No comments about Custer and the Little Bighorn.

No comments about No Greater Love: The Lives and Times of Hispanic Soldiers.

5 comments about Kill Me If You Can, You SOB.

1. This pilot supported the Currahees with the best he had to give and has put the same into ths book. Agree with him or not, he tells it like it was and I'd be proud to ride with him anytime anywhere. I was there, too and he didn't skimp a bit on Blackhawk. My only disappointment was when it ended so fast.



2. The more I read of Miller's work, the more I like it. Like HST, Miller is a born curmudgeon, cynic, and rebel. I cracked up when his commander described him as "he'll never make general but he'll get you there and back." No grunt ever had a truer, more unconditional friend.
   
   This memoir hit particularly close to home for me as it detailed the author's experiences as a warrant officer chopper pilot in Phan Thiet, Vietnam from May '68 to May '69. I graduated flight school in Jan '69 but ended up in Korea. This account showed me a lot of what I missed. Miller shared several photos of the Vietnam chopper pilot experience in his book. You can see more if you Google "192nd Assault Helicopter Company". I also recommend Googling "View the Wall" and searching for Arann and Thoman, Miller's comrades in the 192nd--a very moving experience.
   
   Our country owes the Vietnam vet more than it can ever repay. In my estimate, the greatest of them are the ones who rejected the party line but showed up for duty anyway. A tip of the hat to Bob Miller.
   
   --Ejner Fulsang, author of "A Knavish Piece of Work" Aarhus Publishing 2006



3. Kill Me If You Can, You SOB
   The book was OK, But as a former Helicopter pilot in Vietnam (twice), I salute his service and dedication to duty, but he saw the war from a very narrow perspective and his criticisms seemed to me to reflect his youth and, therefore, showed a bit of tunnel vision.



4. Wow! A book written by a battlefield-harden GI about war without a trainload of vulgar language. The bonus in this book was that the author found real life characters worth remembering. This is a lucid and compelling work about three very special Americans. I would describe this as an accidentally funny book. Not once did I feel this author was trying to be funny; but without trying, he's a cross between Will Rogers and Mark Twain. For example: "Deplaned and were loaded onto a bus with heavy-gauge wire mesh covering the windows. The driver had a pistol, an M-16, and an M79 grenade launcher. It was kind of like getting on a city bus in LA."



5. The book I received was only 79 pages long. The amount of reading material was further diminished by numerous photos and the generous use of margins and spaces. It may have been more appropriate for Reader's Digest. The short diary format was awkward for reading.

5 comments about Nelson: A Dream of Glory, 1758-1797.

1. This is a truly awful book. Sugden writes well enough, and no doubt the book is AUTHORITATIVE, but anyone looking to be entertained should simply forget it. The author never met a detail he didn't like, but by the end of this book, the reader will have met more than he can count. Simply put, Sugden goes into such detail about so many insignificant and downright dull matters that he loses any sense of perspective and entirely fails to creat an interesting and READABLE account of a truly interesting life. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.



2. Its difficult for me to improve on the several excellent reviews of this work that have preceded mine. But most importantly I want to state quite categorically that this is not a boring book. Biographies by their nature are not action stories, they must discuss periods of their subjects life that are perhaps bland and slow, but without this our understanding of the person would be incomplete. Nelson was not solely defined by his actions in the great naval engagements in which he fought.
   
   Nelson was a fascinating bundle of contradictions, self serving and adulterous, disparaging of superiors he perceived as inept yet immensely loyal to able subordinates, devoted to his country, and personally courageous. He was a man who embodied the fighting spirit of the Royal Navy at the peak of its prowess and whose methods of warfare continued to influence the navy for another century.
   
   I await the second volume of this work with great expectations.



3. As we know, not all history books are alike. Many are dry, while others try to make it interesting by either making stuff up or writing like Tom Clancy. Sugden does a good job of engaging the reader with interesting narrative, while clearly distinguishing facts from conjecture. You definitely get a taste for Nelson's charm, drive, as well as foibles. There is a lot of maritime terminology, but if you're interested enough to read an 800-page book about a naval hero, you can probably handle an occasional trip to the dictionary.
   So I found the book very exciting, but I have one major complaint. The author claims to aspire to make this book the new definitive Nelson biography. He tells in great detail his glories of the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, and then his great failure at Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where he lost his arm. Nelson gets really depressed, and returns to England. Then there is a conclusion of his career. Sugden observes that even though Nelson was depressed at the time, and likely to retire, no one could have imagined what glories were still ahead. The end.
   How can you have a definitive Nelson book, 800 pages long, and not include the Battle of Trafalgar? Argh! Admittedly, the vook title tells it right there, since these things happened after 1797. But if you're reading the book to learn about these things, well, you get the idea. I guess I'll have to read a different book to discover why his statue is in Trafalgar Square...
   NOTE: Rumor has it this is part one, and supposedly Sugden will be writing another book, to tell the rest of the story.



