3 comments about If Not Now, When?: Duty and Sacrifice in America's Time of Need.

1. This is a gem that should be read by every American. It is clear, concise, and spell bounding. I could not help but think of my year in `Nam as an infantry platoon leader.
   
   Jack Jacobs tell his story of bravery, courage, and patriotism. He is a hero to be admired and his book should be required reading for all high school seniors.
   
   Author of: Mr. NewHeart (New Heart): Heart Attack to Transplant and Beyond
   
   Preview my book, "The Face of War", about my year in Vietnam when you Google "David Hollar's Storefront".



2. What a fantastic read. In my opinion, the combat scenes of Vietnam are reminiscent of the best writing to come out of that conflict--books like "The Things They Carried" and "We Were Soldiers Once and Young," although during the worst fighting of the Tet Offensive, Colonel Jacobs was not serving with his own U.S. Army troops in the 82nd Airborne but "embedded" as senior advisor with the South Vietnamese Army. The great revelation of this book, though, isn't the scenes of valor for which Jack Jacobs earned our nation's highest military honor. It's the comedic tone throughout. On almost every page, there's a joke or two. Growing up as a scrappy, undersized Jewish kid in New York and New Jersey, Jack comes across as the quintessential class clown. This is top-level humor writing in the tradition of S.J Perelman, Woody Allen and Steve Martin. There were moments when I was literally putting the book down, because I was laughing so hard. Colonel Jacobs is, as Brian Williams of NBC News says, a man of real greatness-- "the complete American." Buy this book and pass it on to all the veterans in your family -- fathers, uncles, grandfathers. They will love it.



3. This book is unique. No Medal of Honor recipient has ever written a book that is both powerful and hilarious at the same time. For five years I have been recommending Medal of Honor by Peter Collier as the ideal Christmas present for veterans, young people and students of history. I must add the Jack Jacobs book to my short Christmas list. With not a word of profanity, this book is a great read for children of all ages. What a role model of selfless service.

5 comments about Never Surrender: A Soldier's Journey to the Crossroads of Faith and Freedom.

1. Never Surrender: A Soldier's Journey to the Crossroads of Faith and Freedom is a wonderful emotional story about one man...Lieutenant General William G. Boykin. Boykin shares every step of his journey with readers from the first moment that he decided to go into the military to the end with he retires from it. I do want to state that Never Surrender: A Soldier's Journey to the Crossroads of Faith and Freedom has nothing to do with attacking republicans or democratics but instead shows readers things that the media doesn't tell you about including the strong bond that is formed between friends and turns out becoming the strongest band of brothers you will ever meet.
   
   The one thing I really found amazing about Lieutenant General William G. Boykin was his unwavering dedication to his faith in God. I thought this fact really made Boykin a man of honor, respect, and of great character. There are not many non fiction volumes that were so powerful in addition to leaving such a lasting memory as Never Surrender: A Soldier's Journey to the Crossroads of Faith and Freedom. After reading this book you can't help but feel proud to be an American. It's people like Lieutenant General William G. Boykin who we have to give our thanks to for giving us our freedom to live out lives the way we want to and I have one comment to make and that is...We will Never Surrender!



2. General Boykin's life story is a truly amazing journey of faith and guts. He, like so many of our senior officers, stood tall against politicians and bureaucrats to defend our country and our freedom. As in other cases, it was his determined spirit shaped by extreme physical and mental military training combined with a deep faith developed over the years of service that prevailed in the end. I highly recommend this book for every young person who might think that freedom is "free".



3. Very interesting story told with honest expressions of emotions one might not expect from a hardened career soldier.



4. This was one of the best books I have ever read. Well written and informative but very definetly showing the human side, emotions and frustrations. It is a "can't put down." Theres no ego trip here, It is a very good first person history lesson with all the human frailty involved in something new and different, He didn't leave out any of the bumps and warts.



5. I ordered this book because the ad that promoted it sounded like it was something I would enjoy. However, I was quite disappointed. Overall, it was depressing. I could not see a "good moral to the story." It seems to me he sacrificed his family for his career. Reading about the failed opertions---and all the time, money, and effort spent on them---was very discouraging to me as an American. It was difficult for me to see how God was honored in this. Perhaps this book resonates more with those who have been in the military or intelligence service. I'm going to look at your return policy.

5 comments about Faith of My Fathers.

1. Honor and duty, bravado and pluck, independence and irreverence - these not only define John McCain, but have apparently been passed down through the generations that preceded him. This contemporary memoir almost seems to be from another time, when deeds and valor exemplified leadership much more than speechmaking or image-polishing.
   
   His personal history provides a glimpse into how military families think and operate, reflecting both the call to serve and the embrace of adventure that have typified the warrior class throughout the ages. The senator shares instructive snapshots, warts and all, allowing the reader to clearly see what he stands for and what has shaped him. You need not agree with McCain's politics to appreciate and admire what he and his family have contributed to our country.



2. Everyone should read this fascinating inside look at John McCain. He does not hold back with his past and helps us see where he comes from today. Especially his quick temper and his refusal to go along with the majority. He has a long history of being a trouble maker just for the fun of it! His "Oh, Well" and "but it was all in good fun" attitude got him in plenty of hot water with his superiors. He owes a great deal of gratitude to his grandfather and father for excusing his behavior. This was his way of coping with prison. Unfortunately the American People are not the enemy now! This book helped explain some of the decisions he makes and is now making at the close of this election!



3. With the current political race between McCain and Obama I wanted to read as much as possible about each candidate. I enjoyed the McCain book very much and was impressed by his fascinating military background.



