5 comments about Nathan Bedford Forrest: In Search of the Enigma.

1. For anyone with an interest in the Civil War's most interesting character , General Nathan Bedford Forrest , this new book is a MUST ; "Nathan Bedford Forrest , In Search of the Enegma" , by Eddy W. Davison & Daniel Foxx (and forward by Ed Bearss) !!
   
   I own many books , old & new , on General Forrest's life and activities . This is the very best that I have ever read on this topic . There are plenty on good ones and some are on very specific topics , such as the new books "Forrest's Escort & Staff" , by Michael R. Bradley and "Men of Fire" , Grant & Forrest at the Battle of Fort Dolelson , by Jack Hurst ! These 2 new books concerning General Forrest are excellent & are must reads for "Forrest entheusists" , but are basically on very specific topics concerning Forrest . "In Search of the Enegma" covers Forrests life , with emphasis on the civil War , of course , but is in search of The Man , behind the legend !
   
   It is extremely well written , in every way , but I must comment on the way that "battles & engagements & troop activity" of General Forrest's are described ! Everyone with an interest in General Forrest has read about his part in battles at Shiloh or Brice's Crossroads or the Tupelo & Memphis Raid ,for example . I have from several good books ! I have never had such normally "complex battle situations" ; with moving men & horses & confussion & indecisions & mistakes & foul weather & poor communications & heroism & bravery & inactions & retreats----so clearly described & made more understandable than ever before ! Davison & Foxx turn a battle into a "moving picture in your mind" ! You are "there" & you "feel" the situation . You understand more about the "Why's" of how these battles & engagement , concerning Forrest , turned out as they did & its very interesting reading & not "dead facts" !
   
   These two authors , Davison & Foxx , give first hand accounts , often from "non-famous" soldiers & civilians , recorded long after the war , that add "something new or a different prespective" on General Forrest ! The indepth research is fantastic ! You find out from Union reports , just what was being discussed concerning Forrest & his command , as certain actions were about to take place or were happening ! You see how unique Forrest was in almost always "creating the illusion" of haveing a much , much larger force than was reality , to his enemy . Also , you see how confussing Forrests actions & objectives were to the opposite side in a conflict !
   
   Just a splendid work on Nathan Bedford Forrest , by two excellent researchers & story-tellers !
   
   A MUST Read , for anyone interested in Forrest !
   
   Just the over-all best book on this topic of Nathan Bedford Forrest , that I have ever read ! Highly recommended to all who want to know & understand more on "Forrest The Enegma" and Forrest The Man !



2. I picked this book up and almost returned it after looking at the campaign maps. They were well made but gave me the impression this was a bland recounting of every little military move by Forrest. Luckily I kept the book and found a gripping story of his life, personality and campaigns. I felt like I really had an idea of what kind of person or leader he was after reading the book. This is an excellent story. It was one of those books you hope never ends.



3. The authors did a great job of trying to put the pieces of a very interesting warrior. Bedford was that a warrior. This is now my favorite book on Forrest. I have read many. They have come close to telling it as accurate as I have read. They had respect for him as a leader for battle but also recognized he had failings in temperament. He was a more agressive Patton in battle. He did slap soldiers for being out of line and maybe even as a coward. This is a more total history of the man and if you want to read a book that a movie could be made this is it. It is nearly unbelieveable that he was able to do what he did with no military background just common sense and will to fight and win. It is a shame that his history could not be told exactly as it was without some unknowns in the background. It is good for the North that the leaders of the Souith did not recognize his ablility until it was to late. A very readable and interesting book about the Civil War in the west.



4. Being a Civil War buff, I greatly appreciated the angle Davison and Foxx took to capture the lost story of Nathan Bedford Forrest. Forrest was a pivotal character in the war, yet so much of his story has been swept aside in light of General Lee and other figures who were more recognized or perhaps more publicized. This is a must read for Civil War aficionado's and those just diving into the pages of history because it is so well written and ties Forrest into so many important historical happenings. Bravo! Write another one!



