Negative Positive
Title: Great American Soldier -- Cumbersome Biography
Review: This comprehensive biography of one of America's great soldiers traces Pershing's life from his middle class upbringing in rural Missouri, to West Point, to the Western frontier during the final years of the Indian wars, to the Philippines, to the Punitive Expedition to Mexico and finally to France and the command of the American Expeditionary Force. Pershing's no-nonsense personality and his insistence on discipline and training is evident throughout. But the author has difficulty achieving any balance in his reporting. A sentence suffices to explain the treaty terms with Germany at the conclusion of WWI, but endless pages describe medal ceremonies and the atmospherics of military conferences. The lengthy work is replete with platitudes, cliches and vague characterizations. It quickly becomes tiresome. Find another biography of this great American.
Is the review positive or negative? 