4. No Politics Here, this is simply an autobiography of the man and his family. Overall I enjoyed it, and got through the book in a matter of days (which is more than I can say for "Audacity of hope"). Despite what people might say here, I came away with the impression of McCain as a main who has his flaws but has come to understand his flaws. I believe intellectual Honesty is one of the most important characteristic a person can develop. I believe he edited out most of the gratuitous aspect of his imprisonment, but one cannot leave without thanking the powers that it was me that was subjected to the punishment that McCain suffered, and for those naysayers and critics, I wonder how we would have performed in those circumstances. The Book is a little choppy in parts and drags a little in parts, but I had no problem with it, and am glad I read it before McCain's Political destiny is fulfilled, and we have to plow through the revisionist versions of his life.



5. This is a good book for anyone wanting to know what happens in a POW camp.

5 comments about In a Time of War: The Proud and Perilous Journey of West Point' Class of 2002.

1. This book was very personal for me as I knew the first soldier from the West Point Class of 2002 to be killed in Iraq. My family knew Todd Bryant since he was a young boy of about 10-years-old. Such a profound tragedy to lose him at the age of 23 and this book was fabulous in not only describing Todd, but his fellow West Point classmates who continue to fight this tragic war.



2. I have just completed Bill Murphy's moving book, "In a Time of War - The Proud and Perilous Journey of West Point's Class of 2002." The book is both gut-wrenching and heart-rending, yet it also leaves the reader inspired and proud of the young men and women who left West Point in the summer of 2002 to answer the call to fight the War on Terror in Afghanistan and Iraq.
   
   The title of the book is drawn from the speech that President Bush gave to the West Point Class of 2002 as they graduated and were commissioned as 2nd Lieutenants in the U.S. Army. I was in the audience that summer day and heard him utter those words. I also have personal relationships with several dozens members of the West Point Class of 2002, so for me the book was particularly poignant. I have followed several of these soldiers through their multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. This book added to the depth of my understanding of the challenges they have faced as they lived and fought, sweated and bled, in those far off places.
   
   Bill Murphy describes himself, in essence, as someone who has served in the military (as an Army Reserve officer), but without great distinction. He has, without question, distinguished himself in his ability to grasp the essence of the West Point experience for a representative sampling of graduates of the Class of 2002, and to bring the reader inside their lives as they took their West Point training and became officers serving our nation in a time of war.
   
   "This, for Todd [Bryant], was the essence of West Point. `Duty, honor, country' was the academy's motto, and everyone talked constantly about honor and commitment, loyalty and patriotism. All that was true and good, but stripped of its pomp and circumstance, the place was really about love. Love of your country, love of your classmates and friends, and love of the future officers you'd someday serve with. Most of all, West Point was about learning to love the soldiers you would someday lead, the privates and sergeants, knuckleheads and heroes alike, who might, just once, in a life-justifying moment, look to you for leadership in some great battle on a distant shore." (Pages 11-12)
   
   I have never read a more concise or accurate summation of the West Point ethos as I have come to understand it through the eyes of my many friends who proudly stand as part of the Long Gray Line.
   
   These newly-minted lieutenants faced the classic dilemma of what kind of leader to be, deciding where their ultimate loyal should lie:
   
   "A new lieutenant had to choose between two leadership styles. He was obliged to follow his commander's orders, of course. But he also had to decide whether, at his core, he was going to be his platoon's envoy to the higher brass, or the higher brass's man embedded with the soldiers. Todd chose the former style, and most of his soldiers considered him one of them. He was their guy, advocating on their behalf to the people making the decisions that controlled their lives." (Page 117)
   
   Along the same lines, Murphy does a nice job of painting a clear picture of the complex relationships that exist in an Army aviation unit among the three types of personnel found there:
   
   "The majority of their soldiers were warrant officers, pilots with college degrees and ten or more years in the Army. Most important, they had many thousands of hours of flight time under their belts. Although he's been out of West Point for almost two years, this was Tim's [Mosier] first real opportunity to lead other soldiers, and he got off to a rough start. One day early on, they went to the rifle range for an annual qualification on M-16 rifles. Tim was nervous. He started checking his soldier's canteens to make sure they were full, as if he were still a West Point firstie looking out for a platoon of clueless plebes. He reached out to grab the canteen belonging to one of the most experienced aviators, a chief warrant officer with eighteen years in the Army. The chief turned away with his mouth open, shocked that some brand-new lieutenant had the gall to touch him.
   
   Another of his pilots realized that Tim was making the classic new lieutenant's mistake, letting his anxiousness get the best of him.
   
   `Your enlisted soldiers need leadership,' the pilot told Tim. `Your warrant officers need information.' Tim didn't need to be told twice." (Pages 177-178)
   
   Tricia LeRoux Birdsall followed her mother into the military. The journal she kept while serving in Iraq gives a rare look inside the mind, the perspective and the world view of one serving in the "sand box":
   
   "In one of the last entries in her war journal, Tricia wrote: `It is such a great feeling to see an end in sight. There are very few things that I will miss about this place, but there are several things I can't wait for once we leave.
   
   I can't wait to . ..
   
   Fall asleep at night and not wonder if I'll make it through the night;
   
   Go through an entire day and not worry about whether or not my husband is safe;
   
   Hear a door slam and not jump because it sounds like an explosion;
   
   Not have a radio next to me at night;
   
   Fall asleep in my husband's arms and know it is not a dream and that we are really at home;
   
   Not have nightmares about what I've seen here;
   
   Grieve for those we've lost;
   
   Celebrate our return;
   
   Not be afraid anymore;
   
   Carry a purse instead of my machine gun;
   
   Wear anything other than desert colored uniforms;
   
   Be truly happy away from here with my husband for the rest of my life."
   
   (Pages 244-245)
   
   This book is tough to read, because not all the endings are happy endings; not all the main characters of this true life drama are able to experience living "happily ever after." Yet this is a book that needs to be read by as wide an audience as possible. For those who have served and for their families, the book offers understanding and catharsis. For those of us who have not served in the military, it is instructive and challenging.
   
