Brave Men
Pyle's dispatches from Sicily, Italy, and Normandy — the war at the level of one tired man at a time.
The Verdict
The war as the most beloved correspondent of his generation saw it — at the level of one tired, frightened, decent soldier at a time. Ernie Pyle wrote not about strategy but about the men who carried it out, by name, with a tenderness that made America know and love its infantry. These dispatches from Sicily, Italy, and Normandy are the definitive record of the GI's war, by the reporter who died among the men he wrote for. Few books capture the ordinary soldier with such affection and truth.
Who Should Read It
Read it if you want
- The infantryman's war, told with deep humanity
- Readers who want the soldier, not the strategy
- Classic frontline war correspondence
- An accessible, moving entry to the European war
Look elsewhere if you want
- Strategy, command, or the big picture
- A single continuous narrative
- Readers wanting analysis over reportage
Why We Rated It 4.7
Historical Context
Ernie Pyle covered the war from North Africa through Sicily, Italy, and the Normandy campaign, writing syndicated columns read by millions. Brave Men (1944) collects his dispatches from 1943–44. He was killed by Japanese fire on Ie Shima, near Okinawa, in April 1945.
Editions & Reading Notes
Read It Alongside
Where to Buy
ISBN: 978-0803287686
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was Ernie Pyle?
- The most popular American war correspondent of WWII, famous for writing about ordinary soldiers by name. He won the Pulitzer Prize and was killed in the Pacific in 1945.
- What does Brave Men cover?
- His frontline dispatches from Sicily, the Italian campaign, and the Normandy invasion and breakout.