1 comments about Phoenix: Mountbatten: The Official Biography.

1. Philip Ziegler was Mountbatten's official biographer. However, he claims in the preface to the book not to have been subject to any censorship, and given the frankness with which he acknowledges his subject's flaws, one can believe his claim. Mountbatten was a close relative of the British royal family; Prince Philip is his nephew, and he regularly referred to Queen Elizabeth as his niece; and he was also a close confident of Prince Charles. He was quite ambitious, and not above using his royal connections to advance his military career. How successful that career was is open to some debate. There is no question about his physical courage -- indeed, he may have had too much of it. As Field Marshall Mountgomery enjoyed pointing out, Mountbatten had three destroyers sunk under him during the early part of the war. Later, he oversaw the Dieppe raid, which was one of the worst fiascos of the war -- a large commando raid on a fortified port resulted in near elimination of some units by German forces composed in many cases of file clerks and cooks. This loss did not stop his career, however; he ended the war with the command of the Burma theater, where he seems to have performed well. After the war, he became the last British Viceroy of India, with the task of working out a peaceful transition from British rule. That was a failure, as hundreds of thousands died in riots between Hindus and Muslims. The Muslims could have been forgiven for suspecting Mountbatten's neutrality; his wife was carrying on an affair with the Indian leader Nehru. Mountbatten was no saint in these matters, and could hardly complain. Mountbatten was murdered in 1979 when the IRA put a bomb on his boat. Why they did this has never been clear. Mountbatten had never been involved in Irish affairs, and at almost 80 years of age played no important part in the Government.

   Ziegler does a good job of capturing Mountbatten's charm -- almost everyone who met him liked him -- and his vanity -- after Elizabeth became queen, his aides would compete to see who could be the first to get him to refer to "my niece, the Queen." Curiously, Ziegler begins the book with a description of Mountbatten enjoying reading books on his family tree, an opening that is quite similar to that of "Persuasion" by Jane Austen. The similarity is odd because the character in Austen's novel is a fool and a snob with no ability, and no other claim to distinction. That could not be said of Mountbatten.

   Mountbatten lead a truly interesting life, and Ziegler has produced what is likley to be the definitive biography of that life. His honesty is such that one need not be an uncritical admirer of Mountbatten to enjoy this biography.

5 comments about As Far as My Feet Will Carry Me: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Escape from a Siberian Labour Camp and His 3-Year Trek to Freedom.

1. A tremendous film that attempts to capture the trek made by those rounded up during Stalins collectivazation. I dont think there are any other movies that are so emotional and hard hitting as this that deals with the gulags. One of the best movies I have ever seen.



2. I was very, very dissapointed with this book. After having read the amazing story of Theodor Kröger (a German who survived not only the Tsarist prisons but also the communist gulags) I wanted more of this and so I ordered this book. But what I got was a kind of telegram-style book with so much ommisions in the story, that you wonder why did somebody write it at all. If you can't get the story right, then don't tell it. Also, this is supposed to be a non-fiction story, but the dialogues between the lead character and his captors and/or fellow-prisoners are put on paper like they were held yesterday. If you're looking for a Papillon story, you better look somewhere else. I didn't even finish the book, it was a waste of my time.



3. I found this book to be inspiring and motivational. It is the amazing tale of a daring escape and a treacherous journey across the frozen Siberian north. They only thing that disappointed me was that the ending was anti-climactic in my opinion. Just a simply amazing book, there is a reason why it has been translated in to 15 languages and sold more then 12 millon copies.



4. All the superlatives belong to this tale: remarkable, daring, unbelievable, amazing, incredible, beyond belief, extraordinary. That a person could 1. escape from a Soviet labor camp, 2. in the dead of winter, 3. from the farthest eastern point of Siberia, 4. after suffering from hunger and brutal treatment for three years, and still 5. make it home to Germany safely after another three years is a story for all lovers of survival dramas. The author expertly and faithfully chronicles Josef Bauer's account without glossing over the details of what it took to survive. I didn't come to like Mr. Bauer from this telling, however, I did feel a deep respect for his perseverance and stamina. Two other books of escape and survival that I recommend even more highly are: The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom by Slavomir Rawicz and We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance by David Howarth.



5. Incredible story of survival and the will to live.

5 comments about Condi: The Condoleezza Rice Story.

1. I'm not American so I was not well acquainted with Condi Rice and her life, both private and political. I came to admire her very much after reading the very detailed book which contains a lot about her private life, and a lot about her professional life which takes up most of her time and energy. She would be a great president, she has the guts and the intelligence and the sobriety to represent America in a very positive way.



2. I thought this biography of Condoleezza Rice was very informative and enlightening. Particularly interesting to me was the fact that she had excellent guidance from her parents who encouraged her to pursue her education to the fullest. The books talks of her pursuing her diverse talents and her ambition to succeed. Although I felt that the book glamorized her life a bit too much and indicated that she rarely made mistakes, she is one who deserves everything she has worked hard for. She is truly an inspiration.



3. This account of Condoleessa Rice is most helpful in understanding her upbringing, her motivation and her significant abilities. The author appears to have interviewed a large number of persons: 27 in number. However, no persons of highest notoriety were interviewed. Instead those notable persons were quoted only from other sources. The author typically did not write about Ms. Rice's personal views which was disappointing.
   
   The book unfortunately leaves several important questions unanswered, namely:
   
   1. How was it possible that Condi could have leaped over the normal path of ascension that others historically were required to endure and instead be awarded the esteemed position of Stanford provost?
   2. Why did Condi leave her position as Stanford provost for the significantly lesser position of Hoover Institute senior-fellow? The author's answer given in the book is not credible.
   3. Why did the author never interview Ms. Rice for this book? What was Ms. Rice's response when she was asked for an interview?
   4. How did Ms. Rice's notable but inadequate credentials of being a college provost qualify her to be appointed as head of the National Security Agency of the most powerful country on Earth?
   5. Why did the author not discuss negative issues regarding Ms. Rice as that would have given the book a balanced assessment?
   6. How was Ms. Rice's pro-abortion stance received by the conservative presidents that she served?
   7. Why was Ms. Rice's step-mother interviewed instead of her father, especially considering her step-mother was not even mentioned until 3/4 of the way through the book? Since Ms. Rice gave her father the highest credit for her success, would he not have been the preferred choice?
   
   While the book is enjoyable, it does leave some hard questions unanswered.



4. Condoleeza Rice is unquestionably one of the major minds of our day. Her life history and accomplishments challenge any parent to love and support thier child to the best of their ability with God's help.



5. It was an incredible biography. It was especially poignat in that my children went to St, Mary's Academy in Denver. The book was well written and clear complete and concise. It was a testiment that blacks can compete and be sucessfull if the right environment and attitude, is present.

5 comments about I Served.

1. I felt really touched by the life story of Don Hall. It is one of those veteran memoirs that are also a great story about love, healing, faith, redemption, compassion, courage and friendship. This book has all those things that can make your heart break or warm up. It is a story of a young boy who endures many emotional and physical hardships in a lonely and cold hearted orphanage, long before he was on his way to Vietnam to face the NVA and VC.
   
   Knowing Don and Annette as I do, made this story even better because I can tell that what was in the book was really all about love. That romance is still alive and well today. The book explores their relationship but it also explores the world that a young Don found himself in during the Vietnam War.
   
   What Don faced in Nam and how he handles himself makes for a real action packed adventure sure to satisfy those readers who enjoy war genre books however, there is much more spiritual and emotional depth to the story line as you follow the unfolding of the man Don was to become.
   
   I highly recommend this book to all readers. I believe that women may find this a book that they can take to their hearts. This is not a combat book but a book about one man's personal journey through his life in search of meaning and love.



2. Don and Annette Hall's "I Served" is plainspoken when compared to more literary works such as Michael Herr's "Dispatches" or Neil Sheehan's "Bright and Shining Lies". But it is an engaging first person account that accurately reflects the world view of some extraordinarily brave soldiers who were routinely in contact with the enemy.
   
   Reviewers who served with Don's unit have attested to the veracity of his story and I certainly concur. I was an Army photojournalist in 1967 and 1968 and to my knowledge was the only reporter/photographer to cover an F Company team on an ambush mission. I trained with Sgt. Carter's team for a week before we were inserted in an area of suspected enemy activity. The team was extremely well disciplined and were masters of stealth, moving silently from the LV through dry brush that would snap crackle and pop under the careless feet of most infantry units I accompanied. When the point man climbed a tree and spotted a base camp across a river, we hunkered down in a small clearing to observe enemy activity and determine the size of the force. That night an emeny patrol walked by no more than 10 feet from our concealed position. The next day, a team inserted nearby came under fire and we were extracted in advance of an artillery barrage and an infantry sweep.
   
