5 comments about Packing Inferno: The Unmaking of a Marine.

1. Look, I am a obsessive reader. George Eliot, Thomas Hardy, Henry James, Jane Austen, Trollope, Dickens, Joyce, Proust... Anything before 1890 and fiction. I read to escape. I know Tyler and wanted to support him so I bought his book. I had never read a book of this sort. And didn't think I would even get past the first page. This book made my head spin. I have never had a book make me think more than this one did. About war. And warriors. About the warrior in each of us. Why is it there in the first place? We couldn't survive without it. Tyler's book blasted my mind wide open on a subject that was as foreign to me as any could possibly be. I recommend this book for everyone. It is not a war book. It is about human nature in its most challenging moments. Fabulous book.



2. Tyler E. Boudreau has written a very important book. Packing Inferno should be a mandatory read for any young man considering handing his life over to the United States Marine Corps. I think it would make some of them think twice.
   
   This book is so informative about the "real" situation in Iraq. I felt like I was reading some top secret file or something. When I was done, my opposition to the "war" was quite stronger than before. It really helped me justify my feelings. Boudreau has the gift of being able to take you there with his words. its simple, to the point and highly emotional.
   
   if you find yourself feeling confused about this war and wondering what the hell is going on over there, read Packing Inferno. It will shed some light on the situation.
   
   I cant really say enough about this book. you should read it.



3. Packing Inferno: The Unmaking of a Marine (Feral House)
   
   It is easy enough to find war books with 20/20 hindsight, but this is not history. "This is really happening!" to quote Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby. This is our war, and this is the war that has sent the American economy into a nightmarish spiral.
   
   Boudreau, a truly talented writer, and a dedicated lifelong Marine, does not speak from an academic ivory tower. Boudreau documents his time in Iraq with brutal honesty.
   
   Packing Inferno salutes our troops and their bravery, and their attempts to carry out missions with little or no instruction. He is incredibly articulate in describing how all missions in Iraq became missions to protect supply lines, and lives of American troops. And how, once in Iraq, the concept of winning hearts and minds became an impossible order, since no one was able to tell who the enemy was.
   
   Packing Inferno is not only one of the greatest war books ever written, but also one of the best anti-war books.
   
   Packing Inferno is a must have for any college, or public library, with so many returning veterens, with so little psychologic help for them, and so little understanding by an underinformed public.
   
   Whereever you stand on the issue of the Iraq war, this is a MUST READ book.



4. This is one of the most sublime, real books that I have read on the soldier's experience in Iraq. The author has a talent of weaving on-the-ground anecdotes with deep questions and insights all in an attempt to come to grips with his ambivalent experience. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to see the mission through the eyes of a Marine.



5. In a word, this book is excellent. Captain Boudreau takes us on a journey, not only through the streets and countryside of Iraq during this "war", but also, honestly and movingly, through his own inner struggle as he searches within himself to reconcile his early years as a committed Marine infantryman with his existence in what we call "normal daily life."
   You will learn much from this book: about War; about the "war" in Iraq; about contradictions (not only in "war", but in all of us); and especially about how one man/soldier has bravely attempted to deal with the internal turmoil which results from these contradictions. And, you will become engaged and stay engaged through the entire book.
   Again: Excellent!

No comments about Jack Toffey's War: A Son's Memoir.

5 comments about The Portable Abraham Lincoln (Viking Portable Library).

1. There are several anthologies of selections from Abraham Lincoln's writings available. But The Portable Lincoln is my favorite among them. My copy is dog-eared, underlined, and scribbled on to such an extent that it now looks quite shabby. But this is as much a tribute to the wisdom of Lincoln's words and the judicious editorship of Andrew Delbanco as it is a sad monument to my hard treatment of books.
   
   There are two main reasons why I find The Portable Lincoln so pleasing.
   
   First, editor Delbanco (who's best known for his insightful work on American Puritans) prefaces the collection with an elegant and informative intellectual biography of Lincoln that prepares the way for a more informed reading of the selections. He also provides a useful chronology of Lincoln's life, and he introduces each of the book's six sections with prefatory remarks that put the selections in context.
   
