5 comments about To Do My Best: James E. West and the History of the Boy Scouts of America.

1. Every Professional Scouter should be required to read this book. It is the key that unlocks the door to why the movement operates the way that it does. Provides valuable insight as to why programs did or did not occur and the timing of their adoption into the approved program. The fact that James E. West hired a stenographer to record his every act is a wonderful piece of history coupled with his personal habits away from the public eye provided a foundation for the acceptable habits of BSA executives of today.



2. I throughly enjoyed the book and found the histroy very interesting.



3. Being involved in Scouting since the early 1940's, I was well aware of the impact of James E. West on the BSA. In fact I briefly met him at the Greater NY Councils offices. This book answered questions that have been puzzling me and filled in some gaps in what I was not aware of. After reading, I passed the book on to Scouting friends and their feedback has been positive. I highly recommend it to all those interested in the history of the Boy Scouts.



4. This is a good history of James E. West and his impact (significant) on the Boy Scouts of America. Mr. West molded to organization in his image. While he ruffled numerous feathers, he had the best intentions at heart.
   
   The book is an engaging read. Recommended if you want to know why BSA works the way it does.



5. Dr. Rowan has written an excellent book about the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. As a Cub Scout in the 1950's, I remember his stern portratit, the one on the cover, hanging in our Scout Hut. As an adult and a researcher of Scouting history, I've often wondered why he wasn't memorialized more than he has been. This book provides the answer: He was the man needed to do the job that had to be done but nobody wanted any more Chief Scout Executives like him!
   
   The book is sympathetic to West and explains why he was the kind of man he was without either lionizing or demonizing him. Rowan includes fascinating insights into the relationship between Ernest Thompson Seton, Daniel Carter Beard and James E. West.
   
   Anyone seriously interested in the history of the B.S.A. or just organizations in general should enjoy this book.

5 comments about Henry Clay: Statesman for the Union.

1. This was a pleasure to read at almost 800 pages of text! Mr Remini made it all come alive and I feel as if I truly knew Clay and Calhoun, Webster, Benton, Van Buren, Buchanan, etc. I plan to read more Mr Remini's books in the future.



2. This is certainly the best of Dr. Remini's books to date. It is an honest appraisal of the man as a human being with human weakness and a great patriot and statesman. Remini had the opportunity to use the "Works of Henry Clay in the writing of this book and the expert researching of the character.
   
   We see Clay as John Q. Adams saw him, as the members of the House of Representatives as he reached his goal of Speaker, we sympathize with the grief stricken father of the boy who died in the Mexican War and how it affected Clay's politics. We share Clay's emotions as his different bids for the Presidential nominations are lost.As we are exposed to the genius and frailties of character of this stateman we see him through the eyes of his contemporaries and they show themselves through him.
   
   This is a marvelous story well told. I would recommend it to every person interested in 19th century America.



3. This important chapter of American history is usually analyzed as the period of the 'Great Triumvirate' of Clay, Calhoun and Wesbter, three failed politicians who never achieved the highest office. Nevertheless Clay was one of the most important men of his period, when the Whigs vied with the Democrats for control of the nation. He was first elected to the house in 1811 and helped forge Jacksonian populist democracy as well as preside over the compromises stemming from slavery and ensuring that America was a vibrant democracy.
   
   An interesting read, fair, and decent and well written.
   
   Seth J. Frantzman



4. I have read this book two times, because it was very interesting to me to learn about one of America's finest statesmen. Robert V. Remini is a favorite author of mine. I also liked
   
   Daniel Webster: The Man and His Time
   
   Andrew Jackson 3 Volumes The Course of the American Empire 1767-1821, The Course of the American Freedom 1822-1832, The Course of the American Democracy 1833-1845



5. Of all the biographies of early American figures, I rather like Henry Clay best. He boasted a lengthier political career than Washington, Adams, Hamilton, Jackson etc. Of his rivals in the Senate, neither Daniel Webster nor John C. Calhoun were as effective in meeting the great challenges of his time: the BUS, the various Tariffs and territorial expansion. As a former debater, it is truly depressing that we have no audio to record his momentous speeches--those rarities which permanently altered the course of history.. Lincoln, Madison, Van Buren and virtually everyone else he met (save Andrew Jackson) admired his many abilities.
   
