1 comments about Fighter Pilot.

1. Fighter Pilot lays claim to being the first published account of aerial combat during the Second World War. Originally published anonymously during the war, the author literally flew missions during the day while meeting with the editor in pubs at night to finish the book.
   
   Richey's book reads like a daily journal of his adventures after deploying to France in 1939 to wait out the "Phony War." Once Germany blitzed France and the Low Countries though, things became very busy very quickly. Richey, like his compatriots, fought bravely, but they were greatly outnumbered. As France's defenses collapsed, there was very little they could do.
   
   One of the most interesting aspects is how his view of the war changes from before the shooting war through just a few weeks of real fighting. Their original notion of their work is very chivalrous and idealistic, with lots of references to "our turn" to repeat the noble efforts of the aces from World War I. After downing their first German, they gather war trophies from the plane, take pictures, and invited a captured German pilot over for beer and celebration.
   
   A few weeks later, as the British Expeditionary Force continues to retreat, France collapses, and many of their squadron mates in the earlier photos have been killed, there is little chivalry and idealism left. They settle into the grim business of fighting for their life, realizing that the Battle of France is lost and growing fear for what will happen to Britain.
   
   Even in comparing it to World War One accounts (McCudden, Lewis, or Biddle), initially there is a lot of similarity in the events and encounters. Then, it quickly spirals into a brutal onslaught.
   
   The book is easy to read and flows very well. Most readers are probably surprised to learn the book finishes before the Battle of Britain begins. Fortunately, there is a sequel, Fighter Pilot's Summer, that Richey started during the war, but which wasn't completed until after his death in the 1990's.
   
   Any aviation and World War II history buff will be extremely happy with the book and primary source material. This is particularly true given the wealth of information on the Battle of Britain, but the dearth of writing on the air war over France that was the prelude. This book fills an important gap in first hand accounts of aerial combat during the Battle for France.

1 comments about A. Lincoln'S Gettysburg Addres.

1. This 79-page examination of the Gettysburg Address provides kids in grades 4-6 with an excellent in-depth examination of the concepts and basic importance of Lincoln's historic statements. Chapters blend vintage black and white photos with fine insights on the events of his times.

3 comments about William Clarke Quantrill: His Life and Times.

1. My interest in the Civil War is a bit unusual - the impact of the war on the non-combatants in the western border states, specifically Arkansas and Missouri and to a lesser extent, Kansas and the Indian Territory that would eventually become Oklahoma. This book will definitely be a valued part of my research library.

   "William Quantrill - His Life and Times" is a balanced look at a young man, unsatisfied with what he had accomplished in life and caught up in the complexities of the pre-war strife in Kansas and Missouri. A gifted teacher originally from Ohio "raised as an abolitionist," Quantrill becomes a thief and scoundrel, Border Ruffian (pro-slavery) and jayhawker (anti-slavery), exploiting the conflict on the border to benefit himself. After the war begins, he goes on to fame..., and his destiny, a heroic legend to many and a barbaric devil to others.




2. 
   William Clarke Quantrill entered the ranks of the infamous for sure on August 21, 1863, when he led a band of 450 men into Lawrence, Kansas, and committed what is probably the worst atrocity of the Civil War: the killing of 150 inhabitants and the burning of the town. Other massacres perpetrated by Quantrill occurred, but none was as devastating as what happened in Lawrence. To the Union he was an outlaw, and a price was put on his head. He was feared and hated during his day, and his reputation long outlived him (Castell believes he's one of the most widely known men connected with the Civil War).
   
   He was born in Ohio in 1837, taught school for a while, and then went out west where he was a professional gambler around Salt Lake City. When the war broke out he was living in Kansas, and already had the notoriety of a desperado. His sympathies were with the South, and in 1861 formed a guerrilla band that attacked and destroyed Union property and murdered Union sympathizers in the border states. He helped the Confederates capture Independence, MO, and after the Lawrence atrocity, defeated Union forces at Baxter Springs, KS. His band by this time had become so unruly that not even Quantrill could reign them in, and it split into smaller factions. He was wounded in an ambush in Kentucky in May 1865 (rumor had it, though impossible to prove, that Quantrill at the time was heading for Washington to assassinate Lincoln) and died in a Union prison hospital on June 6, 1865. Whether anyone collected the reward money history doesn't say.
   