   Second, the selections themselves are carefully chosen and genuinely representative of Lincoln's thoughts in each of the six periods of his life from which they're drawn: his early years up to 1850; the pivotal "republican" years of 1854-1859; the presidential campaign, 1860; the early days of the war, 1860-1861; Lincoln the war president, late 1861-1864; and the reflective Lincoln, 1864-1865. Within each section are to be found exactly what one wants in a collection such as this: for example, Lincoln's early Address to the Springfield Young Man's Lyceum; his Handbill Replying to Charges of Infidelity; his House Divided speech; the first (and possibly best) Lincoln-Douglas Debate; the not-so-good Lecture on Discoveries and Inventions; the Cooper Institute speech; the too-neglected great First Inaugural and the justly-praised Second; the July 4 Message to Congress in Special Session; the Final Emancipation Proclamation; and assorted letters, private memoranda, and speeches. Taken together, these selections give the finest overall impression of Lincoln the private man, politician, thinker, and statesman that one's likely to glean from reading his own words.
   
   I might add that even long-time readers of Lincoln are likely to find one or two pleasant surprises in this collection. Let me mention but one. Everbody's familiar with Lincoln's barbed quip, when McClellan failed to pursue Lee after Antietam, that he'd like to borrow the army if McClellan wasn't going to use it. But Delbanco quotes an even more barbed (and delicious!) zinger from Lincoln to McClellan, written on 24 October 1862:
   "I have just read your despatch about sore tongued and fatiegued [sic] horses. Will you pardon me for asking what the horses of your army have done since the battle of Antietam that fatigue anything?" (p. 244) Ouch!!
   
   Highly recommended, not only for its historical interest but because of the fact, which becomes more obvious to me each time I reread Lincoln, that his words are just as timely today as they were 150 years ago.
   ________
   * From Lincoln's First Inaugural Address, p. 203.



2. This book os simply another attempt to perpetuate the Lincoln Myth. He almost certainly did not write the Bixby Letter, John Hay, his secretary almost certainly did. Lincoln in fact wrote very little himself, leaving most of the work to his two secretaries, Nicolay and Hay. As for his writing all his own speeches, this too is untrue, certainly not after he became President. There is not a shadow of a doubt that his Secretary of State, William H. Seward had a hand in most of his speeches and in fact was virtually the power behind the throne throughout Lincoln's presidency. Lincoln was a nice enough man, though a manic depressive, as for a genius and great emancipator, GIVE ME A BREAK!!



3. This is a very good and readable collections of the major writings and speeches of Abraham Lincoln. Unlike many collections of writings and speeches of that era, this is no dull melange of dated issues, but wisdom of the ages.
   
   In one early piece, Lincoln waxes nostalgic by comparing the lethargy of his generation to the generation who fought in the Revolutionary war (talk about the "good old days" is nothing new). In an 1848 letter, he makes some stinging comments against the then-president's "lies" that got America into the Mexican War(sounds similar to modern complaints about you-know-who getting us involed in you-know-where).
   
   Modern revisionists love to take scattered comments by Lincoln about Black people to show that Lincoln was a racist. Aspects of the Douglas debates and his mesage of colonization of 1862 do not deny this, but such people conveniently forget (or omit) Lincoln's evolution of thought as evidenced by the Second Inaugural Address (which also appears in its entirety at the Lincoln Memorial) and his statements about Black soldiers having the right to vote (in the 1860s, mind you). Some racist!
   
   It is also important to remember that Lincoln wrote all of his own speeches and was largely self-educated! When you compare the quality of his speeches and writings to our soundbyte era, it is truly remarkable.
   
   Read this book and become acquainted with greatness.



4. This collection of documents in a sense tells the life- story of Lincoln. It consists primarily of letters but also contains communications of other kinds, including his great speeches. Lincoln's immense power with language, the depth of his feeling and insight, his quiet humor and his great imaginative sympathy are all on display here. Also of course his political wisdom, his detailed knowledge of local and national political affairs, his struggle in conducting the great Civil War.
   There are certain people it simply an honor and uplifting to be in the presence of . Lincoln is such a person, and so these words of his inform and most often, inspire.



