1 comments about The Compleat Rifleman Harris - The adventures of a soldier of the 95th (Rifles) during the Peninsular campaign of the Napoleonic wars.

1. This is a well written series of anecdotes on the life of a rifleman during the Peninsular war. You will understand something of the life of and hardships of an individual soldier, but if you are looking for Sharp like action, then you probably will be disappointed.

No comments about Courage and Fear: A Primer.

5 comments about Blundering to Glory: Napoleon's Military Campaigns.

1. I first read this little gem in 1992 & I've just finished my 4th enjoyable reading. Personally, I can't think of a more readable, economical, introduction to the Napoleonic wars. Following an introductory chapter on Bonaparte, each chapter examines a separate campaign (Italy, Austerlitz, Spain, Russia etc). Professor Connely's lifetime of scholarship in this field is well reflected throughout to include a comprehensive bibliography and a very good bibliographic essay examining works published since the first edition of this book. Whether you agree or disagree with his thesis (Napoleon the opportunist) this work is well worth the price. I also recommend Connelly's FRENCH REVOLUTION/NAPOLEONIC ERA, a short but well-done college text examing the military, political and cultural events of that period. Prior to attacking David Chandler's massive opus The CAMPAIGNS of NAPOLEON, also see
   David Gates' The NAPOLEONIC WARS, Charles Esdaile's Thr WARS of NAPOLEON & Gunther Rothenberg's ART of WAR in the AGE of NAPOLEON.
   All three are available in paperback. Happy reading!



2. I started out very involved and interested in Connelly's premise, but as the book went on, he strained his credibility.
   
   With such misleading statements as, "Massena scored a victory over [Wellington] at Bussaco in September 1810," Connelly made me wonder just how strenuously he had checked his facts and just what he may have twisted to suit his argument. Bussaco was a clear defeat for Massena, who had thrown five assaults at the British/Portuguese troops and been repulsed in every case. The allies were not only left in possession of the battlefield but had lost approximately 1,000 men to Massena's 4,000. How Connelly could count that as a victory for Massena is beyond me. Unless, of course the fact that, two days AFTER the battle, Massena's drive to outflank the allies caused Wellington to start his strategic withdrawal toward the Lines of Torres Vedras, is what Connelly calls a "victory."
   
   And it made me wonder, what else did Connelly change or leave out...what may he have glossed over because it didn't suit his argument? One reviewer here complained that Connelly covered Napoleon's early battles extensively but barely covered what some consider to be Napoleon's most brilliant display of genius: the battles of 1814. Was 1814 glossed over, perhaps, because it was damaging to Connelly's argument? Who knows? It's too bad, really. This book had great promise, but it lost me through sheer sloppiness. My recommendation: Read it for its interesting approach, but don't expect to be convinced by the end of it.



3. It is a real gem of a volume, and although I have many other books on the Napoleonic Wars I have used it as a reference source countless times. The writing is very good, all trivial matters have been excluded and the maps although simple are numerous and informative. This book is the perfect choice for someone who wants to learn a lot about the wars of Napoleon without spending weeks to read the massive volumes of the other experts on the subject (Chanlder etc.)It gives the essence of Napoleon's operational art and reveals many little known aspects of his campaigns, like his excellent defensive maneuvers under desperate conditions in France in 1814.



4. The extent and nature of Napoleon's genius will always be a matter of debate and controversy. Owen Connelly has added fuel to the fire in an interesting way. He is in fact trying to stir the pot, not least with the provocative title of this work. In the process, he has turned out his usual well-written, clear and concise work. This book is a great outline of Napoleon's campaigns, whether or not one agrees with his conclusions. I have put it to good use assigning it in my courses, and my students always enjoy it. They get a good, quick overview of Napoleonic warfare. Owen Connelly (an American) is one of the most knowledgable and objective living historians of the Napoleonic period.



5. Blundering to Glory is intended to be an account of how Napoleon got lucky as a general and emperor. While there are numerous events where Napoleon was lucky or his marshals saved him from himself, there were times that Napoleon's abilities were apparent. Connelly unnecessarily bashes Napoleon throughout his book while overemphasizing his marshals' accomplishments.
   
   Blundering to Glory is well written if the reader understands the bias Connelly shows against Napoleon. The information included on his battles and empire is informative making Blundering to Glory a good companion to other Napoleon books such as Horne's How Far From Austerlitz, Elting's Swords Around a Throne and Schom's Napoleon.

1 comments about Brotherhood of Warriors LP: Behind Enemy Lines with a Commando in One of the World's Most Elite Counterterrorism Units.

