1 comments about Why Me, Lord?: The Experiences of a U.S. Navy Officer in World War II's Convoy PQ 17 on the Murmansk Run.

1. My father, a WWII Merchant Marine, read this book in 3 days. He says it is the best written book on WWII that he has ever read (and he has read many). He is ordering another copy for another WWII vet that he knows.

5 comments about Vietnam-Perkasie: A Combat Marine Memoir.

1. The Vietnam war, what was it like for a combat marine? Read this book and its sequel to find out. Mr. Ehrhart is a gifted storyteller. His story is unique. It's amazing how little it is referred to in bibliographies.



2. Was required reading in a class I took about the Vietnam War. Reading this memoir rapidly went from a school assignment chore to pleasure. I read the next two books in the series the following summer. Ehrhart exposes his inner self on the page to the point where it can actually be somewhat difficult to read. He gave a lecture to our class at the end of the semester, and it was quite moving. Do check it out.



3. In this story, Ehrhart beautifully tells of the I Corp Marine's experience in '67-68. The cost, both physically and spiritually,to the soldier has to my mind never seemed so true. Can the innocence and ignorance, if indeed they are different things, last in the face of the reality of war's warped and mishapen environment? What happens to the soldier when faced with his own ignorance and the evils of war, for which he is in many ways responsible? The tension between the two different Ehrharts in the book lies in the attempt to justify his actions in Viet Nam to himself, and if nothing else, to find some comfort even from outside himself. He is both proud and disgusted (I wish I had a stronger word here) by his "accomplishments" in Viet Nam. Where do we find ourselves when the conflict is over? The answer is perhaps nowhere, perhaps in the shower. (You must read the book to understand my last statement):)



4. This is one of the best books written by a combat soldier in Vietnam. You travel with Ehrhart from his home in Perkasie, PA to boot camp and then to some of the most harrowing fighting of the Vietnam War. But this isn't just another great war story. There's a personal voyage of discovery--as there is in many war stories. But this one is into a deep and broad wondering, not just about the nature of war and the feelings roused by killing and seeing death, but into a broader horror about the truth of this war. Ehrhart slowly peels back the layers of his awakening, not so much to any truth, but to a series of questions about his own gullibility (perfectly understandable) and a nation's gullibility. The truth as it is revealed seems too simple to Ehrhart; the twisting of honorable intentions too obvious. But if he get's it, many of those he faces upon his return do not. What to do? Write about the simple yet profound truths he found in Vietnam, and keep writing about them since the follow-up books are very moving and affecting portraits of a man being honest about himself, and in the process divulging powerful insights about our nation. The personal in this case makes big points about who are all are as Americans. Can't recommend his writing highly enough.



5. I put this up there with the Vietnam novels of Tim O'Brien. I was blown away by it. Too bad more people have not heard of it. Please read this book!

1 comments about The Life & Times of Herod the Great (Sutton History Classics).

1. Stewart Perowne's classic "The Life and Times of Herod the Great" offers a different look at this ancient king of the Jews. Having penned the book first in 1956 it was republished, as a paperback, in 2003. This biography is well resourced with maps, chronological tables, and a helpful family tree graph (one does wish for more end notes than the provided 2 pages).
   
   Through much of history Herod the Great is considered an evil, vicious, family killer (a view, probably, originating with early Christianity's abhorrence of his infanticide order in Mathew 2) whose only interest was power. Perowne, knowing this herodian tradition, proffers considerable suggestion that Herod has been misunderstood. The author forthrightly says that Herod's subjects were often "grateful to him" (page 111) and that he did much for the humanitarian benefit of his kingdom.
   
   Using 1st century sources (Josephus, Tacitus, Strabo, Dio Cassius, etc.) the author reviews Herod's life, family, rule, and history. Perowne considers the king's accomplishments, conquests, treaties, architectural constructions, and legacies. Readers learn of Herod's rise to power with Roman support, his Idumean familial origins, his ability to charm the most powerful politicians of his day, his refusals for Cleopatra's romantic invitations, his ability to make vast sums of money (Herod was, perhaps, the wealthiest person of his era), and much more. Perowne also speaks to Herod's vast building enterprises across Palestine and Syria. He witnesses Herod's personal friendships with Rome's leaders and his animosity for fellow Arab rulers.
   
   Herod built a new fresh water system for arid Jerusalem. He began a third construction era on Jerusalem's temple (a grand project which continued into Christian times). As king, he constructed a busy seaport on the shores of the Mediterranean at Caesarea. In the famine of 24 BC, Herod sold all his palatial furniture and princely mealtime equipment for the purchase of Egyptian grain in order to feed his populace.
   