5. I am a highly biased reviewer due to the fact that I drew the maps for this book. I deeply thank everyone who has purchased this book and/or given it a positive review. It warms my heart that there are still real Americans that can appreciate a real American hero, and not cave in to the forces of Political Cowardice.

2 comments about Around the World with LBJ: My Wild Ride as Air Force One Pilot, White House Aide, and Personal Confidant.

1. There are those who disliked LBJ. They probably would have felt differently if they had known the personal man. This book gives highly personal insights into a man often called "bigger than life." And, reading this well written and well-researched book (the author lived it), many would change those negative views.
   
   The writing is interesting, well done, and highly engaging. The author, retired Air Force General, Air Force One Plane Commander, and Presidential Military Aide James Cross said he wanted to show the unknown and deep humanity of President Johnson. He succeeds without pandering, but rather just by stating plain-spoken truths from an impressive man himself, General Cross.
   
   General Cross started as an Alabama country boy and became a close confidante of the President of the United States. He was not political; he was a highly respected and respectable officer in the U. S. Air Force who did his job and did it well. General Cross is the unsung hero here. The incidental glimpses we get of him in this book - definitely not given to build himself up - show a very decent man serving his president and his country well and with good, old-fashioned patriotism and honor.
   
   I would personally estimate that almost anyone who reads this book will enjoy it, be impressed by it, and come away from it with a much more positive image of President Johnson...plus meeting a genuinely nice guy who our country is fortunate to have had that close to the top: General James U. Cross
   Review by:
   Dick Stanford
   The Azusa Gazette
   Book Reviews
   May 2008



2. Very well written and tells a lot about the inner being of LBJ. You won't want to put it down.

5 comments about Lee: The Last Years.

1. Lee: The Last Years was well worth reading. A must for anyone who wants to know a little more of the Rest of The Story about a fine American, though much misunderstood.



2. Bracelen Flood clearly does extensive research in order to render this intimate and engrossing portrayal of Lee.



3. I've long considered myself a student of Southern history and the Civil War. Heck, I've been a historian at museums so I think I have a pretty good knowledge of the Civil War era. Furthermore, I live in Virginia and have been to the campus of Washington and Lee University. However, nearly every page of Charles Bracelen Flood's work on Robert E. Lee's post-war years is full of information I've never heard about. Flood has used many differing sources to pull together a wonderful, highly readable account of Lee's years after the war, how he came to be President of Washington College, and his role in the reconstruction of this country. What jumps out off the pages is that for as much as Lee has been studied and idolized for his exploits on the battlefield, his postwar years as President of the college should get just as much press. While Lee did not think defending his native state was wrong, he did wish for both North and South to reconcile as quickly as possible. After reading the book, I still do not think Lee is the god that some people hold him up to be, but he does stand out as a good man who wanted to bring the nation back together while also helping his fellow Southerners get back on their feet. While Flood's writing can be unimaginative at times and I thought he threw in little stories and vignettes that he didn't need too, the book is excellent overall and should be a must read for anyone interested in Lee. However, the book is such an easy, good read that I think almost anyone should pick it up.



4. Outstanding biography of the man. Much has been written about the general, this book brings the humble father, husband and Christian man to life.



5. Lee: The Last Years
   
   This is a wonderful book about a wonderful man. Although Robert E. Lee is most remembered as a General, for most of his adult life, he was an engineer and educator (although in the army). Mr. Lee could have become very wealthy after the war by simply allowing his name to be used commercially. However, he wanted to make a contribution and did so by accepting the position as President of Washington College. He seldom spoke of the war and brought no military flavor to the College.
   
