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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
A really interesting look both at Jimmy Stewart's early life and his time in the war, as well as a larger portrait of the group he served with.
Another Hollywood-meets-aviation winner from Robert Matzen, who presents us with a vivid, complex portrait of Jimmy Stewart beyond the drawling dreamer we all know from It’s A Wonderful Life… though Matzen very smartly and thoughtfully bookends the story in Bedford Falls.
Times certainly have changed. Jimmy was definitely a cut above the rest, but it’s always wild to me that so many major celebrities joined the military during World War II. What would be today’s equivalent? I can’t exactly picture Jimmy Fallon parachuting with the 82nd Airborne or Timothee Chalamet piloting an F/A-18.
Times certainly have changed. Jimmy was definitely a cut above the rest, but it’s always wild to me that so many major celebrities joined the military during World War II. What would be today’s equivalent? I can’t exactly picture Jimmy Fallon parachuting with the 82nd Airborne or Timothee Chalamet piloting an F/A-18.
I received this from Netgalley and GoodKnight Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This was a great biography on James Stewart's WWII service. The descriptions of the events which took place during the 453rd Bomb Group missions over Europe are well written and can be heartbreaking. Stewart's struggle with PTSD are also part of this narrative and how he was able to deal with this is a testament to his character. This book shed light on a side of Stewart I knew little about. It was a book I didn't want to end.
This was a great biography on James Stewart's WWII service. The descriptions of the events which took place during the 453rd Bomb Group missions over Europe are well written and can be heartbreaking. Stewart's struggle with PTSD are also part of this narrative and how he was able to deal with this is a testament to his character. This book shed light on a side of Stewart I knew little about. It was a book I didn't want to end.
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Gigantic thanks to Goodreads for me winning this book! I'm always thankful for a free book, but it's always better when I like it as much as I have this one.
Now, it is an uncorrected proof, so I can't make any calls on editing and the like which is a knee-jerk reaction for me. The story is great. I love the prose style of this history. You're really made to get into the head of Jimmy Stewart. (I'm sorry, Robert Matzen; as much as you tried to beat it into my head that he should be called Jim, even though I agree, he'll always be Jimmy to me.)
Matzen really made me see the airfield at Tibenham. I could see the giant armada's of planes flying over Europe, feel the anxiety of the missions... Very descriptive.
I fully recommend this book, and I personally can't wait to see the final edition.
Now, it is an uncorrected proof, so I can't make any calls on editing and the like which is a knee-jerk reaction for me. The story is great. I love the prose style of this history. You're really made to get into the head of Jimmy Stewart. (I'm sorry, Robert Matzen; as much as you tried to beat it into my head that he should be called Jim, even though I agree, he'll always be Jimmy to me.)
Matzen really made me see the airfield at Tibenham. I could see the giant armada's of planes flying over Europe, feel the anxiety of the missions... Very descriptive.
I fully recommend this book, and I personally can't wait to see the final edition.
The writer put a lot of research and time into this book. At times it reads like a novel with how it's written. The readers also get a good view of Jimmy Stewart the man and the soldier rather than the movie star. I highly recommend it.
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Every time a bell rings, someone without a good grasp of what makes compelling narration tries to write a book...
I'm really disappointed - I thought I was going to read a book about Jimmy Stewart's war experiences and how they made him into the actor we love from "It's a Wonderful Life" and other movies, but instead I found the narration so (to quote another reviewer) "hackneyed and sophomoric" that I couldn't continue. The book is riddled with grammar errors and jarring pseudo-interviews with "Jim". Instead of a pleasant read of this book over the holiday break I'm looking for something else.
The book has an incredibly high reader-review rating at the moment of 4.39 stars - usually Goodreads readers don't steer me wrong, so I'm kind of shocked how painful this was to plow through (which I quit doing after a while).
I'm really disappointed - I thought I was going to read a book about Jimmy Stewart's war experiences and how they made him into the actor we love from "It's a Wonderful Life" and other movies, but instead I found the narration so (to quote another reviewer) "hackneyed and sophomoric" that I couldn't continue. The book is riddled with grammar errors and jarring pseudo-interviews with "Jim". Instead of a pleasant read of this book over the holiday break I'm looking for something else.
The book has an incredibly high reader-review rating at the moment of 4.39 stars - usually Goodreads readers don't steer me wrong, so I'm kind of shocked how painful this was to plow through (which I quit doing after a while).
Matzen did a very credible job of getting into Stewart's head and motivations. It was a really good review of the 8th airforce and how Stewart contributed and how it affected him.