4. This is a very detailed biography of Nelson, the best that I have read. It really deserves a high rating.
   
   At almost 800 pages of narrative and 943 pages total, you really get your money's worth here (if money was an issue). It's thicker than your phone book if you're from Montana or the Dakotas. Heck, it's almost as thick as my Seattle phone book. And after reading it, my wrist muscles have become curiously strong.
   
   What I like about it:
   
   It is very detailed, this author really has spent the time to do the research and read the correspondences and contemporary accounts, it's no summary of already written books. That's very heroic in itself. I have a feeling that it's one of those rare books where academia is it's own reward and not just the profits, not that a biography of Nelson is going to be a bestseller (Maybe would have been in 1806).
   
   Gives a very good feel of what Nelson was like as a person and professionally. All over the book Sugden gives us his impressions of Nelson and backs it up with correspondence and notes from either him or the people he dealt with.
   
   Discussed his personal life in some detail, which is good because many other authors glossed over it, especially historical authors who had certain limits of decorum.
   
   Gives a very good background of the naval service in Nelson's day and the political situation, that in itself was worth reading the book for. In fact, I can also say that it's the best description of the Royal Navy and the political situation from the naval services point of view at that time that I've ever read - not only informative, but serves as a backdrop of how Nelson developed and why he did the things he did.
   
   When some things could not be explained, he did explain that no accounts or correspondence could be found to explain it.
   
   This is not a book for the amateur. For the serious reader, the detail is what makes the book so absorbing, I revel in the detail, keep it coming. This book is not exceptionally easy to read. Again, serious readers will not find that a hurdle. For readers looking for a lighter (and shorter book) a search through Amazon will give you a lot of hits - just look for one about 100 pages long.
   
   The minor negatives of the book
   1) Some of the minutae was too minute, however, I easily skipped over those small parts. For a book of this caliber, better to have too much (which I can always skip over) rather than to have too little.
   2) I wished that some actions were described in more detail, but perhaps there were no good accounts.
   3) I wish there were some more maps and maybe some diagrams, but this ain't a picture book.
   
   Overall, a very, very good biography. Highly, highly recommended. I look forward to part two. Meanwhile, some wrist strengtening exercises with the barbells.



5. There are possibly more books on the shelves of bookshops (certainly in England) about Nelson than any other English hero and because of the recent anniversary of Trafalgar many more have either been written or re-printed. How does the reader pick one out from the rest. Well my own recommendation would be to buy this particular volume,
   
   In the historical time scale, Nelson lived and died in the fairly recent past, so many of the books written about him are only regurgitated facts that have never been checked properly, or may have no foundation in factual terms. John Sugden has left no stone unturned in his quest for the truth, not only about the public persona of the man, but also gives a brilliant insight into the life of the private man. His hopes, his fears, his weaknesses and his strengths.
   
   John Sugden's writing style is both lively and stylish and does not leave the reader feeling overpowered with dull facts that he or she cannot take on board. Yes the book is a historical work, but it is written with a sensitive touch that almost makes the reader think they are reading an adventure novel. This is achieved without prostituting the historical content in any way. I enjoyed it immensely.

5 comments about Letters From Boot Camp: A Memoir of Navy Basic Training.

1. This was an informative and raw account of Navy Boot Camp. I recommend it for anyone considering joing the military. An entertaining and insightful read! A Lockwood.



2. Not a current depiction of what boot camp is like. I am sure this is what the author remembered. Was a little disappointed.



3. " I just wanted to follow up in response to review below as an addendum
   that I emailed the author from her website - these were the actual letters
   she sent home - so its not written by memory but happening in real-time.
   
   But I really loved best the relationship between her dad, a former sailor,
   and her as she is going thru the experience. Take it with a grain of salt -
   but it is a good snapshot that gives any kid thinking of going in the Navy
   the "real deal"! "



4. I thought this was a great read. I loved the back & forth with the "old salt".



5. As informational as it is emotional. Beckley seemlessly weaves the details of how boot camp works with the fears, courage, shock, and joy of her accomplishment. From the agony of being continuously "cycled" (exercised intensely) to the subtlety of finding pride in independence, Beckley gives us an incredible real-life journey. And, it is possibly as fast-paced as basic training! When, I got to the last letter, I couldn't believe it was over.
   
   I appreciated a female perspective on such a male-dominated career. It's the first I've found. However, it is not just a girl's story. And, while helpful to anyone thinking of enlisting, the book can stand alone as a story of growing up and growing strong.

5 comments about Guidebook for Marines.

1. I picked this book up second-hand and have found it to be an extremely facinating and informative read. I'm a military brat and naturally find this kind of thing interesting, but I honestly think this book has something to offer for non-military types.