   Castel's biography is popular in nature, though backed up with solid scholarship. Invented dialogue is sprinkled throughout the text, but it is not obtrusive and doesn't lower the book's high standards. Castel also recounts some of the legends that cropped up soon after Quantrill's death, some of them having to do with Quantrill's grave sight (desecrated) and his skull.
   
   To some in the South he was a the bravest of the brave, while to most in the North he was a degenerate monster. Castel thinks he was courageous and a strong leader, but also cruel and without scruples. Every year until 1929 there was a Quantrill's Raiders reunion held near Blue Springs, KS. One legacy that evolved from Quantrill's band was that of Jesse and Frank James and the Dalton gang, all who got their start with Quantrill's Raiders. Castel tells the story of this nefarious man with skill and keeps our interest throughout.



3. This looks to be just another look at the Northern re-write of history after the war. I would not recommend this to anyone wanting anything different than the standard Post-war Nothern view. If that "New York" view of southern history is what you are looking for then this is probably something for you. Otherwise I would recommend a much better and more informative and well researched book by Paul R. Peterson on the topic which includes 500 pages of well done research from several points of view. It is not boaring and offers a refreshing alternative to the politically correct and "parrotted" version that we often see re-published every few years.

No comments about The Warlord and the Renegade: The Story of Hermann and Albert Goering.

No comments about War on the Rivers: A Swift Boat Sailor's Chronicle of the Battle for the Mekong Delta.

2 comments about Canaris: The Life and Death of Hitler's Spymaster.

1. Why was this book so dramatically reduced in size from the German original? The German book is nearly twice the length.



2. It's not often you read a biography and still do not know a lot about the person. Admiral Wilhelm Canaris was great at what he did and he stayed out of the limelight, which combined to make him a great Spymaster. However, it also makes it a challenge for authors to find source material. Michael Mueller overcomes this challenge and delivers a masterpiece in world spycraft in his book "Canaris: The Life and Death of Hitler's Spymaster".
   
   The book follows the career of Wilhelm Canaris from his first dabbling in the intelligence business during the First World War during his fateful voyage aboard the SMS Dresden in 1914. After capture by the Royal Navy, he escaped from the Chilean island Mas-a-Tiera and found his way across South America to Buenos Aires.
   
   After his amazing escape he transferred to Spain to set up a relay system for U-Boats. Mueller does an outstanding job highlighting the efforts of Canaris' in neutral Spain to build a network of informers and saboteurs against British interests. Mueller follows with a thorough description of Canaris' tenure as a commander of the U-27 during his Mediterranean cruises during World War I, ending with the decommissioning of his vessel as part of the armistice.
   
   After the war, Canaris' life moves into the world of intrigue. Post World War I Germany was in turmoil with the socialist, nationalist, and the New Republic all vying for control after the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Mueller documents the roles of Canaris in assassinating political rivals. Canaris was clearly anti-socialist, but he walked a fine line between supporting the New Republic and the nascent nationalist movement. He survived numerous plots by his political rivals to become Hitler's Intelligence chief in 1932.
   
   Quickly losing faith in Hitler and his party, Canaris was part of a ring of conspirators in 1938 who tried to assassinate Hitler before he got out of control. The cabal lost its nerve, and shelved its plan until July 20, 1944 when Claus von Stauffenberg set off a bomb in the failed attempt to kill Hitler.
   
   Canaris and his compatriots kept detailed diaries of the atrocities and war crimes with the intent of turning them over to the allies when the war ended. These diaries were eventually discovered by the Nazis, leading to the execution of Canaris in 1945.
   
   Mueller's book is an outstanding look at the life of the head of German Intelligence agency. There are so many nuances and surprises in this book, that no book review can do it justice.

5 comments about Warlord: No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy.

1. It's simply infuriating to tune into the media on any given day to find out what's going on in Iraq. The problem is twofold. One, bias rears its ugly head. The mainstream media are, with few exceptions, largely left-leaning in their coverage of the war. They aren't interested in promoting American values or touting our triumphs, so any stories they do on the war will always focus on the negative. That's why you'll read reams about the ridiculous Abu Ghraib prison "scandal" or other supposed "wrongdoings" and little about the good deeds our boys and girls perform on a daily basis. Two, and even worse in some ways, is the emphasis media place on having stories that grab the audience's attention. It's boring to show schools, roads, and institutions being built. That stuff is for suckers. Our journalists are far more interested in showing cars and buildings blowing up, blood flowing in the streets, and bullets flying. If it bleeds, it leads baby! That's why CNN shows American troops taking bullets in the head from insurgent snipers. That's why the news from Iraq centers on the latest car bombings. Anything to drive those ratings through the roof, right?
   
   At the same time, the images we see from Iraq do offer a partial representation of what our soldiers face on a daily basis. They are in grave combat situations where life and limb are at constant risk. It's a war zone, obviously, a place where the enemy can hide amongst the civilian population quite easily. The jihadists in Iraq use the innocents as cover to build and deploy their notorious improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that have killed hundreds of American soldiers. They use houses to hide guns, ammunition, explosives, and other arms used to wage daily war against the hated "infidel" invaders. They also prey on the innocent Iraqi civilians, maiming and killing them for helping us or for not joining in the fight against the crusaders. The foes we face in Iraq are murderous thugs without a shred of human decency. They're roaches that scuttle under the nearest rock when we shine the light of justice on them. We don't need to "understand" them, or try to befriend them, or listen to their complaints. We need to exterminate them before they kill us and our loved ones. And they would. Without a moment's hesitation, they would kill your parents, your wife or husband, your kids--and they wouldn't lose a moment of sleep over it, either.
   
   That's why a book like Ilario Pantano's "Warlord: No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy" is such an important read. Pantano, a Marine officer who reenlisted after 9/11 to go fight America's enemies in Iraq, tells us exactly what we face in that hostile land. His is a depressing tale, a story about death, fear, destruction, and the inability of America to face its enemies without tying both hands behind its back. The author tells us about friends he's lost to the enemy, desperate firefights in the streets of Iraq where the next bullet could very well have your name on it, and how our troops can't properly fight a real war because of politically correct Rules of Engagement. When you learn that our soldiers have to fill out paperwork like a beat cop when they stop someone to search their car, or have to carry around handcuffs in case they need to arrest someone (and these things happen in Pantano's Iraq), you just know we aren't going to win the war. Even worse, Pantano faced capital murder charges for a traffic stop gone bad that resulted in the deaths of a couple of Iraqis. That's right: capital murder charges. In a war zone.
   
   "Warlord" is a great book. Not because of the insightful picture it paints of the Iraqi adventure, although that's a large part of it. Not because Pantano tells us wonderful stories about the brave men and women pouring their blood into the desert sands in order to avenge our country for 9/11 and protect you and I on a daily basis, although that's another part of the book that deserves praise. The best part of the book is how it deftly blends biography with war narrative. Ilario Pantano and I, as far as I can tell, are roughly the same age, yet his life goes so far beyond anything I've accomplished. Born in New York to Italian immigrant parents, Pantano went to a private school, stared down thugs in the streets of New York, joined the Marines and fought in the first Gulf War, went to college, married and divorced and married again, had kids, worked for Goldman Sachs, worked in the entertainment industry, and helped start up a new media company with the birth of the Internet age. Then he reenlisted to fight in Iraq again, this time going through additional training to become a Marine Corps officer! Then it was off to Iraq to fight the jihadists and to try and stay alive. Then back to the United States to fight for his life in a courtroom. Wow! This guy is a real hero.
   
   The only drawback to "Warlord" is the absence of a description from Pantano about the actual event that led to his trial. We learn about the situation through a recitation of the trial record, but Pantano never really talks about what happened in the context of his war experiences. Some readers of a left-wing persuasion would probably take this as some sort of admission of guilt, which is likely total nonsense. A far more adequate interpretation, based on his character traits outlined in the rest of the book, is that the incident is too painful for him to talk about. Yet he still should have addressed it directly. No matter, though, as the book is a real page-turner and a must read for those trying to craft a bigger picture of the Iraq War.



2. Pantano's experiences reveal the horrible injustices being visited on our soldiers as a result of the "political correctness" movement in the U.S. That type of thinking demands that a U.S. at war MUST have war criminals and will seek any convenient target. While a very few of our own troops undoubtedly engage in illegal behavior during a war, Pantano's story points out the need of the "politically correct" crowd - and even those members of the military who lose their objectivity because of those influences - to find horrible crimes being committed (and those crimes need to be instigated by an officer) whether or not there is any basis in truth.
   
   I purchased this book as soon as it came out and could not put it down. While I felt the "flashbacks" were far too frequent, the book was still a great read.
   
