No comments about Anecdotes & Stories of Abraham Lincoln: Early Life Stories, Professional Life Stories, White House Stories, War Stories, Miscellaneous Stories (Lincoln Classics).

4 comments about The Last Fighting General: The Biography of Robert Tryon Frederick.

1. For a man whose character and accomplishments were monumental his story should have been handled by a writer with experience for well written prose and narrative. I struggled reading this book with its stilted, cumbersome and sometimes difficult and unbelievable phrasing. I've rarely encountered words such as humongous or pertinacious among others used in historical narrative. Nobody talks like this.
   The author should have used, or at least someone from Schiffer should have suggested an editor to clean this up. I was suspect of the author's background where the inside jacket reads "...After attending university," What university? Any prior contributions to journals, magazines or other publications? A noble effort by Hicks but certainly not the paean Frederick deserves. Perhaps his story will be rewritten by an author with credentials and a knack for writing clear, succinct and cogent narrative.



2. A rich and rewarding look at the founder and commander of the First Special Service Force, and perhaps the most decorated senior ground commander of ww2.General Fredericks early life is well recorded and his combat history is covered well. This is a must have for FSSF and SF historians and recomended for the serious reader of ww2 military history.



3. An outstanding biography on a true American hero. This is one of the best biographies (possibly THE best) that I have ever read. Not only is the story of General Frederick extremely compelling, but Ms. Hicks does an excellent job in conveying both the professional and personal sides of this great man. I highly, highly recommend this book for any fan of military history, or for that matter, anyone interested in reading about a man who lived life with honor, and who was committed to helping their fellow man.



4. Excellent book.I have most of the books on the Devil's Brigade.
   This is truly a book worth 5 stars!

5 comments about A World of Hurt: Between Innocence & Arrogance in Vietnam.

1. I must preface my review with the fact that I know Mary Reynolds Powell and was part of her book, A World of Hurt (Chapter 9). Each time I reread her book, I always find new realities about the war and all of those who particapated and experienced the horrors of war. As a retired military officer, I am constantly impressed on how Mary was able to encompass the totality of the war from all the varied perspectives: the combat soldier, the injured and dying, the nurses and doctors (who were on the receiving end of combat), the pilots, and the Vietnamese themselves. I consider this book a "must read" who would like to better understand the tragic events that occurred when young men and women were asked to fight a "political war" with no clear diplomatic or military objectives. While Mary and I may disagree somewhat on the overall concept of having to fight wars, I strongly recommend her book to you. One thing I learned in Viet Nam was how precious life is and how easily it can be taken away. Mary's realistic portrayal of the war and of those who were there clearly articulates what it was like to fight a war that was mired in politics and lack of support by the American people. In the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), we had a saying: "For those who have not fought for it, freedom has a meaning the protected will never know." I know what it was like over there, and Mary's book is a magnificent portrayal of the Viet Nam war and its tragic costs on human lives and souls.



2. Mary Reynolds Powell has written a wonderful book titled A World of Hurt: Between Innocence and Arrogance in Vietnam. Some of what she has shared in this book is her own feelings while other parts are those from some of the people she came to know while stationed at the 24th Evacuation Hospital in Long Binh, Vietnam.

   Mary interviewed seven other individuals for A World of Hurt besides including her own personal stories of what it was like for her in-country and upon her return to the states. Stephanie Genthon Kilpatrick, John Miller, Frank Chamberlin, Son Dinh Nguyen, Chris Slavsky, Terry Corneil, Doug Powell and Mary shared so much in this interesting perspective 171-page book.

   These individuals shared a lot with Mary who has now shared it with her readers. Their stories will amaze you as they all came from different lives as well as parts of the country. They all had feelings about the war before and after they served their country.

   Retired Army Colonel David Hackworth wrote in his Foreword "Mary Reynolds Powell's powerful book is the perfect antidote to blow the revisionists out of the water-with the facts eloquently presented....Frequently...I found tears running down my face." I could tell that he had read this book and was as deeply moved as I had been.

   In 1965 Mary "marched in a New York City parade backing the war." By 1969 she "wore a black armband in support of the national peace moratorium." After being "a registered nurse for only twelve months" in 1970 Mary found herself in Vietnam at the 24th Evac with the US Army Nurse Corps.