   History buffs will like the history of the Marine Corps that is detailed in it. Outdoorsman/Boy Scouts/etc will find educational material within: instructions on field first aid, orienteering, and field sanitation, among other things. Military or weapons buffs will find complete descriptions and instructions for using and caring for the M-16A2, M-60, M249, and more. Hand to hand combat, anti-armor weapons, mines, explosives, chemical warfare, etc., are also discussed. The purely curious should find the whole book a great read.

   If you're thinking of joining the Marine Corps, or can use, or are interested in this kind of information, this book is worth the money.




2. I ordered this copy for old time sake.I joined the Corps in 1984 and had lost my copy.I ordered this copy hoping to replace the lost copy but I really thought this would be the updated copy.I was upset to get the book only find that it is the 1983 edition.So much has happened to the Corp since '83 that is edition is now obsolete.If you want an updated copy wait for someone who has a used copy to sell theirs.it's cheaper and better.Semper Fi,Devil Dogs.



3. I'm no marine, but this is a great book! Includes everything but hand to hand combat!



4. While many of the chapters contain information that will never change this 20-year-old edition is very outdated for anyone who may be or planning on eing a Marine. There are more recent issues of the guidebook that should be offered as replacements for this antiquated issue.



5. Dated? Maybe. It's an older edition, but it's still a h*ll of a fine guidebook and it won't steer you young grunts wrong. But, to set the record straight, the edition available here is the 17th edition from 1986. The 18th edition didn't come out until 2001. So, I don't know what you think you're missing, or if you think this book here is some throw back to the days of Tun Tavern. Even it was, you'd be well advised to know it like the back of your hand, Devil Dog or Civ alike.
   
   Semper Fi.

5 comments about Doing Battle: The Making of a Skeptic.

1. Doing Battle is an excellent book for these troubling times. Though obviously a prickly sort, Fussell his kept his critical faculties intact and properly skewers ineptitude, careerists, rationalizers, martinets, and soft-headedness. The center-piece of this autobiography is Fussell's experience as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army in France and Germany in WWII. Fussell takes aim at the military - recounting the caprices and cruel arbitrariness of his own service with a scalpel-like pen.

   Fussell also has little use for the beer-fueled sports culture that now dominates the American cultural landscape. He is first and foremost a defender of elitism - not an elitism based on social or economic class, but based on what and how one thinks and comports oneself in doing the tasks of daily life. Doing Battle is about honor and integrity, with Fussell having been lucky enough, or bright enough, to have had a series of teaching jobs that allowed his convictions and sense of honor and self to survive largely intact.

   Fussell writes beautifully and movingly. He also lays himself bare in Doing Battle. It is a rare book in that it is scholarly as well as a good, quick read. The influence of Mencken is clearly felt. You put the book down at the end regretfully. You then begin the processs of recommending it to your special friends - the ones that you think will "understand."

   I recommend the book highly.




2. Other reviewers here seem to be approaching this book from the perspective of WW II experiences, or from reading Fussell's war books. I chose to read this book because I had already read two of his other extremely entertaining and thought-provoking books, "Class" and "Bad". This book is never boring. It took me awhile to read it, because every few pages I would have to stop and think about things he had said. One can always depend on Fussell for honesty and frank discussion. I am happily making my way through all his books, and look forward to reading "Uniforms" next. His discussion of the hot summer spent in training near Gainesville, Texas, was especially interesting to me since I grew up in a town 30 miles east of Gainesville. This book is worth reading.



3. His name must rhyme with tussle else the students he had at Connecticut College were not very good at poetry.
   Very important point: his own description of his book "Class" (see especially p. 280 in "Doing Battle") describes it as straight irony. "Except for a page or two the book is unrelentingly facetious, packed with exaggerations and palpably irresponsible assertions, and I was astonished to find how many readers took it seriously." Beware of taking "Class" seriously!
   I have to thank Paul for a very interesting autobiography. It continues to amaze me that biography makes so much clearer than does an author's straight forward critical work. You certainly need both. But a sense of the person who writes makes what they write so much more sensible. This book is more enjoyable than some other autobiographies. Still, it leaves me in a quandary. Much that PF says strikes home but there is always a sense that PF lives within a particular narrative (by the way, he critiques those that talk in terms of narratology on pp. 212-213 "The all-but-universal worship of science, social science, and analytic philosophy would soon encourage the half-educated to pepper their discourse with terms like narratology, disciplinarity, engendering, and interface." "Half-educated"? I have a t-shirt that says, "The truly educated never graduate." (Of course this places me in a class.) Today there are books with titles like these and I would hardly refer to the authors as half-educated. It feels almost like C.S. Lewis in "Words" critiquing their misuse. But new words are invented all the time and come to mean things by their use. I wonder if someplace PF critiques the concept of "meme". Clearly, PF's classical education is way superior to mine. He would certainly join the defense in the war against grammar. I have a programmable thermostat that I can't figure out how to work.
   But I am partial myself to the narrative I suspect he follows. I was never in battle though I am retired Army. Should I try a book called "Doing Peace"? Imagine having a full career in the military without ever being in battle? Assuming I could talk about the experience would annoy PF far worse than Glenn Gray. At least Gray was within miles of such action.
   As an update years after reading this book and leaving the above as my review I have to point out that I appreciated Paul's participation in the special "The War" and found his experiences especially profound. It certainly made my appreciation of "The War" the greater having read his book years before and seeing the images in "The War" brings home the descriptions from his book. Thanks again Paul.



