5 comments about Portraits of the Toughest Job in the Army: Voices and Faces of Modern Army Wives.

1. I enjoyed reading this book. As a military spouse I can relate to a lot of the stories.
   
   After reading the reviews, I was under the mistaken belief that this book was mostly photographs, and as an avid photographer I was really looking forward to some stunning images. The book is in fact mostly text, with only a few images. That's OK - the writing is good. I just would have liked more images and for them to be showcased better.
   
   I rate this 4 stars due to the quality of the printer. The binding is good, and I like the hardback format, however the pages are cheap paper (common with self published books unfortunately). The paper stock didn't do the photographs any justice at all. They weren't able to hold any detail and looked a bit "blah". Not the authors fault, just cheap printing.
   
   Overall, a good book. Worth the read if you are a military wife, or want to understand more about our world.



2. Excellent book. I could totally relate to the stories published. It was great to read about others going through the same problems or situations as I and not feel alone like I am the only one experiencing that. Great ideas to implement into my own life. Looking forward to reading more by the author. Easy reading.



3. I read this book in 3 days, thats how good it was. The homecoming part was very emotional for me since I lived it and will live it again.



4. I just finished reading "Portraits" and loved every page! Each story moved me to tears with the overwhelming emotions these amazing women deal with on a daily basis, year after year. It is an intimate look at the real people inside of the world's greatest military - a must-read for all Americans, civilians and military alike!



5. I have only read Part 1, but am moved beyond belief, by the words and God-given strength these wives have and the love for their husbands they share. I believe all wives should read this book, no matter what occupation their husband is in. These women share lessons of loving their husbands that the whole world can hear.

5 comments about Lost Victories: The Military Genius of Stonewall Jackson.

1. This book is very enlightening and demonstrates how the Confederacy might have won their independence. It is clear to see when reading the book how things might have gone during the course of the War. Of course one can also see Providence's hand at work in preserving us a Nation during those turbulent years. But this book demonstrates the military mind of one of America's finest soldiers, General Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson. I highly recommend this book if you are a student of the Civil War or a fan of the Confederacy and Stonewall Jackson such as myself.



2. I find it downright amusing reading those who say this book unfairly criticizes the sacred Robert E. Lee. While Lee could inspire men, time after time he used the wrong strategy for what he had to work with.
   
   As it is brought out in the book, the Union had more than three times (4.6 million) possible soldiers than the South (just over a million). The best strategy would have been to avoid losses and offensive operations except when carefully chosen and destroy the union army as soon as possible. As shown in the book, time after time Lee wasted his soldiers in frontal assaults.
   
   Let's look a few of General Lee's disasters:
   Malvern Hill
   D.H. Hill wrote afterwards, "It wasn't war; it was murder." Lee's army suffered 5,355 casualties with a frontal assault versus 3,214 Union and nothing was accomplished.
   
   Gettysburg - Lee attacked a well-fortified and larger Union army again. He let Stewart leave him blind in enemy territory. Confederate Losses about 23,000 out of 72,000; Federal 23,000 out of 94,000. This includes the disastrous Pickett's Charge. From Wikipedia: Approximately 12,500 men in nine infantry brigades advanced over open fields for three quarters of a mile... with over 50% casualties.



3. In "Lost Victories" author Bevin Alexander advances the proposition that Stonewall Jackson was the only military genius who could have brought victory to the Confederacy, had his initiatives not been thwarted by the limited visions of Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis. The main idea is that Jackson saw that the only way the South could win was through a bold invasion of the North. He begins his story with descriptions as to how advances in arms, primarily in rifles and cannon, switched the advantage from the attack to the defense. The narrative then leads the reader through many of the major battles of Virginia and Maryland as it explains the troop movements for which the various generals were responsible. During the descriptions of the battles, Alexander points out the many mistakes made by leaders on both sides. Toward the end he argues that, had Jackson been at Gettysburg, it is likely that he would have prevented that battle from being fought and would have guided the fighting to land favorable more to the Southern cause.
   
   This book makes a good effort in establishing its point. It is well written, although, at times, it drifts into minutiae over which units were where it the line, etc. The reader is left with an appreciation for Jackson's admirable talents in the military arts. I tend to be suspicious of second guessers who tell us how much better things could have been done. Lee's actions are open to critical analysis while Jackson's dreams have not undergone the test of battle. Maybe Lee and Davis did blow it by not following Jackson's advice, but I remain unconvinced. I am glad, however, that I read Alexander's brief.



4. This book clearly and accurately details the genius of Stonewall Jackson. Alexander's conclusions are not really all that mind-bending, and quite resonable when further examination is done. He is hard on Lee, but only as pertaining to Jackson. All-in-all, a book that is anything but conventional, but remarkable in it's logic.



5. To hear Bevin Alexander tell it, Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson was the only general in the Army of Northern Virginia who knew which end was up. All the others were incompetent.

   Further, not only was 'Stonewall' better than any of them, he had the infallible secret of Southern victory in his head. If only Lee and Davis had _listened_, he would have ended the war in 1862 or '63, with the Confederacy triumphant.

   These are strong claims. Does Alexander establish them? No.

   Alexander goes over Jackson's career in the Civil War Between the States, recounting what happened at various times and giving some of Jackson's ideas on how to fight and what targets to attack. He also claims that many of the ideas that are commonly asserted about Jackson are just wrong: e.g., that Jackson failed to perform during the Seven Days Battles. (Bevin gives evidence that it was A. P. Hill's impatience, and Lee's mistaken estimate of Union intentions that kept the Army of the Potomac from disaster).

   This is very interesting stuff, and earns the book three stars. I recommend it to all students of the War for Northern Independence of Southern Aggression. But he provides no arguments for his larger points.

   Alexander confuses his own visions with evidence. He'll present one of Jackson's ideas (invade Maryland, manuver north of Washington, cut the rail lines from the capital to Baltimore). Then he'll speculate about what would happen (Washington DC starves, loses the will to fight the war, and surrenders). Then he treats the speculation as a certainty. Repeat endlessly, and you have the substance of the book's claims.

   So this book is worth reading, but can't be taken too seriously.

5 comments about Inside the Third Reich: Memoirs.

1. This book is the product of many documents written by Albert Speer during his incarceration in Spandau Prison which he served from July 18, 1947 through September 30, 1966.
   I read this book in 1973, and was taken back by the way Mr. Speer described his vaunted rise as a young man in the Nazi movement. His eloquence as a writer describing his actions and responsibilities in promoting the Third Reich through his architecture and his planning of the Nuremberg Nazi Party rally in 1933 actually read as a fiction novel.
   As time rolled on, Speer describes his relationship with Hitler. In fact Hitler considered Speer a kindred spirit for whom Hitler always maintained the warmest human feelings.
   The ambitious Speer was thus named the First Architect of the Third Reich. Speer's duties included Hitler's revision of Berlin with Speer drawing up the plans for the new Capital of the Thousand Year Third Reich.
   Once the War started Speer used his assets in helping the Wehrmacht. Later, he was appointed the Minister of Armaments. It was in this capacity that Speer was most useful to Hitler. His use of foreign labor and his gift for planning sustained the Nazi effort for more so than can be reasonably estimated in a lost war effort.
   Speer admitted his guilt and involvement in the Nazi Party during the Nuremberg Trials. His 20 year sentence was carried out to the last minute at Spandau Prison in Berlin. He describes in his book how he survived the tedium of everyday prison life by reading, writing and walking. His stay at Spandau was described in great detail. Speer told of how each of the Four occupying powers ran the prison during their respective shifts.
   Speer's book is an insightful study of Nazi Power as seen by a penitent Nazi leader.
   I respect his honesty and his insight of the Nazi government as seen by one of them. In retrospect this version of what Speer had experienced is the complete oxymoron of the Diaries of Victor Klemperer.
   It wasn't until now that I can compare and contrast two German individuals on opposite sides of the German spectrum and see the utter madness of it all.
   Maybe this is why I write these reviews. I've found a new thesis of this terrifying World event. I know of no one else who has expostulated this theory.
   This is a must read if you really want to know about the ultimate World tragedy. In fact make sure to also read Victor Klemperer's complete diaries. After that, you'll see the light!!



2. Albert Speer had a front seat to the machinations of the Third Reich. He was an architect by training, seemingly intelligent and rational - which puts him at odds with the evil eccentrics like Himmler, von Ribbentrop, Goering, etc., While Speer delves into his early life, the book primarily deals with the years between 1933 and 1945 when the Third Reich rose to power. Speer was at first an architect and designer but quickly rose in the ranks due to his organizational skills. Ultimately he became Minister of Arms and Munitions. Supposedly, despite intense Allied bombing of their factories, Speers efforts increased arms production, prolonging the war. Speer wrote this book while in prison for 20 years after the Nuremberg Trials.



3. The purpose of all memoirs is to lie. Or, more gently put: the purpose is to portray the past in a light favorable to the author. Even accepting that basic truth, memoirs can be very useful. ItTR is history as portrayed by Albert Speer, who was much more than just "Hitler's Architect." The book is an effort by Speer to portray himself as, alternately, a hapless victim of circumstance or a noble dissident, trying to undermine the Hitler regime from within. I imagine there may be some measure of truth to both of these claims but, as I said, the purpose of a memoir is to lie. Especially unimpressive is his great moral conviction to stand up at Nuremberg and take responsibility for everything. It's easy to do the right thing when you have no other real choice...
   
   That aside, ItTR is still worth reading. The most interesting aspect of the book is its insights into Hitler's personality. For much of the pre-war regime, up until maybe 1942 or so, Speer was probably once of the few people who might arguably be called Hitler's "friend." At times, one is almost tempted to feel sorry for Hitler, given his obvious personality disorder(s).
   
   It's also interesting for what Speer leaves out. There is surprisingly little mention of the Holocaust. The fact that this topic is so consistently avoided undermines the notion that Speer was the moral icon he tries to pretend to be. There is absolutely no way he, in his position, could not have known about the camps and what was happening. After all, he was partially responsible for importing slave-labor to German factories during the war. This omission is very telling, IMO.
   
   In all, ItTR is a valuable book, assuming you can read it with the several grains of salt necessary. Speer the historian is acceptable; Speer the "Good Nazi" is absurd.
   
   Recommended.



4. Contrary to my preconcieved ideas this memoir offered little insight into a world war II stricken germany. Speer instead focuses mostly on his work as an architect and later his duties as Armaments minister. However, Speer does elaborate throughout the book on his ever changing relationship with the fuhrer. As a first hand account this book offers incredible insights into many of the top nazi officials and i also found his architectural projects intriguing. His portrait of Hitler is worth the read in itself as he turns the image of omnipotent dictator on its head. In the end your likely to find Speer's tragedy a sympathetic and fascinating one.



5. Reich Marshall Albert Speer was in charge of Germany's armament production, and this is the main subject of my review (based on the original 1970 English-language edition).
   
   A major advance in military production had been achieved by the Germans long before WWII: "The real creator of the concept of industrial self-responsibility was Walther Rathenau, the great Jewish organizer of the German economy during the First World War." (p. 249)
   
   Allied WWII strategic bombing failed to knock out crucial German military manufacture, notably ball-bearing production, because the Allies couldn't know if and when the dispersal of this manufacture had been achieved (p. 341). Moreover, aerial photos were often misinterpreted (by both sides), leading to an exaggerated sense of success regarding the destruction of industrial targets. For example, "ruined" factories turned out to have surviving sections which enabled the revival of full production in as little time as two weeks (p. 341). Bombed railroad tracks could often be repaired in a matter of hours (p. 337). (This clarifies complaints about the Allies not bombing the tracks to Auschwitz, and of the Polish Underground not dynamiting other tracks; apart from the fact that the Polish Underground wasn't significantly organized until the latter half of 1943, by which time the Germans had already murdered most of Poland's 3.3 million Jews).
   
   Owing to these and other difficulties, the outcome of Allied precision bombing was not surprising: "But the enemy had always demonstrated a lack of consistency; he switched from target to target or attacked in the wrong places." (p. 412)
   
   Now consider Allied area bombing. It has fallaciously been attacked as ineffective. In actuality, the disruption of urban-industrial function caused by area bombing caused more lost productivity than the actual destruction itself. Following the Hamburg firestorm, Speer reported to Hitler that armaments production was collapsing, and that six more such raids would bring German war production to a total halt (p. 338). So area bombing didn't bring Germany to her knees not because area bombing didn't work, but because it wasn't pursued with sufficient focus: "Fortunately for us, a series of Hamburg-type raids was not repeated on such a scale against other cities." (p. 339)
   
   Allied bombing succeeding in forcing the Germans to divert crucial frontline resources: "Had it not been for this new front, the air front over Germany, our defensive strength against tanks would have been about doubled, as far as equipment was concerned. Moreover, the antiaircraft force tied down hundreds of thousands of young soldiers. A third of the optical industry was busy producing gunsights for flak batteries. About half of the electronics industry was engaged in producing radar and communications networks for defense against bombing. Simply because of this, in spite of the high level of the German electronics and optical industries, the supply of our frontline troops with modern equipment remained far behind that of the Western armies." (p. 332)
   
   Finally, Allied bombing practically insured that Germany would not develop an atom bomb. Speer commented: "For it was not only superior productive capability that allowed the United States to undertake this gigantic project. The increasing air raids had long since created an armaments emergency in Germany which ruled out any such ambitious enterprise." (p. 273)

5 comments about You Only Blow Yourself Up Once: Confessions of a World War Two Bomb Disposaleer.

1. I thoroughly enjoyed reading, You Only Blow Yourself up Once - Confessions of a World War Two Bomb Disposaleer, by J. Frank Durham as told to Doug Hay. The author dedicated his book to the members of World War II U.S. Navy Bomb Disposal, Mine Disposal and Explosive Ordnance Units past and present. The book is a first person account by an early member of the Navy's Bomb Disposal (BD) School during WWII and his assignment on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Following the Pearl Harbor attack, J. Frank Durham, a lawyer from Greencastle, Indiana volunteered for the Navy and the newly established Navy Bomb Disposal School. Frank graduated from the first all-enlisted class, Class #4, on 4 July 1942 at the Washington Naval Yard.
   