1. ...Mr Cohen's book. Devoured the book in two days. Fascinating perspective on Israel's military, particularly the training behind their elite forces. As an American, I was especially enlightened by Mr Cohen's analysis of our shortsightedness in combatting terrorism here in the states. The Israelis are trained to kill the terrorist. The average US police officer is trained to NOT shoot because of the bureaucratic mess he would encounter in discharging his weapon. Mr Cohen explains the Israeli emphasis on shooting thousands of rounds to become proficient and comfortable in using his firearm and in real world simulation whereas the US police force practices sporadically at a shooting range. He discounts the importance of aiming, but instead being instinctive in using one's weapon. Mr. Cohen's stories of encountering the enemy in numerous raids on terrorist hot spots make for a fascinating read. One mission describes his posing as a blonde US college journalist interviewing a leading terrorist organization leader. After making the target comfortable in two hours of interview time at a cafe, Mr. Cohen suddenly springs at his enemy, smashing him in the mouth, while his hidden comrades in arms take down the perp's two bodyguards. Great stuff. By way of background, I am a 52 year old southern California housewife and mother of two daughters and a son.

5 comments about No Greater Glory: The Four Immortal Chaplains and the Sinking of the Dorchester in World War II.

1. I became intrigued by this story when I was no moare than 10. I was a stamp collector and came into the possession of the stam honoring the four. In those very pre-internet days and in a very small town with few resources I was only able to learn a small amount of the story. Since then there were pieces here and there but it was not until this book that the whole story was made available to me.
   I was almost uable to put this book down once I started. It's well written. It's abook that you can read for factual historical content or faith and inspiration. The story of the four chaplains is one of the many little known inspiring and interestng stories of World War Two. Don't pass this book over thinking it is just another relilgous book. It is much more.
   In this day and age when we hand out superlatives like they were penny candy, the story of the Chaplains and the sinking of the Dorchester is an almost must read not just for people of faith, but all people.



2. If you ever feel that your fellow man has no regard for you, pick up this book and don't put it down untill you have finished it. What an inspiring story of four 'Men of God' and their dedication to that God, each other, and all those fortunate enough to have crossed their paths. You will be stunned by the character of each of these great men.



3. With a sickening thump, an explosion wracked the troop transport S.S. Dorchester - a German torpedo had found its mark. It was shortly after midnight, February 3, 1942, and the ship was about to sink into the deadly cold waters off of Greenland. As men panicked and struggled to find a way to save their own lives, four men walked amongst them spreading calm and encouragement. Helping everyone they could find, even giving away their own precious lifejackets, the four chaplains - Rev. George Lansing Fox (Methodist), Rabbi Alex Goode, Rev. Clark Poling (Dutch Reformed) and Fr. John Washington (Catholic) - sought to serve their God and the fellow men. And when the end came, survivors saw the four chaplains, locked arm in arm, praying on the upside-down hull of the ship, just before it dove beneath the waves.
   
   This book tells the remarkable true story of four men who joined the American military as chaplains, their experiences at their Massachusetts training camp, and their final tragic mission. It is a story that is bound to bring a tear to your eye, but it is also a great story of faith and truly living the life of godly sacrifice. Overall, I think that this is a great book, on that I highly recommend to everyone.



4. Everyone who's already reviewed this book has said so much about it that it's hard to find anything more to say about how well it's written, what a great gripping true story it is, and the amazing heroism of the four chaplains. This book is so well-written and has such a compelling and involving story that I read it in like two days, and wished there had been even more. Additionally, this heroic tale from WWII has special meaning to many of the people in my area (New York State's Capital District) because Rev. Clark Poling's church was in nearby Schenectady, providing a local connection.
   
   The book itself follows a somewhat nonlinear format, going back and forth between the pre-war lives of the four chaplains and their lives during the war, particularly after they boarded the Dorchester and arrived in Greenland for a very brief stay before going back on the ill-fated ship. After this point, the narrative switches entirely to a linear format, discussing the ship's final night before being torpedoed by a German U-boat and the chaos, heroism, and tragedy that ensued. Not many people could honestly say that they would give up their lifejackets if their ship went down in freezing waters in the middle of the night (Rabbi Alex Goode even gave up his gloves) or remain calm in the midst of such frantic circumstances and such a life-and-death situation. Many people back then also weren't so forward-thinking about interfaith relations, with a Reform rabbi, a Catholic priest, and two reverends from different Protestant denominations being such close friends and reaching out equally to everyone on the ship, largely being nonsectarian apart from when they did things like conduct services. This was still an era in which many Protestants and Catholics didn't associate with one another, to say nothing of the rampant institutionalised prejudice against Jews, and, in a number of areas, against Catholics as well. They set a moving and heroic example for all time, not just in the area of interfaith relations, but also in the area of selfless sacrifice. It was interesting to read in the Afterword about some of the people who have since been awarded the Immortal Chaplains Prize for Humanity Award, such as the Japanese Righteous Gentile Chiune Sugihara, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Omri Abdel-Halim al-Jadah, a Palestinian Muslim who died while saving a young Israeli Jewish boy from drowning. The Afterword also provided information on what happened to the survivors of the Dorchester sinking and the near and dear ones of the chaplains.
   