4. "Doing Battle: The Making Of A Skeptic" By Paul Fussell
   Little Brown And Company, Boston. 1996.
   
   An exceedingly well written biography of an intellectual of the last half of the 20th Century. Well written, as to be expected of a person with so many degrees in English. I do not think that he likes "vocational" degrees, such as engineering degrees, but I suspect that he enjoys using modern word processors that engineers have developed. However, this well written book presents the life story of person, who appears, sometimes, as an anarchist, or perhaps a nihilist, and sometimes a hypocrite, and sometimes as a loner.
   
   For example, on page 97, he describes the members of the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) as very angry young men "...who had been luxuriating in colleges." Of course, Paul Fussell had not been "luxuriating" in Pasadena where his father was building a new house while the rest of the nation was selling apples on corners during the Great Depression. While at Pasadena, he attended Pomona College, (of the Claremont Group of five colleges ... one of my daughters graduated from Scripps College), snuggled in a New England look-alike green belt in brown California. Because Paul Fussell was privileged to attend such a fancy college when most Americans did not go on to "Higher" education, the author had the opportunity to become an officer in the United States Army. From this seat of wisdom, he was able to judge the combat performance of the 29th Infantry Division, a National Guard Unit...which, in turn, prompted a reply in Joseph Balkoski's book "Beyond The Beachhead".
   
   Most of Fussell's book, "Doing Battle", deals with his career in academia. I do not think that the author was ever happy. At the beginning of his career, the author was "...condemned to an atmosphere of insignificance and ineffectiveness..." at a mere girls' school. (page 213). Interestingly enough, the comments of that famous (infamous) Senator from Wisconsin are confirmed in Fussell's book. Universities were godless places. Fussell reports that a Catholic professor was surprised to find so many atheists.
   Page 203: "...what a pederastic paradise for some graduate students Harvard had been." Heidelberg was more efficient than American universities. After I finished his book, I could only think of the comment I learned in the United States Navy, "My heart pumps purple panther piss for him."



5. Unless you enjoy seeing the US Army trashed save your money. Very twisted view of the WWII Army and those belonging to it. I agree with a previous writer that had the author been a officer doing his job his men would have been trained properly. As a retired Army officer and combat veteran I found the book offensive to say the least.

5 comments about Fortunate Son: The Healing of a Vietnam Vet.

1. The recent scandal exposed by the WASHINGTON POST's coverage of conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center reminded me of the power of this book. One legacy of America's unfortunate invasion of Iraq will be untold numbers of young Americans--and Iraqi civilians--who will live the same sort of horrific nightmare that Lewis Puller describes so vividly in this harrowing autobiography.
   
   My retired Marine father once served under Lew Puller's legendary father, and the two of us stood in line to get our copies of "Fortunate Son" autographed by Mr. Puller, an experience I still remember vividly all these years later. Puller's prose is equally memorable, and this book should be required reading at any American high school in 2007--and for any American who plans to vote in the next election. Lewis Puller's words are more important than ever.



2. It is difficult to not be moved by the horrific series of incidents related by Puller here. As pointed out by other reviewers, the self-portrait he renders is of a person so unappealing that the reader must conclude that what he has written with an eye first to honest description, as well as he can render it.
   That said, this book is not really worth reading as a book. The writing is stultifying flat and, for whatever reasons, the only thing Puller does here is whine, in an equally grating voice and with an equal intensity about whatever happens: the mortifying loss of his legs and much of both hands is treated with exactly the same weight as minor slights that occur in his run for office. Furthermore, a very great deal of the book is devoted to pointing out the obvious: for example, Puller insists on notifying the reader that his son learns to talk while his father (owing to a stroke) is losing the capability for speech. Should an editor have cut out this and the many similar needless explanations, the writing would have far greater impact than it does.
   Should the story of Fuller have any lessons for us, those lessons will surely be better learned by reading a (much, much shorter) article about him rather than this tedious book.



