5 comments about Quantrill of Missouri: The Making of a Guerrilla Warrior--The Man, the Myth, the Soldier.

1. From a woman's point of view this book was fascinating reading. Mr. Petersen's book is by far the best book yet written about William Clarke Quantrill. Not only his new insights but his understanding and experience as a combat veteran enables Petersen to give the reader a clear understanding why guerrillas fought so desperately. For the first time a complete account has been compiled written in a clear and easy-to-read style professionally edited and produced by a leading publisher. Reviews by critics who claim their self ascribed knowledge, is immaterial compared to someone who has done years of research and has tangible proof to show for it. Critics who once lamblasted Quantrill's men were labeled as unqualified and irresponsible. Modern reviewers lacking education or credentials are still critical of anything not demonizing Quantrill by showing their bitterness and mean-spiritness in what Petersen has expertly portrayed in his new book. One man with courage makes a majority and I'm glad Petersen had the determination and fortitude to see this work put into print. It should set a new standard for books about the border war in Missouri.



2. I have done extensive reading and research on this topic over the last decade and this is the most well researched, complete, and accurate account that exists today. If you are looking for a book that just re-enforces your already preconceived notions - then try something much shorter and less well done. Otherwise I would highly recommend it to those looking for a complete, accurate, and well researched account. It is probably much more of a neutral view than a souther view. Since most of the related history that I have found has been an extreme "slant" on history by Northen side of the war, who got to control how history was recorded, this may appear to be a southern view. If you have researched this topic as much as I have done, it will appear as probably one of the few attempts at accurately recording this most difficult time in the history of the mid-west.



3. The author seems bent on tipping the balance from the negative portrayal of previous biographers such as Connelly to the extreme opposite. Indeed, this weighty tome seems to be not much more than a response to Connelly's biography at the expense of objectivity. William Quantrill may not have been the devil incarnate but he was also no saint. The author seems to put a lot of stock into "God-fearing people" who followed Quantrill as if to impute their righteousness to him - instead of guilt by association it is the equally unjustified righteousness by association. In the end we are given not an historical biography but an idolatrous apologetic of the Confederate guerrilla leader.
   
   As a biography, this portrayal in an attitude of deep reverance for the subject only perpetuates the neo-Confederate myth. The same fault makes it untrustworthy as a political or military history. Perhaps the value is in it's adoption and example of the Confederate apologetic method. Truly the Confederate side of the history has been vilified to an unfair degree outside the context of the times. But countering the vilification with the opposite extreme does not provide balance. It only makes the Confederate side seem ludicrous and makes one question the purpose for their fight altogether rather than explaining the background of the conflict.
   
   The fact that the text seems a response only to anti-Confederate biographers is evidenced further by little mention of more balanced biographies such as _The Devil Knows How to Ride_ by Edward Leslie. I would highly recommend that book for a more balanced approach. I was pleased to find that many of the works of Mr. Donald Hale and Ms. Joanne Eakin are identified as sources since I have found their work very helpful in my own study of the guerrilla war in Missouri. Their research has led them to gather many of the primary and secondary sources into collections for publication into single volumes. It is a labor of love for them that will help current and future researchers immensely in this study.
   
   In contrast to the portrayal given in the text, the photographs and maps provided are first rate and help to place the reader in the context of the time.



4. If you want to know what William Clarke Quantrill was really like, then this is THE book for you. Petersen really did his homework, questioned all the assumptions closely and paid attention to the answers he got back. This is the story of the War Between the States from the Missouri Point of View. Quantrill is shown for the hero he was instead of the psychopath his detractors have painted him to be (without substantiation, I might add.)



5. My wife bought me two new books for Christmas. They are:
   
   Petersen, Paul R -- Quantrill of Missouri : the making of a guerilla warrior : the man, the myth, the soldier; and
   
   O'Flaherty, Daniel -- General Jo Shelby : undefeated rebel.
   
   I just finished reading Petersen's book last night. I had heard a lot about the book before from Missouri Civil War online discussion groups to which I belong. Due to my family history, I have a very personal interest in Quantrill. Events in my life have led me to have a very emotional response to Petersen's book.
   
   Before getting into my personal reaction to the book, I would like to say that it is very well written and very well researched. The only other book I have read about Quantrill was Edward E Leslie's: "The Devil Knows How to Ride : The True Story of William Clarke Quantrill and His Confederate Raiders." If one reads one of these books, it might be a good idea to read the other to get a more balanced view. If you haven't seen "Ride With the Devil", it might be worth your time to watch it.
   