5. The Portable Abraham Lincoln is just that, a small book packed with nothing but Lincoln's words and ideas, from the famous debates with Stephen Douglas to his immortal 2nd Inaguaral Address.

   Mixed throughout the speeches are letters, both public and private, which reveal his inner thoughts and animating philosophy. Included is his short and moving letter to Mrs. Lydia Bixby, featured in the movie Saving Private Ryan, which is the most eloquent expression of patriotic grief I have ever read.

   The book is organized in themes, from his emergence of a polictian to his writings as Chief Executive and as Commander-in-Chief, and ending up with Fate.

   This book is for people who want to go beyond the soundbytes featured in documentaries; it places those famous phrases in the context of the entire speech and the commentary is kept to a minimum, showing respect for the reader.

3 comments about D-day Survivor: An Autobiography.

1. As the title of this book indicates, the author was a survivor of D-Day, the massive Allied invasion of the beaches at Normandy, June 6, 1944.
   
   But the author was more than just a survivor. He was a member of the 116th Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division that was in on the first wave in one of the bloodiest sectors of any beach that deadly day: Dog Green Sector, Omaha Beach.
   
   Before the author even disembarked from his landing craft, the one next to his was blown up, showering the author and his comrades with pieces of wood, bits of metal, and human body parts. As he left his landing craft, the water was already a churning sea of red blood. He was wounded four times that day by both bullets and shrapnel as he and the survivors of his unit slogged forward to establish a beachhead and began to scale the heavily, and easily, defended bluffs. (The murderous fire he had to undergo just to get onto the beach was so bad one bullet passed through his helmet and another hit his rifle.) Later, as he was being evacuated, he was wounded a fifth time, presumably by a German sniper.
   
   As he reflected on why he survived when so many others died, the author came to believe that he had a two-fold mission in life: first, to tell the story of the carnage his fellow soldiers underwent, and the courage (often unappreciated or untold) many of them displayed, to make the world a better place; and second, to become a doctor and save lives. The author succeeded admirably on both accounts.
   
   As an autobiography, the book covers more than just D-Day and includes the author's story of his induction into the U.S. Army (he was drafted at the age of 18 and could have gotten out of the draft because he was a student and one of his professors was on the draft board but he chose to go ahead and serve his country), his training and the training for D-Day and his life experiences after the invasion, including his recovery from his wounds and becoming a doctor.
   
   Highly recommended reading. A fascinating story well told.



2. Over the years "revisionism" has become the norm in writing about history. In this book we have a precious gift in the words of someone who was actually there. Dr. Hal Baumgarten managed to write an autobiography that includes the lives of so many others than himself. It is a book for any young person seeking the story of a great man to admire. As adults reading this book we can only be humbled and proud of this survivor, who inspires us to reflect on all we do in honoring those who rendered to us our present day freedom. This is an extremely human book written by a true humanitarian.



3. There are many books on Omaha beach that talk about the overall strategy, the failures and victories and talk about the leaders and commanders. There are also military-study type books that break down the action sector by sector and unit by unit. However there are surprisingly few accounts by men that landed in the first wave. This is I suppose because of two factors: 1) the high percentage of casualties on D-Day amongst the first-wave, and 2) the fact that many of the survivors cannot talk about the events of June 6th - the memories they have are of the carnage and horror and possibly lacking in detail.
   
   Harold Baumgarten is therefore pretty unique, he is an Omaha beach survivor possessed with a photographic memory AND a compelling drive to tell others the story of the young men who landed on D-Day. Through his words the reader gets to hear first-hand about the training, formation and actual D-Day landing of his unit (B/116th Infantry) and his personal tale of terrible injuries and his determination to see his mission through and simply to survive. But also he describes the equipment and uniforms worn, the tactics employed and talks about the German defences. But above all he tells of the brave young first-wavers, with his skillfull writing these men he fought alongside are not just names, they are people, we learn where they are from, what they were like and hear about their fate - some sad, and some happy.
   