3. The book, a true account of a dissalussioned idealist - a trouble soul. A
   lead in to my sad tale of woe. My fellow Americans/Vietnam veterans, do
   not be fooled by the administration's rehtoric; read McNamara's "The Fog
   of War" and please don't forget the book "A Bright Shining Lie"! If you
   truly believe the lies of the "CHICKEN HAWKS", then I've got a bridge in
   Utopia I'll sell you. You are listening to people who never served a day in their misrable lives in war and when most of them had their chance to fight for our country, during the Vietnam war,they chose to "Cut and Run"
   (Guard duty and college deferments). There is only one way to end this
   fisco in the middle east; reinstate the DRAFT with NO LOOP-HOLES! Every-
   body goes when the 6x6 (military truck) rolls up (ages from 18 to 50),
   city/state/federal legislators, the whole nine yards. I'm speaking truth
   to power here today, people. Because when death becomes a shared sacri-
   fice, people's whole prospective changes; it's different when everybody's butt is on the line. Believe me, I know because I served three tours in
   "Nam (all voluntary) not in surrounding countryside (Thailand, Philippines, etc), but in country. I too believed in the government's
   lies (Gulf of Tonkin incident) at the time, but after a lot of years since then, I've had time to reflect and my reflections are not pleasant.
   So, if the country really wants to stop this current mistake, follow my
   advice, THE DRAFT!



4. The name of General "Chesty" Puller brings a proud smile to the lips of every Marine. He is part of the pantheon of "the few and the proud." His son, Lewis Puller, Jr., has written a memoir that tells the story of growing up in the shadow of a legendary father, becoming a Marine officer in his own right, losing his legs in an explosion while serving in Vietnam, and struggling to build a life for himself in the aftermath. This thoughtful and thought-provoking book was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.
   
   Lewis Puller, Jr. demonstrates a great deal of transparency in recounting his pilgrimage from the son of a war hero to a wounded warrior looking for his rightful place in the world. The New York Times called this book: "A haunting tribute to the names on the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial . . . An important contribution to the personal literature of war."
   
   The fact that much of Puller's personal journey took place during the same time the nation was struggling with building the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial adds a special poignancy to this memoir. Several of my friends who have served recently in Iraq and Afghanistan commended this book to me as one that had helped them in their own process of reconciling their experiences in war with their return to the United States.
   
   This is a story of great loss and of commensurate courage and determination. I think you will find it inspiring and well worth reading.



5. An over-simplistic view to me is the only view anyone lacking the sensitivity to absorb this book correctly can have. Judging this person is irrelevant to the whole point of reading the book, it's not a textbook, of course there is more to the story, and of course anyone can be offended by anything. But, if your looking for a story of a young man who cheated death more then once during the Nam conflict, you will be hard press to find a better book.

5 comments about Patton: The Man Behind the Legend, 1885-1945.

1. For readers who want a top-notch biography of Patton without committing to an 800-page or 1000-page tome, this is the book. Blumenson makes excellent use of Patton's personal letters, especially those to Patton's wife, to reveal the human side of his tough-as-nails persona. Patton with nervous indigestion? Patton feeling worthless and inferior? Who would have guessed! Highly recommended for those interested in historic figures and military history, but who don't want to get bogged down in minutae such as detailed battlefield tactics. This book focuses on the man, as it should, and not so much on the wars that made his career. That being said, my only complaint is that for the chapters about actual warfare the book could have used some basic large-scale maps of North Africa and Western Europe, especially France, showing the route of Patton's advances and major battles. I sometimes felt lost as Patton rolled through one village after another to attack the enemy.



2. The one primary reason this ranks as the paramount biography of Patton is because the Patton family never tried to control the author. The secondary reason for the success of this biography is because the author, Blumenson, served as a young lieutenant under Patton.

   I surprised about a number of facts regarding Patton. First of all, he was dyslexic, but was able to overcome that problem through hard work. He was also kicked by a horse later in life, and this may be the reason for his "unstable" and volatile character.

   There are plenty of fun facts in this biography. I was surprised that Patton was an Olympic athlete in the pentathlon. I did not realise, though, that the pentathlon was built around an officer carrying dispatches (i.e., horse, sword, pistol, swimming, running). He also should have placed first, but they could not decide if his pistol round had punched through the same hole twice (so the judges counted it as a complete miss).

   Patton had many doubts about his manhood. He joked, while at West Point, that he made a fine woman as a dancer. Since West Point only had men at the time, they had to trade off when learning to dance. There is also a serious character flaw in Patton regarding his niece. Although he denied it, it was pretty obvious he was having sex with his niece. This is where we, as the reading public, must give all thanks to the Patton family. They trust Blumenson so much that he is the only man they have given full access to the family papers and letters. At no point did they tell Blumenson to hide anything. They recognized that their family member was an historical figure,and insisted on a complete analysis--warts and all. Otherwise, how can you form an opinion on the man?

   Blumenson ends his biography with a chapter "Behind the Legend." Patton's ideal of leadership is one key to understanding him. On page 307 he states "slef-confidence and leadership are twin brothers." As Blumenson states, "the sublime irony is that Patton's self-confidence was an act, forced and assumed, put on, riveted to his exterior."

   Blumenson is quite informative and a must see. He is positive that, had Patton lived a lengthy life, he would have been discredited. He was a real embarrassment, great in war but terrible in peace. The author is also a very humble man, even though he is a retired colonel, and always makes the emphasis when he speaks about Patton.




3. This biography starts with Patton's family roots, covers his growing up years, and works through his career in the military. The book is only about 300 pages and is a fairly quick read. There are lots of pictures.
   
