No comments about Wwii Airmen: Amazing Accounts of Airmen Recorded During the War, Library Edition.

1 comments about Fiddlers And Whores: The Candid Memoirs of a Surgeon in Nelson's Fleet.

1. It's not really about fiddlers and whores, despite the title. It is an extended letter from Dr. Lowry to his brother explaining to him what he did while he was away from home for 7 years. Lowry left his home in Ireland to go to medical school in Scotland. Upon graduation, just as physicians do today, he needed further training before being able to set up his own practice. Not being able to find a mentor to take him in, he joined the navy as an assistant surgeon...and the adventure begins! What follows is a fascinating description of life in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars from the perspective of a young officer, including commentary on the other cultures he encounters in the Mediterranean, navy life, health, war, medical training, and (ah, yes) his attempts to meet women. He also describes his adventures as a tourist and amature naturalist, including his tour of a Roman house of pleasure in the newly-excavated Herculaneum, and his attempt to keep an ostrich on board the ship. His writing style pulls you along through his adventures, and his observations are astute and witty. I absolutely loved this book, and I particularly recommend it for any Aubrey-Maturin fan suffering from Patrick O'Brian withdrawal syndrome.

5 comments about A Sniper's Journey: The Truth About the Man Behind the Rifle.

1. Having worked with snipers in Viet Nam, I can assure you that this book doesn't have any relationship to the real thing.
   Reader's Digest condensed version would read - Served in the Army, collected some war stories, wrote a book with a grabber title (and little else), made money.
   This guy is right out of "Stolen Valor".



2. Whenever I see a veteran start to opine about his PTSD, it sends up a red flag for me, especially when mixed with assassination stuff.
   
   The book deals with a guy who was selected for a very short sniper school while in Vietnam, and he then is sent into the field in order to basically assassinate people. He also claims the word "sniper" was never once used during his training.
   
   As I read on, my suspicions were confirmed when he described being assinged to the "2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry", (in the 1st Cav Div), which he also described as "the Garry Ownen battalion". Now those two gaffes right there show me he's a poseur. And I don't think you can hang that one on his ghost writer, who also allegedly was in VN.
   
   He also slipped up later, when he described being shown a photo of his intended target, who had a scar over his eye. After dispatching that guy, a couple missions later he looks through his scope and identifies a female he is supposed to snipe, and he recognizes her by a scar over her eye. Oops! The other thing is: you can not expect me to believe that he could just be given a photo to examine for a few seconds. That's ridiculous.
   
   Yeah, the book is a joke and the last half of it has a bunch of useless filler about PTSD etc.



3. I had great hopes in enjoying a book about the sniper's world as pertains to the CIA and its contracting out shooters from the ranks..having met a few through my years overseas. As it was I found the copy more of a recollection of events that are lost to history and emotional blocking: it was way too convenient memory-wise to have the first two kills both have scars above the eye--the officer and the woman...please!
   
   Still, I can recommend this book, as I found it to have a similar PTSD section to my own memoir that is also available on Amazon. I like the variety in letter responses from different PhDs specializing in the recognition of PTSD and treatment...which is what I can see resulted in Mitchell's book...considering the topic I sure wish I could give it more stars, but this was very thin in description and clarity of rememberance...a very far departure from Valentine's co-written pieces.
   
   I would suggest getting this book, as I did, to read the PTSD and then resell it on Amazon, which is what I'm preparing to do right now...the 3 stars are mainly for the PTSD section.



4. In "A Sniper's Journey" Gary Mitchell (with Michael Hirsh) lays out a supposed story about a small-town Texas youngster, new to the Army, who is pulled into the Phoenix covert program as a sniper in Viet Nam. In fairness, the reviewer is far more familiar with the Marine's program, but this overall story simply did not seem to ring true to a real sniper's techniques and mental processes from that long-ago time.
   
   Possibly as much as a third of the book deals with Mitchell's domestic problems with his wives and for filler, outlined a primer on PTSD. All this was "part of his journey" I suppose, but of marginal interest to outsiders.
   
   We should thank Mr. Mitchell for his 24-year service to our country, but in respect for the fine Army snipers, the great Carlos Hathcock and other 'Corps "One Shot-One Kill" shooters from the past, I cannot recommend this book.