   Decades later my memories of F Co. 51st Infantry LRPS are very clear but reading Don's book gave me insight into the unit I would never have known otherwise. It's clear that he and Annette have gone to great lengths to reconstruct events where memory alone fails. Back in the day most of us were prohibited from keeping journals so Don's National Archive research is instructional for anyone who would look to write about their own experiences. For those who study the Vietnam experience, Don and Annette provide an important testimony for those who served in front of the front lines.



3. I was under the impression that this book was a true to life accounting of events leading up to the Tet Offensive of 1968. I bought the book based upon the recommendations here. I was disappointed to find that it was more of a heavily gilded diary, with little to no credibility where actual events are recounted.
   
   Further, I did not enjoy the overall ego-centricity of the contents, and would've like to read about the accomplishments of the men in this LRP unit, rather than the personal jabs (sometimes scornful) and off-hand speculations of the first-person author.
   
   I've judged the contents of this book as misleading, but perhaps others will enjoy it more as a story that plays fast and loose with the facts. I guess I was just expecting this book to be more of a hard-core Vietnam era combat account. [...]



4. This book sets a new standard in memoir writing with supporting documentation backing up the facts in this book, 'I Served.' It was the motto of the unit, 'I SERVE' that the author, Don Hall takes the title from and he has done the men a great service in this award winning book.
   
   Wait for the documentary 'Silent Victory' by, Don Hall and Annette Hall to come out! These two projects are the best to have been made showing the real faces of the Vietnam War from the men who were there and did the most dangerous job in the Army at the time ---- LURPING.
   
   On a side note, it is unconscionable how so many trifling and jealous Random House/Ivy/Ballantine Book authors (a dozen or more at least) have tried to stop the filming of their documentary and how they have smeared the names of all the good veterans in this outstanding book. Read it, believe it, because it's not one of those, "believe me 'cause I was there, this is what I remembered three decades later and I have all these fake and made up military awards" types of books.
   
   This book is based on actual radio communications and records from teams on the ground, other units, the gunships and controlled by the C&C ship of Lt. Colonel William C. Maus, Jr. (commanding) who was put in for the Medal of Honor for his actions during Tet 1968 with this unit.
   
   These men (220 strong), pulled an inordinate back-to-back patrols never witnessed before in military history and unlike the other platoon-sized Lurps of the time period. These men are the silent warriors written about with clarity, in-sight, character, and bravery in a modest way that Don Hall touchs you with each person in the book. This unit, as a whole, was so valuable in obtaining intelligence on the enemy, destroying the enemy that, in fact, the U.S. Army War College studied this unit Foxtrot Company, 51st LRP (Airborne) Infantry to set up the current-day 75th Ranger Regiment of the U.S. Army Rangers and F Company, 51st LRS (Long Range Surveillance) at Fort Bragg, NC. A must read with valuable lessons to be learned for the military historians and those interested in the times because it is more than a war tale. It's about the characters.



5. ...It is beyond the shadow of a doubt, the best book I have ever read.
   I am retired, and reading non-fiction books about the Vietnam experience is what I like to do best. In the year I've been retired, I have read as of 5/8/03 between 75 and 80 books all relating to Vietnam and what these people went through.
   Mr. and Mrs. Hall's book "I Served" is without a doubt the best I have ever read. In all honesty and truthfulness, I can't imagine a better book to read. It has more to offer than any book, and I loved every word of it. The writing has a way of making you feel like your standing right there watching it all take place. It is a very rare quality to be able to write like that. I honestly feel if Mr. Hall ever wanted to, he could be one heck of an auther, and probably could write a good number of book's and have before long, a following of faithful readers.
   I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone over any other book I have ever read. I would like to say, Please check this book out. It's not an expensive book, it's worth is far greater than any amount you would pay for it. I can guarentee, you will love it the same way I and everbody else who read it does. This is a book you will be sorry you didn't read. And that's the truth. So help me God.
   From his day's in an orphanage, to the end of his tour in Vietnam, Mr. Hall reveils so much about himself that other people wouldn't want anybody to know. It is so honest and forthright as to put it a league all it's own.
   I will keep this book for as long as I live. And I will hope and pray that my two son's find the time time read it. I know it will have a positive effect on them both. And I'm sure it will have the same effect on you. You won't be sorry you bought and read this book, so please do for your sake.