   "Jimmy Mitchell returned to Fort Stewart a few days later, escorted by another soldier from the unit. `Mrs. Tucker, you should have seen Will.' the other soldier told Sallie when she visited. `He was covered in blood from head to toe. It was awful.'
   
   He paused, as if asking permission to tell her more. This was what a psychiatric nurse did for a living, counsel people; but never did Sallie's work get this personal. That little detail - her husband, covered in someone else's blood - hadn't been part of her mental picture before. And as hard as it was to hear the details, she wanted to know. She needed the connection, needed as much understanding as she could get about what her Will and his soldiers were going through.
   
   She let the soldier go on, taking in the whole account, even though every instinct of self-preservation told her to cover her ears and run from the room.
   
   No, she told herself. Listen to the story." (Pages 276-277)
   
   Bill Murphy has done a masterful job of listening to many stories and weaving them together into a compelling narrative that is a tapestry of the lives of the West Point Class of 2002 living and dying in a time of war. The book is apolitical. The closest that Murphy comes to making a political statement about the war is when he quotes from a speech by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former Secretary of State Colin Powell:
   
   "What we're worried the most about is our best and brightest young officers - I'm speaking of our West Point graduates - who are resigning at extremely high rates when their duty is done. Now let me emphasize that their duty is indeed done. In fact, it is done and then some, so I don't blame them. . . We have to recognize that we have a group of young officers in particular who are carrying the lion's share of the hardship with this war and an unsustainable deployment schedule. For good reason, they're saying, `Okay, I signed up to serve my country and have made enormous personal sacrifices, but other people need to step up to the plate as well.'" (Page 305)
   
   I invite you to step up to the plate by reading this book and by giving away multiple copies - and by making yourself available to hear the stories of those who have fought.
   
   West Point is about love. This book is about love - and loss.
   
   Listen to the story.
   
   Al



3. I found the book moving and read it straight through. The storyline is a bit difficult to follow at times as the author 's use of timeline is irregular. He contracts, expands and backtracks as he tells the story of each individual. I'm not sure how it could have been made better given the number of individuals followed in the book.



4. We are, of course, still very much "in a time of war," and Bill Murphy's book is about as current as one can get as an inside look at the lives - and deaths - of the young men and women who chose to give at least a part of their lives to serving their country. As Murphy follows closely the careers of several of the West Point grads of 2002, it becomes increasingly clear how much sacrifice is involved. While it is true these "kids" got a first class education out of the deal, not all of them signed on for a war too. But they didn't flinch. They did what they had to do and they honored their contracts for serving at least five years after graduation, even though the principals in this book often end up, like Will Tucker and Drew Sloan, serving more than one tour in a combat zone. (Tucker served three tours in Iraq, and unwilling participant in the "stop-loss" program.) And this is not just the story of the Academy grads themselves. You also get to know their wives and girlfriends, and bear witness to their anxieties, fears, and sometimes grief, because not all of Murphy's subjects survive this unanticipated combat duty. It is very difficult to read about these lives, because they are full of hard decisions and painful episodes, like Sloan's horrific injuries in Afghanistan and his long painful recovery, which included multiple surgeries over more than a year's duration. And yet these kids - I know I shouldn't call them that, but when I look at the pictures in the book, they all look so very young and innocent - are all, I think, shining examples of what this country is capable of producing. They are, to a man/woman, extremely proud of their service, even the ones who chose to leave the army after their 5-year obligation. I am a veteran of the Vietnam era, but was lucky; I never saw combat. It was a terrible time, but there was something very different at work then. There was a draft. Military service was more universal. Now, with the all-volunteer army, our soldiers are seeing multiple tours of duty in the war-torn areas of Iraq and Afghanistan. It takes a toll - physically, mentally, emotionally. There is a horrible "unfairness" about these very few absorbing the horrors of war on behalf of the many. There is also something that tastes very badly about companies making money by selling signs, decals and magnets of "support our troops," "whatever that means," as Murphy says. And it galls me to see perfectly healthy young men everywhere who are quick to urge our country to war, and who support Bush and his so-called "pre-emption doctrine" wholeheartedly, but who have never served their country and never will. And I even hear a lot of them complain about not being able to find a good job. Well, here's a job for you, guys. Go sign up and put your money where your big mouths are. I should apologize for these kinds of angry thoughts, I suppose, but it's hard to see a whole generation that whines and complains about their cushy lives and don't feel they owe their country anything! I hope the next administration in Washington puts some plan into effect that will require at least two years of national service of some kind from every able-bodied young person in America. There, I got that off my chest. The lives and sacrifices of Todd Bryant, Drew Sloan, Dave Swanson and Will Tucker - and all their classmates and the men they command - should be held up as examples. I also think George Dubya Bush should be compelled to read this book. Too late, I know, but he should know how many lives he cut short and screwed up by rushing America into this horrible misguided mess that is the Iraq war. Bill Murphy gives us an intimate look into the lives of some of America's best and brightest young people, some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice. This book will make you weep, but read it. These kids need to be remembered. - Tim Bazzett, author of Soldier Boy: At Play in the ASA, and Love, War & Polio



5. West Point's Class of 2002 spent a majority of their time training in a time of peace. By the time graduation came around, we were in a war and the President announced his doctrine of preemption. We graduated in a time of war.
   
   For me, the memories came rushing back. Bill Murphy Jr described and detailed he lives of a few cadets and their families to achieve something that hasn't been done before. Bill took an in-depth and intimate approach dealing with the choices the cadets made from their personal relationships, them choosing their branches, them choosing their first duty stations, all the other choices that came with being leaders of America's sons and daughters in a war, and them choosing to stay in the Army at the end of their five year commitment or not. Their choices will lead them apart and together throughout their careers. For training. For weddings. For funerals. (Be thou at peace.) For Reunions. In A Time Of War is an emotional roller coaster.
   