   There is an argument that Robert E. Lee is responsible for more American dead than any other single individual. The difficult part of this book is tying to tie that Robert E. Lee to the man he was in his last five (5) years. He played Santa at Christmas, broke up a lynching, stroked the ego of his horse Traveller, was a good family man, looked out for the under dog and took care of his students, even when they were in trouble. How he handled all these situations, often minor by standards of the war, brings out the essence of the man including his character, values, wit and subtle humor.
   
   I have read/studied history and biography for 40 years. I have spent more time on Robert E. Lee than any other individual and this book someway brings all my study of Mr. Lee together and puts it in perspective. I highly recommend this book to anyone with any interest in American History. Thanks Mr. Flood.

5 comments about All the Way to Berlin: A Paratrooper at War in Europe.

1. If anyone has read Band of Brothers as well as other war books, you will notice that James Megellas has been a resource for many. This book is a must read for anyone that enjoys War books. The book might not be elegantly written but you have to remember that this was written by a person that was there and not by some author embellishing the facts trying to make it a sexy book. Every once in a while I find myself picking the book up to re-read it.



2. One of the best combat narratives I have ever read. Engrossing, and compelling in its brutaly honest depiction of total warfare. Highly recomended.



3. After reading several reviews about this book, I felt compelled to comment.
   
   I read Mr. Megellas' book after having the pleasure and honor of meeting him in the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. It was a real treat for me to have the opportunity shake his hand and talk with him for a few minutes. As time rolls on, opportunities to meet a veteran, much less a hero of World War II are few and far between. We talked a bit about Operation Market Garden and his plans to go to Holland. I can tell you that in my brief encounter with him that he was very proud, humble and personable.
   
   With that said, I think that the critic's who accuse Mr. Megellas of being self-serving are very wrong in their assessment. This book is written in a style that is very direct, blunt, straight forward and "matter of fact". There are no words wasted beating around the bush or attempts at being politically correct. By his own accord, the author admits to us that it has taken him years to write these words because they are so painful to repeat. I do not get the sense that he is bragging. I get the sense that he is sharing his pain with the reader and giving us his impression of the unbelievable experience he lived through. It goes without saying this man is a hero.
   
   This book is an excellent read and I would recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in World War 2 or combat. It's so packed full of action I can't believe they haven't made a movie about it.



4. It's a bit troubling to see a couple of reviewers here complaining about Jim "Maggie" Megellas being "self-serving" and a "blowhard" because he's honest about the 82nd Airborne Division's WWII mission. That mission was to kill Germans and win the war. Maggie was very good at this as was his platoon, the 504 PIR and the 82nd, the greatest Airborne division of all. How else were we to win the war?
   
   "All the Way to Berlin" is the best Airborne book I've read and I've read a lot of them including S. Ambrose's "Band of Brothers". I've never understood why Ambrose, who taught at the University of Wisconsin passed up Wisconsin's greatest Airborne hero, Jim Megellas.
   
   Not to take anything away from the 101st Airborne, another bunch of terrific, fighting paratroopers, but no one fought harder and longer with less against formidable opposition than the 82nd. And within the 82nd, the 504PIR, 3rd BN, H Company was one of the best.
   
   My friend Bill Hannigan from St. Paul went all the way from Africa to Berlin with the 82nd. He became a squad leader in Maggie's platoon and is one of those paratroopers who knows Maggie best. Bill says Maggie was not only the best and bravest at killing Germans. "He cared about all of us. He did things for us. He's been a good man all his life."
   
   Bill is one of the dwindling numbers of Maggie's platoon who continues to work for the Medal of Honor which Maggie was originally put in for after his heroism at Herresbach. The platoon killed and captured 100's of Germans during that battle and as they moved into the town, Maggie single-handedly attacked and took out a Mark IV tank that threatened his platoon. This part of the action was somehow deleted from the paperwork as it moved through channels. Maggie then received the Silver Star instead of the requested MOH. Several years ago, Maggie's platoon friends resurrected the original MOH request and it is now the subject of a bill in the House of Representatives.
   