2 comments about Kentucky Cavaliers in Dixie: Reminiscences of a Confederate Cavalryman.

1. This work is more of spin off work from the Diary of Edward O. Guerrant who served with this book's author during the Civil War. Musgrove supplements Guerrant's Diary which has been recently publlshed under the title "Bluegrass Confederate" Edited by William C. Davis. Both works fill in the gaps about the actions that were fought in Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee where the Official Records are silent. Aside from a few local histories this book is one of the few that has such information. Highly recommended for students of this area of the conflict.



2. I recently finished reading this book and found it to be one of the most interesting unit histories that I have ever read. This book is a history of the 4th Kentucky Cavalry (CSA) and is written by one of its members, George Dallas Mosgrove. It recounts the service of this unit in Eastern Kentucky and Southwest Virginia and under the command of Generals Humphrey Marshall, John Hunt Morgan, "Grumble" Jones, and others. It also provides a roster of members of the 4th and biographies of the Captains. The "classical" writing style of the author is evident throughout the book, yet it always keeps your attention and is easy to read. For those who have an interest in Kentucky units or the war in Southwest Virginia, this book is for you.

5 comments about Doc: Platoon Medic.

1. Great reading... great story... As with all of us who started at "Ft. Sam", everyone has a unique story... From my vantage point in the 2d bde, I have neverending comraderie with all those, as "Doc Evans", who came before and after to do their job as circumstances required. This is the real thing. (Couldn't edit the rating...meant it to be 5 Stars!!)



2. Have you ever just known something you can't explain knowing? I have. I knew this book was going to be special before I even opened it. It has a vibe that I don't expect you to believe, but it does. Maybe it is because I share a sort of kinship with Mr. Evans. He was a corpsman who served in the Vietnam War. I was a medic myself for several years and though I have never felt a bullet whiz over my head or feared for my life, I have known the shame of not saving the life I had tried so hard to save. I have stood at a sink and kept scrubbing at the blood on my hands that had long since been scrubbed away and I can remember the screams of a father begging me to not let his child die. I have seen some things in my dreams that I do not need to share, but suffice to say Mr. Evans might understand. Sometimes only someone who has seen what you have seen can understand. I guess that is how I knew this book was for me.
   This is a very good book. As it turns out, it was way better than "just" a good book. To say that implies that it is merely flat and plain and words on paper, as if it is something to pick up or put down at your leisure. In fact, it is none of those things. Mr. Evans' recollections have a life of their own; they pull you in to his thoughts and feelings, take you back to a place where you can feel the mud, imagine the leeches and sense the suffering. The young soldier's story is so real you will feel it brush across your face like a cobweb in the darkest corner of the attic. You will be leery to look into the attic for all the forgotten memories, lost souls and pain packed away in boxes. You would prefer to walk away or pretend you don't care. But that won't work. It is time to unpack. And you do care, or you would not be at this website, or looking at this book. It isn't going to be John Grisham or Danielle Steele. It is about a war that still divides opinion in this country and touched the lives of generations before and after those who served in it. Even though you may know the history of the war in Vietnam, you will find yourself wanting a second chance to do the right thing and to stand up to honor those who served our country - not just for Mr. Evans and the men he served with, but for America itself.

   The author weaves his story the way a spider weaves its web: first one thread and then another, somehow tying each end together, forming a piece of art that is different than any other web. His web is strangely beautiful and a little scary at the same time. He is diligent, drawing each corner of his web to a proper angle, adhering it firmly to the doorway we must cross through to learn more. We are lucky indeed to find a man so willing to bare to the world what is so deeply, personally his. Imagine being a girl-chasing, car-loving, movie-going young man one moment and a hunted soldier the next? One moment being squeamish at the sight of blood and the next trying to treat a sucking chest wound. How can you explain to someone why something horribly and ghastly is hysterically funny? Do you tell them the truth - That laughing is the only way you can cope with such devastation and loss? How do you tell people that killing a man might be easy, when one moment it seems as if it is and the next it isn't? Can ordinary people understand how it comes to be that you don't recall what you had for dinner three days ago but you have instant and total recall of one single moment in your life in the jungle of Vietnam in 1968? Can they understand how the man you call your brother is no blood relation at all?