   Those serving in the military have similar stories to Todd Bryant, Drew Sloan, Tricia LeRouc Birdsell, Tim Moshier, Will Tucker, Dave Swanson, Joe Dasilva, and the other Soldiers' stories told inside. These are not characters in a book, these are real Soldiers serving their country and doing what they think is right. You will laugh, cry, get angry, laugh again, cry again, and smile at times. This is the story about their lives, the lives they touched, and the lives they continue to touch.
   
   Bill Murphy Jr's book answers the question the Pentagon and "the higher ups" have been so confused about: "Why are the young combat experienced leaders getting out?" Well general, this book has the answer to the question the military keeps spending money trying to get. Give it a read.
   
   Recently one night, I started my 12 hour shift in our battalion's TOC and mail (this book) had been delivered. Thankfully it was a quiet night and I had a chance to read. After my shift, I grabbed my laundry and hurried back to finish the best book about the long war. I couldn't put it down. Maybe I'm biased having also graduated West Point in 2002. Maybe I'm not. Regardless, Bill Murphy Jr's book is an unbiased matter of fact explanation of the extraordinary years in the lives of those who have been, done, and served. It's not just for West Pointers, this is for everyone.
   
   CPT Ryan R. Renken
   Class of 2002, F2
   Camp Slayer, Iraq

5 comments about One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer.

1. In a time when many people already consider the war in Iraq pure hubris and stretching of muscles by a superpower gone mad, it is refreshing indeed to read true, honest stories from the men who fought the war.
   
   The good intentions, the fears, the disappointments and triumphs all paint a picture that is very different from the cynical jeering presented to us from almost all media outlets.
   
   While Nate Fick's "One Bullet Away" dedicates a lot of its 369 pages to events that occurred before the war and made Captain Fick the man he is today, the book really earns its keep during the section dedicated to Fick's combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
   
   The action is frenetic, the musings are deep and the humor is warm. A very well written book that is a pleasure to read and kept me powering through in three mammoth sittings. Deserves to be held up there with other legendary chronicles of a modern warrior's life.
   
   For any possible purchasers, also consider Evan Wright's "Generation Kill" as a companion piece. Both books deal with the same unit, giving you two separate views on the same events and thus a better overall picture.



2. Amazingly written by "one of the few and the proud" to inform the readers of the honor, courage and commitment that it takes to be a leader of one of the finest fighting force on the planet.



3. The stories that get someone to a particular point or event in their lives are many times as important as the moment itself. Here is where Mr. Fick excels brilliantly, as he recounts to us the set of events that led him to this odd choice of work. Think about it he not only chose to become an infantry officer but rather went a step further and joined Marine Recon. Decisions like this aren't made lightly and are in essence a reflection of the complexity of the person who makes them. He shows this complexity in motion when he recounts the painful decisions that he had to make. He made the tough calls and put himself out on the ledge and I for one am glad that he was able to show how as Marines, we are not mindless imbeciles. We feel pain for all the others that suffer in this world needlessly as well. I am also in closing impressed by his depiction of his struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Blessings be onto all those that go through such tribulations and hopefully they in the end make the world a bit better for all of us.



4. Bottomline up Front: Author held back making this a disappointing book that had the potential to be great!
   
   I had a lot of hope for this book, me being of somewhat a similar background, same age, same upper-middle class back ground, while also a military officer, however this book did'nt deliever and infact at the end I found it very disappointing.
   
   The beginning of the book was great, i would give it a solid 4-5 stars, when he is talking about going through the Marine Corps OCS and how his view on life changed after going through that. That should be a required read for anyone thinking of trying to become an officer, having been through combat I found much of his commentary on being an officer and what it takes to be an officer, resoundingly true and accurate.
   
   The book started going downhill on his commentary about War. I don't need to get into it too much other than to say it was bland and boring, his views of Afganistan were okay, but when it came to Iraq, I found I was longing more.
   
   One of the reasons I picked up this book was that I had read Generation Kill a few times, and though I loved that book I figured some of the commentary provided by Evan Wright was skewed because he was with the younger NCOs/PFCs and did'nt have all the facts surrounding the orders that were given. Though Fick says in both books that the heart of the Marines is the NCO corps I was longing to understand better some of the overall rational behind the orders that were given.
   
   Instead, Fick glosses over many of the major mistakes that Wright points out, I'm assuming since this came out after Generation Kill that Fick was somehow trying to protect those officers that made the mistakes. I was getting to a point where I thought that Wright perceptions were wrong, then in the final part of the book where it talks about the CO leading PT and the Company's response, it was clear that Fick had covered alot of what happened up to "protect the innocent."
   
   Let me be clear, the book was an good read, I just found myself thinking that Fick did a dis-service to any young person/enlisted troop that wants to be an officer someday. Instead of pointing out some of the flaws in the decision making of the supierior officers he instead glosses over those facts and makes it seem like it's a big deal. You could tell at times that Fick was holding back on what happened during a particular sitation. This could have been a book that would be required reading for any of my young Lts or Cadets that I meet in stead I'm going to tell them to read the first back and be done with it.
   
   The final 15-20 pages or so were a good overall commentary on the war and why he got out. Once again, i felt he was holding back, but it at least ends on a plus note.
   
   Final thought, if your interested in this book/time period in Iraq, I would first read this book and then Generation Kill, it will shed light on alot of the issues Fick just touches on.



5. Dear Amazon:
   
   I am a WW2 veteran and I have many books about various segments of that war. Most of them are very good and inform and transport me back to that era. "One Bullet Away" is my first book on the Afganistan/Iraq conflict and the author is eqaually as fine a writer as the authors of the many WW2 books in my library.
   
   I have purchased books and music from Amazon and I have nothing but praise for your service and product.
   
   Herman C. Carlson

5 comments about With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa.