   Next month, Maggie - who is now 90 - starts a tour in Iraq where he will begin to deliver thousands of his books to the troops. Last year he visited his beloved 504 in Afghanistan where the troopers gave him and AR and 50 rounds of ammo and took him on patrol.
   
   You will see in this great book how Maggie holds paratroopers in special regard. And if you understand paratroopers and the famed 82nd Airborne Division you will know why we love Maggie and this book about our WWII Brothers.
   
   Tom Laney, Editor
   Badger Airborne News
   Badger State Chapter
   82nd Airborne Division Assoc.



5. This is an autobiographic look at the war experience of a lieutenant of paratroopers serving in World War II in the famed 82d Airborne Division. In this book, author James Megellas (a/k/a "Maggie") tells us the story of intense and almost continuous combat beginning in North Africa, continuing in Italy, and finally D-Day and the invasion of Western Europe. The author explains that his "MOS" (Military Occupational Specialty) was simply to "Kill Germans" and that this was the real, if unofficial, job description of himself and his men. The author makes no bones about the merciless nature of the war. Prisoners were sometimes shot by both sides, and to say that there were hard feelings is an understatement. This was a rough war against a competent enemy who inflicted terrible casualties on allied soldiers, who in turn gave even better than they got.
   
   Magellas' observations and opinions about rear-echelon soldiers, and the psychology of the higher-ups who did little or no actual fighting, ring true. He notes that it was the captains and lieutenants who really functioned as "leaders" of combat troops, and it was pretty obvious that Magellas was less than impressed with much of the upper brass. The British brass comes in for particularly harsh criticism in the context of the failure of Montgomery's Operation Market-Garden. Magellas also relates an astonishing incident in which British armor refused to advance to relieve besieged units of British paratroopers, which shirking allowed the Germans to massacre them. The author takes the trouble to say that he "personally witnessed this incident...."
   
   Books like this remind us in this time of relative peace (notwithstanding the very real fighting that goes on in the present day) the tremendous debt that all of us owe to those who endured unspeakable danger and hardships to bring down Nazi Germany. Need I add that it is a reminder of the debt that we all owe to the soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen who are serving America in the present day. This is a well-written and lucid account of combat by an intelligent and brilliant soldier.

5 comments about Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot.

1. Jimmy Stewart was one of a handful of major American film stars to see combat in World War II, flying B-24 Liberators with the 8th Air Force in England. Logging 20 missions with the 445th and 453rd Bomb Groups, he won various decorations including a DFC and Croix de Guerre. Given his splendid record, details of his combat career would make for interesting reading. Unfortunately you won't get those details in this book!
   
   First things first. Smith's book is a warm tribute to a fine human being and patriot. He relates a number of stories that show Stewart to be a considerate, self-effacing, fair-minded and skillful pilot, aircraft commander and unit commander. The many photographs of Stewart, various aircrews, aircraft, commanders, etc. are a nice touch.
   
   What you don't get is details on most of the 20 combat missions Stewart flew. The book is entitled JIMMY STEWART BOMBER PILOT so "where's the beef?" Smith describes two or three missions and alludes to several others and that's it! The mission summaries and individual crew reports for all missions flown by the 445th and 453rd Bomb Groups are available at Maxwell AFB and can be purchased by the general public. Why Smith didn't utilize those documents to flesh out the Stewart combat story is a puzzler.
   
   Along with that failing, the book is way too padded with material, some of it on postwar developments, that add nothing to the 'Jimmy Stewart at war' story. All that padding often makes Stewart a bit player in a book devoted to him!
   
   In short, Jimmy Stewart deserved better. Reading this book, you can't help but admire and like the guy. He was a class act. At the same time you wonder exactly what happened on all those missions but you never get "the rest of the story!"
   
   An optional purchase.



2. I was given this book for Christmas (at my urging). I immediately started reading, excited to learn more about a truly wonderful person and war hero. By the time I got to the half way point I wanted to stop reading, only continuing as I was hoping it would redeem itself...It did not.
   
