This is a terrific book for anyone with any interest in the battle of Iwo Jima. Bill Ross does an excellent job of providing the reader with a general overview of the whole battle. His writing style is both easy and descriptive and, at times, speaks with a pained, human voice that reveals the author's presence at the battle. His efforts at painting the broad picture and describing the personal details of the battle are successful and are the highlight of this book. The information on the defender and his men are worthwhile and appreciated by a reader that often finds that information lacking. Additionally, he pays tribute to and details the men and women of the support forces who landed, supplied, patched up and all too often administered last rites to the Marines.
My only gripe with this book is the lack of maps and the absence of diagrams of the Japanese fortifications. This book is a rewarding and enjoyable read for anyone interested in WWII, the battle of Iwo Jima or the United States Marine Corps. Must reading for anyone with any doubts about mankind's capacity for valor, sacrifice and savagery.

This is a first class combat narrative of the battle fought at Iwo Jima. I have not read any other accounts of this battle and I found that this book provided more than enough information to satisfy my interest. I note that one previous reviewer talks about the book being tedious in the reader following one man to his death and then being replaced by another. I found that this only brought home the terrible nature of the type of warfare carried out on the Pacific Islands towards the end of WW2. Some of the stories of the men who earned America's highest decoration were truely sad and they rightly deserved to be told in this book. Overall this is an excellent combat narrative and I recommend it to anybody who wants to learn about this terrible conflict.

With all the attention given James Bradley's "Flags of Our Fathers" over the past couple of years, I have been afraid that Bill Ross might be neglected. This earlier work on Iwo Jima is really different than "Flags" and for a full understanding of that battle, both should be read. "Legacy" is a fuller and better-written depiction of the difficulties and horrors of the fight, and of the political decisions that led to it and shaped its progress, or lack of it. "Flags" is excellent in its own way, but is more the tale of the accidentally famous flag-raisers after the island was won, and before they enlisted. This is a grim and gripping story, and it is unlikely anyone else will come along and do a better job telling the tale of Iwo.

Although I enjoyed Roberts's previous book in this genre (Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun), I found this book tedious and disjointed. The sorry retelling of some Star Trek episode in each chapter seemed flat and the lessons drawn from it arbitrary.

This is one of those books that strikes someone as a good idea -- and maybe it is. But the implementation is lacking. Maybe "Perseverance" and "Judgment" will be chapter titles in some future tome.

Annoying, but not fatal, is the complete lack of understanding of military organization and language by the authors. There is only one commanding officer on a vessel; Riker is no one's commanding officer. Particulary egregious is the "Make it so" that comes at the end of each chapter:

Indeed, competence is a force mulitplier. Make it so.

Indeed, the sky is blue. Make it so.

Even if your not a frequent follower of the Star Trek series, the lessons throughout this book are very relevant to the leadership characteristics of a successful business. In short, you've hired people to do a job, let them do the job.

"Make it So -- Leadership Lessons From Star Trek--The Next Generation" is a delightful way to interject wit and wisdom into a normally dull subject. Taking sound principles of leadership and telling of their importance through the medium of "Star Trek" is a refreshing change from the usual manuals and guides on leadership. The authors,Wess Roberts and Bill Ross, have done a very good job of combining sound leadership principles with the story lines of favorite "Star Trek--The Next Generation" episodes and made leadership principles available to any and all readers. It does not matter whether you are a avid fan of the series, Star Trek in general, or a reader just looking for good advice, this book will deliver what you seek. I have recommended this book to my corporate learning center as required reading for their leadership seminars, it is that good. Whether you are in a leadership position at home, in industry, church, political or social world, there is something in this book for you.