Historian Stephen Ambrose, author of 'Band of Brothers,' dies at 66 after battle with cancer

Associated Press ^ | 10-13-02 | BRETT MARTEL

[kezekiel]

The Wild Blue was great also; it told the tale of B-24 pilots in Italy, all the way through training to the end of the war. The book focused on George McGovern, who commanded a Liberator during the war.

Ambrose's death is a real loss. Thank God I quit smoking, wish he had been able to.

[cornelis]

RIP

[Cagey]

From an AP article today:
Ambrose, who called himself a hero worshipper, said in a recent interview that his focus on World War II developed from working on his Eisenhower biography and his memory of GI's returning home from World War II when he was 10 years old.

"I thought the returning veterans were giants who had saved the world from barbarism. I still think so," he said.

A perspective many of us felt and Ambrose was able to convey so well.

[Braak]

I really hate Cancer, first two grandparents, now the guy who made me go into history as a major. Words fail me right now, but I think I will read some of his books today as a memorial. I encourage other freepers to do likewise.

[MoJo2001]

May He rest in peace!! What a wonderful program "Band Of Brothers". His books were just delightful!! I'm so saddened to hear this!!

[Braak]

Frankly, I think a lot of his fellows hated Ambrose because he did make history so acessable. Why, we can't have the great unwashed actually be able to argue with us? So now, they can assainate him now that he's left us. I can see it now. By the time we're done, Goodwin will be a hero and Ambrose villified.

[Blake#1]

I read that for most of his early life Ambrose was a "Pony Tail" wearing "Hippie". This would explain his acceptance in the Liberal World of Academia. I saw and heard him speak on TV during August (PBS). His main point was how wrong he was about American History and his Anti-Americanism. Example (his) the "Robber Barons" of the middle 1800's are now giants in his estimation. This switch that praises capitalism could be the reason that the LEFT attacked him this year. In any event, Ambrose must take part of the blame for academic Anti-Americanism throughout the later half of the 20th centruy.

[Teacher317]

I've not read any of his works. I'll have to rectify that as soon as possible.

HBO's "Band of Brothers" was exceptional... if the truism holds that the book is always superior to the film, I've got some great reading ahead of me.

[Cuttnhorse]

Undaunted Courage, about the Lewis and Clark expedition is my favorite.

Undaunted Courage probably receives the least attention of all his works but in my opinion was his best book. Ambrose had a summer home in Helena, Montana and spent summers with students visiting parts of the route Lewis and Clark travelled. He loved the entire concept of the Lewis and Clark expedition and did a remarkable job recreating the journey and the state of the nation during Jefferson's presidency. An excellent read, and thank you Mr. Ambrose.

[Cuttnhorse]

Frankly, I think a lot of his fellows hated Ambrose because he did make history so acessable.

I think you are correct...recently while killing time in an airport I was brousing in one of the bookstores and counted at least 4 of his books on the shelves...I was thinking how unusual it is for history books to be so popular. Ambrose is largely responsible for the recent popularity of serious writing.

[NYCVirago]

This is sad -- he's one of my favorites.

[Pompah]

One of the best. May he rest in peace.
And to hell with his critics. All of them.

[battlegearboat]

R.I.P. Stephen Ambrose.
His works are valuable in that they are a stepping stone for those who are starting to study history.
One would have a hard time developing a love of history by starting out with the works of say, Will and Ariel Durant.

[pittsburgh gop guy]

"I bet he wouldn't have been able to write all those excellent books without cigarettes. how much will our civilization lose if the smoking nazis have their way."

Your post makes no sense.
But this question does:

How many more excellent books could he have written if he were not a smoker and died of lung cancer at such a young age?

Smoking had nothing to do with his ability to write great books. Great books have been written by smokers and nonsmokers alike. But smoking did kill him, and he wanted it that way and did not complain about it or sue the tobacco companies as many former smokers have.

[VOA]

Go ahead and call me sentimental...
Ambrose is now having one heck of a time chewing the fat with Lewis, Clark, and the millions
of GIs.

For reminding a Clinton-era generation of what real heroes are and have done,
he gets a pass through the pearly gates in my book.

[Red Jones]

your analysis makes no sense.

I don't know whether you're aware of it or not, but nicotine does effect the nervous system. For smokers it makes them better able to face their work sometimes. We don't know if Ambrose would've been as successful as he was without it.

It also opens up a question about Winston Churchill. During the war years he used to sleep late and spend the first 2-3 hours of each day in bed reading newspapers. His secretary was required to bring those newspapers into his bedroom each morning along with a large bottle of brandy. He didn't get out of bed in the morning without that first glass of brandy. He didn't go to bed at night until he had finished that entire bottle. So, we can presume that without that brandy he probably wouldn't have performed so well during those years.

He was in fact drunk for every one of his great speeches. Likewise, without nicotine in Ambrose's blood we don't know if his genius would've come out so well or not.

[InkStone]

Some of you Freepers should feel really guilty about now.

You know who are are!! Just recently you were Ambrose’s judge and jury, asking for his hide. Are ya happy now??

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy course; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." THEODORE ROOSEVELT (Paris Sorbonne,1910)

[Lunatic Fringe]

I loved Band of Brothers. may God receive him into His merciful Arms.

[The Right Stuff]

As a fellow historian, I am really sad to see him go. He really had a way of making history interesting. We followed his Lewis and Clark book on the trail this summer. I'm sorry he didn't get to live long enough for the bicentennial.

[Tony in Hawaii]

I've always wondered what the ratio of cigarettes smoked to bullets fired by our troops in WWII was? I'm guessing it was close to 1:1. :)