   To me, Mr. Stewart's name was put on the cover simply to sell the book; it is nothing but a clip collection of excerpts from other books, disjointed commentary and other assorted oddness. I believe no research was done for this book, the author simply put his own recollections to paper, (at the authors own admission, they were not close and only served in proximity to each other, not together) to prove this, I spent a mere day online researching his wartime record and had gathered much more interesting and relevant information than the book, and that is too bad, Mr. Stewart was truly a war hero, just like all of the other Joe's in the Eighth, he never ducked his duty (as the other reviewer pointed out, he enlisted before PH).
   
   I cannot recommend this book to anyone, if you want to learn about the air war in Europe pick up any number of excellent books on the subject (I can recommend), if you want to know more about Mr. Stewart, pick up his biography.



3. Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot is a great book. It gives insight on not only Jimmy Stewarts leading abilities but also on what it took to fly and work on these flying offensive weapons of WWII. It is verry interesting and did not want to put it down. The author puts everything in perspective with interviews and accounts. I am a WWII buff and anyone with the same interest should also find this book an excellent addition to your collection. It should be of interest to Jimmy Stewart fans as well as anyone wanting to get an inside look at this dangerous job as bomber pilot and those who rode along in those machines.



4. The story of a man who had it all and risked it all to do what he thought was his duty is one we can all learn from. Stewart had fame, fortune and a bright future in Hollywood. His determined efforts to fly in combat, even after being initially rejected by the Air Force, are inspiring. Reading this book makes you appreciate Jimmy Stewart the actor even more.



5. I am glad I didn't pay attention to some of the reviewers of this book. Once I started reading the book, I couldn't put it down. The author used a lot of back ground information to give credence to what General Stewart accomplished during WWII, which I found very useful. He also mentions at times how he was involved with the war. In my opinion, this is an outstanding piece of work about the rarely mentioned military life of a true American hero. I am just sad I never knew about this part of his life before. This man never mentioned or bragged about his distinguished military career. He was just proud to have served his country. He makes me proud to be an American and proud of this great country.

5 comments about Baptism: A Vietnam Memoir.

1. the best part of this book is its everyman writing. No polished literature just a well written "what I went through" book. A real good read and difficult to put down.



2. This book is not in the same league as books like Nam , 365 Days, Dispatches and other eye witness accounts of the Vietnam War. It's filled with cliche's, especially when describing various actions the author took part in, and his description of some fellow infantrymen as 'cowards', particularly when his accusations are unsubstantiated is shameful. Read it on a long flight if there is nothing else in the airport bookstore, otherwise don't bother.



3. Mr. Gwin did a fine job in expressing himself and explaining to those that didn't serve how the military works. The hurry up and wait the long tedious hours of waiting and the heart throbing miliseconds of tremendous fear. There were times in naming all his fellow warriors it become somewhat confusing as you did not know these people but you understand.Your people remain in your mind as the best and loyalest you ever knew. They are always with you and a week never passes that you do not recall them. A fine book I would reccomend to all.



4. I am actually a student of WWII, so this book (received as a gift) was something different to read. Larry Gwin's book was for me a startling introduction to fighting an often unseen enemy, in a jungle environment horribly alien for the young Americans who found themselves there. Pleasantly avoiding the politics of the war, and instead concentrating on one man's view of the combat, Gwin takes you from his naive first jungle patrols to his combat weary veteran status at the end of his tour. As the casualties mount, and the men around him either die, return wounded or get promoted, Gwin becomes increasingly important to the men around him - a cool experienced head in difficult times.
   
   The language is plain and everyman, allowing the reader to move quickly through the book from one engegement to another.
   
   A thoroughly enjoyable memoir, and an eye-opener to the horrors of air-cavalry combat in South East Asia.



