4 comments about Sam Patch, the Famous Jumper.

1. I bought this book used, but when I received it, it was in perfect condition. My child needed it for a class that she was joining mid-semester. The book is no longer being printed. However, while other students were still waiting on the arrival of their books ordered from another bookstore, she was in class with her copy in a little over a week with standard shipping.



2. This is a biography of Sam Patch, the famous jumper from high places into swirling chasms. Yet it's more than a biography; it's also a social history of the times (1820s) and the places where Sam made his daring leaps (Paterson, NJ, Niagara Falls, and Rochester, NY). Sam's early life was spent working in the cotton mills of first, Pawtucket, RI, and then Paterson, NJ. He learned the "art" (Sam's word, and an important one in defining how Patch saw himself) of jumping while a boy performing daredevil stunts in the Blackstone River of Pawtucket. Later, in Paterson, he leaped into the Passaic Falls more as a "rebel-victim" - Timothy Crane had erected a bridge across the falls, which was considered a social good; but when he bought land adjacent to the falls that was popular as a recreational retreat for the working people of Paterson and turned it into a private park for the wealthy, Crane became a villain to the many factory workers of Paterson. Sam timed a number of his jumps there to coincide with events designed to honor Crane, to humiliate him or at least take away some of his thunder. In these instances, Sam Patch was a jumper for Democracy.
   
   After Paterson, Sam leaped off the mast of a sloop anchored off Hoboken, NJ into the Hudson River, which was reported widely in the press, and Sam became a celebrity. Now his leaps would be for fame and fortune. He jumped twice at Niagara Falls to great success, and then went to Rochester to leap the Genesee Falls. His leap was successful, but a second jump on a cold November day proved to be his undoing; his body wasn't found until the following spring.
   
   Then of course, Sam Patch the legend took off. The real Sam Patch was a drunkard and millworker, raised in poverty, who discovered he had a talent for surviving high leaps into dangerous waters, and decided that exploiting this talent brought a big improvement to his otherwise futile existence. (It's the classic American story: think of all the ballplayers, actors, singers, etc. who saw even the worst of times in their chosen endeavors as better than "going back" to the mines, or the mills, or the empty windswept towns on the bleak prairie.) But for the decade or two after his death Sam was transformed into a gentleman's son who overcame timidity and learned to face danger and be "a man." Then, of course, even this made-up image of Sam disappeared from the scene - until 1945 when folklorist Richard Dorson rediscovered him and grouped him with such legendary characters as Davy Crocket and Mike Fink.
   
   Johnson does a superb job in rescuing Patch from the annals of folklore and presenting him as a real historical figure. This is not an easy task since very little in the historical record is known about Sam, and much of that is contradictory. He devotes much space to what life in the cotton mills was like, how Niagara Falls was perceived in the American imagination at the time, and what the young and bustling cities of Paterson and Rochester were going through when Sam visited them. Johnson is an interesting writer - detailed and learned, but not dry and scholarly. It's a fascinating book. Highly recommended.



