Stephen E. Ambrose Criticism
Stephen E. Ambrose (1936-2002) was a prominent American historian and biographer, renowned for his engaging narrative style and comprehensive historical works. Ambrose's career spanned nearly four decades, during which he authored numerous influential books focusing on pivotal events in American history. His works include Band of Brothers, D-Day, June 6, 1944, and biographies of Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon. Ambrose's biography of Eisenhower is considered definitive, capturing the complexity of the president's leadership, as similarly noted by The Good General and Unearthing the Real Ike. His Nixon biography series, while criticized for lack of speculative analysis by The Best Man, is praised for its exhaustive research and balanced narrative by critics such as The Vocation of Politics.
Ambrose was known for utilizing oral histories, particularly in his acclaimed work D-Day, June 6, 1944, which relied on the accounts of over a thousand soldiers to depict the Normandy invasion vividly. This method earned him critical acclaim, although some, like D-Day, June 6, 1944, noted an American-centric perspective. His focus on individual soldiers' experiences in World War II narratives, as observed in Citizen Soldiers, reflects his belief in the heroism and moral clarity of Allied forces.
Ambrose's other noted contributions include Undaunted Courage, a detailed account of the Lewis and Clark expedition, admired for its narrative depth, though occasionally criticized for lacking philosophical insight, as discussed by Undaunted Courage. His scholarly work extended to editing Eisenhower’s papers and establishing the Eisenhower Center at the University of New Orleans, where he also founded the National D-Day Museum.
Despite facing criticism for occasional lapses in primary source verification and a tendency to romanticize historical figures, Ambrose's writing remains celebrated for its accessibility and narrative vigor, appealing to both popular and academic audiences. His historical interpretations have left a lasting impact on American historiography, cementing his reputation as a leading historian of his time.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Essays
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The Good General
(summary)
In the following review, Keegan offers positive evaluation of Ambrose's two-volume biography of Eisenhower.
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Unearthing the Real Ike
(summary)
In the following review of Eisenhower: The President, Parmet concludes that Ambrose's work is “by far the best and most authoritative Eisenhower biography available.”
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The Real Ike
(summary)
In the following review, Warren offers favorable evaluation of Eisenhower: The President, but concludes that many questions concerning Eisenhower's complex personality remain unanswered.
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The Man Who Would Be President
(summary)
In the following review, Harwood offers positive assessment of Nixon: The Education of a Politician, 1913-1962.
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Resurrecting Poor Richard
(summary)
In the following review, Parmet offers positive assessment of Nixon: The Education of a Politician, 1913-1962.
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Nixon: The Education of a Politician, 1913-1962
(summary)
In the following review of Nixon: The Education of a Politician, 1913-1962, Hoff-Wilson finds weaknesses in Ambrose's reliance on dubious primary sources and his lack of original analysis.
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A Classical Hero with Blue Jowls
(summary)
In the following review of Nixon: The Education of a Politician, 1913-1962, Charmley praises Ambrose's study of Nixon as “a superb biography which comes as near to explaining its subject as any biographer can hope for.”
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He's the One
(summary)
In the following review of Nixon: The Education of a Politician, 1913-1962, Blumenthal writes that Ambrose's “old-fashioned sort of biography” serves as a “standard” point of reference for Nixon studies, but Ambrose's “professionally ‘balanced’ approach to an unbalanced subject does not penetrate deep enough.
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The Best Man
(summary)
In the following review of Nixon: The Education of a Politician, 1913-1962, Brinkley finds shortcomings in Ambrose's unwillingness to offer speculative analysis of Nixon's psychological profile. However, Brinkley concludes that, while offering no new information, Ambrose's biography relates 'a familiar story with uncommon balance, skill, and grace—and with a fullness and detail that no previous work can match.'
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The Vocation of Politics
(summary)
In the following review of Nixon: The Education of a Politician, 1913-1962, Neuhaus commends Ambrose's “exhaustive” and even-handed scholarship, but contends that he is not successful in recasting Nixon as a more admirable figure.
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Richard Nixon Revisited
(summary)
In the following excerpted review essay, Strong offers positive evaluation of Nixon: The Education of a Politician, 1913-1962, but concludes that many questions about Nixon's personal motivations remain unanswerable.
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Nixon Before the Fall
(summary)
In the following excerpted review, Dallek concludes that Nixon: The Triumph of a Politician, 1962-1972 adds little to existing information about Nixon and, furthermore, includes contradictory assessment of Nixon's foreign policy skills.
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Eisenhower: Soldier, General of the Army, President-Elect, 1890-1952 and Eisenhower: The President
(summary)
In the following review, Wilz offers positive evaluation of Eisenhower: Soldier, General of the Army, President-Elect, 1890-1952 and Eisenhower: The President.
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The Rediscovery of Richard Nixon
(summary)
In the following review of Nixon: Ruin and Recovery, 1973-1990, Phillips commends Ambrose's “thorough and even-handed” approach, but finds fault in the book's inaccurate political history and lack of comparative analysis between Nixon and other U.S. presidents accused of unethical dealings.
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The High Cost of Watergate
(summary)
In the following review, O'Neill offers praise for Nixon: Ruin and Recovery, 1973-1990.
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By Hook or By Crook
(summary)
In the following review, Howard offers positive assessment of Nixon: Ruin and Recovery, 1973-1990.
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The Man Who Came Back
(summary)
In the following review, Wright offers praise for Nixon: Ruin and Recovery, 1973-1990. Despite the high drama of a now-familiar story, and despite the daunting detail, this is a remarkably fair study. Indeed, Ambrose comes gradually to like Nixon. ‘That is not easy to do, as he doesn't really want to be liked.’ What he admires—and what he conveys—is that Nixon never gives up, and is always true to himself.
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Nixon: Ruin and Recovery, 1973-1990
(summary)
In the following review, Giglio offers positive assessment of Nixon: Ruin and Recovery, 1973-1990, highlighting the enduring resiliency of Nixon as a central theme.
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Eisenhower and the German POWs
(summary)
In the following review, Kentleton offers a positive assessment of Eisenhower and the German POWs, discussing the context of the allegations made by James Bacque and the subsequent investigation by the Eisenhower Center, highlighting the effectiveness of the contributors in addressing the issues raised.
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Eisenhower and the German POWs
(summary)
In the following review, Ziemke concludes that Eisenhower and the German POWs does not adequately explain the deaths of German POWs in Allied prison camps.
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D-Day: New Book Pays Tribute to the Heroism of Individual Soldiers
(summary)
In the following essay, Jaschik discusses Ambrose's scholarly interests, his use of oral history to compose D-Day, June 6, 1944, and critical reaction to his portrayal of the Normandy invasion in this work.
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Operation Overlord from the Inside
(summary)
In the following review, O'Neill offers praise for D-Day, June 6, 1944.
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The Culprits of Market-Garden
(summary)
In the following excerpt, d'Este concludes that D-Day, June 6, 1944 is “enormously readable and will undoubtedly become a standard work of its genre,” despite its overemphasis on the American role in the Normandy invasion.
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D-Day, June 6, 1944
(summary)
In the following review, Wilt offers positive evaluation of D-Day, June 6, 1944, though finds shortcomings in Ambrose's overstated comparison of Eisenhower and Erwin Rommel, his generalizations about the Atlantic Wall debacle, and his predominant focus on the American role in the battle.
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Where the Wild Things Were
(summary)
In the following review, Harden offers positive assessment of Undaunted Courage.
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The Epic Journey of Capt. Lewis: A Young Man's Life on an Incredible Expedition
(summary)
In the following review, Theroux offers positive assessment of Undaunted Courage.
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The Writingest Explorers
(summary)
In the following review, Wood offers favorable evaluation of Undaunted Courage.
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The Blank Page, the Final Frontier
(summary)
In the following review of Undaunted Courage, Limerick finds shortcomings in Ambrose's military perspective and uncritical admiration of Lewis and Clark.
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Eisenhower: A Centenary Assessment
(summary)
In the following review, Boyle concludes that Eisenhower: A Centenary Assessment is “a useful addition to scholarship on Eisenhower.”
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Undaunted Courage
(summary)
In the following review of Undaunted Courage, Furtwangler concludes that Ambrose fails to capture the literary and larger philosophical dimensions of the book's subject.
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Undaunted Courage
(summary)
In the following review, Emmerich offers generally positive assessment of Undaunted Courage. This work is the story of two magnificent obsessions: the epic of love of exploration that drew Meriwether Lewis and Thomas Jefferson into partnership, and the author's own obsession with Lewis and his remarkable journey.
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The Search for American Heroes
(summary)
In the following review, Lamar offers favorable evaluation of Undaunted Courage, praising Ambrose's narrative skill and successful effort to humanize Meriwether Lewis.
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Fighting Words
(summary)
In the following review, Bunting offers positive assessment of The Victors and Ambrose's focus on the military experiences of individual soldiers.
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Citizen Soldiers
(summary)
In the following review excerpt of Citizen Soldiers, Dean takes issue with Ambrose's tendency to conflate heroism and cruelty in his portrayal of World War II as a “good war.”
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Linking a Nation: Stephen Ambrose's Story of the Building of the Transcontinental Railroad
(summary)
In the following review, Weinberg offers favorable assessment of Nothing Like It in the World.
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Railroaded History
(summary)
In the following review of Nothing Like It in the World, Limerick criticizes Ambrose's uncritical generalizations about the American transcontinental railroad and his sentimental view of its construction.
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The Good General
(summary)
- Further Reading