   After D-Day we hear about Harold's slow recovery and his personal mission to aid family members of those who fell, his becoming a doctor, and ultimately his re-visiting of Omaha and his current role as one of the few spokesmen left of the "greatest generation".
   
   This book is humbling, rewarding, upifting, informative and fascinating

5 comments about Rampant Raider: An A-4 Skyhawk Pilot in Vietnam.

1. It is not by accident that The Naval Historical Society has chosen to pick this book for publication. Riveting, hard hitting, and as worthwhile time spent as anything read in decades. Not for the pacemaker impaired !



2. Rampant Raider: An A-4 Skyhawk Pilot in Vietnam
   
   Like Steve Gray, I went through the exact program approximately a year later and made the 1968 Bonnie Dick cruise in a sister A 4 squadron and knew him. Though the book is an accurate account at that time of the syllabus from OCS, primary, basic, advanced jets, the RAG, SERE school and even combat, I found the book loaded with unnecessary minutia i.e, as if written by a reporter following Steve around as to what time chow was served, details of the O course, pages of technical data on the pressure chamber, number of fuel cells in the F-11A and fuel selection switches including cockpit switcholgoy, weapons data and tactics beyond necessary for most readers or most navy pilots.
   
   I even found myself skimming pages. Though perhaps worthwhile as a keepsake, it includes a lot of meaningless info, like the A-4 LABS gear, nukes release shape profiles etc. Rampant Raider sorely ignores in many ways the actual flavor of what the Navy flight program and squadron life was about including shipboard life especially "ready room" life and liberty along with it's humor.
   
   On several occasions Steve makes reference to the term "College Boys" versus NAVCAD/prior enlisted which is used by Marine DI's and not between fellow students and officers is unfortunate and sophomoric. Unfortunately Steve fell into what can be referred to the as the typical NAVAD persecution syndrome. Having several former NAVCAD's in our squadron, one got tired of their continued whinny NAVCAD junior birdman complex...like get over it you're a Naval Officer now, we're on the line in combat lets move on. Quite obviously Steve to this day and not fully recovered.
   
   It seemed Steve was far more interested in preparing a quasi NAVAIR manual for a NATOPS quiz? There was a saying, if you had trouble falling asleep just pick up your NATOP's (aircraft) manual and within 10 minutes you'll be out. I found that to be true reading Rampant Raider. Writing a memoir is a balance and it's not all about the syllabus and aircraft systems and technical data. Though the book in a technical sense is accurate and well done in that respect, personally I felt the human element and personal interplay was lacking and in many ways far more relevant.
   
   If you're interested in being a Navy or Marine pilot, I would suggest two books that better capture the real flavor of navy pilots and the flight program, "Flights of Passages" by Samuel Hynes and "Bogeys and Bandits" by Robert Gandt. One, the WW II exploits of marine fighter pilot from training to combat in the Pacific and the other of an F-18 RAG class. Having been there in between time wise, the trails and tribulations haven't changed much other than the aircraft, and what sets Naval Aviation apart is far better captured in these two books and enjoyable reads.
   
   Dennis



3. It helps to have some background in naval aviation to fully appreciate the level of detail early in the book, but the story evolves into a gripping account of the air war over North Vietnam - all of its tension, frustrations and exhiliration.



4. I have always had an interest in the Vietnam War since I visited the country in 1995 with the Semester at Sea program. I was lucky to be one of the first groups of American students allowed to visit since the war. It was a mystery to me... It piqued my interest on how much the war impacted my parents' era, but more so, helped me begin to understand what it meant for my Grandfather to be a part of the war. My Grandfather was Captain of the USS Bon Homme Richard while Mr. Gray was aboard. I was recommended his book to get a better understanding of the war and the life of a pilot. I learned so much and especially loved reading about the pilot's lingo, living aboard the carrier, views on the combat missions, and also about how it felt to be in the war. I always ask my Grandfather questions about Vietnam and this book helped describe that world in a way I could relate. I am grateful to have a better understanding and have even more respect for all of those that have served our country. (My Grandfather has also written a book about his WWII submarine experience - Luck of the Draw by Captain C. Kenneth Ruiz).



5. Thus far there have been precious few memoirs written by Yankee Station attack or fighter pilots. Thankfully we now have Stephen Gray's marvelous chronicle of flying combat over North Vietnam with the 'Rampant Raiders' of VA-212. Gray's book is not only a spellbinding, enjoyable memoir of the life of a Naval aviator circa 1967-69 but also literate and readily accessible to boot.
   
   Initially serving as an EM flying in Sea King anti-submarine helos, Gray applied for the NavCad program and eventually trained to be a Douglas A-4 Skyhawk pilot. The first part of Gray's book details the training he underwent that transformed him into an attack pilot. He has a marvelous way with words. His descriptions of aviation tactics, weapons and training could have been full of 'pilot talk' but instead are simply and clearly presented. You don't need to have an aeronautical background to enjoy this book.
   
   In January 1967 Gray, still green behind the ears, found himself assigned to Attack Squadron 212 led by the legendary Homer Smith. VA-212 was part of Air Wing 21 on board BonHomme Richard. Once on Yankee Station Bonnie Dick's air wing started flying the first missions of what became a record-breaking cruise. Flying more sorties than any other carrier air wing, Air Wing 21 dropped six million pounds of ordnance and downed a record number of North Vietnamese MiG fighters. The cost was heavy: fifteen pilots killed or captured, two of them from VA-212 including Homer Smith.
   
   Gray's descriptions of that record-breaking cruise are gripping and well-done. He takes the reader inside the cockpit to give an intimate view of air combat.
   
   Gray ends the book with BonHomme Richard returning stateside. Presumably there's a volume 2 in the wings covering his second Bonnie Dick cruise. One hopes so!
   
   In summary, I can't remember when I have read a better written combat memoir than RAMPANT RAIDER. If you want to know what it was like to fly combat over North Vietnam circa 1967, buy this book. It's a great piece of writing; I'd give it six stars if that was allowed! Bravo Zulu, Mr. Gray!

5 comments about Call of Duty: The Sterling Nobility of Robert E. Lee (Leaders in Action Series).

1. I've read a number of civil war books. Lee is represented in this book and others as a remarkable and brilliant general, good christian, loving husband and father. Some of the anecdotes, however, left me incredulous. While under fire, he allegedly stopped to put a baby sparrow back in it's nest. Lee was no doubt a brave man, but he wasn' foolhardy nor stupid. this anecdote made me question the veracity of the others in this book. I wished the last half of the book had been incorporated into his life story portion in the first half of the book. Because of the way the author told Lee's story, it seemed to go on and on.



2. This book was deceitful and misleading, like most Confederate propaganda. J. Steven Wilkins was cunning in his choice and presentation of facts. If someone with no knowledge of the Civil War read this book, he would be left with an absolutely incorrect perspective of Robert E. Lee, the institution of slavery, and the Civil War in general.
   
   First, there are inconsistencies between "Call of Duty" and... "Call of Duty"! At one point in the book, Wilkins quotes Lee as saying, "If the slaves of the South were mine, I would surrender them all without a struggle, to avert this war." Later, Wilkins claims that Lee was offended and hurt that anyone thought slavery had anything to do with the war. So answer me this...how could freeing slaves avert a war that had nothing to do with slavery?
   
   Another instance where the book contradicts itself is regarding race relations. Wilkins tries to sell the idea that Southern whites and Southern slaves lived in perfect harmony, respecting each other without the slightest presence of racism. Once again, later in the book this changes...Wilkins tells us of a church in Richmond whose attendees were shocked by a Negro who went up to take Communion! None of the churchgoers, except for Lee, as the story goes, wanted to be the first one to participate with a colored man. How is this possible in a society where racism is absent? Wilkins tries to blame this on Reconstruction, but I doubt a society could go from having no racism whatsoever to this degree of racism in such a short period of time.
   