5. It takes a special brand of courage to operate as a sniper in combat - but Gary Mitchell displayed greater courage in telling his story. This book is absorbing and is the first 'real' portrayal of post traumatic stress syndrome that I have read. Every war produces many unsung heroes - Gary Mitchell is one of them.

2 comments about Winfield Scott and the Profession of Arms.

1. Winfield Scott And The Profession Of Arms is the true story of Winfield Scott (1786-1866), who is perhaps best known for his role in bringing professionalism to the U.S. Army during his long military career (1807-61). He served his duty as general in the War of 1812, commanded U.S. forces in the final campaign of their war with Mexico, and was the general in chief at the beginning of the Civil War. History professor emeritus Allan Peskin draws upon research in the National Archives to unearth a comprehensive portrait of General Scott as a visionary managerial officer, who anticipated drastic changes in technology and business principles for the military and adapted in response. An in-depth, balanced biography of a remarkable figure and his lasting legacy.



2. Who cares about Winfield Scott? After reading this excellent biography, you will.
   
   If you have read anything about American history from the War of 1812 to the Civil War, you have undoubtedly read of Winfield Scott. He was a major supporting character in the Indian Wars, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Trail of Tears, and in the early days of the Civil War. Additionally, he was a presidential candidate plus a friend or foe to every president from Madison to Lincoln. While his most important contribution to the United States was creating the Professional Military, his influence goes much deeper.
   
   I began reading this book not really caring about Winfield Scott. I added it to my reading list because I unexpectedly enjoyed Peskin's book on Garfield so much. In telling the story of Winfield Scott, he not only tells what Scott did and why they were important, he also tells the story of the "average Joe" and what he thought of what Scott was doing. The life of Scott is an up and down journey that in itself is interesting. The story is all the more enjoyable because Peskin's writing style is so enjoyable to read and he seems to have an uncanny ability to hit just the right level of details - I did not feel that important information was being left out nor was I bored by details.
   
   This is a wonderful book that I highly recommend to anyone interested in American History. It is a captivating story and a quick read. Regardless of your interest in Winfield Scott, I am certain you will enjoy this book - I certainly did.

4 comments about Man of the Century: Winston Churchill and His Legend Since 1945.

1. Sir Winston Churchill had no shortage of admirers among the generation that knew, or saw, him during his Finest Hour, 1940-1941. And they have remained legion among later generations. But in the wake of the September 11 attacks, many people -- and especially many politicians in need of stirring rhetoric -- have turned to WSC again, attracted to his reputation, perhaps, more than to the strict details of his long and eventful life.

   John Ramsden's fascinating book is an analysis of how Churchill's reputation was born, was consciously shaped by the man himself, and how it has evolved in the years since his death. The bulk of the analysis focuses on the five English-Speaking nations, though Europe is included as well. Another large section looks at the famous "Iron Curtain" or "Sinews of Peace" speech at Fulton, Missouri, in 1946, and how it -- precisely as WSC intended -- transformed the world's view of him from heroic-but-passé war leader to very-much-active statesman, politician, and geopolitical strategist.

   A final section, which I found the most interesting, analyses many of the key Churchill biographies written over the years, from Randolph Churchill and Martin Gilbert's official biography, to Lord Moran, to Manchester, to Roy Jenkins' "Churchill: A Biography" (2001), which Ramsden predicts will remain "the authoritative single text for years to come" (p. 545). Ramsden also seems to have counted every Churchill memorial statue, street, pub, and park bench in the world. And while a catalog of these things could easily become tiresome, this author skillfully keeps it from doing so.

   This is no small accomplishment. People who write about Churchill are forced to deal with the sheer immensity of his life. Many respond by being prolix, or trite, or they oversimplify, or caricaturize, or fall into either blind hero-worship or equally unnuanced destructiveness. Ramsden does none of these. One way he manages this, of course, is by being fairly sparing of the details of most of WSC's life. Thus, this book will make a lot more sense to someone who already has a fairly good understanding of who the man was, what he did, and when. Another way is by filling his text with stories about, and insights into, Churchill and his contemporaries that are nearly all some combination of fascinating, entertaining, and memorable. Thus, while he's dealing with some Grand Themes, the author surrounds them with a bodyguard of anecdotes that in and of themselves almost guarantee this will be a fun read for any Churchill student or fan.