1. There are so many reasons to pan a book like this, writting, viewpoint, historical accuracy, but this book gets 5 stars in all catagories. So true, so full of action, so sad, so much to say. My true interest lies on the Eastern Front between Germany and Russia, but this was so good it is my favorite of WW2 in spite of the subject matter. Wow.



2. I have told people that war is the Second worse thing that could happen to a human. The first? Slavery - which is the battlefront against Hitler's National Socialists and the Imperial Japan in World War II.
   
   That's where this story takes place. I have read few books that convey the realism and horror of war so well, without reservation. This is one.
   
   Eugene B. Sledge, an Alabama boy, heads into War in the Pacific as a member of the U.S. Marines. He lands with the famous 1st Marine Division - 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. His training was concentrated and intense - but still nothing prepares one for the onslaught of Pelilieu. He was a vet when he hit Okinawa where the fighting got even tougher. The image that sticks with me about Okinawa is a Marine who has to head back to get ammo. He slips in the mud and slides down the hill, rising to discover that he was covered in the maggots uncovered by his slid that were gnawing away at the dead bodies in the mud. This Marine, inured to death and destruction, is rattled badly. That image has stayed with me to understand the horror of this generation's sacrifice and their quiet acceptance of Duty.
   
   By the time Sledge hit the hell of Okinawa, he was a combat vet, still filled with fear but no longer with panic.



3. I can't go into detail since I didn't read it myself, but my dad enjoyed it a lot.



4. I have told people that war is the Second worse thing that could happen to a human. The first? Slavery - which is the battlefront against Hitler's National Socialists and the Imperial Japan in World War II.
   
   That's where this story takes place. I have read few books that convey the realism and horror of war so well, without reservation. This is one.
   
   Eugene B. Sledge, an Alabama boy, heads into War in the Pacific as a member of the U.S. Marines. He lands with the famous 1st Marine Division - 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. His training was concentrated and intense - but still nothing prepares one for the onslaught of Pelilieu. He was a vet when he hit Okinawa where the fighting got even tougher. The image that sticks with me about Okinawa is a Marine who has to head back to get ammo. He slips in the mud and slides down the hill, rising to discover that he was covered in the maggots uncovered by his slid that were gnawing away at the dead bodies in the mud. This Marine, inured to death and destruction, is rattled badly. That image has stayed with me to understand the horror of this generation's sacrifice and their quiet acceptance of Duty.
   
   By the time Sledge hit the hell of Okinawa, he was a combat vet, still filled with fear but no longer with panic.



5. I have wanted this book for some time. The seller gave a fair price and good service. I received the book in good shape, as advertized.

1 comments about Operation Hotel California: The Clandestine War Inside Iraq.

1. Operation Hotel California is a stunning book about the ineptitude of the administration's policy in pre-war Iraq, a policy that (among other things) prevented the elimination of an Al Queda cell--something that author Sam Faddis and his team of CIA operatives on a clandestine mission inside Iraq could have organized quickly and with ease. I read the book in one sitting. Fantastic!

4 comments about Baghdad at Sunrise: A Brigade Commander's War in Iraq (Yale Library of Military History).

1. Although it felt like it took me a long time to read this book, I realize looking back over the past eleven days, that this is not a book that can be rushed. I had a hard time figuring out exactly how to classify this book. It reads like a memoir, yet it also contains lessons in history, battle analysis, and diplomacy.
   
   Because Peter R. Mansoor was a colonel, and the commander of a brigade, this book is written from a commander's point of view, and thus includes more of an overview of how things come together in battle. He writes about policy, placement of forces, troop morale, and dealing with local leaders.
   
   Other Iraq war stories that I have read (such as A Fist in the Hornet's Nest by Richard Engel, and The Devil's Sandbox by John R. Bruning) have been written about the common soldier in the heat of battle. This book, though still compelling, is quite different.
   
   I think a lot of the difference comes from the fact that Colonel Mansoor has a graduate degree in military history from Ohio State University, and taught history at West Point. Woven into his recollections of his year in Iraq is an overview of the history of Iraq and the conflict between Sunni and Shi'ite Islam.
   
   To date, of all the military books I have read, this book contains the most thorough treatment of the military issues in Iraq, and I found Colonel Mansoor's ideas for dealing with the insurgency to be quite enlightening.
   
   Overall I thought this book contained excellent information, and if you have any interest in military policy in Iraq or military history I would highly recommend it.



2. Awesome book by an excellent Commander. Ready 6 takes the reader in a journey through the BCT's intense and extended deployment to Baghdad during the crawling stages of the war (2003-2004). The historical facts in this book help you understand the complexity of the situation, both leaders and Soldiers were faced with on a daily basis. His detailed narrative portrays without a doubt, the BCT's combat and civil operations. Colonel Mansoor also addresses full spectrum operations and the reorganization of the armed forces to better suit its current and future counterinsurgency operations abroad. As an OIF veteran and a proud member of this fine Brigade Combat Team during this and its subsequent deployment (2006-2007), I recommend this book, especially to fellow veterans and deployed service members.
   
   T.H. Berrios
   SFC, USA
   Provider One November (2003-2007)



3. My father-in-law received an advanced copy of Baghdad at Sunrise as a gift from the author. I began reading it with many questions about the handling of the Iraq War mixed with extreme respect for our nation's armed services. I am a lifetime civilian with very little exposure to military history and tactics, yet couldn't put the book down while learning a ton about what are servicemen and women have accomplished in their time in Iraq.
   
   Col. Mansoor's book is a great mixture of military theory, Islamic history and cultural anthropology, all thrown into a personal account of his personal goals and associated challenges. I can't began to list off everything I learned and truthfully believe it would be great for everyone from military historians to those with no knowledge of military tactics and jargon (like yours truly).
   