   Petersen gives much more detail then Leslie. He has clearly read many sources and accounts of the career of Captain Quantrill. Quantrill's career is surrounded by controversy. Petersen resolutely takes one side. I tend to believe that no one can ever know "the truth" about Quantrill.
   
   I tend to doubt his claim that he had only been a Jayhawker to get revenge against Jayhawkers who had attacked him and killed his "brother." My view of Quantrill was that he was attracted to the life of a partisan, and the side made little difference. His story makes much more sense if it is seen as a way to gain the trust and confidence of the Bushwhackers he later joined and led. Petersen consistently refers to "Colonel" Quantrill, although that title is very much in question.
   
   One of my reasons for reading this book was to get more information about the lives of my ancestors who lived through the events. My McFerrin and Porter ancestors lived in Cass County, about ten miles east of Harrisonville. The Porter's lived near Dayton, which was burnt by Jennison's Jayhawkers, led by Susan B Anthony's brother, early in The War. The McFerrin's lived on Eight Mile Creek. Three couples of McFerrin and Porter children married each other. They also lived in the area. Samuel Burton McFerrin, on whom my SCV membership is based, served first in the 8th Battalion Missouri Infantry (State Guard). He and his father were at Lone Jack. Burton later served in the 9th Missouri Confederate Infantry, against Banks on the Red River, and against Steele in the Camden Expedition.
   
   My Deay and Vitt ancestors lived about fifty miles away in Eudora, Kansas, about seven miles west of Lawrence. Some of them enlisted in Kansas regiments after Quantrill's raid on Lawrence. During that raid, Quantrill sent a company to Eudora. The farmers in Eudora had heard the sounds of the battle. They were armed when Quantrill's raiders attacked, and turned them away. The children of William H Musick, on whom my SUV membership is based, married into the Deay and Vitt families. Members of William's regiment served under Steele in the Camden Expedition. My great-great-grandmother, Lena Vogel, was born in 1863 in Macon, Missouri, about thirty miles north of Centralia.
   
   Due to these family connections, I have a very personal interest in the events of the Kansas/Missouri War. I received my Master of Divinity degree from Thomas Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, California. This is a Unitarian Universalist seminary. Starr King was a Universalist. He is credited with keeping California in the Union. He was a colleague of Theodore Parker, the Unitarian minister who agitated for war against the South. Parker was a member of "The Secret Six" who raised money for John Brown. My deep personal feelings against Parker may be the main reason I did not pursue a Unitarian ministry.
   
   Unlike Paul Petersen, I cannot make a hero of Quantrill or Bill Anderson. I place these two in the same group with James H Lane, Charles Jennison, and Theodore Parker. These are people who chose War and killing as a way to advance their personal agendas. I do not see any of these as being the "protectors" of either branch of my family. I see them as being the reason that my family's lives were terrorized. I very much blame both Quantrill and Jennison for the fact that my ancestors' homes were burnt to the ground, and that they were forced into exile or concentration camps.

4 comments about Custer: Cavalier in Buckskin.

1. The earlier paperback edition of Cavalier was the first book I read about Custer. At the time I was expecting Utley to take a strong stand as to whether Custer was a brilliant Indian-fighting hero, or an egomaniacal upstart. So I found the objective style and even-handed treatment a little disappointing. However, several years and books later, I have come to see this as the best book on Custer and LBH ever written, mainly because of his refusal to approach the subject with the pre-conceived notions others have.

   Utley neither lauds Custer, nor does he cast blame. He makes it clear that Custer may have been somewhat over-rated in his Indian fighting abilities. Though he allows that he had gained a lot of knowledge of Plains warfare and might have become equal to the likes of Miles or Crook, had he lived. He points out that Custer did ignore the scouts who told him of the great number of warriors present in the camp on LBH. However, he also notes that Custer was not unlike other military leaders of the time in under estimating the fighting abilities of Indians, and therefore did not think that numbers really mattered. While he feels that Reno and Benteen did not support Custer as they could have, he also feels that not enough credit is given to the idea that the Indians merely outfought them all.

   Of course, this was all included in the earlier editions. So the obvious question is, do you need to read the revised edition. This depends on what you're looking for.