   Significantly, Ramsden is not an *uncritical* admirer of Churchill, though he is clearly an admirer. The Winston we encounter here is not sugarcoated, and some of his unattractive features do come through. That and the mountainous research on display are two signs of Ramsden's chops as a historian.

   Finally, as a many-year member of The Churchill Centre and its preceding organization the International Churchill Societies, I should note and commend Ramsden's coverage of this worthy organization. Far from the worshipful society of star-struck fans it is sometimes painted to be, Ramsden shows the CC to be a reputable and respectable association of clear-eyed admirers of the man of the century, warts and all.

   I am always amazed at the new aspects or corners of Churchill's life and impact that people can find to write books about. This one, no question, was a book that needed to be written. And for any Churchill student or fan, it's one that needs to be read.




2. THis is not a biography of Winston Churchill. This is something new and fascinating. Here we have a text that seeks to examine Churchill the legend, the man, the history of him and his relationship with the english speaking world since 1945. Chapters include investigations of Churchills funeral, 'operation Hope Not' and Churchill 'failure' to lose World War Two, the Finest Hour. Here we learn of Churchill's FUlton speech and also his famous relationship with America, as an honorary citizen no less.
   
   Most interesting are chapters on Churchills relationship with Australia and Canada as well as new anecdotes about why Castro and Guliani, who agree on nothing, both are admirers of Winston. This book also examines the many biographers of Churchill, including Manchester, Gilbert and Jenkins.
   
   THe conlusion is that Churchill is not simply the 'man of the century' but perhaps of the next one as well. This is a tour de force and every Churchill admirer must read it, in fact anyone interested in histiography or in the western egnlish speaking world since 1945 will enjoy this. Every conceivable person stars in this cast, from Isiah Berlin to Dean Acheson and Robert Menzies. The English speaking world will enjoy this book about one of its greatest champions.
   
   A last note, the chapter on Churchill and Europe and Churchill and the Irish are extraordinary in their new takes on the British and their relationship with these two neighboors.
   
   Seth J. Frantzman



3. Notwithstanding Time magazine's famous judgement, I think Winston Churchill was the man of the last century. So does John Ramsden, who has written a book that will be deeply appreciated by those with a lively interest in Churchill's impact on politics and culture following World War II and up to the present. The text is somewhat uneven in that the author meanders between quite keen insights on important issues, such as Churchill's role toward what became the EU, and the more dubious, such as listing the various streets named for the great man in Australia. While a first time reader on Churchill should read a good biography like that of Sir Roy Jenkins, this book will be worthy of purchase by any true acolyte of this great, and still relevant, figure of history.



4. John Ramsden wrote a book of uneven quality about Winston Churchill's legend since 1945. Ramsden clearly does not target readers with no prior, in-depth knowledge of this towering presence. In some chapters, Ramsden gets bogged down in detail that, over time, annoys readers. Ramsden should have written shorter chapters about Churchill and his relationship with countries such as Australia and New Zealand. Enumerating a large number of streets, pubs, parks, etc. named after Churchill in these different countries does not add much to the narrative. Ramsden is at his best in Part One when he focuses on the controversial personality of Churchill. Churchill understood very well that he had to write his side of the story to mold the minds of his contemporaries and remain relevant to future generations. Churchill has outshined most other memorable men and women in this enterprise. Many people around the world still want to claim a piece of Churchill by quoting him in a wide variety of settings. The ultimate power of Churchill lies in the richness of his parley and writings which can still stir emotions when reason fails to mobilize for decisive action.

5 comments about In My Sights: The Memoir of a P-40 Ace.