   It is true that Herod the Great executed all his political enemies included several in his family (one wife and her mother, his uncle, and two of his sons, etc.). This was shocking even for the turbulent and murderous times in which he lived. Perowne speaks to these events bringing clear insight to each episode.
   
   "The Life and Times of Herod the Great" is an interesting and helpful book. It's brief chapters (averaging only 6 pages each) make this 186-page text a quick read. It is recommended to everyone interested in the Herodians, middle Roman history, the century before Christ, and those curious about Herod the Great.
   
   Amazon.com's price is good. Order your copy soon.

5 comments about K-9 Soldiers : Vietnam and After (Memories Series) (Hellgate Memories Series.).

1. We are, all of us, veterans or civilians alike, aware of the tragic proportions of the Vietnam conflict. However, even many veterans are unaware of the crucial role played by the heroic K-9s. These four-footed soldiers were responsible for saving many lives in the steaming jungles and the fetid rice paddies of Vietnam.
   Maj. Paul Morgan's book, K-9 Soldiers, Vietnam and After, illustrates with striking clarity the bravery, skill and boundless heart displayed time and time again by the faithful K-9s of Vietnam.
   As a Vietnam veteran I never had the opportunity to work with a K-9 unit but Mr. Morgan's book impressed me with its stirring first person accounts of the true-life actions of these courageous dogs and their handlers. Mr. Morgan's book formed the basis for a widely acclaimed TV movie that is also heart wrenching in its depiction of the K-9 units' daily struggles. Any reader with an interest in history and certainly any animal lovers will be captivated by these accounts.
   As a combat Marine infantryman I can attest that this chronicle rings true. Mr. Morgan has been there and back and has rendered these stories with an experienced eye and ear.
   Mr. Morgan is the founder of the effort to create a war dog memorial in his home town of Suffolk County, New York. His efforts have suceeded with a projected unveiling of the memorial within the next year.
   Mr. Morgan has been honored numerous times for his heroic work at the WTC on September12, 2001 along with his Search and Rescue dog Cody Bear. Mr. Morgan has been a life-long dog handler and his rich experience informs the reader on each page of this gripping work



2. Paul Morgan was my Company Commander and I was his Executive Officer in B Company, 716th MP Battalion. Paul was one of the best MP officers I had the pleasure of serving with. Quiet but serious, when he spoke we listened, and he always had something important to say. Today he writes the same way that he spoke then, always interesting and always sincere.
   What he didn't write about in his book, is that when the Victoria Hotel was bombed, there was a deep crater left in front of the entrance to the hotel which filled with water. He was so involvement with the rescue mission, he did not notice the depth of the crater and attempted to walk through the water toward the building. In the meantime I had gotten my camera and was taking pictures of the damage. I heard the splash and looked to see Captain Morgan sink to the bottom and then come out of the hole holding his cap up high, the only dry thing on him. He ordered me not to take his picture. I wished I had disobeyed that order, it would look great in his next book.



3. Paul Morgan was my Company Commander and I was his Executive Officer in B Company, 716th MP Battalion. Paul was one of the best MP officers I had the pleasure of serving with. Quiet but serious, when he spoke we listened, and he always had something important to say. Today he writes the same way that he spoke then, always interesting and always sincere.
   What he didn't write about in his book, is that when the Victoria Hotel was bombed, there was a deep crater left in front of the entrance to the hotel which filled with water. He was so involvement with the rescue mission, he did not notice the depth of the crater and attempted to walk through the water toward the building. In the meantime I had gotten my camera and was taking pictures of the damage. I heard the splash and looked to see Captain Morgan sink to the bottom and then come out of the hole holding his cap up high, the only dry thing on him. He ordered me not to take his picture. I wished I had disobeyed that order, it would look great in his next book.



4. Excellent piece of historical work. Insight into Paul's time in the military with his K-9's. And revealing insight into the professional, independent security K-9 world. My inclusion in the book not withstanding.
   Am looking forward to reading Paul's other work The Parrot's Beak about his inclusion in operations in Cambodia during the Vietnam conflict. I hope that he continues to tell of his experiences both during his military service and during the 20 years he owned his security K-9 service in Lexington KY.
   He is an excellent orator in person, and now he is also a great writer. Keep it up Paul.



5. I bought this book because I wanted to find out more about War Dogs.
   
   Wrong! It's all about Vietnam Veterans telling stories about Vietnam and about catching crooks when they came back and became cops. Less than 10% of this book is actually about dogs. You get lots of talk however about how noble a cause Vietnam was.

1 comments about Soldier Stories: True Tales of Courage, Honor, and Sacrifice from the Frontlines.

1. Soldier Stories, compiled and edited by Joe L. Wheeler, has been a very difficult book to review, primarily because every time I set it down, someone else made off with it. My son has cited some of the quotations on war that Wheeler included. My daughter-in-law kept one eye on the little ones and one on the book, as she told me, "This is a good book."
   
