No comments about Flight Deck: A Pictorial Essay of a Day in the Life of an Airdale (Part 2).

No comments about Flight Deck: A Pictorial Essay of a Day in the Life of an Airdale (Part 1).

4 comments about Life Of General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

1. This was a very in depth biography of General Nathan Bedford Forrest. This book show the unbeliveable tachtics of Forrest. What a swashbuckler!



2. This book gives exquisite detail into the life of the South's Greatest General! It is a must read for any Civil War enthusiast. I highly recomend this book for anyone interested in the South.



3. THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE READ ON THE LIFE OF GENERAL NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE POINTS OF INTEREST THAT HAS CAUSED A BLIMISH ON THIS GREAT MAN'S LIFE. IT IS A MUST READ FOR ANYONE SEEKING THE TRUTH ABOUT GENERAL FORREST. IT CLEARLY SHOWS HE IS THE GREATEST CAVALRYMAN OF THE WAR. NO ONE ELSE COMES CLOSE TO HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND VICTORIES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE GREAT WAR.



4. Wyeth's biography of Forrest stands as one of the best written about him. It is a 'must read' for any serious student of the civil war as it was fought in the west (Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky). While other biographies have been written (such as, "Bedford Forrest and His Critter Company", by Ansrew Nelson Lytle and "First with the Most Forrest" by Robert Selph Henry), they don't have the breadth that Wyeth's book has. Of course, the only biography actually reviewed and approved by General Forrest was Jordan and Pryor's "The Campaigns of Lieut. Gen. Forrest and of Forrest's Cavalry", but this work is flawed by a markedly biased position on the part of the authors and by their inability to access the Official Records. On the other hand, they did interview Forrest and most of his surviving authors and Wyeth drew much of his material from this work. Still, for the definitive story of Forrest's life, Wyeth's book is the acknowledged source.

3 comments about Bunker's War: The World War II Diary of Col. Paul D. Bunker.

1. Colonel Bunker tried to tell it all....The Fall of Corregidor, as told by the then Seaward Defense Commander of the Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. Although from a personal standpoint, there were operational activities cited in his diary such as the "Geary Shoot to Bataan", "Ballistic testing of Sea Rifles and ammunition", "Counter Battery Operations vs the Japanese", to name a few.....The later half of the book describes Colonel Bunker's life as a POW..Again the book has it's share of wrong dates (credit the editor of the diary, Barlow) for stating that Battery Geary blew up on the 18th of April. Correction: it was May 2, '42. I'm sorry that I had to point this out because I do my "homework" when it comes to Corregidor, but nevertheless, it's still a great book...



2. If you want to get a good idea of what it's like to be on Corregidor and have the Japanese strafe and bomb and attack you, Bunker's account is excellent. It is down to earth and very revealing in day to day activity in trying to copy with a very frustrating situation.....



3. Every military officer should read this book. He details how other officers and enlisted acted as POWs...very revealing. He stood by the values of the Army under extreme personal hardship showing it can be done!

5 comments about Memoirs of a Marauder Pilot.

1. Excellent and well written. A must for WWII buffs.



2. Memoirs of a Marauder Pilot is not a Tom Clancy novel or the like with a lot of contrived drama aimed at arriving at the perfect ending. Instead it is the real life story of a man who lived through some of the most challenging times of the last century. The book is about flying the Marauder, an unruly and challenging craft, in wartime. But it is also about the challenges Mr. Bauers had to overcome to become and pilot and the effect the experience had on the rest of his life. And the story doesn't end with the war. This is a personal book and how the description of the author's life is integrated with his experience with his Marauder is its real beauty.



3. Memoirs of a Marauder Pilot is real life rather than contrived. It's a very personal account of young man coming of age in some of the most challenging times of the last century. At the heart of the book is a detailed description of his piloting a difficult if not dangerous aircraft known at the Marauder in battle in WWII. But the book has much more. It goes on to describe how that experience affected him through his life. His life ends up being as interesting as his recollections of battle as he describes finding the woman of his dreams, his foreign service career and his work after leaving the service. This book is different from other war autobiographies in that it lets the reader into the life of the author before and after the military action.



4. Memoirs of a Marauder Pilot is a wonderfull book for a younger generation to learn from. Mr. Bauers talks about his life before, during, and after the war. It shows the reader that any goal you set, is obtainable. I found Memoirs of a Marauder Pilot to be very enjoyable to read. I would recomend to anyone with a passion for hisory to read it.



5. This is the inside true story of a B-26 bomber pilot, including his early military training, the initial
   excitement of war, and the eventual pain of losing friends and fellow pilots in Europe. Some of
   the vignettes were amusing; many were poignant.
   Bauers also tells of his military career and his years as a military attache in Pakistan. All in
   all, the book was both enlightening and entertaining. A worthwhile read for anyone interested in
   WWII history.

No comments about We Thought We Were Invincible: The True Story of Invincible Warriors.

5 comments about Souled Out:A Memoir of War and Inner Peace.

