1 comments about Holy Warriors: A Modern History of the Crusades.

1. Someone has finally written a history of the Crusades that is easily understood and appreciated, from the causes, the reasons to the personalites involved.
   
   And it also shows how those long ago holy battles continue to have a profound impact on our world today, from the World Trade Center to the latest jihad.
   
   A book that all who seek to understand the religious conflicts of our day--and tomorrow--should read.
   
   It may well be critical to our full and complete understanding of where we came from and how we got where we are today, as a world, as people of faith(s), and as people not afraid of, even eager, to go to war. The spilling for blood for a cause is not unusual. This book is is the story of those causes, of the men who caused the blood to be spilled in defense of God as they knew him to be.
   
   Quite gripping and at times a disturbing story,but a story critical to our understanding of today's world. And in words,thoughts and concepts we can understand and relate to.

5 comments about Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10.

1. Surely, you the know the background of his story, but hearing about the physical and mental extremes he went through during this historical fight from the lone survivor makes it a must read. SF soldiers have a never back down, never quit, always succeed mentality and he makes their very clear in his book. Remember, this is the guy to got in a high speed chase after two thugs killed his dog.



2. Lone survivor is an awesome book. I like the audio version and played it back and forth to work. What a story. God bless the Navy Seals. They are true heroes. Marcus Lutrell is THE MAN!



3. I have read several military books, all of which I have enjoyed (Shooter, Inside the Crosshairs, House to House, Marine Sniper, just to name a few). But this was by far the most interesting war book I have ever read, and I read the entire book within two days (not bad for a college student with multiple tests that week). The book was just captivating and simply hard to put down.
   
   The first half of the book is somewhat a review for anyone familiar with SEAL training and Hell Week, but the writers found a way to make it very personal and interesting, tracing Mr. Luttrell's journey through BUD's. The writers take the reader on a first hand account of Class 226 and 228's training.
   
   Slightly before midway through the book is when the writers begin the narration of Operation Red Wing, and I can honestly say I read the remaining 200+ pages nonstop. The account of that dreadful operation is simply amazing, and Mr. Luttrell's story got my heart racing at times, and had me tearing up in others. Just an amazing account of what happened and the men involved.
   
   I can understand some reviews that say Mr. Luttrell uses the book as his soap-box against the "liberal media", and quite frankly the reviewers are correct. Although I agree with Mr. Luttrell to an extent on the issue, I did at times get a little frustrated hearing about the topic repeatedly.
   
   But to be honest, this is such a minor detail in the book, and does not take away enough away from the books main purpose of telling the story of the brave men involved in Operation Red Wing and their heroics. Anyone who would give this book a one star rating for the political message in the book is out of their mind, and I truly believe that, because it is such a minor part of the book. Furthermore, anyone who claims the book is boring or written poorly, well I would love to hear some recommendations from you all, because it would have to be ONE HELL of an exciting book!
   
   If you are interested in a story of modern warfare and the men who risk all conducting it, this is the book for you, I highly recommend it!



4. Excellent story of Navy Seal training, patriotism, modern warfare and the men who risk all conducting it. Very readable and intelligent. I highly recommend it!



5. I really enjoy reading these military accounts which take you behind the lines and make you feel like you're right there with the military members who are living these incredible events. I thought it was a great story of his life and training and preparation and the very heroic battle that these brave warriors fought to protect and defend all of us who are so lucky to live in this great country. It makes me appreciate our military more after reading this book. It was a great read.

5 comments about The Last Train from Hiroshima: The Survivors Look Back (John MacRae Books).

1. This creep is a total fake. How dare he pollute this ultimate, terrible, supremely important topic with his self-promoting forgeries? Avoid this guy and everything he does.



2. My father was at the launch of the Enola Gay. I bought "The Last Train from Hiroshima" to research the history that surrounds this historic and tragic event. Now that it has been revealed that the book contains inaccuracies to the point of being a work of fiction, I would encourage any one considering the purchase of this book to resist the temptation. If you want an account of the impact of the bomb on the victims of Hiroshima, read John Hersey's "Hiroshima." It has stood the test of time and is factual. It is a classic.



3. I love military history - everything from the Revolution through Vietnam. So, needless to say I was looking forward to reading this one. Being a Barnes & Noble member, imagine my surprise to find that I could not purchase the book at my local store. However, I was told that "Amazon is still selling it". Of course that piece of good news quickly went sour when I read the most recent reviews and actual media reports.
   
   And the author's attempts to explain away the errors ("I used pseudonyms to protect them") only serves to compound his credibility problem. Clearly he is back-pedaling as quickly as possible.
   
   And now my desire to read this book is trumped by my disgust at being misled, or at least an attempt to mislead. So, I'll pass, thanks just the same.



4. Pellegrino's "The Last Train From Hiroshima" tells the personal stories of many Japanese citizens directly affected by our A-bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Among those stories are some of the 165 who survived the first A-bomb (8/6/1945 at Hiroshima), traveled to Nagasaki (173 miles away) - many on the last train from Hiroshima, and were subjected to a second A-bomb just three days later. One of those 'doubly-bombed' was Mitsubishi oil-tanker designer Tsutomu Yamaguchi. Ironically, at the time of the Nagasaki bombing Yamaguchi was trying to convince his boss and co-workers in Nagasaki of how powerful the Hiroshima bomb had been. After WWII ended, Mr. Yamaguchi became a carpenter and helped rebuild schools, then a school-teacher, and finally was asked by the Japanese government to speak to the U.N. in 2006, where he pleaded for mutual cooperation and assistance, as well as the abolition of nuclear weapons. Mr. Yamaguchi lived lived to be 93, dying in early 2010 of stomach cancer just before the book was released.
   