   Wheeler compiled accounts from World War I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the War on Terror. Subjects vary from a World War I ace, to homing pigeons, to the Rickenbacker party lost in the ocean on life rafts, to escorting home the body of a dead soldier from the Gulf War, to Pat Tillman's death in Afghanistan. Wheeler includes sixteen moving accounts and an equal number of quotations.
   
   Styles vary with the writer. Ernie Pyle's "The Lost Fortress" is direct and straightforward while William Slavens McNutt's "The Yanks Go Through" is highly descriptive, almost poetic. Some are deeply personal, such as Lt. Eric Lomax's "Beyond the River Kwai" and Sergeant Sidney Stewart's (with Joe Wheeler) "Give Us This Day."
   
   Each account tells of courage in war, though "The Dresden Inferno" is by a victim of the fire bombings rather than a soldier. Whether a victim, a soldier, a prisoner of war, or a writer, each account exemplifies courage and honor. Some of the accounts encourage, others sadden, and others inspire.
   
   The book was not what I had expected. I had expected stories like Sergeant Alvin York's taking a battalion single-handedly in battle. Wheeler includes some of that but it is less of a "hero" book than a "human" book, as the reader experiences almost every human emotion while reading it. The people in the accounts come alive as they confront fear, courage, challenge, victory, and sorrow.
   
   A couple of things stood out to me. One is the difference in attitude of these writers from today's journalists. Ernie Pyle holds his breath hoping the lost bomber can make it to base across the African desert, while McNutt cheers and prays for the safety of Red Cross workers trying to evade machine gunners in World War I. These writers were unabashedly pro-American. I can't say that of some of today's journalists.
   
   The second is that this book will appeal to both men and women. I can picture my seventy-something father enjoying it as well as my twenty-something daughter-in-law. It would also be useful for history classes in public, private, and home schools. Not all of the accounts are overtly Christian, but they all are good. Would students understand the Betaan death march better from a textbook or by reading a first-person account here? There's no question.
   
   You can approach the book in several ways. You can read straight through it as I did or skip around to the accounts that interest. Whichever you do, Soldier Stories is worth reading. - Debbie W. Wilson, Christian Book Previews.com

1 comments about SHOOT TO KILL (Cassell Military Paperbacks).

1. This extremely well written book recounts the first hand experiences of Michael Asher throughout his time in the British Parachute Regiment, the Special Air Service and the Special Patrol Group in Northern Ireland. The book proceeds at a brisk pace throughout but is replete with enormous detail.

   The brutally honest text grips the reader into a sense of "almost being there". Having completed a regular engagement in the British forces during the same period as that illustrated here, I can confirm the accuracy of many of the matters described, including some of the "less savoury" elements which may upset some readers.

   The reader does not have to agree with the views expressed throughout this book, but needs to understand the realities on the ground which are so commendably portrayed and which form the basis of this work. Not least of these are the realism and humanity of the raw recruits undergoing such harsh physical & military training as well as the raw honesty of the writer.

   The stress and pain endured throughout the many stages of specialist training are almost tangible and the reader can but grimace at times along with the author as he relates pivotal periods of his experience where the reality and atmosphere of occasional brutality & intimidation together with periods of humiliation are so vividly evoked.

   The book is not one to be "enjoyed" as there is little here to lead the reader in that direction. This is a soldier writing about soldiers' experiences and some of the content might be considered "distasteful" to many readers who are not familiar with military life. Be warned.

   The fear and frustration during patrols in Northern Ireland during the "Troubles" are among other realities really brought home to the reader, where every street corner, window, alleyway or shadow might hide a gunman. (The politics of the situation in Northern Ireland are largely avoided apart from reference to the occasional quote from those involved in a number of incidents.) Situations now being experienced by the military in numerous locations Worldwide.

   All in all this is a thoroughly readable and informative study which reveals aspects of the British military and the "soldier on the ground" which might otherwise be largely overlooked. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in military history and experience. Thank you.

4 comments about Tours of Duty: World War II Veterans' Personal Stories.

1. Whatever your station in life, Tours of Duty will touch you. In its pages Eleanor gives us a warm understanding of those who gave their hearts to us in defense of our nation. It is personal, touching, and accurate.
   This is a keeper, one you will want to share with family and friends.
   Bill Broach
   Retired Navy flyer, P3 F/E
   Retired airline pilot, L188, DC8, Boeing 727



2. Tours of Duty just 'gets it.' My father was a POW in Oflag 64 and endured the hardships of loss of liberty and freedom. Eleanor Bertrand captures all the inside feelings of this life as well as tells of Abe Baum's gallant efforts to carry out his orders.
   