   As we find out all throughout the book, this tragedy could have been prevented (it was kind of like a smaller-scale Titanic) if only the Dorchester had been inspected more closely or refurbished, or if there had been enough lifejackets and safety instructions provided, and even after disaster struck, the casualties could have been reduced if the nearby American ships had begun searching for survivors and bringing them onto their ships right away instead of thinking nothing serious had happened or going after the attacking U-boat first, but even in the midst of such bungling and such a chaotic disaster, the amazing heroism of the chaplains shone through as well as it would have in calmer circumstances.



5. I ordered this book for my father, whose brother died in WWII. The family was given almost no information at the time, but by piecing together details, my mother determined that he was almost certainly on a particular boat when it was sunk by the enemy. That fact was confirmed by this book, and it offered a lot of information that is offered only sketchily in other areas. We appreciate the author and the information he was able to provide families, as well as the story of the wonderful chaplains. My mother, an avid reader (particularly about WWII), said this was one of the best written histories on WWII that she has read.

No comments about Desmond Doss: Conscientious Objector.

5 comments about Hope and Honor.

1. This is the best book I've read recently and I heartily recommend it.
   
   The first and most harrowing part of the book deals with General Shachnow's childhood and miraculous survival of the Holocaust. The protagonist of the story is primarily Shachnow's mother -- an extraordinary, quick witted and determined woman. It is mainly due to her efforts and incredible daring that both her children (one of whom was a mere toddler) survived, while pretty much everyone around them perished. Her strength through the war and the heartbreaks and challenges of the family's post war experiences were to me the most touching and heartrending aspect of the book. Shachnow does a fine job at crediting his mother's extraordinary sacrifices and bravery, but also touchingly describing her weaknesses and eventual failures.
   
   The second part of the book, which in some ways is just as touching, deals with the Shachnow family's move first to post-war Germany and then to the US. The immigration experience was particularly rough on General Shachnow, who arrived in the US as an unschooled and traumatized teenager, but managed, through toil and faith to complete high school successfully. Shachnow's parents fared less well. They seemed unable to transition to the new culture and its demands. Shachnow speculates that his mother had used up all her strength and ingenuity to survive and therefore found herself unable to cope with the new world. Shachnow tells us how the graceful heroine of the Kovno Ghetto turns into a nagging, selfish and small-minded woman, whose behavior inhibits her and her husband from succeeding in their new life. In one of the saddest parts of the book, Shachnow describes his break from his family following his marriage to a non-Jewish girl -- an event that his family treated with neither wisdom nor grace.
   
   The final part of the book is devoted to General Shachnow's military career, starting with his enlistment as a private at the end of his high school studies. His rise to the rank of general is described with humility and is of much interest, though, like other reviewers, I wish it was more extensive.
   
   This is an extraordinary book. In part it made me cry (the touching love between the brothers and the terrible heartbreak of Sidney's parents experiences in the US) and in part it made me wonder. But most of all -- the book inspired me. This is the story of the incredible power of love to save lives, to give meaning to existence. It's the story of familial ties and their challenges. This is the story of the ultimate inevitability of success to those who are sufficiently persistent. And finally -- it's the story of true patriotism and leadership. It's a must read.
   
   I heard the book on CD (Blackstone Audio), read by the excellent Brian Emerson.



2. This is a fascinating tale of survival in Lithuania, and the grit and hussle that Shachnow brought to the US as a teen-ager to rise to the rank of major general in the US Army Special Forces.



3. Excellent book. I have read MG Shachnow's military bio, heard stories about him from other soldiers, and met the man on more than one occasion - but the book brings to life with vivid details the trials and tribulations of a real-life hero. This true story is more captivating than any fictional character and story could be.



