Great depth of exploration of a fascinating historical figure, making Eisenhower more man than the myth he has become. I particularly liked the effort taken to bring in a level of personal detail about him to balance the professional role and relationships which we all know about.

Ike's Journey is a detailed account of the historical events that General Dwight Eisenhower was involved in preceding and during WWII. It is classified as historical fiction even though the events and happenings are real because the author has personalized many of the accounts by adding dialogue that might have occurred among the characters as well as letters to and from the General and his wife. This is the first of two books with this one ending as Ike begins the preparations for Operation Overlord, the invasion that marked the beginning of the end of Hitler's reign in Europe. This book is a somewhat flattering account of Eisenhower. He was not a seasoned combat leader and had no experience in the field of war, yet thru his own political maneuvering and sheer luck in command he led the most important military campaign of the century. This first book includes accounts of his affair with Kay Summersby, his driver and constant companion during the World War II years. It is also an unflattering account of the many insecurities and issues of Mamie Eisenhower, his wife. I enjoyed the read and the historical accounts of the conflicts leading up to Overlord as well as the detailed information about Summersby and Ike's time together. I look forward to the next book that completes Ike's journey. Thanks to #NetGalley#Ike'sJourney for the opportunity to read and review this book.

***Ike’s Journey by Robert Kofman is a simplistic retelling of Eisenhower’s role in the first two years of WWII up untill he is given the title of Supreme Allied Commander tasked with Operation Overlord. The war communications and letters quoted are quite interesting. However, the author needs to work on his dialogue writing skills. Dialogue as written does little to advance the story. This reviewer grew up reading books about WWII such as Battle Cry, The Thin Red Line and They Were Expendable that are unforgettable many years later. I can’t say the same about this volume. It might, however, cause younger readers to do some in depth research on the last war that actually was won by the United States. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley.