5 comments about Out of the Depths.

1. WE BOUGHT THIS BOOK FOR OUR SON TO DO HIS RESEARCH EXPO ON. IT WAS SO INTERESTING THAT I READ IT ALSO. IT EXPLAINS THE SITUATION SO CLEAR. THIS IS A STORY I HAD NEVER KNOWN ABOUT UNTIL NOW. IT IS WRITTEN FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE BUT NEVER THROWS THAT IN YOUR FACE. IT IS WRITTEN VERY WELL. I ENCOURAGE ALL HISTORY BUFFS TO BUY AND READ THIS BOOK.



2. It is unthinkable that the Navy could have covered up such a bad mistake. A lot of lives were lost because of someone's horrible mistake and misjudgement.



3. I had read the book and wanted to meet the man behind the story. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Harrel a couple of years ago as he agreed to speak at our church. We need to hear these stories from our military veterans because their lives and experiences command our respect and admiration. Maybe if people could hear these stories it would inspire an increase in patriotism, something our country has forgotten. This book should be required reading for every child in America. It is truly an amazing account of God's providence.



4. This is really a tremendous read and the only first person account I'm aware of concerning the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. For those who might not know, she was sent on one of the most secret missions of World War Two, to deliver the bomb to the Island of Tinian.
   
   After dropping the bomb off she was sunk by a Japanese submarine. Hundreds of men went in the water only a few survived. This is their story as told by one of their own.
   
   The writer does a couple of things that are very interesting. First he draws upon his faith in God as his savior and passages of the bible to show how he survived and why. This was a refreshing view considering he was saved long before he entered the service. This was not a "fox hole confession" but the real thing.
   
   The other aspect of the book I liked was each chapter started with an account of the events by other survivors. This makes the book an outstanding resource for those interested in the events of the ship prior to its sinking, the event, and the scandal that followed her sinking.
   
   For the other side of the story you might want to check out Sunk! As written by the Japanese submarine commander who sank the Indianapolis.
   
   It is a nice, simple, quick read...but not for the weak of heart. A real memorial to the victims of this war.



5. I first heard of the story of the USS Indianapolis in the movie Jaws and then found out it was true. I originally wanted to read about it because of my interest in sharks but soon understood that it was a story that everyone should know about and appreciate what these men experienced. This is a first hand account and is a book I will read again.

1 comments about Bradley (Great Generals).

1. Page 2 One of the slapped soldiers was suffering from Malaria
   
   Page 3 Patton died on 1945 not 1946
   
   Page 94 The 34th was commanded by Maj. Gen. Charles W. Ryder (May 1942 - July 1944) not Lt. Colonel

5 comments about Jungle Ace: The Story of One of the USAAF's Great Fighter Leaders, Col. Gerald R. Johnson (The Warriors).

1. Just finished reading this book a few days ago, and I've got to say that it's one of the best WWII non-fiction books I've ever read. Not only is it easy to read and exciting, but Mr. Bruning skillfully covers some of the more technical aspects of Johnson's air combat battles.

   Good for hard-core WWII air combat nuts (like me!) as well as the average reader. Anyone with any interest in combat aircraft, WWII, or great reading material in general will love this book!

   -Scott Rudi




2. What Bruning has done in "Jungle Ace" is remarkable: he manages figuratively to bring to full flesh-and-blood life a man who has been dead for nearly 60 years. When I finished reading this biography, I felt I knew and understood Gerry Johnson: felt the weight of the command burden he carried, the exhilaration of victory in combat, the self-doubt when losses occurred, the grinding boredom of life in the SWPA, and the never-ending homesickness. I also got a sense of what he would be like in different situations: as a friend, as a commander, as a classmate.

   This is exceedingly hard to do, but Bruning has done it: he somehow got long-ago memories jumpstarted, got people talking. While I accept that some of the quoted conversations probably did not take place word for word as presented, I feel the approach helps the book make the man more real. Charles Martin, in his bio of Tom McGuire, did the same thing, and it worked for both authors.

   Thanks, Mr. Bruning for bringing a too-little known hero to light. You can be sure that my children will read about Gerry Johnson. When will you write another aviation biography? How about Charles H. MacDonald of the 475th FG?




3. Col Johnson was probably the best pilot of WWII. He was a P-38 pilot in the South Pacific and became a full Colonel and had 24 victories by the time he was 24 years old. It is a compelling true story with a tragic ending. I am very pleased this book was written because so few people have ever heard of this great leader,



4. I enjoy the book especially about the air war situation at Leyte Island in the Philippines during October through December 1944. However, I wish the author had given a complete casuality list of the 49th Fighter Group in terms of the following items:
   
   1) Killed in action by air combat.
   2) Killed by ground fire or by gunfire from enemy ship.
   3) Killed in flying accidents due to the conditions of the airstrip on Leyte Island or because of enemy action.
   
   4) Orignial group who start off at the Leyte airstrip in October through December 1944 and how many were left?
   
   5) How many replacements did the 49th Fighter Group recieved and how many died in action or in flying accidents due to enemy action or some other mishap during the same time period?
   
   If they tried to emphasize these battles like a meat grinder, then please give a complete casuality list; otherwise, the only time I hear of a meat grinder battle is those fought by the Germans since we have no hestitation about printing the German dead, wound, and POWs.
   
   They should have made books like this years ago. Then we would know the horrors of World War II instead of glorying it through our culture for the last 62 years.
   
   In the book Kenney Reports, Colonel Merian Cooper, who was General Kenney Chief of Staff, had worried that we were sticking our necks out if we invade Leyte. After reading Jungle Ace and some other books about how the Army had failed to secure a quick capture of the island, Col. Cooper was right. The battle of Leyte Island went on for nearly three months which was just as long as the battle for Normandy. After their defeat at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Japanese had other chances to destroy our shipping and airfields in order to bring the American invasion of the Philippines to the point of defeat if they had use their air power more efficiently.



5. My uncle is the Stanley Johnson briefly referenced in this book, who went MIA in Nov '43 while flying as Maj Bong's wingman. Somehow I feel he would have been honored to read this book. I wish my grandparents (his folks) could have read it too. It helps me to better understand what his final months were like, and what he and the others there accomplished. Thank you, Mr Bruning.

5 comments about Black Sheep One: The Life of Gregory "Pappy" Boyington.

1. I hate biographies with their authoritarian tones, time lines, dates and obscure facts, and get bored before finishing them. I do, however, prefer to be historically accurate rather than politically correct, so when my children started watching Black Sheep Squadron on the History Channel, I figured I had better learn more about Greg Boyington.

   Having seen Mr. Gamble's commentaries during breaks from the show, I expected the typical pompous biography with a military cadence to match the author and subject. When I began to read it, I was floored: I couldn't put it down and I finished it. Mr. Gamble's prose was lyrical, and his treatment of Boyington was fair and meticulously researched.

   Heroes aren't necessarily bums, and biographies aren't necessarily dull, boring and omnipresent.




2. Being a military history buff and a Boyington fan, this book was a "must read" for me. This book shows the human side of Boyington. While Boyington may have seemed a larger-than-life war hero (which in many ways he was) he was an ordinary man with his own demons. His worst enemy was himself.. and his addiction to alcohol...an addiction he never totally defeated. One wonders what Boyington may have accomplished had he not have been an alcoholic. His alcohalism cost him a lot.. several divorces, alienation from his family, and quite possibly a polital career.

   Boyington was way ahead of his time in the area of air combat tactics. Sometimes his propensity to deviate from regulation got him into trouble with superiors, but no one can deny the combat victories the Blacksheep attained under his leadership. No Marine Squadron has ever attained the success VMF 214 had in those two combat tours then or since. His military combat record speaks for itself. Boyington's tactics were unconventional, in the sense he never employed the same tactics for long. He was constantly evolving, a theory that never allowed the Japanese to catch on to his tactics.

   This is an excellent book to learn about Boyington the man, how he thought, and what made him tick. In spite of his faults, he will forever be remembered as the greatest Marine Ace of all time. This book does him justice. I highly recommend it.




3. Bruce Gamble deserves great credit for dealing with a mythic and controversial hero who laid claim to be the leading USMC ace in World War II and won the highest award in the country. His introduction to combat and first claims came from his stint as a member of the famed American Volunteer Group (AVG) known to most as the "Flying Tigers". He was summarily dismissed from the AVG for his abuse of alcohol and disrepect for authority (both of had which led him to abandon his USMC flying career to join the AVG along with chronic financial woes). World War II offered him an opportunity for another chance to fly and serve his country that he might not have gotten in peacetime. Arriving in the Solomon Islands, he continued to abuse alcohol and raise a ruckus, but he eventually got his own squadron, the "Black Sheep" which he led to great success against the Japanese. There is no doubt that he was a gifted aviator despite flying under the influence or at least hung over. Some of the aerial victory claims may be disputed (certainly his AVG claims are), but these type claims have been controversial by antagonists in all conflicts since aerial combat began. Gamble deals with all of this in great detail particularly the virtual clinical examination of Boyington's alcoholism so many years after the event. Gamble's research could have yielded a good book, among the best written, on the Black Sheep and Boyington, but he superbly wrote the Black Sheep story as its own subject and then dealt with Boyington as a biography andproduced a truly unique study of a tragic hero, flawed on several levels, but just as laudable on others. The author deserves great credit for deep research, sensitive and accurate writing and weaving a very readable treatment of Boyington, truly the best on any shelf.



4. First off let me say that I really enjoyed reading this book. Pappy has always been a child hood hero of mine. Having grown up watching "Baa Baa Black Sheep" and reading the autobiography of the same title. It was a very well researched and well-written biography. That opened this reader's eyes to the real story behind LtCol Gregory "Pappy" Boyington. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.



5. I'm not sure why Bruce Gamble chose to write a biography about Major Boyington as his disdain for the man is apparent throughout the book. When he actually writes something positive about Boyington, it comes as a complete surprise and out of nowhere. The book is well-written and fairly well researched. However, it is boring and too long. He also gives too many details at times. The author's irritating habit of taking the word of the enemy as Gospel while continuously discounting nearly everything our own pilots said and did is incredible. Personally, since he wasn't there, I feel that he has no right to publicly discredit those who were.
   
   He cannot accept anything at all at face value. And, I'm not sure why he gave people names of his own that they didn't go by themselves. For instance, he kept referring to Boyington's son as "Greg Junior" when that wasn't his name. Although his first name was Gregory, he wasn't a junior, and he went by Bobby.
   
   I had to force myself to finish the book. I do not recommend it.

3 comments about Semper Fi: Stories of the United States Marines from Boot Camp to Battle.

1. Once again Mr. Willis has applied his high editorial standards and avoided the trap of creating a book full of tired old war stories. Instead, Semper Fi delves into what it feels like and means to be a Marine - and in truth much of it could apply to any service. If you've ever been to Boot Camp or Basic Training you'll relive it in a couple of these selections. There are "war stories" from WWI, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam and Desert Storm but they are not superficial there-I-was hero tales. They are thoughtful, (mostly first-person), retrospectives about the men who served, who did what had to be done, and perhaps didn't return. You will read these accounts and maybe repeat the words of Frederic March at the close of the movie The Bridges of Toko-Ri: "Where do we get such men?". The selections in this book are so artfully removed from the originals that you won't need the chapters before or after to really taste the fear of being on a combat patrol, sense the insecurity of just arrivng in country, or feel the pride tinged with just a little guilt after saving your platoon by calling in devastating artillery fire. There is a wrenching excerpt from the book by Lewis Puller who struggles with feelings that he has let down his hero father by getting his legs and hands blown off before ever coming to grips with the enemy. As I write this in Sept. '03, perhaps now this book is especially relevant with so many men and women serving in combat conditions overseas. If this collection shows one thing, it is that a Marine's, or soldier's, reactions to danger and war are constant throughout history, and so reading these stories from the not so distant past may truly help us understand the present.



2. I am a third generation Marine and know many of these stories simply by memory as they talk to the heart of what the corps cult-like traditions are. These are pure stories of Honor, Courage, and Commitment -- the foundational values of the Marine Corps, and they couldn't be painted more vividly. Although I own the full books of many of these titles, this book is great to give to friends who maybe just don't understand us seemingly "crazed fanatic" Marines. Those who read it will understand the Corps and its real purpose more clearly than ever by stories like these.



3. This book is excellant. This is actually my second copy. I was gifted the book by my father-in-law who was a retired Marine. But Marine or not, the book is riveting and exciting. I bought a second copy for my brother. It will definitely keep you captivated.

5 comments about A WASP Among Eagles: A Woman Military Test Pilot in World War II.

1. Ann Carl was a female military test pilot in World War II. A Wasp Among Eagles is her story of her experiences and adventures. She first learned to fly in 1940 and in 1943 found herself assigned to Wright Field. She underscores how women, because of the wartime shortages and pressures, were vital in performing jobs that were once the exclusive domain of men. A Wasp Among Eagles is an impressive, informative, first-hand, insider's account and an invaluable contribution to military studies, and highly recommended reading for women's twentieth-century history studies as well.



2. Ann Carl was a female military test pilot in World War II. A Wasp Among Eagles is her story of her experiences and adventures. She first learned to fly in 1940 and in 1943 found herself assigned to Wright Field. She underscores how women, because of the wartime shortages and pressures, were vital in performing jobs that were once the exclusive domain of men. A Wasp Among Eagles is an impressive, informative, first-hand, insider's account and an invaluable contribution to military studies, and highly recommended reading for women's twentieth-century history studies as well.



3. Ann Carl's book tells what most male pilots know.
   That is that the laws of physics apply equally to both genders.
   During WW II special women took the challenge during special
   times. Prior to WW II special women, such as Aline Rhonie
   Hofheimer of Warren, NJ. tested various Luscombe models after
   investing in the company. But during WW II the rigors
   of testing became extreme. I think that no child can
   say that they had a good education without knowing about these women who gave not excuses only their all. When you look at
   all of the superficial celebrities in Hollywood.. all of them
   would not add up to one of these women pilot of WW II.



4. I enjoyed reading the story of Ann Baumgartner Carl, an aviatrix that challenged the bigotry and mysoginy of the 1940s United States in order to serve her country. The book, as it was, was interesting and enjoyable. Its problem is that it is too short and sometimes only brushes subjects that a reader may wish to know more about. I would have liked in particular to learn more about the personalities of a few people described in the book and who played important roles in the aviation career of the author. This book is still a good bet however to pass some quiet time at home or during a trip.



5. Parts of this book were better than others. I think I liked the personal aspect of Ann Carl's life more than the adventures in flight. I just felt her book contained too many details and aeronautical jargon that would not hold a great deal of interest to those of us that have little or no knowledge of aviation. Having said that, though, I believe I will read some other books on these amazing and brave women known as the
   WASP'S.

5 comments about First In, Last Out: Stories by The Wild Weasels.

1. The stories were very vivid and put you in the situations. However,there was alot of repetition that this type of writting (individial stories) is prone to. Editing could have prevented those. Also there many mistakes, misspelled words and typos. This all took away from the validity of the stories.
   USAF Pilot, RVN 1966-67



2. "I will never forget the date of the third kill. It was on my Mothers birthday 4 March." - This is a compiled collection of war and development stories and variations in writing abilities are to be expected. Repetitions of topics are off course to be expected also. And although none of the story writer is great (but some are decent), you soon get tired of some of them reeling off half the Captains and Majors they've met at one stage or another. - Including where they had been previously. And an absolute low point is reached when one of the authors uses the opportunity to get his mothers birth date in print for the entire world. - Perhaps interesting and entertaining for the magazine in the club, but... I guess some having given the book four stars are personally involved, in one way or another?
   (A minor thing that may not offend anyone but still is weird, is the size: Has never been afraid of a thick book. But this is a mini-telephone book, both in thickness and area. Inconvenient to read, but perhaps it says more about the editing?)



3. RETIRED AIR FORCE, VETERANS OF THE VIET NAM CONFLICT. GOTTA' LOVE IT.



4. Seemed strange that some of the other famious WW were not included.



5. Lots of personal Wild Weasel combat action stories about finding and killing the dreaded SAMs--Surface to Air Missile systems introduced and operated by the Soviet and North Vietnamese Armies in 1965 though 1975. The Wild Weasels produced a defensive system that defeated the SAMs by direct confrontation to protect the US Air Force and Navy Air forces attacking the most highly defended targets, ever. Hostile Anti Aircraft Artillery (AAA) and Fighters (MIGs) were losing the air battle over North Vietnam to American attackers. The Soviets saw an opportunity to test and exploit their latest SAMs from the "Cold War" while gaining valuable combat experience. When American Air forces lost four aircraft in a week in 1965, President Johnson started an "Anti-SAM" top priority, top-secret effort that led to the development, testing, training and employment of a dedicated team of "SAM Killers", The Wild Weasels. These stories are personal, mostly unedited, first person narratives and reflections by the Leaders, Pilots, Electronic Warfare Officers (Bears), Engineers and Maintainers and their families who made the defeat of SAMs possible and enhanced survival of the Strike Force leading to the Wild Weasel motto "First in, Last Out".

No comments about A Rebel in Cuba.

2 comments about Mr. Jefferson's Hammer: William Henry Harrison and the Origins of American Indian Policy.

1. The three best things about this book are the extensive primary research, the author's clarity, and his unrelenting fairness to all his subjects. Every time Owens describes any peculiar behavior--whether by William Henry Harrison, other American politicians or by Native Americans leaders--he explains it in its context and then goes on to point out if it fits with the circumstances or if the actors are being inconsistent or hypocritical. While most historians work to understand the nuances and characters of their subjects, Owens is unique in explicitly laying these out along with the logic of his assertions. This helps the reader to really understand the motivations of these frontier people instead of just having to accept an author's implicit assumptions. To paraphrase a line from The Razor's Edge, Owens gives the reason and the intent--most historians just give the reason.
   
   Besides the historical quality and the impressive research, Mr. Jefferson's Hammer is just a highly enjoyable read. Owens writes very vividly and uses lots of colorful language. The last two chapters, which describe Harrison wheeling and dealing for land and build up to the death of the Shawnee leader Tecumseh, have the pacing of a novel or at least a popular history. The author also has a snappy way of characterizing people and actions that make the book a lot of fun to read.
   
   One somewhat noteworthy omission is that the section entitled "Everyday Life in Early Indiana" hardly mentions farming (except a couple of lines in passing), which one would suspect would be the most sizeable component of everyday life. He discusses ideological and cultural issues that are more related to the narrative, but it just seems that he could have included more about farming in that part or renamed the section.
   
   That, however, is a small complaint about an issue that does nothing to detract from the author's intent to explore the rationale behind and the unfolding of U.S. and Indian relations on the frontier. I really love this book and think anyone interested in U.S. history would do much to clarify and add depth to their understanding of this period by reading it.



2. Robert Owens gives a fair and comprehensive biography of Harrison's career and value system. Harrison experiments in anti-slavery idealism during his college years. like many scions of Virginia, he finds himself not inheriting as much wealth and property as his parents. he squanders what land he did inherit selling it to his brother and some others for Bonds that don't get paid. Fortunately there is a frontier of Northwest Territory larger than the 13 colonies. It is full of indians and British rabblerousers. Harrison uses the influence of his family to petition for a commission in the U.S. army. He does his job well, his early failures are only the failures of the entire army.
   
   The Northwest Territory is slow to develop. Part of the reason it is slow to develop is that settlers can claim so much land at once. There isn't a population density high enough to require greater efficiency in agriculture, or enough industry to float a population with greater demand agricultural products. The answer seems to have been acquiring land from the Indians in bigger swoops, which were generally unscrupulous. the semi-aristocracy of the territories favored importing slaves to develop the land. the smaller landholders and workers didn't want slavery to diminish the value of their own production, or big manor slave owners lording it over them.
   
   Once in the private sector, big land holders tried to make money producing vast amounts of alcohol. This abundance of alcohol ultimately produced the slow talking yokel dialect later encountered in the rural midwest and south.
   
   In the end Harrison is a relatively decent person, occasionally taking opportunities that obscured this decency.

5 comments about My Jihad: The True Story of An American Mujahid's Amazing Journey from Usama Bin Laden's Training Camps to Counterterrorism with the FBI and CIA.

1. Firstly, I'd like to state that I loved this book. It was humorous, well written and thoroughly exciting book. The pacing was fast, the language is strong, and peppered with both American slang and Islamic references. For nothing else, it is a fun read.
   I noticed though that many of the other reviewers called Aukai a "terrorist" or a "criminal" in their reviews though. This is not only incorrect, but also shows how jaded these people are. The fact that Aukai, irregardless of religious convictions, was willing to sacrifice his life in numerous countries to simply protect people that he had never met should be indication enough of the bravery and selfless nature of this man.
   Is Aukai a flawless man? Hardly. But this does not make him a terrorist, or a criminal. Being that warfare still exists (Shockingly enough!), Aukai's killing of Russian soldiers is not a crime (At least not any more of a crime that any other soldier has ever commited during a war). I know that it may be a revelation to some of you, but a Moslem can be a fighter without being a terrorist too.



2. After reading this book, I am left with the impression that Collins was nothing more than yet another troubled youth that attempted to use a loophole in a religious ideology to justify his blatant criminal behavior. It also leaves me to wonder that had the scenario been a few years different, if he would not be over there right now in Iraq or Afghanistan trying to kill Americans instead of Russians?
   I am skeptical with the title of this book, "An amazing journey from Usama Bin Laden's training camps to counter terrorism with the FBI and CIA." True it does tell of the author's travels from custody in the California Youth Authority, to training camps in Afghanistan and culminating with the siege of Grozny in Chechnya, but that is about it, a story and not a very amazing one at that. Collins never goes into detail about why he decided to convert to Islam, he just starts out one day while walking the streets of San Diego, enters a Mosque and decides to convert.
   However, in part two of the book, he gives some insight as to why he may have decided to "convert," but never mentions if this is the actual reason or not. He comes from a broken home where his father eventually rejects him at the insistence of a drug addicted step mom and his biological mother is murdered over a drug deal gone bad. He winds up like most troubled youth living on the street and started out with committing petty crimes. He then progresses to armed robbery and an ensuing "shootout." When the police come to arrest him he proudly boasts about the 13 police cars outside and states to the arresting officers "all this just for me?" It seems to me this is the typical ranting of a juvenile delinquent, not a holy warrior. My interpretation is that he uses the religion of Islam and his distorted interpretation of it, to rationalize and justify his delinquent behavior.
   He uses the concept of Jihad to further rationalize his desire to pursue his inherent criminal behavior by wanting to fight the Russians who are occupying Chechnya. My belief is that the same situation could have played out in any part of the world, he just wants to fight, wherever that may take him. When he finally gets to go out on an operation, "the others" have it all wrong, only he sees the impending ambush and he single handedly saves the others by attacking first and winds up getting shot in the leg. Then to top it all off, he becomes a pedophile by having sex with a sixteen year old at the hospital where he is recovering.
   Again, without much of an explanation, he decides that he wants to work as an informant for the FBI against the same individuals he had just recently been fighting with. My assumption on this is that he had become disenchanted with his situation after being shot and he uses it as a ploy to have the government pay for his trip back to the United States. He returns to his wife and daughter back home, but never mentions whether his wife in the States knew anything about his illegitimate "child bride" and subsequent daughter in Chechnya.
   He then continues his boasting about how he is intimately familiar with and easily associates himself with the Jihadist elements in the States and how although he is informing on them, at the same time, he works as their "muscle" on the side for some extra money. Again, he falls on back on what he knows, being a criminal. Lastly, and there is probably some element of truth about having to deal with government bureaucracy, but he never mentions how any of his work with the FBI or the CIA lead to anything productive or any meaningful outcome, just how much money he was making off the taxpayers. Oh, and he does get his troublesome leg amputated, also on the taxpayer dime. It concludes with him having a falling out with the CIA, who he then accuses of trying to have him killed during his last trip to Chechnya.
   He concludes with a smattering of truth that on his final trip into Grozny, as he is actually faced with a true combat situation, he admits to being scared out of his mind. He attempts to save face by telling the reader that he was ordered to return to the States by his commander to obtain "critical" medical supplies. When he returns, his stateside wife leaves him and he is faced with the harsh reality of raising a son and daughter on his own. His illegitimate wife and daughter, whom he left in Chechnya, are never mentioned again.