   Patton grew up in California, his father was Old South gentry, and his mother's father was a fairly rich self made man. Patton idealized his military roots. Fairly early in life Patton wanted to become famous and felt the honorable way was to do so in the army. Patton appears to have had dyslexia. School was a struggle for him which he overcame through hard work.
   
   As a teenager Patton meet Beatrice Ayer who later become his wife. She was from a rich family. Through her emotional support Patton was able to keep struggling all his life against his self doubts. Without her support it doesn't sound like Patton would have been nearly as successful. They had two daughters and a son.
   
   The kind of character description of Patton this book gives is a gifted man who was focused on himself. He wanted glory and he wanted to be known. He wanted to be famous. He often did things to make sure he was noticed. He pulled strings to get the attention of higher commanding officers.
   
   Also unfortunately he wasn't faithful to his wife. There were a couple mentions of how many condoms he used in a short period. Patten had a long affair with his niece. And after he died, the niece killed herself. She left a note that she would be with Uncle Georgia before Beatrice.
   
   Strategically and tactically George Patton seemed to have been almost without peer. He studied war for over forty years. But his greater gift may have been his ability to train and motivate large groups of soldiers. In two instances Patton was given an army and fairly quickly he improved the level of performance several levels. The Third Army, which was under his command from after D-Day to the end of the war, was largely an untrained and unseasoned group of men. But they took the most number of prisoners, and moved the quickest across dozens of miles in a day. George Patton seems to have consciously taken on an act of swearing and cussing to be at the level of the common solider, but then when he meet with his officers he was much more refined. He told his Third Army they were different, he told them they were on a righteous cause, and he asked a lot of them. They came through.
   
   Over all George Patton comes across as a flawed person who achieved some greatness. Martin Blumenson did a good job in giving the reader insight into the life and character of George Patton.



4. For most, Patton is a well known name, familiar; but like most, I knew nothing more than the impact of the mythology and short squibs about his commanding manners as one of the most powerful and important Army Generals of the 20th century.
   
   The author, whom I have never heard of or fully know the relationship between him and Patton, was the staff historian in Patton's Third Army during WWII. As such, I assumed a much biased portrayal, good or bad.
   
   Instead, I found a well-thought, well delivered description of man so driven that he accomplished anything he wanted. A man so volatile yet thoughtful, a masterful and brilliant tactian born to lead with no fear of death and wanting a fight, driven to succeed at any cost and sacrificing everything but his own strict morals so that he could achieve all that Destiny had set for him, because he was destined to be great. This was a man entirely devoted to the ideology of the Warrior mold, never modeling himself on any one great legend or man, Patton followed the path of the idea of being a warrior and gave it his life. Always questioning himself, not always sure he was 'the man', Patton had an unshakable believe in himself and Fate that is truly awesome and inspring.
   
   From his early upbringing--one of wealth, privilege and good breeding--up along to each promotion and to his eventual death, Blumenson gives a personal touch to the aura that was Patton, eloquent, acerbic, devoted to his soldiers but also, the Patton that could sometimes blow up in one's face.
   
   Of the biographies that I have read, I haven't chuckled and earmarked more pages that I wanted to remember. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and couldn't stop until I finished. Reading the highs of Patton's life and career made me cheer and reading the harrowing blows made me shake my head in wonder and lament along with Patton. Biases? Only in one case: The author choicely slips in a reason for Patton's up and down mood swings that latter crippled his career and made him as infamous as his military stamina, accident prone and usually in the head, Blumenson believed that the mood swings were result from subdural hemotoma, a building of blood pressure around the brain. There's nothing conclusive, merely supposition, but entirely plausible.
   
   The writing style is straightforward, although sometimes awkward, but because Blumenson had first had account of Patton, in both images, it had more intimacy, made less formal. Even more interesting were the many photos of Patton throughout his life, in various dress and events that brought what Blumeson wrote about come to life. Even battle scenes were described in layman's terms, easy to follow and interesting--though maps would have been a nice touch. The back has a comprehensive index that I found helpful when I wanted to go over parts for memory.
   
   A definite must read!



5. This is a great short bio of Patton. Blumenson paints him as a fragile, yet great leader and how those two worked back and forth. His last few pages are a great summary: "...one of America's greatest soldiers, one of the world's great captains."
   
   I read this book for a master's class and it provides two great take aways:
   
   1. Insight into his early life--Patton grew up in a displaced Virginian family in California. His views of his family and himself shaped him as a military figure.
   
   2. The interaction of his fragile and volitile personality with his outer shell which strove for personal excellence and glory for his family.
   
   It's very hard to write on Patton without taking a side--either critical of him or supporting him. Thus, the Patton family did endorse this bio, but there are pro-Patton themes (prejudice), especially in his interaction with Bradley and Eisenhower (my only downgrade of the book).
   
   This is a very good book to use as a baseline for further study. Worth a spot in your library.