   Robert Remini is a biographer in the classical sense, the emphasis is heavy on the political, and far lighter on the more personal/psychological aspect of Clay's character. We are told he was a ladies' man, party-goer and gambler, but of these habits there is precious little detail despite almost 800 pages of work. Remini favors the younger Clay, House Speaker and leader of the National Republicans over the elder statesman and undisputed champion of the Whig Party. Perhaps 3 failed presidential elections took away his luster not only for the American public, but the biographer himself. After reading Clay, I will now give 'equal time' to Jackson, likely from a more contemporary biographer.

5 comments about God's Fool: The Life of Francis of Assisi (Perennial Library).

1. This book is sometimes a bit too reverent for its own good. Julien Green is a Catholic and his attitude is understandable, but a more impartial approach would have made God's Fool, a great book as it is, even better. In spite of that, this is a heartfelt and beautifully written accound of Francis of Assisi's life and times. The writer is clearly in awe of Francis, but his analysis of the Saint's attitudes, motivations and contradictions help you understand this fascinating figure and make him more human and accessible to the contemporary reader. Special note must be made of the beautifully poetic prose and of the way the author deals with the uglier aspects of Francis's life, which are sometimes glossed over in other biographies. Despite its flaws, this is a wonderful book on an extraordinary individual.



2. I'd like to add my five-star vote for this wonderful little work. After reading it I'm convinced St Francis had a difficult life but despite the difficulty (maybe because of it) he persevered and kept obstinately optimistic and decent. He was cheerful because he gave himself to God, not because God gave him so much to be cheerful about. I could understand why he is so beloved, even though he gave us a tough example to follow. The prose is beautiful and the optimism is encouraging.



3. I just recieved this book and have looked forward to reading it. To my dismay, the print is much smaller than usual and difficult to read without eye strain. I find I can only read a couple of pages at a time.



4. This book is full of symbolism. For example Francis's struggle with his father, his disrobing in front of the Bishop and the Bishop covering him with his own cloak indicates that Francis had a new home, he was accepted by the Church. When his biological father chained him his earthly mother Pica set him free. This leads us to the thought that Mary can set us free from the sins that are our earthly chains. This is a book that is both an easy read yet a thoughful read. I recommend it highly.



5. Green's account grows out of lifelong admiration for Francis, but for him no tribute can be better than bare truth. This life and times paints the whole social scene in which St. Francis moved. It gives Francis's quirks of personality equal treatment with his breathtaking heights of spirit. We see how the saint formed his network of supporters or patrons, and the deals he had to make along the way. When he, but not most of his followers received permission to preach, we see Francis admonishing his followers, "You don't know God's will. ... You say the bishops won't let you preach. Then convert those prelates by your obedience ... and they themselves will ask you to convert the people". (p. 197-98)
   
   In Green's account we see the choices Francis made, his estimates of what was possible or not, and his tactics which formed one of the most revealing social experiments in Christian history.
   
   --author of "Different Visions of Love"

5 comments about Washington's General: Nathanael Greene and the Triumph of the American Revolution.

1. Nathanael Greene was often said to be George Washington's choice to take command of the continental army, should he himself be captured or killed. This is particularly striking when one considers that Greene was a private in the Rhode Island militia one year, and a general in the continental army the next. In Golway's excellent biography, we learn a great deal about Greene, possibly all we can know. This contrast can be frustrating, but it is not Golway's fault. How did a man who was a private, and asked to leave the guard due to his limp, come to be named a general? Golway can't tell us, as the historical record apparently just doesn't exist. Such frustrations aside, we get a great picture of Greene from what does exist. He was obviously a man of great understanding, realizing how the war would truly be won or lost (not necessarily on the battlefied, but "in the hearts and minds" of the populace). He was a businessman who became the quartermaster general against his own dreams of glory, and in so doing may well have saved the army. He was mindful of his own profits, while sacrificing much to the cause. He was the husband of a legendarily vivacious and impressive woman that we sadly do not know enough about. He lusted after glory, and was hypersenstive to criticism. His leadership in the Southern campaign set up the victory at Yorktown. Beyond all the facts we could list, Nathanael Greene epitomized what America would be at its best: a place where someone could reinvent themselves and be judged by ability and accomplishement rather than accidents of birth.