   On a separate note, I just finished two years of business school with a number of former officers who served in our nation's War on Terror. Reading this book left me with a clear picture of what life on the frontlines is really like, as well as a new appreciation for their hard work and sacrifice. I will hopefully be at the USMA in a few weeks to see a classmate and close friend of mine who is now a West Point professor. Although it may embarrass him in front of new colleagues, he will be getting a hug and a sincere 'thank you' from a friend whose freedom and safety he risked so much for.
   
   Colonel Mansoor, thank you for such an enlightening read. My best for you and your family (Jana, the children and even the dogs) in the future.



4. I am an Army historian who has accessed many, if not most, of the existing (and they are relatively few) records pertaining to the Ready First Brigade Combat Team's operations in Iraq during the period discussed in this book. Therefore, I can set the "bar" a bit higher when it comes to informed analysis of the book's value. I am also acquainted with an extremely candid and capable senior non-commissioned officer from Colonel Mansoor's Brigade Reconnaissance Troop who interacted with the author on a daily basis during the 1st BCT's deployment in Iraq. If my friend did not believe that Colonel Mansoor was an effective combat leader, he would have told me so in no uncertain terms. Quite the contrary, Colonel Mansoor was a well-respected and credible leader who "figured out" what was happening long before other commanders.
   
   All professional affilitations aside, this review represents my personal opinion. That said, I believe Colonel Mansoor has produced a forthright, factual, and valuable narrative of his experiences in the tumultuous months following the fall of Sadaam Hussein's regime in Iraq.
   
   A respected historian prior to assuming brigade command, Colonel Mansoor took it upon himself to record each day's events in a notebook for posterity's sake. He does not rely solely on his memory, media reports, or the recollections of others. This fact alone sets his account apart from other OIF related personal accounts. His book is even more important given the relative lack of historical material, when compared to later OIF deployments, on the operations conducted by 1st Armored Division during the period 2003 - 2004.
   
   If Mansoor has an unstated agenda, it is a subtle one focused on educating our nation's future political and military leadership. He is not trying to rehabilitate the public's perceptions of his actions in Iraq. Indeed, his candor and objectivity are very refreshing in comparison to other books covering that same period which I have recently read.

5 comments about Mein Kampf.

1. I assigned myself this book to read because I am working on a degree in history, with the aim of teaching high school history. Now that I have finished, I'll never inflict this reading on my students. This is easily the most tedious, boring book I have ever read. I think that is partly why Hitler was able to get away with basically spelling out his plans years before he came to power, and people were still surprised when he did exactly what he said he would do. Also no one took him seriously, and were horrified when they found he actually believed all this drivel he wrote.
   Still, it is a very important book historically, because it announced his plans 15 years before he carried them out. World leaders who wondered what Hitler was about had only to pick up Mein Kampf. As I read this book, I noted the most glaring cases of anti-Jewish remarks, as well as Hitler's views on the rest of the world. Often, the two subjects are intertwined. The quotes you read below are just some of the worst examples; this book is packed with countless other lies against the Jews and other nations.
   
   GERMANY VS THE WORLD:
   P.134, "Unused soil exists for people with force to take it."
   P.138, "Don't let political boundaries obscure the boundaries of eternal justice." (Borders of other nations)
   P.139, "What (land) is refused by amicable methods, it is up to the fist to take."
   P.255, "No half-measures; gravest/most ruthless decisions to be made."
   P.398, "Victory lies eternally and exclusively in attack."
   P.455, "Terror is only broken by equal terror."
   P.610, "The aim of a German foreign policy of today must be the preparation for the reconquest of freedom for tomorrow."
   P.611, "For the oppressed territories are led back to the bosom of a common reich, not by flaming protests, but by a mighty sword."
   P.651, "The boundaries of 1914 mean nothing at all for the German future."
   P.651, "Only childish & naive minds think to correct Versailles by wheedling and begging."
   P.652, "We National Socialists must hold unflinchingly to our aim in foreign policy, namely, to secure for the German people the land & soil to which they are entitled on this Earth."
   P.654, "Germany will either be a world power or there will be no Germany."
   P.654, "If we speak of soil in Europe today, we have in mind only Russia and her border states."
   P.660, "Let no one argue that in concluding an alliance with Russia we need not immediately think of war; an alliance whose aim does not embrace a plan for war is senseless and useless."
   P.688, (conclusion) "A state which in this age of racial poisoning dedicates itself to the care of its best racial elements must someday become Lord of the Earth."
   
   
   HITLER'S VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE:
   P.107, "Broad masses can only be moved by power of speech."
   P.341, Calls voters "Bourgeois voting cattle."
   P.375, Refers to "Unshakable stupidity of the voting citizenry."
   P.465, "The NSDAP should not be the servant of the masses, but their master."
   P.577, "National Socialism must lay claim to the right to force its principles on the whole German nation."
   P.608, Calls people "Great stupid sheep's herd of patient lamb-like people."
   P.654, Refers to African nations as "Little ni***r nations."
   P.659, Openly says he appraises value of men on racial basis.
   
   ANTI-JEWISH REMARKS
   P.169, Refers to Jews as "Poisoners of people."
   P.206, "There is no making pacts with the Jews."
   P.232, Refers to Jews as "Great masters of the lie."
   P.244, Says Jews control the press.
   P.246, "A 30cm shell hisses louder than a thousand Jewish newspaper vipers, so let them hiss."
   P.255, "Clear away filth of civilization, ignoring screams."
   P.272, "Jews in the press promoted lies about Germany in WWI."
   P.308, "Once this book (Mein Kampf) is common property of the people, the Jewish menace may be considered broken."
   P.324, "The personification of the devil as the symbol of all evil assumes the living shape of the Jew."
   P.351, "The Jew is the great master in lying, and lies & deceit are his weapons in struggle."
   P.453, "The first task is the elimination of the existing Jewish state."
   P.556, Accuses Jews of manipulating Northern & Southern Germans against each other in WWI.
   P.561, First uses the term "Jewish question."
   P.638, Refers to "Jewish plot to rule the world."
   P.651, "It is the inexorable Jew who struggles for domination over nations; no nation can remove this hand from its throat except by the sword, and such a process is and remains a bloody one."
   P.661,"(The Jew) goes his way, sneaking in among the nations from within; he fights with lies and slander, intensifying the struggle to the point of bloodily exterminating his hated foes."
   P.662, Says Jews are from Satan.
   P.679, "If at the beginning of the war (WWI) or during the war 12,000 or 15,000 of these Hebrew corruptors of the people had been held under poison gas, the sacrifice of millions at the front would not have been in vain."
   