   Aviation Ordnance Man (AOM) first class petty officer (1/c) Frank Durham arrived in Guadalcanal in December of 1942 and was assigned to the U.S. Naval Advanced Base (NAB), 145th Bomb Disposal Unit. The two-man unit consisted of Lt. (jg) Homer S. Anderson and Frank. They established their shop next to Henderson Field. At the time a Navy Bomb Disposal unit consisted of one officer and one petty officer. Frank's honest account tells how he and some other enlisted guys got involved in the Japanese war souvenir trade and an alcohol distillery business on the island. He also tells of being on a ship that was torpedoed and having to abandon ship. In November 1943, Frank received a field commission to ensign and joined the ranks of other "mustangs," enlisted men earning commissions. Frank departed Guadalcanal on 25 November 1943 for stateside duty until war's end and returning to civilian life. The book describes life on Guadalcanal from December 1942 to November 1943 and the many bomb disposal missions that Frank participated in.
   
   John D. Bartleson Jr., CWO4, USN (Retired), and former Historian for the Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association wrote the Forward to the book. Appendix A in the book recalls the stories of three Japanese soldiers on Guadalcanal from their captured diaries. Appendix B is a collection of bomb disposal stories called Stories Told Out of School. Bartleson wrote an account of Lord Charles Henry George "Wild Jack" Howard, 20th Earl of Suffolk and 13th Earl of Berkshire who became Britain's Chief Field Research and Experimental Officer at the Directorate of Scientific Research and was posthumously awarded the George Cross for his bravery in France and his early work in British Bomb Disposal. Edwin R. "Ed" Gropp tells about his accident on Guadalcanal on 15 April 1943 and his postwar treatment when he returned to civilian life. There's a story about Robert W. "Ike" Eigell, Commander, USN (Retired) entitled, A Legend in Explosive Ordnance Disposal. There is an excerpt from Eigell's book Recollections of a Mustang, entitled Monkeys of Guam. And About That Brass Monkey, a story that was printed in the August 2001 issue of The Disposaleer tells of the origin of a very famous phrase. Lieutenant William "Bill" Shriner's story entitled William Shriner - A Strong Voice on D-Day and Afterwards recalls the first German plane shot down by a surface vessel the USS ANCON (AGC-4) at Omaha Beach. Draper Kauffman and His Bomb Disposal School -the Aftermath tells about Rear Admiral Draper L. Kauffman and the birth of the Navy Bomb Disposal School. Mark Rivinus, Commander, USN (Retired) wrote The Final Disposal Job of BD School. The school was disbanded on 31 October 1945.
   
   By the end of the war, after running 78 classes, 1,050 officers and enlisted men out of 1,559 students graduated from the U.S. Navy Bomb Disposal School. Seven Navy Bomb Disposal officers and two enlisted men were killed performing bomb disposal duties in WWII.
   
   The 156 page paperback book is well illustrated with bomb disposal cartoon humor, 15 pages of photos, and an index.
   
   The reviewer Mike R. Vining is a retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major who served in the army from 1968 to 1999 in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Special Operations field.



2. This book is simply fun to read. The author provides first person accounts of his training and service as a bomb disposal technician on Guadalcanal during World War II. It is a book filled with stories, humorous cartoons, and some pictures. From ducking for cover to building a still, this book is an enjoyable and enlightening experience.



3. This book catches your attention if by nothing else than its title. You Only Blow Yourself Up Once, is a first-hand account of a bomb disposal expert serving in the Pacific during World War Two.
   
   Specifically, he arrives in Quadalcanal after the hostilities had quieted down considerably. He spends the remainder of his service time, taking apart unexploded bombs, torpedoes, and making recommendations on what type of explosive to present the Japanese military with. Interesting aspects of this book include a commando mission to defuse a bomb some island locals didn't appreciate.
   
   The nice thing about this book is it really makes you appreciate what the early EOD servicemen were doing. They were a brand-new all-volunteer section of the Navy dealing with some of the most dangerous activities imaginable. After all, defusing a failed bomb that someone dropped on you must take real guts. It was interesting to note no one wanted this guy's job!
   
   I also enjoyed the humor in this book. It's a nice easy read. An ambitious person could finish it in a weekend. But it has a lot of additional sources for further information. Most of all it does a nice job in describing the birth of this unique form of service.