   I believe she has brought to life the best of "If not me, then who: If not now the when?" The military persons picked represent America and how better to learn than to read about their lives in Tours of Duty.
   
   George Patton Waters



3. Ms. Bertrand has captured the soul of the Greatest Generation with her frequently heart-wrenching book of World War II veterans' stories. During her years of travel as a nurse with Military Historical Tours, the tour agency which specializes in taking veterans back to their battle sites, Ms. Bertrand collected wartime memories and lasting friendships. Now, as these World War II veterans pass into the winter of their years, Ms. Bertrand has gone one step further and put into print the kind of warmth and caring that these veterans had come to appreciate in person. As a real heir to the best tenets of the Greatest Generation she does them further service by revealing to future generations how our veterans can and should be befriended and honored. While her book is a definite "keeper", I plan to place a copy of Ms. Bertrand's book instead of a flower at the World War II Memorial on my next visit to our nation's capital.
   Rebecca M. Jackson



4. Nurse Ellie Bertrand's "Tours of Duty" is an exceptional accounting in first person voices of what it must have been like to serve in WW II. There is immediacy and truth in the many stories of the men she includes in the book. If you want to know how it was on Iwo Jima, Saipan, Tinian, the Battle of the Bulge, etc. how it really was to think your next breath might be your last, yet continue to do your job for yourself, your buddies, your country, you'll find it here. A great read!
   Dr. Jerry Brooker

5 comments about Warlords: An Extraordinary Re-creation of World War II through the Eyes and Minds of Hitler, Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin.

1. This is supossed to be "through the eyes and minds of Htler", among others.
   Yet the authors do not even mention HITLER'S WAR , by David Irving , or THE STRUGGLE FOR EUROPE, by Chester Wilmot in their Bibliography, which are considered by John Keegan to be the two books in English that "stand out from the vast literature of the Second World War".
   Don't waiste your time.
   Read the above two books instead of waisting your time with this one,
   as I regretfully did.
   The fact that you can now get them on Marketplace for $1.74 less than a year after publication speakes volumes about what actual readers think.
   Very very few of us care to retain this shoddy scholarship in our libraries.



2. I often judge a book by where it takes me next. This book started me down a path to 'The Dark Valley (Brendon), 'Stalingrad' (Beevor), 'Rites of Spring' (Eksteins) and 'Nazi Games' (Large). So, maybe it wasn't great scholarship as a reviewer said. It was an enjoyable read.



3. It is a book that is very interesting to read and I would give a higher rate if it was not for something big missing. They concentrated the story on Europe, they forgot Japan and Asia. That was a World War, and not an European War.
   
   I guess the way Japan functioned during the war is not so well known so there is something important missing, who was the Japanese leader that influenced the major decisions, how he thought? What was happening inside Japan during this period of time? What kind of leadership they had? What was the role of the emperor? of General Tojo or Admiral Yamamoto? Any of them was the major war brain?
   
   In continental Asia, there was a major drama happening in China at the time, two importante leaders in world history,Mr. Chiang and Mr. Mao would unite forces to fight a foreign enemy... what roles they played, what was the interaction with the USA at the time, how this influences the USA attitudes toward China until today?
   
   If we look at the Allied powers there was two real superpowers, USA and USSR, Britain had not the resources to fight the war, but Churchill was put in the book because of his personality, without the USA he would have played a very different role in WWII. The italian leader, Mussolini was also someone to be analyzed, he was in a position similar to Churchill, with fewer resources and a weeker player, but it would complete the picture.
   
   I would add a few other questions regarding Mr. Roosevelt and his style of management...How advanced he was in concepts of Management? what concepts he applied? how good he was in identifying talented people to do the required tasks? how he motivated the whole free world to work together in the future? the depth of his vision for the future and what mission he established for the Allied powers and his mistakes... The Roosevelt administration used how many concepts of modern management theory?
   
   All my questioning above is due to the fact that I liked very much to read this book. It may not be very precise in its research, but makes you feel closer to the minds and the thinking that the major players did... I would add a companion book to this one:Why the Allies Won by Richard Overy.



4. This is a solid book with an extensive investigation behind it. The personalities of the "warlords" are nicely portrayed and one does get the felling of being in the middle of the discussions and the negotiations of the leaders. I recommend this book if you are interested in knowing what each of the leaders were after, what their objectives were, and how the planned their actions in order to achieve them.



5. This is an excellent treatment of the interaction and the motivations of the four leaders of the WWII in Europe. The time-sequenced approach works well to show the drama of the time. Roosevelt comes off particularly bad in my opinion because of his Chamberlanish approach to Stalin.

No comments about If I Get Out Alive: The World War II Letters and Diaries of William H McDougall Jr.

No comments about Household Baggage: The Moving Life of a Military Wife (2nd Edition).