   Pellegrino's book has generated controversy due to his often quoting an American flight engineer, Joseph Fuoco, who claimed to be aboard 'Bock's Car' when it bombed Nagasaki, and substantiated that claim to Pellegrino with a number of documents and photos. Feedback and photos from early readers and other sources indicate that Fuoco was not on that flight. Regardless, since the focus of Pellegrino's book is on the experiences of Japanese citizens near 'Ground Zero,' the veracity of Fuoco's claims don't make much, if any overall difference. More troubling, perhaps, is the fact that the book's publisher (Henry Holt) has stopped printing because of questions over the revocation of Pellegrino's PhD. degree in 1984, and the true identity of a Japanese priest identified with only a pseudonym.
   
   Only 1.2 lbs (two teaspoons) of 83% enriched material actually fissioned, and that required only one-hundred-millionth of a second. People directly below were vaporized. Surviving either of the blasts was largely a matter of luck - how close one was to the epicenter (85% were killed within a mile at Hiroshima), whether there was any substantive shelter between the individual and the blast (a bomb-shelter tunnel, in the basement of a bank; the Nagasaki area was hillier than Hiroshima), whether one was facing the blast at initial detonation (likely blinded, and face severely charred/burned), and whether one was wearing light, long-sleeved clothes and hat (black clothing almost guaranteed immediate death for those close-in). Those knowledgeable enough to not turn and look at the blast and instead immediately leap to the ground (preferably within a ditch) had much higher odds of survival - especially if they were not subsequently directly exposed to the subsequent radioactive black rain that followed.
   
   Many survived the initial blast, only to quickly fall ill and die from radiation sickness. About half the fatalities occurred on the first day; Hiroshima officials estimated about 60% of these were due to burns. (Many Japanese said the burning flesh smelled like squid grilled over hot coals.) Others lived for 1-2 years or even as long as a decade, then died of leukemia; still others died later at an early age of various cancers. A very few benefited - the blast reshaped their eyeballs and eliminated the need for glasses; one physician was reportedly dying of intestinal cancer, then went into remission after the blast and survived - supposedly because of the 'radiation treatment.'
   
   Pellegrino explicitly avoids addressing the question of whether the U.S. should have dropped either or both bombs, though he does reveal that the pilots involved were quite worried that more would be needed. The Japanese cabinet met with Emperor Hirohito for two hours after Nagasaki before he decided to surrender. Even then, some military leaders plotted to isolate the Emperor to prevent his declaring an end to fighting. They guessed, correctly, that the U.S. had no more A-bombs, but also grossly overestimated how long it would take to make more - only 1-2 months in actuality. Regardless, their plot melted away when some of the leaders learned that the American armada was already closing in on Tokyo. Japan surrendered on 8/15/1945.
   
   Pellegrino also tells us that prior to the Hiroshima bombing, local school-children were carving wooden bullets for fighting at close range (metal was scarce), sharpening bamboo spears, and constructing two-shot wooden handguns for distribution to children and their mothers. Near Ground Zero, a military physician was teaching new soldiers, some only 14-15, new procedures for strapping bombs to their bodies and throwing themselves under vehicles. Any invasion of Japan was bound to create enormous casualties on both sides. Some estimate that about one million American casualties and several million Japanese would have resulted, vs. the 150,000 - 250,000 that died in the A-blasts. Prior to dropping the A-bombs, U.S. fire-bombing had already resulted in great destruction of 67 Japanese cities and as many as 500,000 deaths - without deterring Japanese determination.
   
   Pellegrino does a good job telling the stories of the Japanese in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Unfortunately, conveying the destruction requires more than words, and he includes zero pictures - a major deficit. "The Effects of Nuclear Weapons," published by the Atomic Energy Commission in 1962, provides a number of photos from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. (Presumably James Cameron will also fill that void - he has optioned the book for a movie.)
   
   Bottom-Line: "Little Boy" (Hiroshima) had a yield of about 15 KT, "Fat Man" (Nagasaki) was larger - 21 KT. Both are quite small by today's standards. The most powerful American (thermonuclear) bomb exploded was 15 MT; the Russians countered with 50 MT - about 3,000 times more powerful. One estimate (Answerbag.com) is that if an 'only' 200 KT thermonuclear bomb had instead been been dropped on Nagasaki, 690,000 would have been killed. That's still 250 times smaller than the largest Russian bomb, and it was only half-loaded with nuclear fuel (bilderberg.org). Regardless, thousands of these monstrous bombs are now held by both the U.S. and Russia. Some are presumably hidden underwater just off our coasts reading for launch at the push of a button - with impact only minutes later. It really doesn't matter whether Fuoco was on Bock's Car over Nagasaki or not, who the priest was or if he even existed, or why Pellegrino's PhD. was revoked. The 'real' issue is whether "The Last Train From Hiroshima" describes our future.



5. I went through Hiroshima in 1959 and saw the devastation. I also wrote a book on WWII Pacific POWs that included a great deal of research on Nagasaki. The book is a thorough study of the results of the atomic bomb damage and the lasting and continuing results. The writing is a vivid picture of the death and suffering but does not relate the horrors of fire bombing elsewhere in Japan although fire bombing didn't have the long term effects. The author also missed the Japanese exploding their own atomic bomb three days after the bombing of Nagasaki. A great book.

5 comments about Whirlwind: The Air War Against Japan, 1942-1945.

1. When I saw the first ads for this book I thought that somebody MUST have covered all allied air operations over Japan in one volume before--but apparently not. At least I couldn't find it. In that regard alone, Whirlwind fills a gap in military/naval/aviation history that has existed for 65 years.
   
   It's understandable that most of what's been published focuses on B-29 missions from China and the Marianas. But Tillman does an excellent job of merging all the air forces that flew over the Japanese home islands, and the often overlooked US Navy, Marine Corps and British units receive much deserved attention. The background chapters describing the evolution of army and naval aviation are thorough without being excessive, and the author does an especially good job describing the individuals who produced operating doctrine and procedures as well as influencing the hardware: aircraft and ships.
   
   Probably the least known aspect of the Japanese air campaign is covered in a short appendix: Army and Navy operations from the Aleutian Islands to the Kuriles. The book would not have suffered much from omitting that section, but it's definitely enhanced by the inclusion of the "Empire Express" missions.
   
   The photo section is interesting in itself: a fine variety with good quality reproduction.
   
   It's obvious that Tillman knows his subject, and he reports its sacrifice and horror chillingly, as in a memorable passage describing the March 1945 fire bombing of Tokyo. We can be thankful that he and other "last minute" historians are recording such stories while there are still some WW II veterans to relate their tales. A quick look at the contributors shows that many are already deceased, so this book probably could not have been written in another five years.



2. Author Barrett Tillman has produced a welcome reminder of the efficacy of air power in Whirlwind. The most authentic and interesting presentation yet of the powerful 1945 air campaign in which true air power was realized for the first time, Whirlwind achieves every author's aim by being both scholarly and immensely readable. In telling the story of the U.S.A.A.F.'s pell-mell growth first to maturity and then to ascendancy in the skies over Japan, Tillman combines history in painstaking detail with the warm human drama of the conflict. One unusual, difficult but very valuable contribution is the care he takes to present both the American and the Japanese points of view at every level, from combat crewmember to commander.
   
   The author covers all aspects of the air campaign against Japan, from Jimmy Doolittle's famous strike through the searing power of General LeMay's intensive fire-bombing campaign and le coup de grace of two atomic bombs. The accounts of the remarkable results from the B-29 aerial mining campaign are a welcome addition to the book, reminding us again of just how versatile the big Boeing bomber proved to be.
   
   Tillman pulls no punches, laying out in detail just how destructive the bombing raids were but also reminding us of what a dreadful enemy the Japanese military proved to be with their heartless slaughter of captured airmen and their demonstrated intent to use every able civilian to repel an invasion. There is much to be learned from this book about World War II, and perhaps even more on the proper conduct of warfare at the present time, when the exercise of air power seems to be shelved in favor of futile attempts to win hearts and minds.



3. I am not a veteran. I am not an aviator. I am not a historian. I'm just a casual reader who watches History Channel from time to time. I loved this book. I've read a couple of Tillman's other books (Dauntless, and one he co-wrote with Coyle.) Those were fiction books. Although his specialty is detailed, meticulously researched history, he's a good story-teller.
   
   It's not dry, like a history book. History is about real stuff that really happened to real people, and what comes across strongest about this book is how the author gets into the minds of the people. Apparently, he sat down and talked to the actual participants, and reports what they were thinking and feeling when these momentous things were going on.
   
   Lots of stuff in here I never knew. Everybody knows about Kamikaze pilots flying into ships, but I did not know there were Kamikaze pilots who flew into B29s. Why isn't that as well known?
   
   I never knew about the bitter, bitter animosity between the Japanese Army and the Japanese Navy. Apparently, that had a profound effect on the conduct and outcome of the war. Maybe military historians knew about that, but I never did, and that seems like the sort of thing that the general public should know.
   
   What I really love about the book, though, is the insight into the people. What a soap opera! There were people who were so brave, and so brilliant, that if Hollywood tried to make a movie about them, they would be almost unbelievable. (Think Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List.) There were also people who had been "promoted to their level of incompetence" and, after they royally screwed up and got lots of men killed, were promoted/"kicked upstairs" to get them out of the way. No punches pulled here.
   
   This book emphasis the "story" part of "history." Fascinating book.



4. This book, like Barrett Tillman's other excellent book, the Clash of Carriers, provides the personal experiences of the men who were involved in bombing Japan. However, it also provides the strategic context for these events. Of course, the personal experiences are what makes this book. We are coming to the point where these men will no longer be with us, and sharing their experiences in print is priceless.
   
   Here are a couple of examples to whet your appetite for this book. (1) There is the story of the gunner who was blown out of a B-29 at 29,000 feet and thanks to a make shift chord connecting him to the plane was dragged outside of the plane until a number of the crew could pull him in. (2) There is the story of the individual who accidentally fired off a flare in the plane. If the flare was not thrown out the window, it would burn through the plane's floor and detonate the bombs. Although he was blinded by the accident, he picked up the flare and threw it out the window. He received the Medal of Honor for his action.
   
   Like his previous book, the author shares some insight on how things were accomplished in this period. For example, he shares how a bombadier made a Norden bombsight work, how a landing officer on a carrier helped a plane land on a bouncing deck, and the experiences of a P-51 fighter pilot who flew from Iwo Jima to Japan in a cramped uncomfortable space for 7 hours.
   
   These are just some examples. He also shares the experiences of the men who were on the planes that dropped the first two atomic bombs, the experiences of the crews who fire bombed Tokyo in March, 1945, the carrier pilots who flew over Japan and had dog fights over their cities in the last few months, and the crews of bombers other than the B-29, e.g. the B-25 and B-24, who bombed Japan at the end of the war.
   
   This is an excellent book and recommended for all individuals who are interested in reading about WWII in the Pacific.



5. The story of the B29 campaign against Japan is a microcosm of how the USA did its part to win World War II. Whirlwind tells the remarkable stories of:
   
   1. The stupendous achievement in engineering technology and industrial production that went into the design, production, and deployment of the plane. The B29 was a gigantic plane, two of which would placed wing-to-wing would cover an entire football field. It was highly advanced with fire control by analog computing and remote-control of multiple gun turrets by a single crewman. The USA was able to produce thousands of these planes and create in the remote areas of China and the Pacific Islands the almost inconceivable infrastructure required to keep them flying.
   
   2. The astounding degree of cooperation among engineers, production workers, and the branches of the armed forces to get this weapon into the war. A remarkably short time passed between the conception of this plane, its production, and its deployment. This was one aspect of America's wartime spirit of intensively hard work to win the war.
   
   3. The huge amount of resources the USA committed to the effort. The first B29's were flown from bases deep inside Japanese-occupied China (I did not know this). The logistics of setting up these remote bases and keeping them stocked with fuel was a war within a war. Then the B29s were rebased to the Pacific islands and the effort scaled up a 100 fold.
   
   4. The amount of effort required to work the "gremlins" out of the highly complex plane and to make it effective. Nearly 20% of the planes aborted due to mechanical failures on the early missions. Most of the planes that did get airborne missed their targets due to bad weather and poor bombing control. Careers of many famous Army Air Corps men were ended while others were advanced in the course of dealing with these problems and turning the planes from a liability into a weapon of terrible effectiveness.
   
   5. The human stories of the men who flew the planes, the generals who conceived of the air campaign, and of the Japanese pilots who tried to defend against them. The story is vividly told through their perspectives and made to come to life. The reader will experience these events so vividly as to feel that he took part in them.
   
   Whirlwind is a well-written, easy-to-read book that provides a detail of information and color that will provide fresh insights even of those who have intensively studied the B29 campaign in other books.

5 comments about Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War.

1. This is a gritty tale from its beginning when a green 2nd Lieutenant gets his first assignment at a forward firebase not far from the DMZ. He has to work to earn the trust of seasoned veterans, deal with slackers, racial prejudices, jungle rot, and other challenges faced by marine officers on the ground during the Vietnam war. There are also glimpses into the politics of military hierarchies, and trying to work into and be accepted by that chain of command as an outsider (non-Naval Academy product).
   
   The story is written realistically, including a particularly unvarnished application of foul language, aspects of health, language, and military lingo.
   
   If you are a fan of military fiction, complete with a healthy dose of marine jargon and plenty of colorful language, then you'll probably like this Matterhorn.
   
   To be frank, the story lines were a bit too gritty and the language was too colorful for my tastes.
   
   3 stars.



2. Karl Marlantes' "Matterhorn" is destined to be a classic. This novel--Marlantes' first, which he spent 30 years writing--is not only a terrific piece of military writing, it's one of the best books (of any genre) I've ever read. "Matterhorn" is one of those rare books I actually hated to finish. The Matterhorn of this novel is a fictionalized hill just south of the DMZ in Vietnam and the story covers several months in the late 1960s in the midst of 22-year old Marine Lt Waino Mellas' 13-month tour and focuses primarily on the Platoon Mellas commands (as well as the larger Company and Battalion as a whole). Marlantes is a decorated Marine (Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts) and "Matterhorn" reads like a first-hand account of several harrowing months in the Vietnam jungle. It's riveting stuff and an incredibly fast and thoughtful read through 600+ pages.
   
   Lt Mellas' Company faces many daunting tasks in this novel to include the mountain jungle of central Vietnam, a determined foe in the NVA, the racial strife of the late 60s, monsoon rain, tigers, leeches, disease, trenchfoot, and all of this as teenagers or recent teens. Marlantes does a masterful job of describing the interactions between the officer corps and the enlisted troops. He also portrays the various motivations of each and the difficulty Mellas (and his fellow lieutenants) face in leading troops into battle based on orders they find dubious at best. Character development and interaction and the writing is terrific and Marlantes' description of the trials these Marines face is first-rate. "Matterhorn" easily rates on par with the best military fiction I have read (to include Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried", James Jones' "The Thin Red Line", or any of the war fiction Hemingway wrote). Very Highly Recommended and a must read for any fans of military writing.



3. This is an excellent story about the way it was a a grunt Marine during the Vietnam War. The descriptions of the terrible conditions, psychological pressures and the fear of what lies just ahead is just so different than today's War of Terrorism.
   
   Duplicitous senior officers commit the grunts to seemingly impossible tasks, yet the spirit of these Marines and their fear of getting one of their band of brothers killed because of their individual mistake or fears, cause them to continue on in the face of horrible devastation.
   
   This is the most realistic novel since James Webb's Fields of Fire. A great read that will keep you on the edge of your chair!



4. I found this novel nothing but rehashed drivel. Vietnam was a debacle of towering dimensions and this over simplifies it to the level of insult. I found it offensive.



5. In school, I hated history class. I think it was because we were required to learn dates and important historic events rather than learning the experiences people had when creating this world we live in. There didn't seem to be a connection with the people that made you feel for them during their struggle. I find that biographies, and especially autobiographies, are able to really tell you how good/lucky those people were during their historic events. This book, although will more than likely never make it into any history book, was exactly what I like in a history book. I felt like I was there with them during the good, bad, and really really bad. This is the best book I have read in a very long time. Just be prepared, it is a really long book.

5 comments about The Book Thief.

1. I first heard about this book when Markus Zusak was talking about it on the radio, and I thought it sounded interesting. The first thing that hooked me was the writing style and perspective - how often do you read books narrated by Death? It's hard not to be intrigued. Though this book is long (it's definitely not an action-filled suspense novel), it's well worth the read. It took me quite a while to finish, but when I finally reached the end, I could not help but cry my eyes out. This book truly changed what I knew about World War II and how I've looked at books since. The Book Thief proves that books really can change your life.



2. This is one of the best books I have read in a LONG time. The writing is beautiful, and the story is very poignant. The way Zusak uses certain words and phrases together in a way you wouldn't normally is captivating. As a high school English teacher, I have recommended this book to all of my students, colleagues, and friends. The characters stay with you long after you have finished reading. It is funny, sad, enlightening, and thought provoking. I believe that this book is destined to be a classic.



3. Oddly, I make my living teaching reading, but ended up listening on audio to what has turned out to be one of my favorite "reads" in the past few years. Narrated by Allan Corduner, who gives "Death", our narrator, the perfect voice -- this book was so compelling I had a hard time turning off my iPod at the end of my commute!
   
   I am not going to rehash the plot as that has been done hundreds of times here. Suffice to say this is a brilliantly told story about finding joy in the smallest things in life -- be they a miniature snow man or a stolen book about grave digging. Add the very somber backdrop of Germany during the worst of WW II, and these small pleasures take on a deep resonance.
   
   There are many themes running through this book but one of the most important ones is that you cannot make instant judgments about people. It may be something as huge as not assuming everyone in Nazi Germany was evil or as simple as realizing the foster mother who swears at you non stop is really a very loving caretaker underneath her bluster. In fact, "Death" may not even be what you think he/she is.
   
   The Book Thief is also a very good "coming of age" story -- which is probably why it was branded "Young Adult" in genre. But fumbling through adolescence while Nazis and Allied bombs are threatening your existence is not your average Judy Blume book.
   
   This book belongs in any high school library, but it also belongs on many adults nightstands.



4. This book worked for me on several levels: simple yet captivating prose, memorable characters and scenes, a story that is at once grim, hopeful and oddly whimsical, and a truly unique narrator (Death). It conveys not only the well-known horrors of Nazi Germany but also the many levels of victimhood that dominate all parts of a society at war. The Book Thief should appeal to thoughtful teens as well as adults.



5. I read this as a bookclub pick and while the beginning feels a little slow it is well worth finishing. To quote a friend "It makes you feel".
   
   Kindle version - no editing/formating issues

5 comments about Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour.

1. This is a compelling entry in modern World War II scholarship, a cross-genre look at several pivotal Americans in London during a critical time in the early period of the war.
   
   Pulling together accounts from a myriad of sources, Olson paints a vivid picture of the intrigue, machinations, courage, and hardships faced by Londoners as they rose up to confront the Nazi bombardment and rally American support for the war effort. Interestingly, not everyone suffered equally, as Olson notes, and some who were selfish and privileged before the war were just as selfish and privileged during it.
   
   Very readable, I would recommend this for anyone interested in the period.



2. Outstanding Research and presentation. Facts that l had never heard before, and presented in page turner fashion.



3. There are plenty of books that focus on WWII, but Citizens Of London is one of the few I've read that aims to look at the subject from a fresh vantage point: the book looks at the impact of a few high-powered Americans in Britain during the war, but before American involvement in it. The men include the well-known crusading journalist Ed Murrow, the wealthy and politically talented Averell Harriman, and the most obscure of the group, John Winant, the U.S. Ambassador. Later chapters focus on Eisenhower, who performed some similar tasks once the U.S. had entered the war. In essence, Winant, Harriman and Murrow were on the scene in Britain before America entered the war, trying to build relationships both with elites as well as with the British public by educating them, by educating the Americans about their plight, and by advocating on their behalf during the darkest days of the war. These men were famous men in England at the time--they were practically rock stars, mobbed by adoring fans--and they were instrumental in establishing relations between the two peoples. Lynne Olson does an excellent job of letting us know what these men were about and making them seem like real people--even though they had some similarities (such as having affairs with female members of the Churchill family!), the three men were very different people. I rather liked the book's treatment of Winant, an unsung figure in this chapter of history, and I was able to relate to him on many levels.
   