4. Just a wonderful book by one of Indiana WW2 hero's. Serious content but lightfully written.
   
   Wayne Brewer



5. I started reading this book on Sunday and didn't put it down until two days later when I finished it. It is a great historical perspective of Navy bomb disposal experts and their role in the Pacific during World War II. Lots of personal insights on the battle for Iwo Jima. I strongly recommend it for history bluffs and those who enjoy reading a great biographical tale from a foot soldier (or foot sailor) of one of the greatest battles in our nation's history. Captain David E. Meadows, U.S. Navy and author of Sixth Fleet & Joint Task Force series. http://www.sixthfleet.com

4 comments about Brave Men.

1. Truly a American hero! David Hackworth was only 15 years old when he first went into the service. He later found himself having to fight in a deadly war with death and hurt all around him. Not only did he survive he came out as the most decorated man alive today. Read about Hackworth and learn how he had to fight to stay alive in a place where it's kill or be killed. I know it's a harsh term but it was true read this book and find yourself on the front line of a bloody and body/mind testing war. Worth the money any day of the week, good reading.



2. This book, "Brave Men," is pretty much just a reprint of his autobiography, "About Face." Save your money and buy "About Face."
   Otherwise, they are both good reads, factual, and realistic, if somewhat opinionated. One caution: Col. Hackworth does not hesitate to give strong opinions in areas in which he is not qualified, such as the Sherman tank.



3. I don't read many action books or novels, but I love this book!
   A very perceptive, quick thinker caught in "The Most Dangerous
   Game" - human War). The book HAS to be read for one to have an opinion, a personal one.

   The veracity of his accounts has many endorsements and no rebuttals, as far as I can tell. To this day he has maintained a high visibility, and mud slingers would have no trouble sighting this target.

   Bill Schaefer




4. This is an outstanding book about one of the greatest soldiers ever! Read this book. It is excellent--gripping--full of great lessons on leadership and military techniques. If you're not in the military, but like military history, you would also like this book. It is stock full of war stories and great tales of feats that are just absolutely amazing! Read this book. It's a keeper. Hack's stories and lessons learned help me every day as I lead my platoon...2 miles from North Korea.

5 comments about The Proud Bastards: One Marine's Journey from Parris Island through the Hell of Vietnam.

1. Rarely does a book foster and inspire an epiphany within me. Yet, "Proud Bastards" by E. Michael Helms - a raw-edged, revealing account of life as a Marine, and service in the Vietnam war, took me to the edge of civilization and back again. Mr. Helms' style of personal narrative reveals not only a soldier's courage, fears, and sense of duty; but his own personal courage in facing and recounting his experiences to the reader who is propelled along the tumultuous currents of Helms' fascinating and riveting journey. I laughed with him, cried with him, touched, tasted and smelled the horrors of war, as well as felt the triumphs and loss of camaraderie through his poignant words. Helms' exquisite sense of timing, and his balance of the good times as well as the bad, combine to make his book a masterpiece weaving of complexities, confusions, brutality and horror; his relentless assault on one's senses - all forgiven through the comprehension of humanity's fragility. From this book, I could finally understand the kind of pain that I saw reflected in my own Father's eyes when he thought of his service in Vietnam. "Proud Bastards" will touch the heart of all patriots, and the soul of all humans in its reflections of indomitable will and courage - and the simplicity of a sunrise in the heroic heart of a soldier far from home.



2. One of the best Marine Corp, and Vietnam related books that I have ever read. Really gives a sense of what the Marines and Vietnam were like. I would recommend it to anyone.



3. "The Proud Bastards" is not about war; it's about a man who went to war, a 20th century hero's journey told with gut-wrenching truth. Follow Mike as he leaves his ordinary world, still an idealistic boy. Laugh as he endures often hilarious and grueling days of Marine boot camp. Then follow him on to the dark, frightening culture shock of war-torn Vietnam. It is an odyssey that takes you from boyhood dreams to adulthood's most gruesome reality. Not for males only, it is an insightful look into the soul of a young man as he faces the challenges of battle and brings home the precious elixir--life.



4. Never have I read a more gripping combat account. It's a wild, unfettered
   ride. From the author's numbing, raunchy belittlement at Parris Island
   Marine boot camp to fighting in a faraway country he found "luring, lovely,
   and lethal," Helms pulls no punches. I especially like "Mikey's" biting,
   insightful running dialogue with himself.

   Often as I read a book I will pause and thumb through a few pages to see how
   soon the chapter will end; perhaps because I've lost focus and I'm ready for
   it to end. I never did that while reading "The Proud Bastards" because Mr.
   Helms spared me the bother. He has the blessed knack to know when his
   readers are ready for a chapter to end and he writes accordingly.

   Helms is observant in other ways that made reading this book an adventure.
   Seldom have I read a brutal war story graced with so many coloful
   descriptive passages about the lay of the land: the trees, birds, mountains,
   ocean, stars, and the weather. Such contrasting lends realism that "takes
   the reader there." I think it both sets the stage for and respites the
   gruesome battle scenes to follow.