   This should be required reading for all those folks who say they oppose the war but support our troops, as it exposes the results of such thinking.



3. Men like this are very rare. He followed his heart and got stabbed in the back from a fellow Marine. Thank God the system worked and noble countrymen came to his aid. I believe this story illustrates the civil war raging in our country even as we wage war in another. A great story and an eye opener. I thank Ilario and all men like him for what they have done and are doing to protect my country, my family and myself. God bless you all!



4. Warlord is a look at the moral ambiguities of contemporary warfare and their political resonance on the home front. Its protagonist is not a fashionable anti-hero, but a real American hero, the kind of guy who witnesses the WTC attack and immediately decides to re-enlist, shaving his hair into a Marine buzz cut even before going home. And yet when he does return home from serving his country at war, he finds himself under threat of capital punishment. The stakes here are not just personal: Pantano needs to win his grand jury case on behalf of every soldier in combat who might hesitate to defend himself in the field - and be brought back in a body bag - rather than be tried as a murderer at home.
   
   In addition to the intrinsic drama of the Black Hawk Down-style firefights into which Pantano leads his men, there is the drama of the courtroom, where the details of the incident - the "murder" of which he was accused - grippingly unfold. His reputation and character are almost impossible for the prosecutors to besmirch, but the trial outcome remains in doubt because he may be hung out to dry as a political scapegoat.
   
   Pantano graphically conveys the madness of combat that civilians and politicians cannot comprehend (and yet which many unfairly judge), but there are nice touches of humanity in the madness as well. The family dynamic is another compelling element. Pantano has a wife and young children at home, and it's partly because of his love for them that he goes to war - to defend his country and family in the enemy's backyard rather than wait until the war comes to his own. When he does return, it's his family's turn to defend him, in the courtroom and in the war zone of the American media. The drama is ratcheted up when Pantano discovers that a Pakistani website has marked him and his family as a target for extremists everywhere.
   
   Warlord has a hero you can root for and care about; drama in the battlefield, the courtroom, and at home; and a triumphant (if a qualified one) ending. It's a tale of the gap between the soldiers' reality and the media and politicians at home undermining their efforts - a tale that couldn't be more relevant, instructive, and gripping in light of our war in Iraq.



5. Obviously factual and straightforward. No personal bias is interjected by the author - he just tells it like it is. The transition between combat scenarios, background and the courts martial procedings are logical and seamless. Great read! AND a bit scary when you realize the obvious political prejudice by the government. After reading this book you will better understand the challenges and threats that our military men and women are facing in the war against terrorism.

5 comments about Into the Rising Sun: In Their Own Words, World War II's Pacific Veterans Reveal the Heart of Combat.

1. I read this book after "Beyond Valor" by the same author and I wasn't disappointed. "Into the Rising Sun" is a collection of first hand accounts of the brave men who fought in the Pacific. The author sets up the accounts with some background material to make more sense to it all. After re-living some of these battle through this book, I started to understand what a living Hell these guys lived through. The intensity of the Japanese soldier was astonishing.

   This book has special meaning to me since my father was a Marine fighting the Japanese in the Pacific. He was at Guadalcanal and Okinawa .I now know what a hero he was!




2. This review is of the Audio CD version of this excellent book. Jeff Riggenbach did a fantastic job reading this text. He managed to give proper emphasis without drowning the material.

   Many soldiers are reluctant to talk of their wartime experiences for fear of seeming boastful. O'Donnell got these veterans to open up and tell their stories. They did so that the fallen heroes would get proper credit, not to tell of their own exploits in a grand fashion. Many of the other reviewers have told of the specific episodes relayed in the book, but what struck me was the depth of feeling that these men had many decades after the fact. One soldier tells of looking up the family of a fallen buddy after the war. It was as if he felt driven to tell them of their son's valor and his worth to his fellow soldiers. Another tells of a friend he saw die in combat after having met his wife and been their with him during the arrival of their child. It was a common theme that these men had these experiences with them every day, if only just beneath the surface. I highly recommend it to those who would like to grasp the depth of the sacrifice these individuals made on our behalf.




3. Well, if other reviews don't say it already, this book was one of the more brutally honest books written about war against Japan. Its honest because its brutally politically incorrect. The American soldiers who relates their stories, tell not only of the horrors that the Japanese troops committed but additional horrors of what they did to the Japanese troops. This was no-hold bar combat, where there were no "good guys" or "bad guys" per say. The stories related in this book was all about killing, surviving and living on. In doing so, anything goes and there were no rules. It may be that many general readers may be kind of shock to read so honest account. Some of them may not like the read how the Americans in these pages acted with certain amount of brutality that almost mirror their enemies. But then, what is war after all, right?