3. Sam Patch was an American original who escaped my attention for forty-eight years. Professor Johnson's study of this mostly forgotten, irreverant showman has piqued this reader's thirst for more of the bold, eccentric and sometimes ambivalent personalities that have shaped this nation in often subtle ways.
   Not long after completing the author's chronology of the Patch family's slide from the respectability of the rural New England landholder and the influence of Calvinism, it becomes apparent
   that a documented record of just what manner of man Sam Patch really was is not to be had. From the standpoint of social status, Patch was a non-entity, a skilled textile laborer his sole identifying trait; that is, until he made public his hobby.
   Just what spurred Patch to leap the Passaic Falls at Paterson,NJ on July 4, 1828, effectively upstarting the elaborate holiday ceremonies planned by one of the city's wealthy and genteel manufacturing elite is uncertain. One effect of the feat was the galvanizing of the local labor force into an awareness of their potential to force reform in mill working conditions. No sooner had Patch had dried himself off when a consortium of mill owners issued an edict altering the daily work schedules of its employees, needlessly disrupting the domestic routines of thousands. Patch then betrays a political motive in answer to management with an encore jump during work hours just one week after the new schedule had taken effect. Patch's exploit was followed by a strike, arbitration and comprimise. The Paterson jumps gave birth to Patch's intriguing motto "Some things can be done as well as others."
   The cynical critic questions the depth and genuineness of Patch's social altruism based upon his lack of education, predilection to alcohol, and the complete absence of any concern, stated or implied, other than self-promotion during the remainder of his career. In fact, Patch, at the age of twenty-seven, having worked in the mills for twenty years, resigned his vocation permanently upon departing Paterson shortly after the second jump. After a brief exploit from atop a ship's mast in Hoboken,NJ, Patch emigrated to Niagara Falls for bigger game.
   Now an avowed professional jumper, backed by resort developers and sporting gentlemen, Patch thrilled crowds of commoners and elicited enmity from the Whig sophisticates and press. After a few successful performances, the venue shifted to Rochester,NY and Genesee Falls where class distinctions and responses to such behavior were at a premium. After an initial jump, a plan was hatched to erect a platform some forty feet above the millrace which paralleled the falls, raising his leap to an uprecedented one hundred-thirty feet. Unfortunately for our hero, he met his ultimate fate that day in 1829 when, unable to contain his passion for the bottle, he endeavored to jump while in a well-lubricated state, lost his form early in the air, hit the water on his side, and disappeared for four months before his body was hauled from under the ice of the Genesee River some seven miles downstream.
   On reconsideration, it is perhaps the case that Patch had an angle along reformist lines. Though unsophisticated in its method, the very inanity of Patch's nonconformist act served as a slap in the face to the righteous, overbred conceit of the upper classes and their proclivity for circumscribing the limits of self-determination for those less fortunate. In appropriating a mere mill-boy's pastime Patch defied the ruling gentry and diletantes of morality to prevent his freedom of expression. Although his jumps lacked the ingenuity, utility or permanence of the engineering marvels which buoyed the emerging industrial revolution, they gave notice that democracy entitles a man to make his mark after his own fashion and, notwithstanding limited means, proof that "Some things can be done as well as others."
   Despite the absence of source material Professor Johnson has done a comendable job of resurrecting Patch's story from the confines of legend. Johnson's tedious labor is evidenced by his notes--drawn almost entirely from periodical literature.
   While it is not possible to forge an intimate acquaintance with Sam Patch, Johnson has provided the detailed social, political and religious mileau needed to understand his role in history.
   Johnson is also to be credited for the modesty of his prose, which makes this book smooth and entertaining.



4. If you have never heard of Sam Patch, it is because you are not living in the nineteenth century. Sam Patch was America's first celebrity daredevil, someone who made his fortune and his fame by spectacularly endangering his life, jumping from waterfalls. Paul E. Johnson, in _Sam Patch, The Famous Jumper (Hill and Wang), has not exactly brought Patch back to life. As Johnson explains, people like Patch did not have linear careers that lent their lives to being told as stories; they had episodes, not biographies. Patch only lived thirty years, and jumped professionally only for the last two of those, but he did have a wonderful career, and even some meaning within American history and sociology. Johnson has, though Patch's story, examined some details of Jacksonian America, industrialization, philosophies of art, and aspects of fame from self-endangerment and self-promotion rather than self-improvement and civic involvement. Patch was, after all, a lout and a drunkard, but it must mean something that he achieved such a level of fame that his feats could be cited by Melville, Hawthorne and Poe. Even Andrew Jackson's favorite steed was named Sam Patch.

   Sam was around seven years old when he took up work in a mill; families in the early eighteenth century were being drawn to mill towns since mothers and children could easily get work. He was good at the work, and fiercely independent in the craft of "mule spinner". The independence manifested itself in his jumping as well. He learned the craft of jumping as other boys did, but when he moved to another mill town, his jumping acquired a social and political aspect that endeared him to the populace. He jumped to spite a rising industrialist in Paterson, New Jersey, and then in support of his own class when there was a dispute over how the town should celebrate the Fourth of July, and jumped again during the first labor walkout. People loved the jumps, and newspapers reported them. Patch became a working-class hero. He went on to jump into Niagara Falls twice, and finally in Rochester. On 13 November 1829, he took a plunge into the Genesee Falls, into which he had jumped successfully a week before. He was drunk, and hit the water out of control. It was months before the body was found, but respectable Americans had found a new cause to rail against; one preacher spoke of the "strange and savage curiosity" of the crowds who came to see the jumps, and another told his Sunday school class "... that any of them who had witnessed Patch's last leap would be judged guilty of murder by God."

   Sam Patch could have been an emblem against the masses, but it did not work out that way. He became the subject of poetry, comic stories, and stage plays. "What the Sam Patch!" became a common way of swearing. There was a Sam Patch cigar. He has even recently been the subject of a novel. Rochester has welcomed his memory as if it were that of a favorite son, and you can buy souvenirs at Sam's Gift Patch. There are those who insist that any American Dream must be built on hard work, domestic harmony, and sobriety. Johnson's able and well-researched portrait, with its many digressions into aspects of our fledgling democracy, shows a different sort of dream and a new sort of celebrity. Americans, bless their hearts, had from the beginning a delight in one who tweaked the nose of his betters and got fame for lots of wrong reasons.

