Always colorful, always controversial, Douglas MacArthur is one of the dominant characters in American military history. To his admirers, he was the greatest American soldier; to his critics, he was a five-star fake. With unprecedented access to official military records, reports, correspondence and diaries, Geoffrey Perret’s groundbreaking biography reveals for the first time a complete and accurate account of MacArthur’s tumultuous career, including:
• The Pershing-MacArthur feud that cost MacArthur the Medal of Honor in World War I• President Truman’s secret plan to fire MacArthur two years before the Korean War • MacArthur’s failed presidential ambitions.
Unmatched in its candor, authority and insight, this landmark biography charts the brilliant, if flawed, career of a unique American character.
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"This is the second biography I've read on MacArthur out of three significant works. Geoffrey Perrett does a great job of documenting a great American hero's unmatched accomplishments. I was sorry it ended but that's what happens with a great book and a great life, they end." — Anthony (5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the second biography I've read on MacArthur out of three significant works. Geoffrey Perrett does a great job of documenting a great American hero's unmatched accomplishments. I was sorry it ended but that's what happens with a great book and a great life, they end."
“Adds to the endeavors of previous biographers…Well written and resting on substantial independent research…as [Perret’s] own retelling demonstrates, the MacArthur legend probably will fascinate generations yet unborn.”
“A superb biography of perhaps the most controversial leader of the 20th century…In a fast-paced narrative, Perret offers fresh insights.”
“[This] work, well-written and provocative, stands as the best single volume on its complex subject.”
“[Perret] is equally qualified as a military historian and writer…[a] superb biography.”
“Riggenbach’s reading…is a cool and disciplined performance. [His] voice is warm and consistent.”
“Perret convincingly brings alive the leather-jacketed, corn-cob smoking, rumple-hatted MacArthur…Perret offers a complete view of MacArthur’s emotional highs and lows, of his traits both faulty and sterling, of his feats successful or failed. A witty, judicious, unstoppable read—guaranteed.”
“Perret offers a more convincing characterization of MacArthur than the warrior-prince of William Manchester’s American Caesar…Perret’s study is now the best one-volume biography.”
“Perret has produced a fully comprehensive biography that does evenhanded justice to a great, if flawed, man and his considerable achievements…A balanced, warts-and-all portrait that could renew interest in a justly celebrated but ever elusive warrior.”
" I liked this book, it was a good biography of Douglas MacArthur. It was very informative, but I thought American Caesar was a bit more entertaining. "
" Fair and balanced portrait of MacArthur-overall a good read that touches on every major point of his life. Of interest is where he differs from other biographies of MacArthur (I have read three) and is willing to show him warts and all where most tend to paint a glowing picture of him. "
Geoffrey Perret served in the US Army from 1958 to 1961 and attended the University of Southern California, Harvard, and the University of California at Berkeley. His first book was the award-winning Days of Sadness, Years of Triumph, his account of America’s home front during World War II. He is author of numerous other books. He lives in England but frequently visits the United States.
Jeff Riggenbach (1947-2021) narrated numerous titles for Blackstone Audio and won an AudioFile Earphones Award. An author, contributing editor, and producer, he worked in radio in San Francisco for more than thirty years, earning a Golden Mike Award for journalistic excellence.
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