2. This is a much needed book that rightfully gives some credit to one of George Washington's most important and able lieutenants. Nathanael Green did not receive much formal education, yet he sought knowledge and surrounded himself with others who were better educated; he was not a professional soldier by trade, yet learned the lessons of battle; he lost all the major battles he fought in, yet his strategy achieved victory in the South in the final analysis. This is the story of an often overlooked figure in the period of the American Revolution.
   
   Golway is to be credited for bringing due attention to Greene, but the author doesn't fall into hero worship; he is often critical of Greene. He made bad calls in his quarrels with others and in some of his decisions on the battlefield. Greene was obsessed with his reputation, wanted the approval of others, fell into bouts of self-pity, took criticism fairly hard, and so forth. His relationship with his wife seemed one of devotion and affection, but that didn't prevent him from writing to his wife about the other women he encountered and how tempted he was. This is a very human Nathanael Greene that emerges in this book, which makes him easier to relate too as well. After all, don't we all share certain traits in common, both the positive and the less flattering?
   
   The man with the limp was ridiculed by others when he first joined the military, but he grew into his role and held the confidence of his commander, George Washington. Greene made some bad calls on the field, but he learned from them. He also served as Quartermaster General, a critically important role, but one that denied him (as Greene thought) his often sought after military glory on the battlefield. He gained his chance for glory in his assignment to the Southern theater of operations in the Carolinas against Lord Charles Cornwallis, who had badly defeated two American armies.
   
   Without going into each battle or engagement that took place in South and North Carolina and Georgia, suffice it to say that Greene did what he had to do, namely, to keep the Continental army alive and wear down the British army. In these objectives he succeeded. He lost all the major battles he fought in, but they were battles that incurred heavy costs on the British and forced them to give up on their hopes of subduing the South. Even members of the British high command were quoted acknowledging Greene's skills in this campaign. Of course Greene wasn't the only man responsible for this result, but he provided the leadership, the ability, and the perseverance that were needed.
   
   The final pages seemed rushed in my opinion and there were some points that could have been developed further, but overall this was a good book. Greene served his country well and it was unfortunate that he died so soon after the war ended.



3. easily one of the most underrated generals in american history...terry golway gives greene the recognition and appreciation greene was looking for...if you love reading about the revolution, this is the book for you...easy and vivid read that traces greenes accomplishments and even his weaknesses throughout life...you will not be disappointed.



4. He has been called, "the most underappreciated great man in the War for Independence." George Washington's hand-picked successor, Nathanael Greene was born into a prominent Rhode Island Quaker family. Plagued by insecurities due to his lack of education and military experience, he nonetheless provided an invaluable contribution to the cause of Liberty.
   
   Shortly after enlisting in his state's militia, some of his unit suggested that he resign. They felt that his marked "limp" detracted from their "manly, martial appearance." Against their wishes he remained and within six months was commissioned as a general. By the end of the Revolution, he would be second only to Washington himself.
   
   Greene's meteoric rise to glory is highlighted by his passionate patriotism and intense sense of loyalty. As Washington's reluctant yet efficient Quartermaster, he sustained the Continental Army through some of the leanest years of the war, battling Congress for much-needed funds. As commander of the Southern front, he would outfox Cornwallis in the swamps of the Low-Country and hills of the Carolinas.
   
   This book turns a long-overdue spotlight on one of our forgotten heroes. Based on scholarly research from both primary and secondary sources, it retains a readability that historical laymen such as myself find appealing. For anyone interested in our nation's history or in a genuine American hero, I recommend Washington's General.



5. I couldn't put it down. That's pretty rare for a history book for me, even though I enjoy the genre I am usually under whelmed by the writing skill of the average historian. This is the first Golway that I have read and I compare him (for readability at least) with McCullough. I'm not enough of a historian to evaluate the accuracy of the history, except in an overall sense, so this review will be more about the book as a pleasure read.
   
   The story unfolds late in the war, then the author takes us back to see how Greene got to this unlikely spot. Raised a Rhode Island Quaker with little education, severe asthma, and even a slight limp he seemed about as unlikely a figure to rise to major general as one could imagine. The author paints the classic "warts and all" picture of the man, and since much of this comes from his own letters it is probably a fair evaluation. Intensely loyal, highly attentive to detail, patriotic, yet at the same time extremely sensitive to criticism sometimes to the point of petulance, he was a complex man with several cross-currents of personality.
   
