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Ordinary Heroes: A Novel Audiobook
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(3.02) - 1,444 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Stewart Dubinsky knew his father had served in World War II. And he'd been told how David Dubin (as his father had Americanized the name that Stewart later reclaimed) had rescued Stewart's mother from the horror of the Balingen concentration camp. But when he discovers, after his father's death, a packet of wartime letters to a former fiancée, and learns of his father's court-martial and imprisonment, he is plunged into the mystery of his family's secret history and driven to uncover the truth about this enigmatic, distant man who'd always refused to talk about his war. As he pieces together his father's past through military archives, letters, and, finally, notes from a memoir his father wrote while in prison, secretly preserved by the officer who defended him, Stewart starts to assemble a dramatic and baffling chain of events. He learns how Dubin, a JAG lawyer attached to Patton's Third Army and desperate for combat experience, got more than he bargained for when he was ordered to arrest Robert Martin, a wayward OSS officer who, despite his spectacular bravery with the French Resistance, appeared to be acting on orders other than his commanders'. In pursuit of Martin, Dubin and his sergeant are parachuted into Bastogne just as the Battle of the Bulge reaches its apex. Pressed into the leadership of a desperately depleted rifle company, the men are forced to abandon their quest for Martin and his fiery, maddeningly elusive comrade, Gita, as they fight for their lives through carnage and chaos, the likes of which Dubin could never have imagined. In reconstructing the terrible events and agonizing choices his father faced on the battlefield, in the courtroom, and in love, Stewart gains a closer understanding of his past, of his father's character, and of the brutal nature of war itself.
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"This book was terrific, set mostly in World War II. One running theme is that life is neither black or white (although we crave clear cut answers). Life is mostly very gray and that was very apparent during the millions of incidents that occurred during World War II. The other running theme in this book is that we become the stories that we create about ourselves. I just love that! It seems so empowering to me. We CAN write our own life story. In the book, the main character is seeking the truth about his parents who met during the War. His discoveries make him see things in a whole new way. I listened to the audio version of this book. If you have that opportunity, make sure to listen to the interview with Scott Turow at the end. Then listen some more because Scott goes on to talk about the power of audio books. Very good!"
— Elizabeth (5 out of 5 stars)
Ordinary Heroes Listener Reviews
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" As always, Turow books are extremely well written. I learned quite a few things about WWII history that I didn't know. The graphic narrative of battle scenes stuck with me way after I had finished the book. "
— Petie, 2/19/2014 -
" Secrets are to be kept. "Time deepens the wonder." A must read, especially to those World War II enthusiasts. "
— Clifford, 2/7/2014 -
" This book I had a very hard time putting down. It was a story in a story. "
— Sarah, 1/17/2014 -
" Little too heavy on military minutiae for my tastes, but the pages still turn pretty easily. "
— Marina, 1/7/2014 -
" To many battle details for my taste "
— Jen, 1/7/2014 -
" First of his books I've read, but I will read others. "
— Robin, 12/26/2013 -
" Enjoyable but I struggled more with this than I should have. "
— Luci, 12/26/2013 -
" could not finish this book--yuck! "
— Terri, 11/29/2013 -
" Very interesting treatment of WWII. Told from the perspective of a son investigating his father's role in the great war. A story of human frailty and weakness, courage and strength. "
— Wendy, 11/26/2013 -
" After his fathers death, Stewart goes through his fathers belongings and discovers some shocking news related to his parents WWII experiences. "
— Sheila, 11/23/2013 -
" This book was chosen for Book Club by Janet in May 2006. I enjoyed this one, and I don't usually go for war novels. The mystery elements outshone the boring logistics of a war novel. "
— MrsB, 10/21/2013 -
" Great book. A son decides to find out what his dad during WWII and finds out a great deal more than he bargained for. Most of the book is told from the father's point of view through a manuscript he wrote at that time. Very intriguing. "
— Pbwritr, 12/3/2012 -