3. You will not be able to put this book down! He nearly gets killed in several instances, finds himself in the home of enemy combatants, gets caught crossing the border where he's rescued by a mobster, takes a few bullets to his legs, and still decides to return to the front lines! Whatever your feelings about Collins, he is clearly a hero: Most people wouldn't consider dying for their own country, yet this guy goes off to a foreign land to defend its people against the powerful Russian army. The book will also help readers understand what Jihad really is. You'll come to find that the current "jihadist movement" is in fact un-islamic, founded by groups of corrupt people, some of whom Collins describes as not being remotely religious. The book is a bit out of order: Section 2 should have come first. The book also ends on an incomplete note. Nevertheless, you'll get a first-hand account of a war that seems very distant. You'll also come to understand and appreciate the Mujahideen who dropped everything in their own lives to defend people in a foreign land when nobody, including their government, came to their rescue. After reading this book, I couldn't stop thinking about the atrocities that were committed. If anything, we need to make sure this doesn't happen again.



4. My perspective is probably biased by my many years of military service, but here goes. The book reads like a good adventure novel and perhaps gives some insight into the loosely and even chaotically organized management style of many jihadists and their tendency to degenerate from religious warriors into common gangsters. However, it is hard to take the collection of stories seriously, sometimes they read like comics with Collins as a jihadist version of Captain America, minus the cool uniform. The nice thing about comics is that they have distinctive artwork and are not presented as having historical, political and religious significance and the writers are not self righteous.
   
   At any rate, if any of these stories were being spun at the local tavern, the storyteller would definitely earn some free drinks.



5. Aukai Collins has a compelling premise and story, but it really isn't centered around being a covert operative for the US government- in fact, rather than defining the book - that chapter only represents part of Collins' story.
   
   As some point out, this is a readable book - but don't expect too much depth or research into world affairs. This is Collins' personal account and he doesn't try to represent any other point of view. So those looking into more analysis should understand that. For a first hand perspective, it is written in a matter-of-fact style. The first part of the book deals more with Collins trying to join freedom fighters in combat zones. It could be an article from Soldier of Fortune in some ways, the way that Collins talks about handling guns - like a kid in a candy store. We don't understand much of his motivation except that he is Muslim and wants to be there to defend people of his faith. We get more introspection later in Part 2 onwards.
   
   Although sometimes fragmented, Collins does provide a rare insight into a little seen world. For that he must take credit. Overall however, I did find myself wishing for even more insight, but I appreciated that Collins shared his account with his fellow Americans and the world. I wouldn't overpraise the book, but it's certainly readable and engaging, and not a subject one will find much about.