No comments about When War Becomes Personal: Soldiers' Accounts from the Civil War to Iraq.

5 comments about Napoleon.

1. I don't know what Felix Markham was contemplating when he decided not to write more about Napoleon's relationship with Josephine. Relegating her to a mere footnote in Napoleon's life was inexcusable.
   Moreover, one has to beg to differ and ask the question as to why Markham took it upon himself not to dramatize the wars that were fought, the socio-economic situations that developed, Napoleon's personal life, or his psychological makeup?
   
   Unfortunately, there just isn't any attention to detail in this book, and a historically charismatic figure such as Napoleon, whose lead a sophisticated yet complex lifestyle needs his story to be detailed in the utmost capacity.
   So, in adhering to this argument, it becomes difficult to fathom that Markham managed to skip to one event after another with no rhyme or reason, which made his lethargic literary attempt very difficult to ascertain, nevermind follow.
   
   Markham also drops many names of so-called main players in the story, but manages not to tell you anything about them.
   I couldn't fathom how Markham had the audacity to write a 304-page book that should have been well over a thousand pages, or several volumes so people who are unfamiliar with Napoleon's exploits can envisage who these historical figures were and their part in shaping history.
   
   There wasn't any background information on the secondary players in Markham's account. And insofar as "the Battle of Waterloo." Why wasn't there any mention of Nathan Rothschild's banking/insider trading fraud, which gave him controlling interest of the Bank of England? Nathan Rothschild lied to market speculators about the outcome of the battle, promulgating that Napoleon won the war, which caused the speculators to dump their stocks and assets,leaving Rothschild to purchase their assets for pennies on the dollar, making him one of the wealthest entrepreneur in Europe. Also, Napoleon was in debt to the Rothschilds and he ran out of money and that's why he ended up losing the war. Anyone with half a brain knows you need money to win, and Markham left all of this key information out of his account.
   
   So, in conclusion, Felix Markham is indeed one of the worst chroniclers of history I've ever come across, and he had no business writing about Bonaparte. It is painfully apparent that he wrote this book for people who are already pretty savvy when it comes to the Napoleonic Wars, and no one (including Markham) can successfully write a historical account of warfare without exploring the causes, the effects, and motivative passions.
   So I reiterate that this was a lazy/sad attempt, and I strongly recommend reading something else more detailed.



2. I enjoyed this quick tour through the life of Buonaparte but thought that the number of names and name places within short proximity and also that of annoying italicized nomenclature scattered on every page was suited for a fellow historian but not a lover of literature. Because this book seeks to encompass all of napoleonic history (including in part, military technology, European industry, politics, etc.)inside relatively few pages, the ride jolts quite a bit. There is not a great deal of smooth transition. I believe the author intended that those who would read his work begin at a mutual level of common knowledge about the subject matter.
   
   On a positive note, it is a good introduction at a critical assessment of Napolean. It is from at least my limited point of view on the subject, still a grand story. But despite the historical method and criticism, however erudite, there still remains a charm and mystery and one appreciates the extraordinary force of Napolean's personality and his enduring legend all the more. So in the end, it seems almost impossible to write a bad version of an incredible tale. But I suggest starting another place if you are into polished literature. If a beginner historian--a perfect place.



3. Markham's book on Napolean is incredibly fast paced. Napolean's life could (and often does) fill volumes, but Markham fits it all in a surprisingly small book. I bought this book on a recommendation from a history professor with the intention of quickly filling in a gap of history that I was less informed about. Essentially, it did just that. You could almost compare the book to a large encyclopedia entry. Not that it's bland or dry, but it is informative and sans literary fluff.
   
   Overall, however, I enjoyed the book and would definitely would recommend it to anyone seeking to quickly grasp who Napolean was and how his life shaped Europe. A great introduction to this overwritten topic.



4. If you're looking for a complete account of post revolutionary Europe or of Napoleon's life, this is not the right book.
   
   If what you're looking for is a summary of major events in the life of Napoleon, then this is the right book. It does not go into detail and leaves out particularly interesting passages of Bonaparte's carreer, such as some of the battles and in particular Auterlitz.
   
   As can be expected, if you have read about Napoleon before, you will be left with a sense of emptiness, as some critical and crucial events are covered in a single paragraph.
   
   The only major shortcomming of the book is that it practically ignores Napoleon's relationship with women (Josephine, Marie-Louise)which as we all know is key to understanding Napoleonic history.
   
