5 comments about The General and His Daughter: The War Time Letters of General James M. Gavin to his Daughter Barbara (World War II: The Global, Human, and Ethical Dimension).

1. There are a lot of books written about World War II and its commanding generals. There are usually written by historians, or participants writing long after the battles. This book is different. There are the wartime letters written by Jim Gavin to his daughter Barbara. They begin in 1943 when Gavin, then a colonel left the states commander of the 505th PIR or the 82nd. At that time Barbara was nine.
   
   There are approximately 200 letters included in the book. They were written on board ships, in foxholes and tents. They do not have the afterthoughts or 'point-proving' of books written later. They are the personal messages of a father to his daughter. They talk about the day to day realities of what Gavin was doing at the time, and about his personal reactions to combat and the war.
   
   The book provides an insight into the man and the times that is rare to find.



2. A unique footnote to World War II, and an unusual view of a famous general



3. This is an absolutely marvelous book. Barbara Gavin Fauntleroy has given us a very personal glimpse of a Soldier's Soldier who led his men from the front and was truly one of the great Generals of WW II. General Gavin's letters reveal the sensitivity and love that he maintained despite the strains of combat and command. One cannot read this book without feeling that you have shared so much of the personal experience as well as the love and devotion he showed to his daughter. It is a book that lifts the spirit and makes you respect the "Two Star Platoon Leader' even more.



4. THE GENERAL AND HIS DAUGHTER: THE WARTIME LETTERS OF GENERAL JAMES M. GAVIN TO HIS DAUGHTER BARBARA provides an excellent portrait of the American experience in World War II, telling of a commander who at the age of 37 became the 82nd Parachute Infantry's commanding general, and the youngest to become a major general since the Civil War. His letters were written from the field to his nine-year-old daughter Barbara and provide plenty of 'you are there' insights into the realities of combat. It's a 'must' for any serious, in-depth World War II collection, especially libraries specializing in memoirs and writings from participants.



5. This book is a great piece of WWII history. I purchased it because my son is named after this general. It is beautiful to see how people wrote letters before the times of computers and texting.

1 comments about A Soldier in the Cockpit: From Rifles to Typhoons in WWII (Stackpole Military History).

1. Author Ron Pottinger spent much of World War II planning rhubarbs and searching for doodlebugs -- and no -- he wasn't gardening. He was flying Hawker Typhoons on dangerous interdiction missions over German occupied Western Europe.
   
   Often by moonlight, two "kites" (Typhoons armed with 4 lethal 20mm cannon and two 250 lb. bombs) would "do a trip" in search of targets of opportunity at extreme low level. Coastal shipping, E-Boats, canal locks, barges, as well as industries and trains were his favorite prey.
   
   Crossing the sea down on the deck to avoid detection was not all that safe at high speed. Even in daylight, poor weather could mask obstacles such as chimneys -- and at such low altitude it was easy to get lost. At that level, any German gunner could get lucky, and there was little altitude to bail out when seriously hit.
   
   W/O Pottinger knew this type of flying was very dangerous, but he kept on looking for anything worthy of attack. Many such pilots were lost with mediocre results.
   
   The Hawker Typhoon was developed as an interceptor but its power was disappointing at high altitude and the fuselage had problems -- the tail sometimes broke off. Nevertheless, it proved to be extremely fast at low level. In fact, it was faster than the Fw-190 or Messerschmitt Bf-109. Heavily armed with 4-20mm cannon, it was a natural strafer.
   
   "Soldiers In the Cockpit" is W/O Pottinger's memoir of his service in World War II. But how does an infantrymen in the British Army get to fly a hot fighter-bomber? The R.A.F. lost many fine pilots in the Battle of Britain and soldiers were being recruited for flying school. W/O Pottinger didn't train in gloomy Scotland however, but in sunny Florida, U.S.A. Here, he flew the Stearman PT17, Vultee BT13A, and the AT6A Harvard. In "The Wide Blue Yonder", he narrates his stateside training with humorous stories of living in the swamps, chasing girls, and nail-biting flights.
   
   The Luftwaffe had several nasty surprises for the R.A.F. such as the Messerschmitt Me-262 jet, and the diabolical V1 Doodlebug flying bomb. W/O Pottinger's squadron was soon upgraded to the new Hawker Tempest. The 24-cylinder fighter was among the fastest allied aircraft at all altitudes and proved an excellent interceptor of the doodlebug -- 638 V1's were downed by Tempests. After the Allies invasion of France, the new Tempest really began to pay off.
   
   Fighter nerds hoping to read about the Typhoons knocking out 175 German tanks in one day at the Falaise Gap, or the strafing of roads choked with armored columns during the Battle of the Bulge will be disappointed -- W/O Pottinger was not there. His main assignment was supporting General Montegomery's Operation Market-Garden, in Holland.
   
   On New Years Day, W/O Pottinger's luck ran out and he was shot down over Paderborn, Germany while strafing a train.
   
   To be honest, only one-third of this book is fighter plane action. In the final fifty pages he narrates his bailout, capture and imprisonment in various POW camps until finally transferring home after the war.
   
