No comments about Title The Life of Samuel Johnson (Part 2).

5 comments about Return With Honor.

1. An easy read and a great story! I attended Air Force survival training in Spokane back in the '70s, and this book shows just how valuable that training can be. Scott did everything right, and as a result he lived to tell us his inspiring tale. Should be required reading for anyone attending the school at Fairchild, and maybe it is.



2. This narritive of survival by Capt. Scott O'Grady is a powerfull story. I highly recomend this for all christian adults. This story does heavily focus on the religious aspect of Capt. O'Grady but it does so in a way that will move anyone who is willing to keep an open mind.



3. I used to work for the Air Force as part of a large program to support the effective operation of electronic warfare equipment, so I had a pretty good understanding of some aspects of the shootdown in 1995. The book went far beyond the shootdown into a gut-wrenching story of survival. I almost felt like I was there. Scott then gave a good description of all the celebration and hoopla that followed. However, in my opinion, the best part of the story begins with "Amid the hoopla...". Scott showed true humility in recognizing all the players that made such a positive difference in his life, and in others. And, most important, he recognized that our devotion to material possessions and pre-occupation with self-serving actions really mean little or nothing in our lifetime. Our faith in God and our actions which are inspired by that faith are what's really important in our earthly existence.



4. I wood recomend this book to any person young or old. This great book about a stranded F-16 pilot shot down over Bosina. The detail is amazing and so are the flash-backs. The way he described it made you feel like you were there!!!



5. Scott O'Grady truly did return with Honor after a very difficult experience. On a routine mission, his F-16 was shot down over Bosnia. He gave great detail about his preparation for such an event and exactly what happened. He survived because of the training that he had previously received and the grace of God. He gives credit where credit is due throughout the story. You will enjoy reading the details of a true American hero's difficult few days. As an American, I am proud to know that we have men like Scott O'Grady on our side.

1 comments about 84, Charing Cross Road.

1. Like many people I saw a movie first. Naturally due to media constraints, you expect certain amount of the book to be homogenized. So I wanted to read what was missing. To my amazement very little was missing or modified. I don't normally read this sort of book. So I was surprised at finding myself wanting more when it finished.
   
   Also until I read the book I did not realize that Charing Cross Road was a real place. The whole book is based on a collection of correspondence between Helene Hanff, an avid book reader, and Frank Doel an agent for British bookseller.
   
   My wife has taken this one step further and is collecting all the books that were mentioned in the correspondence. Some of these books appear to have been reprinted due to this publication.
   
   If you can find it there is a book called "The Library of Helene Hanff."
   I wonder what became of all the other people described in the correspondents after the book.
   
   The Library of Helene Hanff Limited Edition Signed

5 comments about They Can Kll You but They Can't Eat You...And Other Lessons from the Front.

1. Well written and easy to read, Dawn Steel combines key events in her life with key strategies to make it in today's entertainment world. The book is humorous and enlightening. It may not be The Art of War, but it's a great read none-the-less. It's just too bad the book was so hard to find. No longer available as a new buy, it is readily available in the used book market. Although Dawn left us in 1997, her spirit lives on within each page read. A recommended read for those looking to learn the basic principals of succeeding in this industry.



2. Dawn Steel, Hollywood's first female movie mogul, died in Cedars-Mount Sinai Hospital on December 20, 1997,of a brain tumor after a long battle with cancer. She was 51. Steel was named president of Columbia in 1987, leaving two years later when Sony took over. Commenting on Steel's death in the New York Times, writer-director Nora Ephron said, "Dawn certainly wasn't the first woman to become powerful in Hollywood, but she was the first woman to understand that part of her responsibility was to make sure that eventually there were lots of other powerful women. ... The situation we have today, with a huge number of women in powerful positions, is largely because of Dawn Steel."