   The book also contradicts history...notably, regarding Robert Lee and slavery. The book says that Lee never seemed to have owned more than six slaves. This is not true. Wesley Norris, one of Lee's slaves, says in an account that almost 70 slaves were inherited by Lee upon the death of Lee's father-in-law.
   
   Following in the said account, Wesley Norris tells the story of him and his sister Mary, who tried to escape the plantation after Lee inherited it. Upon being caught, Lee took it upon himself to "teach them a lesson they would never forget." He had them stripped to the waist, flogged, and thoroughly washed in brine. We see a little glimpse of Christian chivalry peeking out of Lee as he only had Mary receive twenty lashes, whereas Wesley received fifty. This is far from the compassionate Robert Wilkins would have us know! Wesley Norris's account can be found in "Slave Testimony: Two Centuries of Letters, Speeches, and Interviews, and Autobiographies".
   
   The book also implies that Lee opposed slavery. However, the supposed "proof-text" for this actually tells us quite the opposite. In the text of a letter Lee sent to his wife, which is printed in "Call of Duty", Lee actually defends slavery. Lee tries to distort the gross institution of slavery into some kind of mission work. Slavery was Christianizing the Negroes, and preparing them for freedom, and to seek to free Negroes from the clutches of slavery was to shake your fist at God, or so Lee reasons. This is ridiculous, considering how many missionaries of all religions have successfully converted people without enslaving them, and yet it is the rationale used by Lee, Wilkins, and so many other Southern partisans who seek to defend the South by justifying slavery.
   
   "Call of Duty" makes a god of Robert E. Lee, condemns the North, and justifies slavery with no regard for historical, logical, or moral facts. The Southern partisan will love it.



3. 
   A great opportunity is afforded any reader introduced to the Leaders In Action Series, and the refined biography of Robert E. Lee serves as an excellent first choice.
   
   Though written in a non-confrontational style, enough facts contradict the popular notions of Lee, the Civil War, {or the Southern appelation: The War between the States}, slavery, and the northern view of 'slavery and the South' to compel serious examination of the historical facts.
   
   It is no secret in Christian circles that Lee was an ardent disciple of the Lord Jesus, striving his entire life to follow the way of the Lord. That the General was against slavery is not as well known.
   
   Author J. Steven Wilkins' notation that Lincoln emancipated only the slaves in the enemy states held in rebellion, while leaving northern slaves to their chains is a topic that has layed untroubled since that President's proclamation of fame.
   
   Lee's Christian character and military genius are well chronicled in this immaculately manicured biography. Easy reference searches are made a joy by the editor's finely outlined table of contents, chronology of Lee's life and additional study helps.
   
   "Call of Duty," is a historical work of value for academics in many disciplines. This study of integrity unfolds for the reader the path up the Christian walk.
   
   Well done to Pastor Wilkins, though his study undoubtedly made it's own reward. Acknowledgments to those savvy enough to see not only the need for such a series, but wise enough to include enough detail in each volume to demand further consideration.
   
   "The steps of a good man are..." {Psalm 37:23, The New King James Version, Nelson Publishers.}
   
   TL Farley,
   author,
   When Now Becomes Too Late,
   Distant Reaches
   
   When Now Becomes Too Late { Print Edition }
   
   When Now Becomes Too Late { Kindle Edition }
   
   { Prophecy : The Rapture in Brief ! }
   
   
   Distant Reaches { Print Edition }
   
   { True Life Adventure in Ireland, Boston and on the North Atlantic }



4. Any accurate portrayal of Robert E. Lee, certainly one of our country's finest leaders, should definitely move anyone with an ounce of common sense to an enormous appreciation for this most outstanding human being. Lee's inspiring faith in God, his leadership by example, and lifelong message is one of love and honor. His own words and letters best exemplify this fact, and this author's liberal use of them brings it all home in this short, succinct work. However, be forewarned that Wilkins adds his own additional preaching far removed from the Gospels, most sadly detracting from an accurate historical perspective on Lee by adding his own self-serving distortions on slavery. The historical record is clear: Lee found slavery objectionable and looked forward to the day when it would end. None-the-less, Wilkins tries very hard to rationalize slavery as something good, as if his sad excuses are necessary in order to make Lee look acceptable.... so far from the truth! Wilkins does our great man, Lee, along with the rest of America, a dis-service by his disgusting blabberings. Let's hear it for Robert E. Lee, and not taint his image with such dribble. Most other Lee biographies will serve us more fairly and honorably.