4. A fairly interesting book. O'Donnell lists the campaigns of the elite troops of this theater of command, details the plan of battle, and then gives the oral histories of those who served in those campaigns. Most of the veterans are at the end of their lives, so these oral histories present a heartfelt tribute to the difficulties these soldiers endured during combat. What surprised me most was how these soldiers/veterans got choked up recounting the battles they went through, and the friends they lost. Freedom isn't cheap, and these soldiers are living proof of how America was affected by the battle.
   This is a good read. Oral histories are good at describing the personal experiences of soldiers, but they don't put perspective on the actual battle campaigns. If one wants to know more about the War in the Pacific, one needs to read a general history, before reading this book.



5. This is the second of Patrick O'Donnell's books. O'Donnell is a gifted oral historian who's been collecting the recollections of men who were soldiers and served in the Second World War, partially through a website he set up some years ago, and partially through other sources. This compilation shows off O'Donnnell's strengths, and weaknesses (such as they are) and is a good example of his work.
   
   O'Donnell, for whatever reason, is very attached to "elite" infantry units. In his book on the European Theater, this included paratroopers, rangers, and the members of the 1st Special Service Force. In the current book, which covers the Pacific Theater, the distinction between "elite" forces and the regular ones is somewhat more blurry: Army Rangers, paratroopers, and members of Merril's Marauders are the participants from the army, but the author chose to distinguish the Marine Raider and Parachute units from other Marine outfits. This is a weakness as all of these forces were disbanded in 1943-4, and so the book would be rather truncated as far as the Marine Corps went for the last 18 months or so of the war. This (of course) is unacceptable, so the author merely follows former members of these specialized units who were absorbed into other, regular Marine regiments.
   
   The result is that some battles are covered in considerable detail here, while others (notably Saipan and Peleliu) are ignored because the Marines who participated in these campaigns weren't "elite." This includes members of the 1st Marine Division, who were arguably the most experienced in terms of combat against Japanese soldiers. So what's here is rather skewed and somewhat disjointed, but if you accept that, then the material that's here is worthwhile.
   
   I enjoyed this book, within its limitations, and I would recommend it and the others in O'Donnell's series, provided you accept what they are.

4 comments about Sammy: The Autobiography of Sammy Davis, Jr..

1. This book tries to cram together Yes I Can and Why Me? and in the process the humor and emotions which made those books great, especially Yes I Can, is lost. There is VERY LITTLE new material here. This book is a waste of time to anyone who already knows about Sammy and if they don't this isn't the place to start.



2. I gladly give the life of Sammy Davis Jr. 5 stars, however, the Boyers have done this bright icon who came into their lives a disservice by simply expanding on Sammy's two previous autobiographies with more & longer details without any attempt to focus his memories or put order into the reading & that is why I give the book only 2 stars.

   Sammy Davis Jr. rose from childhood stardom in vaudeville to become one of the most famous African-Americans of the 1950s & 1960s. At the same time his career, friends & lifestyle were surrounded by controversy & his experiences as a black performer in segregated America.

   Of all the celebrities in the American star-studied panoply, Sammy Davis Jr., crossed over more lines. He converted to an unpopular religion; he had no fear of dating & marrying beautiful white women; he was close to the Kennedys & the Nixons; he was a member of Frank Sinatra's notorious Rat Pack & he played with alcohol & drugs.

   It's amusing to read his opinions of the two songs he liked the least as they became best-sellers - going platinum to his amazement.

   I think an Index of his best-selling songs, his legendary Las Vegas performances, his world-wide concerts & his movies & television shows should have been included. Sammy Davis Jr., was also a spokesperson for his people & an Index of the movers & shakers of the Civil Rights Movement & the politicians of his time with whom he consulted & for whom he worked, is vital.

   There isn't even a curriculum vitae! Do check out my full review of this & other biographies.




3. For beginners, this isn't bad. But those who are familiar with "Yes I can" and "Why Me?" (the Davis bios that this book was edited from) will not be happy. Too much of the good stuff from "Yes I Can" is missing, such as Sammy's guilt over his treatment of James Dean and his own mistreatment at the hands of other children and teenagers. Those were some of the most moving parts of that book and they should be included here. Oh well, you can always read the original.