3. They Can Kill You...But They Can't Eat You (Lessons From the Front) by Dawn Steel. Some might call this a book strictly for women...but it's not. Dawn Steel, former, first, and only woman who ever became president of Columbia Pictures, gives us a fast-paced peek into the world behind motion pictures, sharing so many names of stars, producers, directors, writers, who was and is the "in crowd," that you can't possibly grasp the magnitude of what it takes to have those new movies appear before us each week.
   
   The book, according to the inside cover, was written "For every woman (or man) who knows there's a great person in there dying to escape, but lacks the confidence or tools to truly express oneself...for every woman trying to get out of the typing pool...for every woman who wants to be valued for cherishing her role as a mother...for corporate vice-presidents who are as sick as Dawn Steel was of wanting to be one of the boys...for every woman who, just as she conquers the next step, wonders, "so what do I do now?" Dawn Steel offers hard-won insights to help accelerate the trip, eliminate some of the angst and pain, and create a spirit of optimism and hope."
   
   Dawn Steel's book is fun--it makes you cry, it makes you angry, it makes you cheer when she succeeds. It makes you sad when one more job is lost, but over it all, it makes you realize your own potential. You realize that others have had those wild entrepreneurial schemes, and that they have gone out and did them! Dawn sold amaryllis as "penis plants" and created the advertisement headline to "Grow Your Own Penis. All it takes is $6.98 and a lot of love." Now, when you read about someone who comes up with such ideas, you just got to love her...right?
   
   Dawn's life is anything but normal and traditional. Her book opens as she overhears in the "second-floor ladies' room in the Administration Building at Paramount" that "She's dead." While her first reaction is to paraphrase Mark Train, "The reports of my death had been greatly exaggerated," she shares that it actually "took another six months for them to kill" her.
   
   From Paramount to Penthouse, to Columbia, to selling her own ideas, Dawn tells all of us that we can survive anything--being fired, having someone come in over or under us in the corporate ladder and sabotage us, being chased out because of being pregnant, or being referred to as "The Queen of Mean" in newspapers.
   
   The life of Dawn Steel started in 1946 and as her story is told, Dawn highlights for the reader what was happening at that time. These little references takes us back through our own lives and we live her life along with her as songs like "Zip-a-Dee-Do-Dah" that year, on through to Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" in 1987, play through our minds. She helps us recall how the last thirty or so of our lives have gone, and you find you quietly do a comparison of where you could be if you had dared to "risk."
   
   Underlying the story line of her life, the glamour of working at major motion pictures and for "men's magazines," Dawn inserts, casually, but effectively, all the lessons learned in these fascinating arenas. So in the midst of learning about the problems of making the movies, Fatal Attraction or Flashdance, or while negotiating or going to events with Harrison Ford, John Travolta, Sylvester Stallone, Eddie Murphy, et. Al., Dawn drops in her sage advice, like:
   
   Sometimes you have to accept that there are bosses and colleagues whom you can never turn around. Instead of going home frustrated and torturing yourself and the people around you, move on and find another way. There are people with whom you pass a point of no return and you should give up on them...
   
   You can't let your competition sway you. On of the most important things I learned is that you must be willing not to get it. You must be willing to let go. Then it will come back to you...or
   
   Set your boundaries ahead of time. Set your appetite ahead of time. Then be ready to let go...I learned my job by doing and watching...
   
   As these little nuggets sink in, you realize that this book is about power, personal power. But after all she accomplished, Dawn Steel closes the book with an image..."I had this image of my mother. She was going off to work, dressed in one of her suits. She had to go to work. She had to take care of her family. She didn't have a job with a fancy title, or a plush office, or her own parking space. The guard didn't know her; in fact, there probably wasn't even a guard where she worked. She didn't have a hundred calls a day to define her status. She wasn't looking for anyone to rescue her. She wasn't looking for power. My mother did what had to be done because the power was already in her." And Dawn shares her own realization that she, too, didn't want to look for power anymore...that it had been there, inside her, all along.
   
   This book makes you feel good. It's definitely written for those in the business world, but is written from such a personal slant, where even how potty training for your daughter is handled during the work day, that you don't realize until you've completed the book how it has elevated your spirits and challenged you to look at your life and use that power that is there within us.
   