   I think Mr. Evans answers every question when he puts words to his story and little pieces of his life on every page. He is a teacher, whether he knows it or not. I believe that anyone who reads this book will feel as if Mr. Evans has given them some tiny little bit of something they never had before. It could be they will learn that the Corpsman is probably the bravest, most selfless creation ever touched by the hand of God, just like a firefighter, because no matter what, when everyone else is running away from danger, they are running or crawling toward it. Or maybe the reader will find out that the Vietnam War was neither won nor lost. That it is not really over for most of the men and women who served there. Or maybe they will change their minds about something they used to believe was true. After all, that is what a teacher is supposed to do: open hearts and minds.

   I believe Mr. Evans wanted to reach out to his veteran brothers to tell them he is still here, that he understands what they have gone through, because he went through it too. Maybe he is telling them they are not alone and there can be strength in knowing there are others to support them through a kinship and brotherhood. It seems to me Doc Evans is doing what he has always been destined to do: bandaging the wounds of his brothers.




3. Doc Evans not only tells it like it was, he makes his fellow grunts, like L. J. Henderson, and their heroism come alive in your mind. After reading Dr. Evans' book you won't want of miss two other books about the 4/39th during this same period; ...



4. I am a military physician and was serving in Afghanistan when I read Platoon Medic. I read the whole thing, cover-to-cover in a day and a half. It's simply a great book. It is a well-written, action-packed, gut-wrenching rocket ride through the hellish world of the combat medic in Vietnam. I felt like I was there in the rice paddies, watching Doc Evans patch up his bloody, dying comrades while the bullets were flying over his head. Dan Evans tells an astonishingly honest, important and poignant personal story. This book should be required reading for all Army medics and physicians. A great and important read.



5. As a Squad Leader of 2nd Squad, 1st Platoon, reading Dan's book years after experiencing it brough back a floor of memories. We lost some good men in our battles, but we'ed lost a hell of a lot more if it hadn't been for him and the other medic's. I was honored to proof read his story before it was published and when I did, it was hard to hold back the tear's from the memories it brough. I'am honored to know him and to be part of his story.

No comments about The Mind of Frederick Douglass.

5 comments about Dearest Ones: A True World War II Love Story.

1. This book is the journal of Rosemary Langheldt who left her job and home in San Francisco to serve with the Red Cross in London and then Germany. The story is told through letters home and journal entries, and both are highly informative and well written missives. Mrs. Norwalk recreates what it was like to live in England during the last year of the war. She is an empathetic observer of the many tens of thousands of men (boys) who stop briefly at her Clubmobile for a donut and a cup of coffee after disembarking in England and re-embarking for the fight on the Continent. Once Rosemary is transferred to Germany, she sees firsthand the near destruction of many German cities. Her writings are true to the time: these people were our enemies a short time ago and they tried to kill the boys who I helped serve. It also offers an honest appraisal of the Occupation where the black market made many Americans rich. This book will be of interest to anyone who wants to know about life in England after the Allied landings in June 1944 and the early days of the occupation in Germany.



2. I picked up "Dearest Ones" in a discount store and didn't expect much. There's a certain sameness to the World War II diaries of young women: young woman from small town bucks convention, kisses parents good-bye, and runs off to get liberated. She has some very mild adventures, makes a lot of friends, says "gee golly whiz" a lot, and swans on home at the end of the book. A postscript informs us that she settled down with a man named Bob or Hank or Earl, of whom we heard absolutely nothing in the course of the book except for a few mentions of "letters from So-and-So in the South Pacific," and is living somewhere in the midwest near her three grown children.
   
   Boy, was I surprised, and pleasantly so. Perhaps it helps that Rosemary Langheldt was older, in her mid-twenties, and already a career woman when she applied to join the Red Cross overseas. It also helps that she seems to have been a very curious and thoughtful person. As other reviews have mentioned, she takes notice not only of the glitz and fun of work abroad, but of Britain's sometimes stifling class distinctions, American racial prejudice, and the difficult moral compromises involved in the occupation of Germany. There is also plenty of romance, fun, and gee-golly-whiz adventure, but one never gets the sense that Rosemary lost track of her primary reasons for being in the Red Cross or saw her job as a mere means of adventure. Rather, she was there to work and the adventure happened along the way.
   