   The book is very well documented and overall presents a very nice introduction to Napoleon. Also, it is easy to read....



5. Concise look at Napoleon and his exploits. This essay is best used as an introduction to be followed up by Schom, Asprey and Horne.

5 comments about George C. Marshall: Soldier-Statesman of the American Century (Twayne's Twentieth-Century American Biography Series).

1. Before reading this book I did not have a very high opinion of George Marshall. You never heard much of anything he did. The Battle Field Generals of WW2 took much of the show. However after reading another book about Ike where he talked a little about Marshall I decided to give him another look and I am glad I did. Marshall was a truly outstanding general and patriot of the highest kind. But so humble that he would not even accept awards or leave his own story written by him. Getting back to the book, it was written very well. One of those books you just cannot put down. Naturally it takes you through his early years, West Point, the lean years of the army. But it also goes through the most difficult times of WW2. Without Marshall we would not have been prepared for WW2 and many of the command and control items are still used today. But just when you think it was over and Marshall would fad into history the President called him back on the civilian side and he was wonderful. If the book told you nothing else about Marshall it would be that he could not say no! You have to read it and I promise you will never be bored of regret it.



2. This is a good biography of the general. If you want more in depth read the masterpiece four volume biography by Forrest Pogue.



3. This is a perfectly unobjectionable book outlining Gen. Marshall's life and military and political careers. It did strike me as being rather cursory in a number of areas and does not go very far in terms of the motivations and character of its subject. Undoubtedly this is in part because Marshall left very little in the way of written reminiscences of his own and kept a studied distance from those with whom he worked. As such, it leaves a bit to be desired as an in-depth biography. Nonetheless, it is well written, fair in its viewpoint and can be read within a couple of evenings. It is certainly a fine introduction to Marshall, but a reader looking for a comprehensive treatment of his life might well select one of the longer alternatives.



4. Mark Stoler writes a concise account of the life and accomplishments of George C. Marshall, one of the greatest soldiers and statesmen in U.S. history. The opening lines in chapter one describe how Marshall was the only professional soldier to receive the Nobel Peace prize. Stoler's work provides inspiration to not only those in uniform, but also diplomats and others interested in leadership in general. I found the book highly readable, succinct, yet having the detailed notes that provide guidance for further reading. It is well worth the read.

   Stoler's work comes in at just under two hundred pages, but adds depth with extensive notes for the reader who wishes to pursue more details on the life and accomplishments of General Marshall. The author leans heavily on Forrest C. Pogue, Marshall's official biography, and others who have written extensively on the leader and World War II. The book also features a chronology of Marshall's life, two sets of photos, a bibliographic essay, and an index.

   I found the chapter on Marshall's time as Secretary of State to be extremely interesting. He not only garnered passage of the European Recovery Plan ("Marshall Plan") during his tenure, but he also helped negotiate the Rio Pact and Organization of American States, witnessed Tito's Communist coup in Czechoslovakia, opposed the Soviet blockade of Berlin, and supported the creation of NATO. Marshall's immense impact on world affairs can still be felt in Western Europe and elsewhere, as his military and diplomatic efforts set the stage for international relations for the remainder of the 20th century.

   As a military leader, I found this to be great reading and a good source for future reading on General Marshall. Read Stoler's work if you are a student of history or enjoy reading about leadership. Highly recommended!




5. The book by Stoler is an excellent,albeit somewhat abbreviated account of the life of Marshall. The format, which discusses a time period and its relevance in US History and the life of Marshall was an excellent choice by the author. The only place it falls short, in my opinion, is in that its not really a critical review - the author never really analyzed Marshall's actions and took him to task for anything, and I find it hard to believe that, while a great man, Marshall never did anything wrong. Nonetheless, anyone who wishes to understand US military and foreign policy in the 20th century needs to read this book.

4 comments about Brotherhood of the Fin: A Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer's Story.

1. Former Coast Guard rescue swimmer Gerald R. Hoover presents his own biography in Brotherhood of the Fin: A Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer's Story. Harrowing life-and-death decisions and endurance-testing rescue missions formed a part of his life and his dedication to saving those in desperate need. In his long career, he racked up more deployments than any other rescue swimmer in the history of the program; his final mission was to serve as part of the search and rescue mission to aid those victimized by the national disaster that was Hurricane Katrina. An absorbing, straight-talk tale of real life adventure and heroically selfless dedication.