5. After spending a year in this area of the world, it brings it all back. The author brings the fear, the stupidity, quietly to the table and makes you shake like you did when it happened to you. I thoughly enjoyed the book and its delivery. It should be a MUST read for all contemplating taking up arms and wanting to do battle. It must have been hard for the author to rehash the experiences he had. Buy it and pass it on.

5 comments about Blood Trails: The Combat Diary of a Foot Soldier in Vietnam.

1. I went with five stars against my better judgmemt. Oh, the book was most interesting and the humor alone was worth the price and effort, but we Vietnam veterans have had so many roses thrown in our paths and so much glory that I'm afraid of overdoing it.
   
   Anyway, Ronnau gets my vote and five stars simply because he was able to stop taking drugs and killing babies long enough to write a book. I was able to get my newest title, "Kill Me If You Can", out between these things, but haven't been able to completely give them up. It pleases me to no end when an 11 Bravo guy makes good. Thanks and congratulations, Doc.



2. I'm a 3-tour Vietnam vet. Salvage diver with the 20th. Engineers out of Long Binh. 69-71. I've read a multitude of books about the Vietnam War & am so very glad I volunteered as a Diver instead of a paratrooper that I came within an eyelash of doing. You line doggies out there have ALL of my considerable respect!
   
   Blood Trails is without a doubt THE best book I've yet to read on the war. The guy tells it like it was (for the infantry people) but includes a lot of sarcastic & self-deprecating humor that makes the book a joy to read. His vivid descriptions of real life combat puts you in the driver's seat & makes this reader realize how lucky he was NOT to have been a paratrooper! Great job!



3. Nothing really new to someone who has read many personal memoirs from vietnam. I found anticlimactic. There are much better memoirs out there.



4. A brillant and riveting account that offers a unique insight to life in the jungle of a combat infantryman. It's all true, I know because I was in Charlie company "Black Lions" from January 1967 to April 1967 when Chris was shot.
   It was my platoon, 3rd platoon, that was hit that day. The first two men were hit by pellets from a large Chinese mine that exploded before them. The screams still remain fresh in my mind. The concussion from the explosion was so great that it knocked the 3rd man in the formation, Battles, off his feet and he rolled into me. Then all hell broke loose and the fire fight went on for what seemed like minutes, but was actually over two hours. Chris's 1st platoon came to our rescue. Sometime during the end of the fighting, I was out in an open field and saw this soldier coming towards me in huge distress. He couldn't talk, a bullet had shattered his jaw, and he keeped running his hand around his head. It was Chris and I was able to help him. Didn't see him again till 1994.
   
   
   Fred Kirkpatrick
   webmaster, [...]



5. I was in Nam from '69 thru '70 and in the same unit so this book really brought back a bunch of memories that I thought I had long ago forgotten.
   Not an easy book to put down...give yourself a bit of time to read and digest Mr. Ronnau's story.

No comments about Remembering Aizu: The Testament of Shiba Goro.

5 comments about Hunting the Jackal: A Special Forces and CIA Soldier's Fifty Years on the Frontlines of the War Against Terrorism.

1. Billy Waugh is a rare kind of man. His book gives us a look behind the scenes of Special Ops and clandestine operatives.



2. Great book....easy to read. Lacks substantial and detailed operational insight probably due to confidentiality. Overall a great book by a great American.



3. I found the book readable and informative. It was written in a narative that was easily followed. Information that will be of value to those that follow the current state of the world.



4. Great book. The title is deceiving though there is little about Carlos. The actual capture of Carlos is also somewhat anticlimactic. Overall though, it's an exciting read about the life of a special forces warrior. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoy stories of war and espionage. One thing is for sure...Billy Waugh is a hero!



5. Billy Waugh takes you through almost 50 years of life in the Special Forces and CIA. Although the title focuses on Carlos the Jackal, he is actually a small part of the book.
   
   Since I am approaching 50, it's hard to imagine being 72 and running around in Afganistan. That's downright inspirational. This part of Waugh's life is mentioned several times in Jawbreaker by Gary Berntsen.
   