   She was keenly interested in other people, making this book a pleasure to read-- it can be incredibly frustrating to read a diary when the only "character" the diarist is able to make three-dimensional is the diarist herself. She had a skill for interacting with people (I get the sense that I would never in a million years have been able to handle her job) and trying to understand them, and that curiosity and interest in humanity permeates the whole book. (I also feel compelled to mention, as a reader, that I really appreciated the narrative cohesiveness of this book. If someone is introduced, then they will be around until a reason for their departure is given. A lot of diaries suffer from people and events appearing, disappearing, reappearing, necessitating either a lot of head-scratching or awkward footnotes. This book doesn't have that problem. Rosemary was a really excellent correspondent.) This is really a stellar example of the genre, probably one of the best I've read.



3. Rosemary Norwalk left ardent swains and professional position to become a "doughnut dolly" with the American Red Cross. This University of California graduate and San Francisco native brings a disciplined eye to the social climate and
   the broad spectrum of Americans thrown together by World War II. Following training in Washington, D.C. where she had to be restrained from sitting in the back of the bus, to commentary on the bravery of the ordinary Londoner under the buzz bombs, to experiences managing the large operation at a major port, she is insightful and forthright. Her many letters home are tied together with good historical notes on military operations and progress of the war. Mistitled a love story, it is instead a story of women who dared to step up and take on great responsibility for providing troop support both departing and returning through Britain. An example: A new"girl" arrives and one of the current Red Cross "girls" rushes to Rosemary with misgivings over her attitude and different looks. " The new girl announces: I'm Lil...I'm a Jew and I'm from Brooklyn and I don't like to take orders.' It was a challenge, not a greeting. I took a deep breath in the silence, then stuck out my hand and smiled. I hoped cordially. 'Welcome, Lil. I'm a gentile, I'm from San Francisco, and,' I groped for the right words, 'I don't like to give orders, so we ought to get along fine.' "



4. This is a wonderful book that I enjoyed the entire time I was reading it. It is one of those treasures of American history that should be read by anyone interested in WWII history. It is valuable look at the war from the perspective of an American Red Cross volunteer stationed in England. Not a nurse, as the author points out as the usual assumption, but one of those moral boosting "doughnut dollies" that sometimes were the last friendly female face a soldier would see before embarking for the battlefields of Europe.
   Mrs. Norwalk was a wonderfully skilled writer at the time she wrote the letters and journal entries that make up the book. And the book is equally well crafted and edited, giving a detailed look at the work of the Red Cross workers on the docks of Southampton, England, their everyday lives and yes romances as the subtitle implies. It also includes personal photographs taken at the time.
   An interesting item on page 99 is a list that explains the code used by the Red Cross to communicate the number of ships arriving or leaving, their sailing dates, and the number of soldiers to expect so they would be prepared and have enough volunteers, coffee, and doughnuts for them.
   My sincerest thanks to Mrs. Norwalk (now deceased)for sharing this personal history with us, it reminds me very much of the letters my father wrote my mother during WWII that I have published into a book entitled: All My Love, Forever: Letters Home From A WWII Citizen Soldier. - Dale Lane



5. I came across this book at a local bookstore and thought it was a very touching and well-written account of love during wartime. As the author lived in my area, I was able to meet her and have her sign my copy. I'm so glad I did as she passed away August 22, 2002. What a great keepsake for her family and a wonderful book for the rest of us. So if you've been meaning to write your memoirs, don't put it off! It may not ever be listed on Amazon but it would probably mean a lot to your loved ones.

5 comments about Back in Action: An American Soldier's Story of Courage, Faith and Fortitude.

1. Rozelle's book protrays an interesting story about his personal journey. Well worth the read.



2. CPT Dave Rozelle is a true hero and American Patriot. This amazing true story is a must read for any of the War on Terrorism's many critics. Whereas many in our great country sit back and point fingers at those making decisions and fighting overseas, CPT Rozelle is actually doing his part. It's easy to sit on the sidelines, but Dave has fought, been severely wounded, and fought again. He now commands amputees at Walter Reed, getting them in shape to fight again. You can't help but feel even greater respect for our men and women in uniform after reading this one. CPT Rozelle and his men are true Americans, and need to be acknowledged by reading this book.



3. This book was tough for me. As a military wife I was drawn to Capt. Rozelle's story. However, his book didn't live up to my expectations. Don't get me wrong, Capt. Rozelle is to be commended for all that he has accomplished and all that he is still accomplishing. The problem, for me, was that in his attempt to show the military in such a great light he came off as somewhat unrelatable. During the first part of the book, he seemed unable to show any sort of failure or flaw. It wasn't until after his injury that he let the reader see his humanity. He finally told stories of how he let himself down and how he eventually picked himself up and went forward. My only gripe is that he failed to show this same side of himself in the earlier portions of the book.



