insight into a German fighter pilot's thinking (worth reading in and of itself), but for the event that, decades later, became the genesis for a lifelong friendship. Well worth reading!
The story dives into the background and history surrounding the two major players, 2nd Lt. Charlie Brown, an American B-17 pilot in WWII, and 2nd Lt. Franz Stigler, a German fighter pilot, an ace with dozens of downed planes to his credit, but one who flew with honor and integrity. It is a remarkable story, and one worth telling and retelling, not just for the insight into a German fighter pilot's thinking (worth reading in and of itself), but for the event that, decades later, became the genesis for a lifelong friendship. Well worth reading!
jesskvan's review against another edition
2.0
I actually didn’t think this was written well; clunky sentences that was fairly dull to read. I didn’t really like the entire book, took me ages to read so I just skimmed through the end of it. But I didn’t find the content very interesting personally.
lhunt54's review against another edition
5.0
This is such an uplifting story. At first I wondered if there was enough material to merit an entire book but by the end, it was worth every word. I don't know if I've read anything that portrays so well that the man across from you on the battlefield can be a person too, and maybe even a really good one. I thought I had the basic gist before I started but there was so much more to the story. It can feel a little long winded at first but I appreciate it more now that I'm finished. I may have loved most the inability of Franz to be bothered by accusations from people on both sides after the war, either of him being a Nazi or a traitor for letting the plane go. He handled it like a champ, like he did everything. Both pilots were good men, but there's a reason most of the book is about Franz. The world needs more books like this, of people seeking decency and high character even in the face of awful circumstance. It will restore your faith in humanity if anything will. The author also gets a point for keeping graphic content and language to basically nothing while never detracting from the story.
brontejane's review against another edition
4.0
What I liked about this book, besides the basic story, was that it seemed more focus on the German pilot's story. It is so easy to have a black/white view of WWII (all Germans were bad/evil/Nazis/etc.) that it is easy to forget that there are two sides to every story. This book showed that there are humans on both side of the conflict, people with lives, families, dreams, etc. Does this excuse the bad things that are done in wars? No, but it helps to emphasize that history is often written by the victor. I truly enjoyed this story.
bookhawk's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
A Higher Call is an amazing, well-written, true story. I was surprised that this book is much more about the German pilot than the American pilot. This is a must read if you enjoy WWII history. 4 stars.