   Mary recalled her stopover in Hawaii enroute to Vietnam walking past a group of Marines headed stateside "staring into the oldest eyes we had ever seen....their eyes were ancient, their faces blank." She quickly realized what she was getting into. She described her first night in-country as "Artillery hammered in the distance, mosquitoes feasted on me, and diarrhea induced by the malaria pills...kept me running to the latrine all night. Sleep came in brief, restless spurts."

   The hospital's chief nurse asked Mary where she would like to work. When Mary said that she had done most of her work in internal medicine the chief nurse said there was an opening there and she was to start right away. I think this is one of the first books I've read where the author then tells the reader everything you'd ever want to know about the 24th Evac including a map of the area. I found it most interesting.

   One of the items she described was the amphitheater where shows were put on. She pointed out something I was well aware of already. The site was where the "annual Bob Hope Show" was put on every "Christmas afternoon....You want to know something? Bob Hope has never spent a night in Vietnam. He flies to Thailand after every show." I'm so glad I wasn't the only one to point this fact out.

   Mary explained the first day at Wards 7 & 8. She wrote of her name being added to the DEROS chart "in Vietnam, Marines stayed for thirteen months while Army and Navy tours were twelve-`364 days and a wake-up.'" She now had "359 days left." Mary took the time to describe several patients who stuck in her brain all these years. She also remembered "running...smiles....olive drab fatigues....endless IVs....gecko lizards....the proud, smiling face of a young soldier as I pin on the Purple Heart medal he earned with his body."

   Mary's wrote "As a nation, it is time for us to take the burden from the kids who fought our war. All of us were part of the lie that wasted an American generation and devastated an ancient culture half a world away. Until we acknowledge the wrong that we did in arrogance, we will not have learned. And if we have not learned, we will do it again." And sadly I see that happening as I write this with our invasion of Iraq. I only pray our troops will come home quicker than they did when they were sent to Vietnam a generation ago.

   This is a book well worth investing in. Mary's interweaving of stories and memories from her friends make it special. It should get more attention than it does but then again it's about an unpopular war and the people who served during it.




3. Mary's book holds a special interest to me since I was one of the original dustoff pilots to come with the 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) from Fort Bragg to Long Binh, Vietnam in July of 1967.

   Her story is from the heart and is an excellent explanation of a nurses point of view of the ugliness that could only describe what Vietnam was about.

   I have the greatest admiration for those who toiled in our hospitals in Vietnam and knowing first hand of the many, many casualties that we dustoff pilots delivered to their front door (in various degrees of trauma), the book was a confirmation of the horrible trauma that the medical staff faced.

   A wonderfully written book. Hats off to you Mary!




4. I loved this book! I got so attached to some of the nurses and pilots. The last chapter was the best, I cried through the whole thing.

   This is one of those book that I will not sell or give away. I am sure I will read this again.




5. I met Mary prior to my shipping out to the Gulf War, she told me that she was working on a book about her experiences in the Vietnam War, and also interviewing those that she served with. When the book finally came out I bought the book right away. Upon doing this, I could'nt put it down, I completed it in 2 days. The book had me laughing and on the verge of tears. Many books have been written from the eyes of a men serving in war, but too few have been written about a womens experience in that same war. I have to say her book was easy to read and understand, but at the same time conveys her feelings and alot of the frustration she felt durin her tour in Vietnam. I have to highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to see the war thru the eyes of a Vietnam nurse, or any women serving in a war zone. To all that served with honor in all wars including the one we are now engaged in, May God Bless you all and keep you safe, and also your loved ones.

1 comments about The Best Of The Best The Fighting 5th Marines Vietnam: Dying Delta.

1. This book was easy to read. It was interesting to follow Paul's life through the various "trials and tribulations". I agree with him that he certainly has angels watching over him! A brief synopsis of the book shows the growth of a boy to a man - highlighting Paul's military career, including a tour in Vietnam.

5 comments about Vipers in the Storm: Diary of a Gulf War Fighter Pilot.