   I owe E. Michael Helms. He took me to Vietnam, showed me around, then got me
   out of there when he knew it was time for both of us to leave. He is an
   especially gifted writer, which "The Proud Bastards" proves abundantly.

   I highly recommend this book.




5. Helms' powerful writing style gripped me from the first page. A fast-paced, realistic account of what grunts went through during the war. I read the trade paperback version, and this one had the same emotional impact on me. I laughed about some of his experiences in boot camp, felt knotted inside through the Vietnam fighting, and am glad he survived and wrote his story. I've read many books about the Vietnam War, and this is by far the best.

5 comments about Under Fire: An American Story.

1. Not too bad of a book. Explains alot of the details in the Iran-contra affair and he explains his personal involvement in the Vietnam War.



2. How could a Marine (North) even consider selling weapons to a nation (Iran) that financed the suicide attack (carried out by Hezbollah) that murdered over 140 of his fellow Marines in Beruit in '83? It boggles the mind. He is a traitor who should have been sent to Leavenworth, along with all of the morally challanged officers and politicians above him.



3. The main issue, unacknowledged in North's disgusting, self-justifying book and unmentioned in most of these reviews, is not whether North was acting 'illegally' or without Reagan's consent - it's the fact that he was involved in siphoning money to fascist death squads so that they could overthrow a democratic government. The Contras murdered, mutilated, tortured and raped civilians; 30,000 people lost their lives in the civil war between the Contras and the government. The victims of the Contra attacks were not 'evil Communists', but priests, teachers, nurses and schoolchildren.
   
   The Sandinista government itself was not, as another reviewer claimed, a Soviet stooge, but a non-aligned, Leftist government who favoured a mixed economy, human rights and democracy. The Sandinistas introduced free healthcare and education, land reform and fair elections; they started a massive literacy campaign and abolished the death penalty. The Sandinistas' only serious human rights violation, their treatment of the indigenous Miskito population, was acknowledged as such after pressure from human rights groups, and the Sandinistas ultimately granted the Miskito full autonomy. This is in marked contrast to the US's refusal to even acknowledge, let alone attempt to rectify, its many abuses...
   
   Many of the Contra fighters were loyalists of the previous Somoza regime, a vicious military dictatorship that the US had supported for years. All of the guff about restoring 'democracy' to Nicaragua was either a lie or a gross misunderstanding of reality; it would have been more accurate to talk about restoring fascism. The freedom-loving US appears often to get these two political systems mixed up, given that they also funded, armed and trained barbarous military juntas in Guatemala, Chile, Brazil, Argentina and El Salvador, a country where 70,000 people were killed.
   
   So the issue is not the 'illegality', by US terms, of North's actions. The shocking reality is that North was only carrying out standard US foreign policy. The crimes here are not those of a lone individual, but of an entire administration. After all, in the early 1980s, the World Court indicted the US for conducting a campaign of state terrorism against Nicaragua.
   
   This said, North's role in the funding of the Contras makes him, by any rational standards, a war criminal, an abetter of terrorism, an accomplice in mass murder. That's the real story here.



4. colonel north does it again by giving the reader a searing and fascinating look into his life all while importing enough cocaine into america to finance a large village in columbia, what a busy guy!!!. The only thing that disapointed me was the colonel's lack of detail's regarding the time he spent destroying incriminating documents after former head of c.i.a william casey gave him the heads up to get rid of the documents, nice work ollie!!!......



5. I almost bought this book but then read the 9/11 report and was reminded that Mr. North broke the law, was indicted, and then was pardoned because of a technicality;and now for some reason, there are those trying to make a hero out of him....he's taken advantage of his ill begotten fame and has made himself a millionaire...Fox news loves him....I then decided not to contribute to his coffers....

5 comments about That Others May Live: The True Story of the PJs, the Real Life Heroes of the Perfect Storm.

1. I bought this book in tandem with Michael Hirsh's None Braver. In truth, I preferred the latter, however that opinion lies mostly in differing expectations. I had anticipated a more in-depth account of PJ training and missions. While this book contains a fair amount of that, Brehm and his co-author use it mostly to lace together what is more aptly described as an auto-biography. You are looking at mostly the personal aspect of the job: family life, stress, emotions, tough decisions, etc. Not nearly as gripping or action-packed, if you will. The disappointment notwithstanding, I found it enjoyable and a decent read, with just enough "adventure" to pull me in. If you are more interested in the technical aspects or more detail about combat missions and life during a war (Brehm served mostly in the U.S.), I advise Hirsh's book. However, Brehm's heart-felt stories are still worth a look. It's just another side of the coin - the rest of the story, so to speak.