   By now it should be crystal clear how evil this man was, and this book is. This book was dictated while Hitler was in prison in 1924, and published soon after. It would be nearly a decade before he gained power. You have to wonder why his opponents and other world leaders who read this book at the time did not take it more seriously, especially in the late 1930's leading up to war. It's all laid out here; his determination to dominate Europe, to ally with Russia and then betray her, his contempt for the common citizen, his lust to tear up the Versailles treaty, and his unending hatred of the Jews. He openly hints at his desire to destroy the Jewish people many times. These views are mixed in with endless, incomprehensible rambling that will put you to sleep faster than Nyquil. Still, we only have to read it; Hitler was notorious for putting his own generals to sleep with his hours-long tirades.
   In any case, at the end of the book I was left with a feeling of disbelief that the rest of the world had not seen it coming, with this material available for anyone to read. I know that hindsight is 20/20, but hopefully the next time we are confronted with this kind of insanity, we'll be a little more quick to recognize it.



2. Well in the first part of Mein Kampf Hitler wrote mostly in prison so some things may be hard to put in perspective. His ideas were of very high standards for the white man and preserving heritage. This is not a book that some might have you think will lead to coercive action. The life story is interesting and does show how one man can actually make a huge impact when acting on beliefs. Good book to read for any one. Might be an eye opener for some, antithetical to what they were taught growing up. One thing he is dead on about is the media so that assertion goes along way from his time! So read up don't get mad cause you might be a liberal or Zionist pro Jew anti gentile! Be proud of what you are no matter who you are and remember it is alright to think out side the socialized illicit receptacle.



3. Mein Kampf from a history lovers point of view, is a great read. However, if your not a fan of the history subject you may find this book to be increadibly boring, a continuous flow of long words and sentences before our time. Understanding the complete facts about the second World War, is to understand both sides. If you only keep yourself to a one sided story, your no better than any of those critics or movie makers that produce films that slander our country. Such as Ferinhight 9/11. Excuse my spelling as I'm sure I mis-spelled quite a few words in this writing. If you plan on reading this book, understand what your getting yourself into. Yes, you may find some chapters to be increadibly obscene and stupid. Yes, I had to force myself through a couple of chapters. But, I promiss if you read this book, it may very well bring you to a better understanding of what was happening politicly and personaly to the people of Germany the few years before the second World War. All in All. I felt it was a good read. Do I believe everything and agree with him on everything he has to say???.......No.....



4. [...]
   
   What I read so far is fascinating so I guess I'll have to order another version of this book so I can finish reading it.
   
   Updated 8/30/08
   ----------------
   The [...] symbol above indicates where the editors removed part of my original review. They apparently didn't like exactly the way I said something (about the real source of the paper).
   
   My point was that this book is printed on very thin paper and with low quality ink. Also the type is small. All of these factors combined made it basically impossible to read in all but ideal lighting conditions which is no good for me since I bring my books into restaurants and other places to read them.
   
   At least the copy I purchased was. Maybe I got a bad copy I don't know.
   
   I'm still reading Mein Kampf but from a different publisher where the print quality is better. I'm finding it fascinating for just the historical information alone.
   
   Plus when it was written Hitler had not yet become the famous megalomaniac we all know about today. At the time of writing he was in prison with his buddy Hess after their failed attempt to overthrow the German government.
   
   Jeff Marzano
   
   The Mind of Adolf Hitler the Secret Wartime Report
   
   The Gulag Archipelago: 1918-1956
   
   First Circle
   
   Clint Eastwood Collection: Where Eagles Dare



5. I've given "Mein Kampf" 5 stars based on its historical importance, not on its literary or organizational quality. As a literary effort, the book is a disaster. It is an absolute whirlwind of ideas, observations and prejudices. Hitler repeats himself time and again and rarely follows an idea to its conclusion. Hitler would have done well to have employed a first-class editor but, given his ego, this was not a possibility. Perhaps it is even more remarkable that this thing became the Bible of the Third Reich and was actually given as a wedding present to all newly married German couples. I have little doubt that some of Hitler's true believers must have recognized the book's defects but were afraid to make any real criticism. This, in fact, is one of the real problems with leadership--dictatorships in particular. The leader almost automatically is insulated by a thick layer of 'yes-men' afraid to speak the truth. A fairly recent and egregious example of this was Sadam Hussein's inability to recognize that he was staring down the twin barrels of an American shotgun about to blow his head off. His numerous syncophants were too terrified of Hussein's lethal anger to speak the truth.
   
   Even so, the book is of value to the insightful historian. Hitler, in his own words, tells of the forces that shaped his belief system. To be certain, he frequently lies, perhaps to himself as well as the reader but even lies can lead to the truth. Antisemitism is not the main emphasis of this work but it's there. He claims, disingenuously I'm sure, that he never even heard the word 'Jew' while living at home i.e. that his anti-Jewish opinions were the product of personal observations of Vienna Jews. Then he turns around and cites the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion' as proof of Jewish malignancy. He hints darkly that the 'Jews will get theirs' but doesn't elaborate.
   