5 comments about In the Hands of Providence: Joshua L. Chamberlain and the American Civil War.

1. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was the epitome of the American citizen-soldier. Since the birth of the republic, American soldiers have left home and hearth to serve the nation and many of them have come home physically shattered and haunted by what they have seen while still others have not come home at all. Thrown into the breech, some of the citizen solders found they did not have the fortitude for what was asked of them while many others have excelled, performing better than graduates of West Point or Annapolis, America's most prestigious military academies. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was a citizen soldier who became a great hero of the Civil War, a man who met challenge after challenge and became a great leader of men and afterward, the course of his life was forever altered. An academically inclined young man, Chamberlain left Bowdin College and his studies and teaching in theology to accept a lieutenant colonel's commission in the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The modest young professor took part in most of the important battles of the North's Army of the Potomac. He was a participant in the Battle of Antietam, still the bloodiest single day in American history. Today, we can walk the battlefield off Sharpsburg Pike, in rural Maryland and see "Burnside's Bridge and the cornfields where so many men fell and get some small measure of what men like Chamberlain went through. We can also visit the battlefield at Fredericksburg and see the heights that he and his 20th Maine and the Union Army tried to take in bloody frontal assaults into the teeth of Confederate guns and under the pounding of their artillery on the hills. Today Chamberlain's comrades - as well as the fallen Confederate troops - are buried on the commanding heights they failed to take, one of the Civil War's bitter ironies. Colonel Chamberlain then immortalized himself at Gettysburg's Little Round Top where he anchored the Union left, repelling assault after assault and winning the day by leading a charge down the slope that broke the Rebel troops. He was given a general's star by General Grant at Petersburg and was honored to receive the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. His heroism and leadership qualities helped him win the Governorship of Maine no less than four times, after which he retired to the Presidency of Bowdin College, his alma mater. Alice Trulock who wrote this book, was not a professional writer and after her retirement from civic affairs, this book took her ten years of careful research, writing and rewriting to complete. She based her work on a great deal of new research and handles the account of infantry combat beautifully. Unfortunately, Trulock died before the book was released and so she wasn't able to accept the accolades that were due to her for such a well-written and moving biography of an emblematic Civil War figure.



2. The Duke of Wellington supposedly stated that it is impossible for a Christian to serve in the military. Too bad he wasn't around during the American Civil War! Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson from the South and Joshua Chamberlain and Otis Howard from the North are notable exceptions to Wellington's thesis.
   
   Trulock has written what is the best account of the hero of Little Round Top and who personally oversaw the surrender of Confederate troops at Appamattox.
   
   Among the important events in Chamberlain's life covered include:
   
   1. Birth and Christian upbringing in rural Maine.
   2. His days as a student and adminstrator at Bowdoin College.
   3. His early Civil War service including the formation of the famous 20th Maine Regiment.
   4. Fascinating accounts of his involvement in major Civil War battles: Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Petersburg, and other engagements.
   5. The horrible wound suffered at Petersburg that eventually killed him some 50 years later.
   6. His loving yet strained marriage to Frances Caroline Adams.
   7. Postwar public service as President of Bowdoin College and Governor of Maine.
   
   Reading the book was a joy - the narrative flowed smoothly while covering several details of a fascinating character. The author managed to keep the story from becoming too bogged down in dry detail without insulting the reader's intelligence. Oh, how I wish more biographies were written like this!
   
   The book also contains excellent battle maps and numerous photographs of the main characters: Chamberlain, his wife, parents, sister and brothers, many Civil War officers, and other important people in Joshua Chamberlain's life.
   
   All in all, an excellent and highly recommended read. Read and enjoy!



3. I found Alice Trulock's biography on Joshua L. Chamberlain to be quite readable, well researched and well grounded. Considering the length of the book, Trulock's book read quite well for most readers of any level. Well, it may not be good as the one written by John Pullen but it definitely is superior to the one written by Edward Longacre. I put that in just for comparison purpose.
   
   I think this biography may served as a good introduction to Chamberlain who's name have definitely reached near mythological level nowadays among Civil War readers thanks to Jeff Daniels and his role in that movie "Gettysburg". Of course, most readers would probably be disappointed that Jeff Daniel's portaryal of Chamberlain will not jive with Joshua Chamberlain of Trulock's book.
   
   The biography covers all aspects of Chamberlain's life. The book does a good job covering Chamberlain's military career which proves to be the most important period of his life from which Chamberlain's life will be centered around until his death. I do wish to make a point here. He died at the age of 86, a very ripe old age and I doubt if his wounds he got from Petersburg really hasten his death, it may have cause him a lot of pain but even in modern days, most people don't live that long!
   
   Overall, an very good biography on one of Union's more natural soldiers. A non-professional who performed better then most professional soldiers.



4. Chamerlain's heroism is similar to Teddy Roosevelt, Alvin York, and Audie Murphy who came behind him, but have been better publicized.
   