4. This is an extraordinary story of strength, courage and love under the most trying conditions imaginable. After surviving the Holocaust as a boy in Nazi-controlled Lithuania, Sidney Shachnow eventually emigrated to the U.S. with his family to start a new life. Risking his life in defense of freedom as a career soldier he truly gave back so much to his new homeland. As such Gen Shachnow's story serves to remind us of the real meaning of American patriotism, which, sadly, in not taught in schools the way it formerly was.
   
   This book makes an equally valuable contribution to American literature as Gen. Shachnow made to the U.S. Army. Unlike so many celebrity autobiographies, which are little more than self-agrandizing fluff-fluff, this book presents the story of Gen Shachnow's life in a painfully honest manner. From cover to cover it is the forthright story of a real man and a real human being, warts and all. That Gen. Shachnow has no trouble being as open as he is with his readers further attests to his bravery and character.



5. I bought this book based on a very good review in "Vietnam" magazine. The story of MG Shachnow's life from surviving the Holocaust to becoming the #1 officer in Special Forces makes for an intriguing biography.
   
   The first part of the book is amazing and provides for a very personal and emotional description of a young boy surviving the holocaust in Lithuania. I highly recommend this first half - the emotions and details are chilling.
   
   The rest of the book covers his military career in a very general way, i.e. without a lot of depth to his experiences. I wish that the book had been made into two volumes, with even more time spent on his childhood and early experiences afterwards as well as a second volume going into much more depth of his experiences as a soldier. To me it seemed that just as a topic was getting interesting, the chapter ended and a new topic was introduced (and then cut off). I would happily have read a 500 page volume 1 and a 500 page volume 2.
   
   The writing style is adictive and the content intriguing. The only criticism is the lack of depth in his military experiences (the main reason I had bought the book).

5 comments about Last Man Out: Glenn McDole, USMC, Survivor of the Palawan Massacre in World War II.

1. I could not put it down. I really liked the book. I meet Mr. McDole and his wife this last June. What an amazing family and how he over came tragidy.



2. This book should be required reading for every high school student in America - most people have no idea what many ordinary young men endured as prisoners during World War II, how they behaved under the unbelievable burden of watching their friends die and how they overcame the horror of being POWs of the Japanese in the Philippines - this book is extremely well-written, simple and concise without self promotion concerning one of the worst atrocities in modern warfare - it's an easy although uncomfortable read - it'll make you proud to call McDole and other POWs fellow Americans



3. This book was very good even though it tells a terrible story. There is a lot of detail about massacre of 139 American prisoners of war and the survival of just 11 as they hid in garbage and swam 5 miles in the ocean to safety. This is a great source for a national history day project. This book would be 6 stars if that rating existed.



4. This should be a must read book!!! Although written by someone else, the actual Veteran, Glenn McDole was there right by his side and threw in plenty of quotes and first hand accounts.
   
   Read the book and get a good example of what happened in some of these Japanese P.O.W. camps. I can assure you that your jaw will drop to the ground!!!



5. This is by far the best book ever. Finished in in 3 or 4 nights, just kept thinking "then what, then what."
   
   Must read for any military or war buff.

3 comments about First Marine Capture in Vietnam: A Biography of Donald G. Cook.

1. Retired USMC Colonel Don Price's first book is a masterpiece of research into the life and mysterious death of Marine Colonel Donald Gilbert Cook. He was the first Marine to be captured by the Viet Cong in combat in South Vietnam, and was the only Marine ever awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism while a Prisoner of War. In his honor, the Navy launched the Guided Missile Destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG75) which maintains a motto of "Faith Without Fear" - an appropriate summation of Donald Cook's philosophy of living.
   
   Don Price masterfully portrays the misery and privations of Viet Cong jungle captivity. Slow starvation rations and deliberate withholding of medicines to combat jungle diseases made dying easier than attempting to survive another day in such hellish conditions. Two of Captain Cook's fellow prisoners were executed by their Viet Cong captors, and another died from the effects of malnutrition, kidney failure, and pneumonia. All the while, Captain Cook gave hope and inspiration to his fellow prisoners to keep alive, and selflessly gave up his meager rations to help his men survive another day.
   
   Over the years, released American prisoners had recommended Cook for the Medal of Honor for his heroism and untiring inspiration to keep them alive. President Carter approved the recommendation, but then declined to take fifteen minutes to present our nation's highest award for valor to the Cook family at a White House ceremony. Instead, a small but dignified ceremony was presided over by then Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Edward Hidalgo, at the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes on May 16, 1980.
   