1. Mike Orban's book Souled Out, A Memoir of War and Inner Peace is essential reading for anyone who suffers from or has a loved one who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. It gives a clear and "user-friendly" understanding about PTSD. Mike's book is an evocative and quite fascinating glimpse into his post-Vietnam war experience and its impact on every aspect of his life. Moreover, it draws the reader into his healing journey and imbues hope and peace that fill the previously gaping hole of suffering. As a clinical psychologist, I have been recommending this book regularly. Dr. Patti Levin, Boston



2. Michael Orban creates a compelling read with his book "Souled Out." Open and honest, he takes us back to Vietnam and helps us understand what happens to the soul when one is faced with such traumatic experiences. His journey through recovery and his experiences are an inspiration to anyone who reads it. Difficult to put down, the messages are invaluable to anyone who has suffered a dramatic loss or event. I was able to apply many of his ideas to my own life.



3. I have know Mike for over 20 years. I married into the Orban fammily in 1985. He mentions in his book about living with us in Florida and how it never occured to him that it wasn't a normal situation. I remember it as being a wonderful time getting to know a very special person that just didn't have the same direction as some of us. He was always interesting to talk to and our boys were blessed to have Uncle Mike around them in their early youth.
   
   Despite his inner struggles, Mike was always a positive person in all of our lives. After reading his book, I am able to better understand what he was trying to deal with in those years that he was with us.
   
   I am so proud o him to have put it in writing to share with the thousands of vets that struggle with this syndrome. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.



4. Michael Orban served as a 20-year-old infantry soldier in Vietnam and in his superbly written autobiography "Souled Out: A Memoir Of War And Inner Peace" takes the reader along on his journey through a disastrous war and into his experiences of loneliness, emptiness, spiritual scarring and psychological destruction. Michael writes candidly of his time in the remote jungles of Africa and a world where humanity is mired in superstitions, omens, black magic, witchcraft, sickness, disease, and every present death. Yet it is also a story of the simplistic beauty in people who are intimately connected to all of life and reverently dependent for purpose on their spirit world and their ancestor worship. Here presented are the oral historians reciting the history of their people, their suffering at the hands of the European colonists. "Souled Out" is also the story of Michael's recovering of spirit and peach through using native resources to build schools, reading the works of Albert Schweitzer while being hospitalized in Gabon, and laughing at Mark Twain's observations and stories. The underlying message of "Souled Out" is that the psychological wounds of war are as serious as the physical ones and can be remedied and recovered from, and that there is relief for and from them. Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Souled Out" is highly recommended reading and an especially appropriate addition to community library American Biography collections.



5. I attended an educational session at Milwaukee Area Technical College where Michael was one of the guest speakers. His presentation about his military service in Vietnam, and his healing process in Africa were very vivid. At the end of the session I obtained an autographed copy of his book. Once I started reading it I just could not stop. Each day I completed several chapters. I like his descriptiveness of the settings and the events. It's just amazing how much one person is able to take during military service.
   
   Having served in the army, and completed infantry training at Ft. Polk as Michael, I could easily identify with the events he discussed and followed his presentation which was quite gripping. The book really highlights his presentation in many ways. It is appealing to the senses, and presents a compelling case on the issue of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and its devastating impact on the lives of veterans.
   
   My heart goes out to all of our veterans. Military service is not as glamorous a profession as the recruiters and the news media have portrayed. Many are still suffering from the trauma of war. Hopefully, they will receive the right type of medical treatment. Michael has certainly pulled the covers from over what is not being told to soldiers entering the military. If only they knew, some would probably have taken a different career route. This book is truly educational. It highlights the agony of living with PTSD, and the clash of cultures veterans' battle with on a daily basis while crying out for help. This is a great job Michael. All The Way!!!
   
   Other books to read for relaxation are: Trilogy Moments for the Mind, Body and Soul; Everyday Miracles; and The Language of Poetry Forms.

1 comments about Wellington.

1. Elizabeth Longford's "Wellington" is a very short introductory life of the First Duke of Wellington. It is derivative of her full-length biographies of Wellington and Queen Victoria but manages to be solidly informative without being overwhelming. Longford, in highly readable prose, provides a fast moving survey of the military and political life of Arthur Wellesley, weaving in the kinds of personal details that hang a more human face on a man and a time much mythologized. This work is clearly intended for the general reader; serious students of the Duke should track down Longford's two volume biography ("Years of the Sword" and "Pillar of the State"). Those looking for a detailed military biography should also seek elsewhere; this volume only lightly skims the surface of Wellington's long military career. This is the kind of book a serious student of Wellington provides as an introduction to the subject to his less serious friends and relatives.

2 comments about A Sole Survivor: Bits of Autobiography.

1. This is the first book where the reader is taken through Bierce's life in his own words. From his experiences in the Civil War until his mysterious disappearance into Mexico in 1913, "Sole Survivor" tells Bierce's tale through his stories, newspaper work, and personal correspondence. A must-have volume for anyone interested in the great American journalist and author.



2. This excellent collection of Ambrose Bierce's writing, organized to replace the autobiography he never wrote.

   BUT, this is certainly not a biography. Bierce is not always fun to read. If you're looking for a fun biography, look elsewhere. If you've read enough of Bierce's writings to know what you're getting, give this book serious consideration.

No comments about Grant In Peace: From Appomattox To Mount McGregor A Personal Memoir.