   Take a trip to Hollywood with Ms. Steel--you'll have a wonderful time!



4. I happened upon Dawn Steel's book and fell for the title. She speaks honestly and with humor about her triumphs and her trials, demonstrating that to succeed, you must first take some risks. I was saddened to learn of her death a couple of years ago--she's someone I wish I'd known in person.



5. i just liked this book alot. i fell in love with dawn steel. she was a mover and a shaker. her energy jumps to you from the book. i recommend this book to any female who feels lost, misdirected, or going nowhere in her career. this book ought to be everywhere.

4 comments about Covered Wagon Women: Diaries and Letters from the Western Trails, 1851 (Living Voices of the Past, 4).

1. More heartfelt, lively accounts from the Oregon Trail during the year 1851.
   Harriet Talcott Buckingham's diary is both poetic and colorful, describing prairies, mountain passes, river crossings, flora, Indians and other travelers met along the way.
   Amelia Hadley's writing style is very sincere. She not only visually describes streams, buffalo, landforms and Indians, but along with counting the number of graves they encounter, she also puts names to these graves (very historical).
   Susan Amelia Cranston talks much about the availability, or lack of, water, fuel and grass.
   Lucia Loraine Williams's party had quite an exciting but also quite dispirited journey. She lost her ten year old son due to a runaway wagon; had an Indian offer to swap her child for Lucia's three year old; thievery surrounding Fort Hall; etc. Her letter is just, truthful and illustrative of life on the trail.
   Esther Lockhart was also in Lucia's wagon train and her reminisces are both vivid and picturesque of the trek.
   The diaries of Elizabeth Wood and Eugenia Zieber are a delight to read.
   The jewel of the book lies in Jean Rio Baker's diary. A Mormon widow with seven children, she leaves England to make the pilgrimage to Salt Lake City. A fascinating read of courage, tenacity and nerve.
   Excellent book.



2. This is a treat to listen to in the car on the way to work. An extraordinary story - women, migration, inner strength. I shared this with four other librarians who all enjoyed the tapes and proclaimed this one of the best audio books they had ever listened to.



3. In COVERED WAGON WOMEN, the diaries & letters of three mature women on the journeys of their lifetime, record their trek west into the sun; across oceans, towns, rivers, farms, forests, prairies & deserts; friendly & hostile Indian territories until, at last they reach their journeys' ends.

   As you listen to actors Georgia Goodwin & Jane Merrifield-Beecher read the thoughts, observations & feelings of these three mother ancestors, you catch glimpses of how we used to live. They take us through springs of ground-level thunderstorms & sudden floods, summers of dust, mosquitos & enervating heat, & autumns of mild beauty & the biggest harvests they've ever seen. We learn of broken wagons, dying companions, days of endless trudging & nights of immense beauty. Over mountains, through rivers & down defiles, these intrepid women take us there with their simple, evocative words.

   COVERED WAGON WOMEN is truly a record of an adventure that shaped our nation & our psyche. The only thing missing are sound effects!




4. The latest release in the "Living Voices of the Past" series, Covered Wagon Women 1851 is drawn from the diaries and letters of women who experienced the travails of the wagon trails west in 1851. Edited and compiled by Kenneth L. Holms and used with the permission of the University of Nebraska Press, we are treated to excerpts from the diary of Lucia Williams and the epilogue of Esther Lockhart (superbly narrated by Jane Merrifield-Beecher) describing their trip from Ohio to Oregon. Also featured are excerpts (dramatically narrated by Georgia Goodwin) from the diary of Jean Rio Baker, a Mormon who traveled from Liverpool by Windjammer and to Salt Lake City by Prairie Schooner. Surviving exposure to attacks from Native Americans, the scourge of cholera and smallpox, and the many hardships and deprivations of a pioneer excursion in a covered wagon, Covered Wagon Women 1851 is an outstanding "living history" audio recording and strongly recommended for personal, school, and community library collections.

5 comments about Dry: A Memoir.