5. If ever there was a man who followed Christ's example it was Robert E. Lee. This book illustrates such a man. This book illustrates the sort of gentleman that is lacking in our society today, lacking even in our churches. Truly an example for all to follow. Well done Reverend Wilkins.

2 comments about Lincoln: The Presidential Archives.

1. I haven't gotten into this book yet - only looked through it. I think it looks unique and very interesting. Looking forward to diving in.



2. Lincoln: The Presidential Archives, Chuck Wills, Dorling Kindersley Publications, 160 pp, b/w photographs, watercolor maps, bibliography, ephemera, September 2007.
   
   If you wish to hold reproductions of Lincoln's elementary mathematics notebook, the Lincoln-Todd marriage license, Lincoln's letter to Sheilds outlining the terms of their forthcoming duel, Lincoln's patent application, the first piece of mail delivered by the Pony Express from St. Joseph, Missouri to Julesburg, Rocky Mountains, Mary Todd Lincoln's letter from NYC to her husband in which she asks for more cash, the telegram from Tammany Hall to Lincoln informing him of the Draft Riots and many more documents, then this splendid book is for you.
   
   Not just a collection of paper documents, but also a fine biography with period photographs, maps, and illustrations on every other page, Lincoln: The Presidential Archives, is a wonderful book. In particular, rare photographs of Denton Offut's store where Lincoln clerked, the Lincoln and Berry store, and the Edwards' house in which the Abraham and Mary were wed are published.
   
   The book's heavy and glossy paper and a strong binding allows the book to stay open at every page. Lincoln: The Presidential Archives is both an attractive coffee table book and a 'hands-on' biography. The narrative contents are well organized and the eight sturdy, opaque, full-page envelopes that hold the reproductions have a paper flap that allows for easy removal and return of the reproduction documents.
   
   Lincoln: The Presidential Archives is worth every penny and will be a welcomed gift for any Lincoln enthusiast, Civil War buff, American history reader or social science teacher.

5 comments about Spitfire Pilot: A Personal Account of the Battle of Britain.

1. I give it 4 starts because its exactly what it is advertising. A personal account of the Battle of Britain. I wish it had more substance and more about the dogfighting stories, (because that's what I am more interested in) but it really is his personal account of the war.
   
   Today we mostly think about which dogfight was where and who shot down who, but when you were the person in the cockpit you were also thinking about your wife and if you will ever see her again, your buddy who you were going to visit London with who was shot down yesterday, and wondering whats happening tomorrow... His "diary" covers all of this and so it is about the battle but with much more daily life and emotion.
   
   If you want to learn about the Battle of Britain I would recommend a different book, but if you already know the historical details and want a quick personal, story telling narrative, then this quick read is for you. I read it in just a couple hours.



2. Good reading about the events of that time. A view into a slice of life taking place at that time.



3. This is a delightfully informative naration clearly describing not only every day life in the UK during the war years but also the appalling loss of life in the air.
   It is hard to imagine the fear and extreme adrenaline rushes these pilots were exposed to and then to return to base at the end of the day and try to resume some normality in life....what an extreme contrast and emotional roller coaster.
   This is a recommended read to all with an interest in aviation.



