Driven by the memory of a fallen teammate, TSU's 1941 starting lineup made Montana football history, charging through the season undefeated. Two years later, the "Supreme Team" is caught up in World War II. Ten of them are scattered around the globe in the war's various lonely and dangerous theaters. The eleventh man, Ben Reinking, has been plucked from pilot training by a military propaganda machine hungry for heroes. Man by man, he is to chronicle the adventures of his teammates for small-town newspapers across the country, like the one his father edits. Ready for action, he chafes at the assignment, little dreaming that it will bring him love from an unexpected quarter and put to the test the law of averages, which holds that all but one of his teammates should come through the conflict unscathed. A deeply American story, The Eleventh Man is Ivan Doig's most powerful novel to date.
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"I didn't expect to like this book since it's about football palyers and WWII, not my favorite topics. But I did like it. I thought it gave a differnt perspective on life in the military during the war. the characters are good and I really wanted to find out how the book ended! " — Stephanie (5 out of 5 stars)
"I didn't expect to like this book since it's about football palyers and WWII, not my favorite topics. But I did like it. I thought it gave a differnt perspective on life in the military during the war. the characters are good and I really wanted to find out how the book ended! "
" I really enjoyed this book. A bit of a departure from Whistling Season. "
" Undeveloped characters, read like a made-for-TV movie script fleshed out for the mass-market paperback racks. Some good period flavor of Small-town Montana WWII life, but a very lightweight read, full of cliche and coincidental plot devices. "
" Sorry--it was this one, not Whistling Season. WWII and small town football. Written in an old-fashioned way. Couldn't finish it. "
" Ivan Doig is a storyteller and sometimes there's nothing like a good story. This book is exactly that - a good story, based lightly on some truth, engaging characters and solid ending. I'm on the hunt for more by this author. "
" I liked this book on several levels-flying,football and beautiful Montana "
" It was a different point of view about WWII. Not too bloody or violent in the descriptions, but you certainly experienced the loss of many good men. I enjoyed it. "
" I just love Ivan Doig. A wonderful novel that spins the history of WWII into a compelling story line. "
" Well, I was a bit disappointed with this book. I have absolutely loved Doig's previous novels -- especially the Montana Trilogy. And while this book takes place in the same areas of Montana and some familiar names appear, it just didn't hold me like the others did. "
" Ivan Doig is one of my favorite authors. He captures the essence of Montana history in a beautiful way. "
" My favorite author of all time! "
" Story was interesting, but didn't like the way it was written. I also didn't really ever care about the characters enough to love the book. "
" Beautifully written narrative about WWII and life in general "
" Really great writing. My dad would really like this book. We would not hold up to WWII as well as that era did. "
" I will be eternally grateful to the great Alan Boye for introducing me to my pal Ivan. This book is fantastic, and it makes me so so sad. "
" good story, good settings, lots of history woven in "
" Not as good as the English Creek series, but still good. "
" This is the third book about WWII that I have read this summer. Although it is a novel, it presents a new viewpoint of the war. I really enjoyed this book and its link to Montana. "
" A disappointment from Doig. Excessively he-man viewpoint with paper-thin women characters and a simplistic ending. "
" Interesting, but slow reading. "
" I wanted so badly to love this book, but it just never got going. The writing was classic Ivan Doig, but the plot, subject matter and flow left me disappointed. "
" Another look at Montana in the past. Also a look at the way reality is bent to the purposes of the propaganda machinery - whether the military at war or Madison Avenue (I'm extrapolating). Interesting situation and characters; a little slow reading. "
" A disappointment - I loved The Whistling Season, but this one is not populated as well and the story itself is not compelling. "
" The Eleventh Man is a great read. Set in the period of World War II, it is especially interesting as it provides historical events along with a great story with some actual facts. "
" Are you ready to reminise about the good ole days and where did all those members of the football team go after they graduated from high school? "
" For some reason, I kept on slogging thro this. Doig got wordy to the point of distraction. And the suspense was non existent as was the appeal. "
" Not a sports fan, but this one kept my attention. "
" I read this shortly after finishing another book by the same author (The Whistling Season). I could not finish this book, despite forcing myself to read it before other things on my list. I was disappointed because the Whistling Season was so much better. "
" I picked this book up because of how much I liked Doig's book, THE WHISTLING SEASON. That one was great, but this one has bad language, an affair with a married woman, and is boring to boot. I'm moving on to greener pastures! "
" This was a good book but not as good as other Doig books. It covers what happens to the TSU football team during WWII and the unexpected losses they experience. Unfortunately, the story did not hang together well. "
" Another of Doig's excellent novels combining sports, war and the west. Explores the nature of heroism, betrayal and propaganda. A very good read. "
" surprise story of WWII by Doig......enjoyed it "
Ivan Doig (1939–2015) wrote over a dozen books, including the Indiebound bestseller Work Song, the classic memoir This House of Sky, and the acclaimed Montana trilogy. He has been a National Book Award finalist and has received the Wallace Stegner Award, among many other honors.
Tom Stechschulte (1948–2021) was an acclaimed narrator and winner of the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. He had been a college athlete and business major when a friend dared him to audition for a play. He got the part and traded the locker room for the dressing room, eventually taking him to New York City and to recording audiobooks.
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