   A fascinating story.

5 comments about The Good Soldier: From Austrian Social Democracy to Communist Captivity with a Soldier of Panzer-Grenadier Division "Grossdeutschland".

1. Alfred Novotny is a former German solider from WWII who decided to write down some of his experiences from before, during, and after WWII. Like Guy Sajer, Alfred served in Gross Deutschland. Also like Guy, he served as a grenadier on a machine gun team.
   
   Alfred starts his story by telling us about pre-war Austria, the environment, and the events leading up to Germanys taking over of Austria. This was interesting because I didn't know that much about Austria between the wars. The political environment was interesting to say the least.
   
   During the early part of WWII, Alfred was a member of the RAD (Reichsarbeitsdienst). Interestingly, he was working around St. Nazaire when the commando raid happened (yes, he did gain some combat experience there). Upon completing his duty in the RAD, Alfred was brought into the German army, rather unusually for an Austrian, into Gross Deutschland (Alfred states that most Austrians were brought into the Mountain Infantry Regiments, the 44th ID, the 2nd PzD, or the 9th PzD).
   
   Alfred gives a basic description of his time serving in Gross Deutschland. Throughout his chapters, Alfred has a little lead in paragraph that describes the situation he's going to describe in the following paragraphs. In his military service part, Alfred describes his training, his time on the front, Gross Deutschland, and the end of the war.
   
   Like most German veterans who served on the eastern front, Alfred has section on the being a Russian prisoner of war. There's some interesting things, however, most of it has been covered by other Germans as well or better.
   
   Alfred closes the book out with his post war activities. This includes his coming to America.
   
   The Good Soldier is a good basic book. Not nearly as strong as most other personal histories. For this reason, I can only give it 3 stars. There are some very good pieces in here, but unfortnetly, Alfred doesn't deliver the goods nearly as well as Guy Sager, Hans von Luck, and others. Read it, but remember, this was written so his family would know wat he did and why.



2. 5 Stars
   
   First, this book is published by Aberjona Press. I will be totally honest with you. I've never read a bad WWII book published by this business. I highly encourage amazon.com readers to read other books published by this firm. WWII is their bread and butter in the publishing business. So, I had high hopes for this book and it delivers.
   
   The Good Soldier" is about memoirs of Germany Army WWII soldier Fred Novotny. The book's introduction starts off with the proverbial Chinese curse "May you live in interesting times!" (this reviewer hopes this does not happen to himself) Novotny certainly had his share of "interesting times". This is a story of overcoming great adversary with a happy ending.
   
   Unlike most WWII stories, which begin in 1939 and end in 1945, "The Good Soldier" is across Novotny's entire lifetime. It begins with his childhood in Vienna, and continues without respite through the Anschluss, his service in the German Labor Service (RAD) and as a machine gunner with the elite "GrossDeutschland" armored infantry division, his postwar years in a Soviet prison camp, his return to freedom and eventual emigration to the USA, where he finds peace and success.
   
   The book isn't full of "combat stories" but there are enough anecdotes to get a good sense of what life in the Third Reich was like and how terrible war and the postwar peace could be. The RAD experiences in particular are very interesting, since there is little information published in English about this German paramilitary organization.
   
   Novotny's descriptions of life as a "GrossDeutschland" soldier and the Soviet penal system are fascinating as well. The reader will doubtless be amazed at Novotny's good fortune through some pretty grim situations - as he was himself!
   
   When you read about any German soldier who survived the war they all credited their military training but cursed it a the same time. The German military training made their average soldier equal to US Marines or Army Rangers.
   
   After the war Novoty's sent to work in a Soviet mine. He meets a woman and they have a brief encounter. The conditions in the mine are just as terrible as an prison. Novoty is released because the Soviets are trying to influence Austria political elections in the early cold war period.
   