2. What an excellent book. If you have ever wondered about the world of Coastguard Rescue Swimmers, this is a must-read.



3. This book is so well written. I have read many that are not as well thought out and reviewed by the writer; but this writer obviously really went over every detail and made sure it read well. The organization of the book is also one of the best. It seems a kind of beginning rather than just a focus on one career and eventual retirement. This should continue as a series covering many other AST Swimmer stories as well as how the experiences may affect and lead to improvements towards future more successful Search and Rescue Missions. This book also shows how vital and important the AST Rescue Swimmer program is since it's recent inception in the Coast Guard (only the last ~22 years). Now, countless people have been saved who could not have helped themselves into the rescue basket for hoist - who have gone on and had continued successful lives after their rescue. This is important to everyone - especially if you should need rescue one day....



4. 
   
   Gerald Hoover's book is a outstanding work of non-fiction. As a retired Coast Guard rescue swimmer I'm very proud of the way he relives his career of rescues that were life and death struggles filled with heart-pounding action. ASM1 Hoover takes the reader on a journey into the depths of turbulent waters where a select few persons, who are the Brotherhood of the Fin, willingly enter to rescue those in peril. Furthermore, Hoover hits the nail on the head by emphasizing the team effort of the Coast Guard's highly trained professionals that are part of every rescue. I highly recommend this book and would make it a required read for any young man or woman who wants to pursue a career as a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer.
   Darell Gelakoska
   ASMCM USCG (Ret)

No comments about The Fog of War: Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara.

5 comments about The Highway War: A Marine Company Commander in Iraq.

1. Having served with a Battalion of Marines back in my Naval Service days, I was unable to put down Major Seth Folsom's book on the Highway War. My impression of the Marine Officers with whom I served, their dedication to duty and to their men, left a lasting impression on me. Major Folsom's story reaffirms that admiration. What is so noteworthy is the maturing of a combat Marine who emerged as a competent professional able to meet any challenge under extreme stress and pressure to complete the assigned mission. First to use LAV's in combat, his unit encountered many imponderables and maitenance problems while continuing to move forward in the face of unknown enemy resistence. He never once failed to give credit to his Marines who fought under his command and alongside him. Their desire to stay in touch and close to him after returning from Iraq is evidence of the high regard they have for him. No higher acolade can be give than to have your enlisted troops want to serve with you again as they said in the book. Major Folsom represents the finest we have in the future core of military leaders. We need more of his kind if we are to maintain the freedom we enjoy.



2. I have read the previous comments of others both pro and con. I have known Major Folsom's father for many years. Quite obviously, the acorn fell close to the tree. His father is one of the most outstanding officers with whom I have had the privilege to associate. From reading this book, I feel confident that Major Folsom has inherited all of his father's outstanding qualities.
   
   Two matters were brought to light in reading this excellent documentation of his tour. First, I wish that I had the presence of mind to record a daily record of my tour as a squadron commander in RVN. Second, I commend Major Folsom for his honest evaluation of his accomplishments and his revelation of what he considered his failings.
   
   There are many who can understand the stress of combat because they have been there. The ground troops, perhaps more than any, face the true cruelty of the close-in combat environment. POWs, more than anyone, experience a different type of stress. No one can truly express the stress unless he or she have been there. There are far too many who critique the events without having ever experienced being there. Folsom has.
   
   Major Folsom's forthright analysis of his tour should be required reading for every newly commissioned officer of any branch. Folsom recently departed and is presently in-country on his second tour. I wish him and those men with him God-speed and shall look forward to a critique of this tour. May I add that I would be more than willing to serve with this officer anytime, any place as I have with his father.



3. I couldn't wait to read this book and when I finally got my copy, it wasn't all I thought it would be. Basically you follow the life of a young marine LAV Company Commander during OIF. He comes across many times as a whiner and someone I wouldn't want to work for. I felt sorry for his Marines many times when they had to deal with him and his emotional outbursts. I really saw nothing different from this book than any of the other books like this based on OIF. I could have passed on it.



4. Years ago Marine artist Col Charles Waterhouse drew a cartoon of a grizzled Marine Gunny, complete with cigar, pulling on a Santa outfit as he prepares to entertain young children, as compared to his normal demeanor of an intimidating Gunny. Maj Seth Folsom's book details a similar transformation, as he grows from a nervous young officer facing his first combat to that of a skilled and articulate officer and husband.
   
   A Captain at the time, Folsom is a blunt and honest writer who discusses his fears and concerns of what he is about to encounter in Iraq. The likely-hood is that many Marines and soldiers, both officers and enlisted, can identify with his worry of how he will fare in his first combat: Can he hack it? How well will he perform? Will he make any mistakes that might cost the lives of his Marines? The difference between them and Folsom is his frankness in discussing these concerns.
   