1. i bought this book as a gift for my husband who is an f18 pilot himself, we r from kuwait so a gulf war book is a must have for us.. my husband owns a bigggg library with all sort of war and military books.. but this one was sooo special he couldnt put it down in fact i was a little jealous of the book! he loved it soo much u wont believe it.. in fact i gave it a quick scan myself and i enjoyed the story too. when i asked my husband what he thought of the book because im writing for amazon, he just said that its the best book he ever read and its a very good account of what happened during the war to liberate our country!



2. Boy, I loved this book. As someone who's NOT a pilot and NOT in the military, this book provided a TON of insight into the day-to-day life of a combat pilot.
   
   One way to see what it's like to be a fighter pilot is to buy a combat flight sim for your PC. Sometimes I wonder how real these are. However, when reading Rosey's account, I can say, they're pretty real!
   
   So many times I've forgone all tasks other than countering a missile threat. So many times I've almost flown into the ground at night. Rosey did these, too, and I can't imagine how it feels to really see a SAM guiding on you, coming out of the clouds.
   
   In addition to a lot of things flight sim fans have gone through, Rosey adds a lot of real life perspective. I laughed when he described how F-16 pilots bring 'piddle packs' on long flights and he described how he went about not making a mess with them. I laughed again when he described bringing a granola bar with him on flights, for the ride home after a bombing run. I've often gotten up while playing a flight sim and gone to the fridge for a snack.
   
   For flight sim fans, this book should be REQUIRED READING. It gives a great perspective on how missions are planned and carried out. I was surprised by a lot of the real-life aspects of combat flight and was equally surprised by some of the aspects that read the same way an 'after-action' report from a flight sim mission reads. I'm still blown away by a couple of the mission accounts when Rosey went 'downtown'.



3. This is a brilliant book.
   For anyone interested in military aviation or modern warfare I can only recommend reading Keith Rosenkrantz's excellent account of his part in the first Gulf War.
   This book is well written, easy to read, detailed and personal in a way many of these books fail to be.
   As a pilot myself (commercial) and having always dreamed of flying such aviation exotica as the F-16, this book is the key for us mere mortals to step into the world of the modern fighter pilot. It gives you a taste of the discipline, courage and commitment required.
   For all this and much more you should definitely check out Vipers in the Storm.
   
   When you're finished reading it drop Rosey a line, like I did to thank him for sharing his experiences. His email address is at the back of the book and he was gracious enough to reply to my message too. An officer and a gentleman not to mention hero.



4. Rosenkranz is no Hemingway, but he does a good job of telling the entire story of his experience in Desert Storm. One of the things this book has that others about similar experiences lack is the emphasis on the human aspects of war (the moral issues that come from killing people, the toll that being away from one's family takes.) I immensely enjoyed the fact that this book shows that you don't have to be gung-ho all the time to be a good military man, and it in fact has given me more respect for those that serve our country because of the way it relates that one's primary drive to go to war should stem from a strong sense of duty rather than a sense of thrill.



5. Rosenkranz provides plenty of details about exactly what a combat pilot does in a very busy F-16 cockpit, and he also details some of the interesting personal history that led him into this career. Unfortunately, he can't resist frequently venturing off into naive political and historical analyses of the wider questions of the war and the threat Iraq posed to the world, reprinting many speech excerpts from President H.W. Bush as justification for what he and his fellow service men and women were doing, extending them, in the end, to justify the current war in Iraq without ever considering the problems incurred by pursuing policy with force in the Middle East. At times the book reads like an instrument of the Republican National Committee campaign to reelect George W. Bush, or at the very least an apologist for the mistakes of both Bush administrations in the Middle East.

5 comments about Conduct Under Fire: Four American Doctors and Their Fight for Life as Prisoners of the Japanese, 1941-1945.

1. Talk about one's world being turned upside down. One moment four young military doctors are enjoying good marriages and pleasant military postings in exotic locations, and in the next they are thrust in the midst of horrific battle and subsequently imprisoned under grotesquely inhumane conditions. That these men were able to endure such horrid conditions and go on to live important, useful, satisfying lives is awe inspiring.
   
   In light of Japanese Premier Abe's recent denials of Japanese Imperial Army atrocities concerning so-called "Comfort Women," this reading takes on special significance. This story is further evidence of the shameful brutality foisted by Japan during its brutal and unprovoked aggressions during the 1932-1945 wars it foisted upon its much weaker Asian neighbors and, ultimately and self-defeatingly, with the U.S. and its allies.
   
   If you can find the CD version of this book on tape, it is well worth purchasing. The narration is superb.
   
   --Bill Todd-Mancillas
   Communication Studies
   Ca. St. Univ. at Chico



2. I had seen this story on cable and bought the book afterwards. It is a very moving story and written so well. I have to say I am ashamed of the way the US treated these people during their horrible ordeal.



3. The title and synopsis of "Conduct Under Fire: Four American Doctors and Their Fight for Life as Prisoners of the Japanese, 1941-1945" led me to beleive that I would read about the in-depth personal experience of four US doctors as P.O.W.s. However, the book does not read like a memior or biography, but rather like any third-person account written by a historian from a distant vantage point.
   
   That is not to say that "Conduct Under Fire" is a bad book, but the fact that the title men are hardly mentioned throughout the greater part of the book is a serious flaw. John Glusman does provide the reader with background information of the four doctors, one of which is father, Murray Glusman. Unfortunately, the details of the doctor's personal experiences were infrequent once the book covered the time frame of World War II. In fact, I could not help but wonder if the author's research into his father's time as P.O.W. was limited to rummaging through sparse stash of old letters and a fireside chat with his old man. Glusman (the author) does record the harsh condition of Japanese P.O.W. camps for American troops based on the writings of others, but the reader is left to assume that the doctors' tenure as P.O.W.s was identical to that experienced by thousands of other American P.O.W.s. While it the suffering they endured at the hands of Japanese was certainly horrific and they deserve our respect, "Conduct Under Fire" lacks a unique element that could have distinguished it from numerous of other P.O.W. books.
   
   If you are simply looking for an account of Japanese prisoner camps or even of the struggle against Imperial Japan, then "Conduct Under Fire" is worth the time. Glusman does give remarkable detail to the pre-war climate in the Phillipines and Shanghai, the seige of Bataan and Corrigedor, the American submarine campaign that strangled Japanese shipping, and the B-29 raids that led to massive firebombings and yes, the atomic bombs.
   
   Although "Conduct Under Fire" promised to deliver an account of the war through the eyes of the author's father and three other doctors, the reader is left with text that could have been placed by a historian far removed from the horror.



4. This book is terrific. It is a well researched piece of scholarship and heartfelt. The author is not judgmental towards the Japanese despite their treatment of his father. As a result, the author's descriptions of the Americans "conduct under fire" shows how brave they really were.
   I could not help but get angry when I read that these men have had no proper compensation for their loss or even an apology from the Japanese government.



5. A half-century after the end of World War II we now see an extraordinary tide of books revealing the under-side of the conflict. The passing of time, the opening of previously restricted documentation, and a less romantic view of events have conspired to produce this literature. Among them are Ghost Wars, Fatal Voyage, Burma Road. These well researched volumes open to the reader the true character of war unembellished by governments eager to maintain the spin of patriotism for the sake of public morale. The latest and most formidable book in this genre is Conduct Under Fire: Four American Doctors and Their Fight for Life as Prisoners of the Japanese (N.Y.: Penguin Group, 2005). John A. Glusman, editor in chief of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, is the author and son of one of the four doctors. He sets the story in the larger context of the war in the Pacific so it is not simply the chronicle of medical doctors working in prisoner of war camps in the Philippines and Japan. A narrow focus would have been sufficient to describe the bravery and skill of the doctors in their years of suffering as and with POWs. But Glusman opens for the reader the larger picture of the military and political events that inevitably had a profound impact on the POWs. It was a fate of the POWs not only to deal with often sadistic Japanese captors, but they also were faced early on with the results of the U.S. failure energetically to prosecute the Pacific war in favor of the European theater, the frightful toll of more than 10,000 prisoners who died when US submarines sank Japanese ships ferrying prisoners to Japan, and the terrifying effects of fire-bombing of Japanese cities where additional POWs lost their lives. In the midst of this harrowing period, the US doctors heroically saved lives, improvised medical procedures without even minimal supplies, and managed to maintain the highest vision of their vocation. Glusman has honored his father and the thousands of POWs by telling this honest story. He also boldly reminds us all of the frightful cost of war on the human spirit in a time when inevitably warfare's result is annihilation of everything human.