1. Dry is funny, in the spirit of Magical Thinking with a darker twist that's more reminiscent of Wolf at the Table. It's a book about getting sober, but--as is often the case with Augusten Burroughs--it's also much more than that. Entertaining start to finish and if you like Augusten Burroughs, you'll likely read this book in just a few sittings. It made a plane ride go by VERY quickly for me.



2. I know that "Running with Scissors" is the Burroughs memoir that everyone is supposed to read first, but "Dry" was my introduction to the author. I enjoyed this book very much, and find his writing-style very easy to follow. His ability with dialogue is great, and I found myself caring about characters I orginially dismissed as nothings.
   
   The book is very enjoyable, and it will do strange things to you. I, personally, found myself craving a tall glass of scotch when reading Burroughs describe his love of drinking. Then, I found myself wanting to NEVER drink again when reading his description of his addiction and the aftermath of it all, from blackouts to burned bridges.
   
   It's a really enjoyable read, and it has one of the most touching endings I've read in a long time. I recommend it.



3. Augusten Burroughs never ceases to amaze. This is by far my favorite book of his. The writing is terrific, the story is captivating. I couldn't put it down. The characters are so real, and even if alcohol isn't you thing, you can identify something in your life that has taken over and relate.
   
   One of my favorite lines comes from a passage where he is describing an ex boyfriend of his. He says,
   
   "He's like this incredibly beautiful Van Gogh painting with slashes all through it. True, it's a Van Gogh. But look at those slashes."
   
   That line made me identify with someone in my own life and helped me realize that sometimes we have to let people go because no matter how much we love them, we cannot make them whole. It actually helped me set aside someone I had been unable to leave behind.
   
   This book is a terrific read. Go out and pick it up. Don't get it from the library- bo buy it. You'll end up buying it anyway.



4. I read Running with Scissors and found it shocking, almost embarrassing and worried that people would be reading over my shoulder on the metro. But it was great and left me feeling shocked that someone could be raised that way and still turn out relatively normal. Dry was extremely witty, scary, sad, exciting, anger provoking, thought provoking, startling, comforting, and truly enjoyable to read. I found myself impatient for my subway ride home and not caring who might be reading over my shoulder. At the end of the read I decided to go purchase the rest of Augusten's memoirs because I just love his brand of humor and wit and sense of irony and sarcasm. He's, umm, dare I say it, addicting.



5. This book is much better than Running with Scissors, Augusten Burroughs' prequel to this book. Thankfully there weren't any graphic sex scenes but there seemed to be a realness about what he was saying. I enjoyed it.
   I'm not saying it was my favorite book ever, but it wasn't bad.

5 comments about The Kennedy Men: 1901 - 1963.

1. Didn't like it. Basically refers to President Kennedy and his time in office. Too boring.



2. I give this book a borderline 3 - 4 stars. It isn't bad - it explored all of the Kennedy men adequately but none very extensively. Leamer does do a great job of explaining the relationships among the Kennedy men, especially the complicated relationship that Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. had with all of his children.

   The author offers up stunning and excruciating details about Joe Kennedy Jr's. death, as well as Kathleen's death. These instances were painful to read, but very insightful about the patriarch's emotions.

   I feel Leamer did concentrate a bit too much on JFK's sexual trysts, but that is a topic that no book on the Kennedys will neglect, so it's not really a complaint.

   It would have been nice had the book ended in 1968 and not 1963. Another 100 pages would have given the reader much more great reading on RFK following the president's death and also his run for the presidency in 1968.

   All in all, this is a good book for diehard Kennedy aficionados.




3. In the years since John F Kennedy was elected President two kinds of "Kennedy Myths" have developed. The positive one portrays John, Robert and Ted Kennedy as liberal "saints" committed to a progressive revolution in America. The negative one shows the Kennedys to be rapacious libertines who throw off all social conventions in their personal and political lives. Leamer's book transcends these over-simplistic views and covers the lives of patriarch Joseph P Kennedy and his four sons, bringing out the complexity of this unique group of people.

