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The Greatest Generation Speaks (Abridged): Letters and Reflections Audiobook
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(3.06) - 721 listener ratings
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A powerful selection of the letters Tom Brokaw received in response to his towering #1 bestseller The Greatest Generation. “When I wrote about the men and women who came out of the Depression, who won great victories and made lasting sacrifices in World War II and then returned home to begin building the world we have today—the people I called the Greatest Generation—it was my way of saying thank you. But I was not prepared for the avalanche of letters and responses touched off by that book. I had written a book about America, and now America was writing back.”—Tom Brokaw In the phenomenal bestseller The Greatest Generation, Tom Brokaw paid affecting tribute to those who gave the world so much—and who left an enduring legacy of courage and conviction. The Greatest Generation Speaks collects the vast outpouring of letters Brokaw received from men and women eager to share their intensely personal stories of a momentous time in America’s history. Some letters tell of the front during the war, others recall loved ones in harm’s way in distant places. They offer first-hand accounts of battles, poignant reflections on loneliness, exuberant expressions of love, and somber feelings of loss. As Brokaw notes, “If we are to heed the past to prepare for the future, we should listen to these quiet voices of a generation that speaks to us of duty and honor, sacrifice and accomplishment. I hope more of their stories will be preserved and cherished as reminders of all that we owe them and all that we can learn from them.”
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"Actually I would give this book a 6 or 7 rating because of the personal experiences related. If you want to know how blessed we are, and how much some sacrificed-here it is. Now I have to go get "The Greatest Generation", the first book which I am sure is as good and probably better."
— Frank (5 out of 5 stars)
The Greatest Generation Speaks Listener Reviews
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" Didn't enjoy this one as much as Brokaw's original, but still good. "
— Tyler, 2/15/2014 -
" I like this better than The Greatest Generation because these are first-hand accounts of their struggles. I also like that he compiled letters from children, women, soldiers, and everyday citizens of that time period. "
— Shelley, 2/6/2014 -
" I have always loved books of letters. I don't think there is a better way to learn about someone than to read their letters. This is a great collection. "
— Dana, 2/6/2014 -
" I enjoyed reading the letters Tom Brokaw published in his book that came in response to The Greatest Generation. The letters reflected personal accounts and some were truly touching! "
— Lennie, 2/4/2014 -
" Audiobook, a wonderful, often heartbreaking look into the lives of those that grew up during the Great Depression and survived the horrors of World War II. "
— Stephen, 1/31/2014 -
" What a great compilation of letters reflecting our "Greatest Generation" "
— Nancy, 1/25/2014 -
" Loved it! Great perspective and history surrounding the WWII generation. Gained a huge new respect for that generation. "
— Ty, 1/23/2014 -
" Not nearly as good as The Greatest Generation. "
— Tori, 1/18/2014 -
" Since I reread the greastest generation, I thought I would go on to read the second book. It was fabulous. It makes you feel so gateful and puts everything in proper perspective. "
— Marti, 12/30/2013 -
" I enjoyed this book more than "The Greatest Generation". The stories of WWII were more genuine. They were spontaneously written to author, rather than the author seeking them out. This made everything much more personable and therefore more enjoyable for me. "
— Sarah, 12/23/2013 -
" My grandfather's story is in this book! "
— Janet, 12/15/2013 -
" After the Greatest Generation was published, many people responded to Tom Brokaw about the people that he wrote about in that first book. It is the responces and his comments that brought this time period and the people who lived it to life. A must read. "
— Dad, 10/28/2013 -
" Very educational and emotional read... "
— Les, 10/1/2013 -
" Interesting perspectives. "
— Rob, 9/27/2013 -
" More war stories, each of them enlightening and touching. Again, I was pissed off that I can't get the unabridged audiobook, but it's still worth listening to. "
— Colleen, 9/22/2013 -
" i loved the greatest generation, and had to pick this one up too. "
— Beckynovacek, 7/29/2013 -
" Sad & uplifting reading personal letters from soldiers who often times were facing death wondering if they were ever going to see their families again. They were all truly a selfless generation! "
— Al, 5/31/2013 -
" Another masterpiece!! "
— Belinda, 3/12/2013 -
" It reminded me of the importance of this period in my Dad's life. He never met anyone without his war stories creeping into the conversation. Reading the letters and remembrances brought him back to me through their shared and at the same time disparate experiences. "
— Susan, 2/3/2013 -
" Clearly this generation sacrificed! A nice follow up to The Greatest Generation and Unbroken. "
— Jamie, 11/10/2012 -
" Incredibly poignant first-person accounts of those who experienced World War II. "
— Beth, 10/17/2012 -
" Wonderful, very inspirational, helped me to look at my parents generation with new eyes. "
— Delores, 8/30/2012 -
" I absolutely loved The Greatest Generation, so when this one came out, I could not resist. I really enjoyed reading the first hand accounts and letters of those included. "
— Jodie, 6/24/2012 -
" If you have parents or grandparents that grew up during this era, buy this book and give it to them as a gift. Also thank them for what you have today because of them! "
— Krista, 5/5/2012 -
" I just could not get into the basically repetitive feel good letters. "
— Ronald, 4/14/2012 -
" Wonderful, part 2! "
— Karen, 4/6/2011 -
" Not nearly as good as The Greatest Generation. "
— Tori, 1/22/2011 -
" I enjoyed this book more than "The Greatest Generation". The stories of WWII were more genuine. They were spontaneously written to author, rather than the author seeking them out. This made everything much more personable and therefore more enjoyable for me. "
— Sarah, 1/5/2011 -
" I really enjoyed reading letters & accounts of what happened during the war from the soldiers & the family that lived it. "
— Rebecca, 12/22/2010 -
" I absolutely loved The Greatest Generation, so when this one came out, I could not resist. I really enjoyed reading the first hand accounts and letters of those included. "
— Jodie, 7/3/2010 -
" I have always loved books of letters. I don't think there is a better way to learn about someone than to read their letters. This is a great collection. "
— Dana, 6/17/2009 -
" I really enjoyed this book, but the first book, "The Greatest Generation" was much better in my opinion. "
— Melanie, 4/30/2009 -
" Audiobook, a wonderful, often heartbreaking look into the lives of those that grew up during the Great Depression and survived the horrors of World War II. "
— Stephen, 4/28/2009 -
" Since I reread the greastest generation, I thought I would go on to read the second book. It was fabulous. It makes you feel so gateful and puts everything in proper perspective. "
— Marti, 3/19/2009 -
" Didn't enjoy this one as much as Brokaw's original, but still good. "
— Tyler, 1/14/2009 -
" All in all, well worth the time. "
— John, 11/5/2008 -
" If you have parents or grandparents that grew up during this era, buy this book and give it to them as a gift. Also thank them for what you have today because of them! "
— Krista, 9/25/2008 -
" Loved it! Great perspective and history surrounding the WWII generation. Gained a huge new respect for that generation. "
— Ty, 9/22/2008
About Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw is the author of several books, including the #1 New York Times bestseller The Greatest Generation. In 2014, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and he has won every major award in broadcast journalism, including two DuPont Awards, a Peabody Award, and several Emmy Awards. He is a regular contributor to the op-ed pages of the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal, as well as writing for Time, Newsweek, and Men’s Journal. A native of South Dakota, he graduated from the University of South Dakota with a degree in political science. He joined NBC News in 1966, serving as the White House correspondent during Watergate and anchoring Today on NBC from 1976 to 1981. He was the sole anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw from 1983 to 2005.