2 comments about The Boys of Winter: Life And Death in the U.S. Ski Troops During the Second World War.

1. I am a descendant of a 10th Mountain soldier, who is still living, my review of course is biased to that slant. My dad shared with my brothers and I the places in Colorado where he trained, the mountain songs, however, he has never told us about the sights, sounds, or events of the battles in Kiska or Italy. This book brought to me the understanding of those events and the impact of why he never talked about those events, it has opened to me what happened on the battlefield. The book is non-fiction, it reads like fiction. One reviewer commented that it was not great military writing, I don't believe that was the premise for the book.
   Thank you Mr. Sanders for helping me understand my father's role as well as those which whom he served. I'm grateful he came home and enriched my life.



2. The Boys of Winter: Life and Death in the U.S. Ski Troops During the Second World War is Charles J. Sanders' attempt to tell the story of the 10th Mountain Division from formation to the end of war in the ETO (plus brief discussion of post-war adventures of veterans). Unfortunately it is not an attempt that succeeds from the standpoint of a piece of military history. On the other hand Sanders has created a highly readable story about skiers-turned soldiers. In fact, if one is interested in skiing, the history of American ski resorts and learning the who's-who of 30-40's skiing The Boys of Winter might be for you. However, if you're looking for solid unit combat history this is not it!
   
   Sanders' book can be separated into four topical sections: 1) introductions of the three central characters of the book (pp. 1-57) - Rudy Konieczny, Jake Nunnemacher, and Ralph Bromaghin; 2) formation and training of the Eighty-seventh Mountain Regiment (the precursor unit to the 10th Mountain Division) (pp. 58-116); 3) Deployment of the 10th Mountain Division to Italy in January 1945 and the subsequent four months spent battling German troops (pp. 117-192); and 4) discussion of what became of 10th Mountain Division men who survived (pp. 193-204). The first, second and fourth sections are mainly devoted to skiing adventures, ski racing, and the personal lives of the three central characters and other notables of the skiing world. Sanders clearly knows skiing history and can name drop with the best of them.
   
   In contrast, the third section of the book, which is really the only section with significant military focus, is not particularly good history. Sanders' prose in this section is very readable but not very deep. His narrative relies almost exclusively on second and third-hand accounts and is rarely substantiated by other materials (e.g., after-action reports, official U.S. Army documents, German Army documents). There is amazing human value in accounts made by the men who were there but the most reliable, accurate and sound history is that which combines information from multiple sources - both emotionally attached and not. Here Sanders fails. In many cases Sanders' writing style, while engaging to the reader, will also annoy the more serious students of WWII history. Two examples are particularly obvious and prevalent. First, Sanders refers to the Germans simply as "Nazis" in almost every context where he is writing the prose himself. In contrast, when Sanders is quoting 10th Mountain Division veterans the term Nazi is rarely (if at all) used. Take note Mr. Sanders - not all Wehrmacht or Waffen-SS soldiers, or Germans in general for that matter, were Nazis. It is simple wrong to refer to WWII German soldiers as "Nazis" broadly. Is it fair to call Hitler's regime Nazi? Yes. But not the German soldiers as a whole. The veterans didn't use the term for a reason! As a second example, Sanders also appears to create his own set of U.S. Army unit designations. For example, in a reference to B Company/87th Infantry Regiment/10th Mountain Division Sanders uses the shorthand designation "Company 86-B" (p. 152). This is in no way a standard U.S. Army designation.
   
   In the final tally, The Boys of Winter is a four-star book from the standpoint of readability but a 1.5 star effort for military history. Total score: 2.5 stars. If you want a well-written human story that is skiing centric this might be one to pick up. If you want a history of the 10th Mountain Division (what this reviewer thought he was getting) - save your money!

3 comments about God Isn't Here: A Young Man's Entry Into World War II, and his Participation in the Battle For Iwo Jima.

1. what happened on Iwo Jima. It ought to be required reading for every American high-school student and anyone wishing to become a citizen of this country. It's that good..