   Those who hold a negative view of the Kennedys will find much material to confirm their beliefs. In truth, Joe Kennedy seems to be a man with almost no redeeming virtues, a virulent anti-Semite and pro-Nazi, greedy and miserly, manipulative man. The second generation of Kennedys learned not to ask where the family's money came from. Yet Joe Kennedy went on to implement needed reforms in the Security and Exchange commission to which he was appointed, supported the progressive FDR and became the most powerful Catholic in the US.

   Similarly, JFK went on to be an incredibly reckless philanderer who possibly compromised the very security of the US with liasons with women involved with organized crime and possibly even East German intelligence, but at the same time, he inspired young people to volunteer for the Peace Corps and set American on course to landing on the Moon. RFK goes to work for family friend Senator Joe McCarthy and works with the Mafia in order to destablize Castro's regime in Cuba, but then also works vigorously against the same Mafia and institutionalized racial discrimination (and somehow escapes the taint of his association with McCarthy).

   Leamer show that JFK and RFK were definitely not "soft liberals". JFK was the best friend the "military-industrial complex" ever had, pouring unprecedented amounts of money into defense and space projects. They supported a very tough anti-Communist policy in Cuba and Vietnam which almost led to nuclear war and did lead to the quagmire in Southeast Asia. One important point about the book is that Leamer does not demonize various "bad guys" from the positive Kennedy Myth, such as General Curtis Lemay and other military men from the Cuban Missile Crisis, FBI Director J Edgar Hoover who was friendly for many years with Joe Kennedy and showed great forebearance with the many indiscretions of his sons and had good reason to be concerned with JFK's behavior and finally Lyndon Johnson who loyally served the Kennedy Administration and yet was treated with contempt by RFK and many of JFK's advisors (although not by JFK himself).

   Finally, the author has come to the same conclusion that other investigators have arrived at regarding JFK's assassination, namely, that it is very likely that the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald was motivated, either with or without the knowledge of agents of Fidel Castro, to kill Kennedy in revenge for the Kennedys' attempt to kill him.

   It is not easy to cover the lives of five different men in a singel book, and much had to be left out, but as an introduction to this remarkable tribe of American aristocracy, this book is indispensable.




4. I've read 64 biographys and it's one of the worse.
   There are a few photos.
   some informations are odd, because the author invents them.
   buy not this book, but buy better book like a common good, the thirteen days, the kennedys and the fitzgerald, robert kennedy and his time...



5. I read The Kennedy Women a few years ago and found it to be one of the most impressive biographical works that I had ever encountered. I was most impressed with Leamer's ability to fully chart the lives of so many diverdse characters.

   I eagerly awaited the Kennedy Men. If I had not read his previous work, this probably would have seemed better. I felt that the Kennedy Women had a broader scope dealing with a longer (and earlier!) time frame and more individuals. This started, really with Joe Kennedy and didn't focus on too many others. A very minor complaint, is that the Kennedy women had a comrehensive time line in the beginning. It would have been useful to include one here as well.

   Otherwise, this is an extaordinarily well rearched volume. What I enjoyed most was the conversational approach taken by Leamer. It is a pleasure to read. I wish that the final chapter "Requiem for a President" was slightly more detailed, but this was a chance to learn not about invididuals, but about complex family relationships and bonds.

   I am glad that I read it and look forward to volume 2!

5 comments about Rolling Nowhere: Riding the Rails With America's Hoboes.

1. There's a certain kind of journalism/travel writing/ethnography that greatly appeals to me, in which the author immerses themselves in a culture or subculture that I find fascinating but have no desire to visit myself. This book is exactly in that vein, as Conover took a break in 1980 from attending Amherst College to ride freight trains as a hobo. I found his experience compelling enough to later check to see if he had written anything else, and only then realized that the naive 20-year-old who rode the rails grew up and spent a year as a prison guard as research for his critically acclaimed book Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing.
   