1. James Morehead's autobiography of his World War II experiences is a very good addition to the genre. Anyone with a general interest in the subject will like the book, but those with a deeper background in Pacific War literature will appreciate it even more. It should be noted that Morehead had a very unusual perspective on events. He was one of the first US fighter pilots to arrive in the Pacific theater and consequently, along with a handful of other young men, was given the dubious honor of facing the Japanese juggernaut when it was at high tide. The book has a hard edge to it as befits a very hard period of the war for the US. For my money, Morehead's discussion of the strange but bloody war in Java and the early battles over Darwin when the Allies were usually on the short end of the stick is worth the price of admission. He describes the fragile nature of morale when defeat has shaken the very young men fighting a seemingly invincible foe. His descriptions of aerial combat are vivid. Although his tour in the Pacific ended as his men were slowly stabilizing the situation, Morehead attacks the technical inferiority of early war equipment and US preparations for war in general. There is a hard edge to the narrative that is most appropriate to an account of the period that Morehead flew over the Pacific. As counterpoint, Morehead later in the war flew a tour in the Mediterranean. Piloting a fine P-38 with well trained comrades, the physical and psychological balance had turned on it's head - the US was winning and its pilots knew it. This experience only made Morehead's early tour seem more wasteful of brave but ill-prepared young pilots. As well as a fine memoir, In My Sights is a sobering reminder to what can happen if a nation gets involved in a military campaign without proper preparations and underestimating a dangerous enemy. I certainly recommend this account.



2. I was most interested in reading about the air combat experiences and they certainly are spell-binding. However, I became engrossed in just the historical content of the book as well. I felt like I was living during the war years. A very good book.



3. It was a rare and cherished opportunity. During the course of Eric Anderson's reunion in Big Sky, Montana as a number of members gathered in the hospitality suite, I found myself sitting beside Colonel Morehead. He was striking in his dress white uniform and warm in his conversation. He started talking about his childhood in Oklahoma, the dust bowl Oklahoma during the Great Depression. His spellbinding telling of those days and times so took over my consciousness that the rest of the room ceased to exist.

   In My Sights starts in those Okie years and lays the foundation for the war years to follow. The skills learned, hardships endured, and tenacity gained all pay later dividends for Colonel Morehead.

   Jim introduces us to his flight cadet time wherein some humor is found. He describes various assignments and one where he is forced to parachute to safety. This captivating book takes us to the South Pacific and lets us fly along in P-40s facing the Japanese Zeros. Challenged by vast distances, inexperienced pilots, and an enemy with superior equipment, Jim, with keen insight, discloses how he and his fellow pilots managed to survive.

   After duty in the Pacific culminating with two Distinguished Service Crosses, Colonel Morehead volunteered for duty against the Luftwaffe. He describes the duty in Europe and contrasts it to the desperation he felt in the dark days of 1942 in the South Pacific.

   In February 1944, through a succession of transfers, Jim ended up in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. He had acquired the rank of major and was ready for a command. Circumstances created by inept leadership at a higher level caused him to have to share a command and expose himself by flying in the least favored position. Read how he hangs on and eventually prevails against bad policy, bad training, and poor execution. Flying over the Ploesti oil fields on D-Day contributed immensely to his feeling of satisfaction.

   This is a book worth reading; it is a story worth telling, told by a natural story teller. A pleasure to read. ~ M. G. Worley




4. I have a unique circumstance in writing this review in that I was priviledged to meet the author a few days after reading the book. Colonel Morehead was being inducted into the Hall of Fame for the American Airpower Heritage Museum for which I am a volunteer. I was asked to be his attache during his visit. After learning of his book, having been released just a few short months before, I purchased a copy on Amazon and read it in preparation for his visit.

   Col. Morehead was born and raised in rural Oklahoma during the height of the Great Depression and knew at a very young age that an education was the avenue to climbing out of destitution. His desire and tenacity to improve his life is the story within the story. He even joined air corp flight training to qualify for more scholarship money. As a result, he was highly trained as the war began and was stationed in Australia when Pearl Harbor was attacked.

   When duty called, he accepted it with the same vehemence of gaining an education. Truly an inspiring read for anyone wishing to improve their lot in life. I also recommend this to any student thinking that life is too hard, or that earning an education is not expected of them.

   I recommend this book to anyone interested in history; especially the WWII era as well as the Great Depression. I ranked this book a four star vs. a five as the publisher, for reasons I do not understand, cut several areas that would have added to the content. I know this as I was given a copy of the original manuscript to read. I made several remarks to Col. Morehead during our visit that prompted him to give me a copy of the original. Hope that you enjoy it.