4. If you believe that troop-morale is low this book should change your mind. I've heard Capt. Rozelle on Laura Ingraham's show telling his story and each time I hear him I'm more confident, proud and optimistic about what we're doing in Iraq. Rozelle provides great insight on what's really going on and is highly critical of the poor press coverage of the War in Iraq.



5. I was eager to read Capt. Rozelle's book and compare with others by combat veterans from previous conflicts as far back as the American Revolution. Though the Captain has been exemplary in his actions as a soldier, and in his determination to overcome his disability, I was dissapointed and offended by the use of profane and vulgar language in the text. I realize the useage is common in the military, (I am a veteran myself), but it is never appropriate in an historical text to be read now and for generations to come.
   
   I am also dissapointed in Regnery for not providing better editing.

5 comments about Shaku Maku: On The Ground In Occupied Iraq.

1. I first met Phil when I was working in Baghdad, we shared many similar opinions on the daily frustrations of life in Baghdad. His story is shared with lots of laughter, a little sadness, and his own brand of "in your face honesty" that can be as refreshing as it is shocking! Phil's book is unique in that he tells the story of how and why we have had such a hard time revitalizing Iraq's fledgling private sector - although progress is being made slowly now - I would recommend this to anyone interested in Iraq or post conflict reconstruction in general to develop a deeper understanding of the myriad challenges one will face.



2. The book "Shaku Maku" must be added to the list of books increasing our knowledge of what has gone so desperately wrong in Iraq. Author Phil Borden writes from a perspective not seen in such other fine volumes as "Fiasco," "Cobra II," and "Imperial Life in the Emerald City: inside Iraq's Green Zone."
   Notably, Borden writes not from the Green Zone, home to the U.S. Embassy and those whom diplomats decide worthy of protection, but the Red Zone, far more dangerous but of course far more revealing of what Iraqis endure each day.
   An expert on small business, Borden went to Iraq to work for a State Department subcontractor in an effort to help the nation recover at least some economic ground lost to decades of war, sanctions and more war. Somehow he kept his humor; but his anger shows through as well. He's a good writer, too, free of academic jargon or diplomat-speak. The book reprints the e-mails, usually sent weekly, during his tour of about one year, broken into three stretches. I was one of those who received the e-mails and Borden thanks me in his introduction for my occasional suggestions as he prepared the book.
   The voluminous correspondence Borden received from those on his mailing list, and the new letter-writers who learned of his descriptions from friends, acquaintances and word of mouth, shows the value of his insights and descriptions. Many of the requests from friends for more information, for clarifications, for observations, are included in "Shaku Maku" and make the book even more valuable.
   Don't miss this far-outside-the-box description of a slice of Baghdad as the war enters year six.



3. in the vast literature on Iraq there is a hole in describing the everyday experiences of non-military Americans engaged in trying to make life better for Iraqis,and the Iraqis who are the dubious beneficiaries of their efforts. Although other accounts address this issue in part, no other book focuses on it. This one does so with wit and humanity. It is a week-by-week diary of life in Bagdad's Red Zone by an economic development and small business expert hired to help make sense of the post-occupied world. The author made it his business to sit down with everyone he could, from policy makers to camp followers, to extract their stories, and to measure their dreams by their day to day travails. The author also has an absudist, alsmost Hunter Thompson, sense of the situation in Iraq. I found myself laughing out loud at his comparison of George Bush with a character from Laura Ingalls Wilder, an imagined encounter with Al-Zarkawi, and some uses of toothpaste that almost make sense in his Iraq world. I found myself holding my breath as the deaths of friends and acquaintances piled up. This is a Must read.



4. Dr. Borden brings his wit and wry humor to present a very real-life story of the challenges we face in trying to help the Iraqis rebuild their economy. A must read for all Congressional staffers and Administration staff working on this important problem. Written in a true "Catch 22" style. His success in entrepreneurial economic development in the U.S. and his challenges in Iraq highlight the task ahead for us and the Iraqis.



5. A great insiders look and feel at what reality is like in Baghdad. Whether you are for our occupation or against it this book is compelling, well written and decisively accurate! A must read for the skeptical and inquisitive person looking for the truth about what is going on there. I rate this book with four and a half stars reserving five stars for works by Kurt Vonnegut, Earnest Hemingway and such... Shaku Maku is a book you will not put down until fully read!