   With a few small exceptions the text remains the same. Utley has made a few changes based on later research, especially work by Larry Sklenar, but his overall theories have not changed. Also, for those interested in further reading, he has augmented his list of sources.

   The main difference in the editions is physical. This is definitely "over-sized," fitted better to a coffee table than a bookshelf. And it is filled with illustrations, many of which seem to have been chosen more to improve the lay-out than for their applicability to the text. Take for example the photo of a Buffalo Soldier with the caption, "Custer disapproved of black soldiers...." (p.45) Or the photo of modern-day cadets at West Point captioned, "Cadet Custer had 726 demerits...."(p.22) And, of course, there are more portraits of Custer and renditions of LBH than one would ever dream existed.

   My suggestion would be that, if you're a collector of Custeriana, or simply the type who likes to impress your guests with your choice of books, you might want to purchase this and place it somewhere prominent in your home. Otherwise you'd do just as well to stick with the paperback version.




2. The master of the western biography has written (and added to the original version) a balanced reporting of the events that happened that day in June. The oversize pages allow for splendid photographic illustrations. All the versions as to what actually took place are presented thoughtfully and a case presented for the most logical conclusion. I had read his later book(s) including "The Lance and the Shield" about Sitting Bull, before discovering this one. It was also very interesting to find out what happened later to some of the people involved.



3. With its oversize, ample illustrations, this book serves as the pictorial version (or "movie") version of Utley's classic CAVALIER IN BUCKSKIN that came out in the late 1980s as part of a western biographical series produced by the University of Oklahoma Press. As such, its coverage of the Civil War Custer is somewhat limited but readers can find a more than ample exploration of the Civil War Custer in Jeffrey Wert's fine 1996 Custer biography. As for this edition of Cavalier, a slight revision occurs in the battle section and reflects the influence of Larry Skelenar on Mr. Utley's thinking.
   
   For me personally, it was especially gratifying to have purchased my copy at the Little Bighorn battlefield on June 25, 2001 on the 125th anniversary of the battle. Mr. Utley was there himself, selling and signing this fine coffee table book, with Last Stand Hill as the perfect backdrop. What a great day! What a great book!



4. One of my all-time Custer reference books. This one is referenced and quoted in almost all other books on Custer. So, it must be good. Recommended for anyone researching Custer.

5 comments about Sergeant Nibley, Ph.D.: Memories of an Unlikely Screaming Eagle.

1. This book is written from a very interesting perspective. Hugh Nibley was 32 years old and had a Ph.D. when he enlisted in the army. He went into intelligence, and presumed that he would get assigned some nice safe assignment writing reports or something like that.
   
   But those of who have been in the Army know that the Army Gods don't work that way. He was assigned to work with the 101st Airborne, and was scheduled to go into Normandy on D-Day by glider. (Unlike the paratroopers, the glider infantry was not composed of volunteers and did not receive the extra pay.) At the last minute a General bumped him off the glider so that he went in with the 4th division over Utah Beach. (The General, sitting in Nibley's assigned seat was killed, and all the men in the glider were captured.)
   
   Being both older and better educated Sgt. Nibley was able to see and understand a lot more about what was happening than reports from the commanders or the normal soldiers. For instance, the stories about the 101st are legend (Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, etc.) but Sgt. Nibley points out that many of the volunteers were some fairly tough soldiers that had been given the choice of volunteering or going to prison.
   
   There's a lot of comments of a similar nature throughout the book. Sgt. Nibley was a keen observer. This book belongs on any World War II library.



2. This book contains the wartime memoirs of Hugh Nibley, former professor
   of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, as he participated in
   combat operations throughout Europe during WWII. Professor Nibley
   passed away in February 2005. The book was compiled by his son Alex
   Nibley from interviews and letters collected over the years. What
   makes this book so interesting is that although Hugh Nibley already had
   his Ph.D before the war started, and had been a member of ROTC, he
   elected to enlist in the Army as a buck private, rather than become an
   officer. The juxtaposition of his highly educated and intellectual
   perspective against the drudgery and horror of a common foot soldier
   makes for a fascinating read.
   
   Brother Nibley wasn't in the Army very long before his education and
   extensive language proficiencies were discovered. The Army promptly
   pulled him out of his job as a weather forecaster and sent
   him up to work in military intelligence. Once given access to
   classified intelligence data, the full power of his intellect became
   unleashed, to the potential benefit of the Allies. Unfortunately,
   things didn't always work out that way. Although he accurately
   predicted when and where many German surprise attacks would occur, and
   even the date when the war would end, he couldn't get many of the top
   military brass to believe him simply because he was just a lowly
   enlisted man. The book documents Brother Nibley's frustrations as he
   watched helplessly as numerous Allied troops were killed needlessly
   from attacks that could have been avoided.
   