   W/O Pottinger has not set out to write a complete history of the Hawker Typhoon and Tempest operations. Rather, he has given us an intimate look at his own experiences in World War II -- much in diary form. The book works best when W/O Pottinger has his feet on the ground. As should be apparent now, Ron Pottinger was an "ordinary working-class chap" who wants us to know that the war was unglamorous and a dirty business.
   
   "Soldier In the Cockpit" has numerous photographs taken during the war by the author. There were no maps included. This book will be of most interest to the fans of POW stories and wartime biographies.

1 comments about Grant's Lieutenants: From Cairo to Vicksburg (Modern War Studies).

1. Woodworth is a proven, able civil war historian, but this is one of his weakest books. Instead of concentrating on Grant's relationship with his subordinates, he focuses on mini biographhies of people in Grant's orbit, such as Wallace, Baldy Smith, Sherman and Sheridan. The biographies themselves are no better than what you would find in an encyclopedia and contain absolutely no new or novel information. There is very little material on the personal dynamics between the commander and his minions.

   Grant's famous feuds with Rosecrans, Pap Thomas and Smith are poorly presented and glossed over without inciteful comment. A golden opportunity is missed here, because these disagreements highlight the most interesting aspect of Grant's relationships throughout the war. In short, a slim and completely unpenetrating look at a subject that is well suited for a lengthy and interesting examination.

No comments about A German POW in New Mexico (Historical Society of New Mexico Publication Series).

2 comments about The Trials of Anthony Burns: Freedom and Slavery in Emersons Boston.

1. Looking for an exciting book that you can't put down? Anthony Burns would be a great one. A slave who has be accused for stealing and he is on trial, fighting for his life and freedom. It's a sad book because he's in jail with water once a week, food twice a day (which is raw meat, cornbread, and really just scraps of food. The end is shocking and it's a great book that I recommend reading.You will never put it down.



2. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. This is a monumental piece of writing and extremely important for anyone interested in American history particularly relating to slavery and aboltion. it really does not get any better. Anyone in the civil rights movement , activst or attorney, should get a copy of this book. Get 10 copies and pass them around. It reads like a Dumas novel and informs like an encylopedia. A masterpiece. Thank you professor Von Frank.
   
   Randy Credico
   Director
   William Moses Kunstler Fund For Racial Justice

1 comments about The Life & Times of Herod the Great (Sutton History Classics).

1. Stewart Perowne's classic "The Life and Times of Herod the Great" offers a different look at this ancient king of the Jews. Having penned the book first in 1956 it was republished, as a paperback, in 2003. This biography is well resourced with maps, chronological tables, and a helpful family tree graph (one does wish for more end notes than the provided 2 pages).
   
   Through much of history Herod the Great is considered an evil, vicious, family killer (a view, probably, originating with early Christianity's abhorrence of his infanticide order in Mathew 2) whose only interest was power. Perowne, knowing this herodian tradition, proffers considerable suggestion that Herod has been misunderstood. The author forthrightly says that Herod's subjects were often "grateful to him" (page 111) and that he did much for the humanitarian benefit of his kingdom.
   
   Using 1st century sources (Josephus, Tacitus, Strabo, Dio Cassius, etc.) the author reviews Herod's life, family, rule, and history. Perowne considers the king's accomplishments, conquests, treaties, architectural constructions, and legacies. Readers learn of Herod's rise to power with Roman support, his Idumean familial origins, his ability to charm the most powerful politicians of his day, his refusals for Cleopatra's romantic invitations, his ability to make vast sums of money (Herod was, perhaps, the wealthiest person of his era), and much more. Perowne also speaks to Herod's vast building enterprises across Palestine and Syria. He witnesses Herod's personal friendships with Rome's leaders and his animosity for fellow Arab rulers.
   
   Herod built a new fresh water system for arid Jerusalem. He began a third construction era on Jerusalem's temple (a grand project which continued into Christian times). As king, he constructed a busy seaport on the shores of the Mediterranean at Caesarea. In the famine of 24 BC, Herod sold all his palatial furniture and princely mealtime equipment for the purchase of Egyptian grain in order to feed his populace.
   
   It is true that Herod the Great executed all his political enemies included several in his family (one wife and her mother, his uncle, and two of his sons, etc.). This was shocking even for the turbulent and murderous times in which he lived. Perowne speaks to these events bringing clear insight to each episode.
   
   "The Life and Times of Herod the Great" is an interesting and helpful book. It's brief chapters (averaging only 6 pages each) make this 186-page text a quick read. It is recommended to everyone interested in the Herodians, middle Roman history, the century before Christ, and those curious about Herod the Great.
   
   Amazon.com's price is good. Order your copy soon.

5 comments about The Victors: Eisenhower and His Boys The Men of World War II.

1. I have read most of the books by Ambrose and the material in The Victors is covered better in his other works. It isn;t bad, but the only reader who might find it interesting is someone who was looking to get into Ambrose's WWII works. Anyone else but the completists will probably not enjoy this book.