   This book is a terrific read, and strongly recommended for the USMC Commandant's Reading List. Additionally it is an inspiring story for all who serve in uniform as to the responsibilities of leadership in combat, and if captured to uphold every tenet of the Code of Conduct. It is one of the top three masterpieces of Vietnam POW/MIA histories in this reviewer's opinion.



2. Despite the ultimate fate of Don Cook known from the outset of the book, oddly I found myself "cheering" for his survival while a POW as if the story of his life was just a bad dream with a happy ending afterall. This is a masterful biography ripe for a movie.



3. Long before the names and battles of Khe Sanh, Hue City, and Firebase Gloria were seared into America's consciousness, there were Marines and soldiers fighting, dying - and being captured - in Vietnam.
   
   First-time author Donald Price's brings back the terror and heartache of these times. Price's thoroughly-researched biography of Marine Col. Donald Cook blends the story of Cook's wounding and capture in December 1964 through his December 1967 death with interviews from several of the POW's imprisoned with him as well as the equally courageous story of his wife Laurette and her four small children.
   
   An advisor to the South Vietnamese Marines, Capt Cook was the first Marine captured by the Viet Cong. Unlike the American aviators shot down over North Vietnam and interned at the infamous Hanoi Hilton, Marines and soldiers captured in the south were normally locked inside small bamboo cages in small camps throughout the Mekong Delta. As opposed to the systematic and calculated isolated torture of Sen John McCain, Adm Jerimiah Denton, and others, life in the south consisted of slow starvation, disease, and simply trying to survive in an extremely harsh environment.
   
   Author Price - himself a highly decorated Marine officer from the Vietnam era - details the abject misery endured by Cook and his fellow captives. Given only starvation rations by disinterested guards who also withheld the few medicines to which they might have access, often made dying easier than attempting to survive another day. But drawing on his strength as a Roman Catholic and a Marine officer, Cook took charge of the other POW's in the camp, and did his best to give them the hope to stay alive.
   
   Through his three years of captivity, his family received only one letter from him. Her major source of comfort came from the Marine Corps, as then-commandant Gen Wallace Greene, Jr. contacted her personally and ensured she and her children were cared for to the best of the Marine Corps ability - indeed, they continued to receive the benefits commensurate with her husband's rank, as he was promoted twice `in absentia."
   
   Col Donald Cook is the only Marine ever to receive the Medal of Honor while being held prisoner of war, and Col Donald Price has written a story of honor - courage - commitment that encompasses the entire Cook family. Highly recommended !

5 comments about Surviving Twilight: A Soldier's Chronicle of Daily Life in Iraq.

1. We were stationed together in hell known as Camp Seitz, Iraq for a whole freaking year. I can't believe you were able to put your thoughts of what happen in words and never the less on paper. I give you major props, and you are still my battle buddy Bernie. Always keep Sgt Melvin Mora in your thoughts and forever in your heart. I will always love you and I got Your book Keep it rolling Baby. Spc Johnson, Jessyca P. 245th Maintenance Co "ALWAYS FIRST". OIF II



2. Not to say that it was a trip to the Circus, but he keeps it on the light side and never loses his sense of humor, even during mortar attacks. Shares with you the sadness of losing another soldier, you can feel it. It will make you laugh and it will make you cry. Well worth the read. Had friends and an Ex, in theater, good to really know what life was like. Glad they too returned safely.



3. I ordered "Surviving Twilight" after reading that it was about a soldier stationed at Camp Victory, etc, during 2004. My husband, Mark, was a civilian trucker hauling mail with military escorts, the 1544th Transportation Company, Illinois National Guard, the same time Shane was there.
   Shane's book is a heartfelt, honest, well-written account of the life of a soldier in Iraq. I remembered many of the instances Shane wrote about - my husband was in the May 23 convoy attack - and it was interesting to read Shane's thoughts.
   I highly recommend "Surviving Twilight".
   Renee E. Taylor
   [...]



4. I picked this up to read on a month long travel trip. I ended up reading it in one sitting! Consequently, Im very glad I had also purchased a few other titles on the same topic. I really good read, disturbing and terrifying at times with a great deal of insight, but a great read.



5. I did not know what to expect when I ordered this book but wanted it just because I know the author personally. It is a very detailed day to day account of what he and his unit had to endure. The journalistic way it is written makes you feel like you are right there with them living through the hell they had to live through.
   
   I am only a couple of months into his life in Iraq and can't wait to pick the book back up to see what happens next. I know that it had to be hard for his parents to hear how close to death he was every day but at least they knew what was going on. It is a lot harder not knowing.
   
   An aquaintance from his childhood.