   The book includes a number of spiritual elements as well. It documents
   how LDS Church Apostle Melvin J. Ballard set Brother Nibley apart for a
   proselyting mission to Germany in the late 1920s, and commanded him to
   tell the people to repent or they would be destroyed by fire from
   heaven. It was to Brother Nibley's great sorrow that he observed many
   of the German cities to which he had earlier cried repentance destroyed
   by Allied fire-bombing during WWII.
   
   If you like books on WWII, and anything Nibley, I highly recommend
   this one for your collection.



3. This book was given to a friend as a gift. His wife is reading it to him since he is in poor health. They both are enthusiastic about its contents and style. Thank you.



4. Hugh Nibley was gifted and had a great curiosity. His WWII experiences would enlighten him as to the 'conspiring men' who seek riches from the troubles of others. He describes the sillyness of the War that was fought in places where the Romans fought and Napoleon fought. He describes terrible waste and destruction that war brings. A great adventure in which he was preserved, while others around him were lost. He describes the choices made my those in command to further their own carreeers while engaged in war. And the efforts to keep the war going.



5. Hugh Nibley is a famous LDS scholar known for his great erudition and his defense of the Mormon Church. He was fluent in at least 10 languages including many ancient languages, and used these skills to develop much of the foundation for modern LDS apologetics. He was a very colorful, interesting person and was also known for his criticisms of LDS culture. This book covers a period of his life of which little is known. He didn't publicly discuss his war years much, but in the last few years of his life, his son was able to glean some information from him and published this book.
   
   The book starts when Nibley was an LDS missionary in Germany in 1927, and describes an incident when he crossed paths with Hitler. It then goes into Nibley's college years where he earned a PhD from UC Berkeley, and then a job teaching. When the war started, he enlisted as a private in the army at the age of 32. He went through various assignments and ended up in intelligence due to his language skills and became a sergeant. What follows is a fascinating story of his experiences in the army that included a landing at Utah Beach on D-Day, participation in the Battle of the Bulge, and the final occupation of Germany. He was involved with many of the key events and characters of the war.
   
   The format of the book was interesting. It consisted of summaries by the author, quotes by Nibley, copies of letters from family and friends, many sidebars explaining certain events, and helpful footnotes. It's unique for a history of this type, but seemed to work well. I highly recommend this book for people wanting to learn more about Hugh Nibley; but the stories are great for anyone interested in WWII, especially the 101st airborne division to which he was attached.

5 comments about A Shepherd in Combat Boots: Chaplain Emil Kapaun of the 1st Cavalry Division.

1. This book is a story of a man who becomes a priest and dies serving his fellow man. He is praised by the men of diffrent faiths (Christian, Jew and Muslim)who were POWs with him in North Korea.
   
   This is an excellent book to read especially during this era where the Me Generation is thriving. This book shows one the importance of sacrifice for our fellow man.



2. This is an excellent story and so breathtaking, I had to stop reading in several parts, just to get through the chapter! What an amazing man Father Kapaun was and he showed how great the power of the human spirit is that once you start reading, you can't put it down. Then, when you're finished reading it, you want everyone to know about this wonderful human being! I, for one, will never feel needy for anything else in my life. Mr. Maher did an excellent job of interviewing friends and family of the Chaplain to make you feel that you knew him as well. Such a sad, sad story but one that makes you proud to be a Christian and proud to be an American. This has to be made in to a movie!



3. As a new fire chaplain, I have been reading as wide as I can about what a chaplain does. Chaplain Kapaun is a real model for all of us who follow Christ and serve others as a chaplain.



4. My Dad went to the High School that was named after this Priest. He loves it so far.



5. William Maher has given us a well-written biography of Fr. Emil Kapaun. Chaplain Kapaun was born in Kansas, grew up on a farm, and became a diocesan priest. He served as a chaplain in WWII and in Korea. In Korea he was taken as a prisoner of war and died from lack of medical treatment. Parts of this book are difficult to read because of the inhumane way the communist treated POW's, but for all the good men who endured this treatment, we need to read the story.
   