   So, if this book is so great, why not five stars? Well, I do feel that it could have been a bit shorter. Some of the latter chapters ignore the concept of the book entirely and mostly give general history on the latter stages of WWII, which I already knew. So, that brings it down just a bit for me. All in all, though, I would highly recommend the book to my fellow students of history. These men helped save the world. Honor their memories, and get this book!



4. Citizens of London is another fine work of World War II history by Lynne Olson. The book primarily focusses on three Americans who lived in London during the war: US Ambassador John Gilbert Winant, diplomat Averell Harriman, and broadcaster Ed Murrow. I knew quite a bit about Harriman and Murrow but little or nothing about Winant. All three men were influential in helping to form and nurture the "special relationship" between the US and Great Britain that eventually led to the Allied victory. The three had numerous personal interconnections, including liaisons with members of the Churchill family, Harriman and Murrow with the Prime Minister's daughter-in-law Pamela and Winant with his daughter Sarah.
   
   The most important parts of Citizens of London deal with the events of World War II. There can never be too many retellings of the hammering the British withstood during the war, and Olson's is one of the best. But even more important is the new information (at least its new to me) about the innumerable stresses and strains of the alliance between the US and Britain. As an ardently Anglophile American, I take great pride in the "special relationship", and it was eyeopening, to say the least, to read Olson's descriptions of the arguments and debates that took place between the British and American leadership during and after the war. The Americans felt the British looked down on them, while the British feared that US policy aimed to permanently weaken them. Beyond the chronicles of the lives of the three main characters are the stories of many others, both British and American, who played important roles during the war years. I remember Eric Sevareid and Charles Collingwood as elderly newsmen, so it was fascinating to read about their younger years. I was also touched to read about the many interactions between British civilians and American servicemen and the friendships that resulted. I almost cried when I read about English villagers offering strawberries and cream to Americans on the way to the D-Day landings or US soldiers in Normandy who were anxiously questioning Eisenhower about the fates of English towns which had been hit by Nazi V-1 bombs, or of the many letters sent by Americans at the front back to their friends in Britain.
   
   Citizens of London is an excellent recapitulation of an heroic time. If the story turns out to be darker and more convoluted than the legend would have it, it does not obscure the fact that two nations facing a common foe came to be partners and friends.



5. Citizens of London is well written. It gives the reader a totally different perspective on what it was like to live in London before World War II. I was intrigued by people like Gil Winant, our ambassador who replaced Joe Kennedy in London, as well as Edward R. Murrow and his dedication to reporting the "real stories" of life in London during the Blitz and how Americans were perceived during that time.

5 comments about With the Old Breed.

1. This book deserves that sixth star. It should share the spotlight with the likes of Iron Coffin. E.B. Sledge paints a true picture of war with all of it smells, gore and humane reactions and personalities. As a Viet Nam vet I can relate to the authors story and realize that the conditions of WWII and WWI were exponentialy worse.



2. I would highly recommend this book about WWII in the Pacific. Sledge has a remarkable way of writing that makes you feel what he felt.



3. I've read a lot of books about WWII, particularly the Pacific theater. I deeply respect the fact that no one who hasn't experienced combat can really understand what it's like. If you're a veteran, my comments don't apply. But for a civilian like me, this book comes the closest to giving an idea of how awful it was. Just to think about what these men did, and what they endured to get it done, runs a shiver up my spine. An incredible story.



4. Stick your head up, you die. The descriptions here assault all your senses. The definitive story from a front line marine. It ain't pretty. It will shock some. But it is what happened.



5. I'm about half way through the Kindle edition of this book and have to say it is excellent. There are moments when you are brought into the battle so vividly you almost want to find a place to hide. The descriptions of the thirst Sledge and his fellow marines experienced are real and painful. The battle scenes are haunting. If you are interested in the Pacific Theater during WWII please read this book.

5 comments about Helmet for My Pillow: From Parris Island to the Pacific.

1. I have spent years reading personal accounts of WWII in the Pacific; this book does not measure up. The author cannot settle on a writing style as he struggles between wanting to be a poet or historian. I bought the book for its historical significance, not as an art piece.
   
   I rarely found myself in sympathy with his character and frequently pictured him as a belligerent trouble maker (of which he was obviously proud).
   
   Perhaps 20% of the book provides genuine insight; the remainder is nothing more than filler.
   
   If you are looking for a story to skim read, with little substance, then buy this book. For me, the rating of 3 stars is a gift.