   His wife is also described in detail, and one feels the author left no stone unturned in finding what he could about her. Apparently most of her letters are lost to posterity, but Golway was still able to paint a fairly complete picture without the sense that it became fable.
   
   I also enjoyed some of the other figures who were unearthed a bit by their proximity to Greene, especially some of the southern militia commanders like Daniel Morgan, a man who won one of the most pivotal battles of the Southern Campaign, if not the war, at Cowpens. This battle description alone is worth reading the book for.
   
   In summation, I clearly liked this book, and unreservedly recommend it. Fascinating read.

3 comments about Cochrane: Britannia's Sea Wolf.

1. This book was first published in 1978 but has now been re-released to the benefit of all who enjoy a fast-paced historical account. After reading this book I am amazed that it has taken nearly twenty years to be re-released. What a great story Mr. Thomas tells of Thomas, Lord Cochrane, later the 10th Earl of Dundonald. From his birth through to his death covering all his exploits in numerous sea battles and actions, so many in fact that you find it hard to believe that he survived.

   The book covers Cochrane's battles during the Napoleonic Wars during which, on many occasions, he sent his ship in action against overwhelming odds. It was during this period that he was recognized, as one of Britain's most daring and successful captains. It was also during this period that he made many enemies, although he pressed hard in every action and took many risks, he always considered the well being of the men under his command. This later led to his single-handed campaign against corruption in the Admiralty.

   Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 Cochrane commenced an extraordinary career as a mercenary admiral. He subsequently commanded the navies of Chile and Brazil and launched campaigns against their protagonists, Spain and Portugal. After finishing his 'little wars' in South America he took command of elements of the Greek navy in their war against the Turks. In all these campaigns Cochrane again showed that he was one of the best naval commanders of his time.

   The narrative flowed along smoothly and although I have no great knowledge of maritime history I had no problems in following this story. In over 350 pages of text along with a number of black & white plates and a few maps Mr. Thomas tells a wonderful and exciting story. This is the type of book, which I am sure any person who has a love for history or who enjoys the novels of C. S. Forester and Patrick O'Brien will just love. A must for any serious student of naval tactics or Napoleonic warfare.




2. As the blurb on the back cover says: forget Horatio Hornblower, forget Jack Aubrey. Even the license given to them as fictional characters can't surpass the facts of Lord Cochrane's extraordinary life. A supremely creative tactician and breathtaking improviser at sea (it was no less a person than Napoleon who nicknamed him the 'Sea Wolf') his story ashore is worthy of a book in itself.

   This book has it all: blood, guts and glory pitted against both the enemy abroad and the corrupt establishment at home. Once read, there's no forgetting this man and his story.




3. This book is remarkable historical background for anyone who enjoys the Jack Aubrey, Lord Ramage, Horatio Hornblower sets of historic fiction.
   The biographer details many of the challenges met by those fictional characters, including the pervasive corruption of the British admiralty system, which fictional heroes endure and which Thomas Cochrance fought against his entire life.
   Donald Serrell Thomas highlights a few of the many ship-to-ship actions from 1793-1808. But he spends as much time investigating the politics of the pre-reform parliamentary system where a few powerful purses controlled the representation from numerous "rotten boroughs" -- one of which elected Cochrane.
   The author also outlines the details of a remarkably modern-sounding stock market fraud case, in which Cochrane was found to be a co-conspirator. The author thinks (as most of Britain came to think) that Cochrane was innocent, although another recent study came to an opposite conclusion based on the same evidence.
   If you're a fan of the "Sharpe's Rifles" series, read "Sharpe's Devil" before you read this book. But read both!

5 comments about Winston Churchill: A Life (Penguin Lives).

1. Publisher's Weekly is entirely mistaken, in their comments above, in suggesting that Sir Winston Churchill once belonged to the Labour Party.
   
   He never did, of course.
   
   Churchill did, however, cross the floor to join the Liberal Party, often making common cause there with his Liberal ally David Lloyd George. He left the Liberals and returned to the Conservative Party (at first, as a "Constitutionalist") in the 1920's...
   
   Alan D. Hyde



2. Let me make clear at the outset that I am no historian. Indeed, I wouldn't even qualify as an amateur historian. I am just your average 30-something fairly ignorant reader living a period of love for more or less recent history. Given this premise, I found this little book quite perfect for what I was looking for.
   