   His heroic service to all the men he served with, not just catholics, will never be forgotten. He did everything he could to help his men spiritually, physically and mentally. The title of this book appropriately calls him a shepherd. Just as we think of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, so Fr. Kapaun was a good shepherd to his men. He was a true hero although he never would have considered himself a hero.
   
   The vatican has named him "Servant of God", and I hope to see him canonized in my lifetime. Pray for us Fr. Kapaun.

5 comments about Grant and Sherman: The Friendship That Won the Civil War.

1. Flood gives the reader sound accounts of Grant and Sherman's Civil War biographies, insight into Army politics, and a glimpse of several battles with a readable and entertaining prose. He chronicles the rise of Grant and Sherman from arguable failures to their rise as Civil-War heroes.
   
   I enjoyed the accounts of the battles, although they cannot be considered anything close to comprehensive, as they concentrated solely on how those events affected the lives of the main characters. While the book contains maps of the battles, there were only a few and placed before the Prologue and not referred to in the text. I found the analysis of Grants and Sherman's hesitancy and inaction at Chattanooga to be very interesting, along with the jealously from Thomas and Hooker - both of whom seemed to get short shrift due to Grant's favoritism of Sherman. I thought Flood provided good coverage of the confusion and dysfunction in the Cabinet and Army after Lincoln's death. He provided excellent detail of Sherman's screw-up of surrender talks with Johnston - the most complete account I have read thus far.
   
   In regards to the book's premise, while Flood captures some genuinely interesting and sincere interaction between the two, the premise that their friendship "won the war" is preposterous. Nor does he make the argument that their friendship itself was great. They barely knew each other prior to the war, and their partnership during the war lasted less than two years, and there did not appear to be consistent interaction after the war. The concept seems rather contrived, as with every chapter the author makes out-of-context note of someone's comment on their friendship, such as their interactions were "free, affectionate, and good humored", "the friendship was there for all to see", or "their encounter was more like that of two school boys coming together after vacation".
   
   In describing a post war parade, he says "There it was: the apotheosis of the friendship and military partnership that had brought the Union and its armies to this day. They were the men, the two generals, who more than other soldiers had made this moment happen, and everyone there knew it."
   
   I enjoyed the historical accounts and insights on their relationship, and a few details on the two I had not known much about, but I found the insinuation of a magical friendship to be rather a veiled attempt to spit out supposedly new material on a very crowded subject.



2. This is an excellent read with excellent insights into the personalities and temperments of the two great Union generals in the Civil War. The personal observations shared between Grant and Sherman show how much of the strategy of 1864 was a combination of the minds of these two military giants.



3. I loved this book! After reading various books on the Civil War, I was looking to explore more about Sherman and Grant, 2 Generals I find to be fascinating. With no pretense, I happen to come across this book. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down! It reads like a novel, it is not the usual dry history you often find. His style reminds me almost of Shaara. The author also did a good job describing the campaigns these two fought in, both together and separately. I also liked how the author delved into their past, to give the reader some background on these 2 men. If you are looking for a really good book on the Civil War that is really easy to read, then I highly recommend this one.



4. This book was OK if you haven't read any other books on Grant or Sherman or on their campaigns. However, if you've many of the excellent books that have been printed over the past 15 years on the campaigns of Grant and Sherman or the excellent biographies on the same individuals, this book pales in comparison. So, I would recommend getting some of the other books out there on this topic. (See my listing of these books for examples).



5. This book was a well-written account of a remarkable relationship between two ordinary men who became extraordinary as a function of circumstance. I learned a lot from this easy read. It doesn't disappoint.

3 comments about May I Quote You, Stonewall Jackson: Observations and Utterances of the South's Great Generals (May I Quote You--?,).

1. I love learning about the Stonewall Jackson. By reading this book you found out that everytime Jackson won a battle he did not take credit for the victory he would give it to God. Stonewall Jackson would do anything for his contury and God. When reading this you found out how religous he is. My favorite quote would be, "Our God was my shield. His protecting care is an additional cause for gratitude." This book really shows the true Stonewall Jackson. I learend a lot about how even his enemys love him. This is a great book for anyone to read that loves the Civil War or Stonewall Jackson.



2. So much has been written about Thomas J. 'Stonewall' Jackson that at times it become hard to separate the reality from the myths. This isn't a criticism but rather just a fact - history is interpreted in so many ways and this applies to Stonewall as it can to any other historical figure.