   Much of 'Mein Kamp' is a bitter diatribe against the extinct Austria-Hungary. His hatred--and Hitler has a lot of hatred--is partly because the A-H Empire sucked Germany into WWI but also because the Empire had become a polyglot of peoples [make that slavs] many of whom had positions in the Austro-Hungarian Parliament. Young Hitler, starving in Vienna and with time on his hands, seems to have spent a significant amount of time observing the parliamentary wrangling which he likens to something like the cacophony at the Tower of Babel. He describes how his observations pushed him towards anti-democratic beliefs.
   
   He makes a fairly insightful statement. He writes that in parliamentary democracy there is no one to take real responsibility. If things go right, everyone takes the credit. If things go wrong everyone points to members of the opposite party. How much better, he writes portentuously, that one man take responsibility, a person who is big enough to take both the credit and blame. Of course, this is precisely what Hitler eventually did.
   
   He pats himself on the back many times. He hates the Communists but not individual German Communists who he sees as men, much like himself, who are aimless, post war wanderers looking for solutions. He cites a number of cases in which Communist goons enter his beer hall meetings in order to heckle and break things up. He claims that these same goons walk away convinced Nazis.
   
   Is it true? Maybe. Communists appealed to 'true believers' as did the Nazis. As Erich Hofer writes in his 'True Believer', it is not possible to convince a true believer but you can convert him. Hitler was a powerful and charasmatic speaker and no doubt appealed to true believers--even Communists--seeking for answers. I've even heard the testimonies of two Jewish men who were prevailed on to attend a Hitler speech. Both testify as to the power of the event and how, before the speech was over, they too felt a need to 'do something about the Jews.'
   
   Hitler writes that one of Germany's greatest blunders in WWI was to fight a two front war. Of course, Germany had little alternative because Russia and the Western Entente declared war on Germany almost simultaneously. We, in reading Hitler's book have knowledge how he actually performed when he came into power. Early on, most of his moves were fairly reasoned and were, of course, extremely lucky. He was able to make a treaty with Soviet Russia and the West backed down time and again. It started to come apart when he invaded Poland but again--and against the advice of his generals--he proved incredibly successful against the Poles and then the French.
   
   He was stymied by the English...but...if he had continued to exert full force against the English he might very well have proved successful in driving England out of the War. He did something both remarkable and inexplicable. He invaded his erstwhile partner, Soviet Russia--leaving the fighting English on his flank. In doing so he directly contravened his own military advisors and, more particularly, his own advice in 'Mein Kampf'. Why?
   
   For what it's worth, I'll offer several possibilities. Following his own star, Hitler had proven ridiculously successful even in the face of detractors. He may have believed that he was fated to achieve victory...no matter what. Another explanation is that Hitler really didn't want to destroy England. He reckoned that they were fellow Aryans and would sooner-or-later partner with him. They were, in his opinion, neutralized by his occupation of Europe and U-boats. On the other hand, this would have been a truly stupid conclusion. The English had battled valiantly and showed every sign that they would fight on.
   
   My own suspicion is that Hitler, who was probably bipolar, was starting to feel the effects of his physician's daily amphetamine injections. Hitler became, quite simulataneously, increasingly grandiose and paranoid. He thought he could fly over tall buildings. He couldn't miss. Proof? His subsequent personal and military behaviour. Time and again he made increasingly stupid military decisions. Some of the more remarkable were his orders to Rommel, defeated in North Africa, and von Paulus, surrounded at Stalingrad, not to retreat. Rommel disobeyed orders and his army lived to fight another day. Von Paulus followed orders and lost an army of 340,000 men. Another is at Kursk, the largest battle in world history. Hitler and his staff had evidence that the battle plan was compromised but went for it anyway and lost big.
   
   Another is the D-Day invasion. Hitler's staffers, terrified of his towering anger, didn't wake him up to tell him the truth. The Battle of the Bulge is another. The war was all but over but he organized his scant reserves--forces that could have been better used to slow the advancing Russians--to try to force something like a major victory against the Western Allies. Again Hitler only managed to hasten his end.
   
   Ron

5 comments about Easy Company Soldier: The Legendary Battles of a Sergeant from World War II's "Band of Brothers".

1. Having read the "Band Of Brothers" by Ambrose and the books written by Maj. Dick Winters which were all great books and very interesting, Don Malarky also came up with a very good one. He sure lasted a lot longer in combat than the average infantryman. He seemed very conscientious in doing his job. I can relate to a lot of the situations that he was in. I was in "Easy Company" 318th Reg. 80th Division. Our 2nd Battalion was attached to the 4th Armored and made the contact to the 101st Div. at Bastogne. I've read most of the memoirs of the ETO fighting and this one rates among the best.



2. A good easy read and another great perspective of the efforts of the soldiers of the 101st. Not written as boldly as some other easy company author's work but a good read`all the same. When comparing you do however pick up on how the wars affect was different for the individual soldiers of easy co.



3. Excellent story and book. Sgt. Malarkey played a major role in the Band of Brothers which I have watched at least 10 times. My Uncle fought in the Battle of the Bulge yet seldom mentioned what he went through...except he had frost bite up past his ankles. He never mentioned his medals: Two Bronze Stars, Good Conduct Medal and the Victory Ribbons. We learned of these from the VA upon his death at the age of 95.
   
   Thank you Sgt. Malarkey for writing this book.



4. This book gives a pretty good look at the a typical member of the Band of Brothers...from his growing up, to some of his thoughts during the way, to how he dealt with the aftermath. I was five years and one month old when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and all of my male cousins were involved in different branches of the service. I guess that is what got me interested in the war and people who took part in it. I just wish we had people as dedicated today...from my cousins to the "Band of Brothers." Our country would be a lot better off.



5. Great book from Malarkey. He has a open, honest writing style that gives you a very realistic look at the life of an Easy Company Soldier. You will not get fluff here. I have all of the men's books. I like Don's the best! His life back home after the war was very interesting too. If you follow Easy - read this book, you will be surprised by much of his remarks. I sent him my book, and he was kind enough to sign it for me.