   Folsom uses the story of his role as company commander to tell the story of Delta Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion as they participated in the March 2003 invasion of Iraq. From breaching the berms into Iraq, to watching and waiting as his fellow Marines fought at An-Nasiriyah, to the fighting on the way to Baghdad and beyond, Folsom pulls no punches and spares no feelings in his descriptions of leading 130 Marines into combat. The invasion in March 2003 was the beginning of an unusual war against a non-traditional enemy, and Folsom has to find his balance as an officer when dealing with both his superiors and the Marines under him while learning how to lead Marines in combat. Sand, stink, rain, lack of sanitation, fatigue, grime, and nerves are just some of issues with which he dealt even before he and his men even encountered the enemy. Folsom covers the military actions from 21 March 2003 through the April 2003 capture of Baghdad, and he accurately recounts the stress, excitement, and confusion of those historic days.
   
   With the book written from the notes and recollection of his wartime journal, this is a fascinating memoir revealing are his feelings as he dealt with his Marines, and how he matured as an officer and as a human being. Many readers, especially his fellow officers will find much to critique in his rough and abrasive leadership style, and his dislike of the media is at odds with Marine Corps policy. But it is Folsom's same bluntness that lets him write so revealingly - and perhaps these same readers can use his vignettes as an `after-action report' in order to guide themselves in similar circumstances.
   
   In perhaps a reflection of the asymmetrical nature of this war, Folsom recounts participating in briefings with the generals and colonels leading the invasion, and later singing with his men as they blast rock & roll music at rock concert levels. Perhaps one unexpected bonus of war in the wired age is that we readers can share in our warrior's thoughts and experiences while they are still fresh, and as such, Maj Folsom's book is both an exciting read and highly recommended.



5. You may hate this war and our current President for getting us involved in it, but after reading this book you can only respect and honor those doing the fighting .Folsom's thoughtful leadership and concern for his men, his belief in the Marine Corps and The Mission turned my head around.
   The more liberal you are , the more you need to read this book.

5 comments about Man Without A Face.

1. Markus Wolf was definitely a dedicated communist and he chose to spy for his then new "homeland" the so called Deutch Demokratiche Republik, which was neither a republic nor democratic. Perhaps the most subservient of Soviet Satellites, the DDR created the dreaded Stasi which Wolf served as a top officer until his retirement in 1986. Among other things the Stasi trained not only members of the intelligence and armed forces of other communist countries but also helped train international terrorists like "Carlos", Abu Nidal, as well as communist elements in Africa and Latin America, etc. Even though Wolf tries to disassociate himself with the brutal enforcement branch of the Stasi he chose to collaborate with them. However the book is well written and is an interesting story from a master spy, perhaps the most effective and secret of the former Soviet Bloc. In spite of his "professionalism" as a master spy, Wolf belongs to those with the erroneous belief that you can only combat one extreme, in this case nazi-fascism with the other, communism, totally failing to understand that neither works nor will ever and both do nothing but suppress human rights, and all freedoms, causing nothing but ruin to entire countries and their societies with brutality and murder.



2. As a long-time fan of John LeCarré's espionage novels, I was interested in reading Markus Wolf's autobiography. Wolf was rumored to have been the figure that LeCarré based his character, "Karla" -- the chief of the KGB Foreign Directorate -- on in his earlier novels. LeCarré has denied this, but the similarities are striking.
   
   What you won't find in this book is an extended discussion of espionage "tradecraft" or gripping stories about spying operations. What you will find may be a bit more disturbing. Wolf was (he died in 2006)) an unreconstructed Communist, as other reviewers have noted. He remained a true believer in Marxism, even after the collapse of the Berlin Wall and his subsequent trial. What I found most troubling was the last section of the book, his Epilogue. In it, and as a Communist, he looks at capitalism and expresses clear disapproval of any society based solely on money and the accumulation of wealth by the few at the expense of the many. Predictable, you might say. And, he opines that money can have as powerful and as insidious an effect on a society as any form of government. And, that the notion of personal freedom in the West is sometimes used simply as a tool to facilitate business interests. Coming on the heels of Enron, WorldCom and Halliburton, these statements simply can't be dismissed out of hand. One of the chief benefits of democracy is the ability to criticize the government, and, to my mind, there is more than a bit of truth to what he says.
   
   In the main, the book is quite candid and, as I said, more than a little disturbing. Definitely worth reading.