   This little book of quotes, both by Jackson and by those who knew him give us a better understanding of Jackson - the man and the soldier. There are quotes by Lee and McClellan, Garnett and Ewell, but it is the words of Jackson himself, which come across with power and passion. Indeed, at times you can almost feel the piercing blueness of his gaze as he moved into battle.

   This is a good little book, it gives a depth of insight into Jackson without having to read longer biographies. I recommend it to you.




3. If you like StoneWall Jackson, You'll love this book. There are so many famous quotes here. Many the Civil War buffs know, many they may not be aware of. From his most quoted lines to some very obscure ones.

   You can't go wrong with this book

1 comments about "The Supply for Tomorrow Must Not Fail": The Civil War of Captain Simon Perkins, Jr., a Union Quartermaster.

1. This is a tremendous addition to a little studied area of Civil War military science - supply and movement of the wherewithal. A 1990 find still bound in government 'red tape', these records provided rich background on the incredible paperwork and labor needed to supply the hay, grain, horses and mules, ordinance, hospitals, quarters, and the myriad other items needed by a fighting force. We tend not to comprehend the millions of pounds of grain and hay required for just one campaign, for example, nor do we think of the civilian clerks, laborers, teamsters, and others that helped carry out the quartermaster function. This activity was replicated wherever Union soldiers served. All this plus fascinating background on the 23-year-old Captain Simon Perkins, Quartermaster in the Western Theater.

2 comments about A Brush With Death : An Artist in the Death Camps (Suny Series in Modern Jewish Literature and Culture).

1. As a fellow survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto and the Budzyn concentration camp, I can attest the accuracy of the author's harrowing descriptions of his experiences.

   I am amazed at the author's ability to recall so many details. He writes from the heart, without artifice. His spare drawings provide haunting illustrations of what words can't always describe on their own.

   Read this book. You will be moved.




2. This review is hardly unbiased. The author, Morris Wysogrod, a commerical artist by trade, is my cousin and quite truly, a hero of mine. Whenever I visit my Cousin Morris' apartment, I am greeted as soon as I step off the elevator with genuine warmth and enthusiasm. His smile,unbreaking and his conversation,always scintillating, I am amazed at his sincerity and good nature despite what he has witnessed and experienced as a Holocaust survivor.

   His warmth and love for his fellow man is evident throughout his memoir. Morris provides a vivid look at pre-war Poland and the lives that were stolen from our families. And, much as he greets his guests with genuine warmth and affection today, he treats each character in his book with similar respect and reverence.

   His memory is outstanding as he remembers the many personalities and every day people of his Warsaw youth, and later in the death camps. His descriptions are detailed and he suceeds in bringing out the special qualities of each character. This is so important because more often than not, the people he describes with such affection will soon be dead at the hands of the Nazis. Much of Holocaust literature refers to the millions who were massacred. Morris didn't know the millions but he pays beautiful homage to the hundreds who crossed his path.

   From homage to carnage, Morris's story takes us into the Nazi occupation and his incarceration in several death camps. Similar to his skills in painting a picture of his pre-war youth, he is equally and shockingly vivid in his memories of the camps. The brutality, anguish, and sheer inhumanity he witnessed is brought to life as only a man of his artistic talents can do.

   And in the midst of the brutality, there is the friendships, the shared moments, and the appreciation for his fellow prisoners that is necessary for the reader to grasp onto so that he or she may continue with the chilling chronicle of Morris' survival.

   A Brush With Death has warmth, beauty and brutality. It is one of the many stories of the Holocaust experience, and one which I am confident will provide a unique perspective to the most horrific period in recorded history.

4 comments about Beloved Bride: The Letters of Stonewall Jackson to His Wife.

1. This is a wonderful little book and shows, believe it or not, the "tender" side of General Jackson. While the mere mention of Jackson's immortal sobriquet, "Stonewall," would strike fear in the hearts of Union Army commanders, his wife would one day write of, "...that tender and exquisite phase of his inner life." This book reveals Jackson as a "humble Christian and loving husband father" and bolsters the contention that Jackson is a worthy hero for men and boys today. Buy the book. (Rick Williams, author of "The Maxims of Robert E. Lee for Young Gentlemen.")



2. This book shows how kind and loving Stonewall Jackson was. It is quick reading and easy to understand. It shows you his devotion and shows you the true Stonewall and not the mean and tough person history books portray.