2. On the whole, I thought this was an excellent view into the lives and mindset of PJs, as well as their families--and let's face it, family is important. Stress destroys relationships, and there's enough stress in this job for a dozen ordinary people.
   Some of the more gut-wrenching moments include descriptions of rescues where the weather won't allow an air pickup, so a PJ jumps into the sea with the hope of being able to keep himself and the victims alive until the weather breaks. Not a job for cowards.
   Some parts are a tad slow, but then, this is one of those jobs that consists of months of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. It's an essential element, and I didn't find it to detract from the read.
   My only complaint is that it seemed rushed into production and some technical errors slipped in. An F-15 rarely seats two people, never side by side, and doesn't have an "escape pod." That sounds somewhat like an F-111, and if the rescue was off the coast of Britain in the 1980s, a likely actuality. Obviously, Jack Brehm didn't make that mistake in print; it was probably an editor shuffling things around. Likewise, some of the parachuting technicals mentioned don't match my jump experience.
   But then, this isn't a textbook for students, it's a view into the mind and lives of the men who risk death to save others, amidst the families, organizations and rivalry and the occasional mockery of wannabes. Well worth the read.
   As to "The Perfect Storm" reference, there has to be some way to relate the content to a casual reader who would otherwise think of "Pajamas" when hearing "PJ."
   It's "Pararescue Jumper," and they and the pilots and the Coasties are all on the same team.



3. An easy-flowing book to read from start to finish; however, I wish there was more on the pipeline training. For those who expected more on the PJ's lifestyle, I recommend the video, "Pararescuemen - That Others May Live".



4. WHAT A DISSAPPOINTMENT. WITH THE EXPERIENCE HE HAD, I HOPED BREHMS BOOK WOULD BE DECENT. IT WAS ANYTHING BUT. A TEDIOUS SLOW READ I POSED THE QUESTION TO MYSELF, "WHY AM I READING THIS?"



5. I thought this was a good book. Obviously that guy Frank who rated it has some serious issues about pararescue jumpers, maybe he washed out of the course and is a little bitter? Don't be mad frank, it's an 80% wash out rate. The book focuses on Jack Brehm, because he is the author, and can only tell the stories from his perspectives. Granted it's kind of slow, but this isn't a Science Fiction book, it's a Military History book, so it's not going to read like a Star Wars book. I work around and with these guys, and they are heroes and I think frank might change his mind if he ever had to be rescued by one.

5 comments about The Girl Watchers Club: Lessons from the Battlefields of Life.

1. What do you get when a group of retired men in their eighties get together and discuss life? This group of men have been doing just that for years, and they have formed powerful bonds of friendship that resonate throughout the book. These men came of age during the Great Depression of the 1930's and World War II, so that they are part of what Tom Brokaw has called the "Greatest Generation," a label that none of them would willingly accept for themselves. These men share the stories of their lives and expound upon the lessons they have gleaned from their lives. They have strong opinions, many of which are out of fashion these days, which are tempered by their good humor and camaraderie. This is a terrifically candid look into the lives of a group of men who have lead full lives and are comfortable with who they are and what they've accomplished. They certainly could serve as a model for how to grow old gracefully.



2. As I was reading this book we were talking about it around the office and it has led to some great discussions because there are 3 different generations represented in my office and 3 very different perceptions of "the greatest generation". Whether you agree with the premise or motives behind war, or believe there is a God or not, or if you just want to read what some very interesting characters have to say, Harry Stein's book is a must read.
   The men themselves have great life stories to share, and I have to admit, I've developed a bit of a crush on the crusty and crazy Moe. If he were only 45 years younger and single....
   Stein has done an outstanding job of tying in the ideals from his parents' generation to his experience in the 60s to the changes that are sweeping our country now. I don't think he demonstrated "liberal guilt" as much as he just blatantly reveals that maybe the social changes of the 60s, although had their history-making moments, may have gone too far in some ways and undermined what the older generations had worked for.
   If nothing else, pick up a copy and read Chapter 14. Outstanding. Well-written and thought provoking. This is one to share.



3. I enjoyed listening to Stein's transcription of these fascinating, eccentric and brave men. They have a lot to say and Stein gives them their due..but when he starts editorializing, he can be a bit annoying. In his introduction(and at various times throughout the book) Stein gets into the "good old days" business. Those days weren't all that good.
   Also, I think he asumes that all of the "greatest generation" were rather conservative. Not true. They probably were more self-reliant and a bit more brave..though some were brave communists and so on, who fought in the Spanish Civil War or in the leftist underground.
   All the same, he does honor these special WW11 veterans and I am glad I read the book.



