2 comments about Forgotten Valor: The Memoirs, Journals, & Civil War Letters of Orlando B. Willcox (History Book Club Selection).

1. This is truly an enjoyable book. I certainly got a "kick" from his letters. I read two or three of the chapters several times. One thing I noticed about him from his writings was the hidden and totally unintentional secrets he exposed regarding his personality. I think the man was a "saint," because he revealed absolutely no vices or bad habits, as well as he was the ultimate possessor of Victorian manners. I spoke with a friend of mine, who also read the book, and he had the same impression of Willcox that I got. This book will make you appreciate the man once you get to know him more personally. I have quoted Willcox before, in my own writings, gleaned from other books, and from the Official Records, but until I read his personal letters, I never knew who he was. Mr. Scott should be commended for all of his hard work bringing these letters to life.



2. Orlando Willcox's voluminous memoirs, letters, and correspondence are an important, valuable contribution to our understanding of the Civil War. Covering his life in the army from his days at West Point in the 1840's through divisional command in both theaters of the Civil War, this magesterial compilation will interest specialists and buffs alike. Willcox's keen observations and trenchant comments on persons and events are reminiscent of the classic recollections of Charles Wainwright, E.P. Alexander, and Robert McAllister. Robert Garth Scott's judicious editing (footnotes are blessedly placed at the bottom of pages rather than the end of the book) greatly enhances what will instantly become a standard source for anyone seeking a greater knowledge of the American conflict. The price may seem hefty, but it is well worth the cost.

5 comments about Four Years With General Lee.

1. A history of the Civil War by Lee's aide Walter Herron Taylor.
   
   This is more a history than a memoir, and I get the impression that Taylor's other book has more personal reminiscence, though I haven't had a chance to see it yet. It clearly has served as a major source for generations of scholars; it describes most of the ANV's actions with a fair amount of detail and also discusses Lee's early campaign in West Virginia. The numerical strengths of the armies are tabulated in detail.
   
   Taylor's hero-worship of Lee is clear in his analyses of events and in the appended anniversary address, which doesn't make this a less useful source but should be taken into account.



2. As did Gilbert Moxley Sorrel (Longstreet), staff officer Walter Taylor offers his insights of the War of Southern Independence. Indeed, Taylor has rightful claim to his judgements, as his acquaitance with Lee offered him first-hand knowledge of events. However, I caution future readers that this is NOT a memoir or diary per se - Taylor rarely gives any unique slants to anything, and more often than not, seems occupied with setting the "numbers straight" - many, many, many tables and charts are provided giving the numbers available for this battle and that battle, etc...I suggest this book only for serious students of the war - and more particularly, those wanting "first-hand" data on "numbers." Of final interest, though, is Taylor's disdain for Hiram U. Grant (accurately recognizing Grant as a true butcher - merely throwing big numbers at an under-manned, under-supllied army) and the insertion of a speech given upon the anniversary of Genl Lee's birthday (albeit NOT written, or presented by Taylor himself)



3. Taylor's approach to covering the history of the Confederate struggle is encouraging to read. Though the title of this book tends to be a bit misleading. It should be called Four years of Confederate history. Taylor tends to describe battle movements and give calculations as to the manpower of divisions, brigades and regiments to a dragging sense. This books I recommend highly for those trying to get an accurate count of soldiers available for each battle, how many were casualties, after battle net amounts,etc.. Rarely are daily affairs of Lee covered. When I read this book I was disappointed to find out that it wasn't a book about General Lee and his daily livelyhood as I wanted to read about. Since Taylor was Lee's secretary I thought who better than to describe Lee's motives, attitudes, triumphs and defeats? Very rarely did Taylor ever mention Lee in this manner. Not enough to capture the man and tell his story. This book is a quick refresh of battles and movements throughout the war of the Army of Northern Virginia which hardly fits being called Four Years With General Lee. Credit is due to Taylor's ability to calculate total manpower and army positions throughout the four years though falls way short in covering Lee.



4. Wonderful book describing the massive work and devotion to duty that General Lee adhered to. Written by his A.A.G. A must read for southern patriots.



5. Taylor, as Lee's trusty staff member thoughout the war, is a great reference on Lee. Not all his words are to be taken at face value, however. For example, he had provided himself with a lovely suie with a piano and all he needed, far grander than Lee's abode. When Lee commented that Taylor had himself "finely fixed" there, Taylor responded " It will do." Lee was rightfully astounded, and left, although Taylor does not phrase it this way. Just a warning.

No comments about Memoirs of General W.T. Sherman, both volumes in a single file.

No comments about A Confederate Legend: Sargeant Berry Benson in War and Peace.

No comments about Henry V as Warlord (Classic Military History).

No comments about The Two Thousand Yard Stare: Tom Lea's World War II (Texas A&M University Military History Series).

5 comments about Walking Away from the Third Reich (Memories Series) (Memories Series).

1. A story of a German youth from boarding school to the Army until the capitulation on May 8, 1945. The discussion among individuals in Germany, as described, is a great resource for anyone seeking how the 3rd Reich was seen from the inside.
   
   Way too much time on his training, though. The books biggest flaw is that he leaves the reader high and dry at the end. OK, Claus, what happened to your parents, your home, your siblings, Sepp, Fritz, your Captain, Ernst, etc? Nothing.
   
   He ends with his first day on the job as a cook in a Munich hotel. Too bad because it shaped up to be a good book.



2. A view of WWII from the "other" side made this an eye-opening and fascinating read. It humanizes the enemy and one can't help but cheer on the author through his harrowing experiences in the European theater.



3. Mr. Sellier tells a very moving personal story of his experiences in the German Army during World War II. The book covers three parts of his war experience: initial officer's training after secondary school, service in an artillery unit in the Balkans, and, in the last third, a nightmare journey from Rokycany in Czechoslovakia back to army headquarters in Berchetsgaden and on to army provision headquarters in Traunstein and the end of the war. Throughout his experiences, Sellier retains his sense of humanity and concern for his fellow soldiers and for the civilians they encounter, and this comes through strongly in the book. He is a great, personable, story teller and has meticulously reconstructed his army career.

   As a young man, Claus attended Castle Bieberstein, an exclusive private school, where his schoolmates included Kaiser Wilhelm's grandson and the nephew of Baron von Richthofen.Their lives in private school were far removed from the reality of the war in 1942, where their biggest worry was whether the war would last long enough for them to graduate and earn a medal. One early wake-up call occurred when the school team went to a Hitler Youth Athletic competition wearing their school uniforms, instead of their Hitler Youth uniforms. Although they won some of the events, they were disqualified, and their behavior led to an investigation of the school by the SS that nearly closed it.

   Soon after, Claus and his friends were drafted, and he joined the First Mountain Division, where his three brothers and father were already serving.

   His youthful arrogance and independent thinking got him into repeated trouble in officers training school and he was eventually demoted and sent to a combat artillery unit, where he served in Yugoslavia, fighting the Russians. He was 19. Claus grew up fast in combat, as he learned survival skills and became close to the men in his unit. He became a first rate artilleryman and survived many engagements, including a Russian attack in which many of his mates were killed, and he and a few other survivors walked through swamps for days to get back behind German lines.

   In April 1945, Klaus and some others from his unit were sent to Artillery Officers School in Rokycany in Czechoslovakia. After only a few days, they were promoted to lieutenants, and Klaus and his friend Fritz were chosen, because they were Bavarians, for the dangerous mission of taking vital documents to Army Headquarters.They remained faithful to this mission while the structure of the German army was collapsing around them into chaos in response to the American advance. They spent a few days in American custody but managed to escape and walked home to Munich, to begin to rebuild their lives.




4. An amazing book of the thoughts and actions of the youth in Nazi Germany. The author gives one a perspective not seen by the Allies. He attempts to simply the daily life of a youth growing up in Germany during World War II. It gives the student of Nazi Germany a different view of the war through the eyes of its youth. One can see what it was like to be a youth in Germany and be caught in the furor of war. Sellier gives one a vivid view of war with all its futile consequence. He brings to life the strengths and weaknesses of man in war, and the incredible courage endured by men of both sides of war.He denounces war as one not of glory and fame but of evil and terror. This book would be an excellent read to one with a sense of World War II, especially those who fought against the Axis powers. I would suggest this book to any student of World War II. It gives one an excellent view from the other side and shows one a picture of the horror and stupidity of war. A must read for all World War II historians.



5. Walking away from the Third Reich by Claus W Sellier, is a compelling story of a young German Soldier caught up in the sobering throws of a real war!! At 17, the "glory and honor of fighting for a unified Europe seemed very exciting but reality soon set in with the horrors of true life battles. Young Sellier was forced brutally into maturity and tells his story in a honest and gripping way!! Hearing this story from someone who fought on the "other side" and is now an "American" gives the reader a whole new view on what all sides went through in this time of our history. I would HIGHLY RECOMEND this book to everyone,not only history buffs. It is a story of human interest to all!!!

   I hope that Mr Sellier would consider writing about his life experiences after the "War". It would be very interesting to see how his experiences affected his later life.

5 comments about A Shepherd in Combat Boots: Chaplain Emil Kapaun of the 1st Cavalry Division.

1. William Maher has given us a well-written biography of Fr. Emil Kapaun. Chaplain Kapaun was born in Kansas, grew up on a farm, and became a diocesan priest. He served as a chaplain in WWII and in Korea. In Korea he was taken as a prisoner of war and died from lack of medical treatment. Parts of this book are difficult to read because of the inhumane way the communist treated POW's, but for all the good men who endured this treatment, we need to read the story.
   
   His heroic service to all the men he served with, not just catholics, will never be forgotten. He did everything he could to help his men spiritually, physically and mentally. The title of this book appropriately calls him a shepherd. Just as we think of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, so Fr. Kapaun was a good shepherd to his men. He was a true hero although he never would have considered himself a hero.
   
   The vatican has named him "Servant of God", and I hope to see him canonized in my lifetime. Pray for us Fr. Kapaun.



2. My Dad went to the High School that was named after this Priest. He loves it so far.



3. As a new fire chaplain, I have been reading as wide as I can about what a chaplain does. Chaplain Kapaun is a real model for all of us who follow Christ and serve others as a chaplain.



4. This is an excellent story and so breathtaking, I had to stop reading in several parts, just to get through the chapter! What an amazing man Father Kapaun was and he showed how great the power of the human spirit is that once you start reading, you can't put it down. Then, when you're finished reading it, you want everyone to know about this wonderful human being! I, for one, will never feel needy for anything else in my life. Mr. Maher did an excellent job of interviewing friends and family of the Chaplain to make you feel that you knew him as well. Such a sad, sad story but one that makes you proud to be a Christian and proud to be an American. This has to be made in to a movie!



5. This book is a story of a man who becomes a priest and dies serving his fellow man. He is praised by the men of diffrent faiths (Christian, Jew and Muslim)who were POWs with him in North Korea.
   
   This is an excellent book to read especially during this era where the Me Generation is thriving. This book shows one the importance of sacrifice for our fellow man.

No comments about Lord Geoffrey's Fancy (Phoenix Press).

5 comments about Flying Through Midnight: A Pilot's Dramatic Story of His Secret Missions Over Laos During the Vietnam War.

1. Fast delivery and a good book. My husband was a helicopter pilot in Viet Nam , so these books are a good read for him. ' To The Limit " was the best one according to him.



2. This fella is a pretty good writer but the content of the book and especially his claims leave it with one star. The part about throwing a chain out back of the aircraft and bringing down a chopper was the least believable part. If it were to be found under "Fiction" I would gladly give it a couple more stars.



3. My unease with this book started from the very first page. I had just finished Tom Yarborough's excellent "Da Nang Diary", documenting his experiences as a special forces forward air controller in Vietnam, and was hungry for more on this topic. But "Flying Through Midnight" proved to be a very different book, and I plowed though it trying to ignore the red flags that kept popping up far too frequently.
   
   Small inaccuracies like the rainy season starting rather than finishing in November, or the Thai waitress using the polite ending "krup" which is reserved for men (women say "ka") I put down to forgetfulness and lax editing. But anyone who writes about a vintage MiG 17 trying to destroy an unlit transport aircraft at night with air-to-air bombs has little idea of military aviation.
   
   Numerous other small technical inaccuracies that one would not expect from a career pilot grate throughout the book. An example: the air cushion that forms under a low flying aircraft is called "ground effect" not "water effect". Its influence is felt at half a wingspan not half a wing chord length, and it's a well known effect taught to every trainee pilot, so Halliday's experienced copilot would not have been stunned by experiencing it for the first time so late in his career. Small inaccuracies for sure, but they accumulate throughout the book to increasingly test its veracity.
   
   All the characters appear to be caricatures with such exaggerated traits that they are difficult to accept as real people. In particular, the inflexible rule-spouting copilot, who becomes worried about dumping government property overboard to lighten an aircraft in mortal danger, beggars belief. Nothing you can place a finger on, but the book's characters just don't read true.
   
   The first two-thirds of the book is little more than a rant against an Air Force hierarchy that deliberately stifles even the slightest innovation. I would have thought that like most military organizations, this squadron would have adapted rapidly to wartime conditions, and welcomed suggestions from its combat pilots. The last third is an admittedly very well written account of an emergency landing that is reminiscent of the best writing of Richard Bach, including all of that author's mysticism. But even the good part of the book is marred by implausible characters and airstrip topography only Hollywood would normally have thought up (as pointed out by another reviewer).
   