   This is a short, entertaining, and VERY well written biography of one of the greatest men in the 20th century. Because of the serious limits of my knowledge on the subject, I certainly cannot judge on the accuracy of the reports. However, to the best of my knowledge, the author is considered a reputable WWII historian. Indeed I liked this book so much that I also purchased his history of WWII. You can read this book in a day, and it will entertain you like a good novel, while also informing you as few novels would do.
   
   I would not pay too much attention to those reviewers that complain about this book not delving into Churchill's shortcomings as a man or as a politician. This is a very small book, about 190 small-format pages. You can hardly expect a comprehensive treatise from such a book. Also, I suspect that emphasizing Churchill's shortcomings would be like emphasizing Hitler's moments of tenderness with his lovers or with some German children during the Nazi regime. I mean, they surely happened, but it's not what you want to spend pages on, if you have only limited space to devote to the topic, isn't it? Besides, even if the Churchill that emerges from this book is certainly a truly great man, he does not emerge as a perfect great man. To me that was enough, and I am glad I read this book.
   
   I am grateful to the author, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a short, beautifully written biography of this man, to whom I certainly owe something...



3. Doubtless this biography is insufficient to really understand Churchill, but for those who are fairly ignorant of the man, it provides a useful quick sketch, and perhaps a jumping off point for further reading.



4. In 1895 when his father died, the sickly and indifferent 21-year-old military cadet Winston Churchill was flat broke, the legacy of a father who was a compulsively extravagent wastrel.
   
   Lord Randolph had been syphilitic since early youth. His mother, American-born Jennie Jerome whose father was a stockbroker and part-owner of 'The New York Times', was always attracted to men other than her husband or her sons (Winston, born 1874, and John Spencer, born 1880). In modern terms, they were trailer trash; in Phoenix, Sheriff Joe would have set aside a bunk in his tent-city jail for Winston.
   
   But, instead of slums, Winston was born and brought up in Blenheim Palace, built 1704-22 and still one of the great estates of England. American ex-presidents get palatial libraries as their memorials; the British rewarded their leaders with mansions and great estates. Blenheim Palace was one of the finest, far better than the estates later awarded to Nelson and Wellington.
   
   Perhaps it was the milieu of Blenheim Palace, but Churchill matured into a man absolutely convinced of the majesty of the British virtues of patriotism, loyalty, courage and fair play. For him, being British meant manliness, courage, tenacity and ultimate moral decency. It resonated with the vigorous American spirit of Theodore Roosevelt and the beauty of the strenuous life.
   
   President George Bush is reported to keep a bust of Churchill in the Oval Office; perhaps as a reminder of the complete contrast to himself. Bush ducked the Vietnam War in the Texas Country Club Air Guard; Churchill eagerly sought war, even though he hated it.
   
   Like Ulysses S. Grant, Churchill was a gifted wordsmith instead of a stumblebum. He free-lanced as a journalist while serving as a British officer and was sometimes earning 20 times his military pay. He never stopped learning, he wanted facts, order, reason. His mother sent him crates of books while he was on duty, and he devoured them all.
   
   Gen. Sir Herbert Kitchener described him as a "medal-hunter" and "self-advertiser" who was "super-precocious" and "insufferably bumptious." It was a good assessment. But, the public loved his books and even the Prince of Wales praised him. Whatever one thinks of Churchill, his career and successes are due to his own effort, intelligence, work and nerve.
   
   In brief, this is the story of a man who might well have ended up as a Soho souse, but instead became the greatest man of the past century. He did it through his own efforts, not because of Daddy's friends, money or ability to pull strings.
   
   This book defines the character of a great man.



5. I've never been a big fan of Winston Churchill, but after reading esteemed historian John Keegan's succinct biography of the man, I must say that I like AND respect him just a little bit more. Keegan himself confesses that he never thought much of old Winston until he stumbled across an old recording of his speeches (in NYC of all places) and realized what a gifted and inspirational orator and leader he was. He led his beloved Britain through her darkest hours in modern history, to a victory that was anything but assured. The people seemed to genuinely love him, and his sentiment was seemingly mutual.
   