2. This covers the European theater from D day to the end.
   The futile battles of the Hurtgen forest are documented. A waste of men for nothing. We gave up our advantages of air power and tanks to fight in an impenatrable forest.
   What struck me over and over, was what the men fighting endured.
   The supply situation was what is was always in the military. Those in the rear get the gear. Those doing the fighting get the remains.
   In the battle of the Hurtgen forest, during a visit by Ike, a company of Rangers complained to Ike about the lack of cold weather gear. He got the Rangers cold weather gear, but not the other thousands of men doing the fighting.
   The same applied in the battle of the Bulge. The people in the rear out of the line of fire had waterproof, warm boots, and huge overcoats to keep warm. Those doing the fighting had summer uniforms, leather boots, and had to fight without benefit of fire to keep them warm, or get their food warm. The result was thousands of men with trench foot. The men went hungry a lot of the time due to impassible roads, so food supplies could not be brought up.
   The men who endured this were heros.
   Ike was the first to realize what Hitler was up to when the Battle of the Bulge started, and got Patton moving on a counterattack plan immediately, which succeeded.
   Thanks to Steve Ambrose, the suffering of the men who did the fighting is documented.



3. From the very beginning of the book I was enticed. I thought it was very well written and an enjoyable read. It includes stories and things I would have never expected. I thought the relationship between Marshall and Eisenhower was most interesting. I had not learned much about Marshall and Eisenhower's personalities. They were opposites yet worked very well together. Their relationship was based on trust. It is inspirational to hear of all that our soldiers went through during World War II. As someone looking back it helped me to better understand what went on and what the soldiers experienced first hand. I thought "The Victors" was a wonderful book and spanned over a good period of time. I would highly recommend it to others as a World War II informative book.



4. Unlike his other works, DDay, Band of Brothers and Citizen Soldiers, which cover specific elements of the European theater, The Victors tries to cover the period from DDay through the fall of Germany. As always, Ambrose demonstrated why he was one of the best story tellers. Unfortunately, as his preface pointed out, this was put together from the research he had done on his other books.
   
   If you are familiar with the three books mentioned in above, you will find a lot of overlap. I am sure he did some more original research for this, but the overall premise is very similar.
   
   The over-arching theme of the Victors is that the allied success was due to the flexibility of the US troops, in particular the LTs and other NCO's, and the regular soldiers. Their determination and ability to adapt to the changing situations on the ground, the antithesis of the Germans, was what helped carry the war in the favor of the allies. He also spends the beginning of the book on Eisenhower. Ike is the other piece of the puzzle that, despite some mistakes and flaws, he credits with putting together the largest military campaign in history - Operation Overlord.
   
   The only real criticism I would have is that the story line was somewhat disjointed. Stories are told seemingly for the sake of telling them, rather than having a real purpose. But I can overlook that since there is a lot of first person accounts that give the war a very human touch. And the stories you read about, make it very worthwhile.
   
   Aside from that, it was an entertaining read, just like all of his other books. His admiration for the courage of that generation is clear. And his talent for telling a story certainly shines through. If you are interested in more detail, I would recommend reading DDay, Citizen Soldiers and Band of Brothers first. If you are simply looking to pass the time on the train, as I was, you will find the time passing along much more quickly.
   
   I purchased the book at the Newark Penn Station Bookstore. I recommend the bookstore and the book.



5. A point of view seldom seen: the kids in the field who had to grow up very quickly. With a strong sense of duty and honor they lived up to their moniker, The Greatest Generation.

No comments about John P. Holland, 1841-1914: Inventor of the Modern Submarine.

2 comments about One Man Great Enough: Abraham Lincoln's Road to Civil War.

1. There are a raft of Lincoln books published seemingly every year. Each author has a slightly different take on the Great Emancipator, seeing him in a slightly different light. Most think him as great as the name implies, nad I tend to agree. So does the author of this current book, who takes a look at Lincoln's political philosophy, especially as it relates to the issue of slavery. Author Waugh spends only a little time dealing with incidents in Lincoln's life: his marriage, the death of his son, and so forth are all dealt with very cursorily. His father's death is only mentioned in passing, when the author is recounting something that happened a decade later. The majority of the space in this book follows Lincoln's transformation from a Whig who had only vague opposition to the institution of slavery into an abolitionist of sorts who had very definite views about pretty much every aspect of the issue.
   
   I've never read a book by John C. Waugh before. On one or two occasions, people have recommended books by him to me, and I think I have a copy of one of his books floating around here somewhere, but I never did get to it. This book crossed my path, and the time was right so I read it. I have to say I think I'm going to have to find that other book, because this volume is very well-written and interesting. I really enjoyed it.



2. A basic history of Abraham Lincoln's political journey from Illinois to Washington, D.C. Nothing in this book will be a surprise to dedicated readers on the Civil War era.
   
   The author writes in a folksy style, sourcing quotes from local press accounts of the time, memoirs, and early Lincoln biographies. Mr. Waugh uses the Little Giant, Senator Douglas, and his long-time and somewhat unusual relationship to the up-and-coming Lincoln as a common thread throughout his book.
   
   Not broad or deep scholarship, but worth reading for one in need of an introduction to, or reminder of, the greatness embodied in the one who finally ended slavery within our land.

No comments about Inkpaduta: Dakota Leader.