2. "Helmet for my Pillow" is a book written by writer who was from my hometown of Rutherford, NJ. He had a personal relationship with his family physician William Carlos Williams the great poet. They spent much time together and you do not know how much of William's descriptive poetry style rubbed off on Leckie. I found his vocabulary to be extensive. You must keep in mind that he is describing a terrible yet historical time in U.S. history and he is attempting to give his fellow comrades in the marines their fair due. He never names a person by their real name and I think that is masterful because it shows how you do not want to get too personal with your fellow marines, because, they will be may gone at some point soon. He wrote the book after seeing 'South Pacific" when he walked out half way through the play and said to his wife Vera "I am going to write a book to tell the true story of what took place in the South Pacific". He wanted to honor his friends who gave up so much whether they lived or died. The book is hard reading but not as hard as he had it. He was a wild guy who tells the truth. He doesn't mix word or actions. Yeah, they drank a lot. From basic training to the awful islands where they would steal Saki when they could. After a while you begin to wonder if all the marines drank that much. Yet you must remember that his generation started the cocktail hour and they lived by "Its 5 O'clock, Dear Lets have a drink!". To sum it up they are making a huge HBO show 10 parts series about it, so whether you like it or not it is a must read to appreciate the show. I read it, and, I will have a much better understanding of what those men went through. I would recommend this book. I never met Mr. Leckie as far back as I can recall. My mother and uncles were his very close friends at St. Mary's high school, in Rutherford. He was the youngest of 8 kids and it is quite exceptional that the baby in the family turned out to be such a success. He wrote over 40 books in his lifetime and he is a man with a high school education. The Sisters of St. Dominic must have done a greast job teachingb him when he wasn't playing hookie.



3. Not really a war memoir. The author describes more the times before and after the battles. The reader can experience the transition from untrained civilian to veteran. Mixed into the story are the surreal exploits of the marines in Australia after Guadacanal. Fine companion piece to the other books used as a basis for the HBO series.



4. I first learned of this book when I read that it was being used as one of the sources for HBO's new miniseries about the Pacific theater in the Second World War. Having enjoyed the other source material being used, E. B. Sledge's superb memoir, With the Old Breed, I decided to track down a copy of Leckie's account and read it for myself. Because of this, I found myself comparing the two works as I read it, which influenced my overall opinion of the book.
   
   In many ways, the experiences of the two men were similar. Both were civilians prior to the Second World War; Leckie enlisted in the Marines a month after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. His account of basic training feels incredibly authentic, in part because of his attention to details. Leckie captures much of the mundane minutiae of learning how to be a Marine, from the bureaucratic experience of inoculation to the quest for a good time on leave. This sense of authenticity continues as he describes his deployment to Guadalcanal with the First Marine Division and his engagement with the war there. These experiences form the best part of the book, as his initial encounter with life as a Marine in both training and war reflect his interest in the novelty of it all.
   
   From Guadalcanal, Leckie's unit was returned to Australia for rest and refitting. This transformation into what he calls a "lotus-eater" also bears a real sense of verisimilitude, as unlike many memoirs of war he does not gloss over the search for release that often characterized breaks from the battles. It is here, though, that his account flags a little, and his return to combat in New Britain as part of Operation Cartwheel was perhaps the least interesting part of the book. The book improves with his subsequent experiences in the hospital in Banika and his final, abbreviated deployment to Peleliu, which ended with his injury and return to the States for the duration of the war.
   
   Reading this book, it is easy to see why it stands out as an account of the Second World War. Leckie's prose brings alive both the mundane routines of service and the violence of combat. It is when he is between the two that the book suffers, as his efforts at evocative prose about his surroundings in the jungle suffer from being a little overwrought, particularly in comparison to Sledge's plainer, more straightforward descriptions. Yet both need to be read for a fascinating portrait of what the war was like for the "new boots" who gave up their lives as civilians to fight in the humid jungles and barren islands of the Pacific.



5. This book was a disapointment. I had only read good reviews. Was expecting alot more.

4 comments about The Pacific.

1. The 10 segment HBO mini-series will focus on the Pacific theater as seen through the eyes of Robert Leckie, John Basilone and Eugene Sledge. Based on the books "With the Old Breed" by Sledge and "Helmet for my Pillow" by Leckie as well as other first person accounts and interviews, the series includes battles in Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima and Okinawa as well as the marines return after VJ Day. The Pacific is the companion book to the series but differs in some ways. It also features the stories of Ensign "Mike" Micheel who got his first experience as a dive bomber at the Battle of Midway and that of Lieutenant Austin Shofner who was a POW in Manila after being part of the initial unsuccessful attempt to hold the Philippines.
   
   As in HBO's prior WW II series, The Pacific manages to personalize events which have been portrayed on more of an epic level in presentations such as Victory at Sea. In doing so, it succeeds in conveying the larger than life terror that citizen soldiers faced just a few months removed from their everyday lives in their hometowns. Micheel describes the "puckering" he feels while preparing to dive bomb an enemy aircraft carrier. A marine experiencing repeated bombing runs by Japanese airplanes writes in his journal: "We are all nervous wrecks." As Shofner struggles to survive the extremes of deprivation in an enemy POW camp, his friend tells him "Death isn't hard. Death is easy." It is at that point that Shofner knows his friend will not survive the camp.
   
   What is extraordinary is how the men surmount these challenges and fight in the face of fear, doubt, lack of food and water, sleep deprivation and the illness that can result from all of these factors. Seeing the War in the Pacific through the eyes of the men who fought it, the reader comes to understand that while military strategy initiates each battle, individual acts of teamwork, sacrifice and courage drive the results that follow. It is impossible not to constantly ask yourself if you would have measured up under similar circumstance. It becomes increasingly difficult to answer confidently in the affirmative.
   