   His years as Prime Minister during WW2 are the most well known, but Churchill led an amazingly full life, and his life of public service began way back in the late 19th century. Keegan describes how the young Winston, who did poorly in school, but had an undeniable intelligence, educated himself in politics, history and the English Classics. He was a romantic who was in love with his small island nation, and he dedicated his life to it. He was a brave soldier who served in numerous wars, including WW1, and while it would be fair to say he was a little too fond of war, he was no different from the average English officer of the time in this regard. In my eyes, his major fault was his hypocrisy. It just seems hard to reconcile his staunch imperialism with his constant talk about the virtues of freedom and liberty, and how Britain was the main proponent of such things. I would have liked for Keegan to address this point a bit more, but for such a short biography, I can let it slide.
   
   I was intrigued to learn that Churchill and IRA founder Michael Collins were on friendly terms and greatly admired each other. In fact, Churchill apparently had a "gut sympathy for fighters" which is why he had more respect for the Irish and Boers of South Africa than he did for Ghandi and his passive movement in India.
   
   Anyways, the book is extremely well written and entertaining, and I found it to be an overall excellent introduction to the life of one of the most important figures of the 20th century. 4.5 stars.

5 comments about Bat Masterson: The Man and the Legend.

1. Mr. Dearment has provided an excellent read. The data is presented in a well thoughtout manner while the writing style is easy to read and comprehend. It seemed like there was less of Bat's later life presented then earlier days but that may be because there was more to present. I tend to read mostly non-fiction, historical books and found this to have been a very worthwhile project to read.



2. This is probably the best biography of Bat Masterson out there. It is also a good history of 19th Century Kansas is that interests anyone. I learned that alot of western history took place in Kansas so I may want to travel there and check out the sights thanks to this book.



3. This is a well researched and written book about a western icon. Unlike many westerns, this one is a very interesting read - sharing not only the life of Bat Masterson but the gunfighters and others who lived around them and their experiences. For example, a whole chapter is on Jim Masterson and his experiences in southern Kansas and Colorado in the late nineteenth century. Although the book does an excellent job of covering Bat during his Dodge days and especially his two years as sheriff of the county and the "battle of the Plaza" afterwards, I especially liked the stories about his late years in Denver and New York, including his close calls with possible gunfights during that time. Yes, Bat Masterson did not kill 27 men, and only one is credited to him, but it is clear from this book, that the reason for this was that most people stayed clear of him because of the recognition of his prowess with a six gun. This book is not only a history of Bat Masterson but an excellent history of the gunfighters who crossed his path. Consequently, I highly recommend this for any individual interested in that period of US history.



4. Bat Masterson: The Man and the Legend
   I have been watching the old Bat Masterson TV series recently and I got curious about who he really was. This book is very well written and full of stories and excerpts for other biographies and newspaper articles to create a pretty complete picture of William Barclay Masterson.



5. I not being one to read novels much at all, found this book very easy to read! I liked the fact that the author used historical documents to support his book, and had learned a great deal about Bat Masterson himself. The author also includes a lot of other characters that Bat had associated with during his time. I also come to learn that Bat had really been involved in a lot of small town politics, which in a sense was surprising to me for the life style he led.
   
   I have not read other books of Bat Masterson, but I feel I don't need to after reading this book.

5 comments about The Family Whistle: A Holocaust Memoir of Loss and Survival.

1. This book is a moving memoir of a man who has lived a truly extraordinary life. The journey begins in early adolescence when his otherwise normal childhood growing up in a Jewish family was turned upside down by the German invasion of Poland.It records in a very personal way the experience of his family as some of them fled east to Russia to literally save their lives while those who stayed behind ultimately perished in the Nazi death camps. The survivors set off on an odyssey which takes them further East to the labor camps in Siberia then back to a displaced persons camp in Europe and finally to the United States where they found a new home. It captures both the challenges many world war two refugees had to overcome to survive but also the new life they built in America.As time passes this cyle of life that many experienced during and after world war two becomes more distant and seemingly less relevant to new generations. This memoir will help insure that we do not forget the remarkable accomplishments of those who had the will and luck to survive the horrors of world war two and the strength of character to pick up the pieces in a new country and lead a productive and fulfilling life.