   As a product of a nice upper middle-class family and a student at a prestigious liberal arts college, he had to undergo a physical and psychological transformation to embark on his trip. And he began his hobo journey with the vague sense that riding the rails would both tell him something about America and bring meaning to his anthropology classes. One of the common pitfalls of such experience journalism is that the author has a somewhat silly romantic notion as to what awaits him. Fortunately, while Conover was somewhat naive, he did enough background reading to have realistic expectations about what he'd encounter.
   
   It's fascinating to watch him dive into the hobo way of life, picking up the tips and tricks that sustain the mostly male subculture. He runs the gamut, from literally jumping on and off moving trains, to spending nights in missions, dumpster-diving food, working welfare systems for food stamps, giving blood for money, calculating the cheapest way to get drunk, setting up camp in hobo "jungles," working in the fields as a day laborer, and much much more. Along the way, his simple and clear writing conveys how he shed his notions of what to expect along the way.
   
   While he's generally sympathetic to the hardships endured by many of the people he meets, he's also honest enough to let their stories speak for themselves. And while some are certainly driven to the nomadic life by their economic circumstances, the hobo life seems to attract a certain type of man who has trouble living within the norms of society and feels the need for freedom from these norms. This psychological aspect of the hobo life is one area where Conover left me wishing for a little deeper insight into the people he meets. He does, however, spend a good amount of time grappling with other aspects of their psychology, especially the instinctual distrust they have of anyone, even those they get to know well.
   
   At the time of his trip, many people were surprised to know that freight-riding hobos still existed and had assumed the practice was long dead. Some 25+ years after his trip, that assumption seems likely to be more on target, if for no other reason than the post-9/11 tightening of all forms transportation security.



2. Recently I developed an interest in freight hoppin' and the Hobo lifestyle and I began to look around for books to read. Out of the few I found here on amazon I'm glad I choose Conover's adventure.
   
   The meat of the book consist of a young Conover traveling across the west by freight meeting tramps (as they like to refer to themselves as, rather than "Hobo") He meets a variety of different individuals, and quickly learns tramp etiquette. He also learns how to survive off the system by using "Sally's" (Salvation Army) and "Willy's" (GoodWill) along with the missions and the availability of food stamps (Which most of the other tramps use to buy alcohol with)
   
   On one occasion he finds himself in an awkward position and is unfairly jailed because of his unruly hobo appearance. He remarks had he been neatly dressed he would of never encountered this problem. This really starts to give him an insight into the disadvantages hobos have with the law.
   
   I used to think of the rails as a romantic place to be. The sights from the trains, the freedom, and the adventure, but Conover's journey suggest slightly otherwise. Romantic as they may seem, the rails are a dangerous place to be...other tramps, bulls, kids throwing rocks, etc. After you've been riding them for a while you're hardened and the romanticism slowly dissolves away when you're fighting to survive.
   
   He wrote this in the late 80s as well. I imagine to hop a train these days, in 2007, would be close to suicide with the abundance of terrorism laws. It'd be interesting to see how the Hobo population has changed since then though.



3. Ted Conover is good at immersing himself in the subject on which he is writing, whether it be the world of illegal immigration in Coyotes, or that of prison guards in Newjack. In this work he immerses himself in the world of hobos. It's one of his earlier works, and it's obvious that his style had not yet matured as it did in later works such as Newjack. He takes the reader along as he goes from being a college student, to being a hobo. Along the way he both shares the stories of other hobos he encounters as well as some of the inernal struggles he experiences. This book is a worthwhile and enjoyable read.



4. Although twenty years isnce it was first published, the book has a timeless aspect that is quite moving; essentially, Rolling Nowhere is an indictment of how the most wealthy, powerful and materialistic nation in the history of human civilization treats those who have fallen through the cracks. As taken in and enthralled as I was by the author's experiences, I was in the end more saddened than anything alse.



5. This book is part of the "Vintage Departures" series, a group of travel books from unusual angles. Some examples are a book about gamblers and the gambling world, "back country" travel in the most remote parts of the world, inexperienced mountain climbers, and near poetry. This book tries to take a different look at our own country, as as seen through the eyes of a constant traveler, the railroad tramp.