   The Pacific also illustrates how little information each person at the battlefront has about the larger context in which he is operating. Due to the necessity to keep military strategy secret as well as the challenges in conveying information on the front, marines exist on a diet of rumor and speculation as to what will next occur. The book also does a good job of showing the incredible logistical challenges involved in providing food, water and other supplies every day to large numbers of field personnel scattered across a wide area under hostile conditions. Technical resources, battle strategy, national will and individual courage determine military success in The Pacific but the ability to keep men hydrated determines whether they will be able to fight at all.
   
   My favorite parts of the book are the descriptions of American dive bombers. Just reading about a pilot idling his engine to begin an 8,000 foot virtual free fall dive to drop a thousand pound bomb on an enemy ship causes some "puckering." If the pilot survives the dive, he hopes to have enough gasoline to find his own fleet on return and then ends by dropping his Dauntless onto the moving top of an aircraft carrier. When needed, Ensign Micheel volunteers for a second mission later the same day.
   
   My father was a gunner on a destroyer escort in the Pacific. At his knees as a small child, I sat through countless viewings of Victory at Sea. As I got older, I could never fully understand how much a part of him his service was. I now know more about the war in which he served but I'm not sure I am that much closer to understanding what he felt. Reading books like The Pacific gives me some idea for how an 18 year old kid from East Boston could spend 3 years on a ship at war, return home with one photo over his workbench, a knife and a set of tattoos and never once talk about his experiences with his son. I wish I could have known him better and, at the same time, hope that I could have served as resolutely if needed.



2. As a huge fan of Band of Brothers I couldn't wait for the series to start so I picked up Ambrose's The Pacific in order to fill the time and give me a back story for when the series starts. The Pacific certainly did that and more as I now want to read a lot more on the war against the "Japs". With The Pacific I think the subject being covered was what triggered this, as Ambrose's style of writing is both a hit and a miss.
   
   The pros are that I oftentimes wonder as I am reading other memoirs/bios of WWII veterans as to where and how they fit in with one another. With The Pacific the mini bios of the marines and naval pilots are all woven together in a linear timeline so you always know where they are and what they are doing in relation to one another. This is fascinating to me because it adds many levels of detail that help to create an overall richer account of The Pacific War. Add to this the different elements of who they are, i.e. officer, dive bomber and so on, and we are treated to a more in depth look at the structure of the US forces battlling the Japanese in the Pacific ocean.
   
   The cons, and I really only have one worth mentioning, is that Ambrose's style of writing can be rather dry and stiff at times, feeling as though we are getting a recitation of facts instead of a narrative that is weaving the facts together. Although this style can work I oftentimes found that the writing style was having troubles catching my interest and I had to draw myself back in order to continue my own narrative of what Ambrose was telling us.
   
   Overall the book is workable as a companion volume to the upcoming HBO series for not only illustrating the lives of some of the men being represented but in also layering more detail with the inclusion of other equally fascinating men, notably Shofner and Micheel, who were perhaps more fascinating to read about because of their experiences as a POW in a Japanese POW camp and as a dive bomber, respectively. I would certainly recommend to read the other more immensely readable WWII memoirs of the Pacific Theater, i.e. Helmet For My Pillow and With The Old Breed, in order to get a better feel for what will be depicted in the HBO series, and pick up The Pacific as a companion volume instead of a stand alone history of the Pacific War.
   
   3.5 stars.



3. One of the biggest detractors I've encountered (twice in the first few pages) is that "Marine" is not capitalized. The word "Marine", when referencing a current or former member, or unit of the US Marine Corps is considered a proper noun and should be capitalized. Examples: "He's a Marine." or "A company of Marines."
   
   For those of us who have earned the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor of the USMC and the title "Marine", it's a major error.
   
   The terms "Soldier", "Sailor", "Airman", and "Marine" are all proper nouns.
   
   Other than that.. so far, so good.



4. I just bought this book the other day. I've read a LOT of history on WW2, perhaps 200+ books.
   
   As the author explains in the Introduction, this book is meant not as a detailed military analysis of the battles that are covered within it, nor is it meant to be a biography, per se. The author claims to be striving for an "in the moment" veteran's-eye view, with all misconceptions, errors of fact, and rampant war rumors (which accompany any combat operation) left in tact, for affect. Direct quotes from the players...and related players...are intentionally lacking.
   
   So, if you can imagine a book that has minimal dialogue or quotes, erroneous historical facts sited often, and strives on purpose to have all the depth and breadth of a casual conversation, you end up with what seems to me like a book that HAD a lot of potential, but any time it got near any topic of interest, it did its best to get off the subject and move on to the next topic, as fast as possible. I want to know exactly what these guys were thinking, feeling and saying in these moments, in as much detail as the author could have rested from his subjects via extensive interviews and research. This book reads more like a field report, all to often just too brief and bound by short sentences, consisting of the barest-of-bones facts.
   
   In the end, it's VERY hard to read. Stilted, encumbered by its self-inflicted "style", it is a lost chance to really contribute to our history in the war...and it was done on purpose, all for the sake of conducting what I would call, a failed experiment in writing.
   
   I hope the mini-series is better. I'd skip this book, I don't think that you'll find it a page-turner. :-/