3. ~Beloved Bride: The Letters of Stonewall Jackson to His Wife~ is a compilation of love letters written by the great Confederate general to his beloved wife. Bill Potter and the Vision Forum have put together a remarkable compilation of letters of the great southern General Thomas Jonathan Jackson better known posthomously after the war as 'Stonewall' Jackson. These letters chronicle Jackson's courtship leading to his marriage with his beloved wife Anna Morrison Jackson as well as the turbulent wartorn years that follow. You really get a feel for the anguish of the soldier on the field-who longs to be at home with wife and child-but realizes he has a duty to country to fulfill. Stonewall stands out not only as a man of brilliant military genius, but as a man of dignity, honor and integrity. He was an accomplished West Point graduate and a renowned professor at VMI. Though he remained a humble and pious man with a deep abiding faith in the Gospel of Christ and a firm steadfast belief in the sovereignty of God. The editor Bill Potter does a remarkable job at offering a cursory background on Jackson and his character. He was an exemplary man of character who loved his wife Anna and his child very deeply. Sadly, he was accidently shot by his own men. But Jackson knew that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to God's purposes (Romans 8:28). (FYI This was one of Jackson's favorite passages of Scripture.) The cover art features a photo shot from the recent blockbuster Gods and Generals of Stephen Lang who played Jackson. I also recommend _Christ in the Camp_, which is a story of religious revival and proclamation of the Gospel during the war between the states by the same publisher.



4. In Beloved Bride: The Letters of Stonewall Jackson to His Wife, Bill Potter presents some of Stonewall's letters to his wife, Anna, written during the war. These letters give a beautiful insight into the mind of the military hero. They show his deep love and respect for his wife, his country and his God.

   There are glimpses into their everyday life, as he discusses gardening, tithes, and his consent for one of their slaves to marry. He referrs to Anna as his "dove" or "beloved" or "esposa" and makes it clear that he dearly loves her.

   Very little is ever mentioned of the hardships of camplife or war. My guess is that he wished to shield her from that as much as possible. He continually encouraged her to put her faith in God for his protection and reminded her that his life was in God's hands.

   His letters show him as a gentle, though strong and steadfast, man, with great respect for others trying hard to live the Christian life. If he treated the troops under his command with the same respect that he seemed to show in all the other aspects of his life, it is no wonder they cheered when they saw him.

   Over all, this is a warm, uplifting read that gave me an even greater respect and admiration for Stonewall. It is a nice change to see the private life of a hero match his public life.

2 comments about The Soldier's Friend: A Life of Ernie Pyle.

1. Written by award-winning author and historian Ray E. Boomhower, The Soldier's Friend: A Life of Ernie Pyle is a biography for young adults about Ernie Pyle, columnist who wrote about the rigors of combat endured by ordinary G.I.'s during World War II. For his skillful and accurate reporting of a "worm's-eye view" of the war, Pyle received journalism's highest honor - a Pulitzer Prize - in 1944. Chapters cover Pyle's childhood, personality, friends, and retirement, but the main focus is on his career as a reporter at the front. Vintage black-and-white photographs on almost every page illustrate this absorbing life story of a distinguished newsman, especially recommended for middle and secondary school library collections.



2. Ernie Pyle, a nationally newspaper columnist for Washington, D.C. and New York City newspapers before the war became more famous for his Pulitzer Prize-winning work during World War II, especially in the European Theater. As one of the soldiers quoted in this biography said, "He was...our spokesman. It was not that his column told us things we did not know or feel, but the fact that we knew you folks at home could read it, and get to know and understand."
   
   This book is printed by the Indiana Historical Society Press because Pyle was originally from the small town of Dana, Indiana, near Terre Haute. The Indiana Historical Society has access to literally millions of Indiana-related historical photographs and that library of pictures is put to good use in this biography. Most of the photos aren't just the standard posed shots, but they show Pyle interacting with his favorite soldiers - the G.I. (Infantry). You can see his relaxed style and his curiousity about everything - including looking down the business end of a 155 mm gun, cooking on a Coleman stove in France, walking among the rubble of the hotel that he was in when a German shell hit it, talking with nurses, officers, and even washing his feet in his own helmet.
   
   The book is actually intended to be a biography for advanced middle school students or high school students to read, but it is excellent for any student of World War II history, no matter his or her age. At the end of the text, 3 of his complete, unedited columns are re-printed, including the sparse and moving "The Death of Captain Waskow".
   
   Strongly recommended.