   Sincerely,
   Blake Cowart




5. This book is not written like a history of what happened, it is written with the feelings and thoughts of the man that flew the plane. He doesn't say that they were heros, just that they could do a better job later in the war because they had more experience. You can see him flying the plane from the descriptions in the book. It was a nice change from just facts of war, it was good to get a pulse of what the men that fought that war felt.

4 comments about Letters from Tommy J.: A Marine's Story - 1966-1967.

1. You must read this book! The photography is amazing and the book is almost entirely primary sources. It is a remarkable first hand account of the Vietnam War that the reader expirences through the letters that this soldier sends to his friends and family. A MUST READ!!!



2. Marine PFC Thomas J. Holtzclaw, Jr. wrote near-daily letters to his family and friends in Atlanta while in heavy combat in Vietnam. Snatching moments under the jungle canopy by day and by candle light in sweltering bunkers he wrote from when he landed in Vietnam in late December 1966 until his combat death less than four months later. Tommy J, as he was called since childhood, was three days shy of his 19th birthday when he was struck down in an ambush near Da Nang, South Vietnam. Twenty-seven other Marines from Holtzclaw's regiment were killed that terrible day.
   
   Tommy J enlisted in the Marines in 1966 at age 17 upon graduating from O'Keefe High School in Atlanta. He was an honor student in the top 10% of his class who lettered in football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. Upon hearing of his death, less than one year from graduation, his football coach wrote he was "...a 125-ponder with the heart of a 250-pounder.. the kind who never missed a practice or an assignment."
   
   Tommy J wrote nearly a dozen people. Parents, grandparents, friends, and neighbors received his words from Vietnam that described his life in the field. He wrote of booby traps and punji stakes: his fears and how he felt having to kill someone. "It is an awful feeling."
   
   Of the future he said, "One day this will all be a dream but I hope I don't dream about it."
   
   His requests for necessities from home: "I'm not telling you to send them ... take the money from my account."
   
   Conditions: "I am really feeling like a tramp. I can only wash from a canteen... the sergeant killed a big rat in our bunker."
   
   His Dad: "Tell Daddy not to work real hard, I would like to have a hand in building some nice places. (Here) I have to build everything I need."
   
   His thanks to a neighbor lady for sending bible verses, for Tommy J was a regular church-goer who tithed.
   
   To a pal he wrote how he had become an automatic rifleman with a weapon "...that could put out 700 rounds per minute. A lot of lead, right? Don't worry about my health. Unless the VC have a bullet with my name on it, I'll be OK. I don't think they can spell my name."
   
   This book contains many photographs of Tommy J and his buddies in the field and displays the conditions under which they lived and fought. His nieces, Terri Walker and Connie Hughes, compiled his letters and have incorporated pertinent clippings from the Pacific Stars and Stripes that depict the war from a larger perspective as Tommy J writes from the trenches. They also include poetry, both poignant and bitter, written by GIs in the field.
   
   Letters from Tommy J should be required reading for all politicians who have never served.
   
   George Orwell wrote: "People sleep peacefully in their beds at night because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." It isn't always rough men who take up the call to arms. It is mostly the kid next door.
   ............................
   Reviewer Mark Berent served three tours in Vietnam with the Air Force as a fighter pilot. He is the author of five Vietnam combat books as seen at [...]



3. This book was written from the heart. It was a "labor of love" so to speak. I feel I've brought Tommy J. home every day for the last year . . . unfortunately he died every day too. I hope everyone that reads this book is touched as much as I was by this very emotional project. Thank you to any one that chooses to take part in Tommy's short life.
   
   Terri Walker



4. I've already ordered the book from you and we have read it. It was wonderful. I knew Tommy, not well, but we were casual friends. I have unresolved guilt about the war. I don't think I supported our guys as I should have. I personally made no sacrifice, except losing friends to the war. I've never been to the monument in Washington, but I have seen the traveling wall several times. I lost three friends from Okeefe in the war, including Tommy, and I always look them up and pay my respects. Thank you for the book and your family's sacrifice.
   Diane Johnson

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