   The difference is that his act of confidence, courage and decisiveness may have been the one that changed the outcome of the Civil War, the 1864 election and the future of America.
   
   In The Hands of Providence is the story of Chamberlain's exemplary character before, during and after that momentum changing moment. All Americans should read and learn this story.
   
   - Richard V. Battle - Author of The Four Letter Word That Builds Character



5. 
   In the Hands of Providence is a very well researched look of the life of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Alice Turlock presents a definitive biography of this modest professor from Bowden College, who met challenge after challenge to become one of the greatest leaders in Civil War history. Chamberlain had extraordinary observational and superb writing skills. His persistence at recording the historic events, which included his emotional reactions, gave Trulock's wonderful historic accounts for her book.
   The book starts by giving us an in depth look at his obscure Christian upbringing in rural Maine, and follows his processes of becoming a great young man. He was an exceptional college student, receiving the praise of his instructors. He was also highly regarded by his neighbors and towns' folk alike. Many considered him to have the highest moral and ethical standard. He was so trusted and respected as a young man in his home town that an older business man of Maine, who was an acquaintance of Chamberlain's, entrusted him with the dealings of his estate.
   
   While finishing his studies at Bowden, Chamberlain married his sweetheart Frances Caroline Adams. They had a very close and loving relationship. But during the war, the constant distance between them put a great deal of strain on their relationship. After graduation, he accepted a position as a professor at Bowden, and held that position for several years. Chamberlain maintained a very close relationship with his family, and he was especially close to his father in law George Adams.
   
   When the war broke out in 1861, Chamberlain ask for a leave of absence from Bowden to enlist, but was turned down. Not to be left out of the war, he again applied for a sabbatical to study in Europe, and this time it was granted. He had no intentions on going to Europe, and instead immediately enlisted in the army as a lieutenant colonel, and never looked back. He played a huge role in the recruitment of the men for a regiment, which would later come to be known as the 20th Maine.
   
   With no military experience, Chamberlain showed great promise in his leadership shills and military expertise. He became friends with his unit's commander, Colonial Ames, who became his tutor. According to Trulock, Chamberlain held a great deal of respect and admiration for Ames, and he gave Ames credit for his military success.
   
   Trulock's description of Chamberlain's military life is extraordinary, and she supplies us with great details about the battles in which he was involved. At the battle of Antietam, Chamberlain was not directly involved in the fighting but was brought up in reserve the next day. Trulock gives a very vivid description of horror that Chamberlain witnessed upon arriving at the battlefield that day where 22,000 lay dead or wounded on the field. It was the bloodiest, one day battle in the Civil War.
   
   Next, she transports us to the Fredericksburg, and the final assault by the North on Marye's Heights - the charge that involved the 20th of Maine. All the other divisions that day were either driven back, laid dead or wounded on the field. She describes tremendous courage that Chamberlain and his men showed as they made their charge on the now famous wall at Marye's Heights, the wall that was heavily guarded by Confederates. The division suffered great loses that late afternoon. They remained among the dead or wounded for 2 days and nights before the order was given to retreat.
   
   The episode in history that Chamberlain is most remember for is the courage and heroism he displayed at the battle of Gettysburg. He was ordered to the top of a hill known as The Little Round Top where he was placed at the far left flank. There, Chamberlain was instructed to hold that position at all cost. The 20th Maine repelled assault after assault by the Confederates that day. When ammunition ran out, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge, an event that many historians say was the turning point of the Civil War.
   
   Trulock also gives a very detailed account of the battle of Petersburg, where Chamberlain was horribly wounded. After hearing of his heroic actions during the battle, General Grant immediately promoted Chamberlain on the battlefield to Brigadier General. This was the only battlefield promotion ever issued by Grant. Somehow, Chamberlain survived his wound, due to the skilled surgery that was preformed on him that night and next day. Chamberlain's two close friends, Dr. Shaw and Dr. Townsend worked for hours repairing the damage inflicted by the mini ball. The wound he received that day would trouble him all of his life and required numerous surgery's to repair the damage.
   
   His persistent heroism and outstanding leadership were the deciding factor when Grant chose Chamberlain to receive the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. He showed great respect for his fellow countrymen that day when he gave the order to his men to give a solders salute to the surrendering confederate men. His honorary actions that day were later critized by many people.
   
   This book contains a lot of historic photos of Chamberlain's family, friends, fellow soldiers and numerous battle maps. The book also gives a great account of Chamberlain's life as Governor of Maine and President of Bowden College, but these accounts do not compare to the bravery and patriotic devotion that Chamberlain displayed during the Civil War. His actions made him a hero to his men, and the country he served.
   
   Trulock has given us a great biography, not only one of the Civil War's greatest commanders, but one of the United States most distinguished citizens. The book flows very smoothly while covering details of battles that would interest even the most die hard Civil War enthusiast.
   
   Finally, a book that does justice to an astonishing person. I highly recommend this book.