4. I thought this book was very inspiring. This book was very good, and kept me very interested. I like how they put in pictures, and exact dates of when things happened to Sammy Davis Jr. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about an all around performer.
   
   Reviewer: Samantha, Cisneros

2 comments about Rickover: The Struggle for Excellence.

1. Many biographies have been written over the past 40 years about the impact that the life of Admiral H.G. Rickover has had on the United States Navy � one in which redefined the role of the Navy in the post World II era. All of these works have focused on his many accomplishments and the controversies that surrounded him, which often conflicted with the executive branch of the Federal government, naval shipbuilders, and the U.S. Navy itself. Few, if any, clearly demonstrate who Rickover was, and how his principles evolved. No doubt, the author of �Rickover: The Struggle for Excellence,� Francis Duncan, is the only biographer afforded enough access to the Rickover as an outsider to the Navy and its Naval Reactors program, to know him well enough to accomplish a detailed account of what shaped the man. This book, the third in a series by Duncan, tells the stories from birth till his death, remarking on events that shaped his priorities and principles, and addresses many of the unanswered questions or mysteries that readers of other biographers may have found in the story of Rickover�s career. Some of the misconceptions about Rickover that Duncan�s work clears up are concerns such that Rickover had lied about his age or that Rickover had been for the most part unsuccessful and out of place in the Navy prior to his work with Naval Reactors. Unlike the Polmar and Allen �Rickover� biography, which often appears lengthy and intimidating as an all encompassing view of Rickover�s life, Duncan�s work is very readable and pleasant. I assume that Duncan knew that the larger than life Rickover story could never be captured in single volume, and separated his works, which describes his evolution; �Nuclear Navy, 1946-1962� which deals with the influence of Atomic Energy on the modern U.S. Navy,� and the �Rickover and the Nuclear Navy: The Discipline of Technology,� describing the founding and management of Rickover�s technical program.
   
   Although the emphasis of most Rickover biographies has been his impact on the Navy, his story serves two other main purposes. First, from a management and organizational behavior perspective Rickover seems to break all the rules and still maintain a highly committed program that integrated safety, reliability and high-performance He embedded principles and expectations that continue to exist today, and are the core of the Naval Nuclear program. This is the ultimate measure of a founder�s success, for an organization to remain relatively static around what principles and values drive its core mission. The second of course, is Rickover�s influence on the operation of civilian nuclear power plants, an accomplishment that Rickover thought he was unlikely to achieve when he was forced to withdraw from Shippingport. However, his influence and principles have filtered down through the personnel he trained through �NR,� and have subsequently redefined nuclear power operations in the Post-TMI era of nuclear power, and forced a paradigm shift in nuclear power operations and realigned the thinking about the discipline required to operate high-risk technologies.

   My only criticism of Duncan is perhaps his fondness of Rickover, which comes through in his writing. Considering all of the negative stories of Rickover, I would expect more negatives in his depiction of Rickover as well. However, biographies are written about the life and accomplishments of great men, and gossip and scandals best left for supermarket tabloids.




2. I was quite surprised after reading this book. It is an excellent history of Rickover and US Navy Nuclear propulsion. I had always wondered why nuclear power was always so safe for the Navy but the public utilities had so much trouble with it. This is an interesting history of moving up the ranks in the Navy and how you can advance. I was surprised at all the people who seemed to hate Rickover because he wanted to have his way and never to go below his specifications. This is why Rickover was never on the biography channel was because he was contriversial. The story really makes you want to know more and more about Nuclear submarines especially the times at Oak Ridge and when they were building the Nautilus. It's hard to think of a time when all the subs before that ran on the surface most of the time. I was glad that Rickover just took over and got the job done. The only part I did not like was that they were not specific enough about the design of the subs. I do not mean engineering drawings or national secrets but at least some general layouts of the submarines and the propulsion system in a layman's terms to have a better understanding of this. Richard Rhodes did a good job of this in his book "The Making of the Atomic Bomb" explaining the first nuclear reactor that went critical in Chicago. I would like to also know more about that light water breeder reactor that ran on thorium instead of uranium at Shippingport. Why haven't we made more of those instead of depending on fossil fuels? Rickover was in on the most exciting technology of the 20th century, how exciting must that have been.