2. Simon Eichel takes us on a voyage of incredible emotions. The roller-coaster experience is all the more intense because it is real. We live in an era when such degradation of, and dis-respect for, human life seems remote here in cozy east coast America. Well, Eastern Europe was pretty cozy before Nazi Germany erupted. How would any of us cope without the day-to-day liberties we now assume as our inalienable rights.
   I took from this book the meaning of armaggedon. But, also the meaning of perserverence and courage. And above all, the value of a life. This book makes me cherish the time I do have on this Earth.
   The Family Whistle is a story we should all read, especially when lives and liberty are currently questioned in areas of the world. Simon Eichel inspires us with his will to live and unbroken hope.



3. A wonderful story that covers a different aspect of the Holocaust; surviving the labor camps of Russia. Writings and journalings historically reflect the Holocaust through stories that are primarily focused on Germany, Hitler, and the death camps that systematically murdered millions of Jews. Rarely do we get to see what role Russia played in tending to the thousands of refuges that fled Hitler's grip. The Family Whistle shares the Eichel family's escape into Siberia, the repeated survival that harsh conditions demanded, and the success of repeatedly starting over. Hope of reuniting with loved ones back in beloved Poland was the driving force for surviving six years of camps overseen by the NKVD and Russian Forces. At the end of WWII, Simon Eichel, his father, older brothers and new members of the family retraced their journey back to Poland with burning desires to once again be together with those they were forced to leave behind. What awaits them is the news that is so horrid and unbelievable they cannot fathom its meaning. The Eichel family is forever changed when the dreams of reunification are shattered...forever.



4. This story is another inspiring story of the Holocaust. Although I am very intrigued by the Holocaust, this is an aspect of it that I had not realized was out there. This story had little to do with the death camps and the Eichle's knowledge of the awful things being done to the Jews at the death camps was minimal until after the war. It still paints a picture of the poor treatment of Jews at this time and was a touching family story.



5. A very well-written book with high-interest content. It is one of the few written about the Holocaust period concerning those Jews who were shipped from Russian-occupied Poland by the Soviets to Siberia and ironically survived the Nazi onslaught because of that. In spite of the excellent writing, the book in the next edition needs a good copy-editor to go over it, as a number of printing/careless errors distracted somewhat from the message. There was one historical error, as Anne Frank was not shipped to Auschwitz; she was sent to and died in Bergen-Belsen in Germany.

5 comments about Company Commander: The Classic Infantry Memoir of World War II.

1. This book is probably the finest memoir of any junior officer in WW2. Unlike so many war memoirs, MacDonald keeps his focus firmly on his own experiences, and doesn't waste his readers time by speculating on `the big picture' or describing incidents which he didn't personally take part in. He sticks to what life was like for a junior officer in command of an infantry company - disorientating, stressful and very dangerous.
   
   On the strength of this book MacDonald was selected to work on the famous Official History of the US Army in World War Two, and produced two of the best regarded volumes in that definitive series.



2. Charles B. MacDonald wrote what it was like for a 21year old to command two infantry companies in WW2. He took notes along the way (I have a page of his notes that survived). They cover the capture of Hombressen in Germany. I also have the original typewriter on which he typed the manuscript of his book. I have trvelled the route he took in 1944/45 and found his descriptions of the various lovcations to be exceedingly accurate in every detail.
   
   Will Cavanagh



3. An excellent book about the leadership of an army officer during the
   crucial battles that ended WWII in Europe. As an untested officer thrown
   into the Battle of the Bulge he performed magnificently. His mettle was sorly tested,and his humanity shone through. A very,very good read



4. I loved this book. It depicted the toil and drudgery of the WWII combat infantryman. There are no frills in this story, just the day to day experience of being on the spearhead of the Allied push into Germany. It portrayed the feelings and emotions of the men, in a very accurate light. I'm sure that there are people that will read this book and feel that they haven't been entertained. However, this book is not about entertainment. It is about the reality of the men that fought so unselfishly in the Ardennes Forest, and suffered intense hunger, cold (this was one of the coldest winters ever recorded in Europe), anxiety and fears. It also portrays the humor that existed amoung these brothers in arms. It is a great companion to Mac's other history, "A Time for Trumpets." Great, GREAT book! Thanks Mac!



5. Company Commander: The Classic Infantry Memoir of World War II by Charles B. MacDonald. I highly recommend Company Commander: The Classic Infantry Memoir of World War II by Charles B. MacDonald. At just 21 years of age, Captain Charles B. MacDonald first commanded I Company, 3 Battalion 23rd Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division from October 1944 to January 1945 and later G Company, 2 Battalion 23rd Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division from March to May 1945. This memoir was written in 1947 when recollections were still sharp. It resulted in a very detailed account of what it was like to take command of a line infantry company and lead it into battle. The book gives us template for writing a personal military memoir.
   