2. This book is one of the best personal accounts of WWII and the battle for Iwo Jima especially. The story takes a while to get going but the author's account of battle on Iwo Jima is very interesting.



3. I came upon this book while researching my book, The Quiet Hero: The Untold Medal of Honor Story of George E. Wahlen at the Battle for Iwo Jima. I had heard from several Iwo Jima vets that Richard Overton had written an incredible memoir of his experience as a corpsman on Iwo, and interestingly enough, he lived near my home in Utah. When I approached Dick about my desire to read it, he was hesitant, and put me off for some time, I think he hoped that I would go away. As I persisted, and I promised not to copy it or share it with anyone, he reluctantly agreed let me read his manuscript.
   
   It was printed from an old dot-matrix printer and was falling apart from having been manhandled. Before handing it to me, Dick warned me that I would not be the same once I finished reading it. Admittedly, I dismissed his warning, and inwardly doubted that any book could change me to any significant degree.
   
   In the months leading up to meeting Dick, I was heavily involved in researching my book, and I read everything about Iwo Jima I could get my hands on. Over time, many books began rehashing the same old stories and themes. But as soon as I began reading Dick's manuscript, I knew his story was unique. Now I knew why Iwo Jima veterans were recommending that I read this story. His was the brutal and grinding story of a combat veteran that could only be told by a personal witness. For once, I began to get a sense for the type of warfare waged on Iwo Jima, and how it affected those who were forced to endure it. I was indeed a changed man.
   
   After completing the book, I called Dick, and asked the question everyone seems to ask after reading his book: "what accounts for your incredible attention to detail?"
   
   He explained that shortly after being evacuated from Iwo Jima, he began writing notes about his day-by-day experiences on the battlefield. He recognized the battle would be a major milestone in his life, and he also understood the historical significance of what he had witnessed. He was determined to record his experiences for posterity, and he spent considerable time compiling his notes. Most of his notes were penned during the long, tedious days when the 5th Marine Division was stationed in Sasebo, as part of the occupation of Japan.
   
   Upon returning to civilian life, these notes were among his most prized possessions. On one occasion, his well-intentioned mother nearly discarded his notes. She believed she would help her son cope with the memories that were troubling him, by ridding him of the volumes of notes he had collected. Fortunately, Dick retrieved them before the garbage man carted them off, and he faithfully safeguarded his notes for almost forty years, until he was finally ready to begin writing his manuscript.
   
   He never intended for his manuscript to be published, it was written for his and a few friends. I was so taken by the book, that I worked with him and my publisher, American Legacy Media, and get it published.
   
   In getting the manuscript ready for print, Dick decided to pair down the manuscript, fearing that some stories would be too graphic or otherwise offend some readers. Dicks manuscript became a 330 page memoir titled God Isn't Here: A Young American's Entry into World War II and His Participation in the Battle for Iwo Jima.
   
   The book went into a limited release in 2005, but the response was immediate. Veterans began calling Dick at all hours of the night, many in tears, thanking him for writing his book. With virtually no marketing but word-of-mouth, orders from around the world convinced Dick that his book had struck a chord.
   
   With the success of the book came Dick's desire to tell the entire, uncensored story. The updated, revised and expanded version includes all the unvarnished and descriptive details that were edited from the original book. Now, the book is 432 pages long, but it's a more intimate and powerful work that is, what I believe to be among the most compelling World War II biographies ever written by an eyewitness.
   
   I love this book. Everyone who has read it upon my recommendation has thanked me. If you can handle the gritty and gruesome details of combat, I highly recommend you that you read it... you can't helped but be changed for doing so.

5 comments about Road from ar Ramadi: The Private Rebellion of Staff Sergeant Mejia: An Iraq War Memoir.

1. Carlos Meija moved with his mother to the USA in order to seek a better life. As often happens, this "better life" didn't exactly turn out the way things had been planned or promised.
   
   The US Military has a number of programs whereby they pay for your uni or college classes, and this attracts a lot of low-income earners, such as the author.
   
   I have never served in the military, but I know that it's the type of organisation where you do as you are told. They expect certain things of you, which includes going to war. In return for you serving in the military you get certain benefits, which can include paying for your education. You get something, they get something.
   