3. Ok, ok, here's more. Wolf was the son of a renowned German playwrite, Fredrich Wolf, so he learned to communicate exceptionally well. His autobiography reflects that. The translator was also exceptionally good; nothing jarred me out of the tale by an obvious mistranslation. Wolf wrote quite frankly about how he was raised a committed Communist, how Communism failed him and his country, how his country failed Communism, and how his country failed, period.
   
   He's rather humorous about how the HVA was established and its early, amateur days. (Note to several reviewers--Wolf was head of the East German foreign intelligence service, not the internal Stasi.) He wrote about unintended consequences, which are quite enlightening, considering how the West blamed the HVA for a number of incidents in which it had no direct involvement. The sections on HVA attempts to influence emerging African nations and on terrorism are very interesting, indeed.
   
   He wrote the book after he was tried by the West German government and the German Supreme Court threw out the conviction, so he was more open than one would have suspected, given all the mystery and myth surrounding him (he was quite amused about that). He did not give away any HVA sources, except several who were already blown before he began writing.
   
   When the wall fell, several of us CI types chatted about what a good idea it would be to have Markus Wolf present briefings on how the HVA cleaned NATO's clock, without asking him to give away sources. What we didn't know was that CIA had approached Wolf about debriefing him, maybe giving him sanctuary in the US (Wolf was about to be indicted by West Germany), and paying him a lot of money. How and why Wolf refused is exactly how and why I thought he would have responded to such an approach.
   
   The book reads almost like a novel, albiet a tad dry in places. I highly recommend it to any CI professional.
   
   I was always impressed with Wolf's professionalism. His autobiography only deepened my respect for an honorable enemy. This book will always be a permanent part of my library.



4. Mr. Wolf wrote a good book. He didn't apologize for his past, while providing detailing information (the most interesting thing, IMHO) about the "mood" of the times. Wolf was - in several ways - a man between two intelligence era, ss his opinion about security and computer shows: he claims having had no security leakage while handling agent files "by hand". But when information technology comes ...
   
   This is a dramatic forseeing of what intelligence and information gathering would become in the very next future: a technology-controlled activity, able to collect a huge quantity of information, without anybody out there able to understand it.
   
   Conclusion: as all the book of this genre, information cannot be taken as "holy spell", nevertheless the reading is really a good experience.



5. While Markus Wolf's style is understated and matter of fact, he reveals an extraordinary life and political workings. He is clear about what is not included and why -- some of which the reader would have been eager to see.
   
   This is how he felt and thought and worked. A rare and wonderful glimpse into an honest and intelligent opponent of the US and its allies in the Cold War.

5 comments about Warriors: An Infantryman's Memoir of Vietnam.

1. I read this book in an effort to remember my tour of service in Vietnam back in 1969. Being a member of the 199th I wanted to see if it would re-awaken memories. I found it extremely enjoyable.. well written.. and a very good book. For anyone who wants to know what Vietnam was like I recommend it highly. Fast reading, engrossing, and kept me flipping pages throughout.



2. I have read better books on Vietnam. A good book, but not a must read.



3. 
   A real personal and up close look at what Warriors go through when fighting in military combat. It has often been said that,"War is Hell" and this book comes as close as possible to describing what battle in an infantry Company is like.
   The author was a highly trained soldier ,ready to use his skills and everything else he could muster;to lead his men into battle ,defeat the enemy and get as many of his men home safely as possible.
   He spent 9 months ,fighting battles in Vietnam,in 1968 during the bloodiest months of the war. While this was going on, he was totally aware of the politics of the war that was being fought out in the anti-war protests in the streets and on the campuses of America.He was also fully aware of the politics that were also being played over the war.
   The author was not only a dedicated hero,but he is able to convey to the reader what it was like to be there.As strong a person as he was,we can see that a human being can take only so much stress of battle when he is in a position that his last breath may only be an instant away...and to be subjected to this for 9 months.
   There are endless ways to look a the whole business of war;but to the people who sacrifice their all for the freedom of others;we owe them our greatest gratitude, thanks,and respect.
   When you talk about service to one's country;Robert Tonsetic shows what it really means.



4. This seemed to be one of the best Vietnam memoirs I have read. It was detailed and gripping. I read it in one sitting.



5. "Warriors: An Infantryman's Memoir of Vietnam," by Robert Tonsetic, is an excellent addition to the canon of American military memoirs. In the preface Tonsetic notes that the book is "essentially a personal history" of his tour as a rifle company commander during the first six months of 1968--"the bloodiest year of the Vietnam War."
   
   The book includes eight crisply drawn maps that illustrate the places and tactical situations covered by the text; 16 pages of black-and-white photos of people and places mentioned in the book; a useful glossary of military terms and acronyms; and a bibliography of relevant books and documents. These supplemental features greatly enhance the book.
   