   It is by far the finest memoir of any junior officer in World War II. Charles MacDonald does a great job of keeping his focus on his own experiences. He does not speculate or waste my time by giving conjecture on the big picture. We only have first hand information from the events of his personal participation. He sticks to what life was like for a junior officer in command of an infantry company, sleepless, hungry, dirty, stressful, and very dangerous. He takes us from the Siegfried Line in the Ardennes, through the Battle of the Bulge, and to the end of the war in the Czechoslovakia.
   
   This book is a must-read for all army officers who seek to command at company-level and it is informative for military historians as well. It is still required reading at West Point and on the company level officer (second lieutenant, first lieutenant, and captain) recommended reading list by the U.S. Army today. Upon this book's publication in 1947, Charles B. MacDonald was invited to join the U.S. Army Center of Military History as a civilian historian, the start of a career during which he wrote three of the official histories of World War II in Europe and supervised the preparation of others. The book is simply the best. Read and reviewed by Jimmie A. Kepler in June 2006.

5 comments about Grand Central Winter.

1. This was the worst book I ever read.I thought the story was going to be about the homeless in Grand Central.Yet all the
   main character Lee talks about is his work with a newspaper
   written by the homeless.The book drags on and on going nowhere.
   The characters Lee mentions in the book are as dull as the book
   itself.I was trully disappionted.The only thing this book is good
   for is putting you to sleep.



2. I stuck the book out for about 2/3 of it always hoping for some point to be made from the various unconnected stories he tells, but most have no point or real end...such as the story of the blonde hooker who becomes central to his life for many months or the even less understandable the defrocked Greek priest who wants to be in the newspaper.Very little of this book is about how it is to be homeless or to sleep under subway tunnels etc. It's mostly about his hustling newspapers and cans and taking drugs,but even that is surface level & not very detailed.



3. This book is an autobiographical account of a time in the author's life, Lee Stringer. Mr.Stringer begins the book describing his life as a homeless, crack addict who finds a pencil he intends to use to clean his crack pipe with. Then he realizes that a pen can be a very powerful tool and he starts to write. He writes about the streets where the homeless are seen but so often overlooked and his eventual position as a writer for a newspaper.Stringer has realized in this book that "the pen is indeed mightier than the sword" as he goes about seeking Recovery and Redemption. This book is a very well written account of a man's struggle to free himself from a serious addiction.The reader will cheer for Mr. Stringer as he tries to regain his Life and his Dignity.



4. I encountered this book on a sale rack and didn't expect much from it. After all why would be so discounted?
   
   I was wrong. This was a chilling and real depiction of life on the streets as a crack addict. What it may lack in direction, it makes up for with hard-hitting writing.
   
   If you are looking for a nice breezy read, this is not the book for you. If you want some food for thought, then don't miss it.



5. Several reviewers criticize Stringer's Grand Central Winter for what they see as its lack of information about life on the streets as well as an absence of narrative cohesion. While I sympathize with both of these complaints, I also think they're misguided.
   
   In the first place, Stringer doesn't claim to be writing social commentary or advocating social reforms. His book is a memoir, pure and simple. His stories are from the street, as the book's subtitle announces, but not necessarily about the street. Obviously in describing his life on the streets, Stringer necessarily sheds some light on what street life in general is like. Just as obviously, he also has a few things to say in passing about public policy (he's especially bitter about the "antiseptic Good Samaritanism" of large-scale relief agencies). But the focus of his book is sharing his own experiences living on the street.
   
   And this takes us to the second point: Stringer's writes about selected experiences. He's not really trying to tell a neatly packaged story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. (Philosophers might describe his approach as "phenomenological.") I don't know why Stringer chose to write about the episodes in his life he did. Some of them are probably consciously chosen; others may've forced themselves onto the empty page. But the point is that they're vignettes, not sequential episodes that together tell a full-fledged story.
   
   For my money, the vignettes are wonderfully written. Their minimalist style sets an almost photographic tone: to the point, revelatory, unsentimental, sometimes grim. Stringer successfully resists the temptation to demonize or romanticize.