Jacob L. Devers: A General's Life successfully combines the story of Devers's private life with that of his military life and career to provide a first-rate profile of both the man and the general. The scholarship is impeccable. Wheeler's discussion of the Devers-Eisenhower controversy is the best and most thorough account I have read.
~Carlo D'Este, author of Eisenhower: A Soldier's Life
This book will become the standard work on Devers. Although offering a sympathetic portrayal of Devers, Wheeler does not sacrifice his basic objectivity. There is also a spark of controversy because the book calls into question the traditional view of Eisenhower's management of his American subordinates.
~Stephen R. Taaffe, author of Marshall and His Generals: U.S. Army Commanders in World War II
Jacob L. Devers: A General's Life is a major contribution to revising the traditional account of World War II in Europe. Wheeler gives us a very different view of Eisenhower in particular and the senior command relationships in general during 1944–1945.
~Jonathan M. House, author of A Military History of the Cold War, 1944–1962
James Scott Wheeler has given us something more than a simple comprehensive account of one general's life. By resurrecting a notably underappreciated World War II four-star, he provides readers with an insightful appraisal of American military leadership in wartime.... In this engaging biography, [Devers] receives the recognition that has long been his due.
~American Conservative
Retired Col. James Scott Wheeler has closed a serious gap in the historiography of the U.S. Army during World War II... and has redressed an imbalance in historical assessment of Devers' career and leadership in combat. It is decidedly a work of professional scholarship weaving the Army story throughout.
~AUSA
James Scott Wheeler has crafted a biography which exposes the career of Jacob Devers to an audience largely unaware of the incredible service he provided to his country. This [is an] extremely valuable contribution and an important asset in our understanding of World War II.
~On Point
Wheeler has crafted an excellent biography of a general whose accomplishments were pivotal in defeating the Wehrmacht. After years of relative obscurity in the historiography of World War II, Devers's time has arrived.
~H-Net Reviews
Wheeler's book is highly recommended for all history audiences – an extraordinary story about an extraordinary man who simply did not see himself that way.
~Military Review
A thorough, readable, solid analysis that does credit to its subject.
~Journal of Military History
Wheeler has produced an excellent biography of a significant senior leader, but also a group biography of American high command in World War II.
~US Military History Review
Wheeler has done an admirable job with (presenting) a rich account worthy of being read by anyone interested in World War II. Devers might not have gotten much attention in his day, but he deserves it now.
~Parameters
In this definitive biography, Wheeler delivers a groundbreaking reassessment of the American commander whose contributions to victory in Europe are topped only by General Dwight D. Eisenhower's. An essential contribution to twentieth-century history, Jacob L. Devers provides a fresh and nuanced interpretation of the senior command during World War II and offers a new perspective on a highly accomplished solider.
~McCormick (SC) Messenger
Wheeler's well-researched and detailed account of Devers's life is a welcome addition to the biographical canon of World War II's oft-forgotten leading personalities.
~MHQ