4. I purchased this book for research. I thought it a just a book to pick up on a few pointers for my writing project. I was instantly captivated by the author and his uncanny ability to put the reader in the cockpit. I promise you that this is an unusual story. It is about a great pilot, airplane, the men who flew them, the time that they lived in, and most of all a small band of deticated, beyond words, young men fighting a formidable enemy against unbelievable odds.
   The author coveys well what it is to lose a loved freind and brother in arms. To have breakfast with him, and then know he's gone by 10:00 A.M. that morning... and more.
   D.M.C.(the author) is speaking through a very personal pilots log, a diary. His writings will be read by my children as they will be home schooled. He and his fellow pilots are heros of freedome, Liberty.
   This book will be on my shelf for a very long time. I kid you not, is worth a lot more than it's cover price.



5. The English have had a history riddled with war and bloodshed. In a war to end oppression and evil, one British pilot, David Crook recorded his memoirs of day to day life and illustrated the hardships of life during an era of uncertainty in a journal now published as Spitfire Pilot during World War II. This recollection of memories was some of the harshest battles the modern world has ever witnessed. From the famous Battle of Britain to the numerous long painstaking escort bomber missions over Germany, this pilot and others alike were the last obstacle Hitler had to overcome before a German invasion of England. Crook understands this and quickly learns that everyday might be his last. Overall this one mans experiences in the darkest times of humanity are both breathtaking and horrifying for any military buff.

2 comments about Goering-Softbound.

1. A fascinating insight into the mind of the madman Goering. A must read for any student of World War II. Part of the incredible Goering/ Himmler / Goebbels series by Roger Manvell & Heinrich Fraenkel. Great book.



2. Having just read Roger Manvells other two books on Gobbles and Himmler it is hard to believe the civilized world allowed them to prop up the manic ,Hitler, to cause such devestation on the world in general and Jews in particular.To think their objective was well known and we sat on the side lines.To think there are art treasures seized by the Nazis fom innocent victims still being disputed

2 comments about Wolfram von Richthofen: Master of the German Air War (Modern War Studies).

1. Luftwaffe fans have been long overdue this book, and it's our good fortune that the task of writing it has gone to James S. Corum. He had not only the necessary credentials to write it, he had the Richthofen family cooperation, and the Richthofen War Diary. Wolfram von Richthofen's life and Luftwaffe career is covered in great detail as are all the operations he was involved in. Quite a career, First World War Cavalry officer to fighter pilot, post war aero engeering degree and then one of the driving forces in the Pre Nazi Luftwaffe. Also, many details I was not aware of, such as the SD2 Butterfly cluster bomb being copied and used by the U.S. Air Force into the sixties. If you've an interest in the Luftwaffe, or air war in general, don't miss putting this one on your shelf. I wish Mr. Corum would write more books than he does, but the quality of the research and attention to accuracy and detail in his books preclude that.



2. According to Corum, Richtofen succeded in the opening stages of the Second World War because he was able to develop effective air-land communications, and use captured enemy air fields close to the frontlines. In the invasion of of Poland, Corum states that the Luftwaffe was used for mainly interdiction against enemy units and there was bomb line that the Luftwaffe could not cross. In the invasion of France the German armies were able to advance without protecting their flanks, because Richtofen was able to use captured French airfields thereby bringing air support closer to the front, and Luftwaffe officers serving with ground units were able to direct air strikes against French and British units. Air support operations improved during the opening stages of the Russian campaign because instead of the bombline, the German army used flares to state their position thereby giving pilots more flexibility in attacking Soviet positions. However the air campaign in Russia faltered due to that the fact the Luftwaffe only planned for a short series of battles and not a long campaign and as a result planes stayed on the ground due to a shortage of spare parts. After the battle of Stalingrad, Richtofen was soon transfered to Italy where he took charge of a futile attempt to stop the Allied invasion and advance into Italy. Richtofen was relieved of command and later died of a brain tumor right after the end of the war in Europe. The only weakness of this book is that I wish that Corum would make more of a reference to Joel Hayward's contention that Richtofen failed to develop more of a strategic use of air power by not attacking the Russian ferries at Stalingrad more vigourously and ignoring the oilfields in the southern Soivet Union. Otherwise this book gives a detailed account of why the Luftwaffe was successful at providing the German army support during their invasions of Poland, France, and the Soviet Union.