   So what to make of it all? There seems little doubt that Halliday is a retired airline captain who did fly C-123s over Laos. His detailed narrative of the difficulties he endured in getting his book published mentions real people, some well known, who helped him. So why is the book full of so many niggling, doubt-inducing entries? Perhaps, in his desperation to get published, the author adopted many of the edits suggested by literary rather than aviation people during the numerous re-writes he was forced to make to get the book published. Or perhaps, as other reviewers have suggested, this is a "faction" book, a Vietnam version of Catch-22 loosely based on the author's experiences, not intended to be an accurate autobiography.
   
   Either way, the book disappoints.
   
   For a first-class read about the work of an unorthodox forward air controller during the Vietnam war, I strongly recommend Tom Yarborough's "Dan Nang Diary" instead.



4. My theory is that the author saw that Richard Hooker did pretty well for himself with a comic drama novel based upon his experiences with a support unit during the unpopular Korean (which he entitled MASH) so Halliday thought that he would go to the well with this comic drama novel based upon his experiences with a support unit during the unpopular Vietnam War. Let me begin (before I rip him a new one) by saying that there is some funny stuff here and the drama is not bad either (although I find the prose a tad purple).
   
   But there are problems with this book. First and foremost, there is entirely too much hippy-Zen-Tao navel gazing in this book. The basic premise is that the military is far more concerned about compliance with their rules than it is with winning the war or saving the lives of its men; therefore the average guy's only hope for physical and moral survival is to break those rules. The good guys break rules and the bad guys adhere to rules. (Did someone mention MASH?) You must disregard the rules and trust your inner self even if that means that the full weight of military authority will come crashing down on your head. The first half of the book (and you could even say the entire book) is the story of TJ learning to disregard more and more rules. The problem with this philosophy, of course, is its inherent contradiction: I get to break your rules but you don't. TJ is great when he disregards the rules of the squadron commander and various and assorted other brass but when Don't-Call-Me-Dick, TJ's co-pilot, disregards one of TJ's rules, there is hell to pay. The result is a very non-democratic and non-American standard in which the rules don't apply to cool people but they sure as hell apply to nerds. Apparently the author spent twenty-six years in the Air Force. With this attitude, one is tempted to ask how? Or better yet, why?
   
   Another problem is that remarked upon by numerous reviewers more qualified to comment than I, this story simply does not feel real. Not only does TJ complains like a middle school girl when as a memoir of the horror of combat, it doesn't hold a candle to such works as With the Old Breed by Eugene Sledge, The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer, or Company Commander by Charles MacDonald (to name only a few), the explanation and descriptions don't make a lot of sense. Ignoring the technical details, an example would be that TJ and his mentor, Wiley, seek solace from the stress of combat by cranking Wiley's stereo to a reported 1000 decibels and singing along with Karen Carpenter's Rainy Days and Mondays Get Me Down. (1000 decibels of Karen Carpenter! I may have to take back what I said about this book not revealing the true horror of combat.) That is a major problem with this book, it just doesn't ring true. Indeed, as I write these words, Hillary Clinton is being subjected to public ridicule for exaggerating beyond all recognition her experience visiting a Bosnia airport. "Hamburger" Hill described dodging snipers as she descended from above to bring peace to the Bosnians. The only problem was the snipers were a figment of her imagination. One gets the feeling that this memoir has been exaggerated by Clintonian standards but at least Hillary was kind enough to include comedian Sinbad in her war story perhaps as a "tell" that she was fibbing. Sinbad was not available during the Vietnam War but perhaps the author could have included Henny Youngman to let us in on the joke. ("Take my airplane, please!")



5. After reading all the other reviews, I started to think our reviewers (which include many ex-service) are missing one key point. "Flying Through Midnight" is well written and keeps its emphasis until the end.
   
   
   I kept re-reading the scene where the grizzled old mechanic "Toothless...Yearlong untrimmed beard..shoulder length uncombed hair.filthy Korean War fatigues" patched up the C-123 and got Halliday/crew back to NKP. It would make a hell of a movie. I would nominate Nick Nolte as the mechanic. I do admit that I pictured Long Tien to be at the bottom of a mile high ravine,which doesn't agree with phtographs I've seen.
   As far as its veracity, the reviewers should read some of the Luftwaffe novels wriiten in the fifties purporting to be true.