   But in the end it's Tonsetic's fine text that stands on its own. Tonsetic writes in a sober, matter-of-fact prose style that I found very effective, and well suited to his subject matter. His text is full of fascinating technical details about the art and science of 20th century warfare. But he never gets excessively technical; his narrative remains grounded in the human dimension of his gripping story.
   
   Tonsetic covers a lot of ground: night fighting tactics, the danger of "friendly fire," enemy tactics, dealing with prisoners-of-war, etc. He writes dramatically of the leadership and staffing issues he faced as a company commander. He vividly portrays the stress and harsh conditions endured by the hard-working infantry soldiers, and the author's compassion and respect for these men really shines through. Tonsetic stresses in his preface that the "people, dates, locations, and operations described in this book are real and documented in official Army records." The author's testimony of the truthfulness of his narrative adds to the book's power.

5 comments about Partners in Command: George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower in War and Peace.

1. This book does a good job of giving us WWII and the Cold War at a high-level view, through the eyes of our two best military leaders. Mentored by Marshall, Eisenhower was the glue that held the Allies together during WWII. Buffeted by the incredibly large egos of such as Churchill, Patton, and Monty, Ike kept his cool, and with good counsel kept the Alliance together.
   
   I had no idea that Ike had such a hard job. Surprisingly (to me at least), the Brits were very hesitant to get behind Overlord, while the Russians were screaming for a second front as they were being pounded by the Axis during Barbarosa. Also, there was competition for resources from MacArthur in the Pacific War, which was given second-class status via the `Germany First' policy. Then there was the competition among the countries as well as among the different branches of the armed forces.
   
   Ike had some good things behind him. He had Marshall as an almost-father-figure and a very cool and wise military and political head. He had Roosevelt, who was the most powerful person in the world. Finally, he had great self-command; he was not one to fly off the handle when things got tough.
   
   I have no idea how he did it, or how they did it (Marshall and especially Ike). The motto of his presidential campaign works for me: I Like Ike!



2. This isn't actually a military book. This is about the politics of the military and the intellectual formation of Eisenhower (more so than Marshall). It is exemplary in terms of helping to understand the differences between the American and the British ways of war, the political motivations behind the North Africa campaign, Italy, and Normandy, and the relationship between personality and the level of command that one can attain.
   
   There are some passages in this book that bear deep study. I recommend it highly.



3. I was a small child during WWII and don't remember much about it. What I know I've read. This is an excellent book. I didn't know anything about George Marshall really except for the Marshall Plan. I'd like to do some more research on him.



4. 'Partners in Command' by Mark Perry
   
   Mr. Perry's book does a wonderful job of defining the relationship between Ike and General of the Army, George C. Marshall. Gain insight into the talents, and conversely, the weaknesses of these two tremendously important historic leaders. As much, if not more importantly, you'll recognize their conscious (or subconscious) self-realization of these internal characteristics and how they melded their personalities into an unshakable leadership duo.
   
   This book takes you into the White House as well as the battlefield command centers of WWII for an up close view of the highest levels of the machinations of warfare command. Experience the stress, exhilaration, support, comradeship and undying patriotism these two commanders had for each other. The jaw drops when considering the sacrifices these men, and millions others, made for their country and the effort they deemed paramount to the freedom of mankind.
   
   Mr. Perry provides us a detail-rich and very well written book, which is easily read yet difficult to put down. There are sections that will leave you wishing were expanded upon, however, on balance this is a one of a kind work that should be read my military historians and those just looking for a taste of WWII history and leadership. A very good book, indeed. I greatly look forward to Mr. Perry's next project.



5. Surprisingly, a great book on career development and problems in management, set in the context of the most trying of times. In the case of Eisenhower, it is an excellent case study on how to manage a coalition of varying team players and personalities and how to report up to your boss. In the case of Marshall, it is an excellent case study on how to be a boss, both by identifying and promoting talent, managing subordinates (by giving them real responsibility and the trust and support to make their own decisions, even when they make mistakes) and ultimately keeping the organization focused on the broad strategic objectives that will win the war. Plus history to boot. Revealing insofar as the extent to which Eisenhower deferred to Marshall and how Marshall managed Eisenhower and encouraged him. Also interesting how Marshall pulled Eisenhower from obscurity to put him in a position to become supreme commander of Europe, solely by dint of his talent and hard work. Great book for understanding the dynamics of successful leadership and delegation of duties, as well as the keys to personal career success, in the guise of a history book and biography. Touches on the key command issues and battlefield developments to give the story clear historical context. Enlightening in many ways.