   The book is about 150-odd pages but is full of photos, drawings and notes that help the reader get a sense of the writer's experiences in the general sweep of WWII history.
   
   I really enjoyed "The Good Soldier" and would recommend it to anyone interested in personal accounts of German soldiers in the Second World War. Indeed, I shall be re-reading it this week.
   
   Enjoy.



3. This book is an outstanding recollection of an Austrian soldier's experiences as a member of the German Army's renowned Grossdeutschland division in World War II. It is a rewrite of this soldier's originally privately published memoirs and is replete with interesting vignettes on the author's life, from his growing up in a family of Social Democrats in pre-war Austria, to his induction into the elite Grossdeutchland division, to his many and varied battlefield experiences, to his life as a post-war prisoner of the Soviets, to his coming to America.
   
   The combat experiences he describes are mischeviously short (as is the book itself). Unfortunately, this sometimes leaves the impression that the author is holding back information, i.e., information that would not make him look good. Nonetheless, it contains many fascinating anecdotes about life under German control and in the German army during this period. For example, while undergoing his mandatory labor service ("Reichsarbeitsdienst") in late 1941 he is shipped with his unit to build runways near some German U-boat pens on the North Atlantic coast. They are all awakened one morning, provided steel helmets, given rifles and hand grenades with five minutes of instruction on their use, and sent out to fight some British commandos who were attacking the facility because they knew the regular military garrison was 25 miles away on manuevers. Somehow, these teenage conscripts held off the commandos, who were taken by surprise, believing that the facility would be undefended.
   
   Especially interesting are the author's several near experiences with death, including, a bullet going through one side of his helmet but then traveling around the rim, leaving him without a scratch; a comrade entering the author's foxhole and moments later being blown up by an artillery shell, again leaving the author without a scratch; and hitting a heavy Stalin tank at close range with a "Panzerfaust" at the same time it fired its main gun at him, knocking the author unconscious, as the round hit a wall right above him, but otherwise laving him unharmed.
   
   The entire book is strengthened by excellent introductory and transitional comments by Marc Rikmenspoel. Also making the book a very worthwhile purchase are the inclusion of a dozen or so wartime photographs of the author (some posed, some more candid in the field) as well as pictures of his two wound tags and the certificate awarding him the Iron Cross.
   
   Beware, however, that there are grammatical and typographical errors on about every other page of the book. (Only in the parts written by Mr. Novotny and not, however, by Mr. Rikmenspoel.) These mistakes disrupt the flow and makes one wonder if there really was any editing done at all from the original edition. This otherwise superb book gets 4 stars instead of 5 due to this easily remedied flaw.



4. I just finished listening to the audio version of this book. The author himself, is the narrator which in itself is powerful. He speaks in a very slow, sincere, sometimes emotionally strained voice through which you can hear his struggling memories being conveyed. He tells of happy times, of funny boyhood pranks, of his daily life, of his participation in times and events that only hindsight fully showed him the magnitude of. No this is not a book for historians looking for detailed information full of dates and strategic manuevers and military actions. This is not a book for people wanting a documentary of factual processes by which Germany very nearly took over the entire of Europe. This is a story of Alfred Novatny... written solely for his daughter and her children so they would know him, and know where they came from. It can be overwhelmingly touching. By the end of the book, you feel you know this man. My husband, who is from Germany, listened to the most of it with me and when the book was finished, he turned to me and said "I want to find this man". We had no idea how old the book was and I warned that he was likely no longer living. But we did look him up and found him. My husband talked to him on the phone for quite some time. And he is a very kind man with such a good heart. He said there is so very much more that is not in the book... that couldn't be.. because it was just too harsh. It is a very good book that "connects" a modern world with a life and time that is now long gone and dying with the generation of those who lived it. It is a precious thing for him to have given to his children... and to the rest of us.



5. More of a lifetime biography than a war biography, which is fine . Like I say, it is worth reading, but it is not just about the war years...