   While it does indeed describe some of America, the author quickly loses focus on the aspect of seeing American through the eyes of the hobo to looking at hobo society itself. For the most part, he does this latter quite well, except where he finally intrudes and makes a bald statement of his opinion, and what he deems to be the reader's opinion, in the last page.

   Conover is refreshingly naive, in some ways, and not afraid to place his naiveté in what could be considered a work of autobiography. While I doubt someone could use this book as a manual for catching a ride on a rail, it does allow for enough detail to catch some understanding of the complexity and difficulties accompanied thereto. As a travel book, it's interesting and worth the time.

5 comments about Roberts Ridge: A Story of Courage and Sacrifice on Takur Ghar Mountain, Afghanistan.

1. WOW!! What an incredible story. This is a book you will not soon put down. A thrilling account of America's finest special forces and their attempt to resuce Navy Seals ambushed in Afghanistan. The story is full of detail. I can get a little confusing with who is who due to all the soldiers the involved this account, but nonetheless it is a well documented and well written book.
   It really is a book our youth should read. It will give them and all of Americans an inside look at how courageous, selfless, honorable, and down right tough as nails our soldiers truly are! They are truly our proud and our brave!!
   Rangers Lead The Way!



2. This book pays a great tribute to American commandos during a battle on a mountain high altitude, ice, wind at night in Afghanistan lead by special forces commandos. The spirit is high. Fierce combats. The ennemy is dreadful. Very nice work.



3. "Roberts Ridge" tells it like it is! Rather hard to follow at times, and that's partially the fault of the author. But, in his favor, given the convoluted command structure that was in place at the time of the ill fated recon & subsequent rescue attempts on Takur Ghar, he does the best he can. I was constantly going back through the text trying to figure out who was calling which shots during this action. The book does provide an insider's look at the "Fog of War" and the confusion resulting therefrom. It also is an outstanding tale of courage and fortitude on the part of the Navy Seals, USAF Spec Ops, and Army Rangers who were involved in this combat operation. And there's sadness inasmuch as the casualties incurred by all the fine US forces involved need not have happened. JKBelew in Texas, an Old Marine & lifelong military history student.



4. Very moving story! I am glad that Mr. MacPherson did not give up and saw this book through to its conclusion.
   This is a story is taken from multiple viewpoints to form a more complete understanding of what happened atop Takur Ghar. As this story unfolds you are able to see in your mind everything that happens. Also interesting is the benefits and ills of modern technology and how it affects modern warfare. A great book and a must read!!
   
   It will surely remain a lasting tribute to all those brave soldiers and airmen who lived and died through it.



5. Interesting book on a small action in the war in Afganistan. Brave troops can't overcome poor leadership.

1 comments about The Life of Oswald Chambers: Revered, Surprising and Beguiling Author of My Utmost For His Highest.

1. I've been reading my utmost for his highest since 1986 (14 Years). Each time I read it I draw closer to our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. As I read his biography, I again was drawn closer to God. His life is a reflection of Jesus Christ in our modern day. While we live in a day of pleading and begging for funds and help, Chambers has again brought us back to the reality of trusting the Father and Jesus Christ, for our most basic needs. When we trust and obey, Jesus can move mountains. Jesus never whined, nor begged, nor worried; neither did He ever seek for Himself. It was always for the Father. Oswald's life always pointed to Christ, never himself! His eyes were always focused on our Lord, and material possesions never obstructed his view (That's because he continually gave away everything he ever had). David McCasland has done a tremendous job of researching, compiling, and blending: the life, writings, and the humaness of Oswald Chambers. Seeing his life has really helped me to understand his radical devotion to Christ, and how I can practically give my utmost for His highest. If you desire to be a disciple of Christ, this is a must read for you. No other man has brought me to the feet of Jesus, like Oswald Chambers.

   Bob Moorer A man who loves Jesus