   Mejia took this money willingly, and signed up for the purpose of having his education paid for. Suddenly the US is at war and they're calling on him to fulfill his part of the contract. Now, he's made Staff Sergeant in about 8 years, so he's obviously not too much of a dope when it comes to doing his job in the army. When the war comes he wants out. He's prepared to take, but not to give.
   
   If everyone who "wanted out" got their wish then the world would be a mess. Sometimes you just have to do what you are told to do. Police don't have to agree with a law but they do have to enforce it. Same principle applies to soldering as far as I am concerned. Most military do as they're told, but Carlos took the system on. I don't agree with what he did, but he is a brave guy to do it.
   
   He may have seen a lot of horrible things, I think a lot of soldiers over the years in all kinds of wars would have. He may have felt bad about what was going on, as a lot of soldiers over the years would have, but he had a job to do and did it for a short time, until he had the chance to get out. If I'd been there I like to think I would have stayed to do my job, like it or not.
   
   I think it's a good book, a lot of explanations are given for the things he says and does, but it's all very left wing to me. Even the publisher notes in the back give this indication.
   
   If that's the way you think, then maybe the military is not for you.



2. Mejia is the true mark of a dirtbag. He joined the Army to leech the benefits, then when war comes, he cries and runs like a little girl. He does not represent the United States Army.



3. Conscientious Objector status is suppose to exclude one from military service - but what if you're already in the military? "Road from Ar Mamadi: The Private Rebellion of Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia" tells this story as a veteran of the war has enough of it, and requests discharge - only to be marked as a deserter and imprisoned. Now free, Mejia tells his story and urges Americans to support an end to what he calls an unjust war in Iraq. A chilling first person perspective not often heard, "Road from Ar Mamadi: The Private Rebellion of Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia"is a top pick for any community library collection focusing on current events.



4. I couldn't put Mejia's book down b/c he takes readers back to the early days of the war when we had to rely on biased governmental claims about what was going on in Iraq. I really appreciated hearing from an eye-witness about what truly went on in the war zone. He shows how from its inception, this war was based on a stronger nation's sense of superiority over a weaker one and how the US went there with a belief that Iraqis were less than Americans and proceeded to do dehumanizing things to them. It's embarrassing to read how our military had no respect for Iraqis, whom our leaders never bothered to understand culturally or religiously. Mejia describes more bravely & honestly than i believe most people would his own internal struggle with what he was assigned to do and how he was torn between being a good soldier & feeling morally aghast at the military's cruelty. He is not only a good role model for other soldiers, who should refuse to participate in immoral acts--no matter what propaganda the government attach to a mission--but also for regular citizens, who should be denouncing this war more vociferously & demanding that all the money (5 billion a month)our leaders are spending there be brought back to our communities. This book is a very gratifying read; it's good to see that all individual thinking has not been co-opted in our service people!



5. Amazing is not enough to describe this book and Camilo's personal story. Reading this book, you become a passenger on the arduous journey into Camilo's soul, and for that I cannot thank him enough. We all know what this war has done to the US image abroad, to the citizens at home, and to some extent, to the people of Iraq. However, we conveniently ignore the effects it has on our soldiers. Whether you are a staunch supporter of Operation Iraqi Freedom, or a pacifist opposed to all war, you NEED to read this book.
   
   While I was lost in the stories of atrocities, camaraderie, and battle, I kept forgetting it was real. This isn't a tale invented by the mind of a brilliant writer, as Camilo is, but a glimmer into his world, a story that intersects the many stories being laid out daily in this seemingly unending war. These stories must stop being ignored by the American people, who sit at home comfortable, flipping channels when news about Iraq breaks.
   
   Camilo's story not only brings us closer to Iraq than we can ever hope to be, but also brings us closer to true courage. We have all done things we are not proud of, or have sat idly by when we knew we could stop injustice. And Camilo is no exception. But after his experiences totaled more than he could bear, he realized what he needed to do. And the road he had to take was not any easier because of it. Standing up for ideals is what makes change in this world, and Camilo realized he needed to sacrifice to do just that. The book takes us from the tough streets of Ar Ramadi to the tougher streets of discovering one's own resolve and human responsibility.
   