" A discovery of a big secret in his father's WWII life leads to a story you will not be able to put down. A little different genre for Turow but one of his best books. "
— Ann, 11/23/2012 -
" I'm a big Turow fan. I just love the way he crafts an interesting story and develops his characters. "
— Q, 11/13/2012 -
" This was a nice love story during World War II. It starts as a son looks back on the life of his father and discovers many things he didn't know about his life and service in World War II. I found it a very enjoyable read. "
— Amy, 9/4/2012 -
" The war scenes kind of dragged but the overall story line of the book was good. "
— Laura, 8/5/2012 -
" This is not timeless or even great literature, but is still a darn good read. It is well-written (except for the author's curious and consistent use of "which" for "that"--where was his editor?). The story is riveting and compelling. And the ending is just right (yay). "
— Elaine, 3/12/2012 -
" Scott Turow at his best -- and that's a very high bar. "
— Mel, 2/9/2012 -
" A war changes people. Some of these people tell their stories, others conceal them. A son finds papers belonging to his deceased father, outlining his duties during WWII. He learns that his dad and many others were able to to extraordinary things during extraordinary times. "
— Carol, 1/7/2012 -
" I read this book in 15 minute blips on my afternoon coffee breaks, and I loved it. A nice mixture of history and fiction and romance. "
— Mara, 8/16/2011 -
" Maybe one of the top 5 books I have ever read "
— Mconge, 7/26/2011 -
" Characters were great, story engrossing and satisfying to the last word! "
— Patty, 5/26/2011 -
" I was very moved by the story in this book and while it can be confusing switching from one time era to another and back again, Turow did this brilliantly in telling this story. Highly recommend it. "
— Debra, 5/24/2011 -
" Characters were great, story engrossing and satisfying to the last word! "
— Patty, 5/3/2011 -
" A war changes people. Some of these people tell their stories, others conceal them. A son finds papers belonging to his deceased father, outlining his duties during WWII. He learns that his dad and many others were able to to extraordinary things during extraordinary times. "
— Carol, 4/26/2011 -
" A good book. I like Turow as an author for light reading, not too brainy and not too brain dead. "
— Nic, 4/25/2011 -
" This was simply an incredible story of a son's desire to know his father's true history. What he discovers is more than anyone could anticipate. Well written from beginning to end, it was a book that I couldn't put down. "
— Gavin, 2/22/2011 -
" Different for Scott. Liked it so much that I kept it:-) "
— Bonnie, 2/19/2011 -
" Turow is a master. 3 of his books are some of my all-time favorites. Ordinary Heroes, Sins of our Fathers, Presumed Innocent. Ordinary Heroes is a must read for everyone. Great learning about WWII as well as wonderful philosophical life insights. READ THIS ONE! "
— Walter, 2/9/2011 -
" After his fathers death, Stewart goes through his fathers belongings and discovers some shocking news related to his parents WWII experiences. "
— Sheila, 1/24/2011 -
" A discovery of a big secret in his father's WWII life leads to a story you will not be able to put down. A little different genre for Turow but one of his best books. "
— Ann, 1/12/2011 -
" I've never read this author. I'm impressed - good for those who enjoy this type of WW2 espionage-ish thriller; the characterizations are realistic and the story engrossing, better than the usual. "
— Maria, 1/2/2011 -
" Excellent WWII novel! A newspaperman tries to uncover the mystery of his father--what his role was in WWII, why he was imprisoned, and why he was mysteriously released early. Why he would never talk about his war experiences. Who is his own mother? "
— Mr.B, 12/21/2010 -
" This was an amazing story, that makes you laugh, angry, sad, disturbed. It has romance, violence, betrayal, kindness. A truly amazing story. A must read. "
— Jkboyco, 12/6/2010
About Scott Turow
Scott Turow is the author of nonfiction and bestselling works of fiction, including Presumed Innocent and The Burden of Proof, which reached the #1 spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. His books have been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than thirty million copies worldwide and have been adapted into movies and television projects. He has frequently contributed essays and op-ed pieces to publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Vanity Fair, New Yorker, and The Atlantic.
About Edward Herrmann
Edward Herrmann (1943–2014) was one of America’s top audiobook narrators. He won multiple Audie Awards and twenty-two Earphones Awards, and his narration of the King James version of the Bible remains a benchmark in the industry.