4. Too often, we tear down our heroes in a misguided attempt to "humanize" them -- but if being perfect is a prerequisite, then nobody can ever truly be a hero. Thankfully, in "The Girl Watchers Club," Harry Stein sets things straight. These men demonstrate that the essence of heroism is character. It's the will to do what must be done, and to keep on doing it because it's right. That's not a small thing by any means, especially in these days of moral relativity, but it requires no special skills or training, and any of us can do it if we're willing to try. Yes, the Girl Watchers are a most interesting bunch of characters, and it's immensely enjoyable to get to know them through Stein's engrossing narrative. The book is a winner on that level alone. But the book's subtitle is no afterthought -- life really is a battlefield, and these guys have much to teach us about winning. Truly inspiring.



5. Harry Stein seems to be suffering from the conservative equivalent of liberal guilt. Contemplating the inequities of a 60's draft that he admits to having evaded, Stein philosophically strokes his chin and says, I still think the war was wrong, but maybe I should have gone; it might have been character building. Forget about the millions dead; Harry Stein could have had a character building experience!

   It is indeed odd that in this ode to personal responsibility, Stein so often uses the circumlocution "my generation" when he is so clearly talking about himself. Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of his own generation fought in that war he avoided. One of them (and only one of them) is running for president right now.

   Another problem with this book is the way it writes off, in a way that sometimes borders on contempt, its female cast of characters. The male leadership of the 60's "revolution" that Stein now says he regrets his role in was notorious for relegating women to the kitchen and the bedroom. Reading this book, one can't help but wonder if that wasn't one part of that revolution that Stein would have kept. Indeed, the WW2 generation men Stein is writing about often seem to respect the women in their lives far more than Stein does.

   In spite of its flaws, however, this is a book well worth reading. If you can get past Stein's neo-conservative handwringing, there is a story here. It is a story worthy of Steinbeck, and (polemical digressions notwithstanding) Stein tells it very well indeed. This book fills an important gap in the social history of modern America, and I can only hope that some day that Stein will grow up enough to write about his own generation with the same respect and nuanced understanding that he gives the men who raised them.

5 comments about Bedford Forrest: and His Critter Company (Southern Classics Series).

1. History can suffer at the hands of its practitioners, but that is certainly not the case here. Lytle can write and Forrest is the beneficiary of his talent. Lytle seeks to communicate the essence of the man and his time and largely succeeds. Although a vivid portrait of Forrest the man emerges, my one word impression of Forrest after reading this book is Warrior! I found it hard to put down. But I wouldn't want to run in to him in a dark alley wearing a Yankee uniform!



2. Andrew Lytle was the dean of Southern writers, and in this work -- one of his earliest -- he not only brought to life America's greatest military figure, but an age and a people as well. It was Lytle's aim to make the times of Nathan Bedford Forrest come alive for the reader. He devoted himself to intensive research of the Tennessee where Forrest was born and the Mississippi where he lived.
   
   In reading this book we not only learn about the marvellous -- indeed, often incredible -- feats of a military genius, but we learn at the same time about the people, the places, the morals, the values, and the way of life of a people long gone now. (Lytle's subsequent book, A Wake for the Living, deals more pointedly with how much of the good of those days we have lost.)
   
   This book, although a worthy history, reads like a novel. It truly is one that is hard to put down once you get started.



3. In terms of his impact on modern warfare, no general of the Civil War had more than Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest. Not Grant, not Lee, not Longstreet or Sherman. This is the man. No less a general than Erwin Rommel studied Forrest's tactics and implemented them with modern weaponry when his Afrika Korps marched all over Libya and Egypt in World War II.

   The reason I say this book isn't for the "politically correct" is that it was written some 70 years ago, by a man of the old South who obviously idolized Forrest and everything he stood for. As you know already, not everything Forrest stood for was good. He was 100 years ahead of his time as a soldier, but stuck in 1860 in his personal beliefs.

   But...getting into the book. He was a brilliant commander who never had enough men under his command to turn the war in the South's favor. Still, he was a hero to the people of the Tennessee river valley where he won most of his victories, with good reason. When the Union troops overran these areas and placed them under military rule, Forrest made sure they treated the citizens decently. Once he even saved a group of innocent men from a flaming death at the hands of vengeful Union soldiers whom he was defeating in battle. Reading these and other stories makes you understand why he was such a hero to the author, who would have heard first-hand accounts of Forrest's exploits.

   Lytle believes that the South would have won the war if Forrest had been placed in command of the main Confederate army in the west, and he's probably right. Forrest was an extraordinary individual who had more impact on the 20th century than any other Civil War general.




4. I never fully appreciated the intellect of Forrest until I finished this book. It peels away the myths about the man, and tells about what he was really like. I loved it, and often flip around in it from time to time. A must for Civil War buffs!



5. Cunning as the Devil was Nathan Bedford Forrest and this book indicates just how quick and clever this military genius was. Little wonder then that Lee considered this dark knight to be his finest soldier, above even the legendary Stonewall Jackson.