   For all these reasons, people need to read this book. As Camilo says in his book, "Whether we squeeze the trigger, give the order, or simply stand idle in the face of senseless missions that result in the spilling of innocent blood, it doesn't make a difference. We die, little by little, each time someone gets killed, until there is no soul left, and the body becomes but a corpse, breathing and warm but void of humanity." As citizens, we can no longer stand idly by as this war progresses. Read this book, learn where you stand, and become an instrument of your ideals. That, I believe, was the point of Camilo's sacrifice and the gift he has given us.

5 comments about Lincoln's Other White House: The Untold Story of the Man and His Presidency.

1. Interesting angle on Lincoln presidency. Many of the momentous occasions of this era took place at a location most Americans are totally unfamiliar with. This book goes a long way in revealing another White House which played a very big role in the life of our greatest president.



2. The author has done a wonderful job showing what a real human being that Lincoln was. A friend of mine borrowed my book and liked it so well that
   she went out and immediately bought 5 more to give as Christmas presents. It is just the right size for a gift book and so well written anyone will be proud to own it. I have also bought 6 more copies to give all my family for Christmas. Everyone should read it, everyone will enjoy it. written by Malcolm Kelly, a Kentuckian proud or both Mr and Mrs Lincoln who were born in this state.



3. I especially enjoyed the fresh approach to Lincoln and to his wife Mary Todd, who comes across in this new book as an elegant, urbane, and gracious `Republican Queen.' The account of the Lincolns' marriage and their home life at the White House and the Soldiers' Home, from observers such as the Union Army soldiers who guarded him for three years, is fascinating. The book is based on extensive research and is enriched by fresh anecdotes about Lincoln, by Whitman's and abolitionist Longfellow's poetry, and letters and memoirs of the diverse personalities with whom Lincoln interacted, particularly his generals and cabinet members.



4. I have read a number of books on the Civil War in Washington...Fine as those books are, they do not accomplish two things that are splendid contributions of your book on the weekend home that the Lincolns made of their cottage at the Soldiers' Home.
   
   First, we often forget the huge personal burden that the war place on Lincoln and his belief, strong in the summer of 1864, that he would be defeated in the next election and that the gains in the war would slip back into Southern control. We can see in your book how his days and nights in the cottage helped Lincoln to hold on to and expand what he had until victory in the 1864 election was assured.
   
   The other is the loving relationship of the President with his wife, Mary Lincoln. We often hear of her oddities and running up of debts. What we do not hear of, and what admirably is stressed in your book, is what you describe as "the mutual affection and mutual dependence" that always linked them despite their great differences in character. Respect for Mary Lincoln, and her contributions to the greatness of Abraham Lincoln, is something we could use more of in writing American history.
   
   I will not go on expect to say that I think I have already indicated the greatness of your book, and my hope that librarians and readers everywhere will have an opportunity to benefit from its revelations and the new light it brings on the life of one of our very greatest Presidents.



5. It must be difficult-given the plethora of books on Lincoln-to shed new light on an old subject. However, Elizabeth Brownstein does. Through careful and thorough research, Ms. Brownstein addresses issues hitherto unexplored. Lincoln's summer home...provides a suitable setting to describe Lincoln's activities outside the White House. One learns, for instance, that the first draft of the Emancipation Proclamation was completed here. One also learns that, far from being a retreat from the hustle and bustle of Pennsylvania Avenue, the home facilitated Lincoln's open-mindedness about receiving virtual strangers at virtually any hour of the day or night and resulted in serious sleep deprivation.
   
   However, it was in the other topics addressed in the book that Lincoln's character is at its most illuminating. His fascination with weaponry, his patience in his dealings with his wife, and his ability to establish collegial relationship with people of vastly differing temperaments are all thoughtfully explored...The characters highlighted are dispassionately analyzed in such a way as to enable the reader to be part of the scene at all times. For instance, Lincoln's wife, so often pilloried...is given a fair hearing and is properly depicted as a courageous soul confronted by agonizing choices and exaggerated expectations of the First Lady's performance as a suitable consort of the most admired President in American History...Mrs. Brownstein provides a valuable service for readers interested in the less dramatic, but no less insightful, clues about Lincoln